Devouring Hellion MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Hellion |
| Released | 2019-05-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | War of the Spark |
| Set code | WAR |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 124 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Bayard Wu |
Key Takeaways
- Devouring Hellion consolidates power, turning expendable creatures into formidable threats, enhancing board state.
- Utility as a resource accelerator and potential post-wipe rebound can pivot the game’s momentum significantly.
- Despite advantages, there’s a delicate balance in its creature sacrifice mechanic that could be exploited.
Text of card
As Devouring Hellion enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice any number of creatures and/or planeswalkers. If you do, it enters with twice that many +1/+1 counters on it.
There's no crisis a hellion can't make worse.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Devouring Hellion creates a potent opportunity for card advantage. When you sacrifice creatures to it, you’re potentially converting lower value creatures or those with enter-the-battlefield effects that already served their purpose into a substantial threat, consolidating power on the board in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although Devouring Hellion itself doesn’t directly generate additional mana, by being a tool for resource acceleration, it efficiently utilizes creatures that may have otherwise been sitting idle on the battlefield. This can ramp up the pace at which you develop a commanding board presence.
Instant Speed: While Devouring Hellion operates at sorcery speed, it offers a strategic advantage when played at the right time. It can immediate impact the board after a board wipe or when you’ve amassed expendable tokens, allowing you to rebuild your forces or establish a dominant creature swiftly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The gameplay with Devouring Hellion can be a double-edged sword due to its requirement for sacrificing creatures. While this synergizes with certain strategies, it can deplete your creature resources, leaving you potentially vulnerable if your opponent has a response.
Specific Mana Cost: Devouring Hellion requires a precise mana investment of one red and two generic mana. This specificity can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that need to balance their mana base carefully, possibly causing delays or constraints when casting it.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Devouring Hellion has the potential to become a powerhouse, its initial three mana cost is relatively steep, especially in the fast-paced environment where early board presence is crucial. Additionally, without immediate impact upon entering the battlefield, there might be more efficient use of mana in the early to mid-game stages.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Devouring Hellion offers a dynamic role in any deck focusing on creature strategies. Its ability to consume other creatures for power makes it adaptable for various board states, fitting well in both aggressive and midrange decks.
Combo Potential: The card thrives in setups that produce numerous creatures or tokens, as it can quickly become a formidable threat. This synergizes seamlessly with sacrifice strategies, opening avenues for explosive plays and combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s rife with creature-based decks, Devouring Hellion can turn the tide of battle by leveraging the presence of smaller creatures. Its ability to grow large rapidly makes it relevant in matchups where board presence equates to victory.
How to beat
Devouring Hellion is a creature card that presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As a powerhouse that grows by sacrificing other creatures, it can quickly become a formidable force in the game. To effectively counter this card, players must disrupt its strategy before it gains momentum. Utilizing removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can efficiently eliminate the Hellion before it becomes a larger threat. Board wipes such as Damnation or Wrath of God are also potent solutions, clearing the board of the Hellion and any other threats at once.
Another strategy is to limit the Hellion’s growth potential by controlling the number of creatures on your side of the battlefield. Sacrificing your own creatures in response to its trigger, using instant speed removal or sacrifice effects, can undercut its power boost and leave the Devouring Hellion vulnerable. Employing graveyard disruption like Scavenging Ooze or Leyline of the Void can prevent the Hellion’s controller from recurring creatures to sacrifice, further diminishing its power.
Taking into account these tactics, players can navigate around Devouring Hellion’s strengths and maintain control of the game, keeping their opponents’ board at bay and securing a path to victory against this threatening card.
Cards like Devouring Hellion
Devouring Hellion serves as a captivating creature within the realm of sacrifice-focused strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Its similarity to cards like Scarland Thrinax can be seen through its insatiable appetite for other creatures. However, Devouring Hellion is unique, as it gains +1/+1 counters for each creature sacrificed upon entering the battlefield, harnessing immediate board presence.
Conversely, when it comes to sacrificing creatures, token generation, and utilizing the resultant +1/+1 counters, the card Thromok the Insatiable also enters the conversation. Both cards capitalize on devouring other creatures, but Thromok can potentially become larger due to its devour characteristic where the counters double for each creature consumed as opposed to Devouring Hellion’s single counter per creature.
Upon examining the dynamics and strategic value of these creatures, it’s clear that Devouring Hellion can stand as a formidable component to any deck that wants to make the most of its creatures, both on the battlefield and through sacrifice. It offers a balance of immediate impact and potential for growth that remains competitive among similar MTG cards.
Cards similar to Devouring Hellion by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Devouring Hellion MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark, 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 Devouring Hellion and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Devouring Hellion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Devouring Hellion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-05-03 | If Devouring Hellion somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature or planeswalker, you can’t sacrifice that creature or planeswalker. You may choose only permanents that are already on the battlefield. |
| 2019-05-03 | If any of the sacrificed permanents have abilities that trigger when Devouring Hellion enters the battlefield (such as that of Kronch Wrangler), those abilities won’t trigger. |
| 2019-05-03 | You choose how many and which creatures and planeswalkers to sacrifice for Devouring Hellion’s ability while it’s entering the battlefield. No player may take actions between the time you choose which permanents to sacrifice and the time Devouring Hellion is on the battlefield with those counters. |
