Arcbound Fiend MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Horror
Abilities	Fear,Modular
Released	2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Darksteel
Set code	DST
Power	0
Toughness	0
Number	96
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ittoku

Key Takeaways

The Fiend’s modular ability protects board presence and card value upon leaving play.
Requires card discard for activation, a potential downside in tight games.
In the right meta, it could offer a competitive edge within artifact decks.

Text of card

Fear At the beginning of your upkeep, you may move a +1/+1 counter from target creature onto Arcbound Fiend. Modular 3 (This comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it. When it's put into a graveyard, you may put its +1/+1 counters on target artifact creature.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arcbound Fiend offers a unique mechanism that can yield card advantage in the right deck. Its modular ability means that when it leaves the battlefield, you can transfer its +1/+1 counters onto another artifact creature, effectively maintaining your board presence and card value.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana acceleration, the synergy between Arcbound Fiend and sacrifice outlets or modular-based decks can indirectly speed up your resources. Sacrificing it can fuel various abilities or trigger effects that propel your game forward.

Instant Speed: Though not at instant speed itself, Arcbound Fiend can interact favorably with instant-speed spells and abilities. For example, sacrificing it in response to a spell or ability allows you to reallocate its counters immediately, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Arcbound Fiend necessitates the discarding of a card for its Modular ability to trigger. This can be particularly onerous when your hand is already depleting, putting a strain on your resource management abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost to cast Arcbound Fiend requires both generic and black mana, demanding a heavily focused or dual mana base. Such a cost can sometimes hamper the card’s integration into a diverse range of decks, especially those not aligned with its mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of six mana to summon this artifact creature onto the battlefield, players may find it prohibitively expensive, especially when considering other creatures or spells that could be more impactful for the same, or lower, cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Arcbound Fiend offers a flexible role in artifact and +1/+1 counter strategies. With its modular ability, it transfers counters upon death, integrating well with decks that capitalize on counter manipulation or require sacrificial elements.

Combo Potential: As a component in combo builds, the Fiend synergizes with proliferate mechanics or cards like “Arcbound Ravager”, escalating the threat level every time artifacts or counters are involved in the play sequence.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where artifact decks are prevalent, including this card could provide an edge. Its inherent synergy with artifact-centric strategies makes it a tactical choice for adapting to and even shaping the competitive landscape.

How to beat

Navigating the battlefield against Arcbound Fiend requires a strategic approach tailored to its Modular and Sack mechanics. This formidable card gains +1/+0 until end of turn for each +1/+1 counter placed on it, which can lead to substantial damage if not addressed promptly. To prevent the Fiend from becoming an overwhelming threat, controlling the amount of +1/+1 counters it accumulates is crucial.

Removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes, are effective as they can circumvent the Fiend’s potential to transfer counters through the Modular ability when it dies. Cards with the ability to exile, like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, prove invaluable as they prevent the Fiend’s counters from being a future issue by removing it completely from play instead of merely destroying it. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed interactions is wise, so you can respond to the counter placement before the Fiend’s power is augmented.

In essence, staying ahead of the Fiend’s power curve or preemptively removing it from the battlefield is the key to mitigating the threat it poses. Thoughtful planning and the timely use of control elements are vital in outmaneuvering an opponent looking to leverage the innate strength of Arcbound Fiend.

Cards like Arcbound Fiend

Arcbound Fiend presents itself as a unique artifact creature within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It’s intriguing to compare it to other artifact creatures, such as Arcbound Ravager, another member of the “modular” family. Both share the modular ability, allowing them to support and enhance strategies around +1/+1 counters. However, while Arcbound Ravager can sacrifice other artifacts to grow stronger, Arcbound Fiend instead offers an interesting dynamic with its power increasing during your upkeep at the expense of discarding a card, hence nurturing potential graveyard strategies as well.

Examining Myr Enforcer gives us perspective on the cost-efficiency of artifact creatures. Myr Enforcer can potentially be cast for very little mana in a deck ripe with artifacts, whereas Arcbound Fiend’s strength comes at a more substantial mana investment. Additionally, Arcbound Fiend’s power adjustment during upkeep can allow for fluctuating but potentially greater offensive capabilities.

Delving into these comparisons, it becomes apparent that while Arcbound Fiend may require more careful planning and a tailored deck to maximize its potential, its versatility in both modular mechanics and its synergy with graveyard-centric strategies makes it a card to be reckoned with under the right circumstances.

Cards similar to Arcbound Fiend by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arcbound Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel, 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 Arcbound Fiend and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Arcbound Fiend has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-12-01	The creature that’s targeted by Arcbound Fiend’s middle ability doesn’t have to have any +1/+1 counters on it. If it doesn’t have a counter on it when the ability resolves, nothing happens.
2006-09-25	If this creature gets enough -1/-1 counters put on it to cause its toughness to be 0 or less (or the damage marked on it to be lethal), modular will put a number of +1/+1 counters on the target artifact creature equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on this creature before it left the battlefield.