Lavafume Invoker MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin Shaman
Released	2010-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Rise of the Eldrazi
Set code	ROE
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	155
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Kendall

Key Takeaways

Lavafume Invoker’s late game ability can repeatedly clear boards, proving crucial in controlling matchups.
Activating at instant speed, it provides strategic flexibility during opponents’ turns or combat.
Though mana-intensive, it’s a powerful inclusion for control-heavy red decks with sufficient mana sources.

Text of card

: Creatures you control get +3/+0 until end of turn.

"Then the ancient masters themselves, towers of rapacity, rose and began their calamitous feast." —*The Invokers' Tales*

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Lavafume Invoker presents an opportunity to sway the board in your favor by offering a powerful late-game ability. Once you have reached the threshold of eight mana, you can repetitively clear the board of smaller creatures, effectively reducing your opponent’s resources while keeping your own creatures unscathed, assuming they survive the Invoker’s activation cost.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of ramp, this card can be an ideal top-end for decks that generate significant amounts of mana. In decks that specialize in mana acceleration, the Lavafume Invoker’s ability can be a repeatable source of board control, ensuring you can utilize your excessive mana each turn.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of activating the Lavafume Invoker’s ability at instant speed is a significant advantage. This allows players to adapt to the dynamic state of the game, deciding whether to use the ability at the end of an opponent’s turn or wait for the optimal moment during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Lavafume Invoker doesn’t directly require a discard, but it necessitates a substantial mana investment to activate its ability. For players with limited mana resources, this can lead to tough decisions about resource allocation, similarly to the drawbacks of a discard requirement.

Specific Mana Cost: Lavafume Invoker’s activation cost demands a combination of three red mana. This can be restrictive, limiting its inclusion to decks heavily oriented towards red mana or those that can reliably generate multiple red mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Wielding the power of the Lavafume Invoker comes at a steep price, requiring eight mana to activate its ability. This sets a high threshold for use compared to other creatures or abilities in the game that may provide similar or better effects for less mana, affecting its utility in fast-paced games.

Reasons to Include Lavafume Invoker in Your Collection

Versatility: Lavafume Invoker is a flexible card that can slide easily into multiple red decks, particularly those that can capitalize on mana sinks or benefit from repeated damage effects.

Combo Potential: This card holds the ability to become a central piece in combos, working well with cards that untap creatures, duplicate abilities, or generate copious amounts of mana to unleash a finishing blow to opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where board control is crucial, Lavafume Invoker’s ability to potentially clear out small creatures or close out games can be a game-changer, especially in long, drawn-out matches.

How to beat

Overcoming Lavafume Invoker in Magic: The Gathering requires strategy and an understanding of its capabilities. As a creature that can boost the damage output of your opponent’s creatures significantly, it’s essential to address it quickly. Employ removal spells that can bypass its 3 toughness. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push can do the job efficiently, without letting its ability take effect. Control decks benefit from countermagic, negating the Invoker’s activation before it becomes a threat. Don’t underestimate the accumulative power this card can unleash; prioritize its removal in the early game to prevent later complications.

Additionally, keeping your opponent’s mana base under strict control can cripple their ability to activate Lavafume Invoker’s powerful ability. Land destruction or mana disruption spells and abilities can be effective here. Remember, focus on preemptive strikes and control tactics to ensure the Invoker doesn’t tip the scales against you. It’s not just about removing a single threat, but anticipating and mitigating your opponent’s potential power plays.

Taking these factors into account, adeptly handling Lavafume Invoker requires a blend of immediate action and strategic foresight to ensure it doesn’t lay waste to your battlefield.

Cards like Lavafume Invoker

Lavafume Invoker is an intriguing option for players seeking to enhance their game with a versatile mana-sink in Magic: The Gathering. This card is akin to other creatures with activated abilities like Goblin Fireslinger or Zulaport Chainmage. Nonetheless, Lavafume Invoker’s potential to significantly boost the damage of your entire board is what truly sets it apart. Where Goblin Fireslinger can ping for a single damage each turn, and Zulaport Chainmage offers a repeatable loss of life to the opponent, Lavafume Invoker scales dramatically with a higher mana investment.

Comparing it to Skirk Prospector, another goblin with an impactful ability, we can see the differences in mana acceleration versus late-game power. The Prospector allows for rapid mana generation by sacrificing creatures, yet it doesn’t have the same game-ending potential as Lavafume Invoker. In addition, Pardic Miner presents itself as another alternative, capable of disrupting the opponent’s mana base, but it lacks the direct board impact that Lavafume Invoker can command.

To wrap up, Lavafume Invoker may not provide immediate advantage like its counterparts, yet in longer games where mana is plentiful, it shines by offering a powerful ability that can dominate the battlefield and close out games for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lavafume Invoker MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi, 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 Lavafume Invoker and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lavafume Invoker has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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