Conflagrate MTG Card
2006-10-06 - Number 151
2018-12-07 - Number 126
2021-03-19 - Number 160
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Flashback |
Text of card
Conflagrate deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players. Flashback—, Discard X cards. (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)
Cards like Conflagrate
The powerful Conflagrate is a unique spell within Magic: The Gathering that offers players a scalable burn option. It resonates with the explosive potential of other damage-dealing cards, like Fireball, which allows you to divide the damage among multiple targets. Nevertheless, Conflagrate offers a distinctive flash-back feature, enabling a second use from the graveyard unlike the one-shot nature of Fireball.
Examining Flame Burst, it presents an interesting parallel. The more cards with the same name in your graveyard, the more damage it deals. While it doesn’t offer the flexibility of Conflagrate’s distributed damage or flashback, it can become incrementally more potent. Another comparison is with Rolling Thunder, which also divides damage across various creatures and players. However, it lacks the reusability that Conflagrate provides, making it less versatile in prolonged games.
In essence, while there are several burn spells to consider in Magic: The Gathering, Conflagrate’s dual-phase utility and precision damage distribution set it apart in terms of strategic depth and late-game impact.
Cards similar to Conflagrate by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Conflagrate. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dredge | Modern | Dredge | Modern League 2024-01-31 |
 | Assault Loam | Modern | Assault Loam | Modern League 2024-02-03 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Conflagrate plays a pivotal role in card advantage by turning excess cards in hand into direct damage, thus maximizing resource utilisation in late-game scenarios.
Resource Acceleration: This card can be utilised from your graveyard, offering a repeated resource that capitalizes on your already spent mana and plays. It serves as a continuous threat that opponents must account for even after it’s been played.
Instant Speed: While Conflagrate does not operate at instant speed, its Flashback ability provides strategic flexibility, acting as a surprise element that can alter the course of a game without occupying your main phase actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One notable hindrance of Conflagrate is its dependence on discarding cards to optimize its damage output. This can place you in a precarious position, especially if your hand is already sparse, reducing strategic options and possibly leaving you vulnerable to your opponent’s next moves.
Specific Mana Cost: Conflagrate requires a specific combination of mana, including a double red commitment, to cast from your hand. This necessity could prove restrictive and limit the card’s inclusion to decks that can reliably produce sufficient red mana, potentially sidelining it in more diverse, multi-color strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the card’s efficiency, Conflagrate’s flashback mana cost, which scales with the amount of damage you intend to deal, can become burdensome. This comparatively steep investment can deter players, particularly when considering other options in the same mana range that may provide equal or greater impact without the additional cost of card discarding.
Reasons to Include Conflagrate in Your Collection
Versatility: Conflagrate offers a flexible damage solution that can be tailored to various situations. Whether you’re targeting multiple smaller creatures or aiming for a direct hit to your opponent’s life total, this card adapts to your needs.
Combo Potential: This card truly shines in graveyard-themed decks. With its flashback ability, it not only acts as an initial damage dealer but also serves as a late-game finisher or a way to discard unwanted cards for beneficial effects.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to manage creature-heavy boards and serve as a win condition in graveyard-centric decks, Conflagrate maintains relevance in diverse metagames. It’s a solid pick for players looking to keep pace with evolving strategies and competitive play.
How to beat
Conflagrate is a versatile and potent card in Magic: The Gathering, often used in decks that fill up the graveyard to unleash a large amount of damage in one go. The card’s strength comes from its Flashback ability, which allows a second use from the graveyard directly, turning spent cards into additional fuel for its fire. To navigate around Conflagrate’s explosive impact, strategic gameplay is key.
Counterspells are your first line of defense, intercepting Conflagrate before it has the chance to resolve. Cards with life gain capabilities can also offset the damage it deals, and graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can prevent the Flashback from ever being a threat. Keep in mind, timing is crucial when dealing with Conflagrate. Respond quickly, and with the right mix of preventive measures, you’ll extinguish this flame before it spreads.
Lastly, always observe the opponent’s graveyard size and composition – knowledge is power when anticipating a Conflagrate. Swiftly address the card, and the odds will tilt in your favor, ensuring that you maintain the upper hand against this fiery strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Conflagrate MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Ultimate Masters, 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 Conflagrate 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 Conflagrate Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Warren Mahy.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral | TSP | 151 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Warren Mahy | |
| 2 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 126 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Warren Mahy | |
| 3 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 160 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Warren Mahy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Conflagrate has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Conflagrate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way. |
| 2021-03-19 | If X is 0, Conflagrate has no targets and deals no damage. |
| 2021-03-19 | If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it’s legal to do so before any other player can take any actions. |
| 2021-03-19 | If a spell has in its mana cost, include the value chosen for that X when determining the mana value of that spell, even if it was cast with flashback and no mana was spent on X. |
| 2021-03-19 | If some of the targets become illegal for Conflagrate, the original division of damage still applies, but the damage that would have been dealt to illegal targets isn’t dealt at all. |
| 2021-03-19 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you’re paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was. |
| 2021-03-19 | You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast. |
| 2021-03-19 | You divide the damage as you cast Conflagrate, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. You can’t choose more than X targets and assign 0 damage to a target. |
| 2021-03-19 | You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card’s type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery. |
| 2021-03-19 | “Flashback -ost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying -ost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.” |