Caldera Hellion MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Hellion |
| Abilities | Devour |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 95 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Raymond Swanland |
Text of card
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.) When Caldera Hellion comes into play, it deals 3 damage to each creature.
Cards like Caldera Hellion
Caldera Hellion carves its niche in the Magic: The Gathering realm as a unique creature with a devastating entrance on the battlefield. It stands shoulder to shoulder with cards like Flameblast Dragon for the potential massive damage it can unleash. Unlike Flameblast Dragon, which requires an extra mana payment upon attacking to deal damage, Caldera Hellion offers an immediate board impact with its “devour” ability upon entering the fray.
Comparing it to another creature, Inferno Titan, emphasizes Caldera Hellion’s potential for a wider damage spread. Inferno Titan might methodically pick off threats with its attack-triggered lightning bolts, but Caldera Hellion can often reset the board with its one-time yet wider-reaching effect. Siege-Gang Commander offers a different approach as a creature creating multiple bodies upon entry. While it caters to a go-wide strategy, Caldera Hellion’s role is to clear a path.
To sum up, while each card holds its place in decks striving for dominance through mass removal or overwhelming board presence, Caldera Hellion distinguishes itself as an ideal choice for players seeking to make an immediate and potentially sweeping difference during a game’s pivotal moments.
Cards similar to Caldera Hellion by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With the ability to potentially clear out multiple creatures from the opposing side upon entering the battlefield, Caldera Hellion offers the possibility of swinging the game in your favor by leaving you with a formidable creature while depleting your opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct means of ramping up resources, Caldera Hellion’s devour mechanism lets you turn excess or unnecessary creatures into additional power, transforming quantity into quality and enabling larger and more impactful plays.
Instant Speed: Despite the Hellion’s casting requiring sorcery speed, the sweeping effect generated by its arrival can create openings for subsequent instant-speed interactions. By controlling the board state, you’re effectively accelerating your ability to dictate the pace of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Caldera Hellion necessitates the player to discard a card to unleash its power, a trade-off that can be detrimental when hands are running empty.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana required to cast Caldera Hellion includes a demanding combination of red and generic mana, which could restrict its compatibility with multi-color decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a steep mana cost that scales its impact later into the game, Caldera Hellion may compete for a deck slot with other less costly creatures or spells with immediate effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Caldera Hellion card offers a dynamic role in various decks, featuring a powerful board-wiping ability that can reset the state of play. This red creature fits naturally into decks that seek to control the board while establishing a commanding presence.
Combo Potential: Its Devour ability has synergy with strategies that generate a lot of small creatures, allowing you to sacrifice them to both empower Caldera Hellion and benefit from any “death trigger” effects your creatures might have.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies often dominate, having Caldera Hellion in your arsenal ensures you have a response to swarming tactics. Its sweep effect and substantial body make it a card worth considering when building a deck to counter popular trends.
How to beat
Caldera Hellion, a formidable creature card in Magic: The Gathering, presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. With its devastating enters-the-battlefield ability, it can wipe out an army of smaller creatures thanks to its ability to deal 3 damage to each creature. To effectively counter this, smart players must strategize ahead. Utilizing creatures with toughness greater than three is a reliable method, suffering minimal losses from its area of impact.
Incorporating your own array of instant-speed removal spells can be pivotal in maintaining control. Should the Hellion make an appearance, spells like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization offer a swift solution to exile or otherwise neutralize the threat before its ability triggers. Moreover, employing counterspells such as Cancel or Mana Leak not only prevents the Hellion’s arrival but preserves your creature lineup intact for future turns.
Lastly, it’s essential to consider the broader picture. The strategic inclusion of abilities like indestructible or regenerate in your deck could safeguard your creatures, making the Hellion’s presence far less disastrous. Adapt your deck with these tactics in mind, and you’ll increase your win probability by neutralizing one of the fiercer threats in the MTG arena.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Caldera Hellion MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Caldera Hellion 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Caldera Hellion 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 Caldera Hellion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Caldera Hellion will deal 3 damage to itself (as well as to each other creature) when its enters-the-battlefield ability resolves. This damage will be lethal if Caldera Hellion hasn’t devoured any creatures and its toughness hasn’t been increased by any other means. |
| 2008-10-01 | If multiple creatures with devour are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, you may use each one’s devour ability. A creature you already control can be devoured by only one of them, however. (In other words, you can’t sacrifice the same creature to satisfy multiple devour abilities.) All creatures devoured this way are sacrificed at the same time. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you cast this as a spell, you choose how many and which creatures to devour as part of the resolution of that spell. (It can’t be countered at this point.) The same is true of a spell or ability that lets you put a creature with devour onto the battlefield. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may choose not to sacrifice any creatures for the Devour ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice only creatures that are already on the battlefield. If a creature with devour and another creature are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, the creature with devour can’t devour that other creature. The creature with devour also can’t devour itself. |