Mine Worker 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
: You gain 1 life. If you control creatures named Power Plant Worker and Tower Worker, you gain 3 life instead.
Complete guide
Mine Worker is a versatile artifact creature that provides a steady stream of life to help you survive the early game. While its baseline stats are modest, it reaches its full potential when united with its two fellow Assembly-Workers. This card is a modern nod to the classic Urza's lands, rewarding you for assembling the perfect trio on the battlefield.
What It Does
Mine Worker is a 2-mana 1/3 artifact creature that features a tap ability to gain life. While it usually provides 1 life, this effect is replaced by a much stronger 3-life gain if you also control creatures named Power Plant Worker and Tower Worker. This makes it a crucial defensive piece in an Assembly-Worker themed deck.
How It Resolves
When you activate the ability of Mine Worker, it goes on the stack. The game checks if you control both Power Plant Worker and Tower Worker at the moment the ability resolves. If both are present, the replacement effect triggers and you gain 3 life; if either or both are missing when the ability resolves, you simply gain 1 life.
Common Mistakes
A common error is assuming you only need to control the other two workers at the time you activate the ability. Because the check happens upon resolution, if an opponent destroys your Tower Worker in response to the activation, you will only gain 1 life. Additionally, remember that Mine Worker is an artifact, so it is susceptible to both creature and artifact removal.
When to Play It
Mine Worker is best played in the early turns to establish a board presence. Since it has 3 toughness, it can block many aggressive creatures effectively. You should prioritize getting this down before your other workers if you need the life gain to stabilize against fast decks.
Interaction examples
With all three creatures on the battlefield, you tap Mine Worker. Upon resolution, the game sees you control Power Plant Worker and Tower Worker, granting you 3 life instead of 1.
Foundry InspectorIf you have Foundry Inspector on the battlefield, the cost to cast Mine Worker is reduced by {1}, allowing you to play it for just one generic mana. This helps you assemble your worker engine much faster.
Ornithopter of ParadiseYou use Ornithopter of Paradise to produce the mana needed for your workers. Even if you lack the Power Plant Worker, Mine Worker still provides 1 life per turn, helping you bridge the gap until you find the final piece of the trio.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Mine Worker
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You will gain 3 life instead of 1 if, at the time the ability resolves, you control at least one creature named Power Plant Worker and at least one creature named Tower Worker.
Card named in this ruling
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Cleric Class + Mine Worker + Crystalline Crawler + Pemmin's Aura
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain at least 2 life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding
. - 4Activate Pemmin's Aura's first ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Mine Worker + Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Crystalline Crawler + Pemmin's Aura
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain at least 1 life.
- 2Heliod triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 4Activate Pemmin's Aura's first ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Cleric Class + Mine Worker + Crystalline Crawler + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain at least 2 life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 4Activate Freed from the Real's second ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Mine Worker + Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Crystalline Crawler + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain at least 1 life.
- 2Heliod triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 4Activate Freed from the Real's second ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Prize Pig + Freed from the Real + Mine Worker + Power Plant Worker
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain three life.
- 2Prize Pig triggers, putting three ribbon counters on it, then removing all ribbon counters on it and untapping it.
- 3Activate Prize Pig by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Freed from the Real's second ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Mine Worker + Crystalline Crawler + Freed from the Real + The Destined White Mage
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain life.
- 2The Destined White Mage triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 4Activate Freed from the Real's ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Agatha's Soul Cauldron + Famished Paladin + Mine Worker
- 1Activate Famished Paladin using Mine Worker's ability by tapping it, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 2Famished Paladin triggers, untapping itself.
- 3Repeat.
Archangel of Thune + Mine Worker + Crystalline Crawler + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Mine Worker by tapping it, causing you to gain life.
- 2Archangel of Thune triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- 3Activate Crystalline Crawler ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 4Activate Freed from the Real's ability by paying , untapping Mine Worker.
- 5Repeat.
Interactions with other cards
These cards' text mentions Mine Worker.
Reach {T}: Add {C}. If you control creatures named Mine Worker and Power Plant Worker, add {C}{C}{C} instead.
{3}: This creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If you control creatures named Mine Worker and Tower Worker, put two +1/+1 counters on this creature instead. Activate only once each turn.
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Legal formats
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Meta decks with Mine Worker
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