Unctus's Retrofitter MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Artificer |
| Abilities | Toxic |
| Released | 2023-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Phyrexia: All Will Be One |
| Set code | ONE |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 76 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cristi Balanescu |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage and accelerates resources in mid-to-late game through creature transformation.
- Instant speed activation grants flexibility, adapting to battlefield changes immediately.
- Despite its advantages, it requires card discard and has specific mana constraints.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Unctus's Retrofitter. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Azorius Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024 | |
 | Mono-Blue Tempo | Standard | Mono-Blue Artifact Aggro | Supported by Rebound standard Supported by Rakuten Books |
| Azorius Aggro | Standard | Azorius Artifact Aggro | 2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open |
 | Simic Cauldron | Standard | Simic Artifact Aggro | ReCQ - Standard - SCG CON Hartford - Saturday - 2:00 pm (Bronze) |
 | Izzet Aggro | Standard | Izzet Artifact Aggro | 2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open |
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Unctus's Retrofitter MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 Unctus's Retrofitter 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 MTG Products
Text of card
Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) When Unctus's Retrofitter enters the battlefield, up to one target artifact you control becomes an artifact creature with base power and toughness 4/4 for as long as Unctus's Retrofitter remains on the battlefield.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Unctus’s Retrofitter can potentially turn every creature into a catalyst for drawing cards, ensuring that your hand stays replenished and giving you an edge over opponents. Utilizing your creatures as a resource for gaining card advantage can be crucial in the mid to late game.
Resource Acceleration: This clever device not only tweaks your army but also accelerates your resources. By transforming your creatures into artifact tokens, you efficiently produce additional assets that can be utilized for various strategic plays, enhancing your ability to deploy more spells quicker than your opponent.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Unctus’s Retrofitter at instant speed offers significant tactical flexibility. Respond to threats or unfavorable battlefield conditions in the blink of an eye by upgrading your creatures when it’s most advantageous, without skipping a beat on your game plan.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unctus’s Retrofitter requires players to discard a card, which could be a strategic setback, especially when hand size is a current advantage or when holding key cards for later plays.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for casting Unctus’s Retrofitter includes colors that may not align with all deck archetypes, potentially limiting its integration into a varied range of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for Unctus’s Retrofitter might outweigh its benefits compared to other options available in the game. Players often look for lower-cost alternatives that provide similar or greater impact on the game state.
Reasons to Include Unctus’s Retrofitter in Your Collection
Versatility: Unctus’s Retrofitter can be a dynamic addition to artifact-centric and aggressive decks alike. This card’s adaptability in various strategies makes it a worthwhile pick for players looking to enhance their builds with a tool that can adjust effortlessly to their in-game tactics.
Combo Potential: Possessing the ability to create Servo tokens, Unctus’s Retrofitter elevates decks that capitalize on having numerous artifacts on the field. Combining it with cards that trigger upon artifact creation or sacrifice sets the stage for potent synergies and complex plays.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where versatility and board presence are critical, Unctus’s Retrofitter holds its ground. It serves well in formats where rapid deployment and variety in tactics are valuable, making it a card that can scale with the shifts and turns of the MTG landscape.
How to beat
Unctus’s Retrofitter presents a unique challenge in gameplay when you’re up against it on the battlefield. As a strategic card in MTG, it offers players an interesting approach to upgrading their device tokens. To effectively counter this card, an understanding of its mechanics and potential impact is crucial.
One effective strategy is to limit its token-generating capability. Employing removal spells to target crucial artifact creatures before they can be upgraded can thwart your opponent’s plans. Cards like Naturalize or Abrade are excellent choices for dismantling such strategies. Furthermore, controlling the board with counter spells and direct removal options also puts you in a strong position to manage whatever devices may get retrofitted.
However, pay attention to timing and the state of the board. A well-timed removal or counter spell could be the pivotal move that swings the game in your favor, nullifying the potential advantages that Unctus’s Retrofitter might confer to your opponent. In MTG, anticipating and undercutting your opponent’s strategies is often the key to victory, and this card is no exception.
Cards like Unctus's Retrofitter
Unctus’s Retrofitter forges its identity in the Magic: The Gathering landscape through its unique artifact synergies. Likening it to other artifact-centric cards, Steel Overseer emerges as a relevant comparison. While Steel Overseer focuses on bolstering the power and toughness of artifacts, Unctus’s Retrofitter excels in transforming tokens into artifact creatures, expanding your army without committing additional cards from your hand.
Another peer in the realm of artifact manipulation is Myrsmith, which allows the creation of Myr artifact creature tokens upon casting artifacts. Unctus’s Retrofitter shares this token-proliferation philosophy but grants a different strategic benefit by retrofitting existing tokens. Contrastingly, Master Transmuter stands as a crafty tool, being able to bounce and cheat out costly artifacts onto the battlefield. Unctus’s Retrofitter doesn’t provide such direct repositioning of artifacts but instead steadily builds board presence.
Ultimately, each of these cards caters to different strategies but share a fundamental appreciation for artifacts. Unctus’s Retrofitter distinguishes itself by helping players adept at token generation pivot into a formidable artifact state, thus making it an innovative choice for enthusiasts looking to optimize their artifact-focused decks in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Unctus's Retrofitter by color, type and mana cost
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Unctus's Retrofitter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Unctus's Retrofitter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-02-04 | Effects that modify a creature's power and/or toughness, such as the one created by Blazing Crescendo or a +1/+1 counter, will apply to the creature no matter when they started to take effect. |
| 2023-02-04 | If Unctus's Retrofitter leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, that ability will have no effect. The target artifact won't become an artifact creature at all. |
| 2023-02-04 | If the artifact was already a creature, its base power and toughness will become 4/4. This overwrites any previous effects that set its base power and/or toughness to specific values. Any power- or toughness-setting effects that start to apply after Unctus's Retrofitter's ability resolves will overwrite this effect. |
| 2023-02-04 | The resulting artifact creature will be able to attack on your turn if it's been under your control continuously since the turn began. That is, it doesn't matter how long it's been a creature, just how long it's been on the battlefield. |
| 2023-02-04 | The target artifact retains any types, subtypes, and supertypes it has. |
| 2023-02-04 | Unctus's Retrofitter doesn't remove any abilities the target artifact has. |