Sunfire Balm MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Cycling |
| Released | 2002-10-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Onslaught |
| Set code | ONS |
| Number | 56 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Monte Michael Moore |
Text of card
Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn. Cycling o1o W (o1o W, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.) When you cycle Sunfire Balm, you may prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
Cards like Sunfire Balm
Sunfire Balm stands out in the realm of MTG where life gain and damage spells intersect. Like its counterpart, Healing Salve, Sunfire Balm offers the duality of preventing damage or restoring life, but it brings to the table an added flexibility. Healing Salve limits the player to a one-shot effect, whereas Sunfire Balm comes with the entwine mechanic, allowing players to choose both effects for an increased cost.
Another similar card is Lightning Helix, which also marries life gain with the ability to deal damage. Although Lightning Helix offers an immediate impact, with both damage and healing as a bundled package, Sunfire Balm offers a strategic edge with its modular use depending on the game’s state. Comparatively, Sunfire Balm at its base is more mana-intensive and therefore may fit into decks that are prepared for a longer game.
When considering alternatives for deck building, Sunfire Balm earns its place for its versatility and potential for impactful plays. While it may not be as lean as Lightning Helix, its option to entwine can turn the tides by giving players a significant life advantage while dealing with threats on the board.
Cards similar to Sunfire Balm by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sunfire Balm can offer a potential edge in card economy through its ability to replace itself via the cycling mechanism. By paying the cycling cost, you can not only dig through your deck for other vital cards but also trigger abilities that benefit from cycling or discarding.
Resource Acceleration: Although Sunfire Balm doesn’t directly contribute to mana ramp, its low cycling cost can indirectly lead to smoother gameplay, making it easier to adapt resources towards more pressing needs on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: The versatility of Sunfire Balm enables players to react in real-time to threats or opportunities. As an instant, it can be used to strategically interact with the stack, ensuring you have the right responses when it counts and keeping opponents guessing about your capabilities.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sunfire Balm necessitates the discarding of another card if you aim to leverage its alternative cost. This trade-off can deplete crucial hand resources, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage during the game.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise combination of one white mana and two of any type to cast it normally. This restrictiveness means it predominantly fits into decks that can reliably produce white mana, possibly excluding it from more flexible or color-diverse strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Sunfire Balm can provide a burst of life gain, its cost of three mana can be steep when put side-by-side with other options in the format. Players might find other cards that offer similar benefits without such a heavy investment or with added utility.
Reasons to Include Sunfire Balm in Your Collection
Versatility: Sunfire Balm offers a flexible approach to game play, able to be cast for its mana cost or unleashed through its entwine capability, providing both life gain and damage in one versatile package.
Combo Potential: This card presents opportunities to be combined with life-gain synergies or burn strategies, augmenting the deck’s ability to swing life totals in your favor during critical moments.
Meta-Relevance: With decks in the current meta that often pivot between aggressive and defensive postures, Sunfire Balm’s dual nature allows you to adapt swiftly, making it a tactical addition to a variety of builds.
How to beat
Sunfire Balm presents a unique challenge in MTG due to its ability to significantly alter the life totals during a game. Sitting at the intersection of life gain and direct damage, it showcases its versatility as a reactionary tool in response to threats or as a way to turn the tides in a tight match. With its “entwine” mechanic, players must invest a considerable amount of mana to fully utilize its bifurcated effect, striking a balance between life gain and inflicting damage.
To effectively counter Sunfire Balm, consider the timing of your spells and the management of your resources. Playing around your opponent’s mana availability can be crucial; forcing them to commit to a strategy before they have the resources for both Sunfire Balm’s abilities may reduce its impact. Cards that restrict life gain or negate instant spells could serve as direct answers to Sunfire Balm. In addition, staying vigilant of the “entwine” cost gives you a clearer view of when your opponent might aim to maximize their turn with this card so you can strategically deploy disruption or counterspells.
Ultimately, understanding the game’s flow and your opponent’s mana will inform your strategy against Sunfire Balm. Depending on your deck’s construction, different approaches like preemptive hand disruption or maintaining open mana for reactionary plays could make the difference in overcoming the dual nature of this versatile MTG card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sunfire Balm MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Sunfire Balm 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sunfire Balm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sunfire Balm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |
| 2008-10-01 | The cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. If the triggered ability doesn't resolve (due to being countered with Stifle, for example, or if all its targets have become illegal), the cycling ability will still resolve and you'll draw a card. |
| 2008-10-01 | When you cycle this card, first the cycling ability goes on the stack, then the triggered ability goes on the stack on top of it. The triggered ability will resolve before you draw a card from the cycling ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You can cycle this card even if there are no targets for the triggered ability. That's because the cycling ability itself has no targets. |