Razor Pendulum MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Number	317
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Zak Plucinski

Key Takeaways

The card shifts game balance by threatening opponent strategies with persistent board presence.
It can fit into various decks, but certain cons may outweigh its potential inclusion.
Razor Pendulum offers unique gameplay advantages but requires strategic deckbuilding and play.

Text of card

At the end of each player's turn, if that player has 5 or less life, Razor Pendulum deals 2 damage to him or her.

"Amazing thing, gravity. It seems to work every time." —Telim'Tor

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although Razor Pendulum doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it creates a persistent threat on the board that must be addressed by opponents, subtly shifting the game’s resource balance in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Razor Pendulum itself doesn’t provide resource acceleration in the traditional sense of generating mana, its presence can indirectly speed up the game by pressuring life totals, compelling opponents to act more quickly and possibly use resources inefficiently.

Instant Speed: Razor Pendulum’s strength doesn’t lie in its speed of activation but rather in its constant presence as an artifact. This continuous effect provides a form of board control not tied to the speed of spellcasting, offering a unique angle of interaction that opponents must consider every turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Razor Pendulum doesn’t require discarding as part of its activation, its presence in hand may sometimes necessitate players to discard other valuable cards to maintain an optimal hand size, indirectly creating constraints on hand management.

Specific Mana Cost: Razor Pendulum has an activation cost that includes generic mana, which means it can fit into any deck. However, its initial casting cost does require one black mana, which can make it less feasible in multicolor decks not focused on black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a card that deals one point of damage to each opponent who did not cast a spell during their turn, the casting and maintaining cost may seem high. Players may find other options more appealing when considering the mana investment versus the impact on the game.

Reasons to Include Razor Pendulum in Your Collection

Versatility: Razor Pendulum is an artifact that offers a unique condition for dealing damage to players. Its ability to consistently chip away at an opponent’s life total makes it adaptable to various deck types aiming to pressure life totals outside of combat.

Combo Potential: This card has distinct synergy with strategies that untap artifacts or manipulate life totals. When paired with cards that allow recurring untapping, Razor Pendulum can become a significant threat, aligning seamlessly with decks built around artifact manipulation.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to draw out with players fortifying their defenses, Razor Pendulum can be an unexpected angle of attack. It can serve as a consistent source of damage in slower-paced matchups or in formats where direct damage can break through stagnant board states.

How to beat

Razor Pendulum presents a unique challenge in MTG, gradually chipping away at opponent’s life totals as turns pass. Its power lies in the relentless pressure it applies, creating an inevitable clock that ticks down to an opponent’s defeat. However, savvy players recognize that this artifact can be countered effectively through several strategies.

One key method is handling artifacts directly. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant can remove Razor Pendulum from the field before its damage becomes significant. In addition, maintaining a high life total can help mitigate the impact of the pendulum’s damage, giving you more time to implement your strategy and win conditions. Life gain cards or effects can be crucial in outpacing the pendulum’s consistent life point deductions.

It’s also beneficial to have a faster-paced, aggressive deck that outpaces the pendulum. By applying pressure and reducing your opponent’s life total quickly, the pendulum becomes far less of a threat. Thus, when facing Razor Pendulum, quick removal, life gain, and aggressive strategies are key to tilting the odds in your favor and securing victory.

Cards like Razor Pendulum

Razor Pendulum stands out in the Magic: The Gathering universe as a unique artefact with the power to inflict direct damage. Its ability to deal damage during each upkeep to a player with the fewest life points parallels card effects such as Iron Maiden. However, Iron Maiden targets players based on the number of cards in their hand, causing variability in its impact. Razor Pendulum’s consistent pressure on the life total marks a distinct strategy.

In comparison, we have cards like Dingus Staff, which also revolves around dealing damage, but focuses on creature deaths rather than the life points of players. Though both create an environment of threat, Dingus Staff’s condition can often be more controllable and predictable. Then there’s Hissing Iguanar, which, while not an artifact, similarly rewards you when creatures die, providing incremental damage without the upkeep trigger that Razor Pendulum requires.

Conclusively, Razor Pendulum offers a compelling game plan by consistently attacking the most vulnerable player’s life totals, setting it apart from similar damage-inducing cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to influence opponents’ strategies through continuous life point threats makes it a unique tool in a player’s arsenal.

Cards similar to Razor Pendulum by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Razor Pendulum MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Razor Pendulum and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Razor Pendulum has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal