Kill Switch MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact |
| Released | 2000-02-14 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Nemesis |
| Set code | NEM |
| Number | 133 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Brian Snõddy |
Key Takeaways
- Kill Switch disrupts artifact strategies, offering a tactical edge by hindering opponent resources.
- While powerful, the card’s activation cost requires careful mana management and strategic timing.
- Versatile and meta-relevant, Kill Switch can be a game-changer in artifact-centric matchups.
Text of card
, oc T: Tap all other artifacts. They don't untap during their controllers' untap steps as long as Kill Switch remains tapped.
Success is largely a matter of knowing which lever to pull.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Kill Switch allows you to effectively negate the utility of all artifacts on the battlefield, which can drastically reduce opponents’ available resources while you maintain control of the game.
Resource Acceleration: Though not directly impacting your mana resources, Kill Switch can be instrumental in situations where your game plan is ahead, locking down artifact ramp from other players and maintaining your lead in development.
Instant Speed: The activation of Kill Switch can be utilized at the speed of an instant, offering strategic flexibility. You can decide to activate it during your opponent’s upkeep or in response to triggers, ensuring maximum disruption to their plans.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Kill Switch requires tapping and does not untap during your next untap step when you use its ability, which might leave you without its functionality when you most need it, potentially altering your board strategy negatively.
Specific Mana Cost: With a requirement of three generic mana, the initial cost to cast Kill Switch is quite inclusive for various decks; however, its activation could still compete with other pivotal plays in the same mana range, making its timing critical.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the ability to tap all nonland artifacts can be quite disruptive, the requirement to pay three mana can be a steep price in formats where tempo is crucial—especially considering that it does not impact the battlefield immediately upon casting.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Kill Switch offers a high level of utility across various deck archetypes. As an artifact, it can be slotted into any color deck, providing a universal solution against opponents’ creatures, lands, and artifact strategies.
Combo Potential: This card shines in scenarios where you can take advantage of locking down the board. Pair it with cards that untap your artifacts or ones that benefit from artifact activations to create powerful synergies.
Meta-Relevance: Depending on the prevalence of artifact-centric or creature-heavy decks in the current meta, Kill Switch can serve as a formidable tool to disrupt your opponents’ game plans, giving you a strategic edge in matches.
How to beat
Kill Switch is an artifact that can pose quite the challenge on the battlefield. This card works to tap all other artifacts, rendering them unusable as long as Kill Switch remains tapped. This effect can completely stall an opponent’s strategy, especially in artifact-heavy decks that rely on their artifacts being untapped to function.
Navigating around Kill Switch requires a mix of preemptive action and clever deck building. Including cards that can remove artifacts or specifically untap your permanents will mitigate the lock down effect of Kill Switch. Naturalize and Disenchant are simple yet effective spells for handling problematic artifacts. Another strategy is to introduce cards that function from the graveyard, like Scrap Trawler, bypassing the need to have artifacts untapped on the field. It’s also wise to play artifacts that can be sacrificed for an effect, providing value even if they become tapped by Kill Switch’s influence.
In essence, when facing Kill Switch, adaptability is key. By preparing for the possibility of an artifact lockdown and having answers ready, you can outmaneuver your opponent and keep the game firmly within your grasp.
Cards like Kill Switch
Kill Switch is an intriguing artifact that allows players to strategically disable other artifacts during critical times in a game. It’s somewhat akin to cards like Winter Orb, which also focuses on locking down resources, in this case, lands. While Winter Orb perpetually hinders opponents’ mana bases, Kill Switch has a targeted approach allowing for a temporary but wide-reaching effect by tapping all other artifacts as long as it remains activated.
Another counterpart in this realm is Storage Matrix. Similar to Kill Switch, Storage Matrix disrupts opponent strategies by dictating which type of permanents can untap during their untap step. While Storage Matrix impacts lands, creatures, or artifacts based on the type the player chooses, Kill Switch specifically targets only artifacts yet affects all opponents without selection. This can give you a notable advantage when timing is key. Additionally, you’ll find Icy Manipulator rings a bell in this category, granting the ability to selectively tap any single artifact, creature, or land – though its influence is much more pinpointed compared to Kill Switch’s sweeping effect.
Ultimately, Kill Switch offers a powerful control option in Magic: The Gathering. For players looking to govern artifact-heavy matches, it can be an effective sideboard card or even a mainstay in certain controlling decks.
Cards similar to Kill Switch by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kill Switch MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Kill Switch 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 Kill Switch has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kill Switch card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Note that you can’t choose to leave this card tapped during your untap step (unless some other effect says so). |
| 2004-10-04 | Only the artifacts that it tried to tap when the ability resolved are prevented from untapping. Artifacts that enter the battlefield after that or permanents that become artifacts after that are not affected. |
