What counts as an artifact spell in MTG?
An artifact spell in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) refers to a specific type of card that represents a magical item, animated construct, piece of equipment, or other objects and devices, and when cast, it is considered a spell. Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type and most have no colored mana symbols in their mana costs, making them colorless.
Understanding Artifact Spells
Definition and Examples
To understand what counts as an artifact spell, it’s essential to know the basics of artifacts and how they function within the game. Artifacts are permanents that can be equipment, vehicles, or other objects that provide various benefits and abilities to the player who casts them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What counts as an artifact? An artifact is an object made by a human being, including art, tools, and clothing made by people of any time and place.
- Do artifacts count as noncreature spells? Every other kind of spell is considered “non-creature“, i.e., sorcery, instant, enchantment, artifact, but an artifact creature counts as a creature.
- Does activating an artifact count as a spell? Spells are cards on the stack (and copies thereof), while activated abilities are not spells, even though they are similar.
- Does an enchantment count as an artifact? Enchantment artifacts are both enchantments and artifacts, and the rules for both apply to them.
- Does an artifact land count as an artifact spell? Artifact lands can only be played as lands, not cast as spells.
- Is an artifact considered a spell? Yes, of all the card types, the only one that isn’t a spell are lands.
- Does playing an artifact count as a spell MTG? Enchantments and artifacts aren’t spells when they’re in play: they’re permanents, but they are spells while on the stack.
- Is equipping an artifact spell MTG? Equip is an activated ability of artifact Equipment cards, not a spell.
- Are artificers considered artifacts in MTG? Not inherently, only 14 artificers are also artifact creatures.
- Do Phyrexians count as artifacts? The Phyrexians aren’t artifact creatures because they aren’t machines or tools of artifice.
- Do blood tokens count as artifacts? Blood tokens are artifacts, so any effects that care about artifacts entering the battlefield could synergize well with them.
- Is playing a land a noncreature spell? Playing a land does not count as casting a spell because lands do not go to the stack.
- What is not considered an artifact? A mere stone that was used for pounding isn’t an artifact since it wasn’t shaped by humans for its purpose.
- Can I counterspell an equipment artifact? If the opponent is boosting his creature by using the ‘equip‘ ability of an artifact, you cannot play a counterspell.
- Does copying a spell count as playing it MTG? To copy a spell means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell isn’t cast and a copy of an activated ability isn’t activated.