Combust MTG Card

Offers targeted, non-counterable damage, valuable against protective blue and white creatures. Combust’s specific red mana requirement can limit multi-color deck flexibility. A sideboard staple, especially in metas dominated by white and blue decks.

Magic 2011 (M11)
2010-07-16 - Number 130

Magic 2012 (M12)
2011-07-15 - Number 128

Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
2015-05-22 - Number 110

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant

Text of card

Combust can't be countered by spells or abilities. Combust deals 5 damage to target white or blue creature. The damage can't be prevented.

Cards like Combust

Combust is a unique piece within the realm of creature removal in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with the widely known card Lightning Bolt, as both serve the purpose of targeting creatures. However, Combust takes a sharp turn with its specific immunity to blue and white spells during its casting which Lightning Bolt doesn’t possess. This feature can be pivotal when facing decks that rely heavily on blue or white counterspells.

Another parallel can be drawn with Flame Slash, which offers the ability to deal 4 damage to a creature for a single red mana, like Combust. Where Flame Slash does not require the red mana, Combust gains an edge with its damage that can’t be prevented, and its ability to hit white creatures without being stopped by protection or other similar abilities.

Moving forward, exploring the capacity of cards such as Volcanic Fallout adds to the conversation. It hits all creatures and players, bypassing the need for targeting and avoiding counterplay. While not as targeted as Combust, Volcanic Fallout brings another dimension to removing creatures. Thus, among removal spells, Combust offers unique benefits: unpreventable damage and evasion of certain countermeasures, carving its niche in the MTG landscape.

Cards similar to Combust by color, type and mana cost

Smash to Smithereens - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Combust shines by bypassing protection from red since it can deal damage to white or blue creatures despite any preventative measures. This ability to overcome typical barriers ensures that your strategic plays hit their intended marks, maintaining the upper hand on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although Combust does not directly accelerate your resources in the traditional sense of providing mana or treasure tokens, it serves as a resource acceleration by efficiently dealing with threats for a low mana cost. This economic use of mana allows players to develop their board while keeping the opponent’s in check, effectively acting as indirect acceleration.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Combust allows for flexibility, providing the element of surprise and control by enabling players to react during an opponent’s turn. This tactical advantage can disrupt your adversary’s plans, saving your creatures from combat or negating key spells as they cast large threats. It amplifies the notion of playing smart, keeping mana available for when it’s most impactful.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable to Combust as it does not require discarding cards; however, any card that has such a requirement can put you at a significant card disadvantage, especially if your hand size is already diminished.

Specific Mana Cost: Combust requires specific red mana in its casting cost, which can be challenging for multi-color decks that might struggle with obtaining the right mana combination at crucial moments in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For an instant card that solely deals damage to a creature without flying, Combust’s mana cost may be seen as somewhat inefficient when compared to other damage-based instant cards in MTG that can offer more versatility and lower costs, providing better utility for the same or less mana investment.

Reasons to Include Combust in Your Collection

Versatility: Combust offers a targeted removal option that can bypass protection from red, which means it has a place in sideboards for dealing with common threats. Its ability to deal damage without being countered is crucial for games against decks that rely on blue spells for protection.

Combo Potential: As a non-counterable spell, Combust can be a key play against decks that aim to shield their creatures with countermagic. It also works well in decks that aim to control opponents’ creature-based strategies, allowing you to remove key pieces without worry of intervention.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where white and blue creature decks are prominent, Combust can be an exceptionally useful tool. Its specificity to these colors increases its impact in relevant matchups, making it a solid meta choice for players anticipating these types of opponents in their play environment.

How to beat

Combust is a unique red instant that prevents damage from being prevented and can’t be countered, making it a decisive removal against white and blue creatures. Despite its apparent strength, there are several strategies to outmaneuver this spell. Ensure your deck is diversified with creatures of various colors, minimizing Combust’s reach. You can also employ creatures with hexproof or shroud abilities to safeguard them from being targeted by such spells.

Tactics like using instant-speed spells that grant protection, such as Gods Willing, can be a surprise element to save your creature after Combust has been cast, as it won’t counter the spell but will fizzle its effect. Additionally, efficiency in managing your creature’s toughness through buffs can protect them from Combust’s limited damage capacity. Remember, creatures with indestructible or those that can regenerate also stand a good chance of surviving a run-in with Combust.

In essence, while Combust can pose a threat to a specific subset of creatures, it is far from unbeatable. By carefully crafting your deck and playing strategically, you can mitigate its impact and maintain control over the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Combust MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Magic 2012, 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 Combust and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Combust Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by Jaime Jones.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2010-07-16	Magic 2011	M11	130	2003	Normal	Black	Jaime Jones
2	2011-07-15	Magic 2012	M12	128	2003	Normal	Black	Jaime Jones
3	2015-05-22	Modern Masters 2015	MM2	110	2015	Normal	Black	Jaime Jones

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Combust 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 Combust card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2010-08-15	Combust can be targeted by spells and abilities that try to counter it (such as Cancel). Those spells and abilities will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter Combust won’t do anything. Any other effects those spells and abilities have will work as normal.
2010-08-15	Effects that replace or redirect damage without using the word “prevent” aren’t affected by Combust; they’ll work as normal.
2010-08-15	If a creature is dealt lethal damage by Combust, it can still regenerate. If it does, the damage marked on it will be removed from it.
2010-08-15	If a static ability would prevent damage from being dealt to the targeted creature, it fails to prevent the damage dealt by Combust. If that ability has an additional effect that doesn’t depend on the amount of damage prevented, that additional effect will still work. It’s applied just once as Combust resolves.
2010-08-15	If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Combust would resolve, Combust won’t resolve for having an illegal target.
2010-08-15	Spells that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be cast, and abilities that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be activated. However, damage prevention shields (including those created before Combust was cast) don’t have any effect on the damage dealt by Combust. If such a prevention effect has an additional effect, the additional effect will still work (if possible).