Blazing Archon MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost9
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Archon
Abilities Flying
Power 5
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Exceptional at generating card advantage by demanding multiple resources from opponents to be addressed.
  2. Enhances deck resilience, allowing players to securely develop resources and execute strategy.
  3. Despite its high mana cost, it offers a powerful, game-altering effect on the battlefield.

Text of card

Flying Creatures can't attack you.

"Through the haze of battle I saw the glint of sun on golden mane, the sheen of glory clad in mail, and I dropped my sword and wept at the idiocy of war." —Dravin, Gruul deserter


Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the strategic benefits of Blazing Archon is its role in maintaining a superior board presence. When this creature enters the battlefield, opponents often must commit multiple resources to deal with it, effectively granting you a card advantage as it diverts their removal spells or creatures that otherwise could be used elsewhere.

Resource Acceleration: While Blazing Archon itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, it safeguards your other creatures and assets. This protection allows for uninterrupted development of your mana base and deployment of other strategies without concern for attacks on your life total.

Instant Speed: Though Blazing Archon doesn’t operate at instant speed, its undeniably powerful effect compensates by making a significant and immediate impact on the board state once cast. This impact can halt aggressive decks in their tracks and shift the momentum in your favor, simulating the tempo swing often associated with instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In dedicated reanimator strategies, holding Blazing Archon can occasionally restrict your play options, as maintaining it in hand until the right moment means passing up immediate board impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Blazing Archon’s demanding white mana cost, two generic and seven white, can challenge deckbuilding, especially in multicolored decks aiming for a diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its total cost of nine mana, Blazing Archon’s impact on the battlefield can be delayed. Many games never reach the point where casting it from hand is viable, overshadowed by more cost-effective creatures or spells that influence the game state earlier.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Blazing Archon’s ability to prevent creatures from attacking you fits seamlessly into various deck archetypes, particularly in control or pillow fort strategies that prioritize your defense.

Combo Potential: This card works well with flicker effects or reanimation tactics, allowing you to continuously deprive opponents of their ability to attack you directly, setting up for potential game-winning combinations.

Meta-Relevance: Given a game environment rich with aggressive creature-based strategies, the inclusion of Blazing Archon can shift the balance in your favor, creating a substantial roadblock for your opponents to overcome.


How to Beat Blazing Archon

Blazing Archon poses a unique challenge on the battlefield due to its ability to prevent creatures from attacking you. Found in decks that want to establish a strong defensive position, this celestial giant can turn the tide of a game by creating a formidable protective barrier. To turn the tables against this powerful creature, players need to employ strategies that do not rely solely on combat.

One effective strategy is to utilize removal spells that can bypass the Archon’s passive ability. Cards like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider are excellent choices as they directly remove the threat without needing to declare attackers. Another avenue is to take advantage of sacrifice effects, which prompt an opponent to choose and sacrifice a creature; thus, cards like Diabolic Edict can circumvent the Archon’s defense.

Counterspells also serve as a preemptive measure to ensure Blazing Archon never enters the battlefield in the first place. Using Counterspell or Dovin’s Veto when your opponent casts Blazing Archon can save you from locking horns with this daunting defender. Strategically, beating Blazing Archon requires foresight and a toolkit capable of handling threats that traditional attacks can’t overcome.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the nuances of cards like Blazing Archon is vital for any MTG enthusiast seeking to strengthen their game. With its capacity to create a blanket of protection over you, this celestial guardian is a game-changer, whether you’re halting an opponent’s onslaught or crafting an impenetrable defense. If you’re eager to explore the strategic depth that Blazing Archon can add to your deck, we’ve got insights and tactics to amplify your strategy. Dive deeper with us and unveil how to optimize your gameplay, integrate synergistic cards, and counter prominent threats in the meta. Embrace the knowledge to forge an unbeatable deck around Blazing Archon and many more pivotal cards in MTG.


Cards like Blazing Archon

Blazing Archon, a powerful creature in Magic: The Gathering, shares design space with other staples that ensure your opponents are at a significant disadvantage when facing your creatures. Take cards like Ghostly Prison or Propaganda, for instance. These are enchantments that force opponents to pay mana to attack you, offering a similar protective approach. While both are more forgiving on your mana pool, they do not come with a 5/6 flying body that can act as both shield and weapon.

Another card worth comparing is Platinum Angel – an artifact creature that prevents you from losing the game as long as it remains on the battlefield. Like Blazing Archon, its presence can single-handedly alter the game’s flow. The Angel, however, influences the win condition directly, while the Archon focuses on preventing attacks. Moat is yet another classic comparison; it prevents all non-flying creatures from attacking, essentially locking down ground forces. Blazing Archon extends this by denying all creatures the ability to attack you, regardless of their flying status.

Though each card has a unique impact on gameplay, Blazing Archon distinguishes itself among MTG’s protective spells and creatures with its comprehensive defense and commanding presence on the battlefield.

Ghostly Prison - MTG Card versions
Propaganda - MTG Card versions
Platinum Angel - MTG Card versions
Moat - MTG Card versions
Ghostly Prison - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Propaganda - Tempest (TMP)
Platinum Angel - Mirrodin (MRD)
Moat - Legends (LEG)

Cards similar to Blazing Archon by color, type and mana cost

Reya Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Iona, Shield of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Reya Dawnbringer - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Iona, Shield of Emeria - From the Vault: Angels (V15)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blazing Archon MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Premium Deck Series: Graveborn, 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 Blazing Archon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blazing Archon Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 7 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 42003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
22011-11-18Premium Deck Series: GravebornPD3 112003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
32016-11-11Commander 2016C16 582015normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
42024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3021997normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
52024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 302z2015normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
62024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 82015normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blazing Archon has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-02-01 Unless some effect explicitly says otherwise, a creature that can’t attack you can still attack a planeswalker you control.

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