Krark-Clan Stoker: Regional Heatmap of Play Frequency

In TCG ·

Krark-Clan Stoker card art (Darksteel) showing a fiery goblin shaman

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Regional Heatmaps and Red Goblin Flair

If you’ve ever tracked MTG trends, you know that some cards light up regional heatmaps like a fire spell in a goblin’s pocket. Krark-Clan Stoker—Darksteel’s fiery little goblin shaman—shows that phenomenon beautifully. With a modest mana cost of 2 colorless + R (CMC 3) and a curious tapped ability, this common from the Darksteel set has always been a backstage master of tempo and artifact-scented shenanigans. The heatmap of play frequency by region reveals a simple truth: where there are artifacts, there’s usually a groove for Krark-Clan Stoker to spark a little extra red, a little mischief, and a lot of tempo. 🧙‍♂️🔥

The card’s text is compact but potent: T, Sacrifice an artifact: Add {R}{R}. That single line turns the Stoker into a mana amplifier for artifact-focused strategies. You don’t need a big creature on board to start fueling a Red-streak finish; you just need something shiny to feed the furnace. In regional decks where artifact acceleration is common—think Treasures from diverse sets or artifact mana in legacy and commander circles—the Stoker’s heat climbs. It’s not just about raw power; it’s about the narrative of sacrifice turning into cataclysmic bursts of red mana. And yes, the flavor text about Great Furnace and soul reclamation gives this goblin a distinct, furnace-lit personality that resonates with players who love the lore of the Great Mother. 🔥🧭

What Krark-Clan Stoker actually does

  • Mana cost: {2}{R} — a friendly midrange commitment that fits many red shells.
  • Type: Creature — Goblin Shaman
  • Power/Toughness: 2/2
  • Text: T, Sacrifice an artifact: Add {R}{R}.
  • Colors: Red; color identity {R}
  • Rarity: Common
  • Set: Darksteel (DST), with the flavor tied to Goblin scavenging and furnace-themed lore
  • Flavor & flavor text: "Fallen enemies are fed to the scavengers. Fallen friends are thrown into the Great Furnace, their souls returned to the Great Mother." This line grounds the Stoker in a rough-and-tumble, furnace-fed world that red loves to inhabit. 🎨
  • Availability: Foil and nonfoil printing; widely accessible for cube drafts, Commander builds, and casual Modern-leaning lists
“A spark in a workshop can become a storm in a battlefield.”

Regionally, Krark-Clan Stoker tends to thrive where players lean into artifact ramp—think commander tables loaded with mana rocks, Treasure-generating combos, and artifact synergies that reward sacrifice and tempo. In North America and Europe, you’ll often find Stoker piloting fast red archetypes that leverage artifact acceleration to cast big payoffs earlier than expected. In parts of Asia-Pacific metas, you might see Stoker tucked into red archetype decks that prize aggressive curve-toppers and synergy with other red value engines. The heatmap from regional data shows a spike in Stoker usage around decks that embrace mana-rich solutions rather than pure burn or direct damage. It’s a card that rewards clever timing and artifact vigilance—two traits that regional players love. 🔥⚡

Regional patterns and practical takeaways

  • Higher presence in Commander circles and midrange artifact-based decks. The Stoker often serves as a mana accelerant to fuel a “go-wide and go big” approach, enabling surprise plays and resilient answers in the late game. 🧙‍♂️
  • A pocket of interest in cube and multi-deck formats where artifact density is stable; Stoker’s ability to generate RR can push a critical spell over the finish line in red-centric archetypes.
  • Heat around fast, aggressive red builds; Krark-Clan Stoker appears in lists that prize tempo and multi-spell turns, especially when paired with cheap artifacts that feed the furnace.
  • More niche but persistent use in casual games and budget-friendly decks; the card’s accessibility as a common makes it a handy spike of red value in smaller metas.
  • The DST era’s artifact theme gives Stoker a natural home when players build around artifact sacrifice and rapid mana generation—an early-blueprint for the kind of retro-legal synergy that still resonates today. 💎

Design, art, and the collector’s eye

Darksteel gave us some of the era’s most memorable furnace-and-fire visuals, and Krark-Clan Stoker is no exception. Pete Venters’ art style trades in chunky goblin energy for a furnace-fed mechanic that feels both dangerous and playful. The card’s common rarity belies the potential complexity of its board impact, a design choice that invites players to experiment with artifact-rich mana bases without breaking the bank. The market data line for this card shows modest yet steady interest, with foil variants fetching a touch more for collectors who want that splash of flame in foil form. 🔥💎

As you build around Krark-Clan Stoker, consider the broader ecosystem of artifact payoff cards from Darksteel and nearby sets. Cards that create or copy artifacts, or that profit from sacrificial triggers, can turn a simple mana ripple into an avalanche of spicy red outcomes. And if you’re a lore buff, the Stoker’s flavor text adds texture to a world where even friends may be offered to a Great Furnace—it's not just about the burn; it’s about the stories we tell while we play. 🎲⚔️

Where to go from here

For players curious about the modern implications of artifact-fueled red synergy, Krark-Clan Stoker remains a useful template. It reminds us that tempo plus value can come from the most unassuming corners of the mana curve. If you’re building a gamma of artifact-centered decks or just stocking a casual red-stompy brew, the Stoker offers a reliable, approachable way to sprinkle extra red mana into your turns while keeping the board pressure healthy. And because it’s a common from a beloved artifact-set era, it’s a friendly entry point for new players exploring Darksteel’s legacy. 🎨

In the end, Krark-Clan Stoker is a small goblin with a big job: turning shiny things into roaring, game-shifting accelerants. When the heatmap lights up across your playgroup, you’ll know you’ve discovered a little red spark that’s both practical and delightfully mischievous. ⚔️

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Krark-Clan Stoker

Krark-Clan Stoker

{2}{R}
Creature — Goblin Shaman

{T}, Sacrifice an artifact: Add {R}{R}.

Fallen enemies are fed to the scavengers. Fallen friends are thrown into the Great Furnace, their souls returned to the Great Mother.

ID: a90da818-ffa1-435d-8734-fc7a1330d323

Oracle ID: 756b4bc9-6f3f-4eae-b6b0-63c94ed8482f

Multiverse IDs: 43491

TCGPlayer ID: 11712

Cardmarket ID: 428

Colors: R

Color Identity: R

Keywords:

Rarity: Common

Released: 2004-02-06

Artist: Pete Venters

Frame: 2003

Border: black

EDHRec Rank: 18179

Penny Rank: 16234

Set: Darksteel (dst)

Collector #: 65

Legalities

  • Standard — not_legal
  • Future — not_legal
  • Historic — not_legal
  • Timeless — not_legal
  • Gladiator — not_legal
  • Pioneer — not_legal
  • Modern — legal
  • Legacy — legal
  • Pauper — legal
  • Vintage — legal
  • Penny — not_legal
  • Commander — legal
  • Oathbreaker — legal
  • Standardbrawl — not_legal
  • Brawl — not_legal
  • Alchemy — not_legal
  • Paupercommander — legal
  • Duel — legal
  • Oldschool — not_legal
  • Premodern — not_legal
  • Predh — legal

Prices

  • USD: 0.13
  • USD_FOIL: 0.42
  • EUR: 0.13
  • EUR_FOIL: 0.23
  • TIX: 0.03
Last updated: 2025-11-16