Play with Fire MTG Card


‘Play with Fire’ offers card selection with its scry mechanic, fine-tuning your upcoming draws. This card’s one-mana cost and instant speed provide excellent turn efficiency and versatility. Countering it involves damage prevention, instant-speed interference, or life gain strategies.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Scry

Text of card

Play with Fire deals 2 damage to any target. If a player is dealt damage this way, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

Devils find human dwellings to be oppressively cold, dark, and unburnt.


Cards like Play with Fire

Play with Fire is an intriguing spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering, drawing similarities to the classic Lightning Bolt due to its direct damage capability. Both cards allow players to target creatures or players, but Play with Fire has a unique twist, offering the ability to scry if the target is a player. Lightning Bolt, in contrast, simply delivers more damage, which is three points instead of Play with Fire’s two, without any additional effect.

Another comparison can be made with Shock, a staple in many decks for its straightforward two damage to any target at a low cost. While Play with Fire shares the same damage and mana cost, the inclusion of scrying opens up strategic play options that Shock does not provide. Furthermore, considering cards like Searing Spear, it provides the same damage as Play with Fire and Lightning Bolt for the same mana cost, yet it lacks the advantageous scrying feature Play with Fire offers for enhanced deck maneuverability.

In the crowed field of two-damage spells, Play with Fire stands out for its balance of damage output and the added benefit of scry, rendering it a worthy contender in direct damage spells for players’ decks in Magic: The Gathering.

Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Shock - MTG Card versions
Searing Spear - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Shock - MTG Card versions
Searing Spear - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Play with Fire by color, type and mana cost

False Orders - MTG Card versions
Chaoslace - MTG Card versions
Red Elemental Blast - MTG Card versions
Tunnel - MTG Card versions
Artifact Blast - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Active Volcano - MTG Card versions
Shock - MTG Card versions
Panic - MTG Card versions
Vertigo - MTG Card versions
Hearth Charm - MTG Card versions
Pyroblast - MTG Card versions
Fighting Chance - MTG Card versions
Shower of Sparks - MTG Card versions
Heat Ray - MTG Card versions
Overload - MTG Card versions
March of Reckless Joy - MTG Card versions
Burst Lightning - MTG Card versions
Fever Charm - MTG Card versions
Electrostatic Bolt - MTG Card versions
False Orders - MTG Card versions
Chaoslace - MTG Card versions
Red Elemental Blast - MTG Card versions
Tunnel - MTG Card versions
Artifact Blast - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Active Volcano - MTG Card versions
Shock - MTG Card versions
Panic - MTG Card versions
Vertigo - MTG Card versions
Hearth Charm - MTG Card versions
Pyroblast - MTG Card versions
Fighting Chance - MTG Card versions
Shower of Sparks - MTG Card versions
Heat Ray - MTG Card versions
Overload - MTG Card versions
March of Reckless Joy - MTG Card versions
Burst Lightning - MTG Card versions
Fever Charm - MTG Card versions
Electrostatic Bolt - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Play with Fire. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Boros AggroBoros Aggro PioneerBoros AggroPioneer Challenge 32 2024-05-13
Mono-Red AggroMono-Red Aggro PioneerMono-Red AggroPioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-05-12
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro PioneerGruul AggroPioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-05-12

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although Play with Fire doesn’t allow you to draw more cards directly, its scrying mechanic after dealing damage grants a form of card advantage. By scrying 1, you effectively filter what comes next, ensuring quality over quantity in your draw.

Resource Acceleration: While Play with Fire doesn’t produce additional mana or tokens, it accelerates your game by efficiently managing your resources. You can deal with early threats or chip away at your opponent’s life total, keeping the board state in your favor without a significant resource investment, as it only costs one red mana to cast.

Instant Speed: The speed at which you can cast Play with Fire gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions or end their turn to potentially remove a valuable target. This agility maximizes your turn efficiency, allowing you to remain reactive and in control.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: ‘Play with Fire’ demands sacrificing a card in your hand, creating potential setbacks when your card options are already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s demand for red mana constrains its integration, making it less versatile for decks that don’t heavily feature red.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at two mana might seem reasonable, but when it comes to optimal burn spells in the game, there are alternatives that could provide more bang for your buck.


Reasons to Include Play with Fire in Your Collection

Versatility: Play with Fire is a flexible addition to any red deck, acting as both early game removal and a source of potential direct player damage. Its low mana cost makes it an easy fit, ensuring your strategy isn’t slowed down.

Combo Potential: This card offers the ability to scry when it deals damage to a player, setting up your next moves. It feeds well into strategies that exploit the scry mechanic or damage-based synergies to control the game flow.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames fluctuate, consistent damage-dealing spells remain crucial. Play with Fire’s damage output and scrying ability make it a pertinent choice against an array of decks, ensuring it retains value across different competitive environments.


How to beat

Confronting Play with Fire in MTG demands a strategic approach due to its damage-dealing abilities combined with the prospect of card draw. Mitigating its impact involves dodging the initial damage, which can be done through having creatures with higher toughness or those that possess damage prevention capabilities. For instance, utilizing cards that grant your creatures indestructible for the turn or having creatures with hexproof to avoid being targeted can thwart an opponent’s Play with Fire.

Another effective tactic is to take advantage of instant-speed spells that can counteract direct damage. Cards like Negate or any spell with a similar counteractive effect can be particularly useful in this scenario by countering Play with Fire as it’s cast. Additionally, employing life gain strategies can help recover the health lost to such burn spells, thereby reducing their influence on the game.

Ultimately, managing the threat of Play with Fire involves a keen awareness of your resources and shielding yourself against its direct damage while staying ahead of your opponent’s strategies. Having the right counterspells, protective measures, and life gain at the ready will dampen its impact and keep you in command of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

With Play with Fire offering strategic scrying and efficient damage at a low cost, it surely ignites interest in red deck aficionados. As you delve deeper into MTG’s strategic depths, incorporating this burn spell can enhance your gameplay by allowing precise deck manipulation and consistent board control. Recognizing its versatility and potent combo potential amidst the dynamic metagame secures its place as a mainstay in competitive play. For those looking to optimize their red-centric arsenal or seeking a nifty spell with incremental advantages, taking a closer look at Play with Fire’s utility can blaze a path to victory. Join us to learn more and further harness the power of this incendiary card.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Play with Fire MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, 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 Play with Fire and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Play with Fire Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3902015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 1542015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov
32022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 1542015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Play with Fire has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal