Burning Hands MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | 135 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Olena Richards |
Key Takeaways
- Strategically reduces opponents’ threats, providing potential two-for-one advantage on the battlefield.
- Offers instant flexibility, but lacks synergistic discard mechanics for deck cycling.
- Red mana specificity may limit deck integration, despite its meta-relevant versatility.
Text of card
Burning Hands deals 2 damage to target creature or planeswalker. If that permanent is green, Burning Hands deals 6 damage instead.
A simple fire spell that grows in intensity along with its caster.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Burning Hands might not draw you cards, but it effectively reduces the threats on your opponent’s side, potentially dealing with two-for-one situations where your single card handles multiple enemy creatures if their toughness is low enough.
Resource Acceleration: While Burning Hands doesn’t directly provide mana or tokens, eliminating key threats can accelerate your board state dominance by clearing the path for your attacks and conserving your resources for future turns.
Instant Speed: As an instant, Burning Hands offers the flexibility to be cast in response to an opponent’s actions, crucially during the combat phase or in reaction to creature buffs, ensuring you can manage threats on your terms.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One major downside to consider when integrating Burning Hands into your deck is the absence of any discard requirements. While this might seem like a non-issue at first glance, the lack of such a mechanic means you’re not given the opportunity to cycle through your deck or leverage strategic discards for potential synergies, which might limit the dynamism of play for seasoned strategists.
Specific Mana Cost: A potential hurdle for players considering Burning Hands is the exclusive red mana cost. This specificity necessitates a commitment to red or at least a splash within a multi-color deck, potentially complicating your mana base and restricting the card’s adoption in non-red-centered deck architectures.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where efficiency can be king, the two red mana needed for Burning Hands might be a sticking point for players. Given the damage output, there are instances where players could find more cost-effective burn spells or removal options that align better with their strategy or mana curve, particularly in formats swarming with potent and inexpensive alternatives.
Reasons to Include Burning Hands in Your Collection
Versatility: Burning Hands is a flexible tool in red-aligned decks, adept at handling a wide range of threats. Its ability to deal damage lets it serve as both a creature remover and a direct way to pressure an opponent’s life total.
Combo Potential: This card can be a strategic asset when combined with damage amplifiers or spells that capitalize on noncombat damage. It can be a crucial part of a finely tuned combo that’s built to take down opponents swiftly.
Meta-Relevance: With the shift towards creature-heavy decks and the prevalence of green ramp strategies, Burning Hands becomes an essential card to counter popular and powerful green creatures and multicolored creatures that see widespread play.
How to Beat
Burning Hands is a powerful tool in the MTG arsenal that can deliver a swift blow to creatures, especially those with a green identity. To effectively navigate around this card, it requires a strategic approach and an understanding of its capabilities. When facing an opponent who relies on Burning Hands, one must consider the diversity of their creature base, perhaps incorporating creatures that don’t fall vulnerable to red damage-based removal, or utilizing creatures with higher toughness to withstand its effects.
Protection abilities or counterspells can serve as a shield against this interruption. Additionally, it’s beneficial to keep in mind the timing of your spells. Playing your most valuable creatures after you’ve seen Burning Hands played, or when your opponent’s mana is tapped elsewhere, could preserve your board presence. It’s all about pacing and knowing when to deploy your threats to minimize the impact of such direct damage spells.
By evaluating the situational context and adjusting your playing style, Burning Hands can be overcome. It might seem challenging at first, but a well-constructed deck with adaptive strategies can ensure that this card becomes less of a threat and more of a manageable obstacle in your path to victory.
Cards like Burning Hands
When examining the breadth of damage spells in Magic: The Gathering, Burning Hands emerges as a noteworthy contender with a specific target audience—creatures with green attribute. While it inflicts a modest 2 damage to any creature, this damage soars to 6 if the creature is green, making it a specialized tool against green-heavy decks. Consider Volcanic Hammer, another simple red spell dealing 3 damage to any target. Though broader in scope, it lacks Burning Hands’ potential for green-focused destruction.
Another relative to consider is Pyroclasm, a spell with a similar cost that deals 2 damage across the board to all creatures. This allows players to control wider boards, a feature that Burning Hands doesn’t provide. However, if the goal is to eliminate a high-threat green creature, Burning Hands is significantly more efficient. Lastly, Flames of the Firebrand offers a divergent approach, allowing 3 damage to be divided as you choose among up to three targets. This versatility is powerful, yet it doesn’t eclipse Burning Hands when facing down colossal green titans.
In essence, Burning Hands finds its strength not in versatility, but in being a precise tool poised to dismantle green creatures effectively within MTG gameplay. Its niche application can be incredibly powerful in the right context, truly showcasing its fiery grasp on its defined role.
Cards similar to Burning Hands by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Burning Hands MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Burning Hands and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Burning Hands has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
