Pyre Charger MTG Card

Shadowmoor (SHM)
2008-05-02 - Number 103

Pyre Charger - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (DD2)

Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (DD2)
2008-11-07 - Number 38

Pyre Charger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)

Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
2014-12-05 - Number 38

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Elemental Warrior
Abilities	Haste
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Pyre Charger’s instant-speed ability provides strategic flexibility, making it a formidable and adaptable threat.
It serves well as a mana sink, converting excess lands into potential game-changing power boosts.
Despite its potential, Pyre Charger requires careful play to balance its incremental mana costs effectively.

Text of card

Haste : Pyre Charger gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

His blade was forged over coals of moaning treefolk, curved at the optimum angle for severing heads, and heated to volcanic temperatures by his touch.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Pyre Charger itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its repeatable pump ability can provide an advantage, forcing your opponent to deal with it or face increasingly powerful attacks each turn.

Resource Acceleration: Pyre Charger’s strength lies not in direct resource acceleration but in offering a mana sink for games when you’re flooded with lands, allowing you to consistently boost its power without expending additional cards from your hand.

Instant Speed: The Charger’s firebreathing ability is key, being usable at instant speed, which means you can surprise your opponent during combat or at the end of their turn, making it a flexible threat that scales with your available mana.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of using Pyre Charger in your deck is the required discard to activate its ability. This can be a significant setback when your hand options are limited, forcing tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Pyre Charger demands red mana for both casting and its haste ability. It can be challenging for multi-colored decks that struggle to generate the necessary red mana consistently, which limits the card’s versatility across different deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing mana to boost Pyre Charger’s attack through its firebreathing ability comes at a steadily increasing cost. When resources are tight, the mana needed to make Pyre Charger a serious threat could potentially be allocated to other spells or creatures that offer a higher immediate return.

Reasons to Include Pyre Charger in Your Collection

Versatility: Pyre Charger boasts a flexible ability that allows it to become stronger at a moment’s notice, making it a threat in many different game situations. Its low mana cost fits well into aggressive red decks that favor a quick start.

Combo Potential: As a creature with firebreathing capabilities, Pyre Charger excels in decks that can rapidly generate red mana. It synergizes with cards that untap creatures to exploit its ability multiple times within the same turn.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where fast, aggressive strategies are effective, Pyre Charger can be instrumental in pushing through damage. It can adapt to various board states, either by being an early-game nuisance or a late-game finisher when mana is abundant.

How to beat

Pyre Charger presents an intriguing challenge in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering as a creature capable of growing its power at will. The key to overpowering this fiery adversary lies in preemptive measures and strategic removals. To effectively counter Pyre Charger, swift action is crucial. One efficient method is to leverage instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt your opponent’s tempo by eliminating the Charger before they have the opportunity to pump it up with more mana.

Among the array of removal options, spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile offer reliable and cost-effective solutions to exile or destroy creatures with efficiency. A well-timed Cast Down or Declare Dominance can also dispatch Pyre Charger before it becomes too much of a threat. Control decks may incorporate counter magic, preventing Pyre Charger from even entering the battlefield. Ultimately, maintaining control over the game’s pace and managing your resources wisely will ensure that Pyre Charger’s potential is snuffed out, and victory remains within reach.

In summary, overcoming Pyre Charger demands quick reflexes and strategic removal tactics. Tailoring your deck to include the right mix of instants and control elements will keep threats like the Charger in check and help secure your position in the game.

Cards like Pyre Charger

Pyre Charger holds a unique position in the MTG realm of haste creatures. It shares some similarities with cards like Spark Elemental, which is also a hasty threat designed to deal quick damage. However, what makes the Pyre Charger stand out is its recurring fire power through its mana ability to boost its attack, ensuring its relevance in the longer game. In contrast, Spark Elemental fizzles out at end of turn, making it a one-shot wonder.

In the same category, we encounter the card Ash Zealot. Ash Zealot too offers haste, however, it brings additional utility by punishing graveyard strategies—a feature absent in Pyre Charger. Nonetheless, the Charger’s scalability in power means it can potentially hit harder, turn after turn, against defenses. Then there’s Ball Lightning, a formidable force of nature with a significant power and trample to boot, though it shares Spark Elemental’s transient existence on the battlefield.

Despite the presence of these compelling choices within red’s aggressive lineup, Pyre Charger remains a steady flame, offering repeatable pressure that can be calibrated for each combat. A dependable addition, its tactical advantage secures it a fiery niche among red combat creatures in MTG.

Cards similar to Pyre Charger by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pyre Charger MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra, 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 Pyre Charger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pyre Charger Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-05-02 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Mark Zug.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2008-05-02	Shadowmoor	SHM	103	2003	Normal	Black	Mark Zug
2	2008-11-07	Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra	DD2	38	2003	Normal	Black	Mark Zug
3	2014-12-05	Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra	JVC	38	2015	Normal	Black	Mark Zug