Millstone MTG Card

Millstone leverages mill tactics for potential card advantage against opponents, reshaping game dynamics. Its instant speed activation adds flexibility and surprise within a strategic MTG match. The card requires careful mana allocation and deck synergy to optimize its milling efficiency.
Card setsReleased in 26 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact
Abilities Mill

Text of card

: Take the top two cards from target player's library and put them in target player's graveyard.

More than one mage was driven insane by the sound of the Millstone relentlessly grinding away.

Cards like Millstone

Millstone is an iconic piece in the MTG realm for its ability to force opponents to put the top two cards of their library into their graveyard, a mechanic often referred to as ‘milling’. In terms of functionality, it bears resemblances to cards such as Hedron Crab, which also mills the opponent, but does so in a different fashion. Hedron Crab takes advantage of landfall, milling whenever a land enters the battlefield, while Millstone requires an activation cost and targets the milling at your discretion.

Another card that shares Millstone’s milling theme is Glimpse the Unthinkable, which can mill a significant chunk of cards at once. While Glimpse is more cost-efficient for a one-time effect, Millstone offers repeatable use throughout the game, allowing for ongoing deck disruption. Moreover, Mesmeric Orb presents a passive milling approach, affecting all players whenever a permanent becomes untapped, encompassing a wider impact than Millstone’s targeted milling strategy.

When analyzing these alternatives, the controlled, repeated use of Millstone can be a strategy cornerstone for decks focused on depleting libraries, showcasing its enduring relevance and flexibility in gameplay.

Hedron Crab - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Orb - MTG Card versions
Hedron Crab - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Orb - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: By steadily milling the opponent’s deck, Millstone denies them the opportunity to draw valuable resources, effectively translating into a form of card advantage as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: Although Millstone does not directly accelerate your own resources, it rapidly depletes your opponent’s, potentially accelerating your route to victory by removing their essential combos and threats.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Millstone at instant speed provides flexibility, allowing players to wait until the end of the opponent’s turn before deciding to mill, thus keeping mana available for other spells or responses during the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Millstone, putting cards from your opponent’s library into their graveyard might seem strategic, but it doesn’t immediately impact the board state. It requires a setup or specific deck builds geared towards a milling strategy, which may not synergize with your primary game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of Millstone is colorless, but it still demands two mana to use. When considering the versatility of your mana throughout the game, this activation can compete with other mana-hungry spells or abilities in your deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Millstone comes with a relatively steep initial investment of two colorless mana. When benchmarked against cards in formats where speed is critical, allocating two mana to bring Millstone online could be a tempo loss if not correctly timed within the progression of the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Millstone card offers strategic flexibility across various MTG decks. It allows players to directly affect an opponent’s library, which can be a useful tool in control and mill strategies alike.

Combo Potential: With Millstone, the opportunity to set up combos is significant. It pairs well with cards that get triggered by the number of cards in an opponent’s graveyard or that capitalize on the depletion of an opponent’s library.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the MTG meta, having a card like Millstone can be extremely beneficial. Its ability to disrupt graveyard-based decks or simply serve as a win condition makes it a relevant choice for many players facing a diverse range of opponents.

How to beat

Confronted with a Millstone on the opposing side of the battlefield, Magic: The Gathering players can find its relentless milling effect quite daunting. This artifact slowly grinds away at a deck, potentially leading to a loss not through damage but by depleting the library. To effectively counteract Millstone, it’s crucial to adapt both strategy and deck composition.

Employing artifact removal spells is an immediate way to dismantle a Millstone. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant can dispatch the artifact swiftly, preventing any further deck erosion. Another tactic involves the use of cards like Gaea’s Blessing or Elixir of Immortality, enabling players to shuffle their graveyard back into their library, frustrating their opponent’s milling plans.

Adjusting one’s playstyle is equally important. Being aggressive and putting pressure on the Millstone user can divert their resources away from activating Millstone, giving you the time needed to execute your strategy. Ultimately, by maintaining composure and utilizing these techniques, players can dismantle the looming threat of Millstone and keep their decks intact for the long game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Millstone MTG card by a specific set like Antiquities and Revised Edition, 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 Millstone and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Millstone Magic the Gathering card was released in 19 different sets between 1994-03-04 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-03-04AntiquitiesATQ 561993NormalBlackKaja Foglio
21994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 2651993NormalWhiteKaja Foglio
31994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 2651993NormalBlackKaja Foglio
41994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 2651993NormalWhiteKaja Foglio
51995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 3361993NormalWhiteKaja Foglio
61995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 3361993NormalBlackKaja Foglio
71996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC ml3361993NormalGoldKaja Foglio
81996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC shr3361993NormalGoldKaja Foglio
91997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 3901997NormalWhiteKaja Foglio
101999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3001997NormalWhiteKaja Foglio
112001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 308★1997NormalBlackJohn Avon
122001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3081997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
132003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 3072003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
142003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 307★2003NormalBlackJohn Avon
152005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 3042003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
162005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 304★2003NormalBlackJohn Avon
172007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3342003NormalBlackJohn Avon
182013-07-19Magic 2014M14 2132003NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
192018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 2422015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
202019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16072015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
212020-09-26The ListPLST M19-2422015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
222020-09-26The ListPLST M14-2132003NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
232022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 95z1997NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
242022-11-18The Brothers' War Art SeriesABRO 672015Art seriesBorderlessYeong-Hao Han
252022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 951997NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
262022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 321997NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Millstone has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Millstone card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2004-10-04 Can be used on a player with less than 2 cards in their library. It will remove 0 or 1 cards if that is all that is available.
2004-10-04 It is not a draw effect so it will not cause a player with less than 2 cards in their library to lose.
2004-10-04 Since you are putting more than one card in the graveyard at one time, the affected player can choose the order the 2 cards go in.