Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss MTG Card
2023-11-17 - Number 374
2023-11-17 - Number 145
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Craft,Equip,Transform |
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Equip Craft with artifact (, Exile this artifact, Exile another artifact you control or an artifact card from your graveyard: Return this card transformed under its owner's control. Craft only as a sorcery.)
Cards like Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss
Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss is a versatile piece in the multitude of MTG artifacts. When put side by side with cards like Grafted Wargear, it becomes evident that the ability to equip creatures at no cost gives Dire Flail a strategic upper hand, despite Grafted Wargear’s higher power boost. However, the latter does not offer the direct damage capability that Dire Blunderbuss provides when flipping to its backside.
Another comparator is Mortarpod, which shares the direct damage theme, but Dire Blunderbuss excels with its higher damage potential. Unlike Mortarpod, Dire Blunderbuss’s equip cost is replaced by a single mana activation that can be used repeatedly. This compares favorably to Mortarpod’s once per creature limitation. Additionally, the modality of Dire Flail giving an attached creature double strike on the front side presents players with more strategic options in combat scenarios compared to Mortarpod’s singular function.
Overall, Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss stands out in the realm of MTG equipment for its dual functionality and cost-effective damage output, carving its niche among similar cards. It allows players to adapt to the battlefield dynamically, thereby edging out its competition.
Cards similar to Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss allows the user to draw two cards, bolstering their hand and increasing strategic options. This ensures players can maintain a consistent flow of resources throughout the game.
Resource Acceleration: Especially key in the early to mid-game phases, this card offers the potential for quick resource acceleration. It enables players to ramp up their mana resources, potentially bringing out high-cost creatures or spells ahead of curve.
Instant Speed: The versatility of Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss is heightened by its instant speed capability. This not only allows reactionary play to opponents’ moves but also maximizes the user’s flexibility in choosing the most opportune moment to cast it, often in the end step of the opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging in the dynamic gameplay of Magic the Gathering involves careful resource management, which can be disrupted with Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss’s discard condition. This hinders its deployment in situations where card advantage is crucial, and you’re left deliberating the trade-off between holding onto your hand or activating its potential on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s affinity for red mana restricts its seamless inclusion only within particular deck archetypes. Players nurturing deck synergies outside of red’s fiery embrace may find the Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss less appealing, thereby constraining its versatility across the vast deck-building landscape of MTG.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana valuation demanding a total of four, including a specific color identity, deck builders might pause, considering there are numerous alternatives that provide similar or greater effects without the weighty mana overhead. Strategic minds might ponder the opportunity costs, contemplating leaner avenues for deck efficiency and effectivity.
Reasons to Include Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss in Your Collection
Versatility: Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss offers flexible gameplay by functioning both as a creature-enhancing equipment and a standalone damage dealer. Its ability to adapt to board states makes it a valuable addition for numerous deck archetypes.
Combo Potential: With Dire Flail’s creature buff and Dire Blunderbuss’s direct damage capabilities, this card can be a key piece in combo setups. It synergizes with strategies that benefit from dealing damage and powering up creatures simultaneously.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the shifting dynamics of the meta, a card that offers both offensive and defensive options can stay relevant. Being able to switch between modes allows Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss to counter various threats effectively.
How to beat
Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss is an intriguing card in MTG with a versatile role on the battlefield. Much like cards that serve dual purposes, it can swing a game if left unchecked. To beat this card, you must assess the situation and choose an effective strategy. Dire Flail’s aggressive nature demands a quick response. The key lies in either disrupting your opponent’s creatures before they become too powerful with the Flail or directly removing the artifact through spells like Artifact Blast or Disenchant.
On the flip side, Dire Blunderbuss, which transforms from Dire Flail, can overwhelm opponents by spawning numerous token creatures. Addressing this transformed side requires a slightly different approach. Board sweepers like Wrath of God can clear multiple tokens at once, preventing the horde from getting out of hand. Alternatively, countering the ability or the card when it’s being cast can prevent the tokens from appearing altogether. Efficient counterplay hinges on anticipation and timing, crucial for maintaining control over the game’s flow when facing off against this versatile card.
Overall, facing Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss demands adaptability and prompt threat assessment, making it a challenging yet beatable card when approached with the right counters in MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-11-17 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Anthony Devine.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | LCI | 374 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Anthony Devine | |
| 2 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | LCI | 145 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Anthony Devine |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | Craft abilities are activated abilities with costs that have a mana component as well as an additional "materials" component. |
| 2023-11-10 | Craft abilities are written "Craft with -aterials] -ana]", which means " -ana], Exile this permanent, Exile -aterials] from among permanents you control and/or cards in your graveyard: Return this card to the battlefield transformed under its owner's control. Activate only as a sorcery." |
| 2023-11-10 | If a card that isn't a transforming double-faced card becomes a copy of a card with craft, it'll stay in exile if you activate the craft ability. It won't return to the battlefield. |
| 2023-11-10 | If the equipped creature isn't on the battlefield as the reflexive triggered ability granted by Dire Blunderbuss resolves but it had lifelink when it left the battlefield, you will gain life. |
| 2023-11-10 | If the materials required include multiple objects, you may exile some of them from among permanents you control and the rest from among cards in your graveyard. You don't have to choose all permanents or all cards from your graveyard. |
| 2023-11-10 | The back faces of some cards with craft refer to cards "used to craft" it. This refers to the cards exiled as part of the cost of the craft ability of the front face. Those cards are considered to be "used to craft" that permanent as long as they remain exiled and the permanent remains on the battlefield, even if the permanent's controller changes or some of its characteristics change (because of a copy effect, for example.) |
| 2023-11-10 | Use the equipped creature's power as the reflexive triggered ability granted by Dire Blunderbuss resolves to determine how much damage is dealt. If the equipped creature is no longer on the battlefield at that time, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield. |
| 2023-11-10 | You don't choose a target for the triggered ability granted by Dire Blunderbuss at the time it triggers. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when you sacrifice another artifact this way. You choose targets for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal. |
| 2023-11-10 | You may exile tokens you control as part of the materials required. However, because they aren't cards and won't stay in exile, any abilities that refer to what you "used to craft" the back faces won't refer to anything. |