Steelclaw Lance MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2019-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Throne of Eldraine
Set code	ELD
Number	202
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Volkan Baǵa

Key Takeaways

Enhancing creatures with Steelclaw Lance ensures greater combat success and can lead to increased card draw.
Its low casting and equip costs enable rapid gameplay, allowing for early game creature improvements.
Steelclaw Lance offers flexibility thanks to its equip ability being activatable at instant speed.

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +2/+2. Equip Knight Equip

"A traditional lance is fine for the Burning Yard, but in the wilds you need a nastier bite." —Kenver, Embereth weaponsmith

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Equipping creatures with Steelclaw Lance provides additional power and toughness, which often translates into successful combat exchanges and potentially more cards for the player if the equipped creature has a card-drawing ability.

Resource Acceleration: Its low cost and affordable equip cost enable faster gameplay, allowing players to enhance their creatures early in the game without sacrificing significant mana resources.

Instant Speed: While Steelclaw Lance itself isn’t cast at instant speed, its equip ability can be activated at any time you could cast an instant, providing strategic flexibility during combat or in response to opponent’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Equipping Steelclaw Lance may feel burdensome in tight situations where your card economy matters. Considering tactics that conserve cards becomes essential because once attached, you cannot ignore the Lance’s demand for a consistent supply of Knights or Equipment synergies.

Specific Mana Cost: Steelclaw Lance calls for a hybrid mana cost, blending red and black. This requirement pigeonholes the card into only certain types of decks that can generate both colors efficiently, potentially reducing its versatility across a wider range of MTG strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost to cast and an additional cost to equip, the investment in Steelclaw Lance can be considerable. Players should weigh this against the potential boosts it provides, as there might be alternatives that bring about a better balance between cost and combat adequacy.

Reasons to Include Steelclaw Lance in Your Collection

Versatility: Steelclaw Lance is adaptable across various decks, fitting comfortably into those that are aggressive or those looking to maximize equipment synergies. Its ability to give any creature a power boost and equip to Knights for less makes it a solid choice for Knight-themed decks or any build that benefits from equipped creatures.

Combo Potential: When combined with creatures that have tap or deal damage triggers, Steelclaw Lance becomes a force multiplier. The additional power it grants can be especially potent in tandem with cards that capitalize on stronger creatures or when used to enhance commander damage strategies in Commander format.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors creature-based aggro or midrange decks, the consistent power increase and low-cost equip ability can make Steelclaw Lance a game-changer. Its presence on the board keeps opponents wary and can turn even the smallest creature into a significant threat.

How to beat Steelclaw Lance

Steelclaw Lance stands out as an equipment card that elevates the strength of Knights and Warriors in MTG. Its ability to give a +2/+2 boost makes it a formidable artifact that enhances creatures well. Yet, this enhancement comes with a condition, being exclusive to Knights and Warriors which can be a strategic limitation.

Countering Steelclaw Lance involves neutralizing its effect by removing the creatures it equips, which silences its power buff. Employing targeted removal spells like Murder or Path to Exile can swiftly dislodge an equipped creature, rendering the lance’s advantage useless. Furthermore, artifact destruction spells or abilities, like Naturalize or Shatter, can directly eliminate the lance from the field.

In essence, while Steelclaw Lance can be a significant threat, its strength wanes in the absence of eligible creatures. Utilizing creature control and artifact removal strategies can ensure the Lance’s impact is minimized, maintaining the balance on the battlefield. Thus, while the Lance adds muscle to specific creature types, it’s far from unbeatable with the right counterplays in place.

Cards like Steelclaw Lance

Steelclaw Lance is an intriguing equipment card for players looking to enhance the prowess of their creatures in Magic: The Gathering. When analyzing its parallel counterparts, one can’t help but think of the renowned Embercleave. Both amplify the attacking creature’s power, but Embercleave offers additional bonuses such as double strike and trample, though at a higher mana cost and with a conditional discount mechanism when attacking with numerous creatures. Steelclaw Lance, meanwhile, is consistent in its cost and provides a consistent attack boost and equipped knight bonus.

In the mix also lies the Colossus Hammer, a massive power boost at a single mana cost, but with the notable drawback of eliminating the creature’s ability to fly. Steelclaw Lance avoids this, allowing players to maintain their tactical mobility. Another similar tool for creature enhancement is Spyglass, which does not increase power directly but offers versatile knowledge by revealing an opponent’s hand, at the expense of not boosting combat abilities.

Upon reviewing Steelclaw Lance in comparison with these cards, it shines as a reliable and cost-effective method to grant a significant power increase, especially in knight-themed decks that maximize its unique benefits within Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Steelclaw Lance by color, type and mana cost

Talisman of Indulgence - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Steelclaw Lance MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, 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 Steelclaw Lance and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Steelclaw Lance has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-10-04	Whether the target creature is a Knight is checked only as the equip Knight ability is activated and as that ability resolves. If the creature somehow becomes a non-Knight creature later, Steelclaw Lance remains attached to it.