I love how this card suddenly became really awesome, when combined with Spitemare. In a lifegain deck, that combo is both silly and effective in a 1 on 1.
RuzhyoX
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
I may be a bit biased since I collect Hellions, but this is one of the most fun cards ever printed. He should appeal to everyone. To a Johnny, he combos with Stuffy Doll and Spitemare. To a Spike, he's an efficient body and removal in a low-mana package. To Timmy, he's a big dude that makes stuff go boom.
hey master of etherium. start rating cards on their value, not the artwork
brunsbr103
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(11 votes)
Hey, artwork is an important part of the card. If someone wants to rate it on the artwork, then that shouldnt be a problem. I know that if werent for the awesome artwork that wizards works to get then I probably wouldnt be playing the game as much as I do.
Granted, the all caps comments are annoying.
Neutralion
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Thats the Jund way.
LokiGodofChaos
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Stuffy dolls best friend.
Tommy9898
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Another wacky card that Naya needed to make its 5 power abilities actually matter, sigh.
garbagegatherer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Where did i leave my red CoPs?
Omenchild
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How about just kill a creature, and use it with fire of yavimaya? Sounds like uber card advanage. Psuedo-vendetta plus a large body, but has to be used soon
Also combos with Thick-Skinned Goblin, since that means you don't have to pay the echo cost.
DarthMohawk1
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I suspect this is the only card that lets you deal "An amount of damage of your choice". I could give it a 5/5 for that alone, or maybe a 6/5 to match its P/T!
Evalone
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
My Favorite. Unique ability and good art deserves a 5 star rating in my opinion.
dberry02
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
+1 to Suicide Red.
Revan312
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Rafiq'TheMiststalker's combo is perfect, here's another pretty good one if anyone cares.
In all seriousness he's playable throughout the game. Need to wipeout some annoying dragon stormed dragons on turn 4? Need to ping that one annoying mana producer? Or late game when your life is low. Just cast him and choose 0 for his ability and you have a cheap 6/5
@Revan - Delaying Shield causes life loss, so Unstable Footing wouldn't do much. Cute combo, though. =P
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ragged veins maybe, turns this into a finisher in a burn deck.
Kelrath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With this and Treacherous Link in your hand, it may as well read:
{3BRR}: If an opponent has a creature in play that can be enchanted by black auras, deal an amount of damage of your choice to both of you. This damage can't be prevented.
NoobOfLore
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
The melvin in me is enjoying this card. You want to choose a higher number early game, just so you can pay his echo the next turn. He's good spot-removal on some of the biggest baddies, and Johnny can get behind his combo abilities.
All around, an excellent card. I only wish all cards could be so flavorful and dynamic.
ImpliedQuotient
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Okay, everyone's listing cool combos with this guy, which is great...but...
@ImpliedQuotient: Yeah, I completely missed that the damage can't be prevented. My deck is now rather non-functional. Runed Halo won't help because protection is damage prevention and Volcano Hellion doesn't target. The latter is also a problem with Ivory Mask. Children of Korlis might work, but not incredibly well, since you can't name an arbitrarily high number and laugh maniacally.
Oh, you might as well Spiritualize it to gain 8 Trillion life soon after surviving.
djflo
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Implied Quotient, you raised a really good point - then made the same mistake. Ivory Mask won't do anything because the Hellion doesn't target you. Similarly Runed Halo won't do anything but try to prevent the damage, which as you point out can't happen.
Children of Korlis is useful; but good luck paying the echo.
I think the card doesn't really need a combo to be good; but if you do I recommend Mogg Fanatic to kill an opponent with less life than you.
chrismus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like it. Personally, I wouldn't get into the whole 'keep it from doing damage to me' mess and just stick it in some sort of life ramp/flicker deck. Have life to spare, flicker it on your upkeep to avoid the echo cost(probably using Venser the Sojourner) and wipe your opponents board with style. It doesn't necessarily need a combo.
Moldyapple
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I may be confused, but if you use a Mogg Maniac, choose 20 (even if you and your opponent both have 20 health), can you choose which it deals damage to first? As in, can you choose Mogg Maniac, and win the game before you'd lose as the cost? Also, say you had an Essence Warden out and a Broodhatch Nantuko, could you choose a value above your life, since you'd gain every point back?
yespls
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
....... every comment here has missed 1 important fact dmg cant be prevented but it can be reduced and redirected away from your self. cards that target v.hellion can only target it after it is in play after you take the dmg i use this card with mogg maniac Repercussion and Glacial Chasm all it takes is 1 turn basicly i dont even use the echo effect just a great ftw card imo
AlphaWolfs
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I was about to comment on an instant win with that "any ammount" thing, then I relized that you hurt yourself to.... oh well, I can make a Draw deck with this deck at least :D
DarthParallax
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
FINALLY a card to KILL that DAMNED STORM CROW!!!!!!!
don't try to break the cost, or exploit the cost, that's the WHITE or BLUE mage in you talking XO EMBRACE THE COST! :D go ahead, JUST ONCE, live like a REAL RED MAGE! PAY YOUR LIFE TOTAL TO KILL A CREATURE. LOSE A GAME JUST TO MAKE SOMETHING DIE! it is the most incredible feeling ever. . . @.@ the BEST PART is, your opponents CAN'T do anything in revenge ONCE YOU'RE DEAD >:D but your allies might, i dunno, pull something lulzy out of their arses... really, seriously, try this out!
@yespls If something says it can do something, and something else says it can't, you must go with the latter.
615.11. Some effects state that damage “can’t be prevented.” If unpreventable damage would be dealt, any applicable prevention effects are still applied to it. Those effects won’t prevent any damage, but any additional effects they have will take place. Existing damage prevention shields won’t be reduced by damage that can’t be prevented.
Therefore, Glacial Chasm cannot prevent the damage from Valcano Hellion. Also, this card doesn't target you, it only targets the creature. Therefore, any redirect that states something like, "Redirect the next spell or ability that would target you" wouldn't work, e.g. Willbender could redirect the damage from Volcano Hellion targeting one creature to another, but it couldn't redirect the damage being dealt to you. Neither could Spellskite.
@Moldyapple
No, damage is dealt simultaneously to all sources when this card resolves -- the damage dealt to Mogg Maniac and to you is dealt at the same time. By the time the trigger from Mogg Maniac goes on the stack, you're already dead from taking 20 damage.
@ImpliedQuotient
Per the rules, Runed Halo will do nothing to save you. Runed Halo gives you protection from a named source, but protection in this case means preventing damage (because, as noted, Volcano Hellion does not target you, so protection from it via Runed Halo does not stop it from trying to deal damage to you). Once it tries to do damage to you, it will see that you have protection from Valcano Hellion and it will say, "Well, crap, let's prevent that damage." The game rules then say, "Wait! This damage can't be prevented."
Ivory Mask wouldn't help you for the same reason. Shroud wouldn't protect you as you aren't targeting yourself. Children of Korlis would help you provided you only deal enough damage to not kill you, because you need to sacrifice Children of Korlis after the damage has been dealt, not in response (otherwise it will resolve before Volcano Hellion and see that you haven't lost any life yet). If you have 20 life and you have this deal 19, you could survive with one, sacrifice Children, and gain 19 back. You'd have to deal the damage to a creature other than Children of Korlis of course though, because again, you can't sacrifice Korlis before the damage is dealt to it and you.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I may have to buy/run one just for the art.
Fictionarious
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Hmmm . . . odd question.
Can I pay a negative life total?
Would I just pay zero and keep it, or have to sacrifice it?
Salient
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Combos with lifelink.
Alabaster Mage. Seriously. Why assemble a fragile three-card combo to kill your opponent with the damage when you can just gain a billion billion life and then deck them?
For those who don't see it: If you have a Volcano Hellion with lifelink deal 100 damage with its ability, it deals 100 damage to you and 100 damage to whatever creature; that damage causes you to gain a total of 200 life at the same time, so all in all you gain 100 life and some creature diiiiies. Now replace 100 with a much larger number. :)
@chrismus Planeswalkers won't help you outside of your main phases
@yespls Hi wrong, I'm dad.
It's amazing because this card has the most rules misconceptions I've ever seen on one page, and it doesn't even deal with layers! It's just a Banefire!
On another note, I LOVE THIS CARD. ART, EFFECT, NAME, ALL AWESOME!
rob1n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can you play a 'counter target spell' on him since the damage can't be prevented?
manaderp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@rob1n: Yes, one could do that. All that "the damage can't be prevented" means is that the damage dealt by this particular triggered ability can't be stopped once it starts to happen, eg. by Auriok Replica's ability. Countering him means he doesn't go onto the battlefield and his ability therefore never triggers at all.
In general, Magic wording is very specific and precise. It can take some getting used to, but on the flip side, any card interaction can be deduced perfectly from the text and the CR (though mistakes are possible ofc).
Comments (47)
Granted, the all caps comments are annoying.
"1 billion"- Me
"My boy!"- Opponent
Two cards.. Delaying Shield and Puca's Mischief.. just cast an Unstable Footing or keep a counter ready in response to the shield dumping it's counters once it's exchanged.
In all seriousness he's playable throughout the game.
Need to wipeout some annoying dragon stormed dragons on turn 4?
Need to ping that one annoying mana producer?
Or late game when your life is low. Just cast him and choose 0 for his ability and you have a cheap 6/5
{3BRR}: If an opponent has a creature in play that can be enchanted by black auras, deal an amount of damage of your choice to both of you. This damage can't be prevented.
You want to choose a higher number early game, just so you can pay his echo the next turn.
He's good spot-removal on some of the biggest baddies, and Johnny can get behind his combo abilities.
All around, an excellent card. I only wish all cards could be so flavorful and dynamic.
What part of The damage can't be prevented don't people understand? Intervention Pact, Samite Ministration, Reverse Damage, Purity, Chant of Vitu-Ghazi...All of these are interesting, but relatively useless in a combo here. Runed Halo, Ivory Mask, Children of Korlis...they'd be far more helpful.
Mogg Maniac
Repercussion
Spitemare
Stuffy Doll
Pair with Angel's Grace and/or Near-Death Experience for lulz!
@ImpliedQuotient:
Yeah, I completely missed that the damage can't be prevented. My deck is now rather non-functional. Runed Halo won't help because protection is damage prevention and Volcano Hellion doesn't target. The latter is also a problem with Ivory Mask. Children of Korlis might work, but not incredibly well, since you can't name an arbitrarily high number and laugh maniacally.
Beacon of Destiny, Martyrdom, and Glarecaster work fine, though. I'll probably use the formermost as a replacement for Intervention Pact. It's really a huge shame.
4.5/5 overall.
Yes, if you can give it lifelink, you will live, and gloriously at that. Try Alabaster Mage, or Leonin Shikari/Brass Squire + Basilisk Collar, or Simic Guildmage/Aura Finesse/Glamer Spinners + Lifelink, or Vedalken Orrery + whatever. Or True Conviction. Mmmmm...
Oh, you might as well Spiritualize it to gain 8 Trillion life soon after surviving.
Children of Korlis is useful; but good luck paying the echo.
I think the card doesn't really need a combo to be good; but if you do I recommend Mogg Fanatic to kill an opponent with less life than you.
don't try to break the cost, or exploit the cost, that's the WHITE or BLUE mage in you talking XO EMBRACE THE COST! :D go ahead, JUST ONCE, live like a REAL RED MAGE! PAY YOUR LIFE TOTAL TO KILL A CREATURE. LOSE A GAME JUST TO MAKE SOMETHING DIE!
it is the most incredible feeling ever. . . @.@
the BEST PART is, your opponents CAN'T do anything in revenge ONCE YOU'RE DEAD >:D
but your allies might, i dunno, pull something lulzy out of their arses...
really, seriously, try this out!
@yespls
If something says it can do something, and something else says it can't, you must go with the latter.
615.11. Some effects state that damage “can’t be prevented.” If unpreventable damage would be dealt,
any applicable prevention effects are still applied to it. Those effects won’t prevent any damage, but
any additional effects they have will take place. Existing damage prevention shields won’t be
reduced by damage that can’t be prevented.
Therefore, Glacial Chasm cannot prevent the damage from Valcano Hellion. Also, this card doesn't target you, it only targets the creature. Therefore, any redirect that states something like, "Redirect the next spell or ability that would target you" wouldn't work, e.g. Willbender could redirect the damage from Volcano Hellion targeting one creature to another, but it couldn't redirect the damage being dealt to you. Neither could Spellskite.
@Moldyapple
No, damage is dealt simultaneously to all sources when this card resolves -- the damage dealt to Mogg Maniac and to you is dealt at the same time. By the time the trigger from Mogg Maniac goes on the stack, you're already dead from taking 20 damage.
@ImpliedQuotient
Per the rules, Runed Halo will do nothing to save you. Runed Halo gives you protection from a named source, but protection in this case means preventing damage (because, as noted, Volcano Hellion does not target you, so protection from it via Runed Halo does not stop it from trying to deal damage to you). Once it tries to do damage to you, it will see that you have protection from Valcano Hellion and it will say, "Well, crap, let's prevent that damage." The game rules then say, "Wait! This damage can't be prevented."
Ivory Mask wouldn't help you for the same reason. Shroud wouldn't protect you as you aren't targeting yourself. Children of Korlis would help you provided you only deal enough damage to not kill you, because you need to sacrifice Children of Korlis after the damage has been dealt, not in response (otherwise it will resolve before Volcano Hellion and see that you haven't lost any life yet). If you have 20 life and you have this deal 19, you could survive with one, sacrifice Children, and gain 19 back. You'd have to deal the damage to a creature other than Children of Korlis of course though, because again, you can't sacrifice Korlis before the damage is dealt to it and you.
Can I pay a negative life total?
Would I just pay zero and keep it, or have to sacrifice it?
Alabaster Mage. Seriously. Why assemble a fragile three-card combo to kill your opponent with the damage when you can just gain a billion billion life and then deck them?
For those who don't see it: If you have a Volcano Hellion with lifelink deal 100 damage with its ability, it deals 100 damage to you and 100 damage to whatever creature; that damage causes you to gain a total of 200 life at the same time, so all in all you gain 100 life and some creature diiiiies. Now replace 100 with a much larger number. :)
@chrismus
Planeswalkers won't help you outside of your main phases
@yespls
Hi wrong, I'm dad.
It's amazing because this card has the most rules misconceptions I've ever seen on one page, and it doesn't even deal with layers! It's just a Banefire!
On another note, I LOVE THIS CARD. ART, EFFECT, NAME, ALL AWESOME!
In general, Magic wording is very specific and precise. It can take some getting used to, but on the flip side, any card interaction can be deduced perfectly from the text and the CR (though mistakes are possible ofc).