Altar of Bone MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	281
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Melissa A. Benson

Key Takeaways

Altar of Bone can seamlessly replace weaker creatures with powerful ones, providing significant card advantage.
Its specific mana cost and sacrifice requirement are offset by the strategic creature tutoring ability.
Though it has a higher mana cost, the versatility and combo potential of Altar of Bone can justify its inclusion.

Text of card

Sacrifice a creature to look through your library for a creature card; put that card into your hand after showing it to all other players. Reshuffle your library afterwards.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Altar of Bone allows players to venture into their decks to find exactly the creature they need, subtly tipping the scales in their favor by replacing a less useful creature with a more impactful one.

Resource Acceleration: This card effectively converts one creature into another, potentially shortening the curve to bring out a heavy-hitting creature much earlier than usual and accelerating a player’s game strategy.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Altar of Bone can be used strategically during your main phase, allowing for careful planning and execution of plays without the pressure of having to act hastily during an opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Altar of Bone requires sacrificing a creature, which can put you at a disadvantage, particularly when your board presence is essential for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a distinct mana cost consisting of both green and white, potentially restricting its inclusion to only decks that support these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Altar of Bone carries a mana cost that may be seen as elevated for its tutor effect, considering there are other search options available that are more mana-efficient or offer additional benefits.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Altar of Bone serves a dual purpose in a deck, acting both as a creature tutor and a way to sacrifice creatures for strategic gains. This quality makes it an adaptable card suitable for various deck types, particularly those that revolve around creature-based strategies or graveyard synergy.

Combo Potential: The card can be a key component in birthing powerful combos, as it fetches essential creatures that are pivotal for combo execution. Crafty players see it as a tool for unearthing just the right creature at the right moment to set the stage for a game-winning move.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that prizes adaptability and finesse, Altar of Bone can prove its worth. Its ability to search your library for the perfect answer to your opponents’ threats or to facilitate your own complex plays makes it a card to consider when building a deck geared towards competitive play.

How to beat

Altar of Bone is an intriguing card that allows players to tap into Magic: The Gathering’s ecosystem of creature exchange. This Instant card requires you to sacrifice a creature first as a cost, and then you may search your library for a creature card and put that card into your hand. You shuffle your library afterwards. Navigating around this card’s capability involves strategic planning.

One method to counteract this card is by utilizing instant-speed removals, like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile. With these removals, you can target the creature they plan to sacrifice in response to the casting of Altar of Bone, effectively negating its effect as they will be unable to pay the cost without a creature. Graveyard management also plays a key role. Cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can prevent the use of the graveyard as a resource, which can be part of Altar of Bone’s strategy when paired with recursive creatures.

Lastly, counterspells remain a direct way to stop Altar of Bone. Disallow or Cancel can prevent the spell from resolving, keeping the board state in your favor. Altogether, while Altar of Bone possesses the ability to tilt the game by fetching powerful creatures, it can be deftly managed with removal, graveyard containment, or counterspells.

BurnMana Recommendations

Altar of Bone has proven to be a valuable addition to your MTG collection, offering tactical depth and flexibility in deck building. If you’re intrigued by the strategic advantages and the unique utility that Altar of Bone brings to the table, there’s more to explore within the vast expanse of Magic the Gathering. Becoming adept in manipulating such nuanced cards is just the beginning. Immerse yourself further into MTG’s strategic depths and discover new ways to optimize your gameplay. Embark on your journey of continuous improvement and adaptability in deck crafting, and join us for a comprehensive exploration into maximizing your card’s potential.

Cards like Altar of Bone

Altar of Bone introduces a unique dynamic to the realm of sorcery spells in Magic: The Gathering. It ventures into the same territory as Diabolic Intent, as both require a sacrifice as the cost of fetching a creature card from your library. Altar of Bone, however, stands out with its Ice Age signature, demanding both a creature sacrifice and the specific payment of one green and one white mana.

Elsewhere in the pantheon of creature search spells, we find Eladamri’s Call. While not requiring a sacrifice, this instant speed spell carries the same mana cost as Altar of Bone but with the added flexibility of being usable at any time. This instant access to creatures could be crucial during complex board states. Natural Order is another classic, powerful card that demands a green creature sacrifice but fetches a green creature directly onto the battlefield, offering a more aggressive ramping strategy compared to Altar of Bone’s conservative library search.

Examining these spells closely, one can appreciate the situational advantage Altar of Bone may offer in decks that value graveyard mechanics or creature sacrifice triggers, situating it as a tool with strategic depth in MTG players’ arsenals.

Cards similar to Altar of Bone by color, type and mana cost

Call of the Conclave - MTG Card versions

Pollen-Shield Hare // Hare Raising - MTG Card versions

Kellan, Daring Traveler // Journey On - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Altar of Bone MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Altar of Bone and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Altar of Bone has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.
2013-04-15	Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
2013-04-15	You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.