Minecraft digs into MTG with The Lost Caverns of Ixalan’s Diamond Pick-axe

Minecraft and MTG are a crossover just waiting to happen, and we may have gotten an early taste of it in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

Thanks to its Universes Beyond line, Magic: The Gathering is crossing over with some of the biggest franchises in the world. From Marvel to Doctor Who, MTG cards are arriving featuring beloved worlds and characters from throughout fiction.

Though it has yet to receive the full Universes Beyond treatment, Minecraft is the recipient of a fun reference in the MTG’s The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set. Diamond Pick-axe is a brand-new card that is a reliable and hard-to-remove artifact and can boost the power of many red decks.

Diamond Pick-axe and treasure tokens

Treasure tokens have become a true staple of MTG in recent years, with treasure strategies standing alongside burn and haste and iconic elements of red mana.

While treasure tokens are an excellent addition to any deck, red contains the most explosive treasure generation in Magic. Now, Diamond Pickaxe joins the ranks of The Reaver Cleaver and Beamtown Beatstick as a reliable combat-focused treasure card.

When equipped to a creature that can reliably attack without being destroyed, Diamond Pick-Axe will allow you to stockpile treasure in no time, ready for an explosive play further down the line.

Crucially, Diamond Pick-axe only requires the equipped creature to attack, not deal damage. So if you can reliably afford the equip cost, slotting Diamond Pick-axe onto new creatures and throwing them at your opponents each turn will build up reliable resources.

Will we see Universes Beyond: Minecraft in the future?

Given that MTG has already featured Fortnite-themed cards, crossovers with immensely popular multiplayer games are certainly on the table.

Whether as a set, Commander Decks, or simply a small handful of cards, Minecraft’s ongoing status as one of the most popular games of all time makes it a prime target for MTG’s Universes Beyond. Time will tell if it pans out, but we’re certainly hoping.