Meltdown MTG Card
1998-10-12 - Number 203
2024-06-14 - Number 282
2024-06-14 - Number 418
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Destroy each artifact with total casting cost X or less.
Catastrophes happened so often at the mana rig that the viashino language had a special word to describe them.
Cards like Meltdown
Exploring the realm of artifact destruction in Magic: The Gathering, Meltdown stands out with its scalable impact. It’s akin to Shattering Spree, which offers replicated artifact removal depending on the mana pumped into it. On the contrary, Meltdown’s effect scales with the amount of mana spent, providing versatility. While Shattering Spree can target specific artifacts multiple times, Meltdown’s potential for wholesale destruction increases with your investment into a single casting.
Another parallel can be drawn with Vandalblast, which has a similar destructive capability against artifacts. However, Vandalblast offers a unique advantage with its Overload ability, allowing you to wipe out all artifacts an opponent controls at once, bypassing the selective nature of Meltdown. This can be a game-changer in a meta filled with artifact-heavy decks. In contrast, Meltdown also affects your artifacts, which requires careful timing and strategy when used.
Comparatively, Meltdown can be a powerful tool depending on the match-up and board state. Whether it’s the targeted efficiency of Shattering Spree or the sweeping potential of Vandalblast, Meltdown provides a flexible option for players in artifact-heavy formats who look for a scalable and stackable solution to their opponents’ artifacts.
Cards similar to Meltdown by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Meltdown. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grixis Tempo | Legacy | Grixis Tempo | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-21 |
| Izzet Control | Vintage | Blue Tempo | HBMO24 - Dave & Adams Vintage 1k |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Meltdown provides a strategic edge by potentially removing multiple artifacts from the game, negating your opponent’s resources while maintaining your own card pool.
Resource Acceleration: By dismantling mana-producing artifacts, Meltdown can disrupt your competitor’s resource curve, slowing their game and giving you a clear path to accelerate your board presence.
Instant Speed: The adaptability offered by Meltdown being an instant allows for reactive play, offering a surprise element by targeting artifacts during your opponent’s turn or in response to an activation.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Meltdown comes with the stipulation that a player must discard a card, potentially causing a strategic setback if their hand holds key components for later turns.
Specific Mana Cost: Meltdown’s casting cost demands both red and colorless mana, potentially restricting it to decks that run red or have adequate mana fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring four mana, this card’s activation cost may be seen as steep compared to other spell options that could deploy multiple threats or affect the board state more immediately.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Meltdown card is a flexible addition to any deck that deals with artifact removal. Its scalable mana cost allows players to adapt to a variety of situations on the battlefield, targeting everything from low-cost equipment to high-powered mana rocks.
Combo Potential: Meltdown has synergy with decks that manipulate the number of artifacts on the field or benefit from the destruction of artifacts, creating opportunities for powerful combinations that can disrupt opponents’ strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame dense with artifact-centric decks, Meltdown serves as a crucial sideboard card or even a main deck choice for players looking to gain an edge. Its presence can shift the balance in matches where artifacts play a key role.
How to Beat
Meltdown is a unique card in MTG known for its ability to systematically dismantle an opponent’s artifact base. This sorcery’s power is proportional to the mana spent, making it quite efficient in later stages of the game when manabases are expanded. Its effectiveness in artifact-heavy metas is undeniable, allowing a player to clear a swath of the opponent’s resources in one focused burst.
To counteract Meltdown’s impact, consider strategies that rely less on artifacts or utilize cards that can quickly regenerate these resources. Additionally, having instant-speed effects that can either save or sacrifice your artifacts for value before Meltdown resolves will also mitigate its potential damage. Effects that grant your artifacts indestructibility or hexproof for the turn could be a saving grace against this red area-of-effect removal.
Understanding the rhythm of your adversary and the likelihood they are running Meltdown in their deck can inform your playstyle, pushing for an early, aggressive lineup or baiting out the removal before investing in more crucial artifacts. As with any strategy in MTG, adaptation and anticipation are key to outplaying a potentially game-changing card like Meltdown.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Meltdown MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Modern Horizons 3, 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 Meltdown and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Meltdown Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by Donato Giancola.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 203 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Donato Giancola | |
| 2 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 | MH3 | 282 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Donato Giancola | |
| 3 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 | MH3 | 418 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Donato Giancola |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Meltdown has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |