Infernal Scarring MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Infernal Scarring offers card draw and power boost, enhancing creature combat and attrition strategies.
  2. Limited to black mana decks, it signals opponents to target the enchanted creature, potentially costing resource efficiency.
  3. Despite its downsides, Infernal Scarring fits various decks and synergizes with death trigger mechanics.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+0 and has "When this creature dies, draw a card."

One who is marked by a demon in life is sure to be remembered as one in death.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Infernal Scarring grants a subtle edge by replacing itself upon the enchanted creature’s death, which can help maintain card flow in your deck.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, the power boost it provides can lead to quicker player damage or creature destruction, potentially altering the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: Although it’s a sorcery, its impact is lasting and strategic, allowing you to choose the optimal moment for your assault once played, especially when timed with other spells for maximum effect.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Infernal Scarring boosts a creature’s power and gives a card draw upon the creature’s death, it’s vital to note that enchanting a creature signals your opponent to focus on removing it. This can force you into unfavorable trades or necessitate using additional cards to protect the enchanted creature, essentially leading to an indirect discard requirement

Specific Mana Cost: Infernal Scarring requires black mana to cast. This mana specificity means that it’s only playable in decks that include black mana sources, thus limiting its versatility compared to colorless or multicolored alternatives that might fit into a wider variety of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the incremental advantage offered, spending two mana can be quite the cost, especially early in the game. When compared to other Aura cards or spells that provide a greater impact or added protection, Infernal Scarring can be seen as less mana-efficient, potentially slowing down your overall gameplay strategy.


Reasons to Include Infernal Scarring in Your Collection

Versatility: Infernal Scarring is a cost-effective enchantment that can be used on any creature. Its ability to add attack power and provide card draw upon the creature’s death makes it useful in a variety of deck builds, ranging from aggressive to control-focused strategies.

Combo Potential: The card can be paired with creatures that benefit from being sacrificed or dying, enhancing strategies that capitalize on graveyard mechanics or death triggers. This creates potential for powerful synergies in the right deck scenario.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments where trading creatures in combat is common, Infernal Scarring can turn every loss into an opportunity, keeping your hand filled. This keeps it relevant, especially in formats where attrition and card advantage are key to victory.


How to beat Infernal Scarring

Infernal Scarring is an aura enchantment in MTG that can turn even the most unassuming creatures into significant threats. By bestowing an additional +2/+0 and providing card draw upon the creature’s death, it creates a brief yet potent advantage. To effectively counteract this, strategic removal of the enchanted creature is key, before the opponent can leverage the increased power or the card draw bonus.

Spot removal spells, enchantment control, or cards offering hexproof to your creatures can be invaluable here. Engage removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize the moment Infernal Scarring hits the battlefield to avoid the opponent reaping its rewards. In essence, incorporating removal spells that can efficiently handle enchantments or creatures will serve as a robust defense against the temporary yet substantial power boost Infernal Scarring provides.

Keeping sharp awareness of your opponent’s mana pool and potential threats is also essential – a preemptive strategy is often the best defense. Ultimately, by prioritizing threat assessment and having a solid line of reactive plays in your deck, the daunting prospect of going up against Infernal Scarring can be considerably mitigated.


Cards like Infernal Scarring

Infernal Scarring holds its own niche in the realm of creature enhancement in Magic: The Gathering. This enchantment offers a benefit akin to cards like Unholy Strength, which also provides a power boost to creatures. However, Infernal Scarring edges ahead with its additional advantage – drawing a card when the enchanted creature dies. Unholy Strength lacks this extra incentive, limiting its impact to the power boost.

Comparatively, we have Dead Weight, another enchantment that influences creature potential but in an opposite manner by weakening an opponent’s creature. While it does not buff your own creatures like Infernal Scarring, it can be a pivotal control element within your deck. Lastly, we look at Dragon Mantle. This card shares the draw mechanic upon the enchantment’s entrance to the battlefield. Although it grants less of a power increase than Infernal Scarring, the ability to draw a card immediately rather than upon creature death can be a significant tempo play.

Ultimately, Infernal Scarring serves as a formidable option for players looking to amplify their creature’s presence on the board while ensuring card advantage through its strategically designed trigger, setting it apart from similar MTG cards.

Unholy Strength - MTG Card versions
Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Dragon Mantle - MTG Card versions
Unholy Strength - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Dead Weight - Innistrad (ISD)
Dragon Mantle - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Infernal Scarring by color, type and mana cost

Bad Moon - MTG Card versions
Fear - MTG Card versions
Warp Artifact - MTG Card versions
Deathgrip - MTG Card versions
Blight - MTG Card versions
Animate Dead - MTG Card versions
Seizures - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Sigil - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl's Hex - MTG Card versions
Dance of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Enfeeblement - MTG Card versions
Oath of Ghouls - MTG Card versions
Despondency - MTG Card versions
Insubordination - MTG Card versions
Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions
Brain Maggot - MTG Card versions
Aphemia, the Cacophony - MTG Card versions
Oversold Cemetery - MTG Card versions
Lingering Death - MTG Card versions
Bad Moon - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Fear - Tenth Edition (10E)
Warp Artifact - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Deathgrip - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Blight - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Animate Dead - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Seizures - Ice Age (ICE)
Leshrac's Sigil - Ice Age (ICE)
Lim-Dûl's Hex - Ice Age (ICE)
Dance of the Dead - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Enfeeblement - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Oath of Ghouls - Exodus (EXO)
Despondency - Urza's Saga (USG)
Insubordination - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Chains of Mephistopheles - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Brain Maggot - Historic Anthology 2 (HA2)
Aphemia, the Cacophony - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Oversold Cemetery - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Lingering Death - Scourge (SCG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Infernal Scarring MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Core Set 2019, 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 Infernal Scarring and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Infernal Scarring Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2020-07-03. Illustrated by Mike Bierek.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1022015normalblackMike Bierek
22018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 1032015normalblackMike Bierek
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 6912015normalblackMike Bierek
42020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 1052015normalblackMike Bierek
52020-09-26The ListPLST ORI-1022015normalblackMike Bierek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Infernal Scarring has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-06-23 If Infernal Scarring and the enchanted creature are destroyed at the same time, the player will draw a card.
2020-06-23 The player who controlled the creature when it died is the one who will draw a card.

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