Darksteel Forge MTG Card


Darksteel Forge converts all artifacts you control into untouchable resources, defending against common removals. While expensive, it secures your mana artifacts, ensuring a stable foundation for costly spells. Despite its high mana cost, its strategic protection makes it a compelling choice for artifact-based decks.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost9
RarityRare
TypeArtifact

Text of card

Artifacts you control are indestructible. ("Destroy" effects and lethal damage don't destroy them.)

"Did it have this shape upon Mirrodin's creation, or did some inconceivable force shape the unshapable?" —Pontifex, elder researcher


Cards like Darksteel Forge

Darksteel Forge is a powerful artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that offers indestructibility to other artifacts you control. Comparable to Mycosynth Lattice, which also affects artifacts on a wide scale by turning all permanents into artifacts, Darksteel Forge hones in on protection. Unlike the Lattice, the Forge doesn’t change card types but instead fortifies your existing artifacts against destruction.

When pondering on resilience, one might consider the card Avacyn, Angel of Hope, which also grants indestructibility, but to all permanents, not just artifacts. While Avacyn’s effect is broader, Darksteel Forge provides a targeted boon that is more efficient for artifact-centric decks. Then there’s Padeem, Consul of Innovation, a legendary creature providing a layer of protection by making your artifacts harder to target with opponents’ abilities. Nevertheless, it doesn’t compare to the absolute safeguarding that the Forge provides against all destruction effects.

In summarizing, within its niche, Darksteel Forge stands out for its durability and defensive enhancements to artifacts, proving to be an essential card for players looking to shield their strategic pieces from harm.

Mycosynth Lattice - MTG Card versions
Avacyn, Angel of Hope - MTG Card versions
Padeem, Consul of Innovation - MTG Card versions
Mycosynth Lattice - MTG Card versions
Avacyn, Angel of Hope - MTG Card versions
Padeem, Consul of Innovation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Darksteel Forge by color, type and mana cost

Colossus of Sardia - MTG Card versions
Teeka's Dragon - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Triniform - MTG Card versions
Triplicate Titan - MTG Card versions
Portal to Phyrexia - MTG Card versions
Suncrusher - MTG Card versions
Nullstone Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Colossus of Sardia - MTG Card versions
Teeka's Dragon - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Triniform - MTG Card versions
Triplicate Titan - MTG Card versions
Portal to Phyrexia - MTG Card versions
Suncrusher - MTG Card versions
Nullstone Gargoyle - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Darksteel Forge doesn’t directly offer card draw, it provides a significant advantage by turning all artifacts you control indestructible. This means that your artifacts survive board wipes, destruction, and other common forms of removal, effectively leaving you with more resources than your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Darksteel Forge itself is not a tool for accelerating resources. However, with its protective capabilities, it ensures the permanence of your mana-producing artifacts, such as Sol Ring or Thran Dynamo, securing your mana base and allowing for consistent high-cost spell casting.

Instant Speed: As an artifact with a high mana cost, Darksteel Forge isn’t an instant-speed spell. Nevertheless, securing it on the battlefield makes every artifact you have a much tougher target, indirectly providing you a steady advantage as your opponents will need stronger, often rarer, means to deal with your artifacts, buying you time to execute your strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Darksteel Forge doesn’t directly call for card discard, it does have an indirect impact. As a high-cost artifact, it can become a significant burden if drawn early in the game without ways to accelerate mana or cheat it into play. Holding onto it for several turns could hinder your ability to maintain hand advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Darksteel Forge’s steep mana cost requires three generic and six mana specific to colorless, which often necessitates a dedicated artifact or ramp strategy to cast it effectively. This limitation makes it challenging to incorporate into decks without sufficient mana sources or reducers.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an imposing nine total mana to deploy, Darksteel Forge can be cumbersome compared to other artifacts or protection spells. Some decks might find it difficult to justify such a steep investment, considering the dynamism of a typical MTG game where tempo and board presence can be essential to victory.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Darksteel Forge is a powerful asset that can be slotted into a plethora of artifact-centered decks. Its ability to make your artifacts indestructible offers any deck that relies heavily on artifacts a significant amount of resilience against removal effects.

Combo Potential: The indestructibility it provides enables numerous combos with cards that would otherwise put your artifacts at risk, such as Nevinyrral’s Disk for board wipes without the drawback – preserving your board while clearing the path of potential threats.

Meta-Relevance: Given that artifact decks are consistently present in various formats, Darksteel Forge holds its ground in the meta by shielding your key pieces from common destruction spells. This makes it a staple in formats like Commander where artifacts are commonly played and targeted.


How to beat

Darksteel Forge is a powerhouse artifact in Magic: The Gathering, ensuring that your other artifacts are indestructible. This can create a seemingly impenetrable defense, especially in formats like Commander, where artifacts play a critical role. However, there are strategies to dismantle this fortification. Cards that force a player to sacrifice permanents, such as Crackling Doom, bypass the indestructibility clause by not directly destroying the artifacts. Another tactic is to employ exile effects. Universal solvent cards like Scour from Existence can remove Darksteel Forge from the battlefield without having to destroy it. Moreover, transformative spells that morph permanents into less threatening entities, such as Imprisoned in the Moon or Song of the Dryads, can neutralize the Forge without triggering its protective qualities.

Alterations in game state also counter the Darksteel Forge. Cards that can turn off all abilities of a card, such as Phyrexian Revoker or Karn, the Great Creator, can effectively nullify the Forge’s central feature. It’s also worth noting that while Darksteel Forge armor isn’t easy to penetrate, the carrier itself isn’t indestructible and can still be attacked and reduced to zero life through conventional combat or damage. With the right tools and tactics, players can find ways to outmaneuver this formidable artifact and maintain the upper hand in their MTG engagements.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Darksteel Forge card is a bastion of strength in the MTG arena, offering unparalleled protection for your artifacts. Understanding its pros and cons, and strategizing around its powerful effect can elevate the resilience of your deck to new heights. Whether you’re fortifying a delicate combo or ensuring your mana sources remain untapped, Darksteel Forge can be the cornerstone of your victory. Crafting a strategy to incorporate this mighty artifact or learning to dismantle its defenses requires insight and expertise. We welcome you to embark on this journey with us, enhancing your gameplay one indestructible artifact at a time. Discover more about deploying or countering this powerful card to forge your path to triumph.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Darksteel Forge MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Planechase, 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 Darksteel Forge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Darksteel Forge Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Martina Pilcerova.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-02-06DarksteelDST 1102003NormalBlackMartina Pilcerova
22009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 1112003NormalBlackMartina Pilcerova
32013-07-19Magic 2014M14 2062003NormalBlackMartina Pilcerova
42020-08-07Double Masters2XM 2482015NormalBlackMartina Pilcerova

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Darksteel Forge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-08-07 Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to an artifact creature you control may become lethal if Darksteel Forge leaves the battlefield during that turn.