Soltari Foot Soldier MTG Card

Tempest (TMP)
1997-10-14 - Number 43

Soltari Foot Soldier - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)

Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
1999-11-12 - Number 74

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Soltari Soldier
Abilities	Shadow
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Foot Soldier’s shadow ability makes it a consistent, unblockable source of early game damage.
Low mana cost allows resource allocation to other impactful spells without sacrificing aggression.
Integrates well with instant speed cards for surprising combat tricks and buffs.

Text of card

Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.)

"Children of the Ruins, raised to be warriors, know that life begins when another speaks their names." —Soltari *Tales of Life*

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Soltari Foot Soldier stands out in its ability to contribute towards card advantage in decks that benefit from early board presence. Its low casting cost means it can be played alongside other spells, keeping your hand fluid while establishing a battlefield presence.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Soltari Foot Soldier itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, its minimal mana investment allows players to allocate resources towards more impactful spells earlier in the game without sacrificing early aggression.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Soltari Foot Soldier pairs excellently with cards that function at instant speed. Its shadow ability ensures it often remains unblocked, allowing for consistent damage output and synergy with instant speed buffs or combat tricks to surprise opponents during combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Soltari Foot Soldier does not itself require a discard, but being a white creature card, it often fits into decks that capitalize on symmetrical discard strategies or utilize control elements, which could result in an unwanted sacrifice of resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card costs one white mana, which could limit its inclusion strictly to mono-white or two-color decks that can reliably produce white mana early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Soltari Foot Soldier’s mana cost is low, it is important to consider the opportunity cost. In a deck slot where you could play a more impactful one-drop card or a utility card that offers more versatility, Soltari Foot Soldier may not always be the most efficient choice.

Reasons to Include Soltari Foot Soldier in Your Collection

Versatility: Soltari Foot Soldier is a neat inclusion in decks that require early board presence. Its shadow ability ensures it can attack without being blocked except by creatures with the same ability, fitting nicely into evasion-based strategies.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with buffs and equipment, making it a surprisingly resilient threat in the right setup. It can be a significant player in decks that capitalize on dealing combat damage to an opponent to trigger abilities or effects.

Meta-Relevance: Its low mana cost and the evasive nature can be beneficial in a meta filled with decks that rely on ground blockers. In this environment, Soltari Foot Soldier can consistently chip away at an opponent’s life total, maintaining pressure from the early game.

How to beat

Soltari Foot Soldier offers players a stable entry-level creature to incorporate into their decks, with its elusive shadow ability ensuring it can only be blocked by creatures with shadow. This nimbleness on the battlefield makes it a reliable damage-dealer early in the game. But don’t let its strengths intimidate you; overcoming this soldier requires strategic planning.

While it may not be targeted by regular blockers, spells that deal damage or -X/-X effects can efficiently dispatch the Soltari Foot Soldier. Board control cards are particularly effective, as they can remove it without needing to directly engage in combat with it. Another tactic is to capitalize on the fact that it cannot block creatures without shadow. This opens the door for your non-shadow creatures to swing in for unblocked attacks while it’s on the opposing side.

To sum it up, even though Soltari Foot Soldier might seem like a thorn in one’s side at the start, a well-thought-out strategy using direct damage, control spells, or simply swarming with unblockable creatures can neutralize its effect, turning the tide of the battle in your favor.

Cards like Soltari Foot Soldier

Soltari Foot Soldier shines in the category of one-drop creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Much like its counterpart Elite Vanguard, the Foot Soldier boasts a solid power-to-cost ratio with 1 mana for a 1/1 creature. The distinction, however, is the foot soldier’s shadow ability, allowing it to attack unblocked by creatures without shadow. Elite Vanguard lacks this, making it more vulnerable to blocks.

Loyal Pegasus is another card in comparison. While it also costs a single white mana, its 2/1 stats seem superior at first glance. Nevertheless, its inability to attack alone presents a strategic constraint, unlike the solo-attack freedom of Soltari Foot Soldier. This makes the foot soldier more reliable for early game pressure.

When assessing the strategic advantages of these one-drops, Soltari Foot Soldier stands out for players seeking unblockable creatures. Despite having lower attack power than some alternatives, the shadow ability is a unique advantage that can be leveraged in various MTG deck builds, making it a valuable asset for aggressive strategies.

Cards similar to Soltari Foot Soldier by color, type and mana cost

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Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions

Bushi Tenderfoot // Kenzo the Hardhearted - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soltari Foot Soldier MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Soltari Foot Soldier and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Soltari Foot Soldier Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 1999-11-12. Illustrated by Janet Aulisio.