Flame Jab MTG Card

Flame Jab’s Retrace ability offers repeatable damage, giving players a strategic edge in long games. It synergizes with land-graveyard strategies, but requires careful mana and resource management. While versatile, Flame Jab’s reliance on red mana and land discard can limit its utility.

Eventide (EVE)
2008-07-25 - Number 53

Eternal Masters (EMA)
2016-06-10 - Number 131

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 930

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-131

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Retrace

Text of card

Flame Jab deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Retrace (You may play this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)

"Fire's out. Should be safe now." —Gnarltrunk

Cards like Flame Jab

Flame Jab reiterates its unique position in the burn spell lineup of Magic: The Gathering. This sorcery mirrors the versatility offered by cards like Shock, which offers a similar two damage to any target for a single red mana. Yet, Flame Jab’s retrace ability allows players to cast it repeatedly from the graveyard by discarding a land card, providing a consistent source of damage over time.

Examining another counterpart, Lava Dart, it deals one damage for a single red mana but boasts the advantage of being an instant. Plus, it has flashback, giving it a potential for reuse like Flame Jab. Whereas cards like Rift Bolt deliver a more potent three damage but require a delay with its suspend mechanic, Flame Jab stands out with its immediate and recurrent effect.

It’s apparent that within the framework of red spells, Flame Jab occupies a strategic niche. It neither offers the one-off hefty punch of a Lightning Bolt nor the spread of damage like Arc Lightning. Instead, it provides red decks with a grinding tool to chip away at opponents’ life totals or to clear away pesky creatures turn after turn.

Cards similar to Flame Jab by color, type and mana cost

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Flame Jab. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	Temur Depths	Legacy	Temur Depths	Legacy Challenge 64 2024-01-14

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flame Jab is a repeatable spell due to its Retrace ability, allowing players to cast it from the graveyard by discarding a land card. This mechanic can be a consistent source of damage and maintain card advantage, particularly in long-drawn matches or against creature-heavy decks.

Resource Acceleration: While Flame Jab itself does not provide direct resource acceleration, it synergizes well with deck strategies that benefit from land cards in the graveyard, thereby indirectly working towards resource acceleration in combination with other cards that reward you for land in your graveyard.

Instant Speed: Though Flame Jab operates at sorcery speed, its Retrace ability gives it pseudo-instant speed characteristics. You can use it multiple times during your turns, effectively bypassing the one-time use restriction generally associated with sorcery cards. This makes it a versatile tool for disrupting opponent strategies at key moments during your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To leverage Flame Jab’s retrace ability, you need to discard a land card, which can be detrimental to your game plan, especially when your hand is land-scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Flame Jab requires red mana for its casting and retrace abilities, making it less versatile for multicolored decks that may struggle with red mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With retrace costing one red mana each time, it can be mana-intensive over multiple turns compared to other direct damage spells, diminishing its overall efficiency in fast-paced games.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Flame Jab is not just a one-time sorcery; its retrace ability allows you to cast it multiple times from your graveyard. This grants the card an inherent flexibility, making it useful for a variety of deck types, particularly those that can afford to discard lands for repeatable effects.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Flame Jab offers exciting synergies. Its repeatable nature can be combined with cards that benefit from casting spells, or with those that trigger upon discarding cards, turning each land in your hand into potential damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small creature strategies are prevalent, Flame Jab serves as an efficient tool to keep the board clear. Against control decks, it can also provide a constant source of pressure, making it a valuable asset in various competitive environments.

How to beat

Flame Jab is a simple yet potentially persistent red sorcery card in Magic: The Gathering. It deals one damage to any target and features the Rebound mechanic, allowing it to be cast again from exile during the next turn without paying its mana cost. To overcome the recurrent threat of Flame Jab, efficient creature protection is key.

Countering it with spells that grant your creatures indestructibility or hexproof can be a solid strategy. Cards like Blossoming Defense or Heroic Intervention can effectively safeguard your valuable minions. Moreover, since Flame Jab requires a card to be discarded for its Rebound effect, imposing hand disruption techniques and applying graveyard manipulation can diminish its potential. Cards like Leyline of the Void or Rest in Peace restrict access to the graveyard, nullifying the Rebound advantage. Therefore, when facing an opponent utilizing Flame Jab, maintaining a proactive defense and disrupting their graveyard synergy can secure the upper hand and neutralize this fiery nuisance.

Assessing the threat and curating a blend of protective spells and graveyard interaction is a strategic approach to mitigate the impact of Flame Jab on the battlefield. A well-prepared defense can render Flame Jab less effective and maintain control over the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flame Jab MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Eternal 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 Flame Jab and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Flame Jab Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by rk post.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2008-07-25	Eventide	EVE	53	2003	Normal	Black	rk post
2	2016-06-10	Eternal Masters	EMA	131	2015	Normal	Black	rk post
3	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	930	2015	Normal	Black	rk post
4	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	EMA-131	2015	Normal	Black	rk post

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flame Jab 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 Flame Jab card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2008-08-01	A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
2008-08-01	Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You’re casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
2008-08-01	If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it’s still in the graveyard.
2008-08-01	When a retrace card you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it’s put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.