Price$18.76 – $21.44
Buy on TCGplayerUnwinding Clock
Artifact
Legal Salt 1.18Rank #550
Untap all artifacts you control during each other player's untap step.
Why is this card good?
Unwinding Clock turns your artifacts into pseudo-vigilant assets that work on everyone's turn, not just yours. That's a massive efficiency boost if your artifacts have activated abilities or tap to do anything meaningful.
Where it shines:
- Artifact/mana rock decks — your Mana Rocks untap during each opponent's turn, effectively quadrupling your ramp output for instant-speed plays, counterspells, or commanders like Urza or Jhoira.
- Tap-based engines — Voltaic Construct combos, Clock of Omens loops, or untapping things like Staff of Domination and Gilded Lotus to generate absurd mana/value.
- Manlands and tappers — Icy Manipulator, Tangle Wire shenanigans, or stax pieces you reuse on each turn cycle.
- Combo enablers — it's a real piece in Urza/artifact combo and mana-positive infinite loops.
When to skip it: if your artifacts are mostly static (signets you only tap once on your turn, equipment, mana rocks with no untap payoff), the Clock does nothing meaningful. It needs density of tappable, abusable artifacts to justify four mana and a card slot. Niche but powerful where it fits.
Related cards
Seedborn Muse
Untaps all your permanents each other player's untap step, broader version.
Clock of Omens
Untaps artifacts for repeated activations, synergizes with artifact-tap strategies.
Voltaic Key
Untaps an artifact to reuse mana rocks or activated abilities.
Manifold Key
Untaps artifacts and grants unblockable, similar untap utility.
Inspiring Statuary
Improvise lets artifacts effectively help cast spells alongside untap engines.
Paradox Engine
Untaps nonland permanents including artifacts when casting spells.
Tezzeret the Seeker
Untaps artifacts for huge mana bursts, artifact synergy payoff.
Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient
Doubles artifact activated abilities, pairs with repeated untapping.
Printings (6)
Played by these commanders
Saheeli, the Gifted100% of 1
Rulings (3)
- 2011-06-01
Those artifacts untap at the same time as the active player's permanents. You have no choice about what untaps and can't choose to not untap an artifact you control.
- 2011-06-01
Some effects, such as the one generated by Rust Tick's ability, state that an artifact doesn't untap during its controller's untap step. These effects won't apply and stop the artifact from untapping during another player's untap step.
- 2011-06-01
Even if you control more than one Unwinding Clock, you'll only untap your artifacts once during each other player's untap step.