Rust Goliath MTG Card

Rust Goliath can heavily sway board dynamics, demanding opponents to strategically spend resources. It indirectly accelerates resources by allowing mana reallocation due to its on-board dominance. Opponents must reserve mana for removal, potentially giving you an upper hand in strategy.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost10
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Construct
Abilities Prototype,Reach,Trample
Power 10
Toughness 10

Text of card

Prototype — 3/5 (You may cast this spell with different mana cost, color, and size. It keeps its abilities and types.) Reach, trample

"You know those seedpods cluttering the eastern approach? I've got an idea . . . ." —Calle, Urzan sergeant

Cards like Rust Goliath

Rust Goliath is a unique creature card that makes waves in the realm of artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering. When examining counterparts, Steel Overseer emerges as an interesting comparison. This card shares the mechanical theme but focuses on buffing other artifacts rather than menacing size. Steel Overseer may not boast immense stats, but its ability to consistently increase the strength of your artifact contingent can be a game-changer.

Another card that echoes the artifact-centric strategy is Foundry Inspector. While it lacks the combat prowess of Rust Goliath, Foundry Inspector discounts the mana cost of your artifacts, potentially accelerating your game plan. It’s a different approach, preferring economic play over sheer power.

Scrutinizing these cards side-by-side, Rust Goliath stands out with its capacity to become an immediate threat on the battlefield. While it might not offer the utility and synergy of Steel Overseer or the cost-reduction benefit of Foundry Inspector, its standalone presence is formidable, making it a solid pick for players looking to dominate through power.

Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Foundry Inspector - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Foundry Inspector - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Rust Goliath by color, type and mana cost

Woodcaller Automaton - MTG Card versions
Woodcaller Automaton - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Rust Goliath. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Five-color BurnFive-color Burn ModernCalibrated Blast$10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Philadelphia - Saturday - 9:00 am
Abzan SliversAbzan Slivers PauperBant ControlIPT Pauper Paradise
Rakdos ReanimatorRakdos Reanimator PauperMonthly Tournament #33

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key benefits of the Rust Goliath is its potential to bolster your board presence significantly. Every time it enters the battlefield or attacks, its ability can force an opponent to choose between losing resources or dealing with a continuously growing threat. This consistent pressure can sway the game in your favor, tipping the scales towards card advantage as your adversaries are compelled to answer the Goliath or suffer the consequences.

Resource Acceleration: Although Rust Goliath itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its sheer size and resilience can be a catalyst in maintaining board superiority. This, in turn, can allow you to allocate resources elsewhere, effectively speeding up your game plan. Moreover, if supported by cards that synergize with high-power creatures or artifact creatures, it can indirectly contribute to ramping up your mana or other resources.

Instant Speed: While Rust Goliath doesn’t operate at instant speed, its presence in your deck implies that opponents must perpetually keep mana ready for potential removals. This perceived threat can put you at an advantage, allowing you to navigate the game with added tactical depth, playing your instant-speed interactions with the knowledge that the opponent’s resources may already be stretched thin in anticipation of your formidable artifact creature.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Rust Goliath demands a card be sent from your hand to the graveyard to unlock its potential. In the heat of a match, this exchange can deplete your strategic options and leave you vulnerable by diminishing your hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: Summoning a Rust Goliath calls for a precise blend of energy, demanding red mana in its casting cost. This requirement can restrict its integration into a variety of deck builds, particularly those that run on a multicolored or mana-diverse strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the power and toughness of a Rust Goliath justify its mana cost to some extent, the resources needed could be a barrier for players in faster-paced games where efficiency and speed are key. Other creatures or spells could provide a more cost-effective solution for your game plan, especially in a tightly contested game where every mana point counts.

Reasons to Include Rust Goliath in Your Collection

Versatility: Rust Goliath can adapt to various playstyles, serving as both a formidable threat and a potent defender. Its scalable cost makes it a flexible addition to any stage of the game, fitting seamlessly into a range of deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: With its modular ability to gain counters, Rust Goliath synergizes with numerous strategies that involve +1/+1 counters. It can amplify the effects of cards that proliferate or manipulate counters, unlocking powerful interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creatures reign supreme, Rust Goliath holds its ground as a resilient asset able to confront sizable opponents. Its capability to scale and impact the board state means it can be an essential component against the evolving competitive scene.

How to beat

Rust Goliath joins the ranks of formidable artifact creatures in MTG, towering over many opponents with its massive stature. To topple this giant, strategy is key. Rust Goliath’s strength lies in its ability to grow stronger with each artifact in play, making it essential to keep the board clear of these enhancers to mitigate its power. Artifact removal spells like Abrade or Nature’s Claim can strip this goliath of its synergy, effectively stunting its growth and leaving it vulnerable.

Direct removal spells, such as Path to Exile or Murder, can also send Rust Goliath to the graveyard before it becomes a significant threat. Board wipes are another effective approach, with cards like Wrath of God and Damnation resetting the playing field. It’s about timing and choosing the moment to strike; denying your opponent the chance to utilize Rust Goliath’s formidable cumulative upkeep. By understanding the intricacies of your opponent’s deck and planning counters, you can master the battlefield and emerge victorious against the might of Rust Goliath.

When faced with the challenge of defeating Rust Goliath, players should focus on preemptive actions and maintaining board control. With the right strategy in place, this towering colossus can be reduced to mere scrap metal in your path to victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rust Goliath // Rust Goliath MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War Art Series and The Brothers' War, 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 Rust Goliath // Rust Goliath and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rust Goliath // Rust Goliath Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-11-18 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by Nicholas Gregory.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-11-18The Brothers' War Art SeriesABRO 292015Art seriesBorderlessNicholas Gregory
22022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 2042015PrototypeBlackNicholas Gregory

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rust Goliath has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-10-14 A prototype card is a colorless card in every zone except the stack or the battlefield, as well as while on the stack or the battlefield if not cast as a prototyped spell. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Blitz Automaton is a colorless creature card with mana value 7. It can't be the target of Recommission, a spell that targets an artifact or creature card with mana value 3 or less in your graveyard.
2022-10-14 Casting a prototyped spell isn't the same as casting it for an alternative cost, and an alternative cost may be applied to a spell cast this way. For example, if an effect allows you to cast an artifact card without paying its mana cost, you could either cast Blitz Automaton normally, or as a prototyped spell.
2022-10-14 If an effect copies a prototyped spell, that copy (as well as the token it becomes on the battlefield) will have the same characteristics as the prototyped spell. Similarly, if an effect creates a token that's a copy of a prototyped permanent or causes another permanent to become a copy of it, the copy would have the same characteristics as the prototyped permanent.
2022-10-14 Regardless of how it was cast, a prototype card always has the same name, abilities, types, and so on. Only the mana cost, mana value, color, power, and toughness change depending on whether the card was cast as a prototyped spell.
2022-10-14 The prototype ability functions in any zone that the spell could be cast from. For example, if an effect allows you to cast artifact spells from your graveyard, you could cast a prototyped Blitz Automaton from your graveyard.
2022-10-14 When cast as a prototyped spell, that spell has the mana cost, power, and toughness characteristics shown in its colored, secondary text box rather than the normal values of those characteristics. Its color and mana value are determined by that mana cost. The permanent that spell becomes as it resolves has the same characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack in any other way, or the permanent it becomes leaves the battlefield, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.
2022-10-14 When casting a prototyped spell, use only its prototype characteristics to determine whether it's legal to cast it. For example, if Blitz Automaton is exiled with the last ability of Chandra, Dressed to Kill, you would be able to cast it for (because it's a red spell), even though you wouldn't be able to cast it as a colorless spell for its normal cost.