Searing Blaze MTG Card
2010-02-05 - Number 90
2012-03-30 - Number 67
2002-06-24 - Number 39630
2011-01-01 - Number 5
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Landfall |
Text of card
Searing Blaze deals 1 damage to target player and 1 damage to target creature that player controls. Landfall — If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, Searing Blaze deals 3 damage to that player and 3 damage to that creature instead.
Cards like Searing Blaze
Searing Blaze stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a powerful removal and direct damage spell that players favor for its dual-target capacity. This burn spell is often measured against the likes of Lightning Bolt, a staple in the MTG red damage lineup for its cost-effective single-target damage. While Lightning Bolt directs three damage to any single target, Searing Blaze uniquely requires a target creature and a player, potentially swinging life totals and board presence in one cast.
Another card in comparison to Searing Blaze is Volcanic Hammer. Both share the ability to deal damage to creatures or players; however, Volcanic Hammer lacks the landfall trigger that can ramp up Searing Blaze’s potency. When assessing modal damage spells, Incinerate is also in the equation. Although Incinerate prevents regeneration, thereby neutralizing certain threats more effectively than Searing Blaze, it doesn’t offer the same level of overall impact on the game board.
Factoring in versatility and the potential for significant swings in health and board state, Searing Blaze emerges as a highly valued choice within red’s arsenal of spells in MTG for players looking to apply pressure through targeted damage.
Cards similar to Searing Blaze by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Searing Blaze. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Jund Burn | Modern | Jund Burn | Modern League 2024-05-08 |
| Boros Burn | Modern | Boros Burn | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-15 |
| Naya Burn | Modern | Naya Burn | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-21 (1) |
| Burn | Legacy | Burn | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-05-05 |
| Mono-Red Burn | Modern | Mono-Red Burn | Modern League 2024-04-25 |
| WRG | Legacy | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-24 | |
| Mardu Burn | Modern | Mardu Burn | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-15 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Searing Blaze offers a unique sort of card advantage by allowing you to deal with two targets simultaneously. Its capacity to hit both a creature and your opponent can equate to a two-for-one scenario, which is a highly efficient use of a single card.
Resource Acceleration: While Searing Blaze itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, it keeps the momentum in your favor by removing blockers or threats and chipping away at your opponent’s life total. This contributes to a faster-paced game, especially beneficial for aggressive red decks that aim to win quickly.
Instant Speed: Searing Blaze operates at instant speed, granting the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn. This allows for strategic play, such as removing creatures before they can be used for blocks or before your opponent can benefit from any combat-related triggers.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Searing Blaze demands both red mana and a landfall trigger to maximize efficiency, potentially limiting its inclusion in multicolored or non-land-centric decks.
Discard Requirement: While Searing Blaze doesn’t directly require a discard, it’s often paired in strategies with cards that do, which can deplete your hand quickly, leaving you at a disadvantage.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For decks aiming to burn opponents quickly, the optimal landfall condition of Searing Blaze can be clunky, as it often means holding onto lands longer than desired instead of playing them promptly for mana acceleration.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Searing Blaze offers a dual effect of dealing damage to both a player and a creature, making it a powerful choice in red burn decks or decks aiming to control the board.
Combo Potential: Its ability to deal damage based on landfall increases its potency in turns where a land drop is guaranteed, pairing well with strategies that put multiple lands into play or recur land from the graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: Against creature-heavy decks that aim to swarm the board, Searing Blaze shines by removing threats and maintaining pressure on the opponent’s life total, keeping it relevant in various competitive environments.
How to beat
Searing Blaze is a potent burn and removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, delivering a direct damage strike to both an opponent and one of their creatures simultaneously. Recognized for its dual-purpose function in aggressive red decks, overcoming this spell requires strategic play and thoughtful deck construction.
One effective strategy to counteract Searing Blaze involves utilizing creatures with higher toughness, as this makes them less susceptible to its 3 damage output. Moreover, deploying instant-speed spells that can either give your creatures temporary toughness boosts or can counteract the spell are invaluable in mitigating its impact. Including cards in your deck that can gain you life can also help offset the life loss caused by Searing Blaze, dampening its effectiveness.
Additionally, considering the Landfall ability of Searing Blaze, which enhances its damage, players should be wary of playing into this trigger. Managing and recognizing the timing of your opponent’s land plays can be crucial. In short, resilience and adaptability in your deck’s design, alongside tactical in-game decisions, are key to triumph over Searing Blaze.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Searing Blaze MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Worldwake, 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 Searing Blaze 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 Searing Blaze Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2012-03-30. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 39630 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jaime Jones | ||
| 2 | 2010-02-05 | Worldwake | WWK | 90 | 2003 | Normal | Black | James Paick | |
| 3 | Magic Player Rewards 2011 | P11 | 5 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jaime Jones | ||
| 4 | 2012-03-30 | Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth | DDI | 67 | 2003 | Normal | Black | James Paick |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Searing Blaze has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Searing Blaze card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | Having more than one land enter the battlefield under your control this turn provides no additional benefit. |
| 2010-03-01 | If either target is illegal by the time Searing Blaze resolves, it still deals damage to the other target. |
| 2010-03-01 | Once the spell resolves, having a land enter the battlefield under your control provides no further benefit. |
| 2010-03-01 | The effect of this spell’s landfall ability replaces its normal effect. If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, only the landfall-based effect happens. |
| 2010-03-01 | The landfall ability checks for an action that has happened in the past. It doesn’t matter if a land that entered the battlefield under your control previously in the turn is still on the battlefield, is still under your control, or is still a land. |
| 2010-03-01 | Whether you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn is checked as this spell resolves, not as you cast it. |
| 2010-03-01 | You must choose two targets as you cast Searing Blaze: a player and a creature that player controls. If you can’t (because there are no creatures on the battlefield, perhaps), then you can’t cast the spell. |