Flame Jab MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Retrace

Key Takeaways

  1. Flame Jab’s Retrace ability offers repeatable damage, giving players a strategic edge in long games.
  2. It synergizes with land-graveyard strategies, but requires careful mana and resource management.
  3. While versatile, Flame Jab’s reliance on red mana and land discard can limit its utility.

Text of card

Flame Jab deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Retrace (You may play this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)

"Fire's out. Should be safe now." —Gnarltrunk


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flame Jab is a repeatable spell due to its Retrace ability, allowing players to cast it from the graveyard by discarding a land card. This mechanic can be a consistent source of damage and maintain card advantage, particularly in long-drawn matches or against creature-heavy decks.

Resource Acceleration: While Flame Jab itself does not provide direct resource acceleration, it synergizes well with deck strategies that benefit from land cards in the graveyard, thereby indirectly working towards resource acceleration in combination with other cards that reward you for land in your graveyard.

Instant Speed: Though Flame Jab operates at sorcery speed, its Retrace ability gives it pseudo-instant speed characteristics. You can use it multiple times during your turns, effectively bypassing the one-time use restriction generally associated with sorcery cards. This makes it a versatile tool for disrupting opponent strategies at key moments during your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To leverage Flame Jab’s retrace ability, you need to discard a land card, which can be detrimental to your game plan, especially when your hand is land-scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Flame Jab requires red mana for its casting and retrace abilities, making it less versatile for multicolored decks that may struggle with red mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With retrace costing one red mana each time, it can be mana-intensive over multiple turns compared to other direct damage spells, diminishing its overall efficiency in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Flame Jab is not just a one-time sorcery; its retrace ability allows you to cast it multiple times from your graveyard. This grants the card an inherent flexibility, making it useful for a variety of deck types, particularly those that can afford to discard lands for repeatable effects.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Flame Jab offers exciting synergies. Its repeatable nature can be combined with cards that benefit from casting spells, or with those that trigger upon discarding cards, turning each land in your hand into potential damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small creature strategies are prevalent, Flame Jab serves as an efficient tool to keep the board clear. Against control decks, it can also provide a constant source of pressure, making it a valuable asset in various competitive environments.


How to beat

Flame Jab is a simple yet potentially persistent red sorcery card in Magic: The Gathering. It deals one damage to any target and features the Rebound mechanic, allowing it to be cast again from exile during the next turn without paying its mana cost. To overcome the recurrent threat of Flame Jab, efficient creature protection is key.

Countering it with spells that grant your creatures indestructibility or hexproof can be a solid strategy. Cards like Blossoming Defense or Heroic Intervention can effectively safeguard your valuable minions. Moreover, since Flame Jab requires a card to be discarded for its Rebound effect, imposing hand disruption techniques and applying graveyard manipulation can diminish its potential. Cards like Leyline of the Void or Rest in Peace restrict access to the graveyard, nullifying the Rebound advantage. Therefore, when facing an opponent utilizing Flame Jab, maintaining a proactive defense and disrupting their graveyard synergy can secure the upper hand and neutralize this fiery nuisance.

Assessing the threat and curating a blend of protective spells and graveyard interaction is a strategic approach to mitigate the impact of Flame Jab on the battlefield. A well-prepared defense can render Flame Jab less effective and maintain control over the game.


Cards like Flame Jab

Flame Jab reiterates its unique position in the burn spell lineup of Magic: The Gathering. This sorcery mirrors the versatility offered by cards like Shock, which offers a similar two damage to any target for a single red mana. Yet, Flame Jab’s retrace ability allows players to cast it repeatedly from the graveyard by discarding a land card, providing a consistent source of damage over time.

Examining another counterpart, Lava Dart, it deals one damage for a single red mana but boasts the advantage of being an instant. Plus, it has flashback, giving it a potential for reuse like Flame Jab. Whereas cards like Rift Bolt deliver a more potent three damage but require a delay with its suspend mechanic, Flame Jab stands out with its immediate and recurrent effect.

It’s apparent that within the framework of red spells, Flame Jab occupies a strategic niche. It neither offers the one-off hefty punch of a Lightning Bolt nor the spread of damage like Arc Lightning. Instead, it provides red decks with a grinding tool to chip away at opponents’ life totals or to clear away pesky creatures turn after turn.

Shock - MTG Card versions
Lava Dart - MTG Card versions
Rift Bolt - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Shock - Stronghold (STH)
Lava Dart - Judgment (JUD)
Rift Bolt - Time Spiral (TSP)
Lightning Bolt - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Arc Lightning - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Flame Jab by color, type and mana cost

Disintegrate - MTG Card versions
Fireball - MTG Card versions
Earthquake - MTG Card versions
Mana Clash - MTG Card versions
Detonate - MTG Card versions
Winds of Change - MTG Card versions
Gamble - MTG Card versions
Meltdown - MTG Card versions
Goblin Grenade - MTG Card versions
Landslide - MTG Card versions
Tremor - MTG Card versions
Ghitu Fire - MTG Card versions
Tahngarth's Glare - MTG Card versions
Lava Burst - MTG Card versions
Overmaster - MTG Card versions
Devil's Play - MTG Card versions
Firebolt - MTG Card versions
Blaze - MTG Card versions
Crack the Earth - MTG Card versions
Meteor Shower - MTG Card versions
Disintegrate - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Fireball - The List (PLST)
Earthquake - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Mana Clash - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Detonate - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Winds of Change - Masters Edition (ME1)
Gamble - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Meltdown - Urza's Saga (USG)
Goblin Grenade - Arena New Player Experience Extras (XANA)
Landslide - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Tremor - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Ghitu Fire - Invasion (INV)
Tahngarth's Glare - Apocalypse (APC)
Lava Burst - Deckmasters (DKM)
Overmaster - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Devil's Play - Shadows of the Past (SIS)
Firebolt - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Blaze - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Crack the Earth - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Meteor Shower - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flame Jab MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Eternal Masters, 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 Flame Jab and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Flame Jab Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by rk post.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-07-25EventideEVE 532003normalblackrk post
22016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1312015normalblackrk post
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9302015normalblackrk post
42020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-1312015normalblackrk post

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flame Jab has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-08-01 A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
2008-08-01 Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You’re casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
2008-08-01 If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it’s still in the graveyard.
2008-08-01 When a retrace card you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it’s put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.

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