Furnace of Rath MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Furnace of Rath maximizes each damage source, effectively doubling the impact of your spells and creatures.
  2. Though it significantly accelerates the game, it’s restricted to specific mana-heavy red decks.
  3. Symmetrical damage increase can be both an advantage and a risk, necessitating strategic gameplay.

Text of card

Double all damage assigned to any creature or player.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Furnace of Rath doesn’t directly allow you to draw more cards, it effectively doubles the value of damage-dealing spells and abilities. This means your single card has the potential to do twice the work, especially in decks designed to maximize damage output.

Resource Acceleration: Furnace of Rath accelerates the game’s pace in your favor, particularly in aggressive strategies. By doubling the damage dealt, it shortens the time your opponents have to stabilize the board or set up their defenses, making every damage source you control a substantial threat.

Instant Speed: Although Furnace of Rath itself is not an instant, it changes the dynamics of instant-speed interaction, making each instant and ability with damage more threatening. Opponents must consider the amplified effects of their spells and abilities, and be cautious about when to act, knowing that the damage they sustain could be lethal with the Furnace in play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Furnace of Rath adds a powerful effect to the battlefield, it does not have a discard requirement, which can often be seen in other red cards that balance impactful abilities with discarding from your hand. This could lead players into a false sense of security, underestimating the strategic planning needed to use this card effectively.

Specific Mana Cost: Furnace of Rath demands a mana cost that includes two red mana, honing in on a requirement that restricts it primarily to red or multi-color decks that can accommodate such a specific need. This can make the card less flexible when players plan diverse deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Equipped with a mana cost of {1RRR}, Furnace of Rath may seem pricey compared to other enchantments or game-changing cards. As a four-mana investment with no immediate impact on the board state, players will need to ensure their strategy can accommodate and justify the higher resource allocation.


Reasons to Include Furnace of Rath in Your Collection

Versatility: Furnace of Rath is a dynamic addition to decks focused on damage output. Its ability to double damage not just from one source, but from all sources, makes it a formidable card that can turn the tide of any game.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with creatures that have ‘ping’ abilities or spells that deal damage. It has the potential to end games quickly if used in conjunction with direct damage spells and abilities that stack damage effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with decks that are heavy on life gain or resistant to damage, Furnace of Rath can level the playing field by effectively doubling the pressure on your opponents, forcing them to deal with an accelerated clock.


How to beat

The Furnace of Rath is a card that can quickly escalate the stakes in any Magic: The Gathering match. This powerful enchantment doubles the damage dealt to any target, creating potential for explosive turns. Skilled players know that timing and control are key in mitigating its impact. To effectively counter this card, instantly removing it from the battlefield is crucial. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant, which destroy target artifacts or enchantments, can handle the Furnace of Rath before its effect becomes overwhelming.

Alternatively, redirecting damage is a smart strategy. Utilize damage prevention spells or effects that can nullify what would otherwise be devastating blows. Also, remember that its symmetrical effect means that it doubles damage dealt by all sources, not just your opponent’s. This opens up opportunities for exploiting its effect for your benefit, turning your opponent’s game plan against them. Make sure your deck has a mix of answers ready to either remove the challenge or turn it into an advantage, ensuring that the flames of the Furnace of Rath don’t consume your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Furnace of Rath can supercharge your MTG gameplay, creating a landscape where each flame burns brighter and every strike hits with unprecedented force. But remember, wielding such power demands wisdom and foresight. Harnessing the true potential of the Furnace of Rath is not just about amplifying your attacks, it’s also about foreseeing the moves ahead, mitigating risks, and synchronizing with your deck’s strategy. Interested in adding this double-edged sword to your collection and curious about effective tactics to maximize its impact? We’ve got insights, strategy tips, and more to fuel your passion for the game. Dive in and explore with us to make every game with the Furnace of Rath a strategic triumph.


Cards like Furnace of Rath

Furnace of Rath is an intriguing enchantment in MTG that offers a unique approach to doubling damage. Similar in effect to cards like Dictate of the Twin Gods, Furnace of Rath steps up the intensity on the battlefield by doubling the damage dealt by either player. Dictate of the Twin Gods comes with flash, allowing for surprise tactics, but it shares the risk of amplified damage with Furnace of Rath.

Ancestral Knowledge’s impact on damage output is immense, akin to Quest for Pure Flame. Although Quest for Pure Flame requires a buildup to be effective, once activated, it too can double the damage, albeit for a single turn. What sets Furnace of Rath apart is its immediate and continuous effect, applying pressure with each damage source unconditionally.

Assessing their place in MTG, Furnace of Rath is a solid choice for players looking to aggressively amplify damage. Its consistent doubling effect makes it a formidable card compared to options like Quest for Pure Flame that provide a temporary boost or Dictate of the Twin Gods that brings flexibility with flash but at the same level of risk.

Dictate of the Twin Gods - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Quest for Pure Flame - MTG Card versions
Dictate of the Twin Gods - Journey into Nyx Promos (PJOU)
Ancestral Knowledge - Weatherlight (WTH)
Quest for Pure Flame - Zendikar (ZEN)

Cards similar to Furnace of Rath by color, type and mana cost

Manabarbs - MTG Card versions
Orcish Oriflamme - MTG Card versions
An-Zerrin Ruins - MTG Card versions
Lightning Cloud - MTG Card versions
Aether Flash - MTG Card versions
Heart of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
No Quarter - MTG Card versions
Shiv's Embrace - MTG Card versions
Pyromancy - MTG Card versions
Collapsing Borders - MTG Card versions
Stand or Fall - MTG Card versions
Impulsive Maneuvers - MTG Card versions
Magmatic Core - MTG Card versions
Pyrohemia - MTG Card versions
Uncontrollable Anger - MTG Card versions
Elemental Mastery - MTG Card versions
Splinter Twin - MTG Card versions
Burning Earth - MTG Card versions
Purphoros, God of the Forge - MTG Card versions
Purphoros's Emissary - MTG Card versions
Manabarbs - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Orcish Oriflamme - The List (PLST)
An-Zerrin Ruins - Homelands (HML)
Lightning Cloud - Visions (VIS)
Aether Flash - Weatherlight (WTH)
Heart of Bogardan - Weatherlight (WTH)
No Quarter - Tempest (TMP)
Shiv's Embrace - Magic 2011 (M11)
Pyromancy - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Collapsing Borders - Invasion (INV)
Stand or Fall - Invasion (INV)
Impulsive Maneuvers - Odyssey (ODY)
Magmatic Core - Coldsnap (CSP)
Pyrohemia - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Uncontrollable Anger - Tenth Edition (10E)
Elemental Mastery - Neon Dynasty Commander (NEC)
Splinter Twin - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Burning Earth - Magic 2014 (M14)
Purphoros, God of the Forge - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Purphoros's Emissary - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Furnace of Rath MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Eighth Edition, 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 Furnace of Rath and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Furnace of Rath Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2010-06-04. Illustrated by John Matson.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 1771997normalblackJohn Matson
22003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1872003normalwhiteJohn Matson
32003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 187★2003normalblackJohn Matson
42005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1882003normalwhiteJohn Matson
52005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 188★2003normalblackJohn Matson
62007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2042003normalblackJohn Matson
72009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 552003normalblackJohn Matson
82010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 442003normalblackJohn Matson
92020-09-26The ListPLST TMP-1771997normalblackJohn Matson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Furnace of Rath has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 If a spell or ability damages multiple things, divide up the damage before applying this effect. This means you can’t normally end up with an odd amount of damage on something.
2004-10-04 If you have two of these on the battlefield, the damage is multiplied by 4.
2004-10-04 The multiplied damage counts in all ways as if it came from the original source. Furnace of Rath is not the source.
2004-10-04 The trample rules cause damage to be divided before it is doubled.
2005-08-01 If multiple effects modify how damage will be dealt, the player who would be dealt damage or the controller of the creature that would be dealt damage chooses the order to apply the effects. For example, Mending Hands says, “Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to any target this turn.” Suppose a spell would deal 5 damage to a player who has cast Mending Hands targeting themselves. That player can either (a) prevent 4 damage first and then let Furnace of Rath double the remaining 1 damage, taking 2 damage, or (b) double the damage to 10 and then prevent 4 damage, taking 6 damage.

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