Urza, Chief Artificer 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
Affinity for artifact creatures (This spell costsless to cast for each artifact creature you control.) Artifact creatures you control have menace. At the beginning of your end step, create a 0/0 colorless Construct artifact creature token with "This token gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control."
Complete guide
Urza, Chief Artificer is a powerhouse commander that rewards players for building an army of mechanical minions. By utilizing his affinity for artifact creatures, you can deploy this legendary leader for a significantly reduced cost and immediately begin pressuring your opponents. Once on the field, Urza turns your constructs into elusive threats and ensures your board state grows exponentially every single turn.
Understanding Affinity and Menace
Urza features 'Affinity for artifact creatures,' which reduces his total casting cost by {1} for each artifact creature you currently control. It is important to note that this only reduces the generic mana portion of the cost; you must still pay the {W}{U}{B} requirements. Once Urza is on the battlefield, he grants all artifact creatures you control menace, meaning they cannot be blocked except by two or more creatures, making it much harder for your opponents to defend against your mechanical horde.
The Construct Token Resolution
At the beginning of your end step, Urza's triggered ability goes on the stack. When it resolves, you create a 0/0 colorless Construct artifact creature token. This token has a static ability that defines its power and toughness based on the number of artifacts you control. Because the token itself is an artifact, it counts toward its own bonus, ensuring it is at least a 1/1 creature the moment it enters the battlefield.
Strategic Timing and Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is forgetting that Urza's token generation happens at the beginning of the end step. If Urza is removed from the battlefield before the end step begins, the ability will not trigger. However, once the ability has triggered, removing Urza in response will not stop the token from being created. Remember that the Construct's power and toughness are dynamic; if you lose artifacts during your opponent's turn, your Constructs will shrink accordingly.
Interaction examples
Urza, Chief Artificer
ConstructIf you control Urza, Chief Artificer and three other artifacts, his end step trigger creates a Construct token. This token counts itself and the other four artifacts you control (including Urza, who is not an artifact, and your other artifacts), resulting in a 5/5 creature with menace.
If you control three Construct tokens, Urza's affinity ability reduces his cost by {3}. Instead of paying {3}{W}{U}{B}, you only pay {W}{U}{B} to cast him from your hand. This allows you to develop your board and still have mana available for other spells.
Gray Merchant of AsphodelWhile Gray Merchant of Asphodel benefits from Urza's black mana symbol in his cost for devotion, the Merchant is not an artifact creature. Therefore, it does not reduce Urza's cost via affinity, nor does it gain menace from Urza's static ability.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Urza, Chief Artificer
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The ability of that Construct token does count the Construct itself, so it'll be at least 1/1.
Card named in this ruling
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Urza, Chief Artificer + Time Sieve + Myr Battlesphere + Teleportation Circle
- 1At the beginning of your end step, Teleportation Circle and Urza trigger.
- 2Resolve the Urza trigger, creating a 0/0 Construct creature token.
- 3Resolve the Teleportation Circle trigger, blinking Myr Battlesphere.
- 4When Myr Battlesphere enters the battlefield, its first ability triggers, creating four 1/1 Myr artifact creature tokens.
- 5Activate Time Sieve by tapping it and sacrificing the Myrs and Construct, causing you to take an extra turn after this one.
- 6Repeat each turn.
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Urza, Chief Artificer
