Darksteel

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Darksteel
Shield of Kaldra
Released	February 6, 2004
Size	165 cards (55 commons, 55 uncommons, 55 rares)
Keywords	Modular
Mechanics	Indestructible
Designers	Bill Rose (lead), Tyler Bielman, Brian Schneider, Mark Rosewater
Developers	Henry Stern (lead), Tyler Bielman, Brandon Bozzi, Charlie Catmandu, and Brian Schneider
Dev. code	Lettuce
Exp. code	DST
	v · d · e
Second set in the Mirrodin block
Mirrodin Darksteel Fifth Dawn

Darksteel is an expansion set for the game Magic: The Gathering, the second in the Mirrodin block of sets that also features Mirrodin and Fifth Dawn. It was released in February 2004, containing 165 cards. Darksteel continued the themes established in Mirrodin: Artifact cards, equipment and the mechanics that debuted. The expansion symbol for the set is the miniature version of the stylized Shield of Kaldra.

Darksteel featured the powerful single card drawing engine masked as the infamous equipment Skullclamp. When it was eventually banned during block constructed a few months after Darksteel's release, Skullclamp was the first to have been banned in block constructed since Mercadian Masques' Rishadan Port.

Set history

Darksteel was the first "small" expansion to have 165 cards, whereas previous small expansions had 143, (with the exception of Legions which had 145 as a balance among the five colors.)

Storyline

The Darksteel Eye is the second novel in the Mirrodin Cycle by Jess Lebow. It continues the journey of Glissa, an elf, after the infiltration of the Synod and the recollection of all the golem Bosh's memories. They now must travel back across Mirrodin to seek the power that resides in the center of Mirrodin.

Mechanics

The following mechanics first appeared in Darksteel:

• Indestructible - Mechanic that made permanents indestructible. These permanents can't be destroyed by "destroy effects" or lethal damage. This mechanic, like double strike, was introduced in a small set but has become a common mechanic used in later sets as well; generally, small mechanics are used for a single set and then not used again. In the Darksteel card set, all indestructible cards are artifacts. In the story world, most of the indestructible artifacts are constructed of darksteel, a fictional material. This material appears in the cards' artwork as a dark gray metal with yellow motes of energy swirling around it. Indestructible cards in later sets do not conform to this pattern.
• Modular - A keyworded ability of artifact creatures, these creatures would come into play with a set number of counters and, upon the destruction of that creature, could transfer them to another artifact creature.
• Charge counters - One of the themes of the block, several artifacts in Darksteel functioned by accumulating these counters, which players could then spend for various effects. Most notable among these was Darksteel Reactor, which can win the game entirely by itself if left alone.

Notable cards

• Skullclamp - A powerful card drawing machine in a deck full of creatures of any color. Often banned from competitive tournaments and casual playgroups alike.
• Æther Vial - Another powerful artifact that favors decks playing many creatures that has been banned in both Standard and Extended formats.^[1] It serves both as a catalyst and a means of resolving key creatures against counterspells.
• Arcbound Ravager - Key beater of artifact heavy aggro decks, specifically those abusing the Affinity for artifacts mechanic. Arcbound Ravager was banned in Standard along with Disciple of the Vault and the five artifact lands.^[2]
• Trinisphere - An artifact that made spells the cost less than 3 cost 3, Trinisphere was restricted in Vintage tournaments on March 1, 2005. While it kept combo decks in check, it also had an extremely powerful interaction with the card Mishra's Workshop,^[3][4] allowing it to be played on the first turn.

References

1. ^ "September 2005 DCI Banned and Restricted List Announcement". http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/announce/dci20050901a. 
2. ^ Aaron Forsythe. "Latest Developments: Eight Plus One". http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/af56. 
3. ^ Stephen Menendian. "The Harmony Of The Spheres: A Closer Look At Trinisphere In Type One". http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/6606.html. Retrieved 2007-06-19. 
4. ^ Stephen Menendian. "A Player's Guide to Type One". http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/feature/224. Retrieved 2007-06-19. 

External links

• Wizards' Official page for Darksteel