Obsidian Macuahuitl

The myth

The macuahuitl was the Mexica warrior’s most characteristic weapon: a kind of wooden sword or club with obsidian blades set into its edges and glued with resin. It had no point; it cut with its razor-sharp blades and struck with the weight of the wood. According to archaeologist Marco Cervera Obregón, it is a distinctly Mesoamerican weapon of the Late Postclassic. Spanish chroniclers reported that it could inflict terrible wounds. Since obsidian is brittle, the blades broke and had to be replaced often.

Why it has this power

A Common equip giving +500 ATK and DEF to a Warrior or Beast-Warrior monster. It is wood with teeth of volcanic glass: simple, cheap and effective. It turns apprentices into real threats and shines even more on a Shorn Cuachic Veteran or a Jaguar Knight of the Night.

Did you know

No complete original macuahuitl survives; they are known mainly from codex images and chroniclers’ descriptions.

Connections

• In Tlali, Calmécac Student's deck
• In Cuauhtli, Lake Hunter's deck
• In Tepin, Veteran of the Flower War's deck
• In Yolotl, Mistress of the Mirror's deck

Where to get it

• Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
• Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
• Craft with card dust: 40 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. El macuáhuitl. Un arma del Posclásico Tardío en Mesoamérica (Arqueología Mexicana) — Marco Cervera Obregón
2. Aztec Warfare — World History Encyclopedia — Mark Cartwright
3. Obsidian in Mesoamerica — World History Encyclopedia — Mark Cartwright