Brightflame MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 194
2018-11-02 - Number 87
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Radiance |
Text of card
Radiance Brightflame deals X damage to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
"Let the pyres of the unbelievers light our way." —Razia
Cards like Brightflame
Brightflame stands out in the world of area-of-effect removal and life gain spells in Magic: The Gathering. It aligns most closely with cards like Radiant Flames and Storm’s Wrath, both of which offer a sweeping damage effect. What distinguishes Brightflame, however, is its unique ability to combine mass removal with significant life gain, a trait not commonly found in others. Radiant Flames offers flexibility in its converge mechanic, allowing players to control the amount of damage dealt, but it lacks the life gain aspect that can be a game-changer in longer matchups.
Then we have Storm’s Wrath, which delivers a consistent four damage to all creatures and planeswalkers. While this spell’s higher damage output is beneficial for clearing out larger threats, the absence of life gain means it doesn’t have the same comeback potential that Brightflame can offer. Additionally, Brightflame’s potential for massive life gain scales with the number of targets hit, hence providing an unprecedented swing in games where creatures heavily populate the board.
Ultimately, while each of these spells has distinct advantages, Brightflame’s combined effect of board clearing and life gain positions it uniquely among red and white spells for players seeking both offensive and defensive benefits in MTG.
Cards similar to Brightflame by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Brightflame stands out for its ability to potentially wipe out multiple creatures from the playing field, giving you a distinct card advantage. By removing threats, you’re effectively handicapping your opponent’s options while keeping yours plentiful.
Resource Acceleration: While Brightflame doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, the life gain associated with damage dealt can be a critical resource in itself. This life gain can give you the staying power needed to reach the late game where you can play even more impactful cards.
Instant Speed: Although Brightflame is cast at sorcery speed, its impact on the board state is immediately felt. This makes it a strategic play to swing the tide of the match in your favor, potentially altering the course of the game in a single turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: To fully utilize Brightflame’s healing and damage potential, a player must often sacrifice valuable creatures, which could deplete one’s board presence and set back strategic plans.
Specific Mana Cost: Brightflame demands both red and white mana, making it less flexible for multicolor decks that may not always have the right mana mix readily available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a considerable casting cost of four mana, including two that are color-specific, players may find that Brightflame is a weighty investment, especially when other spells might provide similar effects with less stringent mana requirements.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Brightflame boasts a flexible role in decks that focus on life gain or damaging multiple creatures simultaneously. Its hybrid mana cost allows it to be easily slotted into Boros color schemes or any deck that runs red and white mana.
Combo Potential: This card excels when combined with cards that benefit from life gain or deal damage to opponents. It can be a pivotal play that swings the game in your favor by wiping out a multitude of creatures while bolstering your life total significantly.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment populated with creature-heavy decks, Brightflame can act as an effective board clear. Additionally, its life gain aspect can be a game-changer against aggressive strategies, making it a smart pick for decks aiming to stabilize and control the board state.
How to Overcome Brightflame
Brightflame is a card that stands out among life manipulation spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its impactful board sweep and life gain make it a formidable presence in games, especially when you’re facing a wide array of creatures. To effectively counter Brightflame, players might consider running cards that grant indestructibility or utilize shroud and hexproof abilities to protect their creatures. This means turning to options like Boros Charm to guard your creatures from being destroyed, or relying on the sturdy Swiftfoot Boots to give a valuable creature hexproof and haste.
Another strategic approach is to limit the number of creatures you play, thereby reducing Brightflame’s potential impact. Instead, focus on powerful single threats or non-creature win conditions. Always keep in mind that cards like Negate can counter Brightflame outright, provided you’ve reserved mana for such eventualities. Lastly, employing graveyard retrieval spells can help recover your assets if Brightflame does hit the board, making it less of a setback and allowing you to rebuild quickly.
By incorporating these tactics, players can mitigate Brightflame’s effect and maintain an upper hand in their strategy, displaying that even the brightest flames can be extinguished with the right preparations.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Brightflame MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and GRN Guild Kit, 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 Brightflame and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Brightflame Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2018-11-02. Illustrated by Dave Dorman.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 194 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dave Dorman | |
| 2 | 2018-11-02 | GRN Guild Kit | GK1 | 87 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dave Dorman |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Brightflame has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Brightflame card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2005-10-01 | A creature “shares a color” with any creature that is at least one of its colors. For example, a green-white creature shares a color with creatures that are green, white, green-white, red-white, black-green, and so on. |
| 2005-10-01 | All creatures that share a color are affected, even your own. |
| 2005-10-01 | If it targets a colorless creature, it doesn’t affect any other creatures. A colorless creature shares a color with nothing, not even other colorless creatures. |
| 2005-10-01 | Only one creature is targeted. If that creature leaves the battlefield or otherwise becomes an illegal target, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. No other creatures are affected. |
| 2005-10-01 | You check which creatures share a color with the target when the spell resolves. |
| 2005-10-01 | You gain life equal to the total damage dealt by Brightflame to all creatures. You don’t gain life for any damage that was prevented. |