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Fires of Heaven - Gold, Artifacts, and Lands

This section covers a whole slew of topics, so I'll to keep my comments short.

Firstly, Gold cards are deceptively tough to make. You want to keep the flavors of each color without overpowering them, plus there's the decision of which colors to use and which to leave out. With only 10 card slots I had to pick my battles, as it were, and try to make the most interesting Gold cards possible.

With future sets in mind I designed Kerra to be an assistant to a powerful legend in Broken Borders, and I'd say my favorite gold card is Floodwater Gates, as it ties into the theme of resource destruction versus reward, but does so for colors who normally don't have experience with that theme.

Artifacts are very hard to create, particularly for the common slot, as you try to envision both constructe and draft play with cards that can go into any deck. The charge counter cycle (Gen'dai Armory, Granook Idol, etc) was one of the first artifact sets I designed, meant to be "bad" but decent in limited where a slower environment would provide you with the time to make those worthy of messing with.

Some of my favorites I'll detail below, but I'd like to think of the Artifact Creatures in this set, Ancient Protector and Shattered Soldier in particular, to be standouts.

Lastly, the lands were tough to nail down. The ability to keep lands powerful yet balanced, interesting yet not better than basic lands is a challenge that I think most don't appreciate (I know I sure as hell didn't). Many of these changed from their first incarnation, in particular the Legendary Lands, all of which had to add the clause "Comes into play tapped" to keep their power level in check.

Overall I'm most proud of the handful of artifacts and lands which made this set look a lot better than I'd ever imagined. Some of these ideas came from myself, but many of the most interesting lands (Shifting Sea, Marketplace) were the branchild of Michael Marshall, a great friend and designer who provides me with great ideas whenever I'm in need.

Here are a few of my favorite artifact and land cards:

Ah yes, who doesn't like to see 0 casting cost artifacts that provide mana of any color? I'm surprised the sacrifice drawback hasn't been tried yet, but overall it works very well. The card disadvantage is enough to keep it out of the hands of novices, and experts can design powerful multicolor decks which abuse it.

As a sanity check, the original version was called Mirror Mox. It made you play with the top card of your library revealed and could only create mana of the exposed colors. Yeah, that was super broken.

From the mind of Mr. Marshall comes one of my favorite lands. Resources vs. Reward is a long-recurring theme in Magic and Fires of Heaven doesn't stop that tradition. This is a card that provides you with whatever you need, so long as you can deal with the trade of losing board position.

Skill tester, indeed.

This one was ridiculously hard to balance. The ability to play red and slap one of these down early with a Seething Song is a very real and dangerous possibility. It will simply end the game if it cannot be dealt with. 7 may seem like a huge amount of mana for a measely artifact, but Electric Fence may still be too good, even at that cost!

Fires of Heaven - Gold, Artifact, and Lands

Sorted By: Rarity - Type - Cost (In that Order)

Nagrock Mage -

Creature - Minion
When Nagrock Mage deals combat damage, choose one — Draw a card or Nagrock Mage deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
1/1
Uncommon
#251/315

Cursed Marzan -

Creature - Zombie Cleric
: Target white creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
: Target black creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Once anointed, now disowned.
2/2
Uncommon
#252/315

Blessed Destruction -

Instant
Destroy target artifact and gain 3 life.
The Gen'dai sage spoke the sacred words, and suddenly fire erupted in the room.
Uncommon
#253/315

Zombie Sparks -

Sorcery
Destroy target creature with a converted mana cost of 3 or less.
Put a 2/2 black and red Zombie creature token into play under your control.
To mix fire and filth, oh what a glorious day.
- Durak the Forgotten

Uncommon
#254/315

Granook Upheaval -

Sorcery
Destroy target land and put a 2/2 green Granook creature token into play under your control.
The elemental rose up and fury was dispensed on the lands below.
Uncommon
#255/315

Firewater Niven -

Creature - Elemental
Flying
Sacrifice an Island: Counter target spell unless its controller pays .
Sacrifice a Mountain: Gain control of target non-flying creature with power of 2 or less until end of turn.
3/3
Rare
#256/315

Floodwater Gates -

Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Forest
Whenever enchanted Forest becomes tapped, destroy it and add to your mana pool.
Sacrifice a Forest: Return Floodwater Gates from your graveyard to your hand.
Rare
#257/315

Power of the Swift -

Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3, protection from black and Training 1 (All combat damage from each source is reduced by 1).
"Come my brothers! There is a war to win!"
- Silus, Marzan General

Rare
#258/315

Kerra, Senara's Aide -

Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
You cannot play instant spells.
, Discard a card: Draw a card
, Discard a card: Gain 2 life.
And in the fog of thought, she wanders inbetween.
2/2
Rare
#259/315

Council of the Wicked -

Sorcery
Draw X cards and lose X Life, where X equals the number of Wizards you control.
Pray only to gods who can give you what you give in return.
Rare
#260/315

Coldstone Blade -

Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+0. If that creature is red, it has First Strike.
Equip
Uncommon
#261/315

Coldstone War Chest -

Artifact
Coldstone War Chest comes into play tapped.
, : Put a charge counter on Coldstone War Chest.
, Sacrifice Coldstone War Chest: Deal X damage to target creature or player, where X equals the number of charge counters on Coldstone War Chest.
Uncommon
#262/315

Gen'dai Armory -

Artifact
Gen'dai Armory comes into play tapped.
, : Put a charge counter on Gen'dai Armory.
, Sacrifice Gen'dai Armory: Target creature gets Training X until end of turn (All combat damage dealt to this creature from each source is reduced by X), where X equals the number of charge counters on Gen'dai Armory.
Uncommon
#263/315

Gen'dia Staff -

Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has ", , Unattach Gen'dai Staff: Target creature gets Training 2 until end of turn (All combat damage dealt to this creature from each source is reduced by 2).
Equip
Uncommon
#264/315

Granook Idol -

Artifact
Granook Idol comes into play tapped.
, : Put a charge counter on Granook Idol.
, Sacrifice Granook Idol: Put an X/X green Granook Beast token into play under your control, where X equals the number of charge counters on Granook Idol.
Uncommon
#265/315

Joondai Memory Vault -

Artifact
Joondai Memory Vault comes into play tapped.
, : Put a charge counter on Joondai Memory Vault.
, Sacrifice Joondai Memory Vault: Draw X cards where X equals the number of charge counters on Joondai Memory Vault. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
Uncommon
#266/315

Shield of Karma -

Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gains +0/+3 and "Whenever this creature is dealt damage, its controller gains that much life."
Equip
Uncommon
#267/315

Thoughtstone -

Artifact
Thoughtstone comes into play tapped.
, Sacrifice Thoughtstone: Add two mana of any one color to your mana pool. Draw a card.
Uncommon
#268/315

Vampire Lair -

Artifact
Vampire Lair comes into play tapped.
, : Put a charge counter on Vampire Lair.
, Sacrifice Vampire Lair: Target opponent loses X life and you gain X life, where X equals the number of charge counters on Vampire Lair. Use only black mana this way.
Uncommon
#269/315

Ancient Protector -

Artifact Creature
Damage that would be dealt to creatures you control is dealt to Ancient Protector instead.
The Marzan believed their ancient gods watched over them, and when danger came their faith was rewarded.
1/5
Uncommon
#270/315

Gen'dai Tomb -

Artifact
Whenever a Soldier you control is put into the graveyard from play, you may gain life equal to its toughness.
Though my bones may rest, my spirit does not. - Inscription
Uncommon
#271/315

Mintok Dwellers -

Artifact Creature
, Sacrifice a land: Draw a card.
, Sacrifice Mintok Dwellers: Draw 2 cards.
Under the world, behind the shadows, they dwell forevermore.
1/2
Uncommon
#272/315

Shattered Soldier -

Artifact Creature - Soldier
Shattered Soldier comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.
Remove a +1/+1 counter: Regenerate Shattered Soldier.
It fights on without feeling or remorse.
1/1
Uncommon
#273/315

Scarab Mox -

Artifact
When Scarab Mox comes into play, sacrifice a creature or sacrifice Scarab Mox.
: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Rare
#274/315

Helm of Resistance -

Artifact
All creatures lose Recursion.
The Calming came not in the form of a spell, but a relic, hidden deep in the ancient Kirkwood Forest.
Rare
#275/315

Dragon's Eye -

Artifact
, : Shuffle your hand into your library and draw that many cards. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
To look into the Dragon's Eye - Marzan slang, "To look within oneself."
Rare
#276/315

Forbidden Shrine -

Artifact
As Forbidden Shrine comes into play, name a nonland card. That card may not be played.
It is guarded by the spirits of the living...and a really big snake.
Rare
#277/315

Doom Clock -

Artifact
Doom Clock comes into play with two doom counters on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Doom Clock is untapped, remove a doom counter.
When there are no doom counters on Doom Clock, destroy all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments.
Rare
#278/315

Coldstone Altar -

Artifact
Sacrifice a land: Deal 1 damage to target creature or player. Any player may play this ability.
"Now, feel the full power of my domain."
- Rize, Coldstone Keeper

Rare
#279/315

Electric Fence -

Artifact
While Electric Fence is untapped, whenever a land becomes tapped it deals 1 damage to its controller.
Watch out, those things hurt.
Rare
#280/315

Coldstone Caves -

Land
: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play non-creature spells.
, , Sacrifice Coldstone Caves: Target creature cannot block this turn.
Common
#281/315

Durak Marsh -

Land
: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play non-creature spells.
, , Sacrifice Durak Marsh: Target creature gains fear until end of turn.
Common
#282/315

Gen'dai Sacred Ground -

Land
: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play non-creature spells.
, , Sacrifice Gen'dai Sacred Ground: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn.
Common
#283/315

Joondai Halls -

Land
: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play non-creature spells.
, , Sacrifice Joondai Halls: Target creature gains flying until end of turn.
Common
#284/315

Kirkwood Junction -

Land
: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play non-creature spells.
, , Sacrifice Kirkwood Junction: Regenerate target green creature.
Common
#285/315

Marzan Guard Tower -

Land
Marzan Guard Tower comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Marzan Guard Tower deals 1 damage to target attacking creature.
: Marzan Guard Tower becomes a a 1/1 artifact creature until end of turn. It's still a land.
Uncommon
#286/315

War Factory -

Land - Factory
: Add to your mana pool.
: War Factory becomes a 2/2 Factory artifact creature until end of turn. It's still a land.
, : Target Factory gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Uncommon
#287/315

Marketplace -

Land
, Sacrifice a permanent: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
, Sacrifice two permanents: Draw a card.
, Sacrifice three permanents: Add to your mana pool.
"Anything is possible for the right price."
Rare
#288/315

Shifting Sea -

Land
When Shifting Sea comes into play, target a land in play. Shifting Sea becomes a copy of that land.
On the shores of the Tressan kingdom exists a place that lives only in the memories of wizards past.
Rare
#289/315

Treasonous Impass -

Land
: Add to your mana pool.
Sacrifice two creatures, : Destroy target tapped creature.
Oh, you'll find them in there, the whole damn lot of them.
Rare
#290/315

Coldstone Keep -

Legendary Land
Coldstone Keep comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Coldstone Keep deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Rare
#291/315

Durak Stronghold -

Legendary Land
Durak Stronghold comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, , Lose 2 life: Put a +1/+1 counter on target Vampire.
"That place is the devil's work, full of blood and fear." - Hayzan, King of Marzan
Rare
#292/315

Kirkwood Havens -

Legendary Land
Kirkwood Havens comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Search your library for a card named Terra, Shaman of Kirkwood and put it into play. Then shuffle and remove Kirkwood Havens from the game. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
Rare
#293/315

Shrine of Gen'dai -

Legendary Land
Shrine of Gen'dai comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Target creature you control gets Training 1 until end of turn (All combat damage from each source is reduced by 1).
Somewhere inside is the magic of our people.
Rare
#294/315

Tressan Academy -

Legendary Land
Tressan Academy comes into play tapped.
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Counter target spell unless its controller pays .
Rare
#295/315

Forest -

Basic Land - Forest
: Add to your mana pool
Basic Land
#298/315

Island -

Basic Land - Island
: Add to your mana pool
Basic Land
#303/315

Mountain -

Basic Land - Mountain
: Add to your mana pool
Basic Land
#306/315

Plains -

Basic Land - Plains
: Add to your mana pool
Basic Land
#311/315

Swamp -

Basic Land - Swamp
: Add to your mana pool
Basic Land
#312/315