Queen's Bay Soldier MTG Card

Queen’s Bay Soldier ensures a consistent board presence, complementing decks with a focus on instant speed plays. It may hinder deck flexibility due to its specific black mana casting cost, potentially impacting mana curve. As a 2/2 for two mana, this soldier card offers simplicity and reliability for early game strategy implementation.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Vampire Soldier
Released	2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set name	Ixalan
Set code	XLN
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	115
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jesper Ejsing

Cards like Queen's Bay Soldier

Queen’s Bay Soldier finds its place among the traditional low-cost creature cards within MTG. As a straightforward 2/2 vanilla creature for two mana, it shares common ground with the likes of Grizzly Bears and Walking Corpse. These cards offer no abilities beyond their power and toughness, making them reliable choices for early-game board presence. However, unlike its relatives in green and black, Queen’s Bay Soldier partakes in the Vampire tribe, a group rich with synergistic potential in MTG decks focused on tribal themes.

Considering other Vampires, Duskborne Skymarcher is a contender. Although it sports a less impactful 1/1 body for one mana, it compensates with flying and a solidarity-boosting ability for Vampire companions. It highlights the importance of abilities over raw power in certain strategic builds. Child of Night stands out as well, offering lifelink on a 2/1 body for the same mana cost. The ability to regain life can be crucial in races against opponent attacks or in decks that leverage life total for various effects.

Given these comparisons, Queen’s Bay Soldier is a suitable building block for players crafting a deck on a budget or looking to uphold a steadfast curve in their vampire-themed decks. While it might not bring complex abilities to the table, its role as a robust early defender or attacker in MTG’s creature-based strategies should not be underestimated.

Duskborne Skymarcher - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Queen's Bay Soldier by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you include Queen’s Bay Soldier in your deck, you’re selecting a card that consistently performs well without the risk of situational drawbacks. Though it may not directly draw you cards, its straightforward utility ensures that it doesn’t become a liability, maintaining your deck’s card quality.

Resource Acceleration: Queen’s Bay Soldier may not directly accelerate your resources, but its low mana cost allows for a quick deployment on the battlefield. This timely play can help keep your mana curve efficient, enabling you to allocate resources to other game strategies without delay.

Instant Speed: While Queen’s Bay Soldier isn’t an instant, its presence as a reliable creature can deter opposing threats and influence your opponent’s decisions at any stage of the game. The simplicity of this sturdy creature complements decks that operate on instant speed interactions by providing a stable board presence.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Queen’s Bay Soldier might seem an appealing option for an aggressive strategy, its effectiveness is somewhat diminished by its requirement to discard a card from your hand. This cost can set you back, especially when you’re trying to maintain card advantage on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: A closer look at this soldier’s mana cost reveals that it needs a very specific mana alignment to be cast—black. This can restrict deck-building flexibility, requiring the player to have a steady source of black mana to deploy this creature on time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a vanilla 2/2 creature, the Queen’s Bay Soldier comes in at two mana, which is somewhat high considering its lack of additional abilities. There are numerous two-mana creatures that provide more value with extra abilities or better stats, making this card a less attractive option in a tightly curated deck.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Queen’s Bay Soldier fits smoothly into various deck builds, serving as a reliable two-cost creature. Its straightforward mana requirements make it an accessible choice for decks that need a consistent early presence on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: While it may seem like a simple card, its soldier subtype allows it to synergize with other soldier-themed cards or mechanics that reward you for having soldiers, thus bolstering your battlefield with strategic advantages.

Meta-Relevance: Given its utility and adaptability, Queen’s Bay Soldier can act as a staple in limited formats where a solid creature curve is pivotal. In such environments, ensuring you have dependable two-drops can be integral to your strategy.

How to beat

Queen’s Bay Soldier may not stand out as the most formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering, but it does have its uses in the early game. As an efficient blocker with a 2/2 body for two mana, it often becomes a component of decks that need solid creatures in the early stages. When facing off against this card, the strategy should revolve around surpassing its combat stats or utilizing removal spells.

To surpass Queen’s Bay Soldier on the battlefield, consider deploying creatures with a power of 3 or greater. These will either deter the soldier from blocking or will overpower it in combat, thus clearing the board for more strategic plays. Additionally, keep an eye out for cards that can buff up your creatures temporarily; combat tricks like Giant Growth can turn the tides unexpectedly.

For a more direct approach, use cost-effective removal spells. Cards like Shock or Lightning Bolt offer an easy solution to deal with it, allowing you to continue applying pressure with little investment. Lastly, make sure to manage your resources efficiently to maintain momentum once Queen’s Bay Soldier is out of the way and push for victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Queen's Bay Soldier MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Queen's Bay Soldier and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Queen's Bay Soldier has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal