Protomatter Powder MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Number | 53 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Francis Tsai |
Key Takeaways
- Protomatter Powder breathes new life into strategies by transforming nonland permanents, enhancing card advantage.
- With instant speed and mana resource acceleration, the Powder alters gameplay timing and resource management.
- While advantageous, it comes with a high mana cost and discard requirement, which may limit use in some scenarios.
Text of card
, , Sacrifice Protomatter Powder: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to play.
"There is no such thing as scrap metal. All such material can be repaired with the proper bonding agent." —Quennus, metallurgeon
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When it comes to strategic play, Protomatter Powder offers a significant boost by potentially transforming a nonland permanent you own into a new card in your hand. This can revitalize your strategy if you’re dealing with an unusable card or if you’ve got a setup that benefits from the card turnover.
Resource Acceleration: One of Protomatter Powder’s standout features is its ability to turn any nonland permanent into two half-mana artifacts. This process can be a game-changer, giving you the flexibility to quickly escalate your mana resources and potentially bring out higher-cost cards earlier in the match than you normally could.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Protomatter Powder at instant speed gives you the upper hand, strategically speaking. This versatility means you can respond to your opponent’s moves during their turn, maximizing the element of surprise and disruption. Whether it’s during a battle or end step, the instantaneous nature of this spell can prove to be a tactical asset.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Protomatter Powder necessitates the discarding of a card alongside its mana cost, making it a potentially costly play in situations where card advantage is critical.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of this card relies on a precise arrangement of mana, which can be challenging to generate in a multicolor deck without the appropriate mana base or fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Utilizing Protomatter Powder requires a sizeable mana investment which could be problematic when faster or more impactful plays are needed to stabilize or control the game.
Reasons to Include Protomatter Powder in Your Collection
Versatility: Protomatter Powder offers a unique option for decks that are looking to manipulate their permanents. Its ability to transform noncreature artifacts into random artifacts with higher mana value is both unpredictable and exciting, allowing for a broad range of possible outcomes that can enhance various strategies.
Combo Potential: The random element creates opportunities for synergies with cards that thrive on artifact manipulation or benefit from having diverse artifacts on the field. Players can unearth unforeseen combinations and potentially game-changing interactions.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifacts play a significant role, Protomatter Powder can be an essential tool. As it adapts to current trends, this card could swing games by evolving your board state in ways that opponents might not be prepared for, giving deck builders a wild card up their sleeve.
How to beat
Protomatter Powder introduces an intriguing dynamic to the battlefield. Players need to understand its potential to create a winning strategy against it. This card allows for a temporary boost in a player’s forces by reanimating a creature card with a mana cost of 3 or less from the graveyard until the end of the turn. The card then gets exiled, making it a fleeting but potent threat.
To successfully navigate around Protomatter Powder’s effect, it’s important to anticipate the card’s activation and prepare for the temporary threats it presents. Strategies include keeping removal spells in hand for any creatures reanimated by Protomatter Powder. It’s also wise to use graveyard hate cards that can remove potential targets for Protomatter Powder before they can be brought back. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze serve this purpose well, limiting the opportunities your opponent has to exploit their graveyard.
Ultimately, playing against Protomatter Powder requires a mix of foresight, control, and disruption to mitigate its impact. By strategically managing the pace and threats on the field, players can turn the tables on opponents relying too heavily on this temporary form of reanimation.
Cards like Protomatter Powder
Protomatter Powder presents a unique mechanic in the MTG realm, drawing parallels to cards like Tormod’s Crypt and Relic of Progenitus in the way it tackles graveyard manipulation. Unlike Tormod’s Crypt, which exiles an opponent’s graveyard at no cost, Protomatter Powder requires three mana to deploy and also grants a creature card returning boon. This makes Protomatter Powder a versatile option, offering both creature retrieval and graveyard disruption in a single card.
Comparing it to Relic of Progenitus, while both can purge graveyards, Protomatter Powder offers an alternative angle. Instead of drawing a card after its activation like the Relic, it reshapes the game by creating a new creature, essentially turning graveyard resources into a tangible threat on the board. This strategic flexibility allows for diverse gameplay, welcoming players to craft unpredictable plays. Nihil Spellbomb is another card worth noting, similar to Protomatter Powder, yet it’s focused entirely on exiling only the opponent’s graveyard, with a card draw kicker, but lacking the reanimation capability.
Critical assessment of these MTG cards showcases Protomatter Powder as a card with a dynamic edge for players who appreciate both interrupting opponents and reviving their own creatures for a powerful table-turn.
Cards similar to Protomatter Powder by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Protomatter Powder MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Protomatter Powder 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Protomatter Powder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Protomatter Powder card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager. |
| 2008-10-01 | You can’t sacrifice Protomatter Powder to return itself to the battlefield. First you choose the target (at which time it’s still on the battlefield), then you pay the costs (at which time you sacrifice it). |
