Truefire Captain MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Knight
Abilities Mentor
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. The Captain can be a resource drain for opponents, often resulting in a favorable two-for-one.
  2. Instant speed synergy with the Captain can lead to surprise bursts of damage and battlefield control.
  3. Truefire Captain’s mentor ability and damage potential make it a versatile threat in MTG.

Text of card

Mentor (Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power.) Whenever Truefire Captain is dealt damage, it deals that much damage to target player.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Truefire Captain can result in card advantage as it may force opponents to expend multiple resources to deal with it. The threat of dealing hefty damage when targeted or blocked presents a tough scenario for opponents, potentially translating into a two-for-one deal in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Truefire Captain doesn’t directly ramp or accelerate resources, it can change the pace of the game. By posing a constant threat on the board, opponents may need to shift their strategies, allowing you to advance your board state while they’re on the defensive.

Instant Speed: Truefire Captain synergizes well with cards that can act at instant speed. Combining it with instant speed spells that target it for damage, such as “Justice Strike”, can cause an unexpected burst of damage, disrupting an opponent’s strategy and gaining you an immediate advantage.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Truefire Captain demands both red and white mana, which can complicate casting in multicolored decks not centered around Boros colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana including two specific types, it can be challenging to summon Truefire Captain early enough to impact the game significantly, especially when compared to other options in the same mana range.

Discard Requirement: While not directly requiring a discard, Truefire Captain’s ability to utilize damage for utility may make it a target that opponents want to remove quickly, potentially forcing strategic discards or trading of resources to keep it on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Truefire Captain in Your Collection

Versatility: Truefire Captain’s flexible design allows it to be a significant player in any deck that capitalizes on dealing direct damage. Its mentor ability not only boosts other creatures but its synergy with damage-inducing spells and abilities can turn it into a game-ending threat.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Truefire Captain can be a cornerstone for explosive combinations. Pairing it with cards that multiply damage or effects that protect it from harm can unleash devastating amounts of damage onto an opponent, often turning the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Truefire Captain excels by threatening to deal large amounts of damage if not dealt with immediately. It pressures opponents into making difficult decisions, potentially clearing the way for your other strategies to succeed.


How to beat

Truefire Captain is an intriguing card in Magic: The Gathering, inviting players into a tactical dance of risk and precision. This Boros-aligned creature thrives in combat, punishing opponents with its ability to deal damage equivalent to the damage it receives. To counterplay Truefire Captain, removal spells that don’t deal damage are key. Cards like Murder or Despark can cleanly remove it from the battlefield without triggering its ability.

It’s also beneficial to sidestep direct combat with Truefire Captain. If trading blows is unavoidable, aim to minimize the damage it can redirect. Enchantment-based pacifism effects or imposing a -1/-1 through cards like Dead Weight reduce Truefire Captain’s impact without inflicting damage, hence neutralizing its threatening board presence. Additionally, special attention should be given to battlefield tricks that increase its power or toughness, as they can amplify the damage redirected to a player exponentially. Being proactive and prepared with your removal or control cards is the best strategy to mitigate the fiery retaliation that Truefire Captain promises.

In conclusion, navigating around Truefire Captain’s combative challenge requires strategic removals and avoiding direct combat wherever possible. With the right approach, this formidable foe can be managed effectively, maintaining control over the duel.


BurnMana Recommendations

With its ability to swing games and apply pressure, Truefire Captain deserves a closer look by any MTG aficionado. Its potential to create advantageous two-for-one scenarios should not be underestimated, nor should its synergy with instant speed spells. While it demands a keen eye for mana balancing, especially in multicolored decks, the benefits can outweigh the costs. As part of a broader strategy or as a combo piece, Truefire Captain can surprise opponents and deliver substantial damage. Keen to enhance your deck and explore new tactical horizons? Dive deeper with us and discover how Truefire Captain can ignite your MTG gameplay with strategic prowess and fiery command. Join the BurnMana community for more insights and tips.


Cards like Truefire Captain

Truefire Captain is a distinctive option among creatures with damage-redirecting abilities in Magic: The Gathering. Akin to cards like Boros Reckoner, Truefire Captain can deal damage to your opponent equal to the damage it receives. However, Truefire Captain stands out with its mentor mechanic, enabling it to bolster smaller creatures in your battalion, a function Boros Reckoner lacks.

Spitemare shares a similar redirection effect, but it lacks the mentor ability and the added value of being part of the Boros Legion. While Truefire Captain is more mana-intensive, the synergy it offers with spell-heavy decks that trigger its ability makes it significant in specific strategies.

Lastly, consider Swans of Bryn Argoll. It doesn’t deal damage to opponents but rather allows you to draw cards for the damage it receives, presenting a different kind of advantage. Truefire Captain thus carves out its niche, providing both an offensive benefit and support to fellow creatures, translating to a potentially more aggressive board presence in MTG.

Boros Reckoner - MTG Card versions
Spitemare - MTG Card versions
Swans of Bryn Argoll - MTG Card versions
Boros Reckoner - Gatecrash (GTC)
Spitemare - Eventide (EVE)
Swans of Bryn Argoll - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Cards similar to Truefire Captain by color, type and mana cost

Angelfire Crusader - MTG Card versions
Desolation Giant - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Charger - MTG Card versions
Brion Stoutarm - MTG Card versions
Winota, Joiner of Forces - MTG Card versions
Raiyuu, Storm's Edge - MTG Card versions
Bell Borca, Spectral Sergeant - MTG Card versions
Belligerent Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Duergar Cave-Guard - MTG Card versions
Spitemare - MTG Card versions
Firemane Avenger - MTG Card versions
Spark Trooper - MTG Card versions
Tajic, Blade of the Legion - MTG Card versions
Highspire Mantis - MTG Card versions
Munda, Ambush Leader - MTG Card versions
Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas - MTG Card versions
Flame-Kin Zealot - MTG Card versions
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder - MTG Card versions
Hammer Dropper - MTG Card versions
Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice - MTG Card versions
Angelfire Crusader - Apocalypse (APC)
Desolation Giant - Apocalypse (APC)
Flowstone Charger - Apocalypse (APC)
Brion Stoutarm - Masters 25 (A25)
Winota, Joiner of Forces - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Raiyuu, Storm's Edge - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Bell Borca, Spectral Sergeant - Commander Legends (CMR)
Belligerent Hatchling - Eventide (EVE)
Duergar Cave-Guard - Eventide (EVE)
Spitemare - Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas (DDH)
Firemane Avenger - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Spark Trooper - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Tajic, Blade of the Legion - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Highspire Mantis - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Munda, Ambush Leader - Battle for Zendikar Promos (PBFZ)
Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Flame-Kin Zealot - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder - Commander Legends (CMR)
Hammer Dropper - The List (PLST)
Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Truefire Captain MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Truefire Captain and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Truefire Captain Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Chris Rallis.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 2092015normalblackChris Rallis
22024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 2352015normalblackChris Rallis

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Truefire Captain has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Truefire Captain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2018-10-05 If the creature with mentor leaves the battlefield with mentor on the stack, use its power as that creature last existed on the battlefield to determine whether the target creature has less power.
2018-10-05 If the target creature’s power is no longer less than the attacking creature’s power as the ability resolves, mentor doesn’t add a +1/+1 counter. For example, if two 3/3 creatures with mentor attack and both mentor triggers target the same 2/2 creature, the first to resolve puts a +1/+1 counter on it and the second does nothing.
2018-10-05 If your life total is brought to 0 or less at the same time that Truefire Captain is dealt damage, you lose the game before its triggered ability goes on the stack.
2018-10-05 Mentor compares the power of the creature with mentor with that of the target creature at two different times: once as the triggered ability is put onto the stack, and once as the triggered ability resolves. If you wish to raise a creature’s power so its mentor ability can target a bigger creature, the last chance you have to do so is during the beginning of combat step.
2018-10-05 Truefire Captain’s last ability will trigger even if it is dealt lethal damage. For example, if it’s dealt damage by a 7/7 creature it’s blocking, its ability will trigger and Truefire Captain will deal 7 damage to the target player.

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