Magma Hellion MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	7
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Hellion
Abilities	Assist,Haste,Trample
Released	2018-06-08
Set symbol
Set name	Battlebond
Set code	BBD
Power	5
Toughness	4
Number	61
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jason Felix

Key Takeaways

Magma Hellion’s trample provides potential for multiple creature elimination and direct damage.
Red decks with mana acceleration can cast Magma Hellion earlier, maximizing battlefield impact.
Despite not having instant speed, it synergizes with Flash spells for tactical advantage.

Text of card

Assist (Another player can pay up to of this spell's cost.) Trample, haste

The stadium is well-stocked with hazards to force the action if combatants show too much caution.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Magma Hellion doesn’t directly impact your hand, it does bring a significant presence to the battlefield. Its Trample ability can help clear out smaller blockers, usually leading to direct player damage and potentially clearing the way for additional threats. This indirectly contributes to card advantage by dealing with multiple creatures with just one card.

Resource Acceleration: While Magma Hellion itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, its cost can be effectively reduced in red decks that focus on adding extra mana through artifacts or spells. This synergizes well with decks that aim to deploy threats earlier than the standard curve, getting more power on the board swiftly.

Instant Speed: Magma Hellion cannot be played at instant speed, but it can benefit from other cards with Flash or instant-speed spells that either ramp your mana or make it cheaper to cast creatures. This, combined with the surprise factor of hasty creatures, can turn the tide by creating unexpected blockers or attackers that can disrupt your opponent’s strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Magma Hellion mandates that you pitch a card to the graveyard, which might strain your hand, especially when options are already limited.

Specific Mana Cost: With a demand for both red and generic mana, this card could be a challenge to cast on curve outside of mono-red or two-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at the upper end of the mana curve, Magma Hellion’s effectiveness is often overshadowed by other creatures or spells that offer more impact for the same, or less, investment.

Reasons to Include Magma Hellion in Your Collection

Versatility: Magma Hellion is a card that offers flexibility across various deck strategies. With haste and a power boost, it’s a valuable addition to decks that aim to deliver heavy damage swiftly.

Combo Potential: Given its ability to instantly impact the battlefield, Magma Hellion pairs well with cards that benefit from creatures with high power or those that trigger effects upon dealing damage.

Meta-Relevance: The game often shifts towards aggressive tactics, where Magma Hellion shines by offering an immediate threat to opponents. Its presence can help tilt the battlefield in your favor in a creature-centric environment.

How to beat Magma Hellion

Magma Hellion can be a formidable challenge on the battlefield with its trample ability and hefty power. It takes a strategic approach to overcome this creature effectively in Magic: The Gathering. One method is by controlling the board early on to prevent your opponent from accumulating the mana required to cast such a high-cost card. Cards that restrict your opponent’s mana base or remove lands are especially useful in this scenario.

Another tactic is to have removal spells ready. Instant speed removals like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can handle the Hellion before it deals damage, while board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God can clean up if multiple threats are present. Counterspells, a control player’s go-to, can also be employed strategically to negate the casting of Magma Hellion altogether.

Preparing creatures with high toughness to block and survive the encounter or using enchantments that decrease the Hellion’s power can also be effective counterplays. Combat tricks, such as those that increase a creature’s toughness or provide indestructibility for a turn, are also key in surviving an attack. Ultimately, understanding your deck’s strengths and keeping up a strong defense against potent threats like Magma Hellion is crucial for victory.

Cards like Magma Hellion

Magma Hellion strides into the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering as a formidable creature with a knack for immediate impact. It shares characteristics with cards like Sparktongue Dragon, which also offers a burst of damage upon entering the fray. Magma Hellion’s trample ability, combined with its considerable power, enables players to potentially deal massive damage directly to opponents, overshadowing the Dragon’s lack of trample.

Another peer in this fierce category is the Flameborn Hellion, which boasts a comparable power level and the haste ability, allowing it to attack the same turn it is played. However, despite its lower casting cost, it doesn’t provide the same level of board presence as the Magma Hellion. Lastly, there’s the Archwing Dragon, echoing the haste trait and returning to its owner’s hand at the end of the turn, offering recurring threats. But it trades off the consistent board presence and the high power of the Magma Hellion for this flexibility.

Ultimately, Magma Hellion holds its own within the array of aggressive red creatures in Magic: The Gathering with its ability to swing games with its considerable presence and aggressive abilities, making it a powerful option for players who favor a direct and impactful play style.

Cards similar to Magma Hellion by color, type and mana cost

Yidaro, Wandering Monster - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Magma Hellion MTG card by a specific set like Battlebond, 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 Magma Hellion and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Magma Hellion has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-06-08	Assist allows another player to pay for any amount of generic mana. If an effect changes the cost of the spell, the amount that player may pay will be more or less than the amount in the spell’s reminder text.
2018-06-08	If an effect allows a player to cast a spell spending mana “as though it were mana of any color” or “of any type,” that player must still pay for the colored mana in that spell’s total cost. That cost doesn’t become generic.
2018-06-08	Only the generic mana portion of a spell’s cost can be paid with assist. Any colored mana costs must be paid by the spell’s controller, even if the assisting player paid mana of that color.
2018-06-08	You may reveal a card with assist and discuss how to pay for it before you begin to cast the spell. Targets are chosen for that spell before you choose another player to help you pay for it and before that player has committed any mana to doing so.