Equip

Equip (Equip [quality])
Keyword Ability
Type	Activated
Introduced	Mirrodin
Last used	Evergreen
Reminder Text	Equip [cost] ([Cost]: Attach this permanent to target creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.) Equip [quality] [cost] ([Cost]: Attach this permanent to target [quality] creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Statistics	353 cards 5.9% 1.1% 4% 4.8% 3.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.8% 0.3% 0.6% 0.3% 78.5%
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Equip is a keyword ability found on artifacts with the subtype "Equipment". By paying the equip cost, you can attach the artifact to a creature you control, which is referred to in the text as the "equipped creature".

Description

Equipping can only be activated at sorcery speed. When an equipped creature leaves the battlefield, unlike Auras, the equipment remains on the battlefield.

The first cards with equip appeared in Mirrodin. It was so flavorful and so popular, that it went evergreen immediately. Ninth Edition was the first core set to feature the keyword.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Equip

A keyword ability that lets a player attach an Equipment to a creature they control. See rule 301, “Artifacts,” and rule 702.6, “Equip.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.6. Equip
  • 702.6a Equip is an activated ability of Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this permanent to target creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery.”
  • 702.6b For more information about Equipment, see rule 301, “Artifacts.”
  • 702.6c Equip abilities may further restrict what creatures may be chosen as legal targets. Such restrictions usually appear in the form “Equip [quality]” or “Equip [quality] creature.” These equip abilities may legally target only a creature that’s controlled by the player activating the ability and that has the chosen quality. Additional restrictions for an equip ability don’t restrict what the Equipment may be attached to.
  • 702.6d If a permanent has multiple equip abilities, any of its equip abilities may be activated.
  • 702.6e “Equip planeswalker” is a variant of the equip ability. “Equip planeswalker [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this permanent to target planeswalker you control as though that planeswalker were a creature. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Equip [quality]

Starting with Dominaria equip can now specify a quality a creature must have to be equipped. In practice, this has taken the form of a discounted equip cost as a general cost is printed alongside it, in contrast to equipment such as Konda's Banner or Gate Smasher.

Luxior, Giada's Gift is the first to use a noncreature permanent as the quality.

Set	Quality	Example
Dominaria	Legendary creature	Blackblade Reforged
Strixhaven: School of Mages	Creature token	Team Pennant
Commander Legends	Commander	Commander's Plate
Throne of Eldraine	Knight	Steelclaw Lance
Streets of New Capenna	Planeswalker	Luxior, Giada's Gift
Streets of New Capenna	Citizen	Ritual Ground-breaker
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate	Shaman, Warlock, or Wizard	Robe of the Archmagi

While Bloodthirsty Blade (Commander 2019) doesn't use the keyword, it basically equips a target creature an opponent controls.

Examples

Example 1

Whispersilk Cloak
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature can't be blocked and has shroud. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Equip

Example 2

Blackblade Reforged
Legendary Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control.
Equip legendary creature
Equip