Blazing Torch MTG Card

Zendikar (ZEN)
2009-10-02 - Number 197

Innistrad (ISD)
2011-09-30 - Number 216

Blazing Torch - Shadows of the Past (SIS)

Shadows of the Past (SIS)
2023-03-21 - Number 69

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip

Key Takeaways

Blazing Torch provides utility and potential removal, elevating tactical plays within the game.
Its low cost and instant speed usage add strategic surprise elements to matches.
Demands resource management due to discard requirement and specific activation cost.

Text of card

Equipped creature can't be blocked by Vampires or Zombies. Equipped creature has ", Sacrifice Blazing Torch: Blazing Torch deals 2 damage to target creature or player." Equip

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Blazing Torch doesn’t outright draw cards but provides utility by transforming a single card into potential removal. This versatility can dissuade opponents from deploying valuable creatures or push through the final points of damage to close out a game.

Resource Acceleration: While Blazing Torch itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its low cost allows players to deploy other spells more efficiently, maintaining mana curve and pacing in the early to mid-game.

Instant Speed: The ability to toss the Blazing Torch at a target creature or player not only can be done at instant speed but also bypasses potential sorcery-speed responses, offering strategic depth and surprise value pivotal in turning the tides of a match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To take advantage of Blazing Torch’s ability to be thrown at a creature or player, players must sacrifice it which equates to essentially discarding the card, potentially depleting your own resources on the battlefield or in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Blazing Torch requires a specific mana for its activation, which means that in a multi-color deck it can sometimes be difficult to allocate the necessary red mana without compromising other plays.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given its activation cost, Blazing Torch demands a commitment of mana that might be seen as steep for the damage it deals. Players must assess whether this trade-off is worth it compared to other direct damage spells or equipment available in the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Blazing Torch offers flexibility as a low-cost artifact that can fit into a variety of deck builds. It can be equipped to any creature to provide an additional offensive capability or simply held in reserve for its secondary ability.

Combo Potential: Beyond its capacity as a direct damage dealer, Blazing Torch’s ability to be sacrificed for targeted damage can be pivotal in decks that capitalize on death triggers or artifact synergy, potentially setting off a chain of advantageous events.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where small utility creatures are prevalent, Blazing Torch gains value by being a repeatable removal tool against problematic commanders or recurring threats, keeping the board in check.

How to beat

Blazing Torch is an intriguing card often found in decks that aim to use artifacts or direct damage strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to be equipped for a single mana and chucked at a creature or player for two mana makes it a versatile tool. However, the real knack in countering Blazing Torch lies in its restriction; it cannot target zombies or vampires, giving certain tribal decks a natural resilience against it.

Artifact removal spells are your straightforward avenue for dealing with Blazing Torch. Cards like Naturalize or Abrade can dispose of the torch before it becomes a threat. Alternatively, shrewd use of counterspells when the torch’s ability is activated ensures that the mana invested by your opponent is wasted. Timing is key.

At its core, Blazing Torch is a useful but not invulnerable piece of any arsenal. Knowing when to disrupt its activation or employing creatures impervious to its effect can effectively neutralize the advantage it provides. Cards that shine in blocking or deterring equipment, such as Stony Silence, can also stop the torch from being lit in the first place, leaving your opponent in the dark.

Cards like Blazing Torch

Blazing Torch stands as a unique tool among MTG artifacts designed to equip creatures. It echoes other equipment cards like Viridian Longbow, which also provides a way to deal damage without directly engaging in combat. The Blazing Torch offers versatility in allowing any equipped creature to tap and sacrifice it, dealing 2 damage to a target creature or player, which can be pivotal for direct damage strategies.

Comparatively, the Torch can be equipped to any creature and requires no color-specific mana, setting itself apart from the Longbow that requires green. However, it’s a one-time use, as opposed to the Longbow’s reusable feature. Another analogue is the Pyrite Spellbomb, providing a similar direct damage effect. While the Spellbomb can be utilized for card draw, the Torch offers the added utility of protection from Vampires, an advantageous trait in certain matchups.

In essence, Blazing Torch might not be as enduring as some other equipment, but its immediate impact and defensive edge against specific threats make it a noteworthy option in certain MTG decks that benefit from flexible and aggressive equipment use.

Cards similar to Blazing Torch by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blazing Torch MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Innistrad, 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 Blazing Torch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blazing Torch Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2009-10-02	Zendikar	ZEN	197	2003	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs
2	2011-09-30	Innistrad	ISD	216	2003	Normal	Black	Scott Chou
3	2023-03-21	Shadows of the Past	SIS	69	2015	Normal	Black	Scott Chou

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blazing Torch has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-10-01	If a Blazing Torch controlled by one player somehow winds up equipping a creature a different player controls, the damage ability can’t be activated by either player. Only the creature’s controller may activate the ability — but since that player can’t sacrifice Blazing Torch (a permanent they don’t control), the ability’s cost can’t be paid.
2009-10-01	The source of the damage is Blazing Torch, not the equipped creature. However, the equipped creature’s ability is what targets the permanent or player. If Blazing Torch is equipped to a red creature, for example, the ability couldn’t target a creature with protection from red. It could target a creature with protection from artifacts, but all the damage would be prevented.