War Chariot MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	348
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dameon Willich

Key Takeaways

War Chariot offers consistent card advantage by creating Knight tokens for a strong board presence.
The ability to use War Chariot at instant speed provides flexibility and strategic value in matches.
Strategic deck construction is necessary to accommodate the War Chariot’s specific mana cost for effectiveness.

Text of card

o3,oc T: Target creature gains trample until end of turn.

"I wouldn't advise using it with a Woolly Mammoth, but it's quite appropriate for many other beasts." —Arcum Dagsson, Soldevi Machinist

Card Pros

Card Advantage: War Chariot provides a repeatable effect to create Knight tokens, which equates to consistent card advantage as you effectively get more creatures without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: The knights produced by War Chariot can be utilized for various synergies or sacrificing strategies, effectively serving as a resource acceleration to propel your game strategy forward.

Instant Speed: War Chariot’s ability can be activated at instant speed, offering the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions or to maximize the timing of your token generation relative to the turn sequence.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Piloting the War Chariot card requires a strategic hand management, as it necessitates discarding a card to activate certain abilities. This can put you at a disadvantage, particularly in the later stages of the game when every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The War Chariot’s deployment onto the battlefield is contingent upon a specific mana arrangement, often tightening its integration into decks. Players must be mindful of their deck’s mana base to ensure they can cast it when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for War Chariot can be steep when juxtaposed with alternative options within the same mana range. It’s crucial for players to consider whether the cost aligns with the tempo and strategy of their deck.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: War Chariot is a card that offers flexible utility across various deck types. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your aggro lineup or provide additional support to your creatures, its ability to grant haste or prevent damage adds strategic value to your play.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in synergistic play styles. Its interaction with cards that benefit from vehicles or those that require activation without suffering damage can create significant advantages in-game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo can be critical, War Chariot holds relevance. By accelerating your board presence without sacrificing defense, it adapts well to shifting metagame dynamics, making it a wise choice for collectors and competitive players alike.

How to beat

War Chariot is a notable card amongst the artifact options in Magic: The Gathering, providing a unique blend of aggressiveness and protection. To outmaneuver this card, understanding the nuances of artifact removal and board control is essential. Cards with direct artifact destruction capabilities, such as Abrade or Naturalize, can efficiently counter War Chariot’s presence by removing it from the battlefield outright.

Counter strategies can also be centered around preemptively dealing with creatures War Chariot aims to protect. Removal spells that target tapped creatures, can make the Chariot’s defensive function moot. Ensnaring Bridge, for instance, can limit the ability of your opponent’s creatures to attack, thereby diminishing War Chariot’s offensive utility.

Ultimately, control deck pilots have a plethora of options to sidestep the advantages War Chariot presents. Whether through targeted artifact disruption or by managing the creatures it seeks to enhance, maintaining tactical control of the board will ensure this imposing artifact finds minimum impact on the game’s outcome.

Cards like War Chariot

War Chariot emerges as a notable contender within the artifact creatures category in Magic: The Gathering. Its parallels with cards like Peacewalker Colossus illustrate the diversity in vehicular design. While both can be potent attack enablers, War Chariot requires a crew of only one, making it easy to activate. Peacewalker Colossus, although having a higher crew cost, boasts the unique ability to turn other vehicles into attackers without needing a crew.

Another comparison that comes to mind is with Untethered Express. This creature also grows stronger with each attack, thanks to its +1/+1 counters. War Chariot doesn’t share this particular growth mechanic, relying instead on solid stats from the get-go. Meanwhile, Fleetwheel Cruiser stands out for its ability to attack on the turn it’s played without requiring a crew, offering a distinct advantage in surprise tactics over the Chariot.

Assessing these varying traits brings into focus the strategic use of War Chariot amidst its counterparts. Its low crew cost can be pivotal for early-game pressure, while other cards offer growth potential or tactical flexibility. In the grand strategy of MTG, each vehicle card finds its own lane to success in a player’s deck composition.

Peacewalker Colossus - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to War Chariot by color, type and mana cost

Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions

Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions

Guardians of Meletis - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase War Chariot MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the War Chariot and other MTG cards: