Magma Phoenix
Creature — Phoenix
Flying
When this creature dies, it deals 3 damage to each creature and each player.
: Return this card from your graveyard to your hand.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Magic 2010
- Price
- $0.25
- EDHREC rank
- #17760
Magma Phoenix enters swinging — a 5/4 flyer that deals 3 damage to each creature and player when it dies, then returns itself to your hand, threatening to repeat the whole cycle. Six mana is a real ask, but in any shell that kills its own Phoenix on demand, that cost pays for itself the moment it hits the table. Syrix, Carrier of the Flame turns every recurrence into a free Lightning Bolt, which makes this a must-answer threat rather than a situational beater.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Syrix, Carrier of the Flame
Syrix, Carrier of the Flame pings a target for 3 whenever a Phoenix dies and untaps to attack when any Phoenix hits the graveyard — Magma Phoenix feeds both triggers, then bounces back to hand to threaten the whole loop again next turn.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Magma Phoenix actually earns its slot, specifically inside Syrix, Carrier of the Flame builds that need recursive, self-replacing threats. In Legacy and Vintage, six mana for a 5/4 is dead on arrival — those formats don't wait around, and the death trigger doesn't close games fast enough to compete. Modern is technically legal but practically absent; the mana cost and lack of immediate board-dominating impact push it out of any competitive list. Magma Phoenix is a Commander card through and through, and even there it's only as good as your ability to kill it repeatedly.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.25 bulk tier
At $0.25, Magma Phoenix sits firmly in bulk territory — easy to pick up as a throw-in or from a bulk bin. Bulk mythics and rares with narrow synergy homes rarely climb unless a new commander breaks the card wide open, so don't expect appreciation, but at this price there's no reason not to run it in the one deck that actually wants it.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.