Price$9.24 – $17.20
Buy on TCGplayerHelm of the Host
Legendary Artifact — Equipment
LegalRank #400
At the beginning of combat on your turn, create a token that's a copy of equipped creature, except the token isn't legendary. That token gains haste.
Equip 
KeywordsEquip
Why is this card good?
Helm of the Host is a colorless engine that snowballs absurdly fast: every combat you get a non-legendary, hasty copy of the equipped creature. The setup is steep — 4 to cast plus 5 to equip is nine mana before you see value — but once it's online it compounds every turn, including bypassing the legend rule so you can copy your commander.
The best targets are creatures with powerful ETB or attack triggers, or ones that just win on copies. Think Aurelia (extra combats stacking), Godo (which can fetch and equip Helm to itself), Najeela, Brudiclad, or any value engine like Etali or Avenger of Zendikar. Token and "go-wide" or extra-combat decks love it most.
Don't play it in low-curve aggressive or cEDH decks — nine mana for a turn-delayed payoff is too slow against fast metas. It's also a do-nothing pile if it sits without a worthwhile creature to equip, so build around it rather than slotting it as generic value.
Related cards
Sword of the Animist
Another high-impact equipment that rewards repeated combat triggers.
Blade of Selves
Also makes nontoken combat copies of the equipped creature each attack.
Followed Footsteps
Repeatedly copies a creature each turn like Helm's token engine.
Mirage Mirror
Flexible artifact that can copy creatures for value.
Sword of Hearth and Home
Combat-trigger equipment offering ramp and protection.
Lithoform Engine
Doubles triggers to enhance copy-based strategies.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Makes hasty token copies of creatures repeatedly.
Saheeli, the Gifted
Generates token copies of artifacts and creatures for similar value.
Printings (8)
Played by these commanders
Zinnia, Valley's Voice100% of 1
Combos (8)
- Aurelia, the Warleader + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite ETB
- Godo, Bandit Warlord + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite combat phases, Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB
- Combat Celebrant + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite combat phases, Infinite ETB, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce
- Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB
- Port Razer + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature tokens with haste
- Scourge of the Throne + Helm of the Host
→ Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite ETB
Tokens & Emblemsthis card creates
Rulings (8)
- 2018-04-27
If the copied creature is a token, the token that's created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token.
- 2018-04-27
If the copied creature is copying something else (for example, if the copied creature is a Clone), then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied.
- 2018-04-27
The token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
- 2018-04-27
The token isn't legendary, and this exception is copiable. If something else copies the token later, that copy also won't be legendary. If you control two or more permanents with the same name but only one is legendary, the "legend rule" doesn't apply.
- 2018-04-27
The token gains haste indefinitely, and this effect isn't copiable. If something else copies the token later, that copy won't have haste.
- 2018-04-27
If the copied creature has
in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0. - 2018-04-27
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
- 2018-04-27
If the equipped creature leaves the battlefield before the triggered ability of Helm of the Host resolves, or if there is no equipped creature, no token is created. However, if Helm of the Host leaves the battlefield while its triggered ability is on the stack, a token will be created of the creature it last equipped. If that creature has also left the battlefield, its last known information is used to determine what the token looks like.