Spark Trooper MTG Card
2013-02-01 - Number 199
2018-11-02 - Number 94
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Elemental Soldier |
| Abilities | Haste,Lifelink,Trample |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Trample, lifelink, haste At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Spark Trooper.
Izzet-designed conductors atop Sunhome charge empty sets of armor that give form to the fluctuating elementals.
Cards like Spark Trooper
Spark Trooper is a notable force on the battlefield in MTG, bringing a quick burst of lifegain and damage to your opponent. When examining cards with a kindred spirit, Lightning Helix stands out. Like Spark Trooper, Lightning Helix offers lifegain and deals damage at the same time, although it’s an instant with much lower damage output and doesn’t require a creature on the field. Another card in this family is Boros Reckoner, which deals damage in a unique fashion upon being dealt damage, and also has the potential for lifegain with the right setup. Spark Trooper’s key distinguishing feature is its sizable one-time lifegain and damage paired with trample and haste, launching a significant assault the moment it hits the playfield.
Akin to the sheer impact of Spark Trooper is the figure of Ball Lightning. Both cards share the haste and trample abilities, ensuring they hit hard and fast. However, Spark Trooper edges out with its lifelink ability, which Ball Lightning lacks, offering a pivotal swing in life totals. While each has its moment to shine, Spark Trooper intrinsically combines offense and defense, making it an appealing choice in decks that aim to stabilize while pressuring opponents.
Assessing these elements side by side, Spark Trooper can be seen as a valuable asset in certain MTG strategies that benefit from immediate life swings and surprising burst damage.
Cards similar to Spark Trooper by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Spark Trooper. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Boros Aggro | Legacy | MO82#CS |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spark Trooper offers a unique kind of card advantage by dealing a significant amount of damage while providing you with life gain. This trade-off can be just as valuable as drawing cards, especially in aggressive decks that aim to end the game quickly.
Resource Acceleration: While Spark Trooper itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its lifelink ability can effectively give you more resources by increasing your life total. This boost can be essential in matchups where the pace of damage and healing can decide the game.
Instant Speed: Spark Trooper doesn’t function at instant speed, but its impact when it hits the battlefield can be immediate and decisive. Dropping Spark Trooper at the right moment can be a game-changing play, pressuring your opponent to find an answer before taking a substantial hit to their life total or risking a sudden surge in yours.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Spark Trooper doesn’t have a discard requirement, it’s essential to consider that most powerful effects in MTG usually come with a cost. Balancing resources is key, and cards that do require discarding can put you at a disadvantage if you’re not prepared with additional card draw mechanics or recursion strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Spark Trooper demands a very specific mana investment—three colored mana—one white and two red. This can often restrict deck-building as it necessitates a significant commitment to these colors, potentially limiting the adaptability and variability of your deck.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana for a one-time use creature that doesn’t stick around for defensive purposes, Spark Trooper competes with other four-mana spells that may offer ongoing benefits or affect the board in a more substantial way. Players must weigh the immediate impact against potential long-term advantages of other cards with similar mana costs.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Spark Trooper is a dynamic choice for decks focusing on life gain or aggressive strategies. Its lifelink and trample abilities allow it to serve multiple roles, either as a potent attacker or as a life buffer against opponents’ onslaughts.
Combo Potential: With its significant burst damage and life gain, Spark Trooper works well in conjunction with cards that can resurrect or multiply creatures. This enables players to repeatedly leverage its explosive entrance onto the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where races to deal damage are commonplace, Spark Trooper can swiftly turn the tides. This MTG card excels at dealing a surprising amount of damage and can be a decisive factor against decks that are unprepared for sudden life swings.
How to beat
Spark Trooper is a dynamic force on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, offering a burst of life gain and damage potential. Unlike cards that provide a sustained presence, Spark Trooper’s lifelink and trample for a significant attack can be game-changing, much like a bolt of lightning in creature form. But as powerful as it is, Spark Trooper has a notable Achilles’ heel – its fleeting existence on the field due to its sacrifice at the end of the turn.
To counteract Spark Trooper, instant speed removal spells are an effective countermeasure. By removing it before the combat damage step, you prevent both the lifelink effect and the damage it could inflict. This is akin to cards like Lightning Bolt or Path to Exile, which can neutralize threats swiftly and efficiently. Furthermore, strategic use of blockers with enough endurance to withstand Spark Trooper’s trample may mitigate its impact, much like a carefully calculated chess move. Keeping such strategies in mind will prepare you for when this fiery juggernaut charges onto the scene.
Understanding and preparing for Spark Trooper’s potential impact is key, and while it can be a strong play, it is far from invincible. With the right counterplays in your arsenal, Spark Trooper’s entrance can be reduced from a mighty roar to a mere whisper on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spark Trooper MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and GRN Guild Kit, 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 Spark Trooper 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Spark Trooper Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2018-11-02. Illustrated by James Ryman.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-02-01 | Gatecrash | GTC | 199 | 2003 | Normal | Black | James Ryman | |
| 2 | 2018-11-02 | GRN Guild Kit | GK1 | 94 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Ryman |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spark Trooper has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |