Fissure Vent MTG Card
2010-04-23 - Number 144
2013-11-01 - Number 107
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Choose one or both — Destroy target artifact; and/or destroy target nonbasic land.
"Something down there has an appetite for what we're standing on. Let's hope it doesn't want seconds." —Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House
Cards like Fissure Vent
Fissure Vent is an intriguing red sorcery card in MTG, occupying a niche space of land destruction and damage prevention. When considering parallels, it brings to mind the card Demolish. Both serve the purpose of hindering opponents by tearing through their land bases. Demolish does so without the extra benefit of damage prevention that Fissure Vent offers. This additional flexibility can be pivotal in gameplay, allowing players to thwart incoming attacks while setting their opponents back on resources.
Another relative in this space is Raze, which is less costly to cast than Fissure Vent but comes with the caveat of sacrificing a land – a significant downside. Fissure Vent provides the dual utility without self-sacrifice, an aspect not to be overlooked. Lastly, we might draw a line towards Volcanic Offering, a card that gives players more control over the destruction process and deals damage as well. It is superior in terms of target selection, but carries a higher mana cost and the need for a multiplayer setting to optimize its use.
Thus, Fissure Vent holds a unique position, particularly for players looking for modest land disruption combined with defensive capabilities, offering a tactical edge within red’s arsenal in MTG.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Fissure Vent offers strategic flexibility, especially in control decks or combo setups looking to obtain key components. It allows you to selectively eliminate threats while maintaining or progressing your board state, which can effectively lead to card advantage over the course of a match.
Resource Acceleration: While Fissure Vent doesn’t directly generate mana or tokens, the ability to destroy both a creature and a land can be seen as a form of indirect resource acceleration. By setting your opponent back, you’re effectively accelerating your relative position in the game, providing a critical advantage.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Fissure Vent offers tactical versatility to players. This feature allows savvy gamers to disrupt their opponents’ strategies at critical junctures, preserving mana for potential responses or end-step plays, thus providing a significant tactical edge.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Fissure Vent demands a card discard to activate its secondary ability. For players who rely on maintaining card advantage, this can hamper their game plan, especially when they’re in a position where resources in hand are crucial for upcoming strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Fissure Vent has a required mana setup that includes both colorless and red mana. This specificity might restrict its ubiquity, confining it primarily to red-based or multicolor decks that can afford such mana demands without compromising their development.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s cost of four mana — two colorless and two red — to destroy a target land or artifact may seem steep for players evaluating mana efficiency. Considering available options in the card pool, there might be alternative spells that execute similar actions for a lower mana investment, providing a more economical impact on the player’s resources.
Reasons to Include Fissure Vent in Your Collection
Versatility: Fissure Vent offers a unique role in your arsenal by allowing you to interrupt your opponent’s land strategies or shore up your defenses against multicolored threats. Its adaptability makes it a suitable addition for various deck archetypes that focus on land interaction.
Combo Potential: For those who enjoy crafting intricate plays, Fissure Vent can play an integral role in land destruction combos or can be cleverly used to synergize with cards that benefit from lands entering the graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: In gameplay scenarios where land bases are critical and decks are built around key multicolored spells, having Fissure Vent can provide you with a tactical advantage, making it a relevant choice for the shifting tides of competitive play.
How to beat
Fissure Vent is an intriguing card in the world of MTG, offering dual utility as both a land destruction spell and a potential answer to problematic artifacts or enchantments. Striking the right balance when playing against it requires a solid understanding of your deck’s vulnerabilities and the timing of your opponent’s plays.
To counteract Fissure Vent, prioritize diversifying your mana resources to mitigate the impact of land destruction. It’s also wise to avoid over-committing to the board with artifacts and enchantments if you suspect your opponent might be holding onto this card. Swift counterspells are effective in preventing Fissure Vent from resolving, and playing instant-speed interaction can help you stay one step ahead. Another strategy is maintaining low-value lands or artifacts as decoys, drawing out Fissure Vent and ensuring your key pieces remain safe from harm. Moreover, including cards that can quickly recover destroyed permanents or those with land recursion abilities in your deck will keep you resilient against such targeted removal.
Ultimately, understanding when to extend or hold back and having preemptive measures in place are crucial tactics when facing this multifunctional card. By adopting these strategies, you can navigate the hurdles that Fissure Vent presents, keeping your game plan intact and your chances of victory high.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Fissure Vent MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Commander 2013, 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 Fissure Vent 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 Fissure Vent Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by Philip Straub.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-04-23 | Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | 144 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Philip Straub | |
| 2 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 107 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Philip Straub |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Fissure Vent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Fissure Vent card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-06-15 | You may choose just the first mode (targeting an artifact), just the second mode (targeting a nonbasic land), or both modes (targeting an artifact and a nonbasic land). You can’t choose a mode unless there’s a legal target for it. |