Sokenzan Smelter MTG Card
2022-02-18 - Number 164
2022-12-02 - Number 601
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Goblin Artificer |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may pay and sacrifice an artifact. If you do, create a 3/1 red Construct artifact creature token with haste.
Among the artisans of Sokenzan City, reusing every scrap of metal is a point of pride.
Exploring the Forge: A Look Into Sokenzan Smelter
The realm of red artifacts in Magic: The Gathering is vast, and Sokenzan Smelter joins the arsenal with an impactful presence. Much like its predecessors in artifact manipulation, it turns the mundane into raw power. When you gauge it against other cards such as Goblin Welder, a few comparisons spring forth. The Welder offers direct swapping of artifacts from the graveyard to the battlefield, something Sokenzan Smelter does not. However, what the Smelter lacks in exchange capabilities, it makes up for with its solid presence on the board due to its formidable power and toughness.
Cards like Sokenzan Smelter
Sokenzan Smelter can be seen as Magic: The Gathering’s nod to the powerful role of artifact synergy in a player’s strategy. Mirroring the utility of cards like Trash for Treasure, Sokenzan Smelter also embraces the concept of transforming artifacts into offensive advantage. Trash for Treasure, a sorcery that requires an artifact sacrifice, is a close relative in function. Nevertheless, while it does allow for immediate reanimation of a potent artifact from the graveyard, the Smelter provides a constant pressure each turn when paired with a steady stream of artifacts.
Furthermore, when considering other analogs such as Daretti, Scrap Savant, there’s a noticeable difference in flexibility. Daretti can both fill your graveyard with desirable artifacts and reanimate them, similar to what a player can achieve with Sokenzan Smelter and a well-crafted deck. Yet it is the Smelter’s resilience as a creature and permanence on the battlefield that offers a different strategic route. However, it lacks the versatility and immediacy that a planeswalker like Daretti can offer.
Reviewing the capabilities of Sokenzan Smelter alongside these similar cards, we observe that while there may be indirect paths to power in red’s artifact-themed cards, Sokenzan Smelter provides a new avenue for those looking to capitalize on artifacts in a more ongoing and combat-focused manner.
Cards similar to Sokenzan Smelter by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Sokenzan Smelter. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Naya Aggro | Standard | Naya Aggro | Standard Preliminary 2024-03-08 |
 | Jund Tokens | Standard | Jund Sacrifice | BLACK - FRI - 11AM - Chicago 75K Standard Open |
| Jund Sacrifice | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 08 2024 | |
 | Mono-Red Artifact Aggro | Standard | Mono-Red Artifact Aggro | Standard Preliminary 2024-02-14 |
 | Rakdos Sacrifice | Standard | Rakdos Sacrifice | 2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sokenzan Smelter can contribute to card advantage by enabling the conversion of artifacts into more useful resources on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Through its artifact synergies, Sokenzan Smelter can help accelerate your resources. It can potentially increase the speed at which you deploy higher cost cards.
Instant Speed: This card operates at instant speed, providing flexibility to react during your opponent’s turn or at the end of their turn while keeping mana available for responses.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sokenzan Smelter requires prompting a player to discard another card to unleash its full potential. This condition can be a tangible downside when hand advantage matters or if you’re running out of cards to dispose of.
Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost specifically demanding Red color commitment, this card’s inclusion can be restrictive and not versatile outside mono-Red or two-color Red-oriented decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sokenzan Smelter’s mana cost may be viewed as steep for its abilities. This consideration becomes more pronounced when compared against other cards within the same mana range that may offer immediate impact or less conditional requirements.
Reasons to Include Sokenzan Smelter in Your Collection
Versatility: Sokenzan Smelter can seamlessly integrate into a variety of red-based decks, offering flexibility in deckbuilding. Its ability to create tokens complements strategies focused on artifact synergies or sacrifice mechanics.
Combo Potential: With Sokenzan Smelter, the potential for combos is noteworthy—particularly in decks that capitalize on artifact-related triggers. It paves the way for powerful interactions and opens up avenues for creating overwhelming board states.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where artifacts play a key role, Sokenzan Smelter proves to be a significant inclusion. It can both disrupt opponents’ artifact strategies and strengthen your own, maintaining relevance in shifting meta conditions.
How to Beat Sokenzan Smelter
Sokenzan Smelter finds its place in the landscape of Magic the Gathering as a unique artifact-enabling card. Focused on converting your artifacts into raw damage, it can be a tricky card to play against. Unlike similar cards that might require artifacts to tap, Sokenzan Smelter takes a more aggressive approach by sacrificing artifacts to deal direct damage to any target.
Contending with this card means disrupting the delicate balance of artifact management. In your strategy to beat Sokenzan Smelter, consider leveraging artifact removal spells like Abrade or use versatile counterspells such as Counterspell or Negate to prevent it from ever hitting the field. Timing is crucial; removing the Smelter before the opponent amasses a sizable collection of artifacts to sacrifice can turn the tide. Furthermore, watch the stack carefully. Reacting to the activation of its ability could mitigate the damage with instant-speed interaction spells like Deflecting Swat or even reverse the damage with cards like Mirror Strike.
In summary, to overcome the challenge posed by Sokenzan Smelter, focusing on preemptive control, and prompt disruption will be the cornerstone of your success against this potentially devastating card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sokenzan Smelter MTG card by a specific set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Sokenzan Smelter and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Sokenzan Smelter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-02-18 | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | NEO | 164 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 601 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sokenzan Smelter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |