Burning-Fist Minotaur MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Minotaur Wizard
Abilities First strike
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Burning-Fist Minotaur’s first strike ability enhances combat superiority, allowing for advantageous creature exchanges.
  2. The requirement to discard for its ability can backfire, limiting the card’s utility in certain situations.
  3. Potent in red aggro decks, Minotaur’s proactive playstyle keeps opponents under constant pressure.

Text of card

First strike , Discard a card: Burning-Fist Minotaur gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

"There is no afterlife. Not for me, and not for you. So think again before getting in my way."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though the Burning-Fist Minotaur doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to discard a card and gain first strike can indirectly lead to card advantage by efficiently dealing with opposing creatures without losing card resources in the exchange.

Resource Acceleration: This card doesn’t provide traditional resource acceleration, but with its low casting cost and strategic first strike capability, it enables you to play a tempo game, keeping pace and pressure on your opponent while leveraging your mana efficiently.

Instant Speed: While the Minotaur itself is not an instant, its first strike ability can be activated at instant speed. This gives it a level of flexibility and surprise, as you can decide whether to boost its combat prowess during the heat of battle, keeping your adversaries on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the notable drawbacks of Burning-Fist Minotaur is its activated ability, which requires the player to discard a card. This can be a steep price, particularly in situations where card advantage is key, or when the player’s hand is nearly empty, thus potentially compromising their strategic position.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card demands a red mana to both cast and activate its ability. This can impose restrictions on deck building, as players will need to have a red mana source available to utilize the Minotaur to its full potential, making it less flexible in multi-color decks that may not focus on red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 2/1 creature with first strike for two mana is reasonable in cost, the additional mana required to activate its ability can be seen as a high investment for the benefit gained. The competition is stiff with various two-mana red creatures that could fit more seamlessly into a deck’s curve without the additional cost for an activated ability.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Burning-Fist Minotaur slots neatly into a wide variety of red-based aggro or midrange decks. Its first strike ability makes it a formidable early game threat that can hold its own on defense as well as offense.

Combo Potential: With a built-in ability to discard a card for a power boost, this Minotaur synergizes well with strategies revolving around graveyard mechanics or madness. This opens doors for inventive plays that can turn the tide of the game.

Meta-Relevance: Given that aggressive red decks often have a place in the ever-changing meta, Burning-Fist Minotaur can be consistently relevant. It’s particularly effective against decks that struggle to handle early pressure, making it a prudent choice for your collection.


How to beat

Burning-Fist Minotaur joins the realm of aggressive red creatures in Magic: The Gathering, offering nimble support in aggressive strategies. With its first strike ability, it’s well-equipped to dispatch smaller blockers before they can deal combat damage. The Minotaur’s prowess shines in the early-to-mid game, where it can push through defensive lines with its inherent combat advantage.

To effectively counter this fiery adversary, one must exploit its relatively low toughness. Spells like Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch the Minotaur without much fuss, especially before it gets a chance to leverage its activated ability. Prioritizing the removal of Burning-Fist Minotaur before it becomes a larger threat with additional mana investment is key in limiting the damage it inflicts.

Beyond direct removal, employing creatures with higher toughness can stonewall this creature, forcing it into unfavorable trades or deterring attacks altogether. When it comes down to defending against the Minotaur’s onslaught, the focus should be on either removing it quickly or ensuring it encounters a formidable defensive presence on the battlefield, mitigating the impact of its aggressive potential.


Cards like Burning-Fist Minotaur

Burning-Fist Minotaur stands out in the pantheon of aggressive creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Of note, it shares some similarities with cards like Viashino Pyromancer, which also delivers immediate impact with its comes-into-play effect, dealing 2 damage to a player or planeswalker. What elevates the Minotaur is its first strike, granting it a powerful edge in combat.

Comparing it further to Goblin Heelcutter, whose ability to prevent a creature from blocking mirrors the disruptive capability of the minotaur, the Burning-Fist Minotaur still maintains superiority with its activated ability of discarding a card to gain an attack boost. While the Heelcutter might have a larger immediate effect on the board state, the Minotaur’s ongoing potential to apply pressure and transform hand resources into damage cannot be underestimated.

Another card to consider in conjunction to the Minotaur is Ahn-Crop Crasher. This creature also exerts influence by impeding a defender each attack. However, the Crasher lacks the persistent threat of power enhancement that Burning-Fist Minotaur offers. This duality of immediate board impact and longer-term power growth positions Burning-Fist Minotaur as a formidable option for Red aggro decks in Magic: The Gathering.

Viashino Pyromancer - MTG Card versions
Goblin Heelcutter - MTG Card versions
Ahn-Crop Crasher - MTG Card versions
Viashino Pyromancer - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Goblin Heelcutter - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Ahn-Crop Crasher - Amonkhet (AKH)

Cards similar to Burning-Fist Minotaur by color, type and mana cost

Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rock Sled - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Heart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mogg Flunkies - MTG Card versions
Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions
Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Skittish Kavu - MTG Card versions
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Minotaur Explorer - MTG Card versions
Sparksmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Lookout - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Hellspark Elemental - MTG Card versions
Storm Entity - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Soldier - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Stigma Lasher - MTG Card versions
Rock Hydra - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Goblin Rock Sled - The Dark (DRK)
Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Recruiter - Visions (VIS)
Heart Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Flunkies - Stronghold (STH)
Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Skittish Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Rage Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Minotaur Explorer - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparksmith - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Lookout - Legions (LGN)
Skirk Marauder - Legions (LGN)
Hellspark Elemental - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Storm Entity - Future Sight (FUT)
Dwarven Soldier - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)
Stigma Lasher - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Burning-Fist Minotaur MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Amonkhet 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 Burning-Fist Minotaur and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Burning-Fist Minotaur Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Matt Stewart.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-07-14Hour of DevastationHOU 852015normalblackMatt Stewart
22020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 1432015normalblackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Burning-Fist Minotaur has restrictions

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

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