Carbonize
Instant
Carbonize deals 3 damage to any target. If it's a creature, it can't be regenerated this turn, and if it would die this turn, exile it instead.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Eternal Masters
- Price
- $0.09
- EDHREC rank
- #25135
Carbonize deals 3 damage to any target and exiles the creature if it dies this turn — the exile clause is what separates it from a worse Lightning Bolt. At three mana in red, it's passable but not exciting; better options exist at every price point.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Carbonize competes in a slot crowded with cheaper, more flexible removal — Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile exile unconditionally at one mana, and even within red, Chaos Warp hits any permanent. Carbonize earns consideration only in mono-red builds that specifically need exile to answer recursion-heavy strategies like Karador, Ghost Chieftain or Meren of Clan Nel Toth. In Pauper, the common card pool is shallow enough that 3-damage exile at instant speed is a real rate, and it sees occasional play in red aggro and control shells. Legacy and Vintage have no interest — the formats move too fast for a three-mana single-target spell with no other upside.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.09 bulk tier
At $0.09, Carbonize is pure bulk — you're paying almost nothing to slot it. That price reflects its power level accurately; don't expect it to climb.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.