Artifact type

An artifact type is any subtype used for the further classification of artifact cards.

Description

Unlike creature types, artifact types don't appear on all artifacts. Instead they are only introduced for mechanical purposes.

Half of the artifact types are also varieties of predefined token, which come with default characteristics and abilities defined in game rules. Those types can also be used on non-token cards just like other subtypes.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (February 7, 2025—Aetherdrift)

Artifact Type

A subtype that’s correlated to the artifact card type. See rule 301, “Artifacts.” See rule 205.3g for the list of artifact types.

From the Comprehensive Rules (February 7, 2025—Aetherdrift)

• 205.3g Artifacts have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called artifact types. The artifact types are Attraction (see rule 717), Blood, Bobblehead, Clue, Contraption, Equipment (see rule 301.5), Food, Fortification (see rule 301.6), Gold, Incubator, Junk, Map, Powerstone, Treasure, and Vehicle (see rule 301.7).

List of artifact types

Artifact type	Variant	Year	Description
Attraction	Acorn	2022	Introduced in Unfinity to represent top-down tropes from carnivals, amusement parks, and circuses (e.g. rides, games, and stands). Attractions are kept in a separate deck, and they don't have normal Magic card backs.
Blood	Predefined	2021	Introduced in Crimson Vow. Predefined as a token with ", , Discard a card, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card."
Bobblehead	Universes Beyond	2024	Introduced in Fallout to represent the Vault-Tec bobblehead figures. Within the Fallout franchise they are used as stat increasing items for the seven primary statistics.
Clue	Predefined	2016	Introduced in Shadows over Innistrad". Predefined as a token with , Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card." Clue is also the subtype of a few printed cards.
Contraption	Acorn	2017	Contraptions were mentioned on Steamflogger Boss (Future Sight), but Unstable was the first set to feature cards with this subtype to represent machines or devices that appear strange or unnecessarily complicated, and are often badly made or unsafe. They are played from a separate Contraption deck through assembling.
Equipment		2003	Introduced in Mirrodin. Equipment cards enter the battlefield just like any other artifact, but may be attached to creatures using their Equip ability. Unlike Auras, however, if an Equipment is attached to a creature and the creature leaves the battlefield, the Equipment remains on the battlefield.
Food	Predefined	2019	Introduced in Throne of Eldraine. Predefined as a token with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life." Food is also the subtype of a few printed cards.
Fortification	Universes Beyond	2007	Introduced in Future Sight, fortifications act just like Equipment, except that fortifications attach to lands instead using their Fortify ability. For a long time, only one fortification has ever been printed. It finally was reused in Universes Beyond Fallout.
Gold	Predefined	2008	First used in Born of the Gods, and later specified as a predefined token in Theros Beyond Death as a token with "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color."
Hat	Predefined / Test card	2024	Introduced on Preston's Stage during the 2024 Las Vegas Planechase Unknown event. It is a token with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: Create a 1/1 white Rabbit creature token."
Incubator	Predefined	2023	Double-faced artifact tokens introduced in March of the Machine. Predefined as a token with ": Transform this artifact." on their front face and a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature on their back face. They are created exclusively with the Incubate mechanic.
Junk	Predefined / Universes Beyond	2024	Introduced in Fallout. Predefined as a token with ": Sacrifice this artifact: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. Activate only as a sorcery."
Key	Test card	2019	Introduced on Corrupted Key in the Mystery Booster set. It has no rules meaning or function by itself, but other cards and abilities may refer to it.
Map	Predefined	2023	Introduced in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Predefined as a token with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: Target creature you control explores. Activate only as a sorcery."
Powerstone	Predefined	2022	Introduced in Dominaria United. Predefined as a token with ": Add . This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell."
Scrap	Predefined / Test card	2024	Introduced on The Crafter during the 2024 Chicago Unknown Event. It is a token with no abilities that can be used as a sacrificial resource by other abilities or cards.
Scythe	Predefined / Test card	2024	Introduced on The Keeper of Four Scythes during the 2024 Las Vegas Unknown Event. It is an equipment with “Equipped creature gets +1/+1” and equip .
Treasure	Predefined	2017	Introduced in Ixalan. Predefined as a token with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color." Similar to Gold, except that they have to be tapped. Some printed cards also use Treasure as a subtype.
Vehicle		2016	Introduced in Kaladesh for artifacts that temporarily can become an artifact creature by assigning it a crew. Unlike some other subtypes on this list, Vehicle does not have baggage attached to its subtype, but they are visually unusual by being a non-creature with printed power and toughness values.