Crater Hellion MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Hellion Beast
Abilities Echo
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Entering the battlefield, Crater Hellion can serve as a board clear, offering a significant card advantage.
  2. Its 6/6 body for six mana matches the cost curve, while echo cost provides flexible resource management.
  3. Though not instant speed, its entry effect disrupts opponents akin to an instant-speed wipe.

Text of card

Echo (During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay its casting cost or sacrifice it.) When Crater Hellion comes into play, it deals 4 damage to each other creature.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Crater Hellion enters the battlefield, its ability to deal 4 damage to all other creatures can generate significant card advantage, effectively acting as a board wipe to remove multiple threats at once while you maintain a presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Crater Hellion’s 6/6 body for six mana is on curve, and its echo cost can be a strategic play to manage your resources smartly. A single investment allows you to hold off paying until your next turn, potentially freeing up mana for crucial plays when the board state allows it.

Instant Speed: While Crater Hellion itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its sweeping effect can have an immediate impact on the game’s state, akin to instant-speed board clears. This timing can disrupt opponent strategies relying on a populated board, granting you the upper hand during your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Crater Hellion demands that you let go of valued cards from your hand upon entering the battlefield, which might put you at a disadvantage, especially when your hand is stocked with key plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for red mana heavy decks, Crater Hellion requires a significant amount of red mana which might not always align with multicolored or diverse mana base strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at a steep six mana to cast, this card might lag behind in summoning speed compared to other creatures, potentially slowing your momentum in critical game phases.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Crater Hellion provides an impactful board sweep upon entering the battlefield, making it highly adaptable for various decks that need a reset against aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: Pairing Crater Hellion with ways to repeatedly bounce and recast it can repeatedly clear the board, creating opportunities for controlling the tempo of the game.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames crowded with creature-based decks, Crater Hellion shines as a formidable reset button, capable of shifting the momentum in your favor by dealing with multiple threats at once.


How to beat

Crater Hellion is a potent creature card that can turn the tides of a Magic: The Gathering game with its formidable entering the battlefield effect. Upon arrival, it deals 4 damage to each other creature, which can clear a crowded board and leave opponents vulnerable. The key to overcoming this cataclysmic beast lies in swift and proactive strategies.

To counter Crater Hellion’s impact, cards that grant indestructibility or regenerate your creatures become invaluable, ensuring your forces survive the onslaught. Tapping into instant-speed removal spells that can deal with the Hellion the moment it hits the board is also a clever tactic. This limits its destructive entry effect and maintains your board presence. Additionally, leveraging counter spells to prevent Crater Hellion from ever entering the battlefield can nip the problem in the bud and preserve your creature lineup. There are also certain cards with effects that punish or restrict the casting of big spells, making Crater Hellion less appealing to play for your opponent.

Ultimately, precise timing and smart deck-building choices are your best defense against Crater Hellion. By planning for the encounter and utilizing MTG’s array of protective spells and tactics, you can ensure that this fiery giant’s reign is short-lived.


Cards like Crater Hellion

Crater Hellion is a creature card that leaves a significant impact on the battlefield in MTG. Its similarity to other board-clearing creatures such as Sweltering Suns is quite evident, with both aiming to reset the board. Sweltering Suns, however, does so at a lower cost and impacts the field immediately, without leaving a creature behind. What sets Crater Hellion apart is its substantial body that sticks around after its devastating entrance effect.

Firemaw Kavu is another creature card that shares the echo mechanic with Crater Hellion, but with a less dramatic effect upon leaving the board. While Firemaw Kavu has the potential to pick off smaller threats twice, Crater Hellion provides a one-time widespread sweep capable of taking down larger targets. Another creature worth comparing is Inferno Titan, which although does not clear the board upon entry, its repeated damage output can be more controlled and targeted over multiple turns.

Crater Hellion thus carves out a niche for itself among red creature cards with mass damage effects. It combines the immediate impact of a board wipe with the staying power of a creature, a fusion that lends itself to unique strategic considerations for players weaving together their MTG decks.

Sweltering Suns - MTG Card versions
Firemaw Kavu - MTG Card versions
Inferno Titan - MTG Card versions
Sweltering Suns - Amonkhet (AKH)
Firemaw Kavu - Time Spiral (TSP)
Inferno Titan - Magic 2011 (M11)

Cards similar to Crater Hellion by color, type and mana cost

Shivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Firestorm Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Callous Giant - MTG Card versions
Halam Djinn - MTG Card versions
Bloodshot Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Worldgorger Dragon - MTG Card versions
Two-Headed Dragon - MTG Card versions
Iron-Barb Hellion - MTG Card versions
Ryusei, the Falling Star - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Akki - MTG Card versions
Ronin Cavekeeper - MTG Card versions
Oni of Wild Places - MTG Card versions
Thundermare - MTG Card versions
Pardic Dragon - MTG Card versions
Tectonic Fiend - MTG Card versions
Etali, Primal Storm - MTG Card versions
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - MTG Card versions
Sunrise Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - MTG Card versions
Frost Giant - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Firestorm Phoenix - Legends (LEG)
Callous Giant - Invasion (INV)
Halam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Bloodshot Cyclops - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Worldgorger Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Two-Headed Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Iron-Barb Hellion - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Ryusei, the Falling Star - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Patron of the Akki - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ronin Cavekeeper - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Oni of Wild Places - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Thundermare - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Pardic Dragon - Time Spiral (TSP)
Tectonic Fiend - Time Spiral (TSP)
Etali, Primal Storm - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Sunrise Sovereign - Lorwyn (LRW)
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Frost Giant - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crater Hellion MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters, 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 Crater Hellion and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Crater Hellion Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by Daren Bader.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1791997normalblackDaren Bader
22013-09-06Duel Decks: Heroes vs. MonstersDDL 562003normalblackDaren Bader
32013-11-01Commander 2013C13 1042003normalblackDaren Bader
42014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 1572015normalblackDaren Bader
52016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1242015normalblackDaren Bader

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crater Hellion has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks