Skip to content

The Motherlode, Excavator

~$0.30 low · ~$2.45 high

Red. Legendary Artifact Creature — Robot

three generic manaone red manaone red mana

The Motherlode, Excavator

Fallout #62 · Illustrated by Josu Solano

What is The Motherlode, Excavator worth?

Cheapest copy

~$0.30

Non-foil · Fallout #62

Buy on TCGplayer

Highest TCGplayer price

~$2.45

Extended Art foil · Fallout #917

See it on TCGplayer

TCGplayer, eBay and Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy.

6 prices from $0.30 to $2.45. Every price is in the printings table below.

TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.

Oracle text

When The Motherlode enters, choose target opponent. You get an amount of an energy counter (energy counters) equal to the number of nonbasic lands that player controls.

Whenever The Motherlode attacks, you may pay an energy counteran energy counteran energy counteran energy counter. When you do, destroy target nonbasic land defending player controls, and creatures that player controls without flying can't block this turn.

5/5

All 4 printings of The Motherlode, Excavator

PrintingRarityNon-foilFoilCardmarket (EUR)My collection
Fallout #389
Fallout
pip #389· 2024Extended Artrare· Cardmarket €0.53 · €0.86 foil
rare$0.61$0.92€0.53€0.86 foil
Fallout #590
Fallout
pip #590· 2024Surge Foilrare· Cardmarket €1.42 foil
rareNo non-foil printing$1.36€1.42 foil
Fallout #917
Fallout
pip #917· 2024Extended ArtSurge Foilrare· Cardmarket €1.76 foil
rareNo non-foil printing$2.45€1.76 foil

Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.

Where to buy The Motherlode, Excavator

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We also take part in the TCGplayer (via Impact) and eBay Partner Network affiliate programs. Links to TCGplayer, eBay and Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Cardmarket links are not affiliate links.

Card details

First printed
2024
Printings
4
Mana value
5
EDHREC rank
#8,235 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
Artist
Josu Solano

Rulings (13)

  1. 2024-03-08

    If a spell or ability with one or more targets states that you "may pay" some amount of an energy counter, and each permanent that it targets has become an illegal target, the spell or ability won't resolve. You can't pay any an energy counter even if you want to.

  2. 2024-03-08

    an energy counter is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.

  3. 2024-03-08

    Some triggered abilities state that you "may pay" a certain amount of an energy counter. You can't pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of an energy counter as the ability resolves.

  4. 2024-03-08

    Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana "of any type" can't give you energy counters.

  5. 2024-03-08

    If an effect says you get one or more an energy counter, you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more an energy counter, you lose that many energy counters. You can't pay more energy counters than you have. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.

  6. 2024-03-08

    Some spells and abilities that give you an energy counter may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't get any an energy counter.

  7. 2024-03-08

    Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with any specific permanents.

  8. 2024-03-08

    Some triggered abilities that state that you "may pay" a certain amount of an energy counter describe an effect that happens "If you do." In that case, no player may take actions to try to stop the ability's effect after you make your choice. If the payment is followed by the phrase "When you do," then you'll choose any targets for that reflexive triggered ability and put it on the stack before players can take actions.

  9. 2024-03-08

    The Motherlode's reflexive triggered ability prevents all creatures without flying that player controls from blocking that turn, including creatures that lose flying after the ability resolves as well as creatures without flying that enter the battlefield or come under that player's control later in the turn.

  10. 2024-03-08

    Use the number of nonbasic lands the target opponent controls when The Motherlode's first ability resolves to determine the number of energy counters you get.

  11. 2024-03-08

    You don't choose a target nonbasic land at the time The Motherlode's last ability triggers. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when you pay an energy counteran energy counteran energy counteran energy counter this way. You choose a target for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.

  12. 2024-03-08

    Keep track of how many energy counters each player has. Potential ways to track this include writing them down on paper or using dice, but any method that is clear and mutually agreeable is fine. (At higher levels of tournament play, dice may not be allowed for tracking counters that players have.)

  13. 2024-03-08

    If the target nonbasic land is an illegal target as The Motherlode's reflexive triggered ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects happen. Creatures defending player controls without flying will still be able to block this turn.

Browse more: Fallout · all sets · search cards