way better than the old manticores that had to tap for this ability
Faust-The-Desolate
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
7 mana for a 6/6 flying, not too bad. Just give it first strike and use its ability to sac whatever can kill it
Wraique
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(8 votes)
Look at that tremendous blazing gout of fiery death! Flee! Flee for your lives children!
majinara
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(7 votes)
It's an alright dragon. If your opponent has lots of small creatures it can be pretty good. If your opponent plays some kind of control or combo deck though, that has few to no creatures, then this is just a 6/6 for 7, and in that case shivan dragon and the normal firebreathers would be far better.
GruesomeGoo
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Ridiculously amazing art, and a decent card as well.
schacher
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(8 votes)
Give me back Shivan Dragon.
CJM2
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
I think this thing's ability is more like firebreathing than the ability dubbed "firebreathing." It's like spraying a swath of flames over the opponent's creatures. Very flavorful, if you ask me.
izzet_guild_mage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The existence of Baneslayer really, really deteriorates the value this otherwise appealing card. It just cannot compete. Isn't Wizards' policy supposed to be that rarity should not trump other aspects of a card? Honestly, Red and Black are going to have a tough time producing a rare bomb that can match the super rare baneslayer. And I think that's silly. But in the context of the Magic I grew up with, the one without super rares, this card seems just fine. It's a 4 turn evasive clock that can hinder counterattacks and remove chumps, and it's incredibly flavorful, to boot. Oddly, I didn't see a single one at the prerelease...
infernox10
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In many cases, I would rather have Flameblast Dragon out.
Not to say this card isn't good,
Since you can actually spread out the damage against a lot of lesser creatures if need be.
Oh, giving it any sort of enchantment/equipment for deathtouch is also a deliciously evil scheme. ^^
this is good... but i'd rather roll with Flameblast Dragon. Sorry mr hellkitebad@ss. :S
sarroth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I agree that Flameblast Dragon is generally better. I have to say though that comparisons to Baneslayer Angel are getting a little old, though. It's a dragon, so we've known for a year that it probably wouldn't be able to tackle with BA. Wizards has, however, released more cards for Red and Black (and even Green!) this time around that can deal with the angel, so it's now like there aren't any answers to her. Not every card is going to be able to take down every card, and that includes the Baneslayer. If she's overpowered now, at least she has protection from dragons and demons and not red and black, so Doom Blade and Combust can take care of her. By itself, the Hellkite is nice, but I prefer having Shivan Dragon back in the core set.
murder100
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's not a great dragon, but does anyone else think the release version is pretty cool?
n00bmag1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very cool Dragon, very badass art. As said already, deathtouch is fantastic on this.
LiXinjian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sometimes, the art and colored frame really come together to make a beautiful card. This is one such card. Another is Fulminator Mage.
Oh, how I wish this was playable.
Anggul
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Play. Next turn: use a lot of that mana to blow away opposing creatures and eat them.
IshubarashI
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(6 votes)
What's that? I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome my dragon is while it's destroying your blockers.
Anyways, I think I'd rather have this than flameblast, I mean flameblast is good but this can target more than one creature, so it can take out many smaller creatures, or one big creature that could block the hellkite, in which case ancient hellkite would do 6 damage to the player anyway. I just prefer the versatility this card offers, instead of "you get to cast a single-target fireball, have fun"
Also, as some have said, if you slap a basilisk collar on this thing, it can wreak absolute havoc on your opponents creatures. Lets see flameblast clear the battlefield for per creature!
As cool as this guy is (what with his excellent art being all over the 2011 box and being a very flavorful card to boot), I can't help but feel disappointed by him. He's unplayable in constructed. At seven mana, red has Destructive Force, a card that has generated its own archetype. At six mana, red has a much better creature in the form of Inferno Titan.
Limited, of course is a different story. In one draft, there was a game in which I reduced my opponent to 1 life while remaining at 20 life, then he played this and defeated me two turns later. Having been blown away by him, I happily first-picked one in a later draft. In that particular draft, the only time he hit the field was on my opponent's side, having been discarded by a well-placed Mind Rot and subsequently reanimated by Rise from the Grave. Good card, but poor execution on my part- where this guy is good is not in an aggressive deck like the one I was playing in that tournament. He fits much better in a red/green deck with mana acceleration.
Still, though, even in a red/green deck with mana ramp, I would rather have Inferno Titan or Chandra Nalaar...
GrimjawxRULES
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awesome art, and as mentioned pretty sick with Basilisk collar. Man, I sure did love this in limited.
gromgrom777
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
glad to see this replaced Bogardan Hellkite. Just kidding. What a joke.
Weary_PSI
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Just one of those cards that makes the game fun. Handy for taking out those annoying hordes of lil would-be blockers. Granted, it's pricy, but hey, if they undercosted it we'd complain about THAT instead.
FragNutMK1
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(10 votes)
This quite possibly has the BEST artwork of any dragon printed. Really captures the essence of a flying tyrannical jerk-face. "Haha! Burn, puny peasants, BURN!"
Diachronos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Basilisk Collar or Quietus Spike turn him into a field-clearer. Virulent Swipe works too, with the added bonus of him becoming an 8/6 for a couple turns.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
gets rid of those annoying cats
Anubisisking
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I love this guy's alternate art version. He's really, really good actually.
iPreferStormCrow
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
People running Soldier Decks are NOT gonna be happy with this one.
Conanon
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I love the artwork and I guess the balance between stats and cost are fairly decent too.
MasterOfEfherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(9 votes)
Too Bad This Thing Dies To Removal!
Halaphax
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@lorendorky
Turn 3, Pyretic Ritual, Geosurge, Ancient Hellkite.
Nayban
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
So glad they printed this guy on Playmats.
Piano244
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I think this is a great card. Awesome for shooting down your opponents defenders!! :D
I much prefer Flameblast Dragon to this guy. Sure, Ancient Hellkite can target multiple creatures, but Flameblast can A) work wonders in a deck with some green mana ramp and B) do more damage to your opponent for the finisher.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Sorry, you're not Titan.
Dr_Fletchers
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dragons are always brilliant to look at, but this card has potential if you have the mana so a geosurge combo would work nicely :-)
Dubey
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Halaphax
Turn 1, Mountain, Rite of Flame, Pyretic Ritual, Geosurge, Ancient Hellkite
ZirilanoftheClaw
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
am actually wouldnt flameblast just cost 1R to do the same thing to each creature your opponent controls? once he attacks the option to use his ability is open but it dosnt say that you can only use it once, so you could attack and pay 1R to do one damage to that creature and 1R to deal one to another and another, yes it does divide the mana to damage ratio in half but also the fact that he can target an opponent for the win and he costs 1 less mana to cast...
This card is really gd, but Duskdale Wurm, which is a 7/7, is a way better card. It even has trample.
Binaro
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@humor_love
Nope, you can activate its ability as long as it's attacking. An attacking creature is a creature that is declared an attacker during a combat phase, so throughout the entire combat phase, you may activate its ability whenever you want during the combat phase, as long as it is tapped and attacking.
ParishInquisitor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My first-ever rare. I love him. He's big, wipes out weenies and potential blockers, and has perhaps the best art on any dragon ever printed. He looks really good in foil, too. Has been and always will be one of my favorite cards.
AnonymousPerson
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is really pretty good. Even without its ability its still a 6/6 7 mana flying.
Kaleidostorm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Probably the only Dragon that isn't afraid of Silklash Spider
talcumpowder0046
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Normally, i'd rate on card design, but that art.
humor_love
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Binaro: I was referring to Flameblast Dragon, not Ancient Hellkite.
"Whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks, you may pay ... ." So you pay "when (it) attacks" (once it is declared as an attacker, it immediately "attacks"), not "while" it "is attacking" (i.e. after being declared as an attacker but before combat resolves). (Although, according to Gatherer, Wizards has no official ruling regarding this issue; and they could obviously easily come in and negate my reading of it.)
Ancient Hellkite's ability can be activated while it "is attacking".
Yeah, A.H. is better for getting after multiple creatures in a mono-red (or very red-heavy) deck, than is Flameblast Dragon. Flameblast Dragon gets after a single target creature (employing mana of any or no color), or it gets after the defending player her or himself, with said mana. I guess Shivan Dragon is a better blocker than either of these newer dragons.
They're each fun in different ways and in different decks. I think Ancient Hellkite is about a 3.5.
I agree that the cost is balanced with the creature as a whole, and I agree that this art is freaking badass. This has to be among the coolest artwork I've seen on a Magic card - maybe the coolest.
Comments (47)
But in the context of the Magic I grew up with, the one without super rares, this card seems just fine. It's a 4 turn evasive clock that can hinder counterattacks and remove chumps, and it's incredibly flavorful, to boot. Oddly, I didn't see a single one at the prerelease...
Not to say this card isn't good,
Since you can actually spread out the damage against a lot of lesser creatures if need be.
Oh, giving it any sort of enchantment/equipment for deathtouch is also a deliciously evil scheme. ^^
Oh, how I wish this was playable.
Anyways, I think I'd rather have this than flameblast, I mean flameblast is good but this can target more than one creature, so it can take out many smaller creatures, or one big creature that could block the hellkite, in which case ancient hellkite would do 6 damage to the player anyway. I just prefer the versatility this card offers, instead of "you get to cast a single-target fireball, have fun"
Also, as some have said, if you slap a basilisk collar on this thing, it can wreak absolute havoc on your opponents creatures. Lets see flameblast clear the battlefield for
Limited, of course is a different story. In one draft, there was a game in which I reduced my opponent to 1 life while remaining at 20 life, then he played this and defeated me two turns later. Having been blown away by him, I happily first-picked one in a later draft. In that particular draft, the only time he hit the field was on my opponent's side, having been discarded by a well-placed Mind Rot and subsequently reanimated by Rise from the Grave. Good card, but poor execution on my part- where this guy is good is not in an aggressive deck like the one I was playing in that tournament. He fits much better in a red/green deck with mana acceleration.
Still, though, even in a red/green deck with mana ramp, I would rather have Inferno Titan or Chandra Nalaar...
Turn 3, Pyretic Ritual, Geosurge, Ancient Hellkite.
Turn 1, Mountain, Rite of Flame, Pyretic Ritual, Geosurge, Ancient Hellkite
@ Halaphax:
Turn 1: Mountain, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame and Ancient Hellkite.
:)
Nope, you can activate its ability as long as it's attacking. An attacking creature is a creature that is declared an attacker during a combat phase, so throughout the entire combat phase, you may activate its ability whenever you want during the combat phase, as long as it is tapped and attacking.
Has been and always will be one of my favorite cards.
No, Flameblast Dragon can only use its ability one time per attack.
"Whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks, you may pay ... ." So you pay "when (it) attacks" (once it is declared as an attacker, it immediately "attacks"), not "while" it "is attacking" (i.e. after being declared as an attacker but before combat resolves). (Although, according to Gatherer, Wizards has no official ruling regarding this issue; and they could obviously easily come in and negate my reading of it.)
Ancient Hellkite's ability can be activated while it "is attacking".
Yeah, A.H. is better for getting after multiple creatures in a mono-red (or very red-heavy) deck, than is Flameblast Dragon. Flameblast Dragon gets after a single target creature (employing mana of any or no color), or it gets after the defending player her or himself, with said mana. I guess Shivan Dragon is a better blocker than either of these newer dragons.
They're each fun in different ways and in different decks. I think Ancient Hellkite is about a 3.5.
I agree that the cost is balanced with the creature as a whole, and I agree that this art is freaking badass. This has to be among the coolest artwork I've seen on a Magic card - maybe the coolest.