Mortarpod MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip,Living weapon

Key Takeaways

  1. Turns creatures into direct damage sources, optimizing threat potential and synergizing with death benefits.
  2. Instantly equips to bypass summoning sickness, offering flexible responses and strategic advantages in play.
  3. Demands careful resource management due to its equip cost, posing a challenge for efficiency in mana-constrained decks.

Text of card

Living weapon (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, put a 0/0 black Germ creature token onto the battlefield, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +0/+1 and has "Sacrifice this creature: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player." Equip


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mortarpod provides a unique form of indirect card advantage by effectively turning your creatures into direct damage sources. Each creature can become a potential threat to opposing creatures or planeswalkers, or even direct damage to players. The ability to sacrifice creatures also synergizes well with cards that benefit from creatures dying, offering strategic depth and value.

Resource Acceleration: Although Mortarpod itself doesn’t generate additional mana, it contributes to resource acceleration by converting existing creatures into immediate utility. This means any creature, regardless of its ability to attack due to summoning sickness or other restrictions, can instantly become an asset for controlling the board or contributing to your offensive strategy.

Instant Speed: The equip ability of Mortarpod can be activated at instant speed, offering great flexibility during gameplay. You can equip it to a creature in response to removal spells or during the opponent’s end step, optimizing your turns and maintaining the element of surprise. This mechanism is crucial for staying one step ahead of your opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mortarpod requires sacrificing a creature to utilize its ability, potentially depleting your battlefield presence and putting you at a disadvantage if you’re unable to maintain a board state with sufficient creatures to sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Mortarpod’s equip cost demands two mana, including one generic and one Phyrexian mana which can either be paid with one mana of any color or 2 life. This can make equipping it less flexible in decks not designed to handle life payments regularly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Mortarpod’s initial cast is reasonably priced, repeatedly needing to pay the equip cost to move it between creatures can add up over the course of a game. This can be inefficient compared to other equipment or creature-based strategies, especially in decks where mana conservation is crucial for executing key plays.


Reasons to Include Mortarpod in Your Collection

Versatility: Mortarpod is a flexible card that can enhance various strategies. As an equipment, it can easily slot into artifact-centric decks and provide recurring utility in creature-focused builds.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with sacrifice mechanics and token strategies, allowing you to create a loop of creature sacrifice and damage output for potential game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment with plenty of small creatures or the need for direct damage, Mortarpod’s ability to equip to any creature and deal damage serves as a valuable tool for controlling the board and progressing your game plan.


How to Beat

Mortarpod stands out as a unique equipment card, renowned for its ability to give creatures the last word before leaving the battlefield. The versatility of this artifact comes from its effective use in sacrificing a creature to deal damage, potentially disrupting the opponent’s strategy. It allows a player to have an impact even during the final throes of their creatures’ presence on the field.

Defeating a Mortarpod requires calculated moves, including the removal of potential creature targets before the equipment can be utilized effectively. Spells like Path to Exile remove creatures from play directly, circumventing Mortarpod’s triggered ability. Moreover, countering Mortarpod itself using Negate or similar spells can nullify it completely before it becomes a threat. Artifact destruction spells like Naturalize also provide a direct way to remove Mortarpod from the game, cutting off this strategic line for the Mortarpod user.

In essence, Mortarpod can be a thorn in the side of many MTG strategies, but it’s not invincible. Tools that target creatures or the artifact itself are key, and efficiency in using them can ensure that Mortarpod is never able to assert its full potential on the game.


Cards like Mortarpod

Mortarpod is a unique artifact in MTG, acting as a blend of equipment and sacrifice outlet. It’s often compared to Goblin Bombardment, which offers a similar benefit by allowing you to sacrifice a creature to deal damage. Mortarpod differentiates itself by requiring the creature to be equipped, which can be a strategic advantage or limitation depending on the situation.

Looking at Blasting Station, another card that provides a parallel functionality, we see a sacrifice-to-damage mechanism. However, Blasting Station can potentially untap each time a creature enters the battlefield, setting the stage for multiple uses in a single turn, while Mortarpod is limited by the creatures you can equip each turn. Meanwhile, Shriekhorn offers direct damage to creatures but lacks the reusable nature of Mortarpod, which can be repeatedly equipped to different creatures for continuous effect.

In weighing the options, Mortarpod stands out for its utility in creature-focused decks that benefit from the death of their own creatures. Its flexibility as equipment can also synergize with creature abilities or other cards that reward you for equipping creatures. This multifaceted approach ensures its spot as a versatile choice within the scope of artifact cards in MTG.

Goblin Bombardment - MTG Card versions
Blasting Station - MTG Card versions
Shriekhorn - MTG Card versions
Goblin Bombardment - Tempest (TMP)
Blasting Station - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shriekhorn - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Mortarpod by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Wurm's Tooth - MTG Card versions
Liquimetal Coating - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Steel Overseer - Magic 2011 (M11)
Wurm's Tooth - Magic 2011 (M11)
Liquimetal Coating - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mortarpod MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 Mortarpod and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Mortarpod Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2023-07-18. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 1152003normalblackEric Deschamps
22011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 682003normalblackEric Deschamps
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 2222015normalblackEric Deschamps
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16122015normalblackEric Deschamps
52020-09-26The ListPLST MM2-2222015normalblackEric Deschamps
62023-07-18Historic Anthology 7HA7 172015normalblackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mortarpod has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 If you sacrifice the equipped creature to deal 1 damage to a target permanent or player, the damage is dealt by the creature as it last existed on the battlefield.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks