Metallic Mastery MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2011-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mirrodin Besieged
Set code	MBS
Number	71
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Erica Yang

Key Takeaways

Disrupts opponents by using their artifacts, potentially turning a game in your favor with clever play.
Requires strategic deck building due to specific mana and discard costs, affecting its versatility.
Instant speed allows flexibility and surprise, crucial for maintaining tempo and control.

Text of card

Gain control of target artifact until end of turn. Untap that artifact. It gains haste until end of turn.

"All will be reforged in the fires of glory." —Urabrask the Hidden

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Metallic Mastery provides an edge in MTG gameplay by temporarily taking control of an opponent’s artifact. This transition not only disrupts their strategy but also can tip the scales in your favor by utilizing their resources against them.

Resource Acceleration: By commandeering your opponent’s artifacts, you gain access to additional resources. Whether it’s tapping them for mana or using their abilities, Metallic Mastery accelerates your resource pool without expending additional cards from your hand.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Metallic Mastery at instant speed offers flexibility during gameplay. Use it reactively to surprise your opponent or during their end step to maximize the use of your mana while keeping your options open during your own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Metallic Mastery allows you to gain control of your opponent’s artifacts, it comes with the caveat of discarding a card. This trade-off means you lose card advantage and potentially valuable resources, which could be crucial in tight situations where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Metallic Mastery has a casting cost that requires both generic and red mana. This specialized mana requirement can potentially restrict the card to decks that heavily feature red mana, limiting its versatility across varied deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment of three mana, including a double red, for a temporary artifact theft may not always align with your deck’s strategy, particularly when other options might return a higher value over the mana expended or provide a permanent solution. Weighing its cost against your deck’s curve and objectives is vital before including it in your lineup.

Reasons to Include Metallic Mastery in Your Collection

Versatility: Metallic Mastery can be a unique addition to a variety of decks, notably those emphasizing artifact manipulation or temporary control of opponents’ resources.

Combo Potential: This card opens the door for numerous combo interactions, especially in decks that capitalize on permanent control switches or immediate sacrifice for value.

Meta-Relevance: Given an environment rich with artifact play, Metallic Mastery becomes a tactical tool, disrupting opponent strategies and tilting the balance in your favor.

How to Beat

Metallic Mastery stands out in MTG as an innovative artifact control card, giving players temporary commandeering of another’s artifact. When facing such cards, the tactic is to reduce their targets’ appeal. To dampen Metallic Mastery’s impact, it’s wise to limit the number of valuable artifacts on your side or use artifacts with enter the battlefield effects to discourage opponents from targeting them.

Additionally, one can employ instant-speed removal spells or abilities to destroy or sacrifice key artifacts in response to a Metallic Mastery casting. This makes the spell fizzle due to lack of targets and wastes your opponent’s turn and mana. Another strategy involves using cards that grant your artifacts hexproof or shroud – abilities that prevent them from being targeted by spells or abilities from opponents, making Metallic Mastery obsolete.

Lastly, considering sideboard options such as Pithing Needle to shut down activated abilities of stolen artifacts can also be a game-changer. With practice and these strategies, players can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Metallic Mastery and maintain control over their precious artifacts.

Cards like Metallic Mastery

Metallic Mastery is an intriguing component within the pantheon of artifact control spells in Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels with other cards such as Claim the Firstborn, which also temporarily commandeers a creature or artifact. Yet, Metallic Mastery is singularly focused on artifacts, enabling the usurping of powerful noncreature artifacts that could sway the tide of a match, a niche Claim the Firstborn doesn’t cater to.

While examining similar effects, Turn Against springs to mind as it allows the control of any creature until end of turn and it does so at instant speed, offering surprise tactical advantages, although at a higher mana cost. In contrast, Hijack broadens the scope even further; permitting the acquisition of artifacts or creatures for a turn, making it a versatile choice albeit less specialized than Metallic Mastery.

Across the board, Metallic Mastery fits snugly into the archetype of red control spells with its ability to seize crucial artifacts. Its place in MTG is cemented as a tactical surprise that can temporarily tilt the battlefield in your favor, especially in metas where artifacts play a central role.

Cards similar to Metallic Mastery by color, type and mana cost

Search for Survivors - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Metallic Mastery MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged, 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 Metallic Mastery and other MTG cards: