Sunflare Shaman MTG Card

Sunflare Shaman grants indirect card advantage by manipulating graveyards and affecting opponent resources. The card’s instant speed ability offers tactical adaptability in response to changing board states. While versatile, the Shaman’s Red mana dependency restricts its use to specific deck types.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elemental Shaman
Released	2008-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Morningtide
Set code	MOR
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	108
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Dorman

Text of card

, : Sunflare Shaman deals X damage to target creature or player and X damage to itself, where X is the number of Elemental cards in your graveyard.

A spark to light the guttered heart.

Cards like Sunflare Shaman

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Sunflare Shaman exemplifies the unique angle some cards possess in both creature utility and mana flexibility. This card echoes the traits seen in other shaman creature cards like Firebrand Archer and Gelectrode. Firebrand Archer, though not specifically targeting creatures or graveyards, deals direct damage to opponents whenever you cast a noncreature spell. It offers a different approach for players that favor a spell-slinging strategy over Sunflare Shaman’s direct but more constrained abilities.

Similarly, Gelectrode provides a more controlled form of repeatable damage that, unlike Sunflare Shaman, doesn’t tap to activate and doesn’t require a mana payment. However, it needs spell casting to untap and reuse its ability. Sunflare Shaman stands as a midway point between these cards, offering a consistent ability to control the graveyard while also being able to potentially deal damage to any target provided enough mana and targets are present.

In assessing the strategic use of creature cards with direct damage abilities, Sunflare Shaman offers a blend of graveyard interaction and potential board impact that can be a versatile tool in the right deck. Its mana cost, ability to target multiple zones, and tribal synergies with other shamans represent attractive facets to MTG deck builders looking for nuanced control options.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sunflare Shaman enables players to potentially remove creatures from the graveyard, subtly eroding the opponent’s resources while maintaining your board state. This can lead to indirect card advantage as you decrease the opponent’s options.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct ramp card, Sunflare Shaman offers a repeatable effect for managing resources. Its ability to deal damage scales with the mana invested, enabling resource acceleration indirectly through board control.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Sunflare Shaman’s activated ability shines at instant speed, allowing players to adapt to dynamic board states. This immediacy means you can react during your opponent’s turn, maintaining the element of surprise and tactical flexibility.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sunflare Shaman presents players with the constraint of discarding a card to enable its activated ability. This can be a setback, particularly in game states where your hand is already dwindling, making it challenging to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The Shaman’s reliance on red mana for both casting and activating its abilities restricts it to red-centric or multi-colored decks that can accommodate this color requirement, thereby limiting its versatility in a diverse range of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering its mana investment, Sunflare Shaman may not always provide the efficiency expected from a card within its mana range, particularly since the MTG landscape offers several lower-cost alternatives for similar or even more impactful effects.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sunflare Shaman offers a unique ability to deal damage while also acting as graveyard manipulation. It’s adaptable to different game situations, whether you’re targeting creatures or aiming to control your own graveyard for strategic plays.

Combo Potential: This card is a great fit for decks that revolve around elemental synergy or those that can take advantage of recurring direct damage. Paired with cards that care about casting spells from the graveyard, Sunflare Shaman can become a repeatable source of damage or card advantage.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to interact with both players’ graveyards, Sunflare Shaman can be quite impactful in formats where graveyard strategies are common. It’s a clever addition to any collection that can adapt and excel within an evolving competitive landscape.

How to beat

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Sunflare Shaman presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This creature offers the ability to deal damage directly to creatures or players, provided you have enough mana and Elementals in your graveyard. When facing this fiery antagonist, it’s crucial to prepare a strategy that mitigates its potential.

Key to gaining the upper hand against Sunflare Shaman is to control the graveyard. Cards that exile from graveyards, such as Relic of Progenitus or Bojuka Bog, can be invaluable. They undermine the Shaman’s ability to leverage the power of the Elementals lying in wait. Also, counterspells are effective as they thwart the Shaman’s activated abilities before they can even impact the game.

Beyond direct interaction, maintaining board presence with hard-to-remove threats can apply enough pressure to divert your opponent’s mana away from fueling the Shaman’s abilities. The plan of action includes swift deployment of creatures and employing tactics that disrupt the opponent’s game plan, ideally leaving the Shaman as little more than a bystander. It’s all about keeping the board state in check and tackling the threat before it ignites.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sunflare Shaman MTG card by a specific set like Morningtide, 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 Sunflare Shaman and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sunflare Shaman 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 Sunflare Shaman card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2008-04-01	If Sunflare Shaman leaves the battlefield before its ability resolves, it will still deal damage to the target. If Sunflare Shaman is put into your graveyard, it even counts toward the amount of damage dealt.
2008-04-01	If the target leaves the battlefield or otherwise becomes an illegal target before the ability resolves, the ability doesn’t resolve and Sunflare Shaman won’t deal any damage to itself.