Molten Influence MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Odyssey
Set code	ODY
Number	207
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Franz Vohwinkel

Key Takeaways

Disruption through choice; opponents must sacrifice permanents or suffer the card’s effects, altering board control.
Played at instant speed, adding surprise to your strategy and complicating opponents’ plans significantly.
The discard requirement and specific mana cost can limit adaptability, especially in multicolor decks.

Text of card

Counter target instant or sorcery spell unless its controller has Molten Influence deal 4 damage to him or her.

Lavamancers make simple requests: obey or die.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Molten Influence can potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy by offering the choice to sacrifice a permanent, which can often lead to an unexpected benefit on your side and a decreased board presence for them. Should they choose not to, you gain advantage from the card effects induced.

Resource Acceleration: If Molten Influence is played strategically, it can accelerate your game by indirectly affecting resource management. Opponents might sacrifice mana-producing permanents, which can later hinder their development and progress.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Molten Influence on an opponent’s turn adds a layer of complexity and surprise, keeping your adversaries guessing. At instant speed, this card can be cast in response to an opponent’s actions, potentially disrupting their carefully laid plans or allowing you to react swiftly to an evolving battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Molten Influence requires the player to discard another card, which can be a challenging trade-off when hand size is crucial for maintaining gameplay options and strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Molten Influence demands two red mana, which may not optimize the color diversification in multi-colored decks, potentially disrupting mana curve flow.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the cost-to-benefit ratio of Molten Influence, the necessity of paying four mana places it at a higher investiture compared to other cards with similar or greater impact, potentially making it a less than optimal choice in time-critical scenarios.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Molten Influence excels in various deck builds, adapting efficiently to strategies that revolve around instant speed interactions and damage manipulation.

Combo Potential: This card seamlessly integrates into combos that capitalize on spell copying or cost reduction, enhancing plays that aim to disrupt or outpace the opponent through direct damage.

Meta-Relevance: With a shift towards aggressive and spell-heavy decks, Molten Influence can become a crucial sideboard card, tipping the scales in matches where timing and spell control are pivotal.

How to beat

Molten Influence presents a unique challenge in MTG, with its ability to potentially alter the course of the game through its card-damage mechanic. Similar to other cards that disrupt an opponent’s strategy, Molten Influence can force a player to make difficult decisions about their spells. To effectively counter this card, smart deck construction and gameplay are key. One method is to incorporate cards that cannot be countered or spells that give you hexproof, rendering Molten Influence ineffective against them.

Another strategy involves timing your spells wisely. Playing less critical spells when you suspect your opponent has Molten Influence in hand can bait it out, allowing your more important spells to go through unchallenged. Additionally, cards that allow you to gain life or have damage prevention can help mitigate the life loss from Molten Influence, preserving your position in the game.

In essence, overcoming Molten Influence in MTG requires a blend of anticipation, strategic spell casting, and inclusion of specific countermeasures in your deck. By adapting your play to the presence of such cards, you maintain the upper hand and keep your strategy on track toward victory.

Cards like Molten Influence

Molten Influence stands out as an intriguing option among red instant spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares a lineage with cards like Red Elemental Blast, which offers a one-time counter or destruction of a blue spell or permanent. Molten Influence, however, introduces an element of risk and reward. The card allows opponents to prevent its effect by simply taking 4 damage, a twist not found in Red Elemental Blast.

In the realm of damage-based counter spells, we also encounter the likes of Pyroblast. Similar to Red Elemental Blast, it effectively counters or destroys blue spells, but Molten Influence presents a unique strategic layer with its conditional damage clause. Then there’s Burnout, which not only counters blue spells but also lets you draw a card at the next turn’s upkeep. While Burnout adds card advantage, Molten Influence compensates with the potential to deal direct damage, increasing its tactical applications in a match.

Assessing their uses, Molten Influence indeed emerges as a card with distinct applications, capable of swaying the balance between risk and control in Magic: The Gathering and providing red decks with more nuanced ways to handle opponents’ strategies.

Cards similar to Molten Influence by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Molten Influence MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Molten Influence and other MTG cards: