Porcelain Legionnaire MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Soldier |
| Abilities | First strike |
| Released | 2011-05-13 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | New Phyrexia |
| Set code | NPH |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 19 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Eric Deschamps |
Key Takeaways
- Efficient casting cost and First Strike ability make it a competitive creature for early game plays.
- Offers deck versatility through Phyrexian mana, fitting varied deck types with minimal resource investment.
- Despite potential life point costs, it remains a valuable asset in aggressive and control strategies.
Text of card
({PW} can be paid with either or 2 life.) First strike
"My new design has lightweight plating specially cultivated from heretics' spare tissues." —Izathel, priest of the Annex
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Porcelain Legionnaire offers a strategic edge in deck building. Its low cost makes it a favorable addition without compromising on quality creatures in your deck. By using Phyrexian mana, you can opt to pay with life points instead of color-specific mana, which can give you a sizable advantage when you’re strategizing for creature presence on the board without tapping too much into your mana resources.
Resource Acceleration: With an adaptable casting cost and the potential to be played as early as turn two, the Porcelain Legionnaire can accelerate your game plan. It’s also efficient in the sense that it can fit into almost any deck, requiring minimal mana investment or life points, thus speeding up your ability to establish other necessary resources on the field.
Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the Porcelain Legionnaire complements instant-speed strategies. It’s a sturdy creature that can hold the ground while you keep mana for reactionary plays. This makes it a consistent threat that synergizes well with a strategy involving instant-speed interaction, blending the need for board presence with the flexibility to respond to opponents’ moves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Porcelain Legionnaire can be cast using Phyrexian mana, it necessitates a payment in life if the correct colored mana isn’t available. This can pose a strategic drawback, especially in situations where conserving life points is critical to maintaining an advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost, although flexible through Phyrexian mana, usually requires either two colorless mana which can be intensive in multi-colored decks that strain their mana-base to accommodate various color requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its versatility, the cost of three mana including one Phyrexian white mana can be steep, considering its 3/1 stat line. In comparison, other creatures at similar mana points offer additional abilities or more robust stats which could prove to be more impactful in the course of a game.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Porcelain Legionnaire boasts a flexible cost that allows it to easily slide into both aggressive and control decks. Its use of Phyrexian mana means it can be played in decks without dedicated white mana sources, making it a powerhouse in multicolor builds as well.
Combo Potential: This artifact creature can be a key piece in decks that capitalize on the synergy between artifacts and creature strategies. It can support artifact-matters cards or enable metalcraft and improvise mechanics for accelerated gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: With its solid stats as a 3/1 First Strike creature for a minimal cost, Porcelain Legionnaire holds its own in the current metagame, dealing efficiently with early creature threats and providing quick beats against slower decks.
How to beat
Porcelain Legionnaire is an interesting artifact creature card in Magic: The Gathering noted for its versatility and cost-efficiency. With its First Strike ability, it can serve as an early game threat, capable of taking down many creatures before they can deal damage. However, overcoming this formidable two-mana soldier requires strategic planning.
Direct removal spells are by far the most straightforward solution against Porcelain Legionnaire. Unconditional removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can quickly dispose of the Legionnaire regardless of its First Strike capability. Counteracting it with creatures that bear Deathtouch can also prove effective, as they ensure the Legionnaire’s removal in combat irrespective of the damage it deals.
Another tactic is to use higher toughness blockers that can survive the First Strike blow and counterattack successfully. This method forces a stalemate or a favorable trade for you. Lastly, employing board wipes can reset the playing field, thus removing Porcelain Legionnaire along with any other threats your opponent control. Proper timing and choosing the right card from your deck to handle the Legionnaire are crucial in gaining the upper hand.
Cards like Porcelain Legionnaire
The Porcelain Legionnaire finds its niche in the vast array of creatures found in MTG. This artifact creature stands out with its unique Phyrexian mana cost, allowing players to utilize either traditional or life points to cast it. It’s often compared to other cost-efficient creatures like Signal Pest or Vault Skirge, which also offer excellent value for a low mana investment. However, Porcelain Legionnaire boasts a more considerable power level, making it a formidable early-game play.
In the realm of two-drops, Porcelain Legionnaire competes with the likes of Silverblade Paladin. Both offer an aggressive take on White’s creature lineup, but the Legionnaire has the flexibility of its Phyrexian mana cost and immediate impact with first strike. Silverblade Paladin, while potentially more powerful in the long run, demands a strict mana commitment and pairs best with another creature.
Gleaning from these comparisons, Porcelain Legionnaire holds a strategic place in MTG’s creature roster, appealing to decks seeking an aggressive curve and flexible casting options. Its raw power and versatile payment terms showcase its unique edge in creature selection.
Cards similar to Porcelain Legionnaire by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Porcelain Legionnaire MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Porcelain Legionnaire 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 MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Porcelain Legionnaire has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Porcelain Legionnaire card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | A card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in that mana cost, regardless of how that cost may have been paid. |
| 2011-06-01 | As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with one or more Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, you choose how to pay for each Phyrexian mana symbol at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for X. |
| 2011-06-01 | If you’re at 1 life or less, you can’t pay 2 life. |
| 2011-06-01 | Phyrexian mana is not a new color. Players can’t add Phyrexian mana to their mana pools. |
| 2011-06-01 | To calculate the converted mana cost of a card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, count each Phyrexian mana symbol as 1. |
