Surestrike Trident MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Darksteel
Set code	DST
Number	147
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ben Thompson

Key Takeaways

The Trident’s ability to convert creatures into direct damage sources offers players a tactical edge.
Instant speed equip allows for strategic flexibility, making the Trident a surprise combat trick.
Despite its high mana cost and discard requirement, the damage potential should not be overlooked.

Text of card

Equipped creature has first strike and ", Unattach Surestrike Trident: This creature deals damage equal to its power to target player." Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Surestrike Trident doesn’t draw cards directly, it offers a unique kind of advantage by turning creatures into direct damage sources, potentially bypassing blockers and using creatures in a new way.

Resource Acceleration: Surestrike Trident can be an unconventional accelerator. By equipping it to a creature with a tap effect, you can potentially use that creature multiple times in a turn, effectively generating a kind of “action acceleration.”

Instant Speed: The ability to attach Surestrike Trident at instant speed provides flexibility, allowing players to wait until just the right moment, such as after an opponent has declared blockers, to turn a creature into a direct threat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Surestrike Trident asks players to forgo an important card from their hand to activate its ability, which can be a serious setback when options are limited or the game is tight.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation of this artifact’s ability requires a red mana source, tethering it predominantly to red-inclined decks and possibly creating a barrier for multicolor deck flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Equipping for a considerable four mana might deter players when more immediate or lower-cost alternatives are available within the game, despite the potential damage output.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Surestrike Trident lends itself to a variety of strategies, fitting well in decks that can take advantage of its direct damage capability. It’s an artifact that can be especially useful in decks that have creatures with high power.

Combo Potential: This card can be part of intricate combos, utilizing untap mechanics to reuse the trident multiple times in a turn for an unexpected finish. In decks that manipulate counters or abilities to increase creature power, Surestrike Trident can become a pivotal combo piece.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to drag out or where creatures are frequently stalled on the battlefield, Surestrike Trident offers an alternative route to deal damage without needing to breach an opponent’s defenses. This can make it a pertinent choice for breaking through standoffs or finishing off opponents in evasion-based decks.

How to beat Surestrike Trident

Confronted with the unique abilities of Surestrike Trident in your MTG duel, understanding its mechanics is pivotal. This equipment card turns any creature into a potential direct threat to your life points without engaging in combat. However, to effectively counter this tactic, it’s essential to focus on disrupting the equipment’s synergy with creatures.

One practical method is to employ removal spells aimed at either the creature or the artifact itself. Artifact destruction cards like Naturalize or the multi-purpose Disenchant will directly send the Trident back to the graveyard. Creature removal such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile will leave the Trident without a wielder, nullifying the immediate threat. Additionally, countermagic like Negate can be a preemptive strike against the Trident ever hitting the battlefield, ensuring your opponent’s plans never materialize.

It’s also beneficial to include cards in your deck that prevent targeting, like Shalai, Voice of Plenty, which can grant you and other creatures you control hexproof. This blocks your opponent’s ability to redirect the damage dealt by the creäture wielding the Surestrike Trident, maintaining your stronghold in the match.

Cards like Surestrike Trident

Surestrike Trident is a unique equipment card in Magic: The Gathering. It offers a distinctive twist on direct damage – a theme that resonates with cards like Viridian Longbow. Surestrike Trident allows the equipped creature to deal damage to a target player or planeswalker equal to its power, at the cost of sacrificing it. This can be compared to Viridian Longbow’s ability to have the equipped creature deal damage to any target, including creatures, albeit only one damage per tap, without the need for sacrifice.

Comparatively, we also have Gorgon’s Head which gives a creature deathtap, where the equipped creature’s damage results in destroying other creatures. It doesn’t quite offer the direct player damage potential of Surestrike Trident, but it’s a major deterrent to attackers. However, it doesn’t require the creature’s sacrifice, thereby allowing for recurring utility, unlike Surestrike Trident which is a one-time use.

Assessing these cards underlines Surestrike Trident’s dramatic flair in Magic: The Gathering. Despite its finality, this card can serve as a game-ending maneuver when used strategically, fitting well into decks that capitalize on temporary but powerful effects.

Cards similar to Surestrike Trident by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Surestrike Trident 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 Surestrike Trident and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Surestrike Trident has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Surestrike Trident 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	Surestrike Trident grants an ability to the equipped creature.
2004-12-01	The equipped creature’s controller chooses whether or not to activate the activated ability. It doesn’t matter who controls Surestrike Trident.
2004-12-01	“Unattach Surestrike Trident” means just that — Surestrike Trident moves off the creature it was equipping and remains on the battlefield.