Molder Spellbomb and Pyrite Spellbomb (Original Sketch)

Pyrite Spellbomb is a one-mana artifact from Mirrodin (2003) with two activated abilities to either draw a card or deal 2 damage to any target. Pyrite Spellbomb is the definition of a small, flexible role-player. It functions as removal when you need it – two damage kills many early creatures, and it can also be used as a win condition (e.g. Artist’s Talent, Auriok Salvagers). This card also serves as a redraw when removal is bad – it’s “cycling mode” keeps it from ever being dead. Because it’s a 1-mana artifact, it is easily found with cards like Urza’s Saga, Goblin Engineer, and Trinket Mage – making it a tutorable artifact. Spellbomb also has graveyard synergy, it can be recurred with e.g. Emry, Lurker of the Loch and Auriok Salvagers. Pyrite Spellbomb is valued for being cheap, flexible, and synergistic. In Legacy, this card’s existence is almost purely because of Urza’s Saga. Therefore it’s seen in decks that play Urza’s Saga and can use the effect. It’s played in artifact-based decks like Blue Painter (UR) and Affinity / “8-Cast” – both decks are playing with Urza’s Saga and Emry, Lurker of the Loch to either tutor it or recur it from the graveyard. Lands decks often play one copy too for some extra utility with Urza’s Saga. It also used to be played in Auriok Salvagers Combo/Control (“Bomberman”) as a win condition, but nowadays this deck plays with Walking Ballista instead.
In the current Modern format, it can also be seen in decks that play Urza’s Saga such as Red Deck Wins and Jund – and in decks that run both Saga and Emry like Affinity and Song of Creation. In Pauper it’s played in decks such as Affinity, and Kudoltha Red / Red Deck Wins – mostly as a flexible anti-creature option or for artifact count (Affinity). In Commander / EDH, Pyrite Spellbomb acts mainly as a toolbox artifact card – especially in decks with Oswald Fiddlebender, Urza, Lord High Artificer and Emry, Lurker of the Loch. Pyrite Spellbomb is not on the Reserved List.