Repentant Blacksmith MTG Card
1993-12-17 - Number 9
1995-07-01 - Number 11
1995-08-01 - Number 10
1997-03-24 - Number 54
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human |
| Abilities | Protection |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage and resource optimization, especially in red-heavy metagames.
- Its white mana requirement and lack of versatility can hamper deck synergy.
- A specialized early-game defender that can shine in the right deck composition.
Text of card
Protection from red
"For my confession they burned me with fire And found that I was for endurance made." —*The Arabian Nights*, trans. Haddawy
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Repentant Blacksmith excels at providing a steady form of card advantage through its durability on the battlefield. Its resistance to red spells and effects often means it stays in play longer, effectively denying your opponent’s removal strategies and safeguarding your other creatures or strategy.
Resource Acceleration: While the Repentant Blacksmith doesn’t directly ramp your mana resources like some other cards, its inherent resilience against an entire color allows for the diversion of resources elsewhere. By not having to dedicate extra cards for protection against red spells, players can accelerate their game plan in other areas.
Instant Speed: Although the Repentant Blacksmith itself is not an instant, its passive ability is always “on,” working to potentially nullify threats at any speed. This constant protection can be leveraged as a tactical advantage, enabling players to play more aggressively with their instant-speed spells, knowing their defense against red is secured.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Repentant Blacksmith doesn’t have a discard requirement per se, its defensive utility might compel a player to forfeit more aggressive cards from hand to maintain board presence, potentially leading to a less dynamic play.
Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a specific white mana to cast, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-color deck strategies that require a more flexible mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering its mana value of two, Repentant Blacksmith’s abilities might be perceived as underwhelming when compared to other creatures that offer more versatility or power for a similar investment.
Reasons to Include Repentant Blacksmith in Your Collection
Versatility: Repentant Blacksmith offers a resilient option for decks needing a solid early-game defender. Its ability to avoid damage from red spells and effects makes it an adaptable choice, especially in environments heavy with red aggression.
Combo Potential: This card can be a strategic piece in combos that exploit its protection. Think of using it alongside multi-color supportive cards that bolster its defensive capabilities, turning it into a formidable blocker that’s hard to remove using red damage-based spells.
Meta-Relevance: As red decks can often dictate the pace in certain metas, having Repentant Blacksmith can ensure you have a persistent threat on the board. It’s particularly useful in metas where direct damage spells or red creatures with burn abilities are commonly played.
How to beat
Repentant Blacksmith is a niche MTG card from the era of early Magic that brings a specific resilience to the table. Due to its protection from red, it stands strong against decks leveraging red damage spells or creatures. Nevertheless, this ability can also be its downfall, as it limits its defense to a singular aspect of the color wheel.
When facing Repentant Blacksmith, consider utilizing black, white, green, or blue tactics that circumvent its protection. Black spells such as Doom Blade or white exile mechanisms via cards like Path to Exile bypass the protection entirely. Green offers a plethora of fight cards and powerful creatures to overwhelm the Blacksmith, while blue’s bounce and counter spells make short work of any threat he might pose. The key is to adapt your strategy, employ removal or direct creature combat from outside the red spectrum, and the Blacksmith’s repentance quickly turns to defeat.
Conclusively, Repentant Blacksmith serves as a reminder of Magic’s diverse strategies. Its narrow focus on red protection is an interesting attribute but can be ingeniously outmaneuvered by a well-rounded deck that is prepared to handle specialized threats with versatile responses.
Cards like Repentant Blacksmith
Within the realm of Magic the Gathering, Repentant Blacksmith offers a unique defensive capability among early-game creatures. A close relative in function is the card Shielded by Faith. Like Repentant Blacksmith, Shielded by Faith provides protection, specifically from the color red, which could mean the difference between sustaining a strategic defensive position or falling to an aggressive red deck onslaught.
Guardian Angel is another card that can be compared, which also focuses on damage prevention, albeit as a one-time spell rather than a creature’s static ability. While not a creature, Guardian Angel can prevent damage from any color source, giving it a broader application during a critical turn in the game. Then there’s the card Frontline Medic, whose battalion ability can make your army indestructible for a turn when attacking with two other creatures, thereby offering a more aggressive counterpart to the Blacksmith’s protective stance.
To sum up, Repentant Blacksmith holds its ground by providing consistent defense against red spells and abilities – a characteristic that’s pivotal in certain MTG matchups. Moreover, its resilience on the battlefield underscores its relative value among early-game protective cards.
Cards similar to Repentant Blacksmith by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Repentant Blacksmith MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Chronicles, 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 Repentant Blacksmith and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Repentant Blacksmith Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 1997-03-24. Illustrated by Drew Tucker.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 9 | 1993 | normal | black | Drew Tucker | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 11 | 1993 | normal | white | Drew Tucker | |
| 3 | 1995-08-01 | Rinascimento | RIN | 10 | 1993 | normal | black | Drew Tucker | |
| 4 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 54 | 1997 | normal | white | Drew Tucker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Repentant Blacksmith has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
