Purphoros, God of the Forge MTG Card


Creates card advantage by adding value to creature spells with its damage-dealing ability upon summoning. Enables accelerated win conditions by converting creatures into direct damage without extra investment. Allows for surprise tactics with instant-speed creature spells, posing threats during opponents’ turns.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Enchantment Creature — God
Abilities Indestructible
Power 6
Toughness 5

Text of card

Indestructible As long as your devotion to red is less than five, Purphoros isn't a creature. Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Purphoros deals 2 damage to each opponent. : Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.


Cards like Purphoros, God of the Forge

Purphoros, God of the Forge, shines as a powerhouse in MTG when it comes to dealing damage across the board. It shares its field with other formidable damage-dealing cards such as Impact Tremors, which also deals damage to opponents whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control. However, Purphoros distinguishes itself with its indestructible trait and the ability to pump up other creatures you control.

Similarly, Warstorm Surge stands as a parallel in dealing damage per creature’s power as they enter the battlefield. While it has no creature benefits of its own, it can inflict damage more accurately based on individual creature’s power rather than a static amount. Then there is Pandemonium, a card that enables damage to be deals whenever any creature comes into play but gives this benefit to all players, offering a riskier strategic position as opposed to the one-sided advantage Purphoros provides.

Assessing the capabilities and strategic implications of these alternatives, Purphoros, God of the Forge, undoubtedly holds a unique spot within damage-inflicting cards in MTG by not only delivering consistent damage but also bolstering your creatures and being a resilient threat on the board.

Impact Tremors - MTG Card versions
Warstorm Surge - MTG Card versions
Pandemonium - MTG Card versions
Impact Tremors - MTG Card versions
Warstorm Surge - MTG Card versions
Pandemonium - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-red GoblinsMono-red Goblins PioneerMono-Red GoblinsReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Philadelphia - Friday - 1:30 pm (Bronze)
4c Scapeshift4c Scapeshift Pioneer4c ScapeshiftPioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-01-07
Gruul ScapeshiftGruul Scapeshift PioneerGruul ScapeshiftPioneer League 2023-12-26
Jund ScapeshiftJund Scapeshift PioneerJund ScapeshiftPioneer Preliminary 2024-01-02 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Purphoros, God of the Forge itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to create a significant impact with every creature you play can lead to overwhelming card advantage. Each creature spell essentially carries additional value, dealing damage to each opponent and potentially altering the board state in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Purphoros thrives in decks built around creature and token generation. It effectively converts each creature you play into an immediate source of damage, accelerating your win condition without the need for further investment. This type of indirect resource acceleration allows you to utilize your creatures as both board presence and a resource for damage output.

Instant Speed: Although Purphoros itself isn’t an instant, it enables instant-like effects by damaging opponents whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control. This means that any creatures with flash or any instant-speed creature-generating spells become a sudden and potentially game-ending threat the moment they are played, keeping your opponents on their toes even during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Purphoros, God of the Forge doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, however, playing this deity demands a strategy that often involves sacrificing or discarding other cards to maximize its potential, putting you at risk of depleting your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This legendary enchantment creature comes with a devotion to red that requires a significant commitment to red mana. This can clash with multi-color deck strategies or limit its inclusion exclusively to red-focused decks, hindering versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes four resources including three red mana, this card sits at a higher end of the mana curve. In fast-paced games or against decks that optimize for lower-cost creatures and spells, getting Purphoros onto the battlefield can be challenging.


Reasons to Include Purphoros God of the Forge in Your Collection

Versatility: Purphoros God of the Forge stands as a robust addition to numerous deck styles, particularly those centered around creature play. The ability to deal damage to opponents whenever another creature enters your battlefield broadens its utility across aggressive and token strategies alike.

Combo Potential: In decks designed to churn out many creatures, Purphoros becomes an engine of constant damage, synergizing with token generators to whittle down opponents’ life totals with each summon.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are eternally prevalent in various formats, having Purphoros in your arsenal ensures a significant threat that can influence the board state and dictate the pace, making it an indispensable tool for confrontations where dominating with creatures is key.


How to beat

Confronting Purphoros, God of the Forge on the battlefield is a test of one’s ability to disrupt a key strategy in a game of Magic the Gathering. Renowned for its capacity to deal damage each time a creature enters the battlefield under the control of its owner, this powerful enchantment creature can quickly whittle down an opponent’s life total. The most straightforward method to neutralize Purphoros’s impact is to limit the number of creatures calling the board home. Cards that restrict creature spells or remove creatures upon entry can severely undercut Purphoros’s damage-dealing capability.

Assuming the control of the field is essential. Utilize spells and abilities that can exile or destroy enchantments. Enchantment removal is plentiful in MTG, with spells like Disenchant or Return to Nature offering simple solutions to eradicate threats like Purphoros. Board wipes also serve as an effective countermeasure, clearing the path of incoming creatures that would trigger Purphoros’s damaging ability. It’s about delivering strategic blows to render the god’s presence benign, edging your way to victory even in the face of such formidable divine power.


BurnMana Recommendations

Extracting the most value from Purphoros, God of the Forge is akin to holding a strategic ace up your sleeve in MTG. Its synergies with creature-based strategies elevate both aggressive and control-type decks, demanding recognition in your MTG endeavors. Meticulously incorporating this deity into your deck ignites a potential wildfire, turning each creature cast into an ember that scorches through opponents’ defenses. Take heed of the counsel shared here, and consider how Purphoros can fuel your fires of victory. Forge your path to dominance. Explore deeper strategies and interactions to harness the full potency of Purphoros, God of the Forge. Join us, enhance your collection, and bring the heat to every match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Purphoros, God of the Forge MTG card by a specific set like Theros and Mystery Booster, 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 Purphoros, God of the Forge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Purphoros, God of the Forge Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-09-27TherosTHS 1352003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10292003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 772015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
42020-09-26The ListPLST THS-1352003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 5472015NormalBlackEric Deschamps
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 2462015NormalBlackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Purphoros, God of the Forge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-09-15 Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
2013-09-15 If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it's still on the battlefield at that time.
2013-09-15 Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
2013-09-15 Numeric mana symbols (, , and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
2020-01-24 As a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color will determine whether any replacement effects that affect creatures entering the battlefield apply to that God. Because replacement effects are considered before the God is on the battlefield, the mana symbols in its mana cost won't be counted when determining this.
2020-01-24 Counters put on a God remain on it while it's not a creature, even if they have no effect.
2020-01-24 If a God is attacking or blocking and it stops being a creature, it will be removed from combat. It won't rejoin combat if it resumes being a creature later during that combat.
2020-01-24 If a God stops being a creature, it loses the type creature and the creature type God. It continues to be a legendary enchantment.
2020-01-24 If an effect causes a God to lose all abilities, its ability that causes it to stop being a creature still applies if appropriate.
2020-01-24 The abilities of Gods function as long as they're on the battlefield, regardless of whether they're creatures.
2020-01-24 The type-changing ability that can make a God not be a creature functions only on the battlefield. It's always a creature card in other zones, regardless of your devotion to its color. It's always a creature spell while it's on the stack.
2020-01-24 When a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color (including the mana symbols in the mana cost of the God itself) will determine if a creature entered the battlefield or not for abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield.