Fanning the Flames MTG Card

Stronghold (STH)
1998-03-02 - Number 80

Fanning the Flames - Tempest Remastered (TPR)

Tempest Remastered (TPR)
2015-05-06 - Number 130

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Buyback

Key Takeaways

Buyback feature ensures Fanning the Flames can be a consistent threat in prolonged games.
Red mana burn synergy with this card heightens the potential for rapid mana generation.
As a sorcery, it guides game pacing for strategic plays and impactful turn setups.

Text of card

Buyback o3 (You may pay an additional o3 when you play this spell. If you do, put it into your hand instead of your graveyard as part of the spell's effect.) Fanning the Flames deals X damage to target creature or player.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Fanning the Flames, players have the ability to recur the spell from their graveyard by paying its buyback cost, allowing for repeated uses and ultimately more damage dealt over the course of a match. This repetition can be a substantial advantage, especially in longer games where card efficiency becomes pivotal.

Resource Acceleration: Though the card itself doesn’t directly provide mana or acceleration, the nature of the red mana burn spells often synergize with decks designed to accelerate resources. This means that Fanning the Flames can be a key piece in a strategy that aims to quickly amass enough mana to overwhelm an opponent.

Instant Speed: Operating at sorcery speed, this card can define the pacing of a game by setting up for explosive turns. While not an instant, its power level is adjusted to enable impactful plays that can swing the game in your favor when timing and resources are aligned.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Fanning the Flames comes with the downside that you must discard a card to activate its potential. This can be particularly challenging when your hand size is dwindling, forcing you to make tough decisions about resource management during critical moments of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s casting cost is confined to the red mana pool, which can restrict its integration into multi-colored decks. Players who do not invest heavily in red mana may find it difficult to accommodate Fanning the Flames in their deck strategies, thereby lessening its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a starting mana investment higher than many other direct damage spells, the initial cost of Fanning the Flames may deter players. Especially when considering other spells in the same mana range that provide immediate and possibly more impactful effects, this card’s balance between cost and output may not align with efficient deck building principles.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The allure of Fanning the Flames lies in its adaptability for various deck builds. It serves as a scalable damage dealer that can be tailored to any stage of the game, fitting seamlessly into both aggressive and control-oriented strategies.

Combo Potential: With its buyback ability, this card offers combo enthusiasts the chance to create a loop, recycling the spell for continual damage. It’s an excellent piece for setups aiming to capitalize on spell repetition or needing a reliable finisher.

Meta-Relevance: Given its nature as a direct damage source, Fanning the Flames can hold its own in environments where board control is crucial. It’s an asset against creature-heavy opponents or decks that depend on a crucial, high-value target, making it a card to watch for shifts in the competitive landscape.

How to beat

Fanning the Flames is a unique card within Magic: The Gathering, delivering a potent burn with its repeatable damage effect. This sorcery allows players to deal direct damage to any target and offers a buyback option, potentially making it a reoccurring threat each turn. To effectively counter Fanning the Flames, one strategy is to use counterspells to prevent it from resolving. Cards like Negate or Counterspell can be critical when timing your defenses against such recurring threats.

Another approach is to limit the opponent’s mana resources, thus hindering their ability to pay for the buyback cost. Land destruction or mana disruption cards like Stone Rain or Mana Leak can sabotage your opponent’s plans. It’s also viable to include life gain strategies in your deck to outpace the damage dealt by Fanning the Flames, using cards such as Absorb or Revitalize to stay out of reach.

Ultimately, planning ahead and keeping a watchful eye on your opponent’s mana pool is essential. If they are setting up for a big cast with buyback, being proactive and interrupting their rhythm can turn the tide in your favor. Playing smart and understanding the dynamics of your match-up will guide you to victory against the blazing assault of Fanning the Flames.

Cards like Fanning the Flames

Fanning the Flames is an intriguing spell that adds depth to the roster of burn cards in Magic: The Gathering. This sorcery stands shoulder-to-shoulder with cards like Fireball, offering players the ability to deal a scalable amount of damage to a chosen target. What is unique about Fanning the Flames, as opposed to a straightforward card like Lightning Bolt, is the built-in buyback ability. While Lightning Bolt delivers a quick 3 damage for one mana, Fanning the Flames can be used repeatedly, albeit at a higher initial cost and buyback investment.

In terms of flexibility, Fanning the Flames is akin to Flames of the Firebrand. Both offer the choice to distribute the damage across multiple targets, which can be pivotal during gameplay. However, Flames of the Firebrand is limited to a fixed three damage overall, whereas Fanning the Flames has the potential for unlimited scaling and reuse, allowing it to adapt over the game’s duration. The buyback mechanic also provides a player with a recurring threat, putting constant pressure on the opponent.

When examining the scope of burn spells available in Magic: The Gathering, Fanning the Flames is noteworthy for its versatility and the potential for long-term impact on the battlefield, making it a valuable addition to decks that capitalize on direct damage and mana resources.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fanning the Flames MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold and Tempest Remastered, 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 Fanning the Flames and other MTG cards: