Adaptive Automaton

As Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Adaptive Automaton is the chosen type in addition to its other types.
Other creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1.

Even though Adaptive Automaton is a Construct, other Construct creatures you control won't get +1/+1 unless you chose Construct as Adaptive Automaton entered the battlefield.

The choice of creature type is made as Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield. Players can't take any actions between the time the choice is made and the time the appropriate creatures begin to get +1/+1.

You must choose an existing creature type, such as Human or Warrior. Card types such as artifact and supertypes such as legendary can't be chosen.

While most power is used for ordinary, everyday tasks, one shouldn't underestimate its potential for the extraordinary.

Aetherflux Reservoir

Whenever you cast a spell, you gain 1 life for each spell you've cast this turn.
Pay 50 life: Aetherflux Reservoir deals 50 damage to any target.

Aetherflux Reservoir's first ability doesn't trigger when you cast Aetherflux Reservoir itself.

The first ability counts spells you cast earlier in the turn even if you didn't control Aetherflux Reservoir as you cast them, and even if those spells were countered.

The first ability counts the spell that caused it to trigger plus any other spells you cast earlier in the turn.

The number of spells you've cast is counted only as Aetherflux Reservoir's triggered ability resolves. For example, if you cast a spell, then respond to the triggered ability with a second spell, you'll gain 4 life total.

"These estimates are conservative. Its true capacity may be far, far greater."
—Research notes, signature illegible

"It is not that you will go mad. It is that you will beg for madness."
—Volrath

Altar of Dementia

Sacrifice a creature: Target player mills cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power.

If the target player's library contains fewer cards than the sacrificed creature's power, all of those cards are put into that player's graveyard. That player won't lose the game until they try to draw from the empty library.

The number of cards the target player puts into their graveyard is equal to the power of the sacrificed creature as it last existed on the battlefield.

"My dreams have brought more visions from our master: an altar, exquisite and perfect. We must build it at once."
—Writings of Artonac, priest of Gix

"If you work at sawing up carcasses, you notice how the joints fit, how the nerves are arrayed, and how the skin peels back."
—Ashnod, to Tawnos

Ashnod's Altar

"Blood fluting needs to be deeper.
Additional hooks needed for nerve
rigging. Surface stippling could be coarser.
—Ashnod, design notes

Astral Cornucopia

Astral Cornucopia enters the battlefield with X charge counters on it.
{T}: Choose a color. Add one mana of that color for each charge counter on Astral Cornucopia.

If you choose 1 for the value of X, Astral Cornucopia will cost {3} to cast and enter the battlefield with one charge counter. If you choose 2 for the value of X, it will cost {6} to cast and enter the battlefield with two charge counters, and so on.

The last ability is a mana ability. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.

It spilled the blood of one elder dragon. In Gideon's hands, it may yet taste another's.

Blackblade Reforged

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control.
Equip legendary creature {3}
Equip {7}

"Equip [quality] creature" is a variant of the equip keyword. "Equip [quality] creature [cost]" means "[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target [quality] creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery."

Whether the target creature is legendary is checked only as Blackblade Reforged's first equip ability is activated and as that ability resolves. If the creature somehow becomes nonlegendary later, Blackblade Reforged remains attached to it.

"Tempered in the blood of ten thousand sacrifices? Superstitious drivel."
—Mishra, note to his researchers

In a world where death is always violent, cruel weapons are as common as rocks.

Bone Saw

Equipped creature gets +1/+0.
Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

"When metal instruments are scarce, a saw constructed from the subject's femur will suffice for a craniectomy."
—Ashnod, research notes

Forged by divine hands to wander mortal realms.

Burnished Hart

{3}, Sacrifice Burnished Hart: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

"The natural world has already solved our problems. Our challenge is to replicate the elegance of its solutions."
—Tawnos

Caged Sun

As Caged Sun enters the battlefield, choose a color.
Creatures you control of the chosen color get +1/+1.
Whenever a land's ability causes you to add one or more mana of the chosen color, add one additional mana of that color.

An ability that triggers from the resolution of an activated mana ability is also a mana ability. This means that if the land's ability that caused you to add mana was an activated mana ability, Caged Sun's triggered ability won't use the stack and can't be responded to.

By guild tradition, any puddle of multicolored light on the cobblestones can serve as neutral ground.

Chromatic Lantern

Lands you control have "{T}: Add one mana of any color."
{T}: Add one mana of any color.

Lands you control won't lose any other abilities they had. They also won't gain or lose any land types.

"Feldon's latest discovery appears to draw upon the same 'memories of the land' my wife studied. How I wish she could see it."
—Writings of Drafna

Chromatic Star

{1}, {T}, Sacrifice Chromatic Star: Add one mana of any color.
When Chromatic Star is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.

The musical sound of its turning triggers the tumblers of revelation.

Cloud Key

As Cloud Key enters the battlefield, choose artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, or sorcery.
Spells you cast of the chosen type cost {1} less to cast.

The cost reduction applies only to generic mana in the cost of spells of the chosen type you cast.

To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as a flashback cost), add any cost increases (such as kicker costs), then apply any cost reductions (such as that of Cloud Key's ability). The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.

"A key only unlocks a door. Its wielder must choose whether to cross the threshold."
—*Hurkyl's Metaphysics, vol. II*

It lights up the sky, beckoning enemies only to repel them.

Defense Grid

Each spell costs {3} more to cast except during its controller's turn.

The additional cost can be reduced by effects that reduce costs, such as Sapphire Medallion.

In Two-Headed Giant, spells don't cost extra on your own turn.

"Properly installed, each powerstone emits a targeted electromagnetic field that halts momentum as sure as stone."
—*Tome of Obstructions*

Only a monster could create such a door. Only a fool would open it.

Door to Nothingness

Door to Nothingness enters the battlefield tapped.
{W}{W}{U}{U}{B}{B}{R}{R}{G}{G}, {T}, Sacrifice Door to Nothingness: Target player loses the game.

"I have re-created a Thran portal at last! Before I inform Lord Urza, I'll test it myself."
—Oryan, Urzan artificer, final research note

One night Oona bottled the sky. The next night she aligned the stars and released it.

Elsewhere Flask

When Elsewhere Flask enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Sacrifice Elsewhere Flask: Choose a basic land type. Each land you control becomes that type until end of turn.

All your lands will have the chosen land type and no other land type.

Changing a land's type doesn't change its name or whether it's legendary or basic.

Lands you control will have the mana ability of the basic land type you choose (for example, Forests can tap to produce green mana) and will lose all other innate abilities they had.

"My husband is clever enough to bottle the sky, and foolish enough to ignore its beauty."
—Queen Kayla bin-Kroog

Automaton inspectors ensure that the Consulate's stringent standards for mass production are upheld.

Foundry Inspector

Artifact spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.

If an artifact spell has {X} in its mana cost, choose the value for X first, and then reduce the cost by {1}. For example, an artifact that costs {X} with X chosen as 4 costs {3} to cast if you control Foundry Inspector.

Once a player has announced an artifact spell, no player may take actions to try to remove Foundry Inspector from the battlefield before that spell's cost is locked in.

"Delicate resonance detectors could scan the assembly lines for metallic impurities, loose bolts, and freak occurrences of sentience."
—Tawnos, proposal for overseer prototype

"The perfection of the lotus reminds me of my hopes for this world . . . and my failures. I will not rest until I've atoned for them."
—Karn

Gilded Lotus

"The lotus is a potent but ephemeral source of power. To preserve its potency, lacquer carefully with a conductive coating."
—*Hurkyl's Metaphysics, vol. II*

Goblin Charbelcher

{3}, {T}: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Goblin Charbelcher deals damage equal to the number of nonland cards revealed this way to any target. If the revealed land card was a Mountain, Goblin Charbelcher deals double that damage instead. Put the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.

If you reveal no land cards, Goblin Charbelcher deals damage equal to the number of cards revealed, and then you may order your library as you like.

You must choose a target for Goblin Charbelcher's ability as you activate it, before you reveal any cards.

Helm of the Host

At the beginning of combat on your turn, create a token that's a copy of equipped creature, except the token isn't legendary if equipped creature is legendary. That token gains haste.
Equip {5}

Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.

If the copied creature has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.

If the copied creature is a token, the token that's created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token.

If the copied creature is copying something else (for example, if the copied creature is a Clone), then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied.

If the equipped creature leaves the battlefield before the triggered ability of Helm of the Host resolves, or if there is no equipped creature, no token is created. However, if Helm of the Host leaves the battlefield while its triggered ability is on the stack, a token will be created of the creature it last equipped. If that creature has also left the battlefield, its last known information is used to determine what the token looks like.

The token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.

The token gains haste indefinitely, and this effect isn't copiable. If something else copies the token later, that copy won't have haste.

The token isn't legendary, and this exception is copiable. If something else copies the token later, that copy also won't be legendary. If you control two or more permanents with the same name but only one is legendary, the "legend rule" doesn't apply.

At the beginning of combat on your turn, create a token that's a copy of equipped creature, except the token isn't legendary. That token gains haste.
Equip {5}

The mine's riches never end, nor do the moans of the spirits doomed to haunt them.

Howling Mine

At the beginning of each player's draw step, if Howling Mine is untapped, that player draws an additional card.

If Howling Mine leaves the battlefield before it resolves, then the last known tap or untap state of the card is used for resolution.

It does not trigger at all if this is tapped at the start of the draw step, and it checks this again on resolution.

The additional draw is separate from any other draw during your draw step. It happens when the triggered ability resolves.

The triggered ability is put onto the stack after you have already drawn your card for the turn.

"The Sardian dwarves have let superstition override common sense. There's plenty of ore left in the mountain, and we mustn't let it go to waste."
—Last dispatch of Bolgon, Argivian surveyor

"Our glorious infection has taken hold."
—Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Ichor Wellspring

When Ichor Wellspring enters the battlefield or is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.

The ability will trigger when Ichor Wellspring is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, even if the ability that triggered when it entered the battlefield hasn't resolved yet.

"Should a single drop take hold, the oil begins to consume organic tissue and will multiply until it overwhelms the host."
—Yawgmoth, collected writings

Ghirapur's most celebrated inventors have been immortalized in clockwork.

Inspiring Statuary

Nonartifact spells you cast have improvise. (Your artifacts can help cast those spells. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for {1}.)

Because improvise isn't an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs.

Equipment attached to a creature doesn't become tapped when that creature becomes tapped, and tapping that Equipment doesn't cause the creature to become tapped.

If an artifact you control has a mana ability with {T} in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with improvise will result in the artifact being tapped when you pay the spell's costs. You won't be able to tap it again for improvise. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with improvise, that artifact won't be on the battlefield when you pay the spell's costs, so you won't be able to tap it for improvise.

If you cast a nonartifact spell that requires you to sacrifice a permanent as an additional cost, you may tap that permanent (if it's an artifact) for the spell's improvise ability before you sacrifice it to pay that cost.

Improvise can't be used to pay for anything other than the cost of casting the spell. For example, it can't be used during the resolution of an ability that says "Counter target spell unless its controller pays {3}."

Improvise can't pay for {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, or {C} mana symbols in a spell's total cost.

Improvise doesn't change a spell's mana cost or mana value.

Multiple instances of improvise are redundant.

Tapping an artifact won't cause its abilities to stop applying unless those abilities say so.

When calculating a spell's total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Improvise applies after the total cost is calculated.

When using improvise to cast a spell with {X} in its mana cost, first choose the value for X. That choice, plus any cost increases or decreases, will determine the spell's total cost. Then you can tap artifacts you control to help pay that cost. For example, if you cast Whir of Invention (a spell with improvise and mana cost {X}{U}{U}{U}) and choose X to be 3, the total cost is {3}{U}{U}{U}. If you tap two artifacts, you'll have to pay {1}{U}{U}{U}.

"In the early days, Urza's wondrous automatons were seen as symbols of hope and courage."
—*The Antiquities War*

Valuing scholarship above all else, the inhabitants of the Ivory Tower reward those who sacrifice power for knowledge.

Ivory Tower

At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain X life, where X is the number of cards in your hand minus 4.

If you have four or fewer cards in your hand when Ivory Tower's ability resolves, the ability has no effect.

"Ringed by white stone, Terisia was a city of scholarship and knowledge, where magic promised a brighter future to a world devoured by artifice."
—*The Antiquities War*

Most books simply deliver knowledge. This one expects some in return.

Jalum Tome

{2}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.

You draw a card and discard a card all while Jalum Tome's ability is resolving. Nothing can happen in between, and no player can choose to take actions.

"These glyphs describe a Thran device capable of controlling a machine army, but the dimensions make no sense. It's nearly the size of the Null Moon."
—Urza, diary

"From the clouds, you can see as far as the distant horizon. It's a reminder of the infinite possibilities of everyday life."
—Noboru, master kitemaker

Journeyer's Kite

{3}, {T}: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

"Measure the angles carefully. Note the gauge of the paper. By your sixth birthday, I expect a flying prototype."
—Tawnos, letter to Harbin

As it spins, dead voices shriek in an ever-increasing cacophony, rending the mind asunder.

Keening Stone

{5}, {T}: Target player mills X cards, where X is the number of cards in that player's graveyard.

The value of X is determined as the ability starts to resolve. If the targeted player has five cards in their graveyard at that time, for example, this ability will put five more cards into that graveyard from the top of that player's library.

"The new prototype utilizing a rotational axis is marvelously effective: it makes me want to tear my own ears off."
—Ashnod, to her assistants

It would be unfortunate if the key fell into the wrong hands.

Key to the City

{T}, Discard a card: Up to one target creature can't be blocked this turn.
Whenever Key to the City becomes untapped, you may pay {2}. If you do, draw a card.

Activating Key to the City's ability targeting a creature that has already been blocked won't cause it to become unblocked.

Key to the City's last ability triggers during your untap step, but it's put onto the stack at the same time as abilities that trigger at the beginning of your upkeep step. Even though Key to the City's ability triggered first, you may order it before or after other abilities you control that are put onto the stack at this time.

You can activate Key to the City's first ability without targeting any creature.

You can pay {2} only once each time Key to the City's triggered ability resolves. You can't pay more to draw additional cards.

"Presented to the Chief Artificer in recognition of his unparalleled service to Yotia."
—Rusted plaque

"They'll soon become accustomed to wearing skin that is not their own."
—Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Liquimetal Coating

{T}: Target permanent becomes an artifact in addition to its other types until end of turn.

Becoming an artifact doesn't change what color(s) a permanent is.

You may target any permanent with the ability, including an artifact.

"We've had a breakthrough on the fifth iteration. The subject's skin was entirely replaced within an hour, and he survived a full day after that!"
—Ashnod, to Mishra

"Somehow it warps the Æther. It brings a strange weight, a blockade in the flow of spellcraft."
—Noyan Dar, Tazeem lullmage

Lodestone Golem

Nonartifact spells cost {1} more to cast.

The ability affects each spell that's not an artifact spell, including your own.

The ability affects the total cost of each nonartifact spell, but it doesn't change that spell's mana cost or mana value. The extra mana also doesn't change how many times you kicked the spell or what the value of X is (if applicable).

When determining a spell's total cost, effects that increase the cost are applied before effects that reduce the cost.

"Progress update: the problem of the slagheap blocking the entrance seems to have solved itself."
—Mine supervisor's report

Mazemind Tome

{T}, Put a page counter on Mazemind Tome: Scry 1.
{2}, {T}, Put a page counter on Mazemind Tome: Draw a card.
When there are four or more page counters on Mazemind Tome, exile it. If you do, you gain 4 life.

If Mazemind Tome leaves the battlefield while its triggered ability is on the stack, you can't exile it from the zone it's put into.

A step in one direction is two steps away from another.

Mesmeric Orb

Whenever a permanent becomes untapped, that permanent's controller mills a card.

If permanents become untapped during the untap step, Mesmeric Orb's ability will trigger that many times. However, since no player gets priority during the untap step, those abilities wait to be put on the stack until the upkeep starts. At that time, any "beginning of upkeep" triggers will also trigger. Those abilities and Mesmeric Orb's triggers are put onto the stack at the same time.

"I now believe the strange orb was some kind of Thran security device. Supporting this theory, I can no longer recall where I found it."
—Tocasia, journal entry

Minds, like mountains, are never so grand and mighty that they can't be reduced to dust.

Millstone

Can be used on a player with less than 2 cards in their library. It will remove 0 or 1 cards if that is all that is available.

It is not a draw effect so it will not cause a player with less than 2 cards in their library to lose.

Since you are putting more than one card in the graveyard at one time, the affected player can choose the order the 2 cards go in.

"In the lean months, communities lived off a bitterwheat berry so tough that its flour contained more millstone than grain."
—*On the Early History of Keld*

"Ideas drift like petals on the wind. I have only to lift my face to the breeze."

Mind's Eye

Whenever an opponent draws a card, you may pay {1}. If you do, draw a card.

"I sit and I think of Lat-Nam, of the azure waves white with froth, suspended over the shore. I see the energy there and I call it here."
—Hurkyl, meditation notes

"Arcum is a babbling fool! Phyrexian technology is our greatest blessing. Take this delightful trinket for instance . . ."
—Heidar, Rimewind master

Mishra's Bauble

{T}, Sacrifice Mishra's Bauble: Look at the top card of target player's library. Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

Card (189)	Type	^{$239.43 (602.46)} Price
Adaptive Automaton - 1997	Creature	$0.75 ^(1.50)
Adaptive Automaton - 1997	Creature	$0.75 ^(1.25)
Adaptive Automaton - 1997	Creature	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Aetherflux Reservoir - 1997	Artifact	$9.00 ^(21.00)
Aetherflux Reservoir - 1997	Artifact	$12.00 ^(31.00)
Aetherflux Reservoir - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Altar of Dementia - 1997	Artifact	$6.00 ^(16.00)
Altar of Dementia - 1997	Artifact	$9.00 ^(23.00)
Altar of Dementia - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Ashnod's Altar - 1997	Artifact	$6.00 ^(12.00)
Ashnod's Altar - 1997	Artifact	$6.00 ^(15.00)
Ashnod's Altar - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Astral Cornucopia - 1997	Artifact	$0.15 ^(0.65)
Astral Cornucopia - 1997	Artifact	$0.15 ^(0.90)
Astral Cornucopia - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Blackblade Reforged - 1997	Artifact	$0.75 ^(2.25)
Blackblade Reforged - 1997	Artifact	$0.50 ^(2.50)
Blackblade Reforged - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Bone Saw - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Bone Saw - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Bone Saw - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Burnished Hart - 1997	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.00)
Burnished Hart - 1997	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Burnished Hart - 1997	Creature	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Caged Sun - 1997	Artifact	$1.50 ^(3.50)
Caged Sun - 1997	Artifact	$2.50 ^(6.50)
Caged Sun - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Chromatic Lantern - 1997	Artifact	$1.50 ^(4.00)
Chromatic Lantern - 1997	Artifact	$2.00 ^(5.00)
Chromatic Lantern - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Chromatic Star - 1997	Artifact	$0.02 ^(0.07)
Chromatic Star - 1997	Artifact	$0.02 ^(0.07)
Chromatic Star - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Cloud Key - 1997	Artifact	$2.00 ^(4.00)
Cloud Key - 1997	Artifact	$2.50 ^(6.50)
Cloud Key - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Defense Grid - 1997	Artifact	$3.00 ^(8.00)
Defense Grid - 1997	Artifact	$3.00 ^(8.00)
Defense Grid - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Door to Nothingness - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.15)
Door to Nothingness - 1997	Artifact	$0.08 ^(0.23)
Door to Nothingness - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Elsewhere Flask - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Elsewhere Flask - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Elsewhere Flask - 1997	Artifact	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Foundry Inspector - 1997	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.15)
Foundry Inspector - 1997	Creature	$0.05 ^(0.10)
Foundry Inspector - 1997	Creature	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Gilded Lotus - 1997	Artifact	$1.50 ^(3.00)
Gilded Lotus - 1997	Artifact	$1.50 ^(3.50)

The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts