Magic: The Gathering has a variety of card types, and Equipment is one of the most flexible. Equipment artifacts can grant extra power, toughness, or even give creatures new abilities. But there’s a question many newer players ask: can you move Equipment around once it’s attached? Yes, you can, though there are certain rules you have to follow. Below, we’ll look at how Equipment works, why these rules matter, and a few tips on making the most of your arsenal.
What Equipment Actually Is
Equipment is a subtype of artifact that you cast as you would any other artifact. Once it’s on the battlefield, you can pay its equip cost to attach it to a creature you control. This cost is paid at the same speed you would cast a sorcery, meaning you can only do it during your main phase when nothing else is happening on the stack. After you pay that cost, the Equipment is firmly attached to your chosen creature.
Equipment differs from Auras in one critical way: if the creature it’s attached to leaves the battlefield, the Equipment stays behind. It doesn’t go to the graveyard unless a rule on the card specifically says so. This leaves you free to pay the equip cost again and attach it to another creature later. Some players overlook this detail and think they have to let the Equipment go too, but that’s not how it works.
How to Attach and Reattach
Once you have an Equipment on the battlefield, you attach it by paying the listed equip cost. If you want to move it to a different creature, you can do that too. You just pay the equip cost again (still at sorcery speed) and move it to another creature you control. There’s no discount for moving it from one creature to another; you always pay the full cost. If that cost is zero on some fancy card, good news—you can do this without spending mana.
Players sometimes ask if they can “unequip” an Equipment. The short answer is no. The rules say that if it’s possible for an Equipment to be attached to a creature, it must be. That means you can’t simply pay a cost to make it fall off. If there’s a situation where it can no longer be attached, such as if the creature phases out or leaves the battlefield, the Equipment will sit there unattached until you choose to reattach it.
Special Cases and Free Attachments
Plenty of Equipment cards have abilities that let them bypass the usual equip process. For example, some Equipment might say, “Whenever this creature enters the battlefield, attach this Equipment to it.” In that case, you skip paying the equip cost altogether and attach it right away. Another example is an Equipment that might have a triggered ability that allows you to move it under certain conditions. One might say, “Whenever you cast an instant, you may attach this Equipment to target creature you control,” or something along those lines.
These special cases are powerful because they save you time and mana. If you have to spend mana every time you want to attach your Equipment, you might lose tempo in an otherwise fast-paced match. Automatic attachments can give you a bit of an edge when you’re trying to keep your board state flexible and your resources available.
Why Moving Equipment Matters
You might be wondering, why does moving Equipment around even matter? Aren’t you just pumping one of your creatures? Sometimes you want to optimize your attacks or blocks. Maybe you started the turn by attacking with a small creature, gave it a boost with an Equipment, and now your opponent threatens another creature. If you can pay the equip cost again, you can move that Equipment to a fresh blocker before combat damage happens.
Another scenario is when your key creature has just been destroyed or exiled. If that creature was carrying all your Equipment, you can still use those items. You simply wait until you have another creature out, then pay the equip cost and slap it on your new attacker. It takes some planning, but it can be a lifesaver when you don’t have enough cards in hand to keep up pressure.
Strategic Tips
Managing your mana is a big deal with Equipment. It’s easy to get carried away, trying to move everything around to match your exact needs. But you might find yourself short on mana if you’re too quick to reattach items multiple times in a turn. One approach is to set up a creature with beneficial Equipment before you go to combat. You can do a quick mental check: do you have enough mana left to move Equipment again if something unexpected happens?
Another tip is to look out for cards that reduce equip costs or provide alternative ways to attach Equipment. Anything that says “Equip costs you pay cost 1 less to activate” is worth considering. It can lead to more fluid board states, especially if you have multiple creatures that each deserve a piece of the action.
If you have a creature that’s particularly good at surviving fights or dealing damage, pile a few Equipment cards onto it. But keep in mind that you might need a backup plan if your opponent figures out a way to remove that creature. Moving Equipment around can be your best fallback strategy.
Conclusion
Equipment adds a layer of depth to Magic: The Gathering. Being able to move these artifacts around is essential when you need to adapt to your opponent’s moves. You pay the equip cost, attach it to your creature, and later, if you want to shift it to something else, you just pay the equip cost again. You can’t just drop the Equipment to the ground without a reason, but it will automatically become unattached if the creature it’s on leaves play. Some Equipment also provides shortcuts for attaching, which can save you mana and keep your momentum. Knowing these details will help you handle Equipment more effectively. And who doesn’t like having a flexible array of swords proxies, shields, and magical trinkets at their disposal?
