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Rules guide · Kindred Artifact

Obsidian Battle-AxeHow it works & interactions with other cards

By the ManaCount desk· 6 min read· Morningtide· February 1, 2008
Carte Magic Obsidian Battle-Axe

Obsidian Battle-Axe 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.

01

Official card text

Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has haste. Whenever a Warrior creature enters, you may attach this Equipment to it. Equip {3}

Complete guide

Obsidian Battle-Axe is a powerful piece of Equipment from the Morningtide cycle that rewards you for playing into a specific creature type. As a Kindred Artifact, it carries the Warrior subtype itself, allowing for unique synergies while turning every new Warrior into an immediate threat.

A True Warrior's Tool

Obsidian Battle-Axe provides the equipped creature with a +2/+1 power and toughness boost and, most importantly, haste. Its 'Kindred' type means that while it is not a creature, it is technically a Warrior card. This can be relevant for effects that care about the number of card types in your graveyard or cards that specifically look for Warrior spells.

Automatic Attachment

The hallmark of this card is its triggered ability. Whenever a Warrior creature enters the battlefield, you may attach the Axe to it for free. This trigger doesn't care who controls the creature; you can choose to attach it to an opponent's Warrior if you wish. However, you still control the Equipment, and you are the only one who can pay the Equip cost later to move it back to one of your own creatures.

Strategic Timing

Because the attachment happens on a triggered ability when a creature enters, it bypasses the usual sorcery-speed restriction of the Equip ability. This allows you to chain Warriors together, moving the Axe to the newest arrival to benefit from haste immediately. Note that if multiple Warriors enter at the same time, the Axe's ability will trigger for each, and you choose the order they resolve, effectively deciding which Warrior ends up with the Axe.

Interaction examples

The First Strike
Arcane SignetArcane Signet

You use Arcane Signet to help pay for the {3} mana required to cast Obsidian Battle-Axe. Once the Axe is on the battlefield, the next Warrior you cast will trigger the Axe's ability. You choose to attach it for free, giving that creature +2/+1 and haste, allowing it to attack the same turn it was played without spending any additional mana.

Comparing Equipment Speed
Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots

Unlike Swiftfoot Boots, which requires you to pay {1} at sorcery speed to grant haste, Obsidian Battle-Axe triggers automatically. If you have both on the battlefield and cast a Warrior, the Axe attaches immediately for free. To get the hexproof from Swiftfoot Boots, you would still need to manually pay the {1} equip cost during your main phase.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Obsidian Battle-Axe

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

  1. #1· Wizards of the Coast

    This cards was originally printed with the "tribal" card type. That card type has been replaced with "kindred". This change does not affect the gameplay function of this card.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  2. #2· Wizards of the Coast

    Kindred is a card type that allows noncreature cards to have creature types. For example, Echoes of Eternity is an Eldrazi (although not a creature) while on the battlefield and an Eldrazi card (although not a creature card) in zones other than the battlefield.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  3. #3· Wizards of the Coast

    While it appears only on cards that already have other card types, kindred is a card type and will be counted by effects that refer to the number of card types among cards in a zone.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  4. #4· Wizards of the Coast

    Each of these Equipment has two subtypes listed on its type line. The first one is a creature type, which in this case is also a subtype of kindred. The second one is Equipment, which is a subtype of artifact.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  5. #5· Wizards of the Coast

    Each of these Equipment has a triggered ability that says "Whenever a [creature type] creature enters, you may attach [this Equipment] to it." This triggers whenever any creature of the specified creature type enters, no matter who controls it. You may attach your Equipment to another player's creature this way, even though you can't do so with the equip ability.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  6. #6· Wizards of the Coast

    If you attach an Equipment you control to another player's creature, you retain control of the Equipment, but you don't control the creature. Only you can activate the Equipment's equip ability, and if the Equipment's ability triggers again, you choose whether to move the Equipment. Only the creature's controller can activate any activated abilities the Equipment grants to the creature, and "you" in any abilities granted to the creature refers to that player.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

02

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra
+Mesmerizing Dose
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
#1

Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra + Mesmerizing Dose + Obsidian Battle-Axe

Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite colored manaInfinite self-mill
  1. 1Activate Terra, Magical Adept by paying {4}{R}{G} and tapping it, exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as Esper Terra.
  2. 2When Esper Terra enters the battlefield, its first chapter ability triggers, creating a token copy of Mesmerizing Dose.
  3. 3When the Mesmerizing Dose token enters the battlefield, it triggers, putting a lore counter on Esper Terra.
  4. 4Repeat from step 2 two additional times, from Esper Terra's second and third chapter abilities triggering.
  5. 5Esper Terra's fourth chapter ability triggers, causing you to add {W}{W}{U}{U}{B}{B}{R}{R}{G}{G}, and then exile Esper Terra and return it to the battlefield as Terra, Magical Adept.
  6. 6When Terra, Magical Adept enters the battlefield, it and Obsidian Battle-Axe trigger.
  7. 7Resolve the Terra trigger, causing you to mill five cards and return up to one enchantment card from among them from your graveyard to your hand.
  8. 8Resolve the Obsidian Battle-Axe trigger, attaching it to Terra.
Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra
+Barbara Wright
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
#2

Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra + Barbara Wright + Obsidian Battle-Axe

Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite colored manaInfinite self-mill
  1. 1Activate Terra, Magical Adept by paying {4}{R}{G} and tapping it, causing you to exile it and return it to the battlefield as Esper Terra.
  2. 2As Esper Terra enters the battlefield, choose to have it enter with four lore counters due to its read-ahead ability.
  3. 3Esper Terra's fourth chapter ability triggers, causing you to add {W}{W}{U}{U}{B}{B}{R}{R}{G}{G}, and then exile Esper Terra and return it to the battlefield as Terra, Magical Adept.
  4. 4When Terra, Magical Adept enters the battlefield, it and Obsidan Battle-Axe trigger.
  5. 5Resolve the Terra trigger, causing you to mill five cards and put up to one enchantment card milled this way into your hand.
  6. 6Resolve the Obsidian Battle-Axe trigger, attaching it to Terra.
  7. 7Repeat.
Koll, the Forgemaster
+Phyrexian Altar
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
+Mogg War Marshal
#3

Koll, the Forgemaster + Phyrexian Altar + Obsidian Battle-Axe + Mogg War Marshal

Infinite colored manaInfinite creature tokensInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETB
  1. 1Cast Mogg War Marshal by paying {1}{R}.
  2. 2Mogg War Marshal enters the battlefield, triggering itself and Obsidian Battle-Axe.
  3. 3Resolve Obsidian Battle-Axe's trigger, attaching it to Mogg War Marshal.
  4. 4Resolve Mogg War Marshal's trigger, creating a 1/1 Goblin creature token.
  5. 5Activate Phyrexian Altar twice by sacrificing the Goblin token and Mogg War Marshall, adding {R}{R}.
  6. 6Mogg War Marshall dies, triggering itself and Koll.
  7. 7Resolve Mogg War Marshal's trigger, creating another 1/1 Goblin creature token.
  8. 8Resolve Koll's trigger, returning Mogg War Marshal from your graveyard to your hand.
Koll, the Forgemaster
+Phyrexian Altar
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
+Fireblade Charger
#4

Koll, the Forgemaster + Phyrexian Altar + Obsidian Battle-Axe + Fireblade Charger

Infinite damageInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTB
  1. 1Cast Fireblade Charger by paying {R}.
  2. 2Fireblade Charger enters the battlefield, triggering Obsidian Battle-Axe, attaching it to Fireblade Charger.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Fireblade Charger, adding {R}.
  4. 4Fireblade Charger dies, triggering itself and Koll.
  5. 5Resolve Fireblade Charger's trigger, dealing 3 damage to any target.
  6. 6Resolve Koll's trigger, returning Fireblade Charger from your graveyard to your hand.
  7. 7Repeat.
Koll, the Forgemaster
+Phyrexian Altar
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
+Spear Spewer
#5

Koll, the Forgemaster + Phyrexian Altar + Obsidian Battle-Axe + Spear Spewer

Infinite damage to all playersNear-infinite death triggersNear-infinite creature ETBNear-infinite creature LTB
  1. 1Cast Spear Spewer by paying {R}.
  2. 2Spear Spewer enters the battlefield, triggering Obsidian Battle-Axe, attaching it to Spear Spewer and giving it haste.
  3. 3Activate Spear Spewer by tapping it, dealing 1 damage to each player.
  4. 4Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Spear Spewer, adding {R}.
  5. 5Koll triggers, returning Spear Spewer from your graveyard to your hand.
  6. 6Repeat until all opponents with a lower life total than your own have lost the game.
Koll, the Forgemaster
+Phyrexian Altar
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
+Grim Initiate
#6

Koll, the Forgemaster + Phyrexian Altar + Obsidian Battle-Axe + Grim Initiate

Infinite colored manaInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTB
  1. 1Cast Grim Initiate by paying {R}.
  2. 2Grim Initiate enters the battlefield, triggering Obsidian Battle-Axe, attaching it to Grim Initiate.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Grim Initiate, adding {R}.
  4. 4Grim Initiate dies, triggering itself and Koll.
  5. 5Resolve Grim Initiate's trigger, amassing 1.
  6. 6Resolve Koll's trigger, returning Grim Initiate from your graveyard to your hand.
  7. 7Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the Zombie Army token, adding one mana of any color.
  8. 8Repeat.
Koll, the Forgemaster
+Phyrexian Altar
+Obsidian Battle-Axe
+Goblin Fireslinger
#7

Koll, the Forgemaster + Phyrexian Altar + Obsidian Battle-Axe + Goblin Fireslinger

Infinite damageInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTB
  1. 1Cast Goblin Fireslinger by paying {R}.
  2. 2Goblin Fireslinger enters the battlefield, triggering Obsidian Battle-Axe, attaching it to Goblin Fireslinger and giving it haste.
  3. 3Activate Goblin Fireslinger by tapping it, dealing 1 damage to target player.
  4. 4Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Goblin Fireslinger, adding {R}.
  5. 5Koll triggers, returning Goblin Fireslinger from your graveyard to your hand.
  6. 6Repeat.
03

Legal formats

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Meta decks with Obsidian Battle-Axe

No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.

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