Firefiend Elemental MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elemental |
| Abilities | Haste,Renown |
| Released | 2015-07-17 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic Origins |
| Set code | ORI |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 146 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Torstein Nordstrand |
Key Takeaways
- Prowess synergizes with instants, boosting Firefiend Elemental’s power during pivotal combat moments.
- Mana-intensive with a restrictive casting cost; not optimal for every multicolor deck.
- Its haste ability accelerates gameplay, pressuring opponents from the get-go.
Text of card
Haste (This creature can attack and as soon as it comes under your control.) Renown 1 (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Firefiend Elemental doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, it can potentially eliminate opponents’ creatures during combat due to its prowess. This interaction can lead to indirect card advantage as the opponent loses resources trying to deal with it.
Resource Acceleration: Firefiend Elemental itself is not a tool for resource acceleration. However, its prowess ability benefits from any instant or sorcery spell you cast by becoming stronger, making it an effective option for aggressive strategies that capitalize on casting multiple spells within short turns.
Instant Speed: The card’s prowess ability takes instant speed spells into account, enabling it to grow in power unexpectedly during combat. This can turn the tides when blocking or attacking, as you can cast an instant spell not only to grow Firefiend Elemental but also to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Firefiend Elemental requires you to discard a card when using its prowess ability. This could put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running low on cards or if the discarded card is essential to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Firefiend Elemental demands a specific blend of mana, including red, to cast. This requirement could be restrictive and may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks that don’t focus heavily on red mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost requiring three colorless and one red mana, Firefiend Elemental comes with a high price for its stats and effect. In competitive play, there are alternative creatures that could be cast for a similar, if not a lower, amount of mana and offer additional abilities or greater power/toughness ratios.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Firefiend Elemental’s ability to fit into aggressive red decks adds significant value, specifically for players who appreciate swift and impactful gameplay. Its Haste feature enables immediate action upon entering the battlefield, pressuring opponents right from the start.
Combo Potential: With cards that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield or elemental synergies, Firefiend Elemental can be a key component. Its prowess in combat, especially when combined with buffs or sacrificial mechanics, can turn the tide in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors aggressive playstyles, Firefiend Elemental becomes an asset. It thrives against slower decks by accelerating the pace and demanding answers from your adversaries, thus carving a niche for itself in certain competitive scenes.
How to Beat Firefiend Elemental
Firefiend Elemental is an aggressive creature card in Magic: The Gathering, notable for its haste ability allowing it to attack the moment it hits the battlefield. It’s part of the red elementals, characterized by high speed and direct damage. Like other haste creatures, a key strategy against Firefiend Elemental involves maintaining a strong defense. This means deploying creatures with higher toughness values that can withstand an immediate attack and survive or using removal spells to dispatch it before it can deal significant damage.
Cards like ‘Murder’ or ‘Doom Blade’ are popular examples of removal spells that can effectively take out the Firefiend Elemental. Another counter would be to use ‘Fog’ or similar effects to prevent all combat damage for a turn, nullifying the surprise assault. It’s also worth mentioning that Firefiend Elemental, despite its initial speed advantage, can be outpaced by decks that focus on lifegain or rebound strategies, recuperating health faster than the Elemental can deplete it.
Effectively, facing down Firefiend Elemental requires foresighted deck building and strategic play to mitigate its haste advantage and neutralize it as a threat. This keeps your life total safe and maintains board control. Remember, always adapting to your opponent’s actions is a hallmark of a skilled MTG player.
Cards like Firefiend Elemental
The card Firefiend Elemental offers an intriguing dynamic for those building a swift and aggressive strategy in Magic the Gathering. This creature card brings to the table not only a solid power and toughness ratio for its mana cost, but also the renowned haste ability, enabling it to bypass the usual summoning sickness and attack immediately. Comparing this fire-fueled entity with others in its class, we see Skylasher, for example. Skylasher may not carry the haste ability, but it compensates with flash and protection from blue, making it a versatile option in green decks.
Another elemental to consider is Hellspark Elemental, which shares the haste trait and also comes with trample to push through defenses, but it is less durable due to its lower toughness and self-sacrificing nature at the end of the turn. Conversely, Firefiend Elemental’s ability to participate in multiple combat phases gives it an ongoing presence on the battlefield, which can be leveraged for sustained pressure.
While Firefiend Elemental might not have the flashiness of some rarer creatures, its straightforward utility makes it a reliable and cost-effective choice for red decks aiming to deliver quick and consistent damage.
Cards similar to Firefiend Elemental by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Firefiend Elemental MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins, 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 Firefiend Elemental and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Firefiend Elemental has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Firefiend Elemental card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-06-22 | If a creature with renown deals combat damage to its controller because that damage was redirected, renown will trigger. |
| 2015-06-22 | If a renown ability triggers, but the creature leaves the battlefield before that ability resolves, the creature doesn’t become renowned. Any ability that triggers “whenever a creature becomes renowned” won’t trigger. |
| 2015-06-22 | Renown won’t trigger when a creature deals combat damage to a planeswalker or another creature. It also won’t trigger when a creature deals noncombat damage to a player. |
