Metallurgeon is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
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: Regenerate target artifact.
Complete guide
Metallurgeon is a reliable utility creature from the Esper shards, specializing in the maintenance of magical machinery. By providing a safety net for your mechanical forces, this Human Artificer ensures your most valuable assets survive even the deadliest encounters. Whether you are protecting a fragile thopter or a massive engine of war, Metallurgeon is the ultimate insurance policy.
What It Does
Metallurgeon has an activated ability that costs one white mana and requires you to tap the creature. When this ability resolves, it creates a 'regeneration shield' for one target artifact. If that artifact would be destroyed later in the turn, it instead stays on the battlefield, becomes tapped, all damage is removed from it, and it is removed from combat.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you pay one white mana and tap Metallurgeon to put the ability on the stack, choosing a legal target artifact. Once the ability resolves, the target artifact gains a regeneration shield that lasts until the end of the current turn. If an effect like a destruction spell or lethal combat damage would destroy that artifact, the shield is used up immediately to prevent the destruction. Note that this must be done before the destruction happens; you cannot regenerate a permanent that is already in the graveyard.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that regeneration can save a creature from effects that reduce its toughness to zero or less, or from 'sacrifice' effects. Regeneration only replaces destruction. Additionally, because Metallurgeon is a colored artifact creature itself, it is susceptible to both artifact removal and creature removal, so you must manage your mana carefully to protect your board.
When to Play It
The best time to activate Metallurgeon is in response to a spell that says 'destroy' or during the Declare Blockers step if your artifact creature is about to take lethal damage. Since the shield lasts until the end of the turn, you can even use it proactively if you suspect your opponent is holding removal.
Interaction examples
Esper SentinelIf your opponent attempts to destroy Esper Sentinel with a spell, you can respond by tapping Metallurgeon and paying one white mana. The regeneration shield is applied to Esper Sentinel. When the destruction spell resolves, the Sentinel remains on the battlefield, ensuring you continue to tax your opponent's noncreature spells.
Ornithopter of ParadiseDuring combat, if your Ornithopter of Paradise blocks a creature with 2 power, it would normally be destroyed. By using Metallurgeon's ability before the damage step, you create a shield. When damage is dealt, the Ornithopter is not destroyed; instead, it is removed from combat and any damage marked on it is cleared.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Metallurgeon
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Metallurgeon
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.