Seal of the Guildpact MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Reduces casting costs for multicolored spells, optimizing mana use and enabling diverse strategic plays.
  2. Demands precise mana for casting but compensates by accelerating gameplay through cost-efficient spells.
  3. Despite a high initial cost, its presence in decks exploiting multicolor synergies is a strong asset.

Text of card

As Seal of the Guildpact enters the battlefield, choose two colors. Each spell you cast costs less to cast for each of the chosen colors it is.

"I'd rather see the guilds contend together with words in the halls of power, than in the streets with swords." —Jace Beleren


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Seal of the Guildpact offers a unique approach to card advantage by potentially reducing the casting cost of multicolored spells. This advantage becomes more pronounced as you cast more spells matching the chosen colors, letting you deploy more threats or answers with the resources you have available.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly producing mana or tokens, Seal of the Guildpact can be seen as a form of resource acceleration. By reducing the mana cost of certain spells, it allows players to use their mana more efficiently, freeing up resources to be used elsewhere or allowing for multiple spells to be cast in a single turn.

Instant Speed: Although the artifact itself does not have an ability that operates at instant speed, its lasting effect on the cost of spells ensures that any instant speed multicolored spells in your deck are even more accessible. This can lead to unexpected plays and gives you a better chance at surprising opponents with robust responses during their turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Seal of the Guildpact is the necessity to discard a card in order to activate its ability. This can be fairly taxing in gameplay when your hand is already depleted or when every card is crucial to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Although the Seal of the Guildpact offers a choice in mana color reduction, its initial casting cost requires a precise blend of mana. This specific mana cost can pose a challenge in decks that are not adept at generating multiple colors of mana readily.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Seal of the Guildpact comes with a relatively steep casting cost for its effect. While the potential benefit of reducing future spell costs is enticing, players may find the upfront investment hefty, especially in a game where tempo and early board presence are key.


Reasons to Include Seal of the Guildpact in Your Collection

Versatility: Seal of the Guildpact is an adaptable addition to decks aiming for mana efficiency. Its capacity to reduce the cost of multicolored spells allows players to tailor their strategy according to their deck’s color scheme and needs.

Combo Potential: This artifact is perfect for decks that thrive on casting numerous spells in a single turn. It can be combined with cards that benefit from or enable casting multiple spells to create explosive plays and maintain momentum.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where multicolor decks are prevalent, Seal of the Guildpact shines by offering a competitive edge. It enhances the effectiveness of your deck, making it a solid choice for players looking to stay relevant in the evolving meta.


How to Beat Seal of the Guildpact

Seal of the Guildpact presents a unique challenge for players in MTG due to its ability to reduce the cost of multicolored spells by one mana of your choice. This feature can give an economical advantage to your opponent by allowing them to cast powerful spells ahead of schedule. To counteract the Seal, consider using artifact destruction cards like Abrade or Nature’s Claim, which can remove the Seal from play before its benefits fully manifest. By doing so, you maintain the balance of mana expenditure between both players.

Additionally, implementing counter spells such as Negate or Dispel can be effective strategies to prevent your opponent from ever taking advantage of the Seal’s cost reduction. Timing your removal or counter spells is crucial as it can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and tempo, putting you in a more advantageous position. Directly targeting your opponent’s strategy rather than just their artifacts could also shift the game in your favor. Cards that restrict spell casting or increase its cost, like Damping Sphere or Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, could also mitigate the Seal’s impact, leading to a more controlled gameplay on your part.

Always remember that MTG is as much about knowing your own deck as it is about anticipating and countering your opponents’. Understanding the Seal’s potential and employing swift removal will help ensure that you stay one step ahead, maintaining control of the game and leading you closer to victory.


Cards like Seal of the Guildpact

Seal of the Guildpact creates an enticing dynamic for commander decks in Magic: The Gathering, standing alongside mana-fixing artifacts like Darksteel Ingot. Both serve to streamline mana production, but the Seal offers an additional layer of customization by reducing the cost of multicolored spells for two chosen colors. Unlike Darksteel Ingot’s indestructible trait, Seal of the Guildpact doesn’t offer such protection but compensates with its strategic cost reduction.

Further along the spectrum, Coalition Relic presents itself as a competitor by providing not just mana fixing but also an option to bank mana for subsequent turns. While it lacks the cost reduction for spells, the versatility in mana acceleration is a significant advantage. Command Tower, by contrast, taps for any color in a player’s commander’s color identity, ensuring immediate, unbounded access to all colors needed without any reduction in spell costs.

In essence, Seal of the Guildpact’s unique offering caters to a specific need in Magic: The Gathering decks, positioning it as a valuable piece in the commander’s toolkit, primarily when focusing on synergies within multicolored spells.

Darksteel Ingot - MTG Card versions
Coalition Relic - MTG Card versions
Command Tower - MTG Card versions
Darksteel Ingot - Arena League 2004 (PAL04)
Coalition Relic - Future Sight (FUT)
Command Tower - Commander 2011 (CMD)

Cards similar to Seal of the Guildpact by color, type and mana cost

Ring of Renewal - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Avian - MTG Card versions
Gauntlets of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Soldevi Steam Beast - MTG Card versions
Sand Golem - MTG Card versions
Pandora's Box - MTG Card versions
Belbe's Portal - MTG Card versions
Crumbling Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Mind's Eye - MTG Card versions
Horizon Stone - MTG Card versions
The Deck of Many Things - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Vorrac - MTG Card versions
Timesifter - MTG Card versions
Leveler - MTG Card versions
Myr Matrix - MTG Card versions
Dross Golem - MTG Card versions
Razormane Masticore - MTG Card versions
Thran Golem - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Hydra - MTG Card versions
Ring of Renewal - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Clockwork Avian - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Gauntlets of Chaos - Chronicles (CHR)
Soldevi Steam Beast - Alliances (ALL)
Sand Golem - Mirage (MIR)
Pandora's Box - Astral Cards (PAST)
Belbe's Portal - Nemesis (NEM)
Crumbling Sanctuary - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Mind's Eye - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Horizon Stone - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
The Deck of Many Things - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Clockwork Vorrac - Mirrodin (MRD)
Timesifter - Mirrodin (MRD)
Leveler - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Myr Matrix - Darksteel (DST)
Dross Golem - Darksteel (DST)
Razormane Masticore - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Thran Golem - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Coat of Arms - The List (PLST)
Clockwork Hydra - Time Spiral (TSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Seal of the Guildpact MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2015 and Legendary Cube Prize Pack, 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 Seal of the Guildpact and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Seal of the Guildpact Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-11-13 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Franz Vohwinkel.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-11-13Commander 2015C15 542015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
22015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 1282015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
32024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 2662015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
42024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 394z2015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
52024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3941997normalblackFranz Vohwinkel

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Seal of the Guildpact has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-11-04 If a spell you cast has in its mana cost, you choose the value of X before calculating the spell’s total cost. For example, if that spell’s mana cost is and you’ve chosen red and green, you could choose 5 as the value of X and pay to cast the spell.
2015-11-04 If there are additional costs to cast a spell, or if the cost to cast a spell is increased by an effect (such as the one created by Thalia, Guardian of Thraben’s ability), apply those increases before applying cost reductions.
2015-11-04 Seal of the Guildpact’s last ability can’t reduce the amount of colored mana you pay for a spell. It reduces only the generic component of that cost.
2015-11-04 Seal of the Guildpact’s last ability doesn’t change the mana cost or converted mana cost of any spell. It changes only the total cost you pay.
2015-11-04 The cost reduction can apply to alternative costs such as evoke costs.
2015-11-04 You must choose two different colors.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks