Soldevi Sentry MTG Card

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 132b

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 132a

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Soldier
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

The Sentry offers card advantage by sacrificing itself for a card draw in critical moments.
Instant speed sacrifice ensures strategic flexibility during gameplay, contributing to victory.
While versatile, the Sentry’s discard and snow mana cost can present deck-building challenges.

Text of card

o1: Regenerate. Target opponent may draw a card.

"Our newfound security enables us to turn more of our attentions to the wonders that lie deep within the soil." —Arcum Dagsson, Soldevi Machinist

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Soldevi Sentry might not seem like a traditional source of card advantage, but it provides strategic depth by offering to trade itself for a card in a tight situation. Its ability to be sacrificed to draw a card can be crucial when you are in need of more options or attempting to cycle through your deck for specific answers.

Resource Acceleration: While the Soldevi Sentry does not directly provide mana or acceleration, the act of sacrificing it when needed can help streamline your game plan. Eliminating the Sentry when it has outlived its usefulness allows you to maintain a lean and efficient board state, indirectly contributing to resource management.

Instant Speed: The flexibility offered by Soldevi Sentry is often in its ability to be sacrificed at instant speed. This means that you can wait until the last possible moment to decide whether keeping the Sentry as a blocker is more beneficial or if drawing a new card could give you the tools you need to turn the game in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Soldevi Sentry necessitates the player to discard a card to utilize its ability. In situations where your hand is already scarce, this could lead to an undesirable depletion of your hand, leaving you at a potential strategic disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact creature requires a payment of one snow mana to activate its ability. This can be restrictive since it demands a specific type of mana that may not be readily available in all decks, especially those not tailored around snow mechanics.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an overall cost that includes one generic mana and the aforementioned snow mana requirement to activate its ability, Soldevi Sentry’s costs can seem steep in comparison to other cards that either defend or provide utility without such specific and potentially cumbersome demands.

Reasons to Include Soldevi Sentry in Your Collection

Versatility: Soldevi Sentry’s ability to act both as an artifact and a creature offers a dynamic choice for deck building. Its low casting cost makes it a flexible option for early plays or as a safeguard against more aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card has inherent synergy with decks that capitalize on artifacts. Its activated ability to deal damage enhances various artifact-centric combos, specifically in strategies that untap artifacts for repeated use.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifacts play a key role, Soldevi Sentry provides an additional layer of interaction. Its ability to potentially deal damage each turn can be an asset against creature-heavy decks, tipping the balance in your favor.

How to beat

Soldevi Sentry is a versatile artifact creature that can be quite a puzzle on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. With the ability to both deal damage and potentially regenerate, it can be a thorn in your side if not handled correctly. However, understanding the card and knowing the right strategies can turn the tables in your favor.

One effective way to overcome Soldevi Sentry is by using spells that don’t allow regeneration, such as exile effects or ‘destroy and can’t be regenerated’ clauses. Also, taking advantage of its single point of toughness with direct damage spells can keep the Sentry from ever becoming a nuisance. Consider spells that can bypass its defenses, such as those that have the ability to target creatures with shroud or hexproof. Lastly, utilizing enchantment-based removal can be particularly effective since the Sentry cannot use its regeneration ability in response to an aura spell targeting it.

Remember, deploying these tactics strategically can neutralize Soldevi Sentry’s advantages and ensure that your opponent’s Sentry stays off the watchtower, giving you a clear path to victory in your MTG matches.

Cards like Soldevi Sentry

The Soldevi Sentry stands out as a unique artifact creature in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some similarities with cards like Wall of Spears, which also provides a defensive artifact creature at a low cost. However, Soldevi Sentry offers a unique ability to regenerate, giving it an edge in survivability over the Wall of Spears that lacks this feature.

Guardian Idol is another card that bears resemblance. Both serve as low-cost artifacts that can become creatures. Yet, Guardian Idol doesn’t need to sacrifice itself to deal damage to an opponent like Soldevi Sentry. Another counterpart is the Ornithopter, with its strong defensive stats and flying ability, although it doesn’t have the self-destructive option that can deter attackers quite like the Sentry does.

Overall, Soldevi Sentry provides a strategic mix of defense and potential aggression. While it might not have the sheer power of some artifact creatures or the versatility of others, its combination of low cost, ability to block multiple times through regeneration, and eventual offensive capability carve a niche for it in certain MTG decks.

Cards similar to Soldevi Sentry by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soldevi Sentry MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Alliances, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Soldevi Sentry and other MTG cards: