Bogardan Hellkite MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying, Flash
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Can clear multiple threats on entry, swinging the game and providing a card advantage.
  2. Its flash ability introduces surprise tactics, disrupting enemy plans during crucial phases.
  3. Demands specific mana but rewards players with immediate and versatile battlefield impact.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash (You may play this spell any time you could play an instant.) Flying When Bogardan Hellkite comes into play, it deals 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Bogardan Hellkite enters the battlefield, its ability can target and potentially eliminate multiple creatures, thereby clearing the way and gaining card advantage through direct creature removal. This can also translate into gaining an upper hand during board states where you are behind.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, Bogardan Hellkite makes up for its high mana cost with a powerful impact on the game. Investing in casting this dragon can swing the game’s momentum in your favor, effectively equating to a form of acceleration in terms of game tempo.

Instant Speed: The flash ability on Bogardan Hellkite allows you to cast it at instant speed, catching opponents off guard. This can disrupt their plans during combat or at the end of their turn, making it a versatile tactical asset in any MTG player’s arsenal.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Bogardan Hellkite demands an exacting mana requirement, including two red mana. This restricts the card to red-centric or multi-color decks that can conjure the necessary mana mix.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a substantial eight mana to summon, Bogardan Hellkite’s mana cost is quite steep, making it a late-game play that may come too late against fast-paced decks.

Discard Requirement: Although Bogardan Hellkite doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, engaging with such high mana cost cards often dictates a player’s strategy, potentially leading to discarding other valuable cards to survive until enough mana is available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bogardan Hellkite offers a flexible role in a range of decks, acting as a finisher in control setups or as a key part of a dragon-themed strategy. Its Flash ability allows it to adapt to various in-game situations, providing immediate board impact upon entering.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with cards that trigger upon casting spells or dealing damage, making it a powerful component in combo decks. With its ability to dish out damage divided as you choose among any number of targets, it can strategically remove opponents’ threats or even close out games.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where smaller creatures and planeswalkers are prevalent, Bogardan Hellkite’s damage-spreading ability gains increased significance, making it a formidable tool for maintaining board control and applying pressure in both casual and competitive play.


How to beat

Bogardan Hellkite is an imposing presence in any MTG game, bringing both instant impact and a formidable flying body to the battlefield. When it enters the game, its five damage can be distributed as desired among any number of targets, showcasing its flexibility and destructive power. However, despite its might, it is not unbeatable.

One effective strategy is to utilize instant-speed removal spells that can handle creatures regardless of their size, such as Path to Exile. Counterspells also pose a significant threat to the Hellkite, with Mana Leak being a classic choice that can disrupt its cast if the opponent is unprepared to pay the additional cost. Control decks with ample board wipes like Supreme Verdict or Wrath of God can reset the table, nullifying the dragon’s presence entirely.

Moreover, the use of sacrifice effects forces opponents to make tough decisions, often working around the Hellkite’s might. Cards such as Diabolic Edict can effectively clear the way by compelling your foe to sacrifice the dragon. With careful timing and the right answers, the Bogardan Hellkite can be overcome, maintaining the balance of power across the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

At the core of Magic the Gathering, there’s a delicate interplay of power and strategy that transforms each match into a rich tapestry of decisions and actions. Bogardan Hellkite exemplifies this balance with its potential to gain battlefield advantage and deliver game-changing moments. Whether it’s the rush of casting it at instant speed or the satisfaction of removing key threats, this dragon adds depth and tactical diversity to your deck. We invite MTG enthusiasts to explore the synergies and strategies that revolve around Bogardan Hellkite. Dive deeper into its capabilities and prepare to unleash the dragon’s fiery potential on your path to victory. For further insight and advanced play tips, continue your journey with us.


Cards like Bogardan Hellkite

Bogardan Hellkite is an iconic creature in Magic: The Gathering, casting a long shadow over other dragons with its impressive abilities. Thunder Dragon, for instance, shares the trait of dealing damage when it enters the battlefield. However, the Hellkite surpasses it by offering instant speed with Flash, allowing for strategic surprise plays. The Hellkite deals damage divided as you choose among any number of targets, a versatility that Thunder Dragon lacks with its fixed damage spread.

Another comparable dragon is the Scourge of Valkas, which deals damage proportional to the number of dragons you control when it or another dragon enters the battlefield. While it can potentially deal more accumulated damage over time, Bogardan Hellkite offers immediate and guaranteed impact as it swoops onto the battlefield. Lathliss, Dragon Queen also comes to mind, bolstering each dragon’s presence by creating a 5/5 dragon token upon the arrival of another winged behemoth. Yet, the immediate and flexible impact damage from the Hellkite gives it an upper hand in situations that demand an instantaneous response.

Ultimately, the Bogardan Hellkite’s ability to adapt to various game states makes it a formidable choice for players looking to scorch their way to victory in a fiery blaze.

Thunder Dragon - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Valkas - MTG Card versions
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - MTG Card versions
Thunder Dragon - Starter 1999 (S99)
Scourge of Valkas - Magic 2014 (M14)
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - Resale Promos (PRES)

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

Brimstone Dragon - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Fury - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Colossus - MTG Card versions
Ashen Firebeast - MTG Card versions
Petradon - MTG Card versions
Myojin of Roaring Blades - MTG Card versions
Excruciator - MTG Card versions
Living Inferno - MTG Card versions
Akroma, Angel of Fury - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Kher Ridges - MTG Card versions
Hearthcage Giant - MTG Card versions
Magmatic Force - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Slaughter - MTG Card versions
Utvara Hellkite - MTG Card versions
Bearer of the Heavens - MTG Card versions
Bedlam Reveler - MTG Card versions
Molten Monstrosity - MTG Card versions
Brimstone Dragon - The List (PLST)
Avatar of Fury - Archenemy: Nicol Bolas (E01)
Bloodfire Colossus - Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)
Ashen Firebeast - Odyssey (ODY)
Petradon - Torment (TOR)
Myojin of Roaring Blades - Neon Dynasty Commander (NEC)
Excruciator - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Living Inferno - Guildpact (GPT)
Akroma, Angel of Fury - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Scourge of Kher Ridges - Future Sight (FUT)
Hearthcage Giant - Lorwyn (LRW)
Magmatic Force - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Avatar of Slaughter - Commander Masters (CMM)
Utvara Hellkite - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Bearer of the Heavens - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Bedlam Reveler - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Molten Monstrosity - Dominaria United (DMU)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bogardan Hellkite MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and From the Vault: Dragons, 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 Bogardan Hellkite and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bogardan Hellkite Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2022-11-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 1472003normalblackScott M. Fischer
22008-08-29From the Vault: DragonsDRB 22003normalblackScott M. Fischer
32009-07-17Magic 2010M10 1272003normalblackScott M. Fischer
42011-04-01Duel Decks: Knights vs. DragonsDDG 472003normalblackWayne Reynolds
52014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1732015normalblackScott M. Fischer
62017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1182015normalblackScott M. Fischer
72018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 862015normalblackScott M. Fischer
82021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 1152015normalblackScott M. Fischer
92022-11-02Secret Lair 30th Anniversary Countdown KitSLC 20062015normalborderlessGodMachine

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bogardan Hellkite has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-11-17 If some of the creatures or players are illegal targets as Bogardan Hellkite's triggered ability tries to resolve, the original division of damage still applies and the damage that would have been dealt to the illegal targets is lost. It won't be dealt instead to a legal target.
2017-11-17 You choose how many targets Bogardan Hellkite's triggered ability has and how the damage is divided as you put the ability onto the stack. Each target must receive at least 1 damage.

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