Embercleave MTG Card


Enables significant board impact by enhancing a creature’s damage potential and providing card advantage. Castable at instant speed, allowing for unexpected combat tricks and opportunistic plays during battle. Demands tactical play with its presence on the battlefield, requiring specific counter-strategies to mitigate its effect.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Artifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip, Flash

Text of card

Flash This spell costs less to cast for each attacking creature you control. When Embercleave enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has double strike and trample. Equip


Cards like Embercleave

Embercleave stands out in the wide array of powerful equipment in Magic: The Gathering. It can be likened to other game-changers like Argentum Armor, which significantly boosts a creature’s power and comes with a strong removal ability. However, Embercleave’s unique flash ability and lower equip cost allow for sudden combat tricks and quick turns of the tide during battle.

Matching it in terms of combat prowess, we see Fireshrieker, which also grants double strike to the creature it equips. While it lacks the cost reduction mechanics and doesn’t confer trample, Fireshrieker’s consistent double strike potential on a lower initial investment can be crucial in early-game aggression strategies. Then there’s Grafted Exoskeleton, bringing in the infect ability — a different but equally rapid route to victory. It alters the combat equation, where poison counters can get around high life totals, but at the price of potential self-sabotage if moved or unequipped.

Embercleave’s capacity to surprise opponents and dramatically shift combat outcomes secures its place amongst MTG’s elite equipment. When evaluating similar options, Embercleave’s blend of aggressive enhancement and strategic flexibility often gives it a decisive edge on the battlefield.

Argentum Armor - MTG Card versions
Fireshrieker - MTG Card versions
Grafted Exoskeleton - MTG Card versions
Argentum Armor - MTG Card versions
Fireshrieker - MTG Card versions
Grafted Exoskeleton - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Embercleave by color, type and mana cost

Ruin Grinder - MTG Card versions
Artificer's Dragon - MTG Card versions
Moltensteel Dragon - MTG Card versions
Combustible Gearhulk - MTG Card versions
Meteoric Mace - MTG Card versions
Ironhoof Boar - MTG Card versions
Caldera Breaker - MTG Card versions
Ruin Grinder - MTG Card versions
Artificer's Dragon - MTG Card versions
Moltensteel Dragon - MTG Card versions
Combustible Gearhulk - MTG Card versions
Meteoric Mace - MTG Card versions
Ironhoof Boar - MTG Card versions
Caldera Breaker - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Embercleave. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Boros ConvokeBoros Convoke PioneerBoros ConvokePioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-19
Naya MidrangeNaya Midrange GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024
Mono-Red AggroMono-Red Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Boros AggroBoros Aggro GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 13 2024
Generic RagavanGeneric Ragavan ModernGeneric RagavanModern Challenge 64 2024-03-31
Mardu StonebladeMardu Stoneblade ModernMardu StonebladeModern League 2024-03-21
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024
Gruul StompyGruul Stompy GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024
Jeskai AggroJeskai Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024
Naya WinotaNaya Winota GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Embercleave provides a significant swing in board presence by enabling a creature to become a more formidable threat. This could equate to card advantage as your enhanced creature can potentially take out multiple blockers or deliver a decisive strike to your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its ability to reduce its casting cost, Embercleave excels in resource acceleration for aggressive decks. Each attacking creature reduces the cost, allowing for a faster play, usually during the most critical combat phase.

Instant Speed: As Embercleave can be cast at instant speed, it gives players the flexibility to wait until the optimal combat moment. This surprise factor can turn the tide in a game by catching an opponent unprepared for the sudden shift in power on the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For the Embercleave to be most effective, it demands a robust attacking force on the battlefield. Without a sizable contingent of creatures, unlocking its reduced mana cost feature is less attainable, possibly resulting in having to discard other valuable cards to maintain a strong offense.

Specific Mana Cost: Occupying a distinct niche, Embercleave’s mana cost is specialized, requiring both red and generic mana. This aspect could restrict deck-building options, confining the card’s synergy to predominantly red or red-compatible decks, thus potentially sidelining it in decks of a varied mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite Embercleave’s potential for a reduced cost through its alternate casting condition, its standard cost remains at six mana—four generic and two red. This comparatively hefty sum could delay gameplay momentum, especially when facing decks that prioritize speed and early-board presence, potentially making Embercleave an impractical choice in certain match-ups.


Reasons to Include Embercleave in Your Collection

Versatility: Embercleave is a flexible card that shines in a variety of red or aggressive deck builds. Its potential to be cast for less than its mana cost allows it to fit into fast-paced strategies that aim to close out games quickly.

Combo Potential: This powerful artifact equips creatures with not just a boost to power and toughness, but also double strike and trample — a combination that pairs well with creatures that benefit from dealing combat damage or high-power synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its impact on the battlefield, Embercleave remains a highly relevant card in formats where aggressive strategies thrive. Its ability to turn the tide of a game makes it a venerable choice in a competitive setting.


How to beat

Embercleave is a powerful legendary artifact that can turn the tides of a match in Magic: The Gathering. As a card that equips at instant speed and reduces its casting cost for each attacking creature, it demands a tactical approach to neutralize. To effectively counter Embercleave, players should increase removal spells in their deck, specifically instant-speed removals like Disenchant or Naturalize to destroy it before it attaches or when the opponent declares attackers. Additionally, cards that prevent your opponents from attacking with multiple creatures, such as Ensnaring Bridge or Ghostly Prison, can limit the conditions under which Embercleave can be cast cheaply. Board wipes also serve as a strong equalizer against creature-heavy decks aiming to maximize Embercleave’s impact. Meanwhile, hand disruption spells can proactively remove Embercleave from play before it ever hits the battlefield. Considering these strategies, adapting your deck to include responses for this high-impact equipment card can significantly improve your resilience against it.


BurnMana Recommendations

Embercleave is a dynamic MTG card that can revolutionize your gameplay. Its capacity to be cast for a fraction of its cost makes it an aggressive powerhouse, perfect for red-themed or attack-oriented decks. Instant speed equipping allows for unexpected game-changing moves, cementing its status as a combat trick MVP. If you’re looking to sharpen your strategies, dive deeper into aggressive play, or simply want a legendary artifact that can steal games, understanding how to utilize Embercleave to its fullest potential is key. Expand your collection and gameplay wisdom—learn more about maximizing Embercleave’s full potential with us.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Embercleave MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Throne of Eldraine, 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 Embercleave and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Embercleave Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2019-10-04. Illustrated by Joe Slucher.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 3592015NormalBlackJoe Slucher
22019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 1202015NormalBlackJoe Slucher
32020-09-26The ListPLST ELD-1202015NormalBlackJoe Slucher

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Embercleave has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-10-04 If an attacking creature with double strike and trample destroys all of its blocking creatures with first-strike combat damage, all of its normal combat damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker that creature's attacking.
2019-10-04 If there are no creatures to attach Embercleave to when it enters the battlefield, it simply remains unattached.
2019-10-04 If you cast Embercleave outside of your combat phase, its cost won't be reduced.
2019-10-04 Once you announce that you're casting a spell, no player may take actions until the spell has been paid for. Notably, opponents can't try to change by how much a relic's cost is reduced.
2019-10-04 The cost reduction ability reduces only the generic mana in the relic's cost. The colored mana must still be paid.
2019-10-04 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.