Darksteel Juggernaut MTG Card
2010-10-01 - Number 150
2018-08-09 - Number 202
2022-11-18 - Number 137
1995-01-02 - Number 16
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Juggernaut |
| Abilities | Indestructible |
| Power | * |
| Toughness | * |
Key Takeaways
- Darksteel Juggernaut thrives as a persistent battlefield presence, offering card advantage through its indestructibility.
- Its power scales with your artifacts, rewarding players for building a resource-heavy battlefield.
- Requires strategic mana resources and can dominate games when the meta favors artifacts.
Text of card
Darksteel Juggernaut's power and toughness are each equal to the number of artifacts you control. Darksteel Juggernaut is indestructible and attacks each turn if able.
One part unstoppable force, one part immovable object.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: One significant benefit of the Darksteel Juggernaut is its resilience on the battlefield. Due to its indestructibility, this artifact creature often remains in play longer than most creatures, maintaining your board presence and effectively causing card advantage through sheer persistence.
Resource Acceleration: While Darksteel Juggernaut itself doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, it synergizes well with decks that focus on artifact ramp. By accumulating a critical mass of artifacts, you simultaneously bolster your mana output and increase the Juggernaut’s power, turning it into a formidable threat.
Instant Speed: Although the Darksteel Juggernaut operates at sorcery speed, its strength lies in how it forces opponents to react. In a game where instant speed interaction is key, the Juggernaut could dictate the pace, compelling opponents to hold back their instant speed removals or counters for fear of a relentless, indestructible attacker each turn.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Darksteel Juggernaut requires an investment of five mana, inclusive of three generic and two colorless. This can be restrictive, as the colorless aspect demands the use of specific mana-producing resources that align with the artifact theme or colorless mana availability.
Discard Requirement: While there is technically no discard element tied to Darksteel Juggernaut, the card’s dependence on other artifacts means that if your board is cleared of these permanents, you have effectively lost the value that this card could potentially offer.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana to cast, compared to other creatures that can be cast with less mana, Darksteel Juggernaut might be slow on the ramp-up. In fast-paced games, its late appearance might come at a critical point where your position is already vulnerable or too far behind your opponent’s setup.
Reasons to Include Darksteel Juggernaut in Your Collection
Versatility: Darksteel Juggernaut stands as a formidable addition to artifact-centered decks. It thrives in environments packed with synergistic artifact strategies, seamlessly fitting into decks that capitalize on artifact count.
Combo Potential: This card’s power and toughness scale with the number of artifacts you control, making it pivotal in combos with artifact duplication or proliferation mechanics. It works wonders with strategies designed to flood the board with artifacts, turning it into a relentless force.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta with artifact-friendly mechanics or against opponents running minimal creature removal, Darksteel Juggernaut can become an unstoppable force. Its indestructible nature makes it particularly tough to deal with, ensuring it remains a relevant threat regardless of shifting meta conditions.
How to beat
Darksteel Juggernaut is a formidable artifact creature in Magic: The Gathering, renowned for its indestructibility and power that scales with the number of artifacts you control. Facing off against this juggernaut can be daunting due to its relentless nature, growing stronger with every artifact played.
To combat this relentless construct effectively, one strategy is to utilize cards that force your opponent to sacrifice creatures, as this bypasses its indestructible characteristic. Edict effects like Diabolic Edict or Liliana of the Veil can be crucial in this scenario. Another method is to control the battlefield through artifact removal spells; destroying the artifacts that fuel its power can render the juggernaut less threatening. Cards such as Shatterstorm or Vandalblast can sweep the board clean of your opponent’s artifacts, diminishing the Darksteel Juggernaut’s strength substantially.
Additionally, you can employ strategies that circumvent combat entirely, such as using enchantments like Pacifism to prevent the Juggernaut from attacking or employing cards that change its base power and toughness to 0, like Dead Weight. Victory against Darksteel Juggernaut can be achieved by combining creature control, artifact disruption, and clever board manipulation, leading to the neutralization of its otherwise overwhelming presence.
BurnMana Recommendations
The Darksteel Juggernaut is a true pinnacle of indestructibility and power scaling that demands strategic play and a well-crafted deck. Its unyielding presence on the battlefield can be a significant advantage, making it worth considering for your artifact-themed deck builds. Understand its potential, harness its strengths, and mitigate its weaknesses for an unbreakable board state. For those looking to optimize their artifact strategies and explore the depths of MTG’s dynamic playstyle, we’re here to guide you. Dive into our resources to enhance your game, discover new deck ideas, and embrace the Juggernaut’s might. Your journey towards MTG mastery continues here!
Cards like Darksteel Juggernaut
In the vast arsenal of artifact creatures that MTG offers, Darksteel Juggernaut stands as a formidable offensive force. Among similar cards, we find Bosh, Iron Golem that also leverages its artifact synergies, yet it distinguishes itself with the ability to throw artifacts at opponents for direct damage. While Bosh can be a game-ender with the right board state, Darksteel Juggernaut’s indestructible nature keeps it on the battlefield and constantly pressing the attack, regardless of the board’s perils. Another notable comparison is with Myr Enforcer, a creature that can be played for potentially less mana in an artifact-heavy deck. Though less expensive, Myr Enforcer doesn’t quite match the relentless power growth that defines Darksteel Juggernaut.
The similarities to Phyrexian Colossus are apparent, as both creatures have the potential for substantial power. However, Darksteel Juggernaut’s strength scales with the number of artifacts you control, unlike the Colossus’s fixed stats. Moreover, the Colossus requires a health payment to attack, while the Juggernaut, once again, benefits from indestructibility, allowing it to be a consistent threat every turn without any drawback, unlike many of its artifact brethren.
Ultimately, while each artifact creature carries unique strategic advantages, the inexorable force of Darksteel Juggernaut in an artifact-rich deck arguably puts it in a class of its own, especially in games that reward resilience and consistent pressure on the opponent.
Cards similar to Darksteel Juggernaut by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Darksteel Juggernaut MTG card by a specific set like Media Inserts and Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Darksteel Juggernaut and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Darksteel Juggernaut Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by Randis Albion.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media Inserts | PMEI | 16 | 2003 | normal | black | Randis Albion | ||
| 2 | 2010-10-01 | Scars of Mirrodin | SOM | 150 | 2003 | normal | black | Randis Albion | |
| 3 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 202 | 2015 | normal | black | Randis Albion | |
| 4 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Commander | BRC | 137 | 1997 | normal | black | Randis Albion |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Darksteel Juggernaut has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Darksteel Juggernaut card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-01 | If, during your declare attackers step, Darksteel Juggernaut is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or is affected by “summoning sickness,” then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having Darksteel Juggernaut attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either. |
| 2011-01-01 | Lethal damage and effects that say “destroy” won't cause Darksteel Juggernaut to be put into the graveyard. However, it can be put into the graveyard for a number of other reasons. The most likely reasons are if its toughness is 0 or less or it's sacrificed. |
| 2011-01-01 | Since Darksteel Juggernaut is itself an artifact, its power and toughness will always be at least 1 while it's on the battlefield (unless a spell or ability somehow changes its card type). |
| 2011-01-01 | The first ability works in all zones. |
