Soldier MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 80 setsSee all
TypeToken Creature — Soldier
Power 1
Toughness 1
TokenTokens act as indicators during gameplay and are not included into building a deck.
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Soldier cards boost your battlefield presence and can rapidly expand your army with token generation.
  2. They provide strategic advantage with instant speed plays and cost-efficient mana utilization.
  3. Despite strengths, Soldiers can limit deck diversity and suffer from higher mana costs for powerful troops.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: A soldier MTG card can significantly bolster your army on the battlefield, often providing effects that allow you to summon additional soldier tokens or draw from your deck upon meeting certain conditions like attacking or blocking. This can lead to an overwhelming presence, maintaining a solid footing in terms of both board state and your hand.

Resource Acceleration: Many soldier cards are designed to be cost-efficient, meaning they can often be cast for a low mana cost. Some also have abilities that reduce the cost of your other soldier cards, accelerating your gameplay and enabling you to deploy more units quickly, thus gaining tempo over your opponent.

Instant Speed: The tactical advantage of playing soldier cards at instant speed should not be underestimated. It allows you to surprise your opponents during combat, potentially tipping the scales in your favor by introducing unexpected blockers or effects that trigger when soldiers enter the battlefield during the combat phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Soldier cards often come with abilities or spells requiring the discarding of a card, which could deplete your hand and reduce your options during crucial moments of gameplay.

Specific Mana Cost: Many Soldier cards require a strict adherence to white mana, limiting deck diversity and possibly making them a less viable option in multi-colored or colorless strategies where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To field a formidable army of Soldiers, players may face high mana costs, particularly for the more powerful troops. This compares unfavorably with other creature types that provide similar board presence or combat prowess at a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Soldier cards are renowned for their flexibility on the battlefield. They seamlessly integrate into various deck themes, including token generation, control, and buff-focused builds. With the ability to adapt to different play styles, they bolster both offensive and defensive tactics.

Combo Potential: These cards are famous for combo synergies. They often work in concert with other cards to unlock powerful effects like mass creature buffs or creating armies with just a few moves. Their inherent synergy with equipment and enchantments adds layers of strategy to your game.

Meta-Relevance: Soldiers have maintained a steadfast presence in the meta due to their ability to contend with various popular decks. Their cost-efficiency and typically robust stats for their mana value offer a reliable choice for competitive play. Additionally, their widespread support in MTG’s card pool makes them a go-to for both novice and seasoned players alike.


How to beat

Soldier cards in Magic: The Gathering embody the spirit of camaraderie and are frequently found marching onto the battlefield in large numbers. These white-mana-aligned creatures excel in boosting each other’s abilities and presenting a unified front that can be difficult to withstand. When facing an army of Soldier cards, the key is disruption and board control. A well-timed sweeper like “Wrath of God” can clear the battlefield of these creatures, while singular removal spells like “Doom Blade” can be less effective due to the sheer number of Soldiers an opponent may summon.

Moreover, taking advantage of spells that hinder creature abilities can also be instrumental in dismantling a Soldier strategy. Enchantment spells such as “Imprisoned in the Moon” or “Detention Sphere” can neutralize pivotal tokens or buff-giving Lieutenants, essential in a Soldier deck. Always keep an eye out for key support cards that enhance Soldier prowess and try to eliminate those first.

Positive game matchups and unfavorable interactions can both define a duel, and this holds especially true when pitted against Soldier-themed decks. Calculated plays and strategic removal can turn the tide, affirming that even the most disciplined platoon has its weaknesses in the nuanced world of Magic: The Gathering.


Cards like Soldier

When it comes to building an army on the battlefield, Soldier cards are a staple in Magic: The Gathering. A classic Soldier card often provides both early game defense and potential for strategic attacks as the game progresses. The White Weenie archetype, which is a popular strategy in MTG, frequently utilizes cards like the steadfast Veteran Swordsmith to enhance Soldier tokens and creatures, offering a power boost across the board.

Another card that resonates within this theme is Field Marshal. Like Veteran Swordsmith, Field Marshal also empowers Soldier types, but with an added layer – it provides an all-round boost with +1/+1 and grants first strike, giving you a tactical edge during combat. Compared to other tribal enhancement cards like Benalish Marshal, Field Marshal has broader synergistic potential, but it requires a more diverse mana base.

Lastly, Preeminent Captain is a remarkable comparison, as it focuses on recruiting Soldiers directly into battle. Its ability to cheat a Soldier card into play from your hand without paying its mana cost creates an aggressive shift on the field, showcasing a different yet complementary approach to bolstering your ranks. While it offers less of a stats enhancement, the strategic deployment it enables can be a game-changer.

Despite the various advantages these cards offer, each comes with its unique deck-building considerations, synergies, and battlefield tactics. Understanding their roles and differences paves the way for MTG players to build powerful Soldier-themed decks.

Veteran Swordsmith - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Benalish Marshal - MTG Card versions
Preeminent Captain - MTG Card versions
Veteran Swordsmith - Magic 2010 (M10)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Benalish Marshal - Dominaria Promos (PDOM)
Preeminent Captain - Morningtide (MOR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soldier MTG card by a specific set like Unglued and Magic Player Rewards 2002, 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 Soldier and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Soldier Magic the Gathering card was released in 62 different sets between 1998-08-11 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 28 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-08-11UngluedUGL 21997tokensilverDaren Bader
22002-01-01Magic Player Rewards 2002PR2 81997tokenblackRon Spencer
32007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 12003tokenblackPaolo Parente
42008-10-03Shards of AlaraALA 12003tokenblackAlan Pollack
52009-07-17Magic 2010M10 22003tokenblackPaolo Parente
62010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 22003tokenblackGoran Josic
72011-07-15Magic 2012M12 22003tokenblackPaolo Parente
82012-07-13Magic 2013M13 32003tokenblackGreg Staples
92012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 32003tokenblackSteve Prescott
102013-01-01League Tokens 2013L13 12003tokenblackJohann Bodin
112013-02-01GatecrashGTC 62003tokenblackDavid Palumbo
122013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 32003tokenblackGoran Josic
132013-09-27TherosTHS 32003tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
142013-09-27TherosTHS 22003tokenblackSeb McKinnon
152013-09-27TherosTHS 72003tokenblackJohann Bodin
162014-01-01League Tokens 2014L14 12003tokenblackRyan Barger
172014-02-07Born of the GodsBNG 32003tokenblackDavid Palumbo
182014-05-30Modern Event Deck 2014MD1 12003tokenblackGoran Josic
192014-07-18Magic 2015M15 22015tokenblackGreg Staples
202014-11-07Commander 2014C14 62015tokenblackGoran Josic
212015-02-27Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. KioraDDO 662015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
222015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 42015tokenblackGreg Staples
232015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 32015tokenblackSteve Prescott
242016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 22015tokenblackGreg Staples
252016-08-26Conspiracy: Take the CrownCN2 22015tokenblackGreg Staples
262016-08-26Conspiracy: Take the CrownCN2 32015tokenblackJason A. Engle
272016-11-11Commander 2016C16 52015tokenblackSeb McKinnon
282017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 192015tokenblackDavid Palumbo
292017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 32015tokenblackMagali Villeneuve
302017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 12015tokenblackSteve Prescott
312018-03-16Masters 25A25 32015tokenblackGreg Staples
322018-04-27DominariaDOM 32015tokenblackJakub Kasper
332018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 62015tokenblackMagali Villeneuve
342018-08-09Commander 2018C18 62015tokenblackAlan Pollack
352018-10-05Mythic EditionMED G12015tokenblackGoran Josic
362018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 22015tokenblackJohn Severin Brassell
372018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 42015double_faced_tokenblackJohn Severin Brassell
382018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 22015double_faced_tokenblackDavid Palumbo
392018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 62015double_faced_tokenblackDavid Palumbo
402018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 112015tokenblackJohann Bodin
412019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 32015tokenblackJohan Grenier
422019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 42015tokenblackGreg Staples
432019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 22015tokenblackJakub Kasper
442020-04-17Commander 2020C20 52015tokenblackJakub Kasper
452020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 52015tokenblackJakub Kasper
462020-08-07Double Masters2XM 62015tokenblackJakub Kasper
472020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 22015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
482020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 162015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
492021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 42015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
502021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 22015tokenblackAlex Horley-Orlandelli
512022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 332015tokenblackDavid Palumbo
522022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 92015tokenblackJohn Severin Brassell
532022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 52015tokenblackMagali Villeneuve
542022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 72015tokenblackMagali Villeneuve
552022-09-09Dominaria United Southeast Asia TokensPTDMU 12015tokenblackChong Fei Giap
562022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 42015tokenblackJustine Cruz
572022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 22015tokenblackLixin Yin
582022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 42015tokenblackLixin Yin
592022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 3★2015tokenblackLixin Yin
602022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 32015tokenblackLixin Yin
612022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 4★2015tokenblackLixin Yin
622022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2★2015tokenblackLixin Yin
632022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 32015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
642022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 92015tokenblackKev Walker
652022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 82015tokenblackGabor Szikszai
662022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 32015tokenblackDouglas Shuler
672023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 82015tokenblackJohan Grenier
682023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 72015tokenblackMagali Villeneuve
692023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 172015tokenblackDavid Palumbo
702023-04-21March of the Machine Japanese Promo TokensWMOM 22015tokenborderlessDaisuke Izuka
712023-04-21March of the MachineMOM 22015tokenblackArash Radkia
722023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 82015tokenblackSvetlin Velinov
732023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 52015tokenblackLixin Yin
742023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 92015tokenblackGreg Staples
752023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 82015tokenblackThanh Tuấn
762023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 402015tokenblackThanh Tuấn
772024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 162015tokenblackDavid Palumbo
782024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 32015tokenblackGreg Staples
792024-03-08FalloutPIP 102015tokenblackJustine Cruz
802024-03-08FalloutPIP 42015tokenblackWayne Wu

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