Scorching Missile MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Flashback
Released	2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Odyssey
Set code	ODY
Number	219
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Don Hazeltine

Key Takeaways

Scorching Missile aids in momentum gain by offering creature removal and direct damage capabilities.
Instant speed allows for reactive plays, enhancing flexibility and disrupting opponent strategies.
Despite its high mana cost, it remains meta-relevant for its ability to target creatures and players.

Text of card

Scorching Missile deals 4 damage to target player. Flashback o9o R (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scorching Missile shines in its ability to potentially remove an opponent’s creature while dealing direct damage to a player or planeswalker. This dual function can swing the momentum, adding strategic depth and value to your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Scorching Missile isn’t a direct source of mana acceleration, effectively using it can help maintain or turn the tide of board control. This efficient use of resources enables faster progress towards your victory conditions.

Instant Speed: The strength of Scorching Missile is amplified by its flexibility as an instant. React and adapt to your opponent’s moves by strategically deciding whether to unleash it during their turn, potentially disrupting their plans, or saving it for a critical moment to maximize its impact.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scorching Missile necessitates a card discard to activate its ability, potentially depleting valuable hand resources when you might least afford it.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands red mana for its casting and activation, potentially restricting play to decks with a red mana base or those capable of mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that might be considered steep for its damage output, players could find themselves opting for lower-cost alternatives that provide more flexibility or efficiency in a fast-paced game.

Reasons to Include Scorching Missile in Your Collection

Versatility: Scorching Missile serves as a flexible tool in decks that seek to control the board or finish off opponents. Its ability to target creatures or players makes it a valuable asset in a variety of game situations.

Combo Potential: This card can work seamlessly within a strategy that aims to deal direct damage, boosting the effectiveness of spells or abilities that benefit from dealing non-combat damage to your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: Given that many decks rely on creatures for success, Scorching Missile holds a significant place in the current meta by providing a reliable removal option, as well as the potential to close out games by targeting players directly.

How to beat

Scorching Missile is a potent spell that allows players to deal direct damage, making it a force to reckon with on the battlefield. To effectively counter this card, consider incorporating instant-speed removal or counterspells in your deck to disrupt its cast. Having spells like Counterspell or Negate at the ready can neutralize Scorching Missile before it scorches your creatures or life total.

Another strategy is to use cards that grant hexproof or protection from red to your permanents, shielding them from this fiery projectile. For creatures on the field, spells like Blossoming Defense or Ranger’s Guile offer a swift and mana-efficient solution to prevent the damage from Scorching Missile. Similarly, playing creatures that are naturally resilient to red spells, such as those with protection from red, can efficiently nullify the threat posed by Scorching Missile.

By anticipating this red spell and preparing your deck accordingly, you can minimize its impact and maintain control over the game. Whether through quick reaction spells, protective abilities, or preemptive counters, there is a range of choices available to help you weather the blaze of Scorching Missile.

Cards like Scorching Missile

Scorching Missile is a fiery spell that adds heat to Magic: The Gathering’s rich tapestry of direct damage cards. Within this category, Lightning Bolt stands as a classic, delivering three damage to any target at the low cost of a single red mana. While Scorching Missile doesn’t offer the same low-cost efficiency, it compensates with potentially higher damage output, given the right conditions of having a significant number of spells in one’s graveyard.

Comparatively, we see Incinerate, another direct damage staple. It can deal three damage to a creature or player, and its additional ability prevents damage from being healed during the turn. Unlike Scorching Missile, Incinerate has a set damage and lacks the scalability based on a player’s spell actions. Then there’s Volcanic Hammer, which is similar in its sorcery speed and fixed damage. However, Volcanic Hammer can’t match the possible explosive damage spike that Scorching Missile carries in a spell-slinging focused deck.

As we examine these cards side by side, Scorching Missile shines in environments that encourage casting numerous spells. It may not be the first choice for every red deck, but in the right circumstances, its potential damage output can surpass its counterparts, making it a powerful option in MTG’s direct damage repertoire.

Cards similar to Scorching Missile by color, type and mana cost

Draconic Intervention - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scorching Missile 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 Scorching Missile and other MTG cards: