Spontaneous Combustion MTG Card
1997-10-14 - Number 273
2014-06-06 - Number 194
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Trades one card for multiple threats, providing significant game swing potential.
- Can be cast at instant speed, offering flexibility and crucial match advantages.
- Demands card and specific mana sacrifices, impacting overall game resources.
Text of card
Sacrifice a creature: Spontaneous Combustion deals 3 damage to each creature.
"Heat of battle" is usually a metaphor.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spontaneous Combustion can be a powerful tool for trading one resource for multiple threats on the board. This can significantly shift the tide of a game by removing several of an opponent’s creatures while only using a single card from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: While Spontaneous Combustion costs three mana, one of which is red, it can quickly alter the state of the game by allowing you to deal with multiple creatures without sacrificing your turn. This enables you to use your mana efficiently and maintain tempo, potentially accelerating your board position and leading to a dominant stance in the game.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Spontaneous Combustion at instant speed means you can respond flexibly to your opponent’s actions. Whether it’s disrupting a combo or clearing the way for a fatal attack, the timing of this card can be as valuable as the effect itself, giving you the upper hand during crucial moments of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Spontaneous Combustion necessitates the forfeiture of a card from your hand, which can strain your in-game resources, especially in a tight contest where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost demands a precise combination, including two red mana, which could be restrictive and doesn’t blend seamlessly into every deck archetype, potentially limiting its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its three total mana requirement, and considering the discard condition, players may find Spontaneous Combustion less appealing compared to other removal options that are either cheaper or do not diminish hand size.
Reasons to Include Spontaneous Combustion in Your Collection
Versatility: Spontaneous Combustion can serve multiple roles within various deck archetypes. As a removal option, it has the capability to disrupt opposing creature-based strategies while simultaneously enabling your graveyard synergies or fueling spells that benefit from creature sacrifice.
Combo Potential: This card can play a crucial part in combos by allowing you to sacrifice a creature for greater effects. It can seamlessly integrate with decks that focus on sacrificing creatures for value or those that capitalize on death triggers to create a domino effect of advantageous plays.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, having an instant-speed removal like Spontaneous Combustion can be a game changer. Its potential to clear multiple threats at once or disrupt key plays makes it a worthy consideration for decks looking to stay ahead in the current competitive landscape.
How to beat
Spontaneous Combustion offers a unique utility in Magic: The Gathering as it allows a player to sacrifice a creature to deal 3 damage to each creature and each player. This can be an unexpected play that disrupts the battlefield. To effectively counter this red instant, players might consider employing strategies that focus on indestructible creatures, which aren’t affected by its damage. Similarly, cards with protection from red can nullify the effect of Spontaneous Combustion altogether.
Another approach could be to use instant-speed creature protection spells, such as counterspells targeting red spells or those that grant temporary invulnerability or regeneration to your creatures. Watching the opponent’s mana pool is critical as well; when they start having three mana open, especially red, it could signal that they are ready to cast Spontaneous Combustion. Additionally, having a strategy to swiftly repopulate the board after a wipe can mitigate the impact, keeping the overall advantage on your side.
Understanding the potential impact of Spontaneous Combustion and planning around it is key, as is considering the sacrifice requirement which could be turned to your advantage by forcing or baiting an early or less strategic use of the card by the opponent. With these tactics, a player can minimize the setbacks from this explosive card.
Cards like Spontaneous Combustion
Spontaneous Combustion serves as an intriguing choice for players looking to include instant-speed removal in their Magic: The Gathering decks. Its closest counterparts are cards like Fling, which also demands a sacrifice, though Fling focuses on dealing direct damage to players or creatures rather than providing a blanket destruction effect. Spontaneous Combustion differentiates itself by not only dealing damage to a creature but also hitting all creatures with its 3 damage sweep.
Another related card is Pyroclasm. While Pyroclasm also deals 2 damage to all creatures, it doesn’t require a sacrifice, making it a simpler, lower-cost option for players. However, the added damage from Spontaneous Combustion can be key in eliminating tougher foes. Comparatively, Chain Reaction is another spell that scales its damage based on the number of creatures in play, delivering potentially higher damage output but at a higher mana cost and without the requirement to sacrifice a creature.
In evaluating removal options, Spontaneous Combustion holds a unique position with its blend of instant speed and universal damage, suited for players willing to sacrifice a creature for widespread impact on the board state.
Cards similar to Spontaneous Combustion by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spontaneous Combustion MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Conspiracy, 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 Spontaneous Combustion and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See Magic products
Printings
The Spontaneous Combustion Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2014-06-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 273 | 1997 | normal | black | Doug Chaffee | |
| 2 | 2014-06-06 | Conspiracy | CNS | 194 | 2003 | normal | black | Jason Rainville |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spontaneous Combustion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spontaneous Combustion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell. |
| 2013-04-15 | You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures. |
