Immolation Shaman MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Viashino Shaman
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Deters opponent abilities, indirectly leading to gaining card advantage and disrupting their gameplay.
  2. Provides flexible, instant speed reactions, bolstering defensive capabilities and game control.
  3. Requires strategic deck construction, as it thrives in red mana decks and may clash in multicolored arrangements.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent activates an ability of an artifact, creature, or land that isn't a mana ability, Immolation Shaman deals 1 damage to that player. : Immolation Shaman gets +3/+3 and gains menace until end of turn.

"Hello, kindling."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Immolation Shaman becomes a formidable threat when its activated ability is used. Each time an opponent activates an ability of an artifact, creature, or enchantment that isn’t a mana ability, you draw a card. This can potentially discourage opponents from utilizing key abilities, indirectly leading to card advantage as they may hold back on playing or activating assets to avoid giving you extra draws.

Resource Acceleration: Although Immolation Shaman itself doesn’t provide resource acceleration directly, its ability to control the pace of the game allows you to manage your resources efficiently. By putting pressure on opponents’ strategies, this Shaman can indirectly result in a form of acceleration as it may force opponents to spend resources at inopportune times.

Instant Speed: Immolation Shaman’s flexibility in being able to respond at instant speed enhances your control over the game. Its activated ability can be used whenever you have enough mana, enabling you to react to your opponent’s actions during their turn. This instant speed response not only disrupts their strategy but also strengthens your defensive posture by having a threat that can influence the opponent’s decisions any time.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Immolation Shaman doesn’t demand discarding, it does require vigilance regarding the opponent’s activatable abilities, which can distract from a player’s primary strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Immolation Shaman’s reliance on red mana may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks, potentially restricting its versatility and broader deck integration.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana can be steep for a 1/3 creature. Other cards at this mana range might provide more impactful presence on the battlefield or immediate value upon entering the game.


Reasons to Include Immolation Shaman in Your Collection

Versatility: Immolation Shaman fits into multiple deck archetypes with ease. It acts not only as an early-game aggressor but also as a late-game deterrent against opponents’ activated abilities, versatile for both aggressive and control strategies.

Combo Potential: When upgraded with its activated ability, Immolation Shaman can become a significant threat that punishes the opponent for utilizing activated abilities, synergizing well with strategies focused on disrupting the opponent’s game plan.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with abilities that trigger from artifacts, creatures, and lands, Immolation Shaman emerges as a timely answer. It addresses key strategies prevalent in various competitive formats, making it a savvy addition for players looking to stay ahead of the curve.


How to beat

Immolation Shaman is a versatile creature card that poses unique challenges on the battlefield. Its ability to punish opponents for activating abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments makes it a potent deterrent. To effectively counter this card, consider avoiding actions that trigger its damage-dealing ability. Instead, focus on removing it directly through spells or using abilities that don’t involve the activation of other cards. Removal spells like Murder or Abrupt Decay can cleanly dispatch Immolation Shaman without provoking its retribution.

Alternatively, aiming for a strategy that outpaces the Shaman by building board presence swiftly or by employing flying creatures can bypass its influence. Cards such as Lava Coil can also serve as an effective and resource-efficient solution. Also, remember that Immolation Shaman’s second ability significantly increases its power and can be a game-ender if left unchecked. Swift removal or minimizing artifact and ability usage are key in preventing the Shaman’s dominance on the playing field. In essence, it’s about adapting gameplay to avoid providing the Shaman with targets while preparing an effective strategy for its removal.


BurnMana Recommendations

Immolation Shaman stands as a strategic asset, deterring opponents and adding depth to your gameplay. With its unique ability to turn your foes’ actions against them, it’s a must-have for players seeking to control the pace of the match. By understanding its strengths and mitigating its weaknesses, this MTG card can be the cornerstone of a formidable strategy. We encourage you to delve further into its potential and explore synergies that enhance your deck’s performance. To scale new heights in MTG and incorporate Immolation Shaman effectively, continue your journey with us and harness the power of strategic gameplay.


Cards like Immolation Shaman

Immolation Shaman from Magic: The Gathering plays a unique role as a threat deterrent. Its akin to Harsh Mentor in the way it punishes opponents for activating abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments. While both have a similar impact on the game’s tide, Immolation Shaman takes it up a notch with its potential to be a larger on-board threat once its activated ability comes into play. This differentiates it from Harsh Mentor’s consistent but non-scalable damage output.

Additionally, Runic Armasaur offers another parallel, rewarding players with card draw when opponents activate abilities from creatures or lands. Although it doesn’t deter actions with damage, the value of drawing cards can be a substantial advantage. Then there’s Rampaging Ferocidon, which discourages another common player behavior: casting creatures. Ferocidon deals damage to the opponent upon creature entry, similar to the punishment tactics of Immolation Shaman. Each card brings a distinct spin to controlling opponents, paving numerous strategic pathways within the game.

Examining these comparisons allows players to tailor their decks either to penalize opponents with direct damage or reap other forms of competitive edge, cementing Immolation Shaman’s standing as a versatile and cunning choice for deck building in MTG.

Harsh Mentor - MTG Card versions
Runic Armasaur - MTG Card versions
Rampaging Ferocidon - MTG Card versions
Harsh Mentor - Amonkhet (AKH)
Runic Armasaur - Core Set 2019 Promos (PM19)
Rampaging Ferocidon - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Immolation Shaman MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Ravnica Allegiance Promos, 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 Immolation Shaman and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Immolation Shaman Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2019-01-25. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 1062015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
22019-01-25Ravnica Allegiance PromosPRNA 106s2015normalblackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Immolation Shaman has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Immolation Shaman card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-01-25 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text (such as equip does). An activated mana ability is one that produces mana as it resolves, not one that costs mana to activate.
2019-01-25 Activating Immolation Shaman’s second ability after one creature has blocked it won’t cause Immolation Shaman to become unblocked.
2019-01-25 Immolation Shaman’s first ability doesn’t trigger when an opponent activates an ability of a card in hand (such as cycling) or a card in a graveyard (such as that of Bone Dragon), even if that causes a card to be put onto the battlefield.
2019-01-25 Immolation Shaman’s first ability resolves before the ability that caused it to trigger.
2019-01-25 Multiple instances of menace on the same creature are redundant.

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