Firebending in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Roku's Mastery | Illustration by Jo Cordisco

Firebending is the elemental bending art dominated by the Fire Nation, the main antagonists in Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s also one of the bending arts Avatar Aang needs to master, but he’ll have to learn this from his sworn enemies, somehow.

In MTG terms, firebending is a very red ability associated with the production of red mana while you attack, probably inspired by the classic firebreathing. And yes, some firebending creatures even have firebreathing to help spend the generated mana right away.

The mechanic is a little bit tricky, so let’s see what makes it tick in greater detail, as well as the best firebending cards.

How Does Firebending Work?

Fists of Flame | Illustration by Jason Kiantoro

Firebending X is an attack trigger that says: “Whenever this creature attacks, add X . This mana lasts until end of combat.” Most firebending cards have firebending 1 or 2, while others have firebending X, where X is its power.

Generating mana that you can only use in combat has a clear disadvantage because you can’t use it to play spells during your main phase, so to make the best out of it, there are some alternatives.

First, you can use this mana to enhance your creatures in combat, either via their activated abilities or through combat tricks. You can also flash a creature or aura in so that all this mana doesn’t go to waste. Fortunately, MTG designers added some activated abilities on firebending creatures to help us in this endeavor.

A good example is Azula, On the Hunt. You attack with it and create a Clue token, which is a default place to spend the 2 mana you generate with its firebending 2 ability.

The History of Firebending in MTG

Firebending was first introduced in Avatar: The Last Airbender (TLA), and in Avatar: The Last Airbender Eternal (TLE). A good chunk of these sets’ creatures (20-30) have the firebending ability, and most of them are red, followed by black. Today, I’ll cover the creatures that have firebending, but many other cards create 2/2 tokens with firebending 1.

When Can You Use the Mana from Firebending?

You can use the mana from firebending until your combat phase ends. MTG has some different steps within combat, and firebending triggers on the declare attackers step. You can use the mana during your declare attackers step, your opponents’ declare blockers step, during the combat damage step, and also during the end of combat step. You lose the mana as soon as you enter your second main phase.

Can You Use Firebending Mana in Your Second Main Phase?

No, you can’t. Firebending mana is gone as soon as your second main phase begins, barring any mana storage abilities you might have (Omnath, Locus of All, Kruphix, God of Horizons) to keep the mana in your mana pool. Special shoutout to Ozai, the Phoenix King, which combines both firebending and a way to keep your mana around.

Can You Use Firebending Mana Before Blocks Are Declared?

Yes. You can use firebending mana through all the steps of your combat phase, and that can be after you declare a firebending creature as an attacker, but before your opponents have a chance to declare blockers.

Do Multiple Instances of Firebending Stack?

Yes, they do, but multiple instances trigger separately. For example, if you cast Sozin's Comet, all your attacking creatures get firebending 5. If a creature you control already had firebending 2, then that creature generates 7 mana when it attacks from both firebending abilities, which each resolves on its own.

Does Firebending Work with Extra Combats?

Yes, but only if you don’t have another main phase in between.

If you attack on both combat steps with the same firebending creature, the ability triggers once every attack step. Second, the mana generated on the first combat step can still be used in the extra combat step as long as you never leave combat.

Most extra combat spells add in extra main phases, so it can be difficult to float firebending mana between multiple combats.

Is Firebending a Triggered Ability?

Yes, it is. Firebending always triggers “whenever this creature attacks”.

Is Firebending a Mana Ability?

No, it’s not. A mana ability is an activated ability that produces mana, usually by tapping permanents, like lands and mana dorks. Mana filters count as mana abilities, too. Firebending generates mana, but it’s not an activated ability, and it doesn’t trigger from the resolution of other mana abilities.

Does Firebending Affect Color Identity?

No, firebending doesn’t affect a card’s color identity for Commander because the mana pips are part of the reminder text, not the rules text.

Let’s take Azula, Ruthless Firebender as an example. It’s a black card for Commander, regardless of its ability allowing you to generate red mana. Similarly, Azula, Cunning Usurper has a Dimir () color identity.

Firebending is similar to the extort ability in this regard, because extort doesn’t add anything to the color identity. Blind Obedience is a white card, while Crypt Ghast is a black card.

What Happens If You Remove the Creature in Response to a Firebending Trigger?

The mana is still added to your mana pool. Removing the creature only works before it attacks. If the creature has already attacked, the firebend ability still triggers, and the mana will be added.

Gallery and List of Firebending Cards

• Avatar Aang / Aang, Master of Elements
• Azula, Cunning Usurper
• Azula, On the Hunt
• Azula, Ruthless Firebender
• Boiling Rock Rioter
• Firebending Student
• Fire Lord Azula
• Fire Lord Zuko
• Fire Nation Cadets
• Fire Nation Occupation
• Fire Nation Palace
• Fire Nation Turret
• Fire Sages
• Iroh, Dragon of the West
• Iroh, Grand Lotus
• Jeong Jeong, the Deserter
• Loyal Fire Sage
• Mai and Zuko
• Ozai, the Phoenix King
• Ran and Shaw
• Rough Rhino Cavalry
• Sozin's Comet
• Sun Warriors
• The Legend of Roku / Avatar Roku
• The Rise of Sozin / Fire Lord Sozin
• Tundra Tank
• Uncle Iroh
• Vindictive Warden
• Zhao, Ruthless Admiral
• Zuko, Exiled Prince
• Zuko, Firebending Master
• Zuko, Seeking Honor

Best Firebending Cards

#9. Iroh, Grand Lotus

Iroh, Grand Lotus is more of a lesson build around card than a firebending card, but it’s nice that you can use the mana from firebending on your instant-speed lessons. Lier, Disciple of the Drowned was a nice card, and now we have this in Temur () colors for more EDH deckbuilding options.

#8. Fire Nation Cadets

Aggressively costed 1-drops usually see Constructed play, at least in Standard. Think of Fire Nation Cadets as a 2/2 or greater for 1 red mana, if your deck has ways to put lessons into your graveyard. This card can be much more powerful with good pump spells.

#7. Ozai, the Phoenix King

Aside from having a mana value of 6, I don’t see a downside here. Ozai, the Phoenix King is a 7/7 trample and haste creature that hits like a truck and generates 4 mana, which isn’t going anywhere. Not to mention, it can get flying and indestructible if you have 6 mana floating.

#6. Mai and Zuko

Mai and Zuko is a pretty interesting build around card. The ability to cast spells with flash is one of the better ways to make use of firebending. Of course, the more firebenders you have at your disposal, the more expensive cards you’ll be able to cast. But just flashing in a value creature like a Solemn Simulacrum is already a good proposition.

#5. Sozin’s Comet

Although Sozin's Comet isn’t a creature with firebending, granting firebending 5 to all creatures that attack is massively powerful and allows you to generate heaps of mana. You’ll also need a good mana sink to use that, but between X-damage spells and some storm combos, you’re probably set.

#4. Firebending Student

Firebending Student is an exciting new 2-drop. The combination of prowess and firebending equal to its power is potentially explosive. This card can easily attack as a 3/2 or 4/2 and add that much mana to your mana pool.

#3. Zuko, Firebending Master

Zuko, Firebending Master is both an enabler and a payoff for experience counters. A 2/2 with first strike is an excellent body to justify attacking every turn and using combat tricks, which you’ll pay for with firebending, of course. But if you’re not into that, you can include this card in other decks. When I see experience counters and red on the same card, I immediately think that this will do just fine in an Otharri, Suns' Glory deck.

#2. Avatar Aang / Aang, Master of Elements

I don’t know how easy it is to bend all four elements in just one turn, but at the same time, a 4/4 flier that can draw you some extra cards every turn is a nice creature. Just attacking with Avatar Aang will already bend fire and draw you an extra card. Transforming this card back and forth is excellent, so a simple card like Moonmist should be excellent here.

#1. Azula, Ruthless Firebender

A personal favorite of mine, discard-heavy decks will appreciate a card like Azula, Ruthless Firebender. Raking in experience counters is easy when you make all players discard a card. And when you’re paying 3 mana to add +4/+4 or greater, you’re in for a good time. Build around it, or add it to an experience counters deck, it’s going to be excellent no matter what you choose.

Wrap Up

Sozin's Comet | Illustration by Salvatorre Zee Yazzie

Everything changes when the Fire Nation attacks! Firebending is clearly a big mechanic for TLA, and the louder mechanic at that with a lot of cards. In a way, that shows how dominant the army of the Fire Nation was in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Just judging from the cards alone, they’re everywhere.

What’s more, many rares and mythics have firebending and are aggressively costed, so we should see a fair amount of firebending in Constructed formats in the days to come. I hope you’re as excited as I am to do some firebending as soon as it’s available.

What do you think about firebending, guys? Is it the best bending mechanic in Avatar? Let me know in the comments section below, or let’s discuss it over on the Draftsim Discord.

As always, thanks for reading!