Phyrexian Furnace MTG Card
1997-06-09 - Number 155
1997-08-13 - Number pm155sb
1998-08-12 - Number bs155sb
2020-09-26 - Number WTH-155
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Text of card
oc T: Remove the bottom card of target player's graveyard from the game. o1, Sacrifice Phyrexian Furnace: Remove target card in any graveyard from the game and draw a card.
Cards like Phyrexian Furnace
Phyrexian Furnace stands as a unique option among the artifact cards in Magic: The Gathering, serving a key role in the strategic exile of cards from an opponent’s graveyard. This functionality mirrors that of other graveyard management cards like Tormod’s Crypt, which can also remove an opponent’s graveyard in one fell swoop. However, Phyrexian Furnace offers a more gradual approach, allowing for selective exile and potentially drawing a card when its cumulative upkeep cost is paid.
Relic of Progenitus is another artifact that shares similarities with Phyrexian Furnace, providing players with the ability to both manage graveyards and draw a card. The key difference lies in the mana expenditure and the immediacy of the graveyard sweep. Nihil Spellbomb also presents a comparison, with the added benefit of requiring no mana to activate its exile ability, albeit sacrificing itself in the process.
In essence, when comparing the features and tactical applications of graveyard-affecting artifacts in Magic: The Gathering, Phyrexian Furnace offers an incremental advantage, particularly in games where targeting specific cards in an opponent’s graveyard is more beneficial than a singular catastrophic purge.
Cards similar to Phyrexian Furnace by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Phyrexian Furnace. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Orzhov Control | Premodern | $1K - Pre-Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Saturday - 9:30 am | |
 | Mono-Red Burn | Premodern | $1K - Pre-Modern - SCG CON Hartford - Sunday - 9:30 am | |
| Sligh | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Landstill | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Boros Control | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
| Azorius Landstill | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Azorius Control | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Deadguy Ale | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Phyrexian Furnace offers a strategic edge by enabling graveyard manipulation. It allows you to selectively exile cards from your opponent’s graveyard, disrupting their game plan and potentially removing key resources or threats yet to be leveraged through recursion. This selective approach can translate to a form of card advantage, as you target and exile the most impactful cards that might return to haunt you in later stages of the match.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly a mana-acceleration tool, Phyrexian Furnace can be sacrificed to draw a card. This effect, although subtle, contributes to your resource pool by replacing itself in your hand, offering you a fresh option and keeping your card flow consistent. This can be especially advantageous in decks that seek to maintain card parity while affecting the board state.
Instant Speed: The ability to sacrifice Phyrexian Furnace at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves. Whether it’s right before they attempt to access their graveyard or in response to a shuffle effect, you decide the optimal moment to activate the Furnace, ensuring you maintain responsiveness during the evolving game. This reactive capacity makes it a versatile tool in games where timing is crucial.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In a game where hand advantage can be crucial, Phyrexian Furnace asks players to part with valuable cards in their hand. This can strategically hinder a player if they are not able to maintain a comfortable number of cards in their grip.
Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a single mana type, Phyrexian Furnace requires precise deck construction. Players must have the right mana available at the right time, so flexibility in casting is reduced, particularly in multicolor decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing the mana to activate Phyrexian Furnace may not seem like the most efficient use of resources, especially when other options in the format provide more immediate or versatile effects for a similar or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Phyrexian Furnace in Your Collection
Versatility: The Phyrexian Furnace is a surprisingly flexible card that can be incorporated into a wide variety of decks. It’s excellent for graveyard management, helping you keep opponents’ strategies in check by selectively removing cards from graveyards.
Combo Potential: While the Phyrexian Furnace stands strong on its own, its synergy with cards that interact with artifact sacrifice or graveyard manipulation can be a game-changer, crafting powerful combos that can disrupt your opponents or fuel your win conditions.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the prevalence of graveyard-based strategies in various formats, Phyrexian Furnace maintains relevance by acting as a deterrent or a counter to these tactics, making it a timely addition to your arsenal and keeping your deck competitive.
How to Confront Phyrexian Furnace
Addressing the challenge of Phyrexian Furnace in Magic: The Gathering is about understanding its role in disrupting graveyard strategies and leveraging its effect. This artifact is particularly adept at removing cards from graveyards, one at a time, impeding the plans of decks that thrive on recycling their resources. Its potential to exile entire graveyards by sacrificing itself adds another layer of complexity to playing against it.
In facing Phyrexian Furnace, it’s crucial to shield your graveyard or, inversely, to bypass reliance on it altogether. It’s worth considering cards that offer immediate value upon entering or leaving the battlefield, thus diminishing the impact of your opponent’s graveyard removal. Similarly, instant-speed reanimation spells can outpace your opponent’s Furnace activations, letting you snatch key creatures from your graveyard before they get exiled.
Ultimately, while the Furnace can be a source of disruption, decks can be tailored to either sidestep its effects or to engage in a tactical battle over graveyard control. Diversifying your strategies to minimize vulnerability to graveyard exile can help you maintain an edge against decks wielding this especially tricky piece of the Phyrexian arsenal.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Furnace MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and World Championship Decks 1997, 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 Phyrexian Furnace and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Phyrexian Furnace Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 1998-08-12. Illustrated by George Pratt.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-06-09 | Weatherlight | WTH | 155 | 1997 | Normal | Black | George Pratt | |
| 2 | 1997-08-13 | World Championship Decks 1997 | WC97 | pm155sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | George Pratt | |
| 3 | 1998-08-12 | World Championship Decks 1998 | WC98 | bs155sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | George Pratt | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | WTH-155 | 1997 | Normal | Black | George Pratt |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Furnace has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |