Molten Firebird MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Phoenix
Abilities	Flying
Released	2007-02-02
Set symbol
Set name	Planar Chaos
Set code	PLC
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	117
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Christopher Moeller

Key Takeaways

Brings consistent battlefield presence with its ability to return, offering card advantage and resilience.
Resurrection at instant speed can surprise opponents, adding a strategic layer to its deployment.
Demands careful hand management due to its discard requirement, impacting your strategy.

Text of card

Flying When Molten Firebird is put into a graveyard from play, return it to play under its owner's control at end of turn and you skip your next draw step. : Remove Molten Firebird from the game.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Molten Firebird offers a distinct card advantage as it can return to the battlefield, giving you the potential to reuse it multiple times over the course of a game.

Resource Acceleration: Its ability to return to play upon death can be utilized as a form of resource acceleration, effectively saving mana you would otherwise spend recasting creatures from your hand.

Instant Speed: Although the Molten Firebird itself is not an instant, its resurrection triggers at instant speed during upkeep, providing surprise defensive capabilities and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Molten Firebird’s return mechanic, triggered upon reaching the graveyard, necessitates the discard of a card upon its revival. For players managing their hand with precision, this requirement could be a drawback, especially when caught in a situation where the quality of held cards is paramount over quantity.

Specific Mana Cost: Summoning Molten Firebird demands an exact mana combination, which isn’t always readily available. Requiring one red and four generic mana means it is naturally a better fit for mono-red or two-color decks, potentially reducing its versatility in multicolor strategies where mana could be spread thin across various color requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five total mana for a 3/3 creature, Molten Firebird might not be the most cost-effective option available. Considering the pace of the current game environment, this cost could be too steep for the stats and abilities offered, particularly when efficiency is key to maintaining tempo against opponents.

Reasons to Include Molten Firebird in Your Collection

Versatility: Molten Firebird offers a unique angle of resilience for decks that can harness its return-from-the-graveyard ability. This makes it a compelling choice for strategies that leverage creature endurance.

Combo Potential: With its phoenix-like revival, it can be a key part of combos that revolve around sacrificing creatures or triggering enters the battlefield or dies effects repeatedly, enhancing a wide array of tactical plays.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where attrition battles are common, Molten Firebird’s persistence on the battlefield can continually apply pressure on opponents, making it a relevant choice for certain shifting metagames.

How to beat Molten Firebird

Overcoming the challenge of Molten Firebird in your MTG matches revolves around strategic planning. This card is unique for its ability to return to the battlefield after being destroyed, making it a persistent fly in the ointment for many players. It’s not enough to simply deal damage; preventing its revival is key.

Addressing its revival ability involves removing cards from your opponent’s graveyard – think cards like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt. Exiling it prevents the Firebird’s comeback, negating its revival capacity. Another tactic is to take control of the game early on, limiting your opponent’s mana, and reducing their ability to pay the five mana resurrection cost. Spell cards that restrict mana production or increase the cost of spells can be a real hindrance to Molten Firebird’s effectiveness.

Ideally, strategies should aim at minimal resource expense while hindering the creature permanently. Efficient creature removal that exiles, such as Path to Exile or Leyline of the Void, aligns with this goal. By utilizing resourceful play, the challenge posed by Molten Firebird can be extinguished, giving way to a clearer path to victory.

Cards like Molten Firebird

Molten Firebird is a unique creature card that stands out within Magic the Gathering’s rich tapestry of phoenix cards. When it comes to rebirth and recursion mechanics, Molten Firebird compares closely with creatures like Chandra’s Phoenix. Both cards have abilities that bring them back from the graveyard to your hand or the battlefield, enhancing their long-term value. Chandra’s Phoenix, however, typically returns to your hand under certain conditions, whereas Molten Firebird can be more directly resurrected onto the battlefield but with a cost upon death.

Another similar card is the Rekindling Phoenix, which also showcases the thematic return-from-the-graveyard ability. While the Rekindling Phoenix relies on creating a token that brings it back, Molten Firebird requires a payment of mana and life. This illustrates how MTG incorporates resource management into the gameplay, offering different levels of risk and reward. Akroma, the Phoenix presents yet another comparison, possessing a mana-intensive return mechanic, emphasizing how varied these magical creatures can be.

In this comparison, it becomes evident that Molten Firebird is well-placed amongst its fiery phoenix kin. It combines resilience with a unique twist of costs and benefits, maintaining the exciting game play dynamics that phoenix cards are known for in Magic the Gathering.

Chandra's Phoenix - Magic 2012 Promos (PM12)

Rekindling Phoenix - Rivals of Ixalan Promos (PRIX)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Molten Firebird MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos, 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 Molten Firebird and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Molten Firebird has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-02-01	The player who controlled Molten Firebird when it was put into a graveyard will skip their next draw step even if Molten Firebird is returned to the battlefield under a different player’s control (because it’s owned by someone else) or isn’t returned to the battlefield at all (because it left the graveyard before the end of the turn, for example).
2007-02-01	The second ability can be activated only if Molten Firebird is on the battlefield.