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Hammer of Purphoros in Red Aggro Sideboards: Quickfires, Tokens, and a Token of Opportunity

Red decks have always thrived on tempo—the tempo to push damage before the opponent can stabilize, the tempo to force through with non-stop pressure, and the tempo to turn a narrow edge into a game-winning swing. Hammer of Purphoros slots neatly into that philosophy as a rare, ancient spark of speed masquerading as enchantment and artifact. With a mana cost of {1}{R}{R}, this legendary enchantment artifact arrives ready to ignite a board state: Creatures you control have haste. That means your efficient early threats can attack immediately, not just when you draw your next fetch land. And when you pair the Hammer with aggressive equip strategies, the battlefield becomes a furnace 🔥 where threats are swinging with blistering speed and your opponent is scrambling to answer the onslaught. Add the second mode—{2}{R}, {T}, Sacrifice a land: Create a 3/3 colorless Golem enchantment artifact creature token—and you gain a surprising amount of reach and resilience in the midgame. 🧙‍♂️

The card’s design sits at a fascinating crossroads. It’s a Legendary Enchantment Artifact with a strong, one-sided is-it-too-fast effect for aggro mirrors, while its token-producing ability offers a generous payoff in board-centric matchups. This is particularly potent in red-based sideboard plans, where you expect disruption, sweepers, and control to shape the post-board landscape. Hammer’s haste grant lets you push in immediately after a bounce or a removal spell, turning a temporary tempo gain into real damage. The 3/3 Golem token can help you stabilize against ground-based boards, or provide a pseudo-chump blocker that buys you time to shore up your late game. In other words: Hammer is not just about speed; it’s also about misdirection—forcing your opponents to respect the board as it grows in unexpected ways. ⚔️

From a practical sideboard perspective, 1–2 copies of Hammer can serve as a flexible tool. In red aggro shells often built around cheap, efficient creatures and quick disruption, Hammer can be slotted in against control and midrange where you need to reclaim tempo after a sweep or a read on removal density. It also scales with board presence: the more threats you have, the more value you squeeze from “haste for all your creatures.” If you’ve got a few 1- or 2-drops in the mix, Hammer can pull off a surprise sequence where you untap with multiple attackers while your opponents scramble to respond—not to mention the surprise value of evolving a long-term board by churning out a 3/3 golem token when you need a little buffer or a burst of pressure. 🧨

Design-wise, the card’s Flavor—All the world is Purphoros's anvil—threads nicely with the red style of “forge your own tempo.” The set, Edge of Eternities Commander (eoc), situates Hammer in a themed space that loves heroic, weaponized speed and artifact synergy. While modern staples often lean on explosive plays, Hammer’s real elegance is its ability to turn a compact, late-game plan into an immediate threat while still contributing a reliable token engine. The token’s presence invites evolving lines: you can use the 3/3 to pressure planeswalkers, to bait removal on a less critical target, or to fuel a future equipment-based finisher in a way that rewards patient planning. In casual circles, it’s the sort of card that invites “what if we just slam this and see what happens?” moments. 🧙‍♂️💎

In terms of format legality, Hammer of Purphoros sits comfortably in Modern, Legacy, and Vintage decks that value artifact synergy and fiery red aggression. It isn’t part of Standard, but its offbeat Commander lineage makes it a familiar face at kitchen-table tournaments and local shop nights. The card’s price sits modestly on the radar—listed as a few dollars in USD and euros—with a small, steady valuation that reflects its niche but meaningful impact in the right shells. The flavor and design work together to reward players who lean into tempo, torque, and clever token-generation strategies. It’s a card that says, with a wink, “Let’s get this party started—and then blow the roof off.” 🎨

“All the world is Purphoros's anvil.” A line that reads as much about ferocity as it does about invention—hammering out a plan with precision and speed.

How to build a red aggro sideboard around Hammer

• Haste amplification matters: Any creature that benefits from haste becomes immediately more dangerous when Hammer’s on board. Prioritize low-cost threats that scale with tempo—think robust 2-drops and evasive menaces that punish removal quickly.
• Token value cannot be ignored: The 3/3 Golem token isn’t just fodder; it can block, chump, or be turned into a larger board state with a few well-chosen follow-up plays. It also interacts with some burn or tempo lines that leverage artifact tokens for value.
• Race the board, not the clock: If your opponent tries to stabilize, Hammer helps you shove damage through before they can establish a solid defense. The “sack a land” mode can kick-start your own long-game plan, or simply act as a hail-mary bluff that keeps opponents guessing.
• Value in the airwaves: Pair Hammer with a couple of efficient, artifact-friendly tools in the sideboard. Equip-focused strategies benefit from the fact that your entire team gains the tempo bonus, while the token engine gives you extra reach when your board gets cleared.
• Matchup awareness: In control-heavy matchups, you may lean on the emergency speed and token pressure to force unfavorable blocks or forced removal. Against aggro, Hammer still shines by pumping your team and enabling quick, decisive trades.

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