Molten Sentry MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Elemental
Released	2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set code	RAV
Power	*
Toughness	*
Number	136
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage by forcing opponents to use multiple resources against it.
Can indirectly accelerate your strategy by deterring enemy plays with its presence.
Instant-like flip mechanic introduces an element of surprise, impacting combat strategies.

Text of card

As Molten Sentry comes into play, flip a coin. If the coin comes up heads, Molten Sentry comes into play as a 5/2 creature with haste. If it comes up tails, Molten Sentry comes into play as a 2/5 creature with defender.

Some take after their father, Stone, some after their mother, Fire.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Molten Sentry can potentially offer card advantage by creating a situation where you can trade one card for multiple opponents’ cards. This can happen when it’s used in scenarios that require your opponent to commit more than one card to handle it effectively.

Resource Acceleration: Although Molten Sentry doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration, it can serve as a deterrent, keeping the board clear and allowing you to use your resources for other actions. Its presence can slow down your opponent and indirectly accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: While Molten Sentry itself does not operate at instant speed, its flip mechanic can still result in an instant-like surprise for your opponent, disrupting their calculations for combat and potential blocks when it transforms after revealing it from the library.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Molten Sentry demands a card to be discarded upon entry, which could strip away a valuable piece of your hand especially when card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature requires a red and specific mana distribution to cast, potentially clashing with multicolor strategies and limiting its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Deploying Molten Sentry comes at a considerable mana investment compared to other options. For four mana, players might find alternatives that offer either a guaranteed impact on the board or more versatile defensive and offensive capabilities.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Molten Sentry offers a level of adaptability that can be quite valuable. Its flip mechanic means it can serve as either a defensive stalwart or an aggressive threat, depending on the needs of the current board state, making it a flexible pick for various red-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: With its variable power and toughness, this card can synergize with other cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield with high stats or that modify creature abilities, thereby enhancing certain combo setups with its unpredictability.

Meta-Relevance: Given a meta that’s heavy on creature-based strategies, Molten Sentry can be a significant asset. Its ability to flip into a high-power creature could surprise opponents and disrupt their battle plans, positioning this card as a clever meta choice.

How to beat

Molten Sentry is an intriguing creature card in MTG that can bring surprise to the battlefield with its flip mechanic, potentially presenting as either a formidable blocker or an aggressive attacker. To successfully navigate around this card’s dual nature, understanding its flip mechanic is crucial. Upon entering the battlefield, a coin flip determines the Sentry’s fate as either a 5/2 or a 2/5 creature, which means pre-emptive strategy and luck play vital roles.

Countering Molten Sentry effectively involves a two-pronged approach. If it lands as a 5/2, having removal spells handy ensures that you can deal with it before it deals significant damage. These spells can target creatures based on their toughness, making Molten Sentry a prime target. On the flip side, if Molten Sentry becomes a 2/5 creature, having access to spells that can bypass or reduce high toughness is beneficial. This could involve spells that decrease toughness, deal damage regardless of toughness, or simply remove the target from the game without relying on damage.

Ultimately, knowing your deck and having the right answers at the right time is key to overcoming the surprise factor of Molten Sentry. With careful planning and a bit of luck, you can mitigate this card’s potential impact on the game.

Cards like Molten Sentry

Exploring the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Molten Sentry finds its peers in cards that also dance on the edge of variability. Its closest relative in terms of unpredictability is Mogg Assassin, which offers a similar coin-flip chance to eliminate an opponent’s creature. However, even with its potential for removal, Mogg Assassin does not provide the same board presence as a substantial creature like Molten Sentry.

Looking further, we can compare Rumbling Slum, which boasts a consistent effect that deals damage to each player during your upkeep. Unlike Molten Sentry, it doesn’t necessitate a coin flip to determine its power or toughness, offering more dependability. Yet, there’s a charm in the gamble that comes with Molten Sentry, turning each game into an exciting moment of chance, potentially altering the board state with its outcome.

Somewhat akin to the chaotic nature of Molten Sentry, we see Goblin Assassin, which enforces a coin flip whenever a creature enters the battlefield. The potential for repeated removal plays a game of odds, akin to the one-off pivotal moment that defines Molten Sentry’s entrance to the field. What makes Molten Sentry stand apart is the immediate impact it can have based on the coin flip, either as a stout defender or an aggressive challenger.

Cards similar to Molten Sentry by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions

Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Molten Sentry MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Molten Sentry and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Molten Sentry has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2005-10-01	If a creature enters the battlefield copying Molten Sentry, that creature’s controller flips a coin to see what the copy will be.
2005-10-01	If a creature that’s already on the battlefield copies Molten Sentry, it becomes a copy of whatever Molten Sentry already is (either a 5/2 creature with haste or a 2/5 creature with defender).