Lodestone Golem MTG Card
2010-02-05 - Number 127
2010-06-18 - Number 111
2015-05-22 - Number 219
2022-11-18 - Number 92z
2022-11-18 - Number 29
2022-11-18 - Number 92
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Golem |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Nonartifact spells cost more to cast.
"Somehow it warps the Æther. It brings a strange weight, a blockade in the flow of spellcraft." —Noyan Dar, Tazeem lullmage
Cards like Lodestone Golem
When considering the impact of Lodestone Golem in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering, it’s important to assess it alongside its contemporaries. Along the same lines, there’s the well-known Trinisphere, which affects the cost of spells quite similarly by ensuring they cannot cost less than three mana to cast. Though Trinisphere affects all spells uniformly, what sets Lodestone Golem apart is its selective tax to nonartifact spells, indirectly promoting artifact-centric strategies.
Another comparable artifact is Sphere of Resistance, which increases the mana cost of all spells by one. While it shares the taxing concept with Lodestone Golem, the Golem’s differentiation is in its role on the battlefield as a substantial creature with a power/toughness of 5/3. Furthermore, Thorn of Amethyst also elevates nonartifact spell costs, but its lack of a creature body like Lodestone Golem’s means it doesn’t contribute to your offensive capabilities.
Assessing Lodestone Golem’s unique strengths reveals its dual utility in slowing down an opponent’s game while also providing a decent attacking force, demonstrating why it is a choice card for artifact-centered decks in Magic: The Gathering, particularly those looking to leverage an aggressive tax strategy coupled with board presence.
Cards similar to Lodestone Golem by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Lodestone Golem. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prison Shops | Vintage | Prison Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-04-20 |
 | Other Shops | Vintage | Other Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-04-27 |
| Aggro Shops | Vintage | Aggro Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-04-25 |
| Mystic Forge Combo | Legacy | Mystic Forge Combo | Legacy League 2024-04-30 |
| Patchwork Stompy | Legacy | Patchwork Stompy | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-27 |
| U | Legacy | Legacy League 2024-04-24 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lodestone Golem can act as a form of indirect card advantage by making it costlier for opponents to cast their noncreature spells. This creates a scenario where players might be unable to utilize their hand as efficiently, potentially leaving them with surplus cards they cannot play.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly a resource accelerator, Lodestone Golem disrupts opponents’ mana curves, essentially accelerating your relative resource availability. By increasing the cost of spells, it enables you to maintain a tempo advantage and potentially outpace the opposition’s board development.
Instant Speed: Although Lodestone Golem doesn’t function at instant speed itself, it can be thought of as creating a persistent, board-based ‘tax’ effect. This can indirectly benefit instant-speed interaction by taxing your opponent’s mana and potentially limiting their ability to react to your plays in a timely manner.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While not applicable to Lodestone Golem itself, when this artifact creature is on the field, each nonartifact spell costs one more to cast, which can inadvertently force you to discard or postpone playing other valuable cards because of the increased mana demands.
Specific Mana Cost: Lodestone Golem requires a specific mana combination to cast: two generic and two colorless mana. This requirement could potentially clash with multicolored decks that rely on a variety of colors for mana efficiency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Deploying Lodestone Golem costs four mana. For a 5/3 artifact creature without intrinsic protection, other cards might be considered a more cost-effective threat or control element in a deck, especially in formats where fast plays are crucial.
Reasons to Include Lodestone Golem in Your Collection
Versatility: Lodestone Golem isn’t just a sturdy artifact creature; it’s a strategic piece that fits into various deck archetypes. Its ability to increase the cost of nonartifact spells allows it to slide into control or artifact-centric decks seamlessly.
Combo Potential: This golem plays well with other cards that tax opponents’ resources or synergize with artifacts. Its presence can amplify the effects of strategies aimed at slowing down opponents, making it a combo enabler in the right setup.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where spell-based combo decks or fast aggro strategies are prevalent, Lodestone Golem stands as a formidable obstacle. Its ability to disrupt mana curves makes it a consistent choice for those looking to gain an edge in such a metagame.
How to beat
Lodestone Golem is a formidable Artifact Creature card that can apply pressure to any MTG strategy that relies heavily on nonartifact spells. With its ability to increase the cost of such spells, facing down a Lodestone Golem can prompt a swift reevaluation of your gameplay strategy. Overcoming this mechanical behemoth requires smart play and careful deck construction.
To effectively counter Lodestone Golem, consider incorporating cheap removal spells or creature-based strategies into your deck. Spells like Path to Exile or Dismember can bypass the additional cost imposed by the golem. Alternatively, leveraging a deck that emphasizes Artifact creatures or spells can essentially nullify the golem’s taxing effect. Creatures with abilities that trigger upon casting an artifact spell also help by providing extra value even when paying the increased cost.
In essence, adapting your approach to anticipate and neutralize cards like Lodestone Golem could mean the difference between a stunted pace and a seamless victory. Respect the golem’s influence within the game, but remember that with the right counters and calculated plays, any giant can be toppled.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lodestone Golem MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Archenemy, 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 Lodestone Golem and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Lodestone Golem Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by Chris Rahn.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-02-05 | Worldwake | WWK | 127 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 2 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 111 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 3 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 219 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 4 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 92z | 1997 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 5 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 29 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn | |
| 6 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 92 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Chris Rahn |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lodestone Golem has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Restricted |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lodestone Golem card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | The ability affects each spell that's not an artifact spell, including your own. |
| 2010-03-01 | The ability affects the total cost of each nonartifact spell, but it doesn't change that spell's mana cost or mana value. The extra mana also doesn't change how many times you kicked the spell or what the value of X is (if applicable). |
| 2010-03-01 | When determining a spell's total cost, effects that increase the cost are applied before effects that reduce the cost. |