Top 10 Artifact Copies in Magic: The Gathering

Author:
Jeremy Gill
Updated:
Sep 1, 2024

Copying Artifacts in Magic

I like artifacts, you like artifacts. From mana rocks to combo engines to field-locking nets, their versatility and often-colorless costs fit in many decks. And what's really fun is letting opponents pay for high-cost relics, then sneaking in with a much cheaper copycat spell. Blue is especially proficient at mimicking—these are the ten best artifact-copying spells in Magic: The Gathering!

10. Echo Storm

Echo Storm simply creates a copy of an artifact, but you get to cast it an extra time for each time you've cast your commander! This works even if the base spell gets countered, and goes from solid to fantastic one with two-card partner commanders.

9. Three Steps Ahead

This spell adjusts to pick as many of the following options as you can afford, paying one base cost plus the following options:

+2 mana: Counter target spell
+3: Create a token copy of an artifact or creature you control
+2: Draw two cards, then discard one

Often it's used as a counterspell, but the token and draw options also warrant mention.

8. Mechanized Production

Production needs four mana, some time to work, and can only duplicate your own artifacts. But in exchange, you create a copy of the enchanted artifact at each of your upkeeps, and if you then control at least eight artifacts with the same name, you win! You can even cheese this with things like treasure tokens.

7. Artificer Class

Like all class enchantments, here you get an initial effect followed by two more when you upgrade with mana:

Level one (Base cost): Your first artifacts costs one less each turn
Level two (+2 mana): Reveal cards from deck until you find an artifact, add it to hand, and place the rest on bottom
Level three (+6): At the beginning of your end step, create a token copy of an artifact you control

In the right deck, all of these are great, first a discount, then a new card in hand, and finally ongoing duplication.

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6. Season of Weaving

This spell costs six whole mana, but lets you pick up to five cost's worth of effects, and you can pick the same one more than once:

Cost one: Draw a card (you can literally just draw five cards using this)
Cost two: Create a copy of an artifact or creature you control
Cost three: Return each non-land non-token permanent to its owner's hand

Versatility and power in one, you can board-wipe, refill your hand, and/or replicate your permanents.

5. Court of Vantress

On entry, Vantress makes you the monarch, a condition where you draw an extra card at your end step, but it can be taken from you when an opponent deals you combat damage.

But then, at your upkeep, if you're still the monarch, Vantress creates a copy of any artifact or enchantment, and even if you're not the monarch, it can become a copy of it. Solid effect if you're not the monarch, deadly if you are.

4. Molten Duplication

Wait, red can duplicate too? Well yes, but only for one round, as your copied creature or artifact is sacrificed at end of turn. Still, it only takes two mana, gains haste, and often catches opponents by surprise.

3. Surgical Metamorph

Metamorph can actually copy any permanent on the field, similar to Clever Impersonator, but is an artifact itself, synergizing better in artifact builds. Best of all, if you weren't the starting player, its cost drops from four to three, making it surprisingly affordable. Your commander? I think you mean our commander.

2. Phyrexian Metamorph

Phyrexian Metamorph copies any artifact or creature, counts as an artifact itself, and can be paid with either four mana or three and two life. This also means you don't even need blue mana to cast it!

1. Copy Artifact

Take a wild guess what this does. No silly, Lightning Bolt is a red card. No, Dark Magician is Yu-Gi-Oh. Stick with me here, Copy Artifact enters as a—hold onto your britches—copy of an artifact. And for just two mana, that's fantastic.

Other Copies in Magic

Today we focused on artifact-emphasize duplicates, but formats like EDH will also enjoy cloning enemy commanders with Altered Ego and the like. But for now, share your favorite replicating spells and I'll see you at our next MTG countdown!