Thirsting Axe MTG Card

Indirect card advantage through pressure, potentially draining opponent’s resources. Instant-speed equip offers flexible combat tricks, surprising adversaries. Discard drawback demands careful play; high cost impacts mana efficiency.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2016-07-22
Set symbol
Set name	Eldritch Moon
Set code	EMN
Number	202
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Bastien L. Deharme

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +4/+0. At the beginning of your end step, if equipped creature didn't deal combat damage to a creature this turn, sacrifice it. Equip

Sometimes the weapon wields the bearer.

Cards like Thirsting Axe

Thirsting Axe is a unique equipment artifact in Magic: The Gathering, offering a distinct advantage in combat scenarios. It’s often compared to other equipment cards like Butcher’s Cleaver, which also provides a substantial boost in power. Thirsting Axe grants +4/+0 to the equipped creature, significantly enhancing its attack at the cost of having to be unequipped or sacrificing a creature at the end of combat. Nevertheless, Butcher’s Cleaver doesn’t come with such a downside and also gives lifelink when attached to a Human.

Analogous to Thirsting Axe in the realm of power-boosting artifacts is Grafted Wargear, conferring an impressive +3/+2 to the creature it equips. Unlike Thirsting Axe, equipping Grafted Wargear to another creature forces you to sacrifice the previously equipped creature but it carries no additional downsides post-combat. This can strategically be more manageable than the mandatory sacrifice presented by Thirsting Axe unless you’re adept at maneuvering around the upkeep requirement.

Assessing equipment cards within Magic: The Gathering, Thirsting Axe offers a daring reward for those willing to navigate its challenging upkeep, standing out among power-enhancing artifacts in its propensity to rapidly turn creatures into considerable threats.

Cards similar to Thirsting Axe by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Thirsting Axe card can often lead to indirect card advantage by requiring your opponents to deal with the equipped creature or face significant damage, possibly costing them creatures or removal spells in the process.

Resource Acceleration: Although Thirsting Axe doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, equipping it can increase the threat level of your lower-cost creatures, effectively leveraging your existing board resources to exert pressure more rapidly.

Instant Speed: While Thirsting Axe is not an instant-speed spell, the flexibility to equip at instant speed can catch opponents off-guard, particularly if you have untapped mana and they must consider the threat of the Axe during combat or their end step.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Thirsting Axe comes with a caveat that necessitates discarding a card unless it deals combat damage in your turn. This can become a considerable drawback in long games or when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting the Thirsting Axe requires specific mana investment, particularly two generic mana and one red mana. Players running multicolored or colorless decks may find the red mana requirement restrictive.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a total of three mana to cast and requiring an additional two mana to equip, Thirsting Axe may be less mana-efficient compared to other equipment cards. This higher cost has to be taken into account when considering the card’s utility in fast-paced or mana-tight games.

Reasons to Include Thirsting Axe in Your Collection

Versatility: Thirsting Axe is a unique equipment card that can be attached to various creatures across different play styles, adapting to aggressive and control strategies alike.

Combo Potential: When synergized with creatures that have benefits from dealing damage or being sacrificed, Thirsting Axe gains significant combo potential in your deck construct.

Meta-Relevance: In a game dominated by creature-based strategies, Thirsting Axe can be an advantageous sideboard card, providing a cost-effective boost to your creatures’ power while managing the trade-offs.

How to beat

Thirsting Axe presents a unique challenge to overcome in MTG. This equipment card ensures that the creature it’s attached to becomes a significant threat by providing a considerable boost to its power. To neutralize its effect, consider utilizing removal spells that target either the creature or the artifact itself. Instant-speed removal such as Naturalize or Disenchant allows you to respond to the equipping action, thereby negating the advantage before your opponent can benefit from the power surge.

A strategy many players adopt is to keep removal spells at the ready, ensuring minimal impact from the power boost provided by Thirsting Axe. A clever approach includes waiting for the equip cost to be paid before casting the removal, thereby wasting your opponent’s resources. Alternatively, using creatures with deathtouch can dissuade an opponent from attacking, as Thirsting Axe requires the equipped creature to attack each turn if able. This can be turned to your advantage, maintaining board stability while you prepare for a more permanent solution.

When we dissect the gameplay around Thirsting Axe, we understand it’s not just about overpowering the opponent but also outsmarting them. Quick reaction time and strategic use of spells play a pivotal role in claiming victory against an adversary wielding this menacing equipment.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thirsting Axe MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon, 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 Thirsting Axe and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thirsting Axe has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-07-13	If the equipped creature dealt combat damage only to a player or planeswalker, Thirsting Axe’s triggered ability triggers. The same is true if the creature didn’t deal combat damage at all.
2016-07-13	Thirsting Axe’s triggered ability checks whether the creature it’s attached to at the moment your end step begins dealt combat damage to a creature earlier in the turn. It doesn’t matter whether Thirsting Axe was attached to it (or to any creature at all) as combat damage was dealt.