Cinder Shade MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Shade
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	240
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nelson DeCastro

Key Takeaways

Cinder Shade excels in versatility, delivering damage directly or scaling as a blocker depending on the game’s pace.
Its ability costs, both in mana and card sacrifice, may challenge hand management and restrict deck compatibility.
Despite potential downsides, Cinder Shade’s adaptability makes it formidable against creature-focused strategies, enhancing control decks.

Text of card

oo B Cinder Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn. o R, Sacrifice Cinder Shade: Cinder Shade deals damage equal to its power to target creature.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cinder Shade has the potential to be a recurring threat, providing a consistent way to deal damage. By paying mana, you can steadily wear down your opponent’s life total or creature base, giving you an edge as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This card is great at utilizing your lands efficiently. With an activate-able ability, you can tap into unused mana at the end of your opponent’s turn, ensuring you’re optimizing your resource use every round. This becomes particularly potent when you have excess mana and want to apply pressure without overextending on the board.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Cinder Shade’s damaging ability at instant speed makes it versatile during both your turn and your opponent’s. You can chime in before the end of their turn to eliminate a key blocker or attacker, making it a flexible addition to your strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cinder Shade demands that you sacrifice another card to utilize its abilities, which might deplete your hand and decrease your tactical options.

Specific Mana Cost: Cinder Shade’s activation cost requires both black and red mana, restricting it to decks that accommodate this color pairing and potentially making it less versatile in a multi-color setting.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting and ability cost that can add up, there may be other creatures or spells that provide greater value or impact for the same or less mana investment.

Reasons to Include Cinder Shade in Your Collection

Versatility: Cinder Shade offers flexibility in deck building, providing both direct damage and a potential blocker. Its ability to scale up its power makes it adaptable to various game situations.

Combo Potential: This card can work well with strategies that pump up its power or require sacrificing creatures for greater effects, creating opportunities for powerful combos.

Meta-Relevance: As a card that can respond to a creature-heavy meta, Cinder Shade can act as a deterrent against smaller creatures and fits well into control and midrange decks aiming to stabilize the board.

How to beat

Cinder Shade offers a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to pump its own power at the cost of mana and a black card from your hand. This flexibility makes it a threat that can quickly grow and needs to be addressed swiftly in a game of Magic: The Gathering. To effectively counter Cinder Shade, one effective strategy is to utilize removal spells that can target it before it becomes too large of a threat. Spells such as Path to Exile or Murder are excellent options because they can remove Cinder Shade regardless of how much it has been pumped.

Another tactic is to limit the resources available to your opponent, making it harder for them to fuel Cinder Shade’s ability. Cards that cause your opponent to sacrifice creatures, like Diabolic Edict, can be particularly effective since they leave the choice of which creature to sacrifice out of your opponent’s hands. It’s also helpful to have blockers with high toughness on the field to deter Cinder Shade from attacking. In MTG, often the best defense is a good offense, so maintaining pressure on your opponent can prevent them from focusing on bolstering Cinder Shade’s power.

Taking a proactive approach and understanding the mechanisms surrounding Cinder Shade is vital for maintaining control of the game. This MTG card can be a significant threat if unchecked, but with careful planning and the right countermeasures, you can mitigate the risk it poses.

Cards like Cinder Shade

Cinder Shade provides a specialized role within the pantheon of mana-using creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Much like Prodigal Pyromancer, Cinder Shade can be tapped to deal damage directly to a target. However, Cinder Shade stands out with its ability to pump its own damage output by spending red mana—a flexible trait that Prodigal Pyromancer doesn’t possess.

When comparing to other cards with firebreathing abilities, such as Dragon Hatchling, Cinder Shade is not limited to just increasing its attack; it can directly apply damage to creatures or players. Furthermore, whereas Dragon Hatchling is restricted by its flying capability as a defensive asset, Cinder Shade’s damage ability does not rely on combat, offering more consistent control over the board.

Analyzing them side by side, Cinder Shade is a versatile option for players who seek direct damage control with the flexibility to scale power as the game progresses. In the realm of creature control and versatility in burn strategies, Cinder Shade earns its place as a potential inclusion for its multifaceted utility.

Cards similar to Cinder Shade by color, type and mana cost

Vial Smasher the Fierce - MTG Card versions

Lyzolda, the Blood Witch - MTG Card versions

Xantcha, Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cinder Shade MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Cinder Shade and other MTG cards: