Straw Soldiers MTG Card


Token generation with Straw Soldiers strategically strengthens battlefield presence and encourages advantageous trades. Instant speed casting allows for surprise plays and strategic advantages over unsuspecting opponents. Despite advantages, the card requires careful hand management due to its discard and mana cost constraints.
Straw Soldiers - Portal Three Kingdoms
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Scarecrow Soldier
Released1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set namePortal Three Kingdoms
Set codePTK
Power 1
Toughness 3
Number54
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderWhite
Illustred byCai Tingting

Cards like Straw Soldiers

Straw Soldiers is an engaging piece in player decks that utilize creatures designed for quick tactical plays in Magic: The Gathering. When compared to other similar cards, Straw Soldiers stands out for its specific creature synergy. Take Icatian Javelineers as an example; it offers a one-time damage ability upon entering the battlefield, but lacks Straw Soldiers’ recurrent potential in creature-based strategies.

Another card worth considering is Dragon Bell Monk, which boasts vigilance and the prowess ability, enhancing its strength whenever you cast a noncreature spell. However, Straw Soldiers invites a different kind of deck-building, emphasizing repetitive assaults rather than scaling prowess. Wall of Omens is in the mix too, offering a defensive form with its card draw ability upon entry, contrasting with Straw Soldiers’ offensive nature.

To sum it up, Straw Soldiers provides an interesting option for players who favor recurring aggressive strategies over single-use effects or defensive approaches. It encourages a unique playstyle within the realm of creature-focused decks in Magic: The Gathering, making it a notable card for players to consider in their army of spells.

Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Dragon Bell Monk - MTG Card versions
Wall of Omens - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Dragon Bell Monk - MTG Card versions
Wall of Omens - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Straw Soldiers by color, type and mana cost

Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Straw Soldiers delivers an edge by creating multiple creature tokens. This capability to multiply forces on the battlefield not only extends your army but also paves the way for advantageous trades or increased pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to produce several creature tokens, Straw Soldiers can effectively be used to ramp up your resources. These tokens can act as blockers, attackers, or can synergize with other cards that benefit from having multiple creatures in play to accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Straw Soldiers at instant speed should not be overlooked. This allows savvy players to wait until the ideal moment during an opponent’s turn to deploy their forces, thereby avoiding telegraphing their strategy and maintaining an element of surprise that could disrupt the opponent’s tactics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Straw Soldiers, with its unique gameplay dynamic, necessitates discarding another card as part of its casting conditions. This can unwittingly deplete your hand, particularly when you’re contendending with a strategy focused on maintaining card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise mana allocation, Straw Soldiers binds you to include specific mana sources in your deck. This constraint might limit the flexibility of your deck’s overall mana base, making it less adaptable to evolving game situations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The summoning cost for Straw Soldiers is on the higher side when benchmarked against other creatures of similar power and abilities. The investment of resources may not equate to an immediate impact on the battlefield, potentially slowing down your gameplay strategy.


Reasons to Include Straw Soldiers in Your Collection

Versatility: Straw Soldiers is a card that can be seamlessly integrated into numerous deck archetypes. Its low casting cost and defensive capabilities make it beneficial for decks looking to establish early game presence.

Combo Potential: This card can work well in conjunction with sacrifice mechanics or card effects that capitalize on creature death, opening up synergistic gameplay styles that can tip the scales in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-heavy decks are common in many metagames, having Straw Soldiers can provide strategic advantage through chump blocking or as an enabler for death-triggered abilities, making it a relevant choice in various competitive scenes.


How to beat

Straw Soldiers, a unique card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, presents a distinct blend of challenge and opportunity. Understanding the intricacies of its vulnerability can give players an upper hand. This card, noted for its low summoning cost and ability to create multiple token creatures, can be quite formidable in the right deck. To turn the tides against Straw Soldiers, consider employing spells or abilities that can deal with multiple creatures simultaneously. Board-clearing spells like Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act are particularly effective, as they can wipe out all the tokens generated by Straw Soldiers in one fell swoop. Additionally, using spot removal on key creatures that support or enhance the tokens can drastically reduce the impact of Straw Soldiers. Focus on maintaining control of the board and be proactive in keeping the token population to a minimum.

Another strategy to consider is leveraging graveyard manipulation. Since Straw Soldiers often relies on creature cards returning from the graveyard, cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can disrupt this mechanic and prevent tokens from amassing. It is important to remember that timing is everything, and understanding the strategic moments to deploy these counters will make the difference in overcoming the challenge posed by Straw Soldiers.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Straw Soldiers MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Straw Soldiers and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Straw Soldiers has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal