TL;DR Summary

Sword of the Animist is a rare, two-mana legendary equipment that provides a versatile boost to attacking creatures. Equipped creatures gain +1/+1, and when they attack, you can search for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, and then shuffle your library. This effect synergizes well with cards like Mox Opal or Aether Vial, allowing for rapid land acceleration. In Commander formats, Sword of the Animist is a popular choice in green-based decks that rely on ramping up mana quickly.

Power Level:

• Moderate to high power level due to its ability to search for lands and accelerate mana development.
• Not as impactful in non-Commander formats where it can be more difficult to take advantage of its effects.

Main Use Cases:

• Commander decks that focus on green ramp and accelerated land development.
• Combo decks that rely on rapid mana acceleration.
• Decks that utilize Mox Opal or Aether Vial as a key component.

Card Mechanics & Interactions: Sword of the Animist

The Sword of the Animist is a legendary artifact equipment card with an interesting combination of abilities. Let's break down its rules and interactions.

Keyword Abilities:

• Equip: This keyword ability allows the Sword to be attached to a creature, granting it +1/+1 power and toughness.
• No other keywords are present on this card.

How it Functions on the Stack:

When you equip the Sword of the Animist to a creature, it grants that creature +1/+1. The Equip cost is {2}, so you need to pay 2 mana to attach it to a creature.

The second ability triggers when the equipped creature attacks. You can choose to trigger this ability during combat, and if you do, you'll get to search your library for a basic land card. If found, that land is put onto the battlefield tapped; after that, shuffle your library. This ability has no additional costs or restrictions.

Battlefield Interactions:

When equipped to a creature, the Sword of the Animist will remain attached until it's either destroyed or un-equipped. The creature with the Sword equipped can still attack and defend as usual, with the added bonus of +1/+1 power and toughness.

Some edge cases to consider:

• If you equip the Sword to a creature that has an ability related to land, such as Verdant Force Verdant Force, there might be interesting interactions. However, this is not unique to the Sword of the Animist.
• In some Commander decks, players may use a card like Atraxa, Praetors' Voice Atraxa, Praetors' Voice to give creatures +1/+1 or other bonuses. These abilities can stack with the Sword's effect.

Commander-Specific Quirks:

In Commander games, you'll need to be aware of the following:

• As a legendary artifact equipment, the Sword of the Animist has no casting cost and doesn't contribute to deck size limits.
• In some multiplayer formats, players may try to use a card like The Urza Clone The Urza Clone to clone the Sword. However, this is not a straightforward interaction, as it would require you to have multiple copies of the Sword in your library.

Overall, the Sword of the Animist offers an interesting combination of equipment and land generation. When used correctly, it can provide a significant boost to your creatures' power and toughness while also helping you ramp into more complex land combinations.

Strategic Applications of Sword of the Animist

Sword of the Animist is a versatile artifact equipment that finds its way into various Commander decks, often serving as a key component in land-heavy strategies. Its ability to grant a +1/+1 boost and draw basic lands when attacking makes it an excellent fit for archetypes focused on ramping mana or generating card advantage.

Key Applications:

• Land Ramp Decks: As seen in Sylvan Caryatid-based decks, Sword of the Animist accelerates land development while providing a significant power boost to equipped creatures. This synergy is particularly effective with cards like Evolving Wilds, Abundant Growth, or Llanowar Elves.
• Mana Dork Decks: In decks featuring abundant mana dorks like Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Sword of the Animist amplifies their impact by granting them a significant power boost and drawing additional lands to fuel further development.
• Green-Heavy Stax Decks: With its ability to draw basic lands, Sword of the Animist is an excellent fit for green-heavy Stax decks that rely on Abrupt Decay, Fatal Push, or Supreme Will to control the board. This artifact equipment helps maintain a steady land drop while dealing with opponents' threats.

Notable Commander Strategies:

• Azami, Lady of Scrolls: Sword of the Animist's ability to draw basic lands complements Azami's vast mana acceleration and card advantage potential.
• Estrid, the Masked: This artifact equipment pairs well with Estrid's Rampant Growth-based ramp strategy, providing a means to generate additional card advantage while developing mana.

Additional Considerations:

• Sword of the Animist can be paired with cards like Wrenn and Six Unbroken, which offer additional benefits for drawing lands or generating card advantage.
• This artifact equipment is less effective in token-based decks or those relying heavily on flying creatures, as its primary benefit lies in granting a power boost to equipped creatures.

By integrating Sword of the Animist into your deck's strategy, you can create more robust and efficient land development while generating significant card advantage. Its versatility makes it an attractive addition to various Commander archetypes, particularly those focused on green mana acceleration or ramping lands.

Synergy with Green Midrange and Land-Dropping Decks

Sword of the Animist is a versatile artifact that excels in green midrange decks, particularly those focused on land-dropping. When paired with cards like Fauna Shaman, Llanowar Elves, or Rampant Growth, you can accelerate your mana development while maintaining a strong threat.

Key Interactions

• Equip Sword of the Animist to a creature like Elvish Mystic or [Sylvan Caryatid, giving them +1/+1 and allowing you to ramp into more powerful spells.
• Use the equip cost to enable your land-dropping strategy, searching for basic lands with [Fauna Shaman or [Rampant Growth.
• In combination with a land creature like Stomping Ground or [Temple Garden, Sword of the Animist can create an explosive turn by ramping into a massive threat and simultaneously generating card advantage.

Combining with Other Equipment

Pairing Sword of the Animist with other equipment like Lightning Greaves] or [[Thieving Magpie can amplify its effects. For example, equipping Sword to a creature with Lightning Greaves's +1/+0 boost can create an extremely formidable attacker.

Land-Dropping Strategies

One strategy involves ramping into a large threat while simultaneously generating card advantage through land-dropping. You can achieve this by pairing Sword of the Animist with cards like Fauna Shaman], [Llanowar Elves, or [[Rampant Growth. This combination enables you to search for basic lands, accelerating your mana development and setting up powerful spells.

Example Decklist

Here's an example decklist showcasing the potential synergy between Sword of the Animist and a green midrange strategy:

• 4 x Fauna Shaman
• 2 x Llanowar Elves
• 4 x Rampant Growth
• 4 x Sword of the Animist
• 1 x Elvish Mystic
• 2 x Sylvan Caryatid
• 1 x Stomping Ground
• 1 x Temple Garden

This deck showcases a mix of ramping and land-dropping, with Sword of the Animist serving as a key enabler for your strategy. By leveraging its effects, you can create explosive turns and gain significant card advantage.

Conclusion

Sword of the Animist is an incredibly versatile artifact that excels in green midrange decks focused on land-dropping. Its ability to equip creatures and search for basic lands makes it an excellent choice for players looking to accelerate their mana development while generating card advantage. By combining Sword with other equipment and ramping spells, you can create powerful strategies that leave opponents struggling to keep up.

Common Mistakes with Sword of the Animist

One common mistake players make is misjudging the timing of the equipped creature's attack trigger. It's easy to get caught up in attacking with a creature and forgetting that the trigger only activates when the equipped creature attacks, not just when it's used as an attacker.

• Incorrect assumption: Some players assume Sword of the Animist can be used as a makeshift draw spell by attacking with any creature. This is not the case; the trigger only activates when the equipped creature (the one being equipped with the sword) attacks.
• Proper strategy: To maximize the benefits of Sword of the Animist, it's essential to attack with the creature that has the sword attached. If you need to draw cards quickly, consider using a separate creature or token as an attacker.

Another common mistake is misunderstanding the equip cost and timing. Some players think they can immediately equip Sword of the Animist for free by attacking with a different creature, but this isn't the case.

• Incorrect assumption: Players assume that equipping Sword of the Animist is free if they attack with another creature on the same turn. This is not true; you must pay the equip cost (2 mana) to attach the sword to your equipped creature.
• Proper strategy: Always keep in mind that equipping Sword of the Animist requires 2 mana, so plan accordingly and ensure you have sufficient mana available.

In Commander, players often pair Sword of the Animist with other equipment or artifacts that provide additional benefits. However, some combinations can be less effective than expected due to poor synergies.

• Poor synergy: While equipping multiple creatures with different artifacts can provide a temporary boost in power and toughness, it's essential to consider the long-term implications of these combinations. If you're solely relying on artifact-based equipment to keep your boardstate favorable, you may find yourself vulnerable to removal or countered by opponents.
• Better strategy: Balance your deck with a mix of artifact-based equipment and more durable creatures that can withstand removal. This way, you'll have a more robust gameplan that's less susceptible to counterspells or other forms of disruption.

Finally, some players overcommit to drawing lands quickly, forgetting about the potential drawbacks of tapping their library repeatedly.

• Overextending: Sword of the Animist's ability to search for basic lands can be tempting, but don't forget that this comes at a cost: each time you activate the trigger, your library becomes tapped. If not managed carefully, this can leave you vulnerable to card draw and mana disruptions.
• Better strategy: Consider using other means to maintain a steady stream of card draws or focusing on finding more robust lands that can provide additional benefits without tapping your library.

In conclusion, these common mistakes demonstrate the importance of considering timing, equip costs, and synergies when playing Sword of the Animist. By being mindful of these factors, you'll be better equipped to harness its power and make more informed deck-building decisions.

Sword of the Animist: A Versatile and Powerful Addition to Your Commander Deck

The Sword of the Animist is a rare, legendary artifact equipment card from the Commander Masters set. Its unique ability to search for basic lands during combat makes it an attractive choice for commanders looking to upgrade their loyal warriors or creatures with abilities tied to power and toughness.

Key Abilities:

• Equipped creature gets +1/+1: Grants your equipped creature a boost in power and toughness, making it more formidable on the battlefield.
• Whenever equipped creature attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle: Allows you to adapt your strategy on the fly by generating new lands during combat.

Tournament Presence:

While there is no specific information on Sword of the Animist's tournament presence, its ability to search for basic lands and grant +1/+1 makes it a potentially powerful addition to Commander decks. Its moderate popularity in EDHREC rankings suggests that it has seen play in various tournaments and Commander events.

Iconic Decks:

Sword of the Animist is often used in combination with other artifacts and equipment, such as Chalice of the Void or Sword of Light and Shadow, to create powerful and consistent gameplay. Its ability to search for basic lands makes it a versatile addition to any deck that relies on ramping up creatures quickly.

Budget-Friendliness and Reprint Status:

Sword of the Animist is a Rare card from the Commander Masters set, which has been out of print for some time. Its price reflects its relative scarcity, with a USD value of around $11.80 in near-mint condition.

While not extremely expensive by Magic standards, Sword of the Animist is still a significant investment for players on a budget. However, its utility as an Equipment and ability to generate card advantage make it a worthwhile consideration for those willing to splurge.

Budget-Friendly Alternatives in Commander:

For players seeking more affordable options with similar effects, consider the following alternatives:

• Gilded Light: A Mythic Rare from Guilds of Ravnica, Gilded Light grants +2/+2 and has a 4/4 body. Its ability to search for lands is particularly useful in Commander.
• Forked Lightning: An Uncommon from Core Set 2019, Forked Lightning allows you to search for basic lands during combat.
• Mox Opal: A Mythic Rare from Magic 2013, Mox Opal generates two mana and can help accelerate your gameplan.

These alternatives may not have the same rarity or power level as Sword of the Animist, but they can still provide valuable card advantage and utility in Commander decks.

Sword of the Animist: A Tool for Consistent Land Development

The Sword of the Animist is a versatile equipment that provides a steady supply of basic lands, allowing you to maintain a consistent mana curve. This artifact works well in various Commander decks, particularly those focused on green or hybrid color identities.

Color Identities and Themes:

• Green: As a green-themed deck, the Sword of the Animist can be paired with cards like Llanowar Elves, Elvish Mystic, or Golgari Findbroker to create a robust land development engine.
• Hybrid: In hybrid decks, the artifact complements cards like Jaddi Offshoot, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, or Rampant Growth to accelerate mana production and fuel more expensive spells.

Commanders:

• Ezuri, Renowned Leader: This Commander's ability to create 2/2 green creatures can benefit from the Sword of the Animist, which provides a +1/+1 boost to equipped creatures.
• Arclith Mawn: As a hybrid Commander, Mawn leverages the artifact's land development capabilities to fuel its own ramp and accelerate mana production.

Synergy Cards:

• Golgari Findbroker: This creature can be equipped with the Sword of the Animist, allowing you to draw cards in response to attacking creatures.
• Feldon of the Third Path: As a hybrid Commander, Feldon benefits from the artifact's land development engine, enabling more frequent plays and card draws.

Combo Notes:

• Land Flood: Pair the Sword of the Animist with cards like Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, Jaddi Offshoot, or Rampant Growth to create an explosive land flood, generating multiple lands in a single turn.
• Mana Acceleration: Combine the artifact with green creatures like Llanowar Elves, Elvish Mystic, or Golgari Findbroker to accelerate mana production and fuel more expensive spells.

Sword of the Animist

In Commander, Sword of the Animist is a moderate-power equipment that provides a straightforward +1/+1 boost to an equipped creature. Its ability to search for and put a basic land onto the battlefield tapped on attack is situational but potentially game-changing.

• In casual games, Sword of the Animist is often seen as a good addition to any green or artifact-heavy Commander deck.
• It's not particularly competitive in modern formats like Modern or Pauper, where more aggressive and efficient cards are preferred.
• However, it remains an acceptable choice for decks that focus on ramping mana quickly and playing bigger creatures.

Card Interactions

When equipped with Sword of the Animist, a creature gains +1/+1. This can be combined with other equipment like Aegis of the Legion or Sword of Feast and Famine to create a formidable attacker. The ability to search for lands during combat can also help maintain a consistent mana base, allowing players to cast bigger spells.

Comparison to Other Cards

Other cards that provide similar effects include:

• Sword of Light and Shadow, which gives the equipped creature +2/+0 and has an additional ability.
• Auramancer's equipment, Flickering Ward, provides a more situational benefit but can be useful in specific situations.

Overall, Sword of the Animist is a solid choice for Commander decks that prioritize ramping mana quickly and playing larger creatures. While it's not particularly competitive in modern formats, its value lies in providing a consistent +1/+1 boost and an occasional land drop during combat.

Key Scenarios & Matchups

Sword of the Animist excels in Commander when your equipped creature is a trampler or a threat that needs to attack aggressively. This setup allows you to tap into its ability to search for basic lands, disrupting opponents' plans and gaining an advantage.

• Monsters with High Power: Creatures like Krenko, Mob Boss or Griselbrand, which can easily deal 3+ damage, are perfect candidates to equip with Sword of the Animist. Their increased power and toughness make them formidable attackers.
• Ramp Engines: Using this card in combination with ramp spells like Fling or Mox Opal enables you to accelerate your mana development and search for lands more frequently.

However, when facing opponents who play a lot of removal spells (like Lightning Bolt, Abrupt Decay, or [Path to Exile), Sword of the Animist's abilities may not be as effective. These cards can neutralize its benefits by killing off equipped creatures or destroying land cards searched for via this ability.

• Counter-Measures: Opponents who anticipate using removal spells will likely develop a board presence that pressures you into keeping your creatures in a more precarious state, limiting the opportunities to use Sword of the Animist effectively.

History and Notable Appearances

Sword of the Animist was printed in the Commander Masters (CMM) set. It is a rare, legendary artifact-equipment card with a mana cost of {2}.

As an equipment, Sword of the Animist can be equipped to any creature, granting it +1/+1. This makes it a useful addition to any deck that relies on ramping up creatures quickly.

One notable aspect of this card is its ability to search for basic lands during combat. When an equipped creature attacks, you may search your library for a basic land, put it onto the battlefield tapped, and then shuffle your deck. This can help maintain a steady supply of mana and accelerate your game plan.

EDHREC Statistics

According to EDHREC, Sword of the Animist has an EDHREC rank of 243, indicating moderate popularity in Commander decks.

Prices

The prices for this card are as follows: eur = $7.28, eur_foil = $8.76, tix = $0.52, usd = $11.80, usd_foil = $11.61.

Tournament Presence

While there is no specific information on Sword of the Animist's tournament presence, its ability to search for basic lands and grant +1/+1 makes it a potentially powerful addition to Commander decks. Its moderate popularity in EDHREC rankings suggests that it has seen play in various tournaments and Commander events.

Iconic Decks

Sword of the Animist is often used in combination with other artifacts and equipment, such as Chalice of the Void or Sword of Light and Shadow, to create powerful and consistent gameplay. Its ability to search for basic lands makes it a versatile addition to any deck that relies on ramping up creatures quickly.

The Sword of the Animist is a rare, legendary artifact equipment card from the Coalition Mastery Masters set. This enchanting sword has a rich history tied to the world's animist tradition, where powerful artifacts are crafted to harmonize with the natural world.

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, the animists believe that every living being has a spark of life within it, which can be tapped into and amplified through their mastery of the arcane. They often create equipment imbued with this magical energy, allowing users to harness its power in battle. The Sword of the Animist is one such artifact, forged from a rare, ancient wood said to have been blessed by the spirits of the land.

When equipped to a creature, the sword grants it +1/+1, increasing its prowess on the battlefield. This bonus comes at no additional cost, making it an attractive choice for commanders looking to upgrade their loyal warriors or creatures with abilities tied to power and toughness.

However, the Sword's true value lies in its ability to summon new lands during combat. Whenever the equipped creature attacks, its wielder can search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle their deck. This feature allows players to adapt their strategy on the fly, ensuring they have access to the necessary mana sources to cast powerful spells and abilities.

The Sword's lore suggests that it was crafted by a reclusive animist, who imbued it with a spirit that can sense its wielder's intentions and adapt accordingly. Rumors claim that this animist forged other artifacts, each tied to specific elements: earth, air, water, or fire. These artifacts are said to be hidden away in ancient ruins, waiting for brave adventurers to uncover them.

Those who command the Sword of the Animist often do so with caution, as they must respect its power and balance it with their own abilities. Some legendary commanders have been known to wield this sword alongside other equipment cards, such as Doomsday Vault, to create a formidable synergy between artifact and animist magic.

In multiplayer games, players may choose to command the Sword of the Animist as part of a coalition with fellow animists, each contributing their unique artifacts to build a powerful arsenal. This cooperative approach can lead to spectacular victories, but also demands coordination and trust among coalition members.

The Sword's rarity and high price point (11.80 USD in near-mint condition) make it a prized possession for serious players looking to upgrade their artifact collections. When played with other legendary equipment cards like Bolas's Citadel or Erebos, God of Calamity, the Sword of the Animist shines as a testament to its creators' mastery over both magic and craftsmanship.

This sword's legend has captured the hearts of many, from battle-hardened commanders to novice players discovering its potential. Its story is one of connection with nature, magical energy, and strategy – all woven into the fabric of Magic: The Gathering's vast world.