Sokenzan Spellblade MTG Card


Sokenzan Spellblade - Saviors of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Ogre Samurai Shaman
Abilities Bushido
Released2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameSaviors of Kamigawa
Set codeSOK
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number115
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byCarl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers consistent card advantage each turn for maintaining a robust battlefield presence.
  2. Accelerates resource management and battlefield impact through token creation.
  3. Enhances instants, boosting offensive capability and creating a formidable force.

Text of card

Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) : Sokenzan Spellblade gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sokenzan Spellblade offers valuable card advantage through its ability to potentially draw one or more cards each turn, depending on the number of modified creatures you control. This persistent card draw can tilt the battlefield in your favor over time.

Resource Acceleration: This nimble spellcaster accelerates your resource management every time you cast a noncreature spell by creating a token that’s a Copy of a creature you control, except it’s a 1/1 Spirit in addition to its other types. If you choose wisely, that Copy can lead to accumulation of various beneficial effects or an increase in battlefield presence.

Instant Speed: While Sokenzan Spellblade itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes exceptionally with instants in your deck. Playing instants on your opponent’s turn can quickly enhance Spellblade’s power, turning it from a mere threat to a formidable force as it gains power from your deck’s instant speed spells, providing you with a significant offensive upgrade on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sokenzan Spellblade demands discarding as part of its casting cost, potentially causing a setback if you’re already managing a depleted hand.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost, demanding both generic and red mana, can be restrictive, limiting the card mostly to mono-red or two-color decks optimized for red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost that is substantial for its impact on the game, there may be situations where the card isn’t the most mana-efficient choice compared to other options available.


Reasons to Include Sokenzan Spellblade in Your Collection

Versatility: The Sokenzan Spellblade is a flexible card, seamlessly fitting into multiple styles of play. Whether it is a deck focusing on spellslinging or one that benefits from prowess-like mechanics, its ability to grow more potent with each cast spell makes it a worthy addition to various strategies.

Combo Potential: Given that it increases in power with each noncreature spell cast, this card can be the cornerstone of explosive combo turns. Pair it with inexpensive cantrips or spell-recursion tactics to maximize its potential for overwhelming your opponents.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta changes, adaptability is crucial. In a landscape dominated by creature strategies, Sokenzan Spellblade can act as a substantial threat, growing beyond common removal thresholds. Its relevance in the current competitive scene makes it a valuable asset in climbing the ranks.


How to Beat Sokenzan Spellblade

Sokenzan Spellblade is an emerging threat on MTG battlefields, known for its capability to grow in power rapidly. This creature’s strength increases with each instant or sorcery spell you cast, making it quite the adversary. Successfully countering Sokenzan Spellblade hinges on disrupting this incremental advantage. Focus on removal spells that can target it before it becomes too large to handle, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile. The key lies in timing: eliminate it early or when your opponent is low on resources to prevent them from defending it with counterspells.

Equally effective against Sokenzan Spellblade is to limit the spells your opponent can cast. Utilize counterspells yourself to control the flow of the game, or strategic discard spells like Thoughtseize to remove potential instants and sorceries from your opponent’s hand before they can cast them. In addition, employing graveyard disruption—with cards like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze—can prevent the Spellblade from returning to the battlefield should a spell like Claim // Fame be in your opponent’s arsenal. Each game plan has its merits, but the overarching strategy is to keep Sokenzan Spellblade from gaining momentum and becoming an insurmountable force.


Cards like Sokenzan Spellblade

Sokenzan Spellblade is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that enthusiasts find intriguing for its potential in red spell-based decks. A comparative card would be Kiln Fiend, another creature that benefits greatly from the casting of noncreature spells, granting a temporary boost to its power. However, Sokenzan Spellblade offers a different growth trajectory by acquiring permanent power increases in the form of +1/+0 counters each time you cast an instant or sorcery spell.

When looking at Wee Dragonauts, it shares the propensity to get stronger with spell casting, but unlike Sokenzan Spellblade, this boost is temporary and only lasts until end of turn. Sokenzan Spellblade’s power increment remains, setting the stage for a progressively more formidable creature on the battlefield. Runaway Steam-Kin also interacts positively with red spells, collecting counters which can later be removed for additional red mana, but it lacks the direct combat improvements of Sokenzan Spellblade.

Each of these cards has its place in the MTG arena, but the enduring strength gain of Sokenzan Spellblade makes it a noteworthy option for players looking to build a creature that can deliver increasingly significant damage over time.

Kiln Fiend - MTG Card versions
Wee Dragonauts - MTG Card versions
Runaway Steam-Kin - MTG Card versions
Kiln Fiend - MTG Card versions
Wee Dragonauts - MTG Card versions
Runaway Steam-Kin - MTG Card versions

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Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Soul of Magma - MTG Card versions
Hunted Dragon - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sokenzan Spellblade MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Sokenzan Spellblade and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sokenzan Spellblade has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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