Arcum Dagsson MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Artificer
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Arcum Dagsson’s tutoring ability strongly accelerates resource availability, bypassing usual mana costs.
  2. The requirement to sacrifice artifacts for Arcum Dagsson’s ability can significantly impact board presence.
  3. Deck construction flexibility may be constrained by Arcum Dagsson’s specific blue mana cost.

Text of card

: Target artifact creature's controller sacrifices it. That player may search his or her library for a noncreature artifact card, put it into play, then shuffle his or her library.

"Artifice sundered the world. It shall not again wreak such sorrow."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arcum Dagsson shines by turning your less impactful artifacts into game-changing ones, offering a substantial card quality advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This legendary creature facilitates unparalleled resource acceleration by tutoring for any artifact directly onto the battlefield, bypassing mana costs and enabling powerful combos.

Instant Speed: While Arcum Dagsson himself doesn’t operate at instant speed, his ability to fetch artifacts that have flash or disrupt opponents during their turn can effectively extend your influence to instant speed engagements.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Arcum Dagsson’s effectiveness can be hindered by the necessity to sacrifice an artifact, potentially depleting your board presence and valuable assets.

Specific Mana Cost: Coming with a blue mana cost demands a commitment to a color-specific deck construction, gaming strategy, and mana base, which could restrict deck diversity and flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes four mana, including two blue, Arcum Dagsson competes with other impactful four-mana plays in the game, which may offer immediate effects without the need for an established board state.


Reasons to Include Arcum Dagsson in Your Collection

Versatility: Arcum Dagsson can seamlessly adapt to an assortment of deck builds centered around artifacts. His ability to fetch crucial components from your deck makes him a dynamic addition that can enhance multiple strategies.

Combo Potential: With the capacity to tutor any artifact into play, Arcum Dagsson is a cornerstone for generating powerful combos. This resonates particularly well in decks designed to unlock infinite loops or achieve game-winning conditions through artifact synergies.

Meta-Relevance: With artifacts being a perennial presence in various MTG metagames, having a reliable tutor like Arcum Dagsson can offer a consistent edge. His relevance shines in environments where artifact-based strategies align with competitive playstyles.


How to beat

Arcum Dagsson is a powerful commander in Magic: The Gathering, known for turning artifacts into potent combos and locking opponents out of the game. Approaches to disrupt Dagsson’s strategy often involve dismantling the artifact synergy that fuels his engine. An effective method is to focus on artifact removal spells. Cards such as Vandalblast or Shatterstorm can dismantle multiple artifacts in one fell swoop, severely hindering Dagsson’s ability to combo off.

Moreover, countering crucial tutor spells that search for combo pieces can prevent the player from assembling their winning conditions. Keeping a counter spell ready for when Dagsson’s ability is activated can significantly impair the deck’s functionality. Lastly, employing cards that restrict the activations of abilities, such as Pithing Needle or Phyrexian Revoker, can be crucial in halting the Dagsson machine in its tracks. By playing proactively and maintaining control of the board, you can effectively negate the advantages granted by Arcum Dagsson and steer the game in your favor.

Understanding Arcum Dagsson’s mechanics and preparing your deck with specific countermeasures can transform an imposing threat into a manageable challenge, paving the way to victory against this formidable commander.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and vulnerabilities of Arcum Dagsson is key to mastering him in your MTG gameplay. With his potential for card advantage and resource acceleration, Arcum Dagsson excels in dedicated artifact strategies, leading to dominating combos that can swiftly change the course of a game. To optimize the use of this card and integrate it into a powerful deck that resonates with constant meta shifts, focus on building around artifact synergy and be mindful of its drawbacks that require strategic management. For those looking to enrich their collection with a card that has serious combo potential and adaptability, Arcum Dagsson is an intriguing pick. Learn more about constructing a deck with this artifact maestro and elevate your MTG sessions to an art of precision and calculated power plays.


Cards like Arcum Dagsson

Arcum Dagsson stands as a pivotal figure among artifact tutors in Magic: The Gathering. Resembling cards like Tinker, Arcum Dagsson provides a unique method to search for an artifact and put it directly onto the battlefield. The key difference lies in Arcum requiring the sacrifice of an artifact creature, making it a masterpiece of synergistic deck builds centered on artifacts. Tinker, by contrast, only asks for a non-token artifact’s sacrifice, which offers a broader range of targets but is currently banned in multiple formats due to its power level.

Another card to discuss in tandem with Arcum is Kuldotha Forgemaster. Much like Arcum, it demands the sacrifice of artifacts for the retrieval of a powerful artifact from the deck. They are similar yet distinctly different; the Forgemaster’s ability is not limited to artifact creatures and it requires one more artifact to be sacrificed. While Arcum Dagsson shines in an artifact-creature heavy strategy, enabling a swift and consistent deployment of game-changing artifacts.

Zooming out on the overarching theme, it’s clear why Arcum Dagsson is a celebrated piece in the MTG arsenal. Its value is unparallelled in the right context, offering a potent and repeatable way to transform artifact creatures into more impactful threats or key pieces on the battlefield.

Tinker - MTG Card versions
Kuldotha Forgemaster - MTG Card versions
Tinker - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Kuldotha Forgemaster - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Arcum Dagsson by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Screeching Drake - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Extravagant Spirit - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Undercover Operative - MTG Card versions
Archmage Emeritus - MTG Card versions
Hisoka, Minamo Sensei - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Phantom Monster - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Vapor - Chronicles (CHR)
Screeching Drake - Portal Second Age (P02)
Tradewind Rider - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Archivist - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Extravagant Spirit - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Thieving Magpie - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Inga Rune-Eyes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Laboratory Drudge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undercover Operative - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Archmage Emeritus - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Hisoka, Minamo Sensei - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Johnny, Combo Player - Unhinged (UNH)
Dream Prowler - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Clone - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Cytoplast Manipulator - Dissension (DIS)
Crookclaw Transmuter - Time Spiral (TSP)
Dreamborn Muse - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arcum Dagsson MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap and Double Masters, 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 Arcum Dagsson and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Arcum Dagsson Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-07-21 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-07-21ColdsnapCSP 272003normalblackPete Venters
22020-08-07Double Masters2XM 412015normalblackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Arcum Dagsson has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-08-07 Any triggered abilities that trigger when the creature is sacrificed will be put onto the stack at the same time as any triggered abilities that trigger when the noncreature artifact enters the battlefield.
2020-08-07 Arcum Dagsson's ability targets an artifact creature, not the player who controls it.
2020-08-07 If the target artifact creature is an illegal target by the time Arcum's ability tries to resolve, the ability won't resolve. No player searches their library. If the target is legal but not sacrificed (most likely because of an effect such as that of Sigarda, Host of Herons), its controller does search their library for a noncreature artifact card.

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