Glaze Fiend MTG Card

Shards of Alara (ALA)
2008-10-03 - Number 77

Double Masters (2XM)
2020-08-07 - Number 95

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Illusion
Abilities	Flying
Power	0
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Glaze Fiend grows stronger with artifact play, leveraging each casting to amplify its threat on the board.
Works best in quick artifact deployment strategies, enabling sudden power spikes that can surprise adversaries.
Despite potential for high power, Glaze Fiend’s efficacy is tied to the player’s ability to maintain artifact synergy.

Text of card

Flying Whenever another artifact comes into play under your control, Glaze Fiend gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Before the zealots of the Ethersworn came to power, Esper illusionists dreamed up creations to mimic a variety of substances.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Glaze Fiend itself won’t let you draw extra cards directly, it thrives in environments where artifact play is plentiful, which in turn can generate significant card advantage. Decks built around this strategy ensure that every artifact played not only contributes to board presence but also boosts Glaze Fiend’s power, effectively getting more value out of every card played.

Resource Acceleration: Glaze Fiend may not produce additional mana or treasure, but it benefits from decks that do. Accelerating resources through artifacts that tap for mana can allow you to deploy multiple artifacts in a single turn, rapidly increasing Glaze Fiend’s attack power and turning it into a formidable threat much sooner than your opponent might expect.

Instant Speed: Although this creature itself is not an instant, its ability to grow in power can be enhanced at instant speed by playing artifacts on your opponent’s turn. Cards that can be played as instants or have flash and are artifacts synergize well with Glaze Fiend, granting unexpected power spikes that can be leveraged for defensive or offensive advantages at crucial moments during the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To boost Glaze Fiend in MTG, you often need to employ artifacts, which depletes hand resources and can hinder your game if you are unable to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Glaze Fiend requires both black and generic mana to cast, which can be restrictive as it necessitates black mana sources, potentially limiting its inclusion in multicolored decks that might not focus on black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Glaze Fiend itself is low-cost, to sufficiently leverage its ability, a continuous flow of artifacts is needed, which indirectly increases the overall mana you need to invest for it to become a formidable force on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Glaze Fiend provides a dynamic option for artifact-centric decks and can serve as a cost-effective finisher in aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in environments rich with cheap artifacts, turning each cast into an instant power boost and creating opportunities for explosive turns.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where artifacts play a key role, Glaze Fiend can be an unexpected threat, swiftly capitalizing on the widespread use of artifact spells and synergies.

How to beat

Glaze Fiend, a creature card from the world of Magic: The Gathering, has built a niche for itself among artifact-centric decks. With its strength lying in its ability to gain power with each artifact played, it can become a formidable force on the battlefield. However, despite its potential for power, it remains vulnerable and can be outmaneuvered.

To effectively counter Glaze Fiend, consider using removal spells that target creatures such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push. These can swiftly dispatch the Fiend before it grows out of control. Moreover, strategies that limit the number of artifacts your opponent can play will naturally cripple the Fiend’s growth. Cards that nullify artifact abilities, like Karn, the Great Creator, can also prove invaluable by neutralizing not only Glaze Fiend’s power-boosting capability but also nullifying any synergies it may rely on.

Ultimately, managing the board and keeping artifact play in check are key to preventing Glaze Fiend from gaining momentum. With thoughtful play and strategic control elements, the Glaze Fiend can be rendered insignificant, allowing you to maintain the upper hand in your game.

Cards like Glaze Fiend

Glaze Fiend holds a unique spot in the roster of artifact creatures in MTG. Its ability to gain attack strength with every artifact that comes into play sets it in direct comparison with other creatures like Esper Stormblade and Tidehollow Strix. Esper Stormblade requires another multicolored permanent to get a boost, making it reliant on a specific deck makeup. Tidehollow Strix, with its deathtouch, offers immediate threat regardless of the board state, yet it lacks the scaling potential of Glaze Fiend.

Moving towards another counterpart, we have Cranial Plating, which is not a creature but an Equipment card that grants a similar boost in power based on the number of artifacts you control. Cranial Plating can turn any creature into a considerable threat, much like an uncontested Glaze Fiend over multiple turns. Furthermore, while Cranial Plating requires an activation cost to attach, Glaze Fiend gets stronger passively, which can add up to significant damage over time.

Leveraging artifact synergies gives Glaze Fiend an edge in MTG environments dense with artifacts. Its strength grows with each artifact played, making it a cornerstone in decks that frequently cast artifacts and can outpace similar cards in prolonged matches.

Cards similar to Glaze Fiend by color, type and mana cost

Transmogrant's Crown - MTG Card versions

Razorlash Transmogrant - MTG Card versions

Metalspinner's Puzzleknot - MTG Card versions

Gisa's Favorite Shovel - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Glaze Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Double 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 Glaze Fiend and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Glaze Fiend Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Joshua Hagler.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2008-10-03	Shards of Alara	ALA		77	2003	Normal	Black	Joshua Hagler
2	2020-08-07	Double Masters	2XM		95	2015	Normal	Black	Joshua Hagler

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Glaze Fiend has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager.