Cinderheart Giant MTG Card


Cinderheart Giant - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Giant Berserker
Abilities Trample
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Power 7
Toughness 6
Number126
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byViktor Titov

Key Takeaways

  1. Pro: Cinderheart Giant can significantly sway card advantage when it connects or decimates multiple creatures.
  2. Con: Its high mana cost and red mana specificity might restrict its use in diverse decks.
  3. Utility: Despite its drawbacks, the Giant’s death-trigger damage makes it a formidable late-game player.

Text of card

Trample When Cinderheart Giant dies, it deals 7 damage to a creature an opponent controls chosen at random.

What fire giants lack in arcane prowess, they make up for with reckless, explosive rage.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Unleashing a Cinderheart Giant into the battlefield can often result in significant card advantage. If it manages to connect with an opponent or take down multiple creatures in combat due to its formidable power, you’re essentially removing potential threats and gaining an upper hand in resources. Moreover, its death-trigger ability to deal 7 damage divided as you choose among up to two targets can turn the tables by clearing blockers or pressuring the opponent’s life total.

Resource Acceleration: While Cinderheart Giant itself isn’t a direct source of mana acceleration, its mere presence can influence the pace of the game. Your opponents might have to allocate resources or alter their strategies to deal with the threat it poses, potentially giving you the advantage of making more efficient plays with your available mana and resources.

Instant Speed: Cinderheart Giant’s impact on the game isn’t directly linked to instant speed interactions. However, its sizable body and powerful ability to deal damage upon death make it a threatening board presence that commands immediate answers. Opponents must consider that any instant speed removal they use contributes to the Giant’s death-trigger ability, turning this creature into a ticking time bomb that could explode with value at any moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of the Cinderheart Giant is the necessity to discard cards. This can set players back, especially when they’re struggling to maintain card advantage during a tight match. Ensuring a sufficient hand size to make the most of this giant’s ability could become a challenge in long games.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Cinderheart Giant requires a commitment to both red mana and a significant overall mana investment. This specific mana cost can potentially restrict the card’s inclusion in multicolored decks that may not always have the required red mana sources readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its considerable mana cost, Cinderheart Giant demands a substantial investment before you can leverage its power on the battlefield. Considering this, players might opt for alternatives that offer more immediate or flexible utility. The trade-off between its mana cost and potential impact on the game warrants careful consideration when building decks.


Reasons to Include Cinderheart Giant in Your Collection

Versatility: Cinderheart Giant offers a robust inclusion for decks looking to make a big impact in the late-game. With its substantial body and ability to deal damage on death, it can be a game-changer in a variety of board states.

Combo Potential: This card can be a linchpin in decks designed around sacrifice mechanics or those that leverage creatures dying. Its ability to deal 7 damage upon death can be exploited with the right synergies, creating powerful interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where attrition wars are common, Cinderheart Giant stands out as a formidable threat. Its ability ensures that even in defeat, it can swing the momentum by dealing considerable damage, potentially disrupting the opponent’s strategies.


How to beat

Cinderheart Giant can be a formidable adversary on the battlefield. Its colossal stature coupled with its powerful ability to deal damage equivalent to its power to a target opponent upon death, make it a card worth strategizing against. To turn the tide of battle in your favor, consider removal spells that can neutralize it without triggering its lethal ability. Spells like Pacifism or Deep Freeze can limit its impact by restricting its ability to attack or block. Also, countering it with a well-timed Essence Scatter or using board wipes like Shatter the Sky before it can become a problem are effective tactics.

Another approach is to employ exile effects. A card like Path to Exile can remove it from the game entirely, thus eliminating the risk of its fiery death trigger. In multi-player formats, strategic alliances might also help, as you can encourage others to help deal with the threat this Giant poses. Planning ahead and maintaining control over the board is crucial, so always have a removal or countermeasure ready when Cinderheart Giant hits the table.

Whatever your strategy, remember that caution is key. Anticipate the Giant’s arrival, and your deck will stand a good chance against this blazing behemoth of the mountain passes.


Cards like Cinderheart Giant

Exploring the vast world of Magic the Gathering, Cinderheart Giant is a notable force in discussions about formidable creatures. It echoes the impact of other red giants like Inferno Titan, which also delivers a powerful punch upon entering the battlefield. However, Cinderheart Giant embellishes its entrance with a potential board-clearing mechanic, unlike Inferno Titan, which selectively deals damage and has the advantage of being repeatable with its activated ability.

In a similar comparison, we look at Shivan Meteor, another destructive spell that resonates with Cinderheart Giant’s theme of unleashing a devastating blow. While Shivan Meteor suspends the damage, requiring foresight and patience, Cinderheart Giant offers the immediate satisfaction of damaging creatures as it meets its end. And if we consider Volcanic Fallout, we see an instant-speed way to distribute damage, which sports uncounterability, but it does not match the raw power of Cinderheart Giant’s exit-triggered ability.

All things considered, amidst the landscape of red area damage spells and creatures within Magic the Gathering, Cinderheart Giant holds its own, with its unique combination of size and its final act of retaliation providing a memorable presence on the battlefield.

Inferno Titan - MTG Card versions
Shivan Meteor - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Fallout - MTG Card versions
Inferno Titan - Magic 2011 (M11)
Shivan Meteor - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Volcanic Fallout - Conflux (CON)

Cards similar to Cinderheart Giant by color, type and mana cost

Magma Giant - MTG Card versions
Trained Orgg - MTG Card versions
Velican Dragon - MTG Card versions
Crazed Firecat - MTG Card versions
Yidaro, Wandering Monster - MTG Card versions
Butcher Orgg - MTG Card versions
Goblin Dynamo - MTG Card versions
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Boldwyr Intimidator - MTG Card versions
Shivan Hellkite - MTG Card versions
Hamletback Goliath - MTG Card versions
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Karplusan Giant - MTG Card versions
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Tyrant of Discord - MTG Card versions
Minotaur Aggressor - MTG Card versions
Molten Primordial - MTG Card versions
Spawn of Thraxes - MTG Card versions
Dream Pillager - MTG Card versions
Magma Giant - Portal Second Age (P02)
Trained Orgg - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Velican Dragon - Sega Dreamcast Cards (PSDG)
Crazed Firecat - Torment (TOR)
Yidaro, Wandering Monster - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Butcher Orgg - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Dynamo - Legions (LGN)
Rimescale Dragon - Coldsnap (CSP)
Boldwyr Intimidator - Morningtide (MOR)
Shivan Hellkite - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Hamletback Goliath - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Knollspine Dragon - Game Night: Free-for-All (GN3)
Thunder Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Karplusan Giant - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Ancient Hellkite - Magic 2011 Promos (PM11)
Tyrant of Discord - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Minotaur Aggressor - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Molten Primordial - Gatecrash (GTC)
Spawn of Thraxes - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Dream Pillager - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cinderheart Giant MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim, 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 Cinderheart Giant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cinderheart Giant has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-02-05 The creature an opponent controls isn’t targeted, so it’s chosen as the triggered ability resolves. A creature with hexproof could be chosen, as could a creature with protection from red, although, in the latter case, the damage would be prevented.

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