Cleansing Wildfire
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Draw a card.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Zendikar Rising
- Price
- $0.37
- EDHREC rank
- #7246
Cleansing Wildfire destroys a land and replaces it with a basic — meaning the opponent gets to search, and you draw a card. That card draw is the whole point: two mana for removal plus cantrip plus the occasional land-hate upside is an absurdly efficient rate, and River Song decks that care about spells resolving have made it a staple.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
River Song
River Song triggers off instants and sorceries cast from anywhere, and Cleansing Wildfire is a two-mana instant that replaces itself — it's essentially a free spell in the engine, fueling spoilers and drawing deeper on the same turn.
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Zo-Zu the Punisher pings opponents whenever they put a land into play, so Cleansing Wildfire pulling a basic out of an opponent's library is a feature, not a concession — you blow up a nonbasic, they search for a basic, and Zo-Zu collects the tax.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Cleansing Wildfire is primarily a cantrip that happens to answer utility lands — Strip Mine, Cabal Coffers, Dark Depths — at instant speed for two mana, which is well below rate for targeted land removal. In Pauper, land destruction is a real archetype and Cleansing Wildfire fits neatly into red-based control shells that want cheap interaction that doesn't strand them on resources. Modern and Pioneer see essentially no play; land destruction at sorcery speed is uncompetitive at those power levels, and the cantrip doesn't bridge the gap. Legacy has access to better options, but the card is legal if a niche deck ever wants it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.37 bulk tier
At $0.37, Cleansing Wildfire is deep bulk — a pickup you throw in a cart to hit free shipping. It sees enough Commander play that copies stay in print and circulation, so there's no pressure to buy in; it will be sitting in bulk bins indefinitely.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- River Song
- Zo-Zu the Punisher
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.