Shard of Broken Glass MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 262
2020-09-26 - Number SOI-262
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip,Mill |
Key Takeaways
- Self-milling ability of the card benefits graveyard synergy decks, providing repeated utility every turn.
- Flexibility in equipping offers fast adaptation to in-game situations, making it a versatile tool.
- Despite its advantages, the discard requirement may deter players from its consistent usage.
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +1/+0. Whenever equipped creature attacks, you may put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Shard of Broken Glass, when equipped, allows for repeated self-milling, which can strategically place valuable cards into your graveyard. This sets up potential synergies with mechanics that thrive on graveyard interaction, effectively increasing your card utility beyond what’s in hand.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly enabling mana acceleration, the Shard of Broken Glass can expedite the powering up of delirium or threshold mechanics. By filling the graveyard with different types of cards faster, the Shard supports strategies that depend on a well-stocked graveyard to unlock more potent abilities or spells.
Instant Speed: While the Shard itself does not act at instant speed, its low equip cost allows for flexibility in gameplay. Players can quickly switch the equipment between creatures within the same turn, making it possible to adapt to unexpected combat situations or opponent’s actions without losing momentum.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While equipping Shard of Broken Glass can potentialize your attacks, it comes with the downside of requiring you to discard a card to use its ability. This can be especially detrimental when you’re already behind, as it forces you to deplete your hand just to get some incremental advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Shard of Broken Glass has a mana cost that includes generic and one specific colored mana. While not overly restrictive, this does mean that it may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or colorless decks that value mana flexibility over specific investments.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The total cost to get Shard of Broken Glass onto the battlefield and equipped may seem reasonable at first glance, but when you factor in the ongoing discard requirement, the cost to benefit ratio becomes less appealing. In formats where mana efficiency is key, the card may not be the most economical choice among available equipment options.
Reasons to Include Shard of Broken Glass in Your Collection
Versatility: Shard of Broken Glass offers utility in various decks that utilize self-mill strategies or graveyard synergies. The ability to attach it to any creature makes it a flexible addition to your arsenal.
Combo Potential: With this card, you can enable combos by filling your graveyard faster for mechanics like Delirium or Threshold, or for powering up spells that count graveyard card types.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard manipulation is key, Shard of Broken Glass can become an unsung hero, slipping under the radar and turning your graveyard into a resource.
How to beat
Shard of Broken Glass is an equipment card that finds its niche in the vast collection of MTG’s library of artifacts. As a seemingly inconspicuous object, it potentially builds up an arsenal in a player’s graveyard by allowing its wielder to put the top two cards of their library into their graveyard whenever the equipped creature attacks. This mechanic can subtly bolster strategies revolving around graveyard synergies or delirium abilities.
Confronting a card like Shard of Broken Glass calls for a calculated response. Strategic graveyard management can mitigate its potential impact. First, consider leveraging artifacts and creature removal to dismantle the equipped assailants and render the Shard’s ability ineffective. Direct disruption, such as spells that exile cards from the graveyard, can also severely undercut strategies heavily reliant on graveyard interactions, disabling the benefit that Shard of Broken Glass brings to the table.
The real key to overcoming this particular challenge, however, lies in a proactive approach. Keeping the battlefield clear of creatures or hindering your opponent’s ability to equip can stave off the oncoming graveyard-fueled storm. With proper planning and the right countermeasures, the Shard of Broken Glass can be managed effectively, ensuring it does not cut your chances of victory.
Cards like Shard of Broken Glass
Shard of Broken Glass adds a unique angle to the equipment card pool in Magic: The Gathering. With attributes that echo equipment such as Bonesplitter, this card distinguishes itself by offering a self-milling mechanism that can be a strategic advantage in graveyard-focused decks. While Bonesplitter lacks this feature, it is renowned for boosting a creature’s power at a low equip cost.
Another parallel can be drawn with the implement Scythe of the Wretched, which, similar to Shard of Broken Glass, provides a beneficial effect beyond mere stat increases, granting you control of creatures your equipped creature destroys. Although Scythe of the Wretched is significantly more potent, it also comes with a higher casting and equip cost, making Shard of Broken Glass a more budget-friendly option for enabling graveyard synergies.
When considering the broader landscape of MTG equipment cards, Shard of Broken Glass competes by offering both a combat incentive and strategic depth for players focusing on their graveyard as a resource. The card’s unique mill effect when attacking ensures that it retains relevance in formats where graveyard manipulation is key to victory.
Cards similar to Shard of Broken Glass by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shard of Broken Glass MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and The List, 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 Shard of Broken Glass 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
Printings
The Shard of Broken Glass Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2016-04-08. Illustrated by Franz Vohwinkel.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 262 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Franz Vohwinkel | |
| 2 | The List | PLST | SOI-262 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Franz Vohwinkel |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shard of Broken Glass has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
