Cinder Seer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 1999-06-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Urza's Destiny |
| Set code | UDS |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 78 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Donato Giancola |
Key Takeaways
- Scrying with Cinder Seer enhances card quality, improving strategic play and resource management.
- Instant speed activation allows for adaptable gameplay and surprise tactics during matches.
- Card demands foresight in deck-building due to color-specific mana and discard costs.
Text of card
o R, oc T: Reveal any number of red cards in your hand. Cinder Seer deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Cinder Seer gives players an edge by providing opportunities to scry, therefore filtering out unwanted cards and improving the chances of drawing into key resources. This can be a crucial aspect in maintaining a stronghold over the game’s flow.
Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, Cinder Seer enables more strategic plays by allowing you to anticipate and set up your draws. This predictive power can accelerate your strategy execution by ensuring you have the right cards at the right time.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Cinder Seer at instant speed gives you the flexibility to react to your opponent’s moves or end of turn, thus maximizing your turns and keeping your opponents guessing. This versatility means keeping mana available for other interactions while still making the most of your card.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Cinder Seer necessitates you to let go of another card from your hand to utilize its ability. This could be detrimental when your card supply is already diminishing, leaving you at a potential strategic disadvantage in the game.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost for Cinder Seer is not only specific but also requires a double red mana investment. This restriction binds it tightly to red-centric or at least red-supporting decks, possibly excluding it from more versatile mana bases.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its ability costing three mana to activate, including the double red specificity, it stands on the pricier side of the spectrum. Indeed, among the myriad of cards available, other options might yield more robust effects or provide more fluid deck synergies at a lesser mana expenditure.
Reasons to Include Cinder Seer in Your Collection
Versatility: Cinder Seer’s ability to foresee the next card in your library offers a strategic edge, allowing players to plan their moves with more information. This can be a game-changer in both casual play and more competitive settings where knowing your next draw can inform your current decisions.
Combo Potential: This card can be an integral part of a combo-centric deck, particularly when combined with top-deck manipulation strategies. As it allows you to deal damage depending on the type of card revealed, it can be paired with spells that stack your deck to ensure maximum effect, enhancing its damage-dealing capability.
Meta-Relevance: With the constant flux of the MTG meta, cards that offer direct damage and foresight like Cinder Seer can pivot a match in your favor. This makes it especially relevant in formats where foresight and control over your next draw step can make the difference between victory and defeat.
How to beat
Cinder Seer is an intriguing card that presents a unique challenge for players in Magic: The Gathering. This card has the capability to foresee the upcoming plays by revealing the top card of your library and dealing damage based on its mana value. To counter a Cinder Seer, one effective strategy is to manage your deck’s top card proactively. Cards that allow you to scry or shuffle your library can disrupt the Seer’s ability, reducing the damage you might take.
Another strategy is to utilize instant-speed removal spells to eliminate the Cinder Seer before its ability can affect the game significantly. It’s crucial to time these spells wisely, preferably when its ability is on the stack and before it can deal substantial damage. Additionally, playing creatures with toughness higher than the average mana value of your library’s cards will ensure that Cinder Seer’s damage won’t result in immediate losses. Always be attuned to the Seer’s trigger windows and maintain an adaptable board state.
Taking everything into account, while Cinder Seer can be a threat, with the right strategies and card choices, it’s possible to minimize its impact and maintain control over the game’s flow.
Cards like Cinder Seer
Cinder Seer enters the landscape of red utility creatures with a fascinating touch of chance and strategy. Marked by its unique ability to reveal cards and potentially deal damage equivalent to the card’s mana cost, it’s a card that invites comparison to other creatures that dabble in the realm of card manipulation.
Firebrand Archer, for instance, has a more consistent, though less potentially destructive effect, dealing a flat one damage to each opponent whenever you cast a noncreature spell. While not as potentially potent as Cinder Seer, Firebrand Archer offers a predictable outcome that can reliably chip away at an opponent’s life total. Another card worth mentioning is Lobber Crew, which can inflict damage to each opponent by tapping, no reveal required. Unlike Cinder Seer, Lobber Crew doesn’t rely on the luck of the draw but provides a steady and more controlled form of damage output.
Therefore, while Cinder Seer may offer high rewards thanks to its synergy with high-cost spells, players looking for consistency might lean towards the steadier damage stream of creatures like Firebrand Archer and Lobber Crew. Each card holds its value in applications that suit various strategies and preferences in the ever-evolving game of MTG.
Cards similar to Cinder Seer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cinder Seer MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny, 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 Cinder Seer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cinder Seer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cinder Seer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | You can reveal zero cards and deal zero damage. |
