Mox Opal: A Mythic-Rarity Artifact

Power Level: Very High Use Cases: * Artifact-heavy decks: Mox Opal excels in environments with a high concentration of artifacts, providing instant access to any color's mana. * Combo and midrange strategies: Its ability to add one mana of any color makes it an excellent enabler for combos and midrange plans.

Popular Formats: Commander, where its versatility and potential for explosive plays make it a highly sought-after card.

Card Functionality: Mox Opal

Mox Opal is a mythic-rarity, legendary artifact with an unusual mana cost of {0}. It has no power or toughness. The card's Oracle Text outlines its primary functionality:

• Metalcraft: This keyword ability requires the player to control three or more artifacts on the battlefield.
• Activation: When the Metalcraft condition is met, Mox Opal can be activated at instant speed ({T}) for a single colorless mana cost.

Activated Ability

When Mox Opal is activated:

• It adds one mana of any color to the player's pool. This includes all five colors: white, blue, black, red, and green.
• The ability triggers as an instant spell, which can be played on the stack without resolution delay.

Stack and Battlefield Interactions

Mox Opal interacts with other cards in the following ways:

• Artifact Counting: When counting artifacts for Metalcraft, all artifact creatures, including those with power/toughness values (like Aurelia, the Warleader), are considered. However, some artifacts may have additional effects or abilities that affect their count.
• Artifact Tutors: Cards like Golgari Findbroker and Jace, Architect of Beth-Morel can tutor Mox Opal into the player's hand. This allows players to accelerate the development of Metalcraft more quickly.
• Colorless Mana Generation: With a cost reduction from abilities or other sources (e.g., Vampiric Tutor), players can generate an additional colorless mana, potentially accelerating their overall game plan.

Edge Cases and Unusual Interactions

Some notable edge cases and interactions to consider:

• Multiple Mox Opals: If multiple Mox Opal instances are activated simultaneously, each will add one mana of any color.
• Colorless Mana Saturation: If a player controls an abundance of artifact sources, they may create an exponential amount of colorless mana through repeated activations of Mox Opal and other artifact sources.
• Metalcraft Interaction with Other Abilities: Cards like Liliana of the Veil's ability can interact with Metalcraft, potentially creating an advantage or disadvantage depending on the player's strategy.

Commander-Specific Quirks

In Commander formats, players often build around specific artifacts and abilities. Mox Opal's functionality is particularly well-suited for:

• Artifact-heavy Decks: Players who focus on artifact synergy can leverage Mox Opal to accelerate their game plan.
• Accelerated Gameplay: Commander decks that emphasize early-game aggression or mana acceleration can utilize Mox Opal to gain a tempo advantage.

Mox Opal is a versatile artifact that has seen play in various formats and Commander archetypes. Its ability to add one mana of any color, triggered by Metalcraft (controlling three or more artifacts), makes it an attractive inclusion for decks looking to accelerate their mana development.

Competitive Builds:

• Boros Tokens: This archetype excels at generating a large number of small creatures, which Mox Opal can complement with its ability to add colorless mana. Cards like Keldon Marauders, Champion of the Parish, and Gleam of Resistance create an ideal environment for Metalcraft.
• Jeskai Combo: This deck type focuses on quickly developing a combo, often involving Trostani's Summoner and Aurelia, the Warleader. Mox Opal helps to accelerate Jeskai's aggressive gameplan while enabling the combo.

Casual and Niche Builds:

• Millstone Combo: This archetype uses Mox Opal to accelerate its mill strategy, combining it with cards like Millstone, Koskun's Sceptre, and Ertai's Locus.
• Artificer Combo: A more niche archetype that leverages Mox Opal's ability to add colorless mana while playing into artifact synergy. Cards like Golgari Findbroker, Wrenn and Six, and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben support this strategy.

Color Identities:

• Mono-Blue: Mox Opal's ability to generate colorless mana makes it an excellent inclusion in mono-blue decks focused on flying creatures or artifact synergy.
• Azorius (W/B): The artifact synergies and flying threats in Azorius make Mox Opal a natural fit, enabling the deck to develop its gameplan quickly.

Overall, Mox Opal is a valuable addition to any Commander deck focusing on artifact synergy, with various strategies benefiting from its ability to accelerate mana development.

Mox Opal is a staple in many artifact-based decks, offering an incredible source of mana acceleration. Its ability to add one mana of any color at instant speed makes it particularly effective when paired with cards that have metalcraft or similar triggers.

Synergies

• Mox Opal plays well with Golgari Findbroker from the same set as it allows for a single artifact to enable its triggered ability.
• When combined with Aphetto, Servo Scourge, it becomes possible to accelerate mana by two colors, essentially gaining an extra card draw or using the artifact's own metalcraft trigger.
• For players running Aurelia, the Warleader or Estrid, the Masked, Mox Opal can provide a crucial boost in mana, enabling their powerful abilities.

Rules Tricks

• Mox Opal's ability doesn't specify that it can only add one mana to your available mana pool. This means it can potentially enable other abilities on the same turn.
• Because Aphetto, Servo Scourge has a metalcraft trigger of its own, players can use Mox Opal and Aphetto in conjunction for maximum effect.

Interactions

• As Mnemosyne from the same set has an ability that gives you a 1/1 artifact creature token whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, having Mox Opal on board can amplify its output.
• Combining Mox Opal with Wily Wizards allows for even more aggressive plays, as players can add multiple colors of mana at once.

These examples demonstrate how Mox Opal can be used to great effect in various artifact-based strategies.

Mox Opal: Timing Issues and Misplays

In Commander, Mox Opal's Metalcraft ability can be tricky to activate due to its timing requirements. Players often overlook the crucial detail that it must be activated during the beginning of the end step. This means it will resolve after all players have taken their end-step actions.

• Mishandling the End Step: A common mistake is attempting to activate Mox Opal's ability in response to a spell or ability resolving, which can put the ability on the stack at an inconvenient time. Instead, wait for the beginning of the end step and then use Mox Opal to add mana.
• Failing to Meet Metalcraft Requirements: Players often forget that they need three artifacts on the battlefield to activate Mox Opal's ability. This can lead to missed opportunities to generate additional mana or create a turn where you would otherwise be stuck.

Some notable cards that interact with Mox Opal's ability include:

• Tolarian Academy: A classic artifact that generates an additional artifact when tapped.
• Golgari Findbroker: An enchantment that creates a 1/1 artifact creature whenever you tap an artifact.
• Cultivate: A mana sink that generates two mana of any color, which can be used to activate Mox Opal's ability.

When playing with Mox Opal in Commander, prioritize setting up your artifacts on the battlefield and timing your activations carefully. This will help you avoid common mistakes and maximize its potential.

Mox Opal is a powerful artifact that provides mana acceleration through its Metalcraft ability. It allows players to add one mana of any color, which can be used for various spells and abilities.

Early Game Aggro: Mox Opal shines in early game aggro strategies, allowing players to develop a board presence quickly. Pairing it with low-toughness creatures like Savannah Lion or Kitchen Finks enables aggressive plays on turn two or three.

Combo and Control: In combo-focused decks, Mox Opal provides a crucial mana acceleration component, enabling the activation of powerful artifacts and spells. It's particularly effective in combination with card draw engines like Mentor of the Meek or Thassa's Bounty.

Multiplayer Politics: Mox Opal can be a game-changer in multiplayer games where players need to manage multiple opponents. By generating mana quickly, it allows for more aggressive plays and puts pressure on other players to keep up.

However, there are scenarios where Mox Opal struggles:

• Slow-Burning Decks: In decks that rely on slowly building up card advantage or ramping into bigger spells, Mox Opal's zero-mana cost doesn't provide as much value. Its benefits are less significant when the game is already in a late-stage.
• Artifact-Hungry Opponents: If an opponent has access to artifact destruction effects like Doom Blade or Shatter, they can neutralize Mox Opal's impact by removing it from the board.

Mox Opal's Metalcraft ability requires controlling three or more artifacts. This means that players need to have a robust artifact suite to unlock its full potential.

In terms of printings and reprints, Mox Opal has been reprinted in several sets, including Modern Masters (2013), Commander Anthology Volume II (2018), and the War of the Spark: Remastered set. These reprints have helped to maintain its accessibility for players.

Mox Opal's presence in tournament decks is notable, with appearances in various Commander formats, particularly in aggressive and artifact-heavy strategies. It has also seen play in Modern events, often as part of combos that take advantage of its ability.

According to EDHREC statistics, Mox Opal currently ranks 242nd among all cards by popularity, indicating a moderate level of interest from players. Its average price ranges between $38-$240 USD, depending on the format and rarity.

Mox Opal has appeared in iconic Commander decks such as "Kess, Discord's Captain" and "Estrid, the Masked".

In conclusion, Mox Opal is a powerful artifact that excels in scenarios where it can generate multiple mana sources quickly. Its Metalcraft ability makes it an excellent choice for players who want to accelerate their game plan.

Mox Opal is a versatile artifact that can be built around in various ways. One of the most obvious uses is with artifacts that provide additional power or abilities when combined with other artifacts, known as "Metalcraft" enablers.

Commanders and Color Identities

• Griselbrand: This Commander benefits from Mox Opal's ability to generate life and mana, making it a great pairing.
• Zurgo Bellstriker: With its aggressive token generation, Zurgo thrives in decks with abundant artifact acceleration, such as those built around Mox Opal.
• Color identities like Mono-Blue or Azorius can take advantage of the card's ability to generate mana without paying any costs.

Synergy Cards and Combos

Some key synergy cards include:

• Cerebral Eruption: This artifact provides an additional Metalcraft enabler, making it easier to activate Mox Opal.
• Metallic Mimicry: It allows players to create a clone of Mox Opal, effectively doubling its power.
• Thane of Law: A 2/4 flying creature that can help generate life and card advantage when combined with Mox Opal.

When building around Mox Opal, consider including artifacts like Juggernaut or Cerebral Eruption, which provide additional enablers for Metalcraft. Don't forget to include cards that take advantage of the mana generated by Mox Opal, such as ramp spells or more expensive permanents.

Additional Engine Cards

Some other engine cards that pair well with Mox Opal are:

• Aphetto Dredgewarder: A 4/5 creature that can help accelerate game development.
• Karn's Temporal Sundering: This artifact provides additional ramp and mana acceleration, making it easier to play more expensive permanents.
• Urza's Mine: Similar to Karn's Temporal Sundering, this artifact accelerates the player's mana production.

Key Takeaways

When building a deck around Mox Opal, focus on:

• Generating artifact tokens with Metalcraft enablers like Cerebral Eruption or Thane of Law
• Including cards that take advantage of the generated mana, such as ramp spells or more expensive permanents
• Adding engine cards that help accelerate game development and generate additional artifacts

Mox Opal is a highly sought-after artifact in Commander formats, particularly in casual and competitive play. Its unique ability to add one mana of any color when activated under Metalcraft conditions makes it an excellent companion for decks running multiple artifacts.

Competitive Play

In Commander, Mox Opal sees significant play in Artifact-themed decks, often alongside cards like Moxen and Expedition Map. It pairs particularly well with artifact-boosting effects from cards like [Craterhoarder, allowing players to accelerate their mana development and cast more expensive spells. In casual formats, Mox Opal is also popular in multi-color Commander decks that seek to take advantage of its versatility.

Casual Play

In casual play, Mox Opal is often used as a "free" card due to its low CMC (0). Its ability to add any color's mana allows players to quickly develop their board presence and cast spells from a variety of colors. It's particularly well-suited for casual decks that don't need the most competitive strategies.

Banned or Restricted

Mox Opal has been banned in several formats due to its powerful implications. In some Commander variants, it's restricted along with other cards like Expedition Map and Atraxa. However, in most standard Commander games, Mox Opal remains a staple in many artifact-based decks.

Overlooked Aspects

One potential oversight regarding Mox Opal is its limited interaction with some popular Commander archetypes. Specifically, it struggles to find synergy with token-generating strategies that rely on generating a high number of small tokens rather than powerful artifacts. This limitation makes Mox Opal less appealing in certain Commander decks.

Comparison and Pairing

When building around Mox Opal, it's essential to consider pairing it with cards that amplify its artifact-boosting effects. For example:

• Artifact-boosting effects: Craterhoarder], [[Grafdigger's Cage
• Artifact synergy: [Moxen, [Expedition Map
• Multi-color strategies: [Roon of the Reason, [Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools

Keep in mind that Mox Opal's effectiveness is highly dependent on the cards it's paired with. Its value lies in its ability to accelerate mana development and support a variety of artifact synergies.

Mox Opal Scenarios and Matchups

Mox Opal is a powerful artifact that excels in scenarios where it can generate multiple mana sources quickly. Here are some key matchups and situations where Mox Opal shines:

• Early Game Aggro: With its zero-mana cost, Mox Opal allows for rapid development of a board presence. Pairing it with low-toughness creatures like Savannah Lion or Kitchen Finks enables aggressive plays on turn two or three.
• Combo and Control: In combo-focused decks, Mox Opal provides a crucial mana acceleration component, enabling the activation of powerful artifacts and spells. It's particularly effective in combination with card draw engines like Mentor of the Meek or Thassa's Bounty.
• Multiplayer Politics: Mox Opal can be a game-changer in multiplayer games where players need to manage multiple opponents. By generating mana quickly, it allows for more aggressive plays and puts pressure on other players to keep up.

However, there are scenarios where Mox Opal struggles:

• Slow-Burning Decks: In decks that rely on slowly building up card advantage or ramping into bigger spells, Mox Opal's zero-mana cost doesn't provide as much value. Its benefits are less significant when the game is already in a late-stage.
• Artifact-Hungry Opponents: If an opponent has access to artifact destruction effects like Doom Blade or Shatter , they can neutralize Mox Opal's impact by removing it from the board.

Keep in mind that Mox Opal's Metalcraft ability requires controlling three or more artifacts. This means that players need to have a robust artifact suite to unlock its full potential.

Mox Opal, a legendary artifact from the Scars of Mirrodin set, was first released in 2010. Its unique ability to add one mana of any color when activated under Metalcraft has made it a sought-after card among players.

In terms of printings and reprints, Mox Opal has been reprinted in several sets, including Modern Masters (2013), Commander Anthology Volume II (2018), and the War of the Spark: Remastered set. These reprints have helped to maintain its accessibility for players.

Mox Opal's presence in tournament decks is notable, with appearances in various Commander formats, particularly in aggressive and artifact-heavy strategies. It has also seen play in Modern events, often as part of combos that take advantage of its ability.

According to EDHREC statistics, Mox Opal currently ranks 242nd among all cards by popularity, indicating a moderate level of interest from players. Its average price ranges between $38-$240 USD, depending on the format and rarity.

Mox Opal has appeared in iconic Commander decks such as "Kess, Discord's Captain" and "Estrid, the Masked".

In the world of Ravnica, where guilds vie for power and influence, Mox Opal shines like a beacon of innovation. This mythical artifact is said to have been created by the ingenious minds of the Azorius Senate's most brilliant engineers. They crafted it as a testament to their mastery over metalwork and craftsmanship.

With its sleek design and unassuming appearance, Mox Opal blends seamlessly into any collection of artifacts. Its true value lies in its Metalcraft ability, which allows it to grant mana when three or more artifacts are controlled. This mechanic is reminiscent of the early days of Ravnica's history, when the Azorius Senate would often deploy small squads of artificers to create temporary networks of machines and contraptions.

As a legendary artifact, Mox Opal is an enigmatic presence on the battlefield. Some believe it holds secrets about the ancient civilization of Naya, while others whisper that it was forged from the essence of the Eldrazi themselves. Its mana-granting ability makes it a valuable asset for any commander looking to accelerate their game plan.

In the hands of a cunning player, Mox Opal can become a game-changer. Imagine playing Ancestral Recall and Tome Radar in combination with Mox Opal's Metalcraft – the sheer mana acceleration would be unprecedented! Alternatively, pairing it with Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Sarkhan, the Masterless could create an unstoppable artifact-happy combo.

Mox Opal's lore is deeply rooted in Ravnica's rich history. Its existence serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly insignificant trinket can hold immense power when wielded by those who understand its true potential.