Thopter Foundry MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Thopter Foundry excels in card advantage by creating 1/1 Thopters from spare artifacts, enhancing board control.
  2. The card operates at instant speed, enabling strategic plays and unforeseen defenses during crucial moments.
  3. Despite its strengths, it demands specific mana colors and an upfront mana cost, affecting deck compatibility.

Text of card

, Sacrifice a nontoken artifact: Put a 1/1 blue Thopter artifact creature token with flying into play. You gain 1 life.

"Etherium is limited. Innovation is not." —Tezzeret


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thopter Foundry offers sustained card advantage as it transforms spare artifacts into 1/1 flying Thopters, which can be essential for building a formidable presence on the board.

Resource Acceleration: This versatile engine synergizes with numerous strategies, as each artifact sacrificed not only populates the sky with flying constructs but also gains you life, essentially turning every disposable artifact into a resource-advantage tool.

Instant Speed: With the ability to operate at instant speed, Thopter Foundry allows players to make strategic decisions on the fly, creating blockers or life cushion against incoming threats at the most opportune times.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Thopter Foundry provides a great utility, it does require you to sacrifice a non-token artifact, which could set you back if you’re not ready to lose an artifact from your board or hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Thopter Foundry’s activation cost necessitates one blue or white mana. This can sometimes limit its integration exclusively to decks that run these colors, potentially excluding it from a wider range of deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its powerful synergies, the initial investment of three mana for the Foundry may be considered steep, particularly when you aim to maintain tempo in the early game or when competing against lower-cost strategies.


Reasons to Include Thopter Foundry in Your Collection

Versatility: Thopter Foundry offers a flexible role in a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to turn any artifact into life gain and a flying blocker is invaluable in both offensive and defensive situations.

Combo Potential: Renowned for its synergy with Sword of the Meek, this card becomes part of an engine that produces an ever-growing army of Thopter tokens, enhancing strategies centered around token generation and artifact recursion.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where incremental advantages lead to victory, Thopter Foundry’s consistent token generation can dominate the board, tailoring it to thrive against numerous competitive deck formats.


How to Beat Thopter Foundry

Thopter Foundry is a versatile artifact card that can be quite a challenge to overcome in Magic: The Gathering. It’s not just its ability to manufacture Thopter tokens that makes it formidable, but also the incremental life gain it offers with each activation. To effectively counteract this card, strategic use of artifact removal is key. Cards such as Abrade or Nature’s Claim can dismantle the Thopter Foundry’s operations before the opponent stabilizes their board and life total.

Another angle of approach is to apply pressure through agile, aggressive strategies. This forces opponents to divert their resources into defending rather than optimizing their Thopter Foundry synergy. Introducing graveyard disruption to the mix, with cards like Relic of Progenitus, can also inhibit combos that rely on recycling the Thopter Foundry, further curtailing its efficacy during matches. It’s essential to maintain a proactive posture against this card, utilizing both direct answers and strategic impedes, to secure victory over decks that include the Thopter Foundry.


BurnMana Recommendations

Thopter Foundry stands as a multifaceted gem in MTG, whether for establishing board control or pushing for a win through attrition. Its tactical applications span across strategies, providing a card advantage while also acting as an indispensable cog in synergistic combos. As you ponder its inclusion in your collection or devise methods to dismantle its efficacy, Thopter Foundry continues to prove its worth in a diverse MTG metagame. For players seeking to refine their artifact game or introduce a new tactical layer to their decks, this card is a crucial consideration. Dive deeper into the world of MTG with us to unlock the full potential of Thopter Foundry and enhance your gameplay.


Cards like Thopter Foundry

Thopter Foundry is an intriguing component in artifact synergy decks in Magic: The Gathering. It’s often compared to other artifact-centric cards like Krark-Clan Ironworks, which sacrifices artifacts for mana instead of creating creature tokens. While Krark-Clan Ironworks fuels large mana-intensive plays, Thopter Foundry provides a steady stream of Thopter tokens, bolstering both defense and offense with each use.

Another card with a related theme is Sword of the Meek, which has a particularly potent interaction with Thopter Foundry. When a Thopter token is created, Sword of the Meek can be returned from the graveyard to the battlefield, subsequently sacrificed for additional life and Thopter tokens, creating a recursive loop. This combo differs from Time Sieve, another artifact that proffers extra turns by sacrificing five artifacts but doesn’t inherently build your board presence or life total as Thopter Foundry does.

In essence, Thopter Foundry stands out due to its ability to transform any artifact into a life-gaining presence on the board. With its moderate cost and expansive utility, Thopter Foundry distinguishes itself as a versatile choice for players looking to maximize their artifact strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions
Sword of the Meek - MTG Card versions
Time Sieve - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Ironworks - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Sword of the Meek - Future Sight (FUT)
Time Sieve - Alara Reborn (ARB)

Cards similar to Thopter Foundry by color, type and mana cost

Esper Stormblade - MTG Card versions
Esper Stormblade - Alara Reborn (ARB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thopter Foundry MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Commander 2013, 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 Thopter Foundry and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Thopter Foundry Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Ralph Horsley.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 1332003normalblackRalph Horsley
22013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2342003normalblackRalph Horsley
32016-11-11Commander 2016C16 2372015normalblackRalph Horsley
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 15352015normalblackRalph Horsley
52020-08-07Double Masters2XM 2222015normalblackRalph Horsley
62020-09-26The ListPLST ARB-1332003normalblackRalph Horsley
72020-09-26The ListPLST C16-2372015normalblackRalph Horsley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thopter Foundry has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thopter Foundry card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-08-07 You may sacrifice Thopter Foundry to pay the cost of its own ability.

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