The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager.
Skill Borrower may gain activated abilities that it can’t use. For example, if the top card of your library is an artifact or creature card with cycling, Skill Borrower will have cycling. However, since cycling can’t be activated from the battlefield, this won’t have any significant benefit. The same is true for unearth.
Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “[Cost]: [Effect].” Some keywords are activated abilities; they have colons in their reminder text.
Last observed on Scryfall 2 months ago at $0.34. Over the trailing 90 days the price moved between $0.02 and $0.36 across 47 observations. Cross-checked across TCGplayer, eBay sold, Cardmarket EU, and Star City.
This printing is one of 3 catalogued treatments from ALA — the lineup includes Foil and Nonfoil alongside the standard finish. Across our catalog the Rarix library tracks every variant in the same family so collectors can compare price, scarcity and demand inside a single lineage.
Card #56 of *Shards of Alara*, the set that shipped alongside the October 2008 Shards of Alara release.
Card type: Artifact Creature — Human Wizard, color identity blue, printed at rare. Rares occupy the bottom-of-pack rare slot in standard boosters. Mana cost: {2}{U} (3 converted).
Legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander.
EDHrec ranks this card #24,034 in Commander, putting it in the fringe-play tier of the format's playable pool.
Illustrated by Shelly Wan. Rarix catalogs 73 other cards credited to this artist.
Magic: The Gathering · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · Illus. Shelly Wan
Card data via Scryfall. Rarix is fan-made; not endorsed by the rights holders.
If an effect tells you to draw several cards, reveal each one before you draw it. Skill Borrower will momentarily gain the activated abilities of artifact and creature cards revealed this way, but you won’t be able to activate those abilities while the effect is still happening.
If the top card of your library changes while you’re activating one of Skill Borrower’s activated abilities gained from that card, the ability will still be activated and will resolve normally even though Skill Borrower has lost that ability.
