An Artifact Creature is a card type.
Details[]
Artifact Creature
Artifact Creatures are a combination of the artifact and creature card types.
This means that anything that affects either artifacts or creatures affects them. Artifact creatures can be anything from robots, Animated objects, to living creatures infused with metal. Artifact creatures can not affect creatures of the same type or name unless printed otherwise.
Artifact creatures have always been present in Magic. In Alpha there were four artifact creatures. Most sets after that have had at least some artifact creatures. In the Mirrodin block, a set that was all about artifacts, naturally had a lot more artifact creatures.
In the Shards of Alara set; Esper shard is populated solely by artifact creatures.
Recently, Kaladesh will be a set with a focus on Artifact Creatures.
Effects[]
There are certain abilities that Artifact Creatures have that no other creature has. These abilities are:
- Modular X - This creature comes into play with X number of +1/+1 counters on it. When this creature is put into the graveyard from play, you may distribute all +1/+1 counters on this creature to another Artifact Creature.
- Sunburst - This creature comes into play with a +1/+1 counter for each different color mana used to play this creature.
Source: Classic sixth edition rulebook.
Generally, artifact creatures are better than other creatures due to the many combinations that you can make with them. Many cards combo with other artifact creatures.
Colored Artifacts[]
Most artifact creatures require no colored mana, meaning that you may choose the color of the mana. But some need a specific color to activate their effect. example: Nim Replica.
But there are also Artifacts which do require a mana is a certain color to be used such as Tidehollow Strix.
Even though Most artifacts are Colorless, recent expansions have released Colorless Creatures and Instants as well as Enchantments and Tribal Spells, which were among Lorwyn´s additions to the game.
| Card Types | ||
|---|---|---|
| Supertypes | Basic • Legendary • Snow • World | |
| Permanents | ||
| Artifact | Clue • Contraption • Equipment • Fortification | |
| Creature | Creature Types | |
| Enchantment | Aura • Curse • Shrine | |
| Land | Plains • Island • Swamp • Mountain • Forest • Desert Gate • Lair • Locus • Mine • Power-Plant • Tower • Urza’s | |
| Planeswalker | (subtypes) | |
| Nonpermanents | ||
| Instant / Sorcery | Arcane • Trap | |
| Other Card Types | ||
| Multiple Types | Artifact Land • Artifact Creature • Enchantment Artifact Enchantment Creature • Land Creature | |
| Other | Conspiracy • Phenomenon • Plane Scheme (Ongoing) • Tribal • Vanguard | |
| Obsolete | Continuous • Elite • Hero • Interrupt Mana Source • Mono • Poly • Summon | |