Sword of the Animist MTG Card


Ramps up land count, providing consistent card advantage and increasing resources each turn through attacks. Can be integral for combos and landfall strategies while offering versatility across various deck archetypes. Despite higher mana costs upfront, its unique abilities justify inclusion for maintaining an upper hand.
Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Artifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +1/+1. Whenever equipped creature attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. Equip

The blade glows only for Zendikar's chosen.


Cards like Sword of the Animist

Sword of the Animist holds a distinctive place in the equipable artifacts array of Magic: The Gathering. Parallel in function to other equipment cards like Explorer’s Scope, Sword of the Animist offers the unique ability to search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped whenever the equipped creature attacks. While Explorer’s Scope only allows the player to look at the top card of their library and put it onto the battlefield if it’s a land upon attacking, Sword of the Animist guarantees land growth, securing an advantage.

Another comparable card is Prying Blade, which provides the player with a Treasure token upon dealing combat damage. Unlike Sword of the Animist, this card doesn’t assure a land expansion but does offer flexibility in mana of any color instantly. Then, there’s Trailblazer’s Boots, which makes a creature unblockable except by creatures with landwalk abilities. While this can increase offensive potential, it does not ramp your land base as the Sword of the Animist does.

Assessing each card’s role in land acceleration and battlefield prowess, Sword of the Animist emerges as a formidable tool for players aiming to solidify their mana base while maintaining an offensive presence on the battlefield.

Explorer's Scope - MTG Card versions
Prying Blade - MTG Card versions
Trailblazer's Boots - MTG Card versions
Explorer's Scope - MTG Card versions
Prying Blade - MTG Card versions
Trailblazer's Boots - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Sword of the Animist by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sword of the Animist enables you to ramp up your land count, essentially ensuring that you have more potential resources at your disposal. This consistent land retrieval strategy effortlessly increases your card advantage, as you’re gaining access to additional land cards with each attack.

Resource Acceleration: This artifact is a prime tool for resource acceleration. By attaching it to a creature and attacking, you not only boost the creature’s power but also fetch a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. This streamlines your deck’s performance by ensuring that you’re not missing land drops and can deploy threats quicker than your opponent.

Instant Speed: While the Sword of the Animist itself is not an instant, it does have a significant impact during combat, a phase where instant-speed interactions are crucial. The ability to fetch lands happens immediately after the creature attacks, which allows you to thin out your deck and increase the likelihood of drawing non-land cards in subsequent turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other equipment cards, Sword of the Animist does not have a discard requirement. This aspect is seen as an advantage, providing value without the need to sacrifice other cards in your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: While Sword of the Animist has a colorless equip cost, the initial casting cost of two mana may require specific deck adjustments. It’s imperative for a player to have the mana available in the early game to make the most of its abilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its two mana casting cost coupled with the two mana equip cost means investing a total of four mana to start seeing benefits. There are numerous other equipment cards in MTG that require less mana investment upfront, allowing for quicker utility and potentially a faster tempo in gameplay. This makes Sword of the Animist a potentially slower choice, especially in formats where speed is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sword of the Animist is a tool that seamlessly integrates into a wide array of deck archetypes. Its ability to ramp up mana while fortifying your creatures makes it a staple for Commander decks and others looking for consistent land development.

Combo Potential: This equipment card is key in strategies that capitalize on landfall abilities or benefit from attacking triggers. Additionally, it opens doors to potent synergies with cards that profit from equipment or land presence.

Meta-Relevance: It’s a card that stays relevant regardless of the shifting meta landscape due to its fundamental advantage: accelerating mana. This can be critical in reaching your game-changing spells before your opponent, making it a smart addition for competitive play.


How to beat

Sword of the Animist is a dynamic equipment card that bolsters a player’s land base in MTG. It’s a powerful tool for ramping up your mana, reminiscent of the land-fetching capabilities often found in green’s arsenal. Much like Cultivate or Kodama’s Reach, the Sword of the Animist allows you to search for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. To mitigate its impact, one must think strategically. Disruption is vital – consider removing the creature it’s attached to before its ability triggers, through instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push. Artifact destruction also plays a crucial role; introducing cards like Naturalize into your deck can directly answer the Sword of the Animist.

Moreover, countering it directly upon casting could be the cleanest solution, highlighting the significance of counterspells like Counterspell or Negate in blue-centric decks. By maintaining control over the board and preventing advantageous land searches, you can limit the opposing player’s resource advantage and keep the battlefield in your favor. The principal takeaway is that attentive play and appropriate disruption can effectively counter the benefits of Sword of the Animist, keeping the tides of battle balanced.


BurnMana Recommendations

Sword of the Animist is an invaluable card that can take your deck to new heights by increasing your land count and accelerating your mana pool. It weaves together the finesse of combat strategy with the pragmatic approach of land development, making it a desirable addition to many MTG strategies, particularly in the Commander format. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting, understanding the dynamics of various cards like this can greatly enhance your gameplay. Ready to delve deeper into sophisticated deck-building techniques and strategies? Visit BurnMana for comprehensive insights and tips to transform your MTG experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sword of the Animist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Magic Origins Promos, 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 Sword of the Animist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sword of the Animist Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 2402015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
22015-07-17Magic Origins PromosPORI 240p2015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
32017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 892015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
42017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2272015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16382015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
62020-09-26The ListPLST ORI-2402015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
72020-09-26The ListPLST E01-892015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
82021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 2182015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
92023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3552015NormalBorderlessPavel Kolomeyets
102023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3852015NormalBorderlessPavel Kolomeyets
112023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 385z2015NormalBorderlessPavel Kolomeyets
122023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6162015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
132023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4132015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sword of the Animist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal