Kuldotha Flamefiend MTG Card
2011-02-04 - Number 69
2020-08-07 - Number 134
2021-08-26 - Number 481
2022-12-02 - Number 565
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Elemental |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Gains card advantage by removing multiple opponent creatures, tipping the battlefield in your favor.
- Synergizes with artifact decks to convert artifacts into destructive power, enhancing gameplay strategy.
- Functioning at sorcery speed allows for planned, strategic play to disrupt opponent tactics.
Text of card
When Kuldotha Flamefiend enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice an artifact. If you do, Kuldotha Flamefiend deals 4 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Playing the Kuldotha Flamefiend offers an attractive card advantage as it enables you to potentially remove two of your opponent’s creatures from the game. This is vital for keeping the upper hand in a game and reducing their options for a comeback.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Kuldotha Flamefiend itself doesn’t directly generate additional resources, its ability to sacrifice artifacts can synergize with decks built around artifact recursion. By converting expendable artifacts into destructive power, you can maintain a lively flow of resources while disrupting your opponent’s board.
Instant Speed: While Kuldotha Flamefiend is a creature and not an instant, its ability functions at sorcery speed, offering a controlled and strategic form of removal. Proper timing of its sacrificial ability can force opponents into difficult decisions, potentially leading to advantageous trades or clearing the way for a decisive attack.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Utilizing Kuldotha Flamefiend’s ability comes with a hefty price, necessitating the discard of an additional card upon casting. This can place players in a challenging position, especially when their hand is running low on playable options, potentially leading to a loss in card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Kuldotha Flamefiend asks for a particular commitment to red mana within its casting cost. This demand for one generic and five red mana can be restrictive, tying up resources and making it less flexible in multi-colored decks that might not always have the necessary red mana readily available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of six mana, this creature’s ability integrates a hefty investment when initiating its battlefield impact. In comparison to other options available in the format, players might find themselves bypassing this choice in favor of cards with lower casting costs, seeking to enhance their game tempo or efficiency.
Reasons to Include Kuldotha Flamefiend in Your Collection
Versatility: Kuldotha Flamefiend offers great flexibility for players looking to adapt to numerous game scenarios. As a sizable creature with a board-impacting ability, it can serve multiple roles from a late-game threat to a means of clearing the board of problematic creatures or artifacts.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability, which requires sacrificing an artifact, can be a linchpin in decks that revolve around artifact synergy. By using Kuldotha Flamefiend, you can set off a chain of reactions, potentially orchestrating game-winning combos or recovering from perilous positions.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifact decks are prevalent or where controlling the board is crucial, Kuldotha Flamefiend is an unexpected ally. It can swing games by dealing substantial damage across the board. Its impact on the state of play can be a significant advantage against various popular deck strategies.
How to beat
Kuldotha Flamefiend is a hefty creature that brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. With its impressive ability to deal damage equal to the sacrificed artifact’s converted mana cost, it can alter the state of the game quickly. To turn the tide against Kuldotha Flamefiend, a strategic approach focusing on timing and resource management is essential.
Countering this card effectively requires a preemptive strategy. Playing cards that restrict your opponent’s ability to sacrifice artifacts can cripple the Flamefiend’s intimidating presence. Additionally, maintaining instant-speed removal in your hand gives you the power to respond to the creature before its ability can be activated. Another viable method involves utilizing graveyard management spells to disrupt the retrieval of key artifacts that your opponent may bank on for a combo with Kuldotha Flamefiend. Remember, this creature thrives in an environment rich with artifacts; limiting those resources is your pathway to neutralizing it.
In essence, while Kuldotha Flamefiend may initially seem daunting, your plan of action should revolve around anticipation and smart play. By controlling artifact availability and being ready to remove threats at a moment’s notice, you can assert dominance over the game, even when facing such a powerful adversary.
Cards like Kuldotha Flamefiend
Kuldotha Flamefiend is a noteworthy inclusion in the roster of creature cards that offer a dual utility of being both a formidable creature and a source of direct damage in Magic: The Gathering. This card is reminiscent of others like the ever-popular Flametongue Kavu, which similarly provides creature removal upon entry to the battlefield. The Flamefiend, though, brings a unique twist with its flexibility to sacrifice an artifact to inflict damage, which can be distributed as you choose among any number of targets.
Another comparable card is the Gearseeker Serpent, which also has an affinity with artifacts but leans towards reducing its own cost rather than dealing damage. While the Serpent is tactical in decks with numerous artifacts, Kuldotha Flamefiend excels in a different niche—acting as both an offensive threat and a removal strategy. Bogardan Hellkite also shares the battlefield impact aspect, delivering damage upon arrival, but at a significantly higher mana cost, sacrificing the Flamefiend’s synergistic artifact interaction.
Despite these similarities, Kuldotha Flamefiend stands out due to its potential for impactful board presence and the strategic depth it adds to artifact-driven decks within MTG gameplay. For players looking for a card that combines aggressive creature stats with the tactical destruction of artifacts, the Flamefiend is an intriguing choice.
Cards similar to Kuldotha Flamefiend by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kuldotha Flamefiend MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Double Masters, 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 Kuldotha Flamefiend 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Kuldotha Flamefiend Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Raymond Swanland.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-02-04 | Mirrodin Besieged | MBS | 69 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 2 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 134 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 3 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 481 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland | |
| 4 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 565 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raymond Swanland |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kuldotha Flamefiend has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kuldotha Flamefiend card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-08-07 | If some of the targets become illegal for Kuldotha Flamefiend's ability, the original division of damage still applies, but the damage that would have been dealt to illegal targets isn't dealt at all. If all of the targets become illegal, you can't sacrifice an artifact. |
| 2020-08-07 | You divide the damage as Kuldotha Flamefiend's triggered ability is put onto the stack, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. You can't choose more than 4 targets and assign 0 damage to a target. |
| 2020-08-07 | You don't choose whether to sacrifice an artifact or which artifact you're sacrificing until the ability resolves. Once you decide to sacrifice an artifact (or not), it's too late for players to respond. |
| 2020-08-07 | You may choose zero targets. If you do, Kuldotha Flamefiend deals no damage, but you may sacrifice an artifact. |
