Bloodpyre Elemental MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elemental |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 93 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Trevor Claxton |
Key Takeaways
- Bloodpyre Elemental enables board control by converting creatures into direct damage at instant speed.
- Though impactful, the elemental’s discard requirement can be a significant strategic cost.
- Its utility and combo potential make it a worthy consideration for red-focused MTG decks.
Text of card
Sacrifice Bloodpyre Elemental: Bloodpyre Elemental deals 4 damage to target creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
Elementals born of Jund are as cruel and unstable as the plane itself.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bloodpyre Elemental may appear as a singular creature, but its sacrificial ability allows players to turn it into direct damage, thereby eliminating a pesky blocker or threatening creature. This nifty trade-off can tip the scales in your favor, ensuring you’re not just losing a resource but exchanging it for a more advantageous board state.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of resource acceleration, the removal power of Bloodpyre Elemental can help clear the way for your more crucial spells and creatures to make an impact. By dealing with potential threats, it paves the way for a smoother game plan, essentially speeding up your route to victory.
Instant Speed: The activation of Bloodpyre Elemental’s ability can be done at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves during their turn. This unpredictability can be a strategic advantage, allowing you to make decisions with more information and potentially catch an adversary off guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with a Bloodpyre Elemental requires letting go of another card in your hand, a trade that can leave you at a disadvantage, particularly when you are running low on cards and need to maintain options to respond to your opponent’s moves.
Specific Mana Cost: Casting the Bloodpyre Elemental demands a dedicated amount of red mana. This color-specific cost can hinder deck flexibility, making it a slightly less than ideal choice for multi-colored or mana-varied decks that can’t consistently produce the required red mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five mana to bring the Bloodpyre Elemental into play, some players might find it on the pricier side for the benefits it offers. This can make it a tough choice when balancing the overall mana curve of your deck, especially when alternatives might bring similar or greater value for less investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Bloodpyre Elemental is a flexible addition to red-focused decks that thrive on sacrifice mechanics. Its ability to deal damage as part of its sacrifice cost can be a strategic move against a variety of creatures your opponent controls.
Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that capitalize on creature death or sacrifice, enabling intricate combos that can turn the tide of the game. It can be a key piece in creating powerful synergies within a deck.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the pace of play and the decks you’re likely to encounter, Bloodpyre Elemental could provide a quick and unexpected response. As the game environment shifts, having a card in your arsenal that can adapt and confront multiple threats is invaluable.
How to beat
Bloodpyre Elemental presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, bringing both potential for significant damage and an element of strategy to the table. To outmaneuver this creature, one effective strategy is to use removal spells that can dispatch the Elemental before it can unleash its potent sacrifice ability. Cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization can swiftly remove it from play, denying your opponent the opportunity to capitalize on its power.
Another approach is countering the Elemental’s ability rather than the creature itself. You could employ cards that negate abilities or spells, such as Stifle or Tale’s End, which prevent the activation of its costly self-sacrifice for a high-damage output. Moreover, utilizing instant-speed spells gives you the flexibility to respond appropriately during your opponent’s turn, right before they intend to sacrifice Bloodpyre Elemental for maximum effect.
Lastly, keeping in mind the Elemental demands a significant mana investment from your opponent, maintaining pressure and forcing them to make tough decisions between developing their board or holding the Elemental for a critical moment can tip the scales in your favor. Thus, a combination of timely removal, countering key abilities, and strategic pressure can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Bloodpyre Elemental in your MTG matchups.
Cards like Bloodpyre Elemental
Bloodpyre Elemental is a unique creature card in MTG with the potential to impact the game when played strategically. It finds its peers in cards like Brimstone Volcano, which also has the ability to deal damage when sacrificed. However, Bloodpyre Elemental’s requirement to sacrifice another creature to activate its ability offers a nuanced approach to gameplay compared to Brimstone Volcano’s self-sacrifice for damage output.
Exploring further within the MTG universe, Ember Hauler presents itself as a comparable choice, offering direct damage to any target upon being sacrificed. Even though Ember Hauler deals less damage than Bloodpyre Elemental, its lower casting cost and flexibility without the need for an addition sacrifice can be advantageous in early game scenarios. Nevertheless, Bloodpyre Elemental’s larger damage output when its ability is activated can’t be overlooked, especially in decks that leverage creature death synergies.
By examining each card’s strengths and the dynamics they bring to a match, it’s clear that MTG players have access to a variety of options for creature-based damage dealing. Bloodpyre Elemental stands out for those looking to capitalize on sacrificing creatures, aligning well with strategies that turn this requirement into a beneficial asset.
Cards similar to Bloodpyre Elemental by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bloodpyre Elemental MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Bloodpyre Elemental and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodpyre Elemental has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bloodpyre Elemental card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | If you cast this as normal during your main phase, it will enter the battlefield and you’ll receive priority. If no abilities trigger because of this, you can activate its ability immediately, before any other player has a chance to remove it from the battlefield. |
