Sword of the Chosen MTG Card

Stronghold (STH)
1998-03-02 - Number 141

Sword of the Chosen - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)

Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
2022-09-09 - Number 192

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number STH-141

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Artifact

Key Takeaways

The Sword boosts creatures’ stats, providing an edge during pivotal game moments with instant activation potential.
Its specific mana cost and required creature sacrifice can limit deck-building choices and board presence.
Despite similar options, its low equip cost and synergy with varied strategies make it a notable card.

Text of card

oc T: Target legend gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

One shard of Selenia yet remained.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Sword of the Chosen provides an impressive boost to your creatures, which can potentially turn the tide of the game. By equipping it to one of your creatures, you effectively make it a bigger threat, forcing your opponent to deal with it and potentially using up their resources to do so, leaving you with more card options at your disposal.

Resource Acceleration: This artifact can be a game-changer in terms of resource acceleration. By increasing the power and toughness of your creatures, it allows you to deal damage more efficiently and possibly win the game sooner. Additionally, the Sword’s relatively low casting cost means it can hit the battlefield early, accelerating your game plan right out of the gate.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the Sword of the Chosen can be activated at instant speed. This means you can catch an opponent off-guard by boosting a creature right before damage is dealt or during the combat phase to create favorable trades or force through unexpected damage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sword of the Chosen demands you to sacrifice another creature to activate its power-boosting ability. This trade-off can lead to a decrease in board presence, making it a risky play if you’re already behind or if the creature you’re sacrificing is of high value.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both white and black mana for casting, the Sword of the Chosen can be difficult to accommodate in a multi-colored deck. Its specific mana requirements might not align well with decks that prefer a broader color base or that use mana fixing to operate.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial mana investment needed to get Sword of the Chosen on the battlefield, it sits at a higher cost bracket compared to other equipment cards. This may result in a slower gameplay, as you might be committing a significant portion of your mana in the early to mid-game when casting and equipping it, potentially foregoing other pivotal plays.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sword of the Chosen shines in varied deck archetypes. Its ability to buff creatures aligns seamlessly with aggressive, midrange, and even some control strategies that revolve around key creatures.

Combo Potential: With its low cost and the instant speed of its activation, this card easily slots into combo decks, acting as a powerful enabler for creature-based synergies and surprise combat tricks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on removal, the Sword of the Chosen provides a way to quickly and efficiently power up your creatures, potentially outpacing your opponent’s ability to deal with them, making it a card worth considering for your collection.

How to beat

Sword of the Chosen is a potent artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to give a significant buff to your chosen legendary creature. To outmaneuver this strategic enhancement, it’s vital to neutralize the creature that wields the Sword. Tactics such as spot removal spells can be quite effective, allowing you to deal with the threat directly despite the power boost.

Players should consider the use of versatile removal spells that do not discriminate based on creature size, such as Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy. These provide a solution regardless of how buffed the legendary creature has become. Additionally, employing instant-speed removal ensures that you can act in response to your opponent equipping the Sword, thereby preserving your tempo and disrupting your opponent’s plans.

Moreover, enchantment-based alternatives like Detention Sphere offer a way to exile Sword of the Chosen itself, circumventing the need to target the creature directly. In summary, while the Sword can certainly tip the scales in favor of your opponent, a strategic approach including targeted removal and enchantments can effectively negate its advantage.

Cards like Sword of the Chosen

Sword of the Chosen is a powerful artifact in Magic: The Gathering that offers a unique boon to creature-centric decks. Its closest counterparts might be the renowned equipment cards like Loxodon Warhammer, which not only gives a boost to power and toughness but also grants lifelink. While the Warhammer significantly increases a creature’s impact on the board, Sword of the Chosen shines in its low equip cost, enhancing creature’s power for a swift and cost-effective advantage.

Comparatively, Duelist’s Heritage is another noteworthy card offering similar support, providing double strike rather than a power boost. This enchantment, different in form, also targets creatures for considerable combat prowess. However, unlike the selectiveness of Sword of the Chosen, it can be beneficial for any creature engaging in combat potentially including your opponent’s. There’s also the Emeria Shepherd, which, while not directly boosting creatures’ stats, synergizes with land drops to return allies from the graveyard to the battlefield, a recurring strategy that can be more advantageous than a singular boost in certain decks.

In evaluating these elements, Sword of the Chosen positions itself as an efficient tool for bolstering your creatures’ power while maintaining a strategic and minimal board presence in MTG.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sword of the Chosen MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold and The List, 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 Sword of the Chosen and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sword of the Chosen Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-03-02 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by Adam Rex.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-03-02	Stronghold	STH	141	1997	Normal	Black	Adam Rex
2	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	STH-141	1997	Normal	Black	Adam Rex
3	2022-09-09	Dominaria United Commander	DMC	192	2015	Normal	Black	Adam Rex