Scorch the Fields MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2012-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dark Ascension |
| Set code | DKA |
| Number | 103 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Jaime Jones |
Key Takeaways
- Scorch the Fields disrupts by destroying lands, stifling opponent’s tempo and advancing your board control.
- Playing Scorch the Fields at instant speed introduces unpredictability, a major tactical advantage.
- The card’s possible downside includes a discard cost and specific mana requirements, affecting consistency.
Text of card
Destroy target land. Scorch the Fields deals 1 damage to each Human creature.
"Your fields will turn as black as a ghoul's tongue and fire shall be your only harvest." —Minaldra, the Vizag Atum
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Scorch the Fields offers an edge by enabling you to potentially take out multiple creatures or an enchantment while you carve an advantageous path through the match. This sets you up for subsequent plays and greater control over the game’s outcome.
Resource Acceleration: With the potential destruction of land, Scorch the Fields can impede your opponent’s resource development, slowing down their strategy and providing you with a valuable tempo swing in your favor.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Scorch the Fields at instant speed allows for flexible gameplay, granting you the leverage to disrupt your opponent’s plan during their turn or when they least expect it, thus maintaining the element of surprise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Scorch the Fields necessitates discarding a card, which could set you back if your hand is already depleted or if the card you must discard is crucial for future turns.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s tailored cost requires both red mana and additional generic mana. Players running multicolored or mana-restricted decks may find it challenging to consistently meet the casting requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its requirement of four mana to play, Scorch the Fields may be less appealing compared to other spells within the same cost bracket that could potentially offer more immediate or impactful board presence or damage outputs.
Reasons to Include Scorch the Fields in Your Collection
Versatility: Scorch the Fields can be a key card in decks that aim to control the board. Its ability to destroy a land and create tokens ensures that it can be applied in different situations, providing both a disruption element to hinder opponents and a way to fortify your own field presence.
Combo Potential: This card’s token-generating effect pairs well with strategies that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield. This could synergize with cards that count creatures for buffs or rely on sacrifice mechanics for more powerful plays.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where land-based strategies or ‘landfall’ effects are prevalent, Scorch the Fields can be paramount in disrupting those tactics. Its versatility in affecting both land and creature dynamics makes it a particularly apt choice for a diverse and ever-shifting meta.
How to beat
Scorch the Fields is a powerful card that can disrupt your land base and put a damper on creature strategies. One effective tactic against this card is to prioritize land retrieval and recovery spells in your deck. Cards like Ramunap Excavator allow you to play lands from your graveyard, mitigating the effect of Scorch the Fields. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed creature protections like Heroic Intervention can shield your creatures from being decimated by this destructive spell.
Diversifying your win conditions is another layer of defense. Scorch the Fields targets land-dependent strategies harshly, so consider including artifacts, enchantments, or planeswalker-based avenues to victory. Incorporating cards such as Counterspell can neutralize Scorch the Fields before it wreaks havoc, preserving both your mana and your board presence. Building a resilient deck with a variety of threats and answers will serve to counteract the impact of land destruction-oriented strategies.
Always keep in mind that a key element to overcoming powerful cards like Scorch the Fields lies in anticipation and preparation, crafting your game plan not only to advance your strategy but also to easily adapt and respond to such aggressive maneuvers.
Cards like Scorch the Fields
Scorch the Fields has carved its niche within the realm of land disruption cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shows similarities to cards like Demolish, which also allows players to destroy target land. However, Scorch the Fields holds an advantage due to its additional capability of creating a 1/1 red Human creature token for each land destroyed this way. Demolish doesn’t share this creature generation aspect, focusing solely on the destruction of artifacts and lands.
Likewise, Tectonic Rift is another confidant in the land destruction space. It forgoes the direct creation of creature tokens that Scorch the Fields offers by preventing creatures without flying from blocking that turn, potentially clearing the path for an aggressive assault. Then there’s Pillage, offering both the demolition of artifacts and lands. Although it doesn’t facilitate token generation directly, it compensates with the flexibility in targets. The tactical choice between these spells can influence the tide of a game, particularly in matches where land count and battlefield presence are closely contested.
In assessing the strengths, Scorch the Fields emerges as a versatile option for players seeking to dismantle opponents’ land bases, while simultaneously bolstering their own offensive line with Human tokens.
Cards similar to Scorch the Fields by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Scorch the Fields MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension, 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 Scorch the Fields 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Scorch the Fields has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Scorch the Fields card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-22 | If the targeted land is an illegal target when Scorch the Fields tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. No damage will be dealt to any Human. |
| 2011-01-22 | Scorch the Fields doesn’t target any Humans. You can cast Scorch the Fields even if there aren’t any Humans on the battlefield. |
