Talisman of Dominance — Magic: The Gathering card

Talisman of Dominance

{2}
Artifact

{T}: Add {C}.

{T}: Add {U} or {B}. This artifact deals 1 damage to you.

Set Murders at Karlov Manor Commander
Rarity Uncommon
Mana Value 2
Artist Mike Dringenberg
Collector # 242
Scryfall

Why Play Talisman of Dominance

Mana acceleration is crucial in competitive Magic, and Talisman of Dominance provides reliable two-color fixing while ramping you from two to four mana on turn three. The one damage cost is negligible in most games, making this effectively a painless dual land that also accelerates your mana development. Blue-black decks particularly value the ability to cast expensive threats like planeswalkers and win conditions ahead of schedule, while the colorless mana option provides flexibility for artifact-heavy strategies.

Format Notes

Commander represents the strongest home for Talisman of Dominance, where the slower pace makes ramp artifacts extremely valuable and the life loss rarely matters in multiplayer games. Modern occasionally sees play in Dimir control or artifact-based strategies, though it faces stiff competition from other mana rocks. Legacy and Vintage inclusion is rare due to the faster pace and availability of more powerful mana acceleration, but it can appear in casual builds or budget alternatives to more expensive options.

Combos & Synergies

Artifact-based strategies benefit tremendously from having cheap mana rocks to enable explosive turns with cards like Urza, Lord High Artificer or to fuel affinity costs. The talisman pairs excellently with Silas Renn, Seeker Adept in Commander, providing both the artifact synergy and mana fixing needed for Dimir artifact recursion strategies. Any deck running expensive Dimir spells like Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver or Karn Liberated appreciates the acceleration to deploy threats ahead of curve.

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Artifact Modern Commander Legacy