Warmonger Hellkite MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Warmonger Hellkite can grant card advantage by controlling the battlefield through enforced combat.
  2. Its ability to dictate the game’s tempo can lead to the strategic depletion of opponent resources.
  3. The card’s influence on combat dynamics offers a unique play experience, particularly in multiplayer games.

Text of card

Flying All creatures attack each combat if able. : Attacking creatures get +1/+0 until end of turn.

Its wings beat to the howls of war and fan the fires of rage.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Warmonger Hellkite gives players the unique edge of dictating combat phases across the board. This capability can indirectly lead to card advantage because it can force opponents into unfavorable battles that could result in their creatures being destroyed, potentially leaving you with a superior board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not directly offering mana ramp or treasure tokens, Warmonger Hellkite accelerates the game’s pace to your advantage. By pressing opponents to attack each turn, you can speed up the depletion of their resources while conserving your own for critical moments.

Instant Speed: While Warmonger Hellkite operates at sorcery speed, its ability to alter the flow of combat can impact the game as if at instant speed. You can initiate its ability outside of your own turn, during the beginning of combat on any player’s turn, thereby introducing unexpected dynamics and forcing your opponents to make difficult decisions on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Warmonger Hellkite has no direct discard condition, it pushes for aggressive play that can quickly deplete your hand, mimicking a resource drain if not managed carefully.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise combination of mana types with a heavier lean on red, Warmonger Hellkite demands dedication to its color, which might not synergize well with all deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a significant casting cost of six mana, including two red, this creature can be a late game play. Cheaper alternatives might provide a more affordable means to control combat dynamics or offer similarly sized flying creatures sooner.


Reasons to Include Warmonger Hellkite in Your Collection

Versatility: The Warmonger Hellkite offers dynamic gameplay, as its ability to force creatures to attack each turn can disrupt your opponent’s strategy. Ideal for commander or multiplayer formats where controlling the tempo of combat can tilt the game in your favor.

Combo Potential: This card has excellent synergy with various strategies that capitalize on combat phases, such as those involving creatures with tap abilities or ones that benefit from being declared as attackers or blockers.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where passive, sit-back-and-wait decks are common, Warmonger Hellkite can provoke actions from opponents, potentially giving an advantage to a more aggressive approach and shaking up the status quo of the battlefield.


How to beat

Warmonger Hellkite is a creature that can pressure players by enforcing attacks each turn. This can often turn the tide of a multiplayer game in Magic: The Gathering. The key to beating Warmonger Hellkite lies in understanding its weaknesses. As a creature with flying, it’s susceptible to a variety of removal spells that target flyers. Examples include cards like Plummet, which can take it down for a mere two mana.

Additionally, spot removal spells, such as Murder or Doom Blade, can handle this creature without much fuss, regardless of its size. It’s essential to keep removal cards in hand for threats like the Hellkite. Another effective approach is controlling the board state so that the forced attacks become a disadvantage for the Hellkite’s controller, potentially leading to unfavorable trades. Ensnaring Bridge is a solid defensive artifact that can prevent the Hellkite and other creatures from attacking you if your hand is low on cards, deflecting the imposed aggression.

Finally, countering the spell as it’s cast bypasses the need to deal with it on the battlefield. Counterspells such as Negate or Counterspell can prevent Warmonger Hellkite from ever taking flight, keeping the control in your hands and steering the game toward victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The world of MTG is vast, with countless strategies and paths to victory that can be shaped by a single powerful card like Warmonger Hellkite. Combining in-depth tactical plays with the thrill of controlling the pace of battle, this mighty dragon offers a unique angle to any player’s arsenal. Whether you’re a fan of high-power flyers, or looking to shake up your playstyle with a card that commands the battlefield, Warmonger Hellkite is a conversation starter and potentially, a game finisher. For a deep dive into how this card can change the way you engage in your MTG games, bolster your deck, and navigate through the intricacies of forced combat, join us to further explore the possibilities. Your deck might just be a few smart choices away from domination.


Cards like Warmonger Hellkite

Warmonger Hellkite is a distinctive creature card that fans of Magic: The Gathering appreciate for both its commanding presence on the battlefield and its unique ability to incite combat. It shares some similarities with cards like Thundermaw Hellkite, as both are flying dragons that make a significant impact when they arrive. Thundermaw Hellkite also clears the skies of potential blockers with its ability to tap flying creatures, though Warmonger Hellkite forces a more aggressive stance upon each player due to its ability to make all creatures attack each turn if able.

Another dragon that appears in discussions alongside Warmonger Hellkite is the Balefire Dragon. Although both dragons excel at dealing damage, Balefire Dragon delivers a devastating blow to an opponent’s creature base when it deals combat damage to a player, potentially wiping clean their side of the battlefield. This contrasts with Warmonger Hellkite’s approach, which is to pressurize ongoing conflict rather than single devastating turns.

While each dragon offers a distinct strategic advantage, Warmonger Hellkite’s ability to shape the battlefield in forcing combat introduces a unique dynamic that can benefit players wielding decks designed to take advantage of sustained aggression and creature interactions.

Thundermaw Hellkite - MTG Card versions
Balefire Dragon - MTG Card versions
Thundermaw Hellkite - Magic 2013 (M13)
Balefire Dragon - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to Warmonger Hellkite by color, type and mana cost

Shivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Firestorm Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Crater Hellion - MTG Card versions
Callous Giant - MTG Card versions
Bloodshot Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Worldgorger Dragon - MTG Card versions
Two-Headed Dragon - MTG Card versions
Ryusei, the Falling Star - 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
Inferno Titan - MTG Card versions
Bogardan Rager - MTG Card versions
Chartooth Cougar - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Firestorm Phoenix - Legends (LEG)
Crater Hellion - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Callous Giant - Invasion (INV)
Bloodshot Cyclops - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Worldgorger Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Two-Headed Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Ryusei, the Falling Star - Iconic Masters (IMA)
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)
Inferno Titan - Commander Masters (CMM)
Bogardan Rager - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Chartooth Cougar - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Warmonger Hellkite MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2014 and Commander Anthology Volume II, 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 Warmonger Hellkite and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Warmonger Hellkite Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-11-07 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by Trevor Claxton.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-11-07Commander 2014C14 412015normalblackTrevor Claxton
22018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1282015normalblackTrevor Claxton
32022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8142015normalblackTrevor Claxton

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Warmonger Hellkite has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-11-07 Each creature's controller still chooses which player or planeswalker the creature attacks.
2014-11-07 If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, creatures must attack during each combat phase in which they're able to.
2014-11-07 If, during a player's declare attackers step, a creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
2014-11-07 Only creatures that are attacking when the last ability resolves will get +1/+0. That is, activating that ability before attackers have been declared won't give the bonus to any creatures, including ones that attack later in the turn.

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