Built to Last MTG Card

Kaladesh (KLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 7

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 41

Built to Last - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)

Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
2020-11-12 - Number 11

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 161

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number KLD-7

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

‘Built to Last’ can swing trades in your favor, boosting artifact creatures and maintaining board advantage.
Its instant speed allows strategic plays during combat, protecting valued assets and keeping opponents guessing.
Despite its merits, the card’s utility is reduced when facing empty boards or heavy control decks.

Text of card

Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If it's an artifact creature, it gains indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it.)

Consulate-built automatons have a lifetime warranty.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: ‘Built to Last’ provides a unique edge by potentially turning a trade into a one-sided victory. If the targeted creature has an artifact component, not only is it saved, but it’s bolstered, letting you maintain creatures on the board and outpace your opponent in resources.

Resource Acceleration: While ‘Built to Last’ doesn’t directly generate mana or tokens, its low cost and the potential to safeguard a key creature can preserve your battlefield presence. This indirect resource acceleration enables you to allocate mana more efficiently in future turns, alert to the knowledge that your investments are secure.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of ‘Built to Last’ shines in its instant speed execution. It allows savvy players to navigate complex combat situations, protect a high-value asset on the fly, or simply bluff additional actions to keep an opponent guessing, all without skipping a beat in the rhythm of gameplay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Built to Last requires you to have a creature on the battlefield to take full advantage of its effect, which becomes a downside when the board is clear or you’re facing control decks that consistently remove your creatures.

Specific Mana Cost: This instant spell has a mana cost that includes white mana, making it a potentially clunky draw for multicolored decks that might need to prioritize other colors of mana at crucial moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the cost of Built to Last isn’t exorbitant, in some scenarios, investing that mana into developing your board or holding up mana for more versatile responses could be more beneficial. Consider this, especially in a game where tempo and efficiency are key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Built to Last is a flexible option for decks focusing on creature durability and combat tactics. Its ability to grant a temporary power boost and indestructibility can be a game-changer in both aggressive and defensive setups.

Combo Potential: The indestructibility Built to Last provides makes it an excellent tool for combos with cards requiring creatures to survive as part of their cost or trigger conditions. It also synergizes well with strategies that involve sacrificing creatures for greater benefits.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Built to Last can serve as a key protector and enabler, giving essential permanents on your board a better chance of outlasting targeted removal or board wipes common in many competitive settings.

How to Beat

Built to Last is a versatile instant spell in Magic: The Gathering that bolsters a creature’s resilience on the battlefield. This card shines in situations where a creature’s durability is key to maintaining board presence. To effectively counter this spell, a strategic approach is to employ removal spells that don’t rely on damage, thereby sidestepping the temporary toughness boost Built to Last provides. Looking into board wipes or exile effects can be an excellent strategy against creatures enhanced by this card. Consider cards like Path to Exile or Wrath of God, which circumvent the temporary indestructibility granted by Built to Last.

Another tactic is to apply pressure and force your opponent to use Built to Last defensively rather than proactively. This approach involves adopting an aggressive strategy that requires them to make unfavorable trades or use their spell suboptimally. By keeping the pace and forcing decisions, you can deplete their resources and leave their creatures vulnerable in future turns.

Overall, dealing with Built to Last involves anticipating and disrupting your opponent’s strategy while maintaining the flexibility to adapt. Proper timing and choice of removal can neutralize the advantage Built to Last offers, leaving your opponent’s creatures far less formidable.

Cards like Built to Last

Built to Last is an intriguing piece of the intricate puzzle that fortifies creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to cards like Gods Willing, which also offer protection for creatures, albeit with a scry addition to help with deck manipulation. Built to Last, however, offers the unique bonus of bolstering an artifact creature with a permanent +2/+2 counter, should it already possess a powerful metallic exterior, providing a lasting advantage well beyond a single turn of combat.

Looking at another counterpart, Ephemeral Shields presents a similar effect, allowing the casting of a protection spell without any mana cost given you’ve played another spell that turn. While it excels in flexibility, it doesn’t have the potentially permanent boosting effect of Built to Last. There’s also Adamant Will, a stout ally in shielding your creatures, giving them an extra toughness and indestructibility, but lacking the artifact-centric enhancement of Built to Last.

All in all, when juxtaposed with its contemporaries, Built to Last stands out for players who value resilience and synergy with artifact creatures. It provides a solid mix of temporary shielding and the potential for permanent augmentation, making it a compelling choice in creature-focused decks within Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Built to Last by color, type and mana cost

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Built to Last MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Mystery Booster, 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 Built to Last and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Built to Last Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-09-30	Kaladesh	KLD	7	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	41	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	KLD-7	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
4	2020-11-12	Kaladesh Remastered	KLR	11	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
5	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22	161	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Built to Last has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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