Celestial Flare MTG Card

Celestial Flare offers indirect card advantage by forcing opponent creature sacrifices at crucial times. Its instant speed and low mana cost provide strategic flexibility and maintain pressure on opponents. While powerful, it can be less effective if not timed well or if mana sources are limited.

Magic 2014 (M14)
2013-07-19 - Number 12

Celestial Flare - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora (DDO)

Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora (DDO)
2015-02-27 - Number 4

Magic Origins (ORI)
2015-07-17 - Number 8

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 50

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number ORI-8

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Text of card

Target player sacrifices an attacking or blocking creature.

"You were defeated the moment you declared your aggression." —Gideon Jura

Cards like Celestial Flare

Celestial Flare stands out in MTG as a prominent removal option, sharing a strategic space with cards like Gideon’s Reproach and Azorius Charm. Much like these, Celestial Flare forces the opponent to sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature. Gideon’s Reproach however, deals 4 damage directly to a creature, providing control over which creature is targeted. Azorius Charm presents a twist with its flexibility to either detain a creature or cycle for a new card, though it lacks the sacrificial impact of Celestial Flare.

Another akin spell is Blessed Alliance. This versatile card also escalates with additional mana to offer lifegain or to untap creatures, besides compelling a sacrifice. It shines for its multiple modes, giving players a tailored response during combat. Whereas Celestial Flare demands an opponent’s creature to be tapped, thus limiting its use to the combat phase, Blessed Alliance is more flexible with a tactical edge in surprise untaps.

Celestial Flare requires impeccable timing and carefully calculated plays, similar to its counterparts, but it’s the forced sacrifice at an efficient cost that positions Celestial Flare as a valuable tool in player arsenals, especially in formats like Standard and Limited where board control is vital.

Cards similar to Celestial Flare by color, type and mana cost

Decks using this card

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

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	Caw Gates	Pauper	Caw-Gates	Poznańska Liga Paupera Winter 2023 #5
	Jeskai Ephemerate	Pauper	Jeskai Ephemerate	Pauper League 2023-12-30

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though not directly drawing cards, Celestial Flare can be a decisive play by forcing an opponent to sacrifice a key creature, indirectly leading to a shift in card quality and advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Celestial Flare isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration, but its low mana cost facilitates a strategic advantage by keeping your mana available for other spells and abilities, ensuring a constant pressure and the potential for multiple plays in a single turn.

Instant Speed: Celestial Flare’s nature as an instant adds a layer of flexibility, allowing players to navigate around their opponents’ strategies by timing the sacrifice when it’s most disruptive, such as after blockers are declared, making it a highly tactical tool in a player’s arsenal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some instant removal options, Celestial Flare requires that the player sacrifices an attacking or blocking creature. This condition can sometimes backfire, as it allows the opponent to choose the creature they part with, possibly leaving them with their most influential creatures still on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Celestial Flare demands a precise mana cost – one Plains and one other – which might not always align perfectly with a player’s mana availability, particularly in multicolored or mana-intensive decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Needing two mana for its activation, Celestial Flare can be considered costly when compared to other instant-speed removal options. This higher cost can be a significant setback especially in the early game where mana efficiency is crucial for maintaining tempo.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Celestial Flare excels in its ability to adapt to various situations. Whether you’re facing down an indestructible behemoth or just need to remove a problematic attacker or blocker, this card can handle the situation without being limited to targeting specific creatures.

Combo Potential: The card shines in decks that capitalize on opponent’s choices. It works well when paired with effects that limit blocking or attacking options, forcing your opponent into unfavorable decisions and effectively dealing with elusive threats.

Meta-Relevance: With aggressive and voltron strategies frequently populating the meta, Celestial Flare becomes a useful tool. Its power to disrupt combat phases and remove critical threats can swing games in a control or midrange deck’s favor, keeping it relevant in the ever-evolving MTG landscape.

How to beat

Celestial Flare is a tactical instant in Magic: The Gathering that compels an opponent to sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature. This removal spell is highly effective in eliminating singular threats, especially when your opponent has a creature with formidable abilities on the battlefield. It requires careful timing to maximize its potential, typically during the declare attackers or blockers phase of combat.

To successfully navigate against Celestial Flare, it’s key to commit multiple creatures to an attack or have creatures available to block when you suspect your opponent holds this card. By doing so, you ensure that if Celestial Flare is played, you have the discretion to choose a less critical creature as a sacrifice. Additionally, holding counter spells or employing hexproof abilities can neutralize or bypass Celestial Flare’s effect entirely, preserving your most valuable creatures and maintaining board presence.

By anticipating Celestial Flare and employing strategic creature management, players can minimize its impact and potentially turn the tide of the game in their favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Celestial Flare MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora, 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 Celestial Flare and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Celestial Flare Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Clint Cearley.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2013-07-19	Magic 2014	M14	12	2003	Normal	Black	Clint Cearley
2	2015-02-27	Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora	DDO	4	2015	Normal	Black	Clint Cearley
3	2015-07-17	Magic Origins	ORI	8	2015	Normal	Black	Clint Cearley
4	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	50	2015	Normal	Black	Clint Cearley
5	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	ORI-8	2015	Normal	Black	Clint Cearley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Celestial Flare has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Celestial Flare targets only a player, not any creature. A creature with hexproof or protection from white can be sacrificed this way.
2013-07-01	Creatures continue to be attacking or blocking creatures through the end of combat step. It is possible to cast Celestial Flare within combat but after combat damage is dealt (specifically, during the combat damage step or the end of combat step). Only attacking and blocking creatures that survived combat damage can be sacrificed at this time.
2013-07-01	If the player sacrifices a blocking creature, any attacking creature it was blocking remains blocked. Unless that attacking creature has trample or is being blocked by another creature, it won’t assign or deal combat damage.