Heat Ray
Instant
Heat Ray deals X damage to target creature.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Iconic Masters
- Price
- $0.04
- EDHREC rank
- #19321
Heat Ray deals X damage to any target for X mana — flexible, instant-speed removal that scales into the late game. The cost is exactly that scaling: it's never mana-efficient, so it earns its slot only in decks that generate absurd amounts of mana and need an outlet that can also kill a creature or close a game.
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, Heat Ray earns consideration in big-mana or infinite-mana shells where the X value becomes irrelevant — if you're generating unlimited mana, pointing Heat Ray at a player's face ends the game on the spot. Outside those combos, it's outclassed by cheaper, more efficient removal. In Pauper, the common card pool narrows options enough that scalable instant-speed burn has real standing, and Heat Ray sees occasional play in Izzet or Gruul lists that can fuel large X spells. In Modern and Legacy, it's too slow and mana-intensive to compete with the format's removal staples and sees essentially no play.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.04 bulk tier
At $0.04, Heat Ray is deep bulk — you'll find copies in any common box or thrown into trade binders for free. Price stability is a non-issue; Heat Ray will stay at the floor indefinitely given its narrow competitive application.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.