Machinate MTG Card


Machinate boosts strategic depth, offering card advantage, resource acceleration, and plays at instant speed. While powerful, it requires card discard, specific mana, and may present a high mana cost for its benefits. It stands out among similar cards for enabling intricate combos and reacting to the evolving meta.
Machinate - Darksteel
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set nameDarksteel
Set codeDST
Number24
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byWayne England

Text of card

Look at the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of artifacts you control. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

As long as there are questions to be asked, the vedalken will ask them.


Cards like Machinate

Machinate joins the ranks of card-drawing spells in Magic: The Gathering, offering artifact enthusiasts a new tool for boosting their in-game tactics. It shares common ground with Thoughtcast, where both spells scale in efficiency based on the number of artifacts you control. However, Machinate prides itself on being a more flexible option, allowing players to selectively draw two cards while also placing an artifact from their hand onto the battlefield.

Resembling Thoughtcast, Kingpin’s Pet is yet another spell where artifacts play a pivotal role, but it demands a higher mana cost without the bonus of streamlining your battlefield. Tezzeret’s Gambit, meanwhile, pulls ahead with proliferate—a boon for counters-focused strategies. Still, it falls behind Machinate that enables more immediate board presence impact. In contrast, Reverse Engineer requires more upfront investment since it doesn’t allow a free artifact play.

Overall, among the card advantage spells tailored for artifact-laden decks, Machinate stands out for its potential game-swinging plays, enabling crafty players to dramatically alter board states with well-timed casts.

Thoughtcast - MTG Card versions
Kingpin's Pet - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret's Gambit - MTG Card versions
Reverse Engineer - MTG Card versions
Thoughtcast - MTG Card versions
Kingpin's Pet - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret's Gambit - MTG Card versions
Reverse Engineer - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Machinate by color, type and mana cost

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Mana Short - MTG Card versions
Psionic Blast - MTG Card versions
Capsize - MTG Card versions
Forbid - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Exclude - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Oona's Grace - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Deluge - MTG Card versions
Stoic Rebuttal - MTG Card versions
Dissipate - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key strengths of Machinate in MTG is its ability to provide card advantage. This can be especially critical in the late game or in situations where maintaining hand superiority can dictate the flow of play. By contributing additional options to a player’s hand, Machinate allows for more strategic flexibility and potential to respond to an opponent’s threats.

Resource Acceleration: Machinate facilitates resource acceleration, which is a substantial benefit for decks that aim to outpace the opponent. The ability to expedite your access to vital resources can swing the game in your favor, enabling more powerful plays earlier than usual and potentially overwhelming your adversary before they can establish a solid footing.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Machinate is a tactical advantage that should not be underestimated. It allows a player to wait until the most opportune moment to act, keeping the opponent guessing. Whether it’s at the end of the opponent’s turn or in response to an action, Machinate’s flexibility in timing can give players the upper hand in the intricate dance of MTG gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Machinate demands you to discard a card upon casting, which could deplete your hand, especially if the game stretches and resources become scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: With its particular mana necessities, including colorless mana, Machinate might not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks, potentially restricting its playability across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Machinate offers a tactical advantage by potentially drawing you three cards, its requirement of three mana—of which two must be colorless—can be steep when compared to other options in the game that allow for a more cost-effective card advantage or may provide additional utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Machinate can be an essential addition to a variety of decks, particularly those that are geared towards artifact synergies or strategies looking for a consistent way to pull specific components from the library.

Combo Potential: With the ability to sift through the deck and select artifacts, Machinate can set up powerful combinations or enable key interactions, thereby driving your game plan forward with precision.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the meta, the adaptability provided by Machinate to seek out situationally critical artifacts can be crucial, making it a tactical choice in multiple competitive formats.


How to beat

Machinate in Magic: The Gathering stands out as a tactical card often used to shield valuable artifacts from being targeted or to ingeniously untap an artifact for a surprising combo or interaction. However, like every card in MTG, there are strategies to undermine its effectiveness and maintain the upper hand in your matches. One approach is to anticipate when your opponent might deploy Machinate. Keeping count of their mana and artifacts in play can give you the foresight to disrupt their plans. Cards with abilities to remove artifacts or counter instants are particularly useful in these situations. Artifact removal like Shatter or Naturalize can swiftly deal with the threat before Machinate’s ability can be used, while countermagic such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can stop Machinate right in its tracks, preventing any unforeseen interactions altogether.

Moreover, keeping a versatile and responsive hand can make all the difference. Whether it’s through instant-speed removal or the strategic use of counterspells, ensuring that you have an answer to Machinate can nullify its potential and keep your opponent’s artifacts from slipping through your control. Additionally, it’s essential to manage your resources wisely, so you have the tools available when you need them the most to dismantle your opponent’s Machinate play.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Machinate MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel, 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 Machinate and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Machinate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal