Expendable Troops MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	1999-02-15
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Legacy
Set code	ULG
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	8
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Expendable Troops grants an early game advantage and can trigger beneficial sacrifice-related abilities.
It may strain your hand and mana base, requiring careful consideration for deck inclusion.
Despite its limitations, it fits into strategies emphasizing creature sacrifice for larger gains.

Text of card

oc T, Sacrifice Expendable Troops: Expendable Troops deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.

No doubt in their minds, no fear in their hearts.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Expendable Troops offers a strategic edge by providing an extra creature on the battlefield. This can be particularly useful in the early game to establish presence or as fodder for card abilities that require a creature sacrifice, thus indirectly contributing to maintaining card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: By sacrificing Expendable Troops, certain decks may benefit from the ability to accelerate resources. Triggering morbid effects or other abilities that capitalize on creatures leaving the battlefield can be a tactical move to gain an upper hand.

Instant Speed: While Expendable Troops itself may not be an instant, its ability can often be activated at instant speed. This provides the flexibility to decide the best moment during the turn cycle to utilize this card’s ability, which can be pivotal during complex battle phases or when unexpected plays arise.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The necessity to discard a card for activating abilities can put you in a precarious position, depleting your hand and potential options for future turns.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that demands white mana, this card could potentially strain your mana base, making it less flexible in multicolored decks that need to manage various mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you consider its mana cost against the backdrop of potential alternatives, you might find more cost-effective creatures or spells that yield greater value or have a more immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include Expendable Troops in Your Collection

Versatility: Expendable Troops can be a flexible addition to your collection, capable of fitting into various deck archetypes that value creatures which can be easily sacrificed for greater effects or to fulfill specific conditions.

Combo Potential: This card has inherent synergy with strategies that leverage sacrificing creatures for value, such as triggering morbid abilities or enabling recursive plays from the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In a competitive scene that sees frequent creature-based combat, Expendable Troops offers a cost-effective solution for thwarting attackers while contributing to intricate board states where each creature’s presence is pivotal.

How to beat

Expendable Troops is a card that might seem modest at a glance but can surprisingly strengthen your opponent’s battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to act as a chump blocker and still inflict damage upon demise, this creature can be a thorn in the side if not addressed properly. To navigate through this card effectively, one should consider its vulnerability to removal spells before it can sacrifice itself for value. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch Expendable Troops swiftly, negating its ability to deal damage when sacrificed.

A subtle but efficient approach is using cards with the exiling effect instead of sending them to the graveyard. This ensures that any death-triggered abilities are nullified, which in turn, stops it from becoming a resource for your adversary. Enchantment-based removal such as Pacifism also prevents the Troops from using their ability, as it restricts the creature from attacking or blocking, essentially rendering them useless.

It’s crucial to avoid letting Expendable Troops tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. By choosing the right removal or neutralizing cards and timing their use adeptly, you can ensure these troops truly become expendable without bestowing their intended benefits to your opponent.

Cards like Expendable Troops

Expendable Troops offers a unique spin on creature dynamics in Magic: The Gathering. When we look at its peers, cards like Doomed Traveler come to mind. Both cards can be used as sacrificial pieces in the grand strategy of the game. However, Expendable Troops requires a cost to be paid for its ability to self-sacrifice and deal damage, whereas Doomed Traveler generates value upon death by creating a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.

Another comparable card is Mogg War Marshal. This goblin-like card also thrives on the principle of expendability but has the added advantage of bringing another creature into play upon its demise or when it’s sacrificed. This echoes the theme of creature-based strategies focused on quantity over the individual quality of creatures.

Diligent analysis of these cards and their roles in gameplay highlights Expendable Troops as a flexible option for its instant speed interaction, despite its cost. It fits into decks that benefit from creatures dying, whether for triggering abilities or other strategic advantages. These comparisons help underline the specific tactical uses that make cards like Expendable Troops a tactical asset in MTG decks that embrace such synergies.

Cards similar to Expendable Troops by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Expendable Troops MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy, 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 Expendable Troops and other MTG cards: