Ashnod's Altar — Magic: The Gathering card

Ashnod's Altar

{3}
Artifact

Sacrifice a creature: Add {C}{C}.

Set Chronicles
Rarity Common
Artist Anson Maddocks

Why Play Ashnod's Altar

Artifact-based ramp and sacrifice engines provide incredible versatility in decks that generate value from creatures entering or leaving the battlefield. The two colorless mana output enables explosive turns when combined with creature tokens or expendable utility creatures. Playing this card early allows you to accelerate into higher-cost threats while maintaining board presence, and it becomes increasingly powerful as the game progresses and creature density increases.

Format Notes

Commander represents the primary home for this powerful engine, appearing in countless sacrifice-based strategies and combo decks across all power levels. Legacy occasionally features it in combo builds, while Pauper sees moderate play in token strategies despite the format's lower power level. The card has never faced banning concerns due to its fair mana cost and requirement for creature investment, making it a stable inclusion across eternal formats.

Combos & Synergies

Infinite mana loops emerge when paired with Nim Deathmantle and any creature that creates multiple tokens on entry, such as Grave Titan or Siege-Gang Commander. Academy Manufactor transforms the altar into an incredible value engine by generating treasure, food, and clue tokens from any token-creation effects. Token producers like Krenko, Mob Boss or Whisper Squad provide consistent fodder while advancing your board state, creating sustainable advantage engines that pressure opponents from multiple angles.

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Artifact