Incinerate MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 21 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Incinerate offers card advantage by efficiently removing threats and preserving player resources.
  2. Playing at instant speed, it provides strategic flexibility and optimal mana usage.
  3. It fits well in mono-red or red-supporting decks due to specific mana requirements.

Text of card

Incinerate deals 3 damage to target creature or player. No creature damaged by Incinerate can regenerate this turn.

"Yes, I think 'toast' is an appropriate description." —Jaya Ballard, Task Mage


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Incinerate provides the strategic benefit of eliminating a threat on the battlefield, effectively reducing your opponent’s card resources while maintaining your own card count.

Resource Acceleration: While Incinerate itself doesn’t accelerate resources directly, removing an opponent’s mana dork or a creature with an ability to ramp can slow down their game plan, indirectly benefiting your mana curve and resource management.

Instant Speed: Incinerate’s capability to be played at instant speed offers the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn. This allows for more optimal use of mana and can prevent the opponent from gaining the upper hand by removing a key creature before it can be utilized or by responding immediately to threats as they arise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Incinerate doesn’t necessitate discarding a card, thus this characteristic doesn’t apply. Players preferring cards with an additional discard feature for synergistic or strategic reasons may overlook Incinerate.

Specific Mana Cost: Incinerate’s mana cost requires exclusively red mana which might not fit easily into a multi-colored deck’s mana base. This limitation often relegates Incinerate to mono-red or decks that can heavily support red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two mana might seem fair, but in a game where efficiency is key, some players might opt for alternatives. Spells like Lightning Bolt provide similar functionality for less mana, which can be crucial in fast-paced games where every mana point counts.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Incinerate offers a flexible removal option, capable of addressing a wide array of threats. This instant spell can target creatures, dealing damage sufficient to take out many of the game’s common threats, as well as being a direct way to whittle down an opponent’s life total.

Combo Potential: Not just a standalone card, Incinerate can play a critical role in decks that capitalize on spell synergy. It can be used with cards that trigger off spell casting or damaging effects, setting off a powerful chain reaction in the right deck.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to quickly eliminate key creatures, Incinerate remains relevant in various MTG metagames, particularly those dominated by creature-based strategies. It’s a staple for any collection, providing utility in numerous game scenarios and formats where fast, efficient removal is paramount.


How to beat

In the realm of MTG, Incinerate is a spell most known for its direct damage capabilities, allowing players to deal three damage to any target. Recognized as a reliable removal card, it comes with the added edge of negating damage prevention effects on the targeted creature. This attribute ensures that creatures hit by Incinerate cannot be saved by effects that would normally prevent damage.

To effectively counteract Incinerate, consider using cards that offer protection to your creatures, like spells with the “Indestructible” keyword or abilities that allow you to regenerate your creatures. You might also include counterspells in your deck to negate Incinerate before it takes effect, ensuring your key creatures remain on the battlefield. A strategic approach to maintaining a diverse suite of creatures and protectants can often stifle your opponent’s ability to use Incinerate to its full potential.

Understanding the nuances and limitations of cards like Incinerate can significantly impact your gameplay. By preparing your deck with the right counters and protective measures, you can turn the tide of battle and maintain a strong presence on the board despite attempts by opponents to burn away your forces.


Cards like Incinerate

When delving into the realm of damage-dealing spells in Magic: The Gathering, Incinerate carves out a solid position. It stands alongside Lightning Bolt, a staple in the game’s history, recognized for its low cost and high damage output. While Incinerate deals a formidable three points of damage and prevents regeneration, Lightning Bolt offers the same damage without the additional effect, at a lower cost.

Chain Lightning is another comparable spell, offering a similar damage pattern to Incinerate. It brings an intriguing twist to the table, allowing opponents to potentially redirect the effect, which can lead to unexpected outcomes during a match. Moving towards the modern era, we see Skewer the Critics. It allows the same damage as Incinerate but carries the Spectacle cost condition for reduction, giving it an edge in decks that can consistently trigger this.

Comparing these alternatives brings to light Incinerate’s balanced structure among direct damage spells. It offers a middle ground in terms of cost and effect – efficient damage with the extra layer of hindering creature regeneration, which in some scenarios, could be pivotal in maintaining control of the game.

Lightning Bolt - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Chain Lightning - Legends (LEG)
Skewer the Critics - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Incinerate MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Pro Tour Collector Set, 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 Incinerate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Incinerate Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by 11 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 1941993normalblackMark Poole
21996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC et1941993normalgoldMark Poole
31996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC mj1941993normalgoldMark Poole
41996-07-01DCI Legend MembershipPLGM 21993normalblackJock
51996-10-08MirageMIR 1841997normalblackBrian Snõddy
61997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2421997normalwhiteScott M. Fischer
71997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 jk2421997normalgoldScott M. Fischer
81997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 js2421997normalgoldScott M. Fischer
91997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 pm2421997normalgoldScott M. Fischer
101998-08-12World Championship Decks 1998WC98 br1841997normalgoldBrian Snõddy
112001-12-01DeckmastersDKM 14★1997normalblackMark Poole
122001-12-01DeckmastersDKM 141997normalwhiteMark Poole
132002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 314192003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
142006-07-21Coldsnap Theme DecksCST 1942003normalblackMark Poole
152007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2132003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
162008-01-01Magic Player Rewards 2008P08 32003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
172008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 1311997normalblackMark Poole
182008-11-07Duel Decks: Jace vs. ChandraDD2 512003normalblackSteve Prescott
192010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 482003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
202011-07-15Magic 2012M12 1462003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
212014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. ChandraJVC 512015normalblackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Incinerate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-07-15 Regeneration abilities that would affect that creature can still be activated; they just won’t do anything. The creature can’t be regenerated for any reason, even if an effect other than Incinerate would deal lethal damage to it or otherwise destroy it.

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