Warp Artifact MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 16 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Warp Artifact offers consistent pressure on opponents with artifact-heavy strategies, suggesting a tactical edge.
  2. Requires careful hand management due to discard cost, heightening its strategic complexity in play.
  3. A specific mana requirement limits versatility but ensures it fits into tailored artifact disruption tactics.

Text of card

Warp Artifact does 1 damage to target artifact's controller at start of each turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Warp Artifact grants an edge by steadily chipping away at an opponent’s resources. Each turn, it causes loss of life for each artifact an opponent controls, potentially leading to significant card advantage as it pressures opponents to deal with their own artifacts.

Resource Acceleration: This card’s potential for resource acceleration makes it a bane for artifact-heavy decks. By disrupting the utility of artifacts, it effectively slows down the opponent’s gameplay, giving the wielder of Warp Artifact time to build up their own board presence and strategy.

Instant Speed: Although Warp Artifact isn’t cast at instant speed, its continuous effect works like a trap set in motion, persisting across every phase of the game. This ongoing threat can force opponents into hasty decisions, attempting to mitigate damage or remove the enchantment at inopportune times, thereby using their mana inefficiently.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Warp Artifact comes with a discard condition upon casting which may not be ideal when your hand is already depleted. This added cost can put players at a disadvantage, especially in tight game situations where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card mandates a specific mana configuration to play, which can limit deck flexibility. Players using diverse mana bases might find it challenging to fulfill the cost without compromising their deck’s consistency or speed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Warp Artifact carries impactful effects, its cost is on the higher side when compared to other available options. In the fast-paced MTG meta, the efficiency of each mana spent is crucial, and there are alternative spells that could potentially offer similar or better results with lower mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include Warp Artifact in Your Collection

Versatility: Warp Artifact shines in its ability to disrupt your opponent’s strategies. It can be inserted into various decks that aim to control the pace of the game or tax resources.

Combo Potential: When combined with cards that capitalize on opponents having artifacts or receiving damage, Warp Artifact can become a key piece in a damaging combo, making it a threat your adversaries can’t overlook.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta ebbs and flows with artifact-heavy decks, having Warp Artifact in your collection means you’re prepared to exploit periods when artifacts dominate the tables. Its presence can be a game changer in those matchups.


How to beat

Warp Artifact is a unique enchantment in the MTG universe that has the potential to disrupt your gameplay significantly if it targets an essential artifact you own. The card’s ability to inflict damage during each of your upkeep phases can swiftly turn the tides of a match. To neutralize its effect, it is crucial to employ artifact removal spells or abilities, as these are the most direct methods of dealing with troublesome enchantments like Warp Artifact.

Consider cards like Disenchant, a versatile removal that can target both enchantments and artifacts, effectively nullifying the continuous damage from Warp Artifact. Naturalize serves a similar purpose for green decks, offering not only removal but also maintaining the flow of gameplay with its low casting cost. If you’re looking for a preemptive strategy, countermagic like Negate can ensure Warp Artifact never hits the table, protecting your assets from the start.

Ultimately, the key to overcoming Warp Artifact lies in having a balanced deck with options for enchantment and artifact control. Quick response with targeted removal spells or strategic counterspells can assure that your artifacts remain untainted by Warp Artifact’s debilitating influence.


Cards like Warp Artifact

Delving into the world of MTG, Warp Artifact emerges as a unique spell with its focus on gradually siphoning an opponent’s resources. A close comparison would be with Psychic Venom, which inflicts damage every time the targeted land is tapped. While Psychic Venom hits lands specifically, Warp Artifact is exclusively attached to artifacts, showcasing its specialized nature in disrupting artifact strategies.

Another analogue in this space is Power Leak. This enchantment applies its damage-dealing effect to any enchantment and can be adjusted during the upkeep to deal more damage, though it requires additional mana input from its caster. Unlike Warp Artifact, Power Leak’s flexibility can be a deciding factor based on the variety of enchantments in play. Yet, Warp Artifact’s consistent damage over time to an opponent’s artifact can synergize well with artifact-heavy metas.

To wrap things up, Warp Artifact presents itself as a viable choice for those looking to capitalize on its relentless artifact targeting ability, particularly in formats or metagames where artifacts play a pivotal role. Its place in the pantheon of resource-draining spells is cemented by its singular focus and dependable damage output.

Psychic Venom - MTG Card versions
Power Leak - MTG Card versions
Psychic Venom - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Power Leak - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Warp Artifact by color, type and mana cost

Bad Moon - MTG Card versions
Fear - MTG Card versions
Deathgrip - MTG Card versions
Animate Dead - MTG Card versions
Blight - MTG Card versions
Seizures - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Sigil - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl's Hex - MTG Card versions
Dance of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Dark Privilege - MTG Card versions
Enfeeblement - MTG Card versions
Oath of Ghouls - MTG Card versions
Despondency - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth's Edict - MTG Card versions
Dying Wail - MTG Card versions
Insubordination - MTG Card versions
Mourning - MTG Card versions
Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions
Brain Maggot - MTG Card versions
Bad Moon - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Fear - Tenth Edition (10E)
Deathgrip - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Animate Dead - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Blight - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Seizures - Ice Age (ICE)
Leshrac's Sigil - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Lim-Dûl's Hex - Ice Age (ICE)
Dance of the Dead - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Dark Privilege - Multiverse Gift Box (MGB)
Enfeeblement - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Oath of Ghouls - Exodus (EXO)
Despondency - Urza's Saga (USG)
Yawgmoth's Edict - Urza's Saga (USG)
Dying Wail - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Insubordination - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Mourning - Invasion (INV)
Chains of Mephistopheles - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Brain Maggot - Historic Anthology 2 (HA2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Warp Artifact MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Warp Artifact and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Warp Artifact Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Amy Weber.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1331993normalblackAmy Weber
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1341993normalblackAmy Weber
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1341993normalwhiteAmy Weber
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1341993normalblackAmy Weber
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1341993normalblackAmy Weber
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1351993normalwhiteAmy Weber
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1351993normalblackAmy Weber
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1351993normalwhiteAmy Weber
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1691993normalblackAmy Weber
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1691993normalwhiteAmy Weber
111996-07-01Rivals Quick Start SetRQS 271993normalwhiteAmy Weber
121996-12-31Introductory Two-Player SetITP 281993normalwhiteAmy Weber
131997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2041997normalwhiteAmy Weber
142011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 1001997normalblackAmy Weber
152022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4271997normalblackAmy Weber
162022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1302015normalblackAmy Weber

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Warp Artifact has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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