Corrosion MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Cumulative upkeep
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Number	128
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Michael Danza

Key Takeaways

Corrosion offers repeated artifact removal, making it a game-changer in artifact-heavy matchups.
Requiring a card discard and specific mana can limit Corrosion’s adaptability in varied decks.
Versatile and synergistic, Corrosion fits well within counter-based and decay strategies.

Text of card

Cumulative upkeep o1 During your upkeep, put a rust counter on each artifact target opponent controls. If the number of rust counters on an artifact equals or exceeds that artifact's casting cost, bury the artifact. If Corrosion leaves play, remove all rust counters from the game.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Corrosion can gradually decimate your opponent’s board, chipping away at their artifacts each turn. Over time, this can vastly tilt the card advantage in your favor as you deplete their resources without expending additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Corrosion itself isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration, dismantling your opponent’s artifact-based mana sources can indirectly boost your position. Each artifact removed can stifle the opponent’s ability to execute their strategy, giving you a leg up in the race to deploy key spells.

Instant Speed: Though Corrosion operates at enchantment speed, its lasting and automatic effect can be seen as creating a persistent impact akin to instant speed interaction. It demands an immediate answer, and if left unchecked, the corrosive tide can swiftly swing a game in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Corrosion demands you discard a card, which could hinder your hand strategy, especially when your card pool is dwindling or when every card in hand is critical for upcoming turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Corrosion’s mana cost necessitates two blue mana, restricting its integration exclusively to decks that can produce or reliably fix for blue mana, potentially excluding it from more varied deck architectures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its relatively steep mana investment, you may find Corrosion lagging behind in efficiency. For three mana, it is essential to consider whether its effect on the battlefield justifies the cost when other lower-cost spells could occupy the slot and provide immediate impact or utility.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Corrosion is a unique enchantment card that melds seamlessly into decks built around artifact disruption or decay strategies, able to gradually weaken an opponent’s artifact resources over time.

Combo Potential: Corrosion’s ability to place rust counters on artifacts each upkeep enables synergy with cards that benefit from counters being added or artifacts hitting the graveyard, providing interesting combo avenues to explore.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where artifacts play a central role, Corrosion can serve as an effective sideboard card, countering popular artifact-based strategies and turning the tide in games that might otherwise be tough matchups.

How to beat

Corrosion is a unique card that can be a real game-changer in MTG. This card, by progressively rusting away artifacts, can dismantle your opponent’s strategy when artifacts play a pivotal role. To counter Corrosion effectively, prioritize the removal of enchantments. Using spells like Disenchant, you can swiftly remove Corrosion from the game and save your artifacts from an untimely demise.

If you’re up against a deck that leans heavily on Corrosion, consider adapting your deck to include artifact protection. Abilities or spells that grant hexproof or indestructible to your artifacts can be particularly valuable. It’s also useful to have alternative strategies at your disposal. Not relying solely on artifacts to win is a smart move, as actions on diverse fronts keep your opponent guessing and reduce the impact of Corrosion on your gameplay.

Combating Corrosion demands anticipation and a proactive approach. Manage your resources wisely, maintain a balance in your deck, and be ready to neutralize threats as soon as they arise. Adaptability is key in the ever-evolving landscape of MTG, and effectively overcoming challenges like Corrosion will enhance your mastery of the game.

Cards like Corrosion

Corrosion holds a unique position in the arsenal of enchantments available to Magic: The Gathering players. This card echoes the rusting effects found in Acid Rain and Rust, with a primary focus on gradually deteriorating your opponent’s artifacts. While Acid Rain is a sorcery that immediately destroys all islands, Corrosion provides a slower, more insidious approach, afflicting all artifacts with rust counters at each upkeep, ultimately leading to their destruction.

Another relative in terms of impact on artifacts is the card Shatterstorm, which eradicates all artifacts in one fell swoop without the possibility of regeneration. It offers a direct, immediate solution, unlike Corrosion’s incremental damage which can be both a strategic advantage and a slower route to the same endgame. Dust to Dust is an option as well, offering removal for two target artifacts at the cost of being exiled rather than destroyed. This is a more selective and controlled form of removal compared to Corrosion’s blanket effect over time.

Overall, Corrosion can be a silent killer in MTG, where its power lies in the inevitability of decay, providing a ticking clock for opponents to find an answer before their critical artifacts crumble to nothing.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Corrosion MTG card by a specific set like Visions, 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 Corrosion and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Corrosion 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 Corrosion 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	In multiplayer games, you can choose a new target player each upkeep.
2004-10-04	It does count rust counters put on artifacts by other Corrosion cards. This means that having more than one of these can result in fast destruction of artifacts.
2006-02-01	Only puts rust counters on artifacts your opponents control, but destroys all artifacts with rust counters on them, even your own. When it leaves the battlefield, it removes all rust counters, not just those that happen to be on artifacts.