Power Matrix MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Number	309
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alan Pollack

Key Takeaways

Power Matrix can decisively tilt battles, enhancing creatures to establish board dominance each turn.
Despite benefits, it requires discarding and specific mana, which may limit its deck compatibility.
Its consistent creature boosts make it a potential asset in creature combat-focused metas.

Text of card

oc T: Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains flying, first strike, and trample until end of turn.

As he repaired the ship's planeswalking engine, Karn saw for the first time how he could catalyze the *Weatherlight*'s evolution.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Power Matrix equips your creatures with the ability to overpower opponents by enhancing their offensive capabilities. The consistent boost to a creature’s power and toughness each turn can help you maintain superiority on the battlefield, ensuring that your creatures are always a force to be reckoned with.

Resource Acceleration: Although Power Matrix does not directly produce additional mana or tokens, it acts as a form of virtual acceleration by making your existing creatures more potent threats. This can indirectly accelerate your game by applying pressure and forcing your opponent to respond to enhanced creatures, thus conserving the resources you may otherwise spend on playing multiple spells.

Instant Speed: While Power Matrix is an artifact that does not operate at instant speed, its ability can be activated at any time you could cast an instant. This flexibility allows you to adapt to the ever-changing state of the game, adjusting which creature receives the boost to best manipulate combat scenarios or to react to surprise threats during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Power Matrix necessitates a discard from your hand to activate its ability. This can put you at a substantial disadvantage, especially if your hand is already depleted or if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact demands a precise mix of mana to cast, including a potentially challenging splash of color for some deck archetypes, making it less flexible and harder to incorporate into a diverse range of strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its four mana cost can be fairly steep when weighed against other options in your deck. Given the pace of many games, by the time you’re able to utilize Power Matrix, you may find that there are other cards or abilities that offer a greater impact or better synergy for the same investment.

Reasons to Include Power Matrix in Your Collection

Versatility: Power Matrix is a flexible card that can be included in various deck archetypes. Its ability to boost creatures in several key areas makes it viable in both aggressive and control-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: With Power Matrix, you unlock several combo opportunities as its enhancement abilities can synergize with a multitude of cards, leveraging creature-based tactics to their full potential.

Meta-Relevance: The card shines in metas where creature combat is prevalent. Its ability to alter combat math and provide a dynamic edge in engagements makes it a significant tactical asset.

How to Beat Power Matrix

Power Matrix is a unique artifact in Magic the Gathering that can turn any creature into a formidable threat by providing a boost to power, toughness, and granting flying and first strike. To outmaneuver opponents who rely on Power Matrix, card choices that neutralize or bypass artifacts become essential.

One tactic is to deploy artifact removal spells. These come in various forms, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, which can directly target and destroy cards like Power Matrix. Alternatively, utilizing counter spells to prevent Power Matrix from hitting the battlefield in the first place can be a significant move. Cards like Negate or Mana Leak are excellent tools in this strategy.

Avoiding combat with buffed creatures by rendering them unable to attack or block is another effective method. Cards such as Pacifism or the ability to tap creatures can keep the opponent’s creatures at bay. A more comprehensive approach is to take advantage of card effects that allow players to take control of an opponent’s artifacts, turning the tide by using the Power Matrix against its owner. Therefore, versatility in your deck to address artifacts and their effects can often lead to victory against a Power Matrix-centric strategy.

Cards like Power Matrix

Power Matrix is a unique artifact card in Magic: The Gathering that provides a robust boost to a creature’s capability. Sharing similarities with cards like Grafted Exoskeleton, it grants an ancillary boon to creatures. Grafted Exoskeleton, however, imparts infect, distinguishing it dramatically in terms of lethality compared to the straightforward stat augmentation of Power Matrix.

Examining another parallel, we see Sword of the Animist. While this artifact also buffs a creature, it notably carves a path for land ramping. Sword of the Animist gently shifts focus from Power Matrix’s emphasis on stats to a tangible advantage in resource acquisition. However, Power Matrix stands out by offering a versatile enhancement to power, toughness, and abilities every turn.

Around the table, Whispersteel Dagger enters the conversation. This card leans into reanimation from the graveyard on top of its stat bonus, unlike Power Matrix’s straightforward, but consistently beneficial, buffs. Power Matrix excels by being able to be used turn after turn without depending on other cards or conditions.

In the grand tapestry of MTG, Power Matrix’s value emerges in its ability to consistently enhance creatures every turn, making it a reliable tool for players looking to bolster their offensive and defensive options.

Sword of the Animist - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Power Matrix by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Power Matrix MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Power Matrix and other MTG cards: