Weaponize the Monsters MTG Card

Weaponize the Monsters - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	2020-04-24
Set symbol
Set name	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Set code	IKO
Number	140
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Magali Villeneuve

Key Takeaways

Turns creatures into direct damage, perfect for shifting the battlefield’s dynamic and securing the upper hand.
Allows instant-speed response, offering flexibility and surprise plays that can lead to unexpected victories.
High mana cost, specific mana colors, and discard requirement may limit deck synergy and hand flexibility.

Text of card

, Sacrifice a creature: Weaponize the Monsters deals 2 damage to any target.

Revenge is a path inevitably walked alone.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Weaponize the Monsters provides a strategic benefit for players seeking to turn their creatures into direct damage. By converting each creature into a potential source of damage, this card can shift the tide of the battle and compensate for the loss of creatures by harassing an opponent’s life total.

Resource Acceleration: For decks that rapidly churn out creatures, Weaponize the Monsters can serve as a form of resource acceleration. It harnesses the multitude of creatures and transforms them into damage without the need for a combat phase, maximizing the potential of every summoned creature.

Instant Speed: The inherent flexibility of being able to activate this card’s ability at instant speed cannot be understated. It allows savvy players to respond to threats in a pinch or make decisive plays during the opponent’s turn. This can lead to unexpected victories and advantageous board states, all whilst maintaining the element of surprise.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Weaponize the Monsters demands that you discard a creature card, which could potentially deplete your hand, making it less than ideal when you’re trying to maintain card advantage or if your hand is already running low on creatures.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise combination of red and green mana to play. This specificity could be a problem if your deck isn’t fine-tuned to generate these colors consistently or if you’re running a multicolored deck where red and green mana may not always be available when you need it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost sitting at a combined total of five mana, Weaponize the Monsters comes in at a higher cost compared to other options that might fill a similar role in your deck. This can affect the speed of your gameplay, making it potentially less effective in faster-paced matches where efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Weaponize the Monsters is a robust addition to any collection, thriving in decks focused on creature strategies. Its ability to turn any creature into a direct source of damage allows for flexible and unpredictable plays.

Combo Potential: This card can be especially lethal in combination with decks that generate a large number of creatures or tokens. These can be sacrificed for consistent damage, making it a fearsome tool for closing games.

Meta-Relevance: Given its low cost and high impact potential, Weaponize the Monsters proves to be pivotal in metagames where creature-heavy decks prevail. It presents as an excellent option for overcoming stalemates or dealing that last bit of needed damage to opponents.

How to beat

Weaponize the Monsters is a unique card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, offering a strategic advantage by turning your creatures into direct damage against opponents. When facing this card, the key is to disrupt the synergy it creates. Removal spells that can clear the board of small creatures prevent your opponent from sacrificing them for damage. Consider instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or board wipes such as Wrath of God to keep their creature count low.

Countering the activation of Weaponize the Monsters is another tactic. Despise or Thoughtseize can be used early to remove the card before it even hits the board. But if it’s already in play, cards like Damping Sphere can hinder its activation by making its ability cost more to use.

Keep in mind that enchantment removal is also effective. Naturalize or Disenchant can get rid of Weaponize the Monsters directly, ensuring your opponent loses their artillery. Balancing creature control and targeted removal is your roadmap to dismantling the threats posed by Weaponize the Monsters and to maintain the upper hand in your matches.

Cards like Weaponize the Monsters

Weaponize the Monsters carves out its niche in MTG as an enchantment that offers players the ability to turn their creature surplus into direct damage. It aligns with the mechanics seen in cards like Goblin Bombardment, which also translates creatures into damage, but without the activation cost. However, Weaponize the Monsters’ standard activation fee could be seen as a downside compared to the free utilization offered by Goblin Bombardment.

Impact Tremors is another relative in that it triggers damage whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control rather than using creatures as ammunition. While it doesn’t require the sacrifice of a creature, it yields less control over damage timing. Lastly, Barrage of Expendables provides a similar effect to Weaponize the Monsters, but it falls short due to its less efficient one-time use and mana cost per activation.

In essence, Weaponize the Monsters stands out for its continuous damage potential, albeit with a cost. Its versatility in creature-based strategies makes it an attractive option for MTG players building decks focused on token generation and sacrifice for a powerful damage output.

Barrage of Expendables - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Weaponize the Monsters MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Weaponize the Monsters and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Weaponize the Monsters has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal