Smelt-Ward Ignus MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Elemental
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	116
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jehan Choo

Key Takeaways

Smelt-Ward Ignus offers unique control by using opponents’ creatures, impacting the game without traditional card draw.
It requires a creature sacrifice to activate, setting a balance between its powerful effect and the cost to your board.
Instant speed interactions enhance Ignus’s potential, favoring strategic mana management and bluffing during a match.

Text of card

, Sacrifice Smelt-Ward Ignus: Gain control of target creature with power 3 or less until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

"Come in, yes? Is warm!"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Smelt-Ward Ignus offers a unique twist on card advantage. Instead of drawing cards, it can repeatedly seize control of your opponent’s creatures when paired with enough mana. Each successful control flip effectively diminishes your opponent’s resources while bolstering your battlefield presence.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing traditional ramp, the ability of Smelt-Ward Ignus to grab creatures can expedite your game plan. By using the opponent’s creatures against them, you’re effectively accelerating your own board state without the need to commit additional cards from your hand.

Instant Speed: While the ability of Smelt-Ward Ignus is not at instant speed itself, it synergizes well with spells and abilities that are. By leaving mana open, you can bluff instant speed interactions, which may deter opponents from making optimal plays. Furthermore, instant speed spells can help you protect the Ignus or capitalize on the temporary theft of your opponent’s creatures.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Smelt-Ward Ignus demands the sacrifice of another creature as a cost to activate its ability, which can deplete your board presence and be a costly price to pay in creature-centric strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost not only requires red mana, but also demands two generic mana, restricting its immediate use in fast-paced red decks that focus on low-cost spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to utility creatures within the game, Smelt-Ward Ignus’s combined cost for casting and using its ability can be considered steep, considering alternative creatures or spells might offer similar or better board impact for less investment.

Reasons to Include Smelt-Ward Ignus in Your Collection

Versatility: Smelt-Ward Ignus is a flexible card that can be easily incorporated into a variety of Red-based decks, offering both offensive and defensive utility. Its ability to temporarily remove blockers or threats during combat makes it a multi-purpose tool in many game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This fiery creature holds the potential to unlock devastating combos, particularly in decks centered around enter-the-battlefield effects or those that capitalize on the return of creatures to an opponent’s hand. The Ignus works exceptionally well in strategies that require frequent casting of spells to trigger prowess or other cast-related abilities.

Meta-Relevance: As game environments evolve, cards that offer cost-effective interaction options like Smelt-Ward Ignus remain relevant, particularly when facing creature-centric or “go-wide” strategies. Its presence in your arsenal can offer you the flexibility to swiftly adapt to the shifting landscape of your local meta.

How to beat

Smelt-Ward Ignus presents itself as a unique creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It has a specialized ability to disrupt strategies by targeting and sacking itself to return an opponent’s creature to their hand. This can be particularly effective against decks reliant on creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects or key combo pieces.

Overcoming Smelt-Ward Ignus often involves playing around its ability. Prioritize keeping mana open for instant-speed removal to eliminate it before its ability is activated. Moreover, include spells that can’t be countered or use abilities that protect your creatures from being targeted. Cards that grant hexproof or indestructibility can be especially useful in safeguarding your creatures from such threats. Deploying a formidable board presence quickly can also overwhelm a strategy focusing on Smelt-Ward Ignus’s ability by simply presenting more targets than it can handle with its limited activation cost.

Ultimately, it’s about assessing the battlefield and being proactive in disrupting or buffering against the impact of Smelt-Ward Ignus. Cards offering multiple uses or value through other creatures and effects will minimize the disruption caused by this pesky goblin and maintain control of your game strategy.

Cards like Smelt-Ward Ignus

In the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering, Smelt-Ward Ignus offers a unique ability set that warrants comparison with other red creature cards. The card stands out with its singular ability to return a creature back to its owner’s hand, providing a level of control over the board that’s inimitable. When considering its peer, the Ember Hauler also captures attention. Albeit, Ember Hauler demands sacrifice for damage output, unlike the aforesaid ability of Smelt-Ward Ignus.

Then there’s the Torch Fiend, which presents an alternative utility; the ability to destroy artifacts can be a game-changer in certain matchups. While it lacks the tactical maneuverability of Smelt-Ward Ignus, it compensates with raw destructive power. Another creature that shares the Ignus’s disruptive theme is the Tin Street Dodger. This nimble creature, though devoid of direct control abilities, can be unblockable under the right conditions and effectively disrupt an opponent’s game plan.

Assessing these cards, we can say that Smelt-Ward Ignus maintains a special foothold as a flexible and disruptive force within Magic: The Gathering, adept at swinging the tempo in a player’s favor while offering substantial interaction with the opponent’s battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Smelt-Ward Ignus MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Smelt-Ward Ignus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Smelt-Ward Ignus 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 Smelt-Ward Ignus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2019-01-25	Once Smelt-Ward Ignus’s ability has resolved, you retain control the creature even if its power is raised above 3.
2019-01-25	Smelt-Ward Ignus’s ability can target any creature with power 3 or less, even one that’s untapped or one you already control.