Furnace Whelp MTG Card


Instant power boost at any time makes Furnace Whelp a flexible and unpredictable threat in combat. Its dependency on red mana for abilities can restrict deck building, requiring careful mana management. Furnace Whelp’s synergy with certain cards can exponentially increase its power and impact on the game.
Card setsReleased in 16 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Flying : Furnace Whelp gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Baby dragons can't figure out humans—if they didn't want to be killed, why were they made of meat and treasure?


Cards like Furnace Whelp

Furnace Whelp is a creature card that finds its place among the roster of flying dragons in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards like Dragon Hatchling which also shares the ability to boost its power through mana investment. Both cards require red mana to increase their firepower for that turn, yet Furnace Whelp starts off stronger with its base power and toughness.

Looking at other kin, we come across cards such as Ember Weaver, showcasing the flexibility of red creatures with fire-breathing abilities. Though Ember Weaver cannot fly, its potential to gain reach under certain conditions can make it a valuable defensive counterpart to the striking, offensive nature of Furnace Whelp. Conversely, Furnace Whelp being a dragon, typically carries a higher mana cost for its evasive and scalable attack capabilities.

Evaluating these options, Furnace Whelp holds its own in aerial combat scenarios and in situations where you have mana to spare to increase its threat level. This makes it a considerable choice for decks focusing on ascending the skies with fiery dragons and a strategy aimed at gradually overpowering opponents through sustained aerial dominance.

Dragon Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Ember Weaver - MTG Card versions
Dragon Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Ember Weaver - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Furnace Whelp by color, type and mana cost

Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Ogre Gatecrasher - MTG Card versions
Reckless One - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Ogre Gatecrasher - MTG Card versions
Reckless One - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Furnace Whelp’s ability to adjust its power instantly can catch opponents off-guard, potentially trading up in combat and removing threats while keeping your Whelp on the board. This ability maintains pressure and card economy by enabling advantageous combat scenarios.

Resource Acceleration: As a flying creature, Furnace Whelp can take advantage of cards that benefit from creatures with flight, often accelerating your resource advantage, whether it’s through added combat damage or synergistic interactions with other cards that reward flying creature control.

Instant Speed: The capacity to boost Furnace Whelp’s power at instant speed grants a great deal of flexibility. You can hold mana open during your opponent’s turn and only boost the Whelp’s power as needed, whether in response to a spell or during an unexpected combat engagement, making it a versatile combatant and a tricky target for your opponent’s removal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The ability to boost Furnace Whelp’s power requires a substantial mana investment. To increase its damage potential, you need to dispose of precious mana that could otherwise be allocated to developing your board or reacting to threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Furnace Whelp’s reliance on red mana for both summoning and ability activation can restrict its integration into multicolor decks. Players need to ensure a consistent red mana source to utilize this creature effectively, which can constrain deck building flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With other creatures and spells available at a lower mana cost, Furnace Whelp’s four-manacost for summoning and additional mana for ability activation may appear costly. This can affect the card’s playability in fast-paced games where efficiency and tempo are crucial.


Reasons to Include Furnace Whelp in Your Collection

Versatility: Furnace Whelp is a flexible addition to any red-focused deck, especially those that capitalize on flying creatures and incremental power boosts. Its ability to pump up its own power provides a scalable threat that can adapt to many in-game situations.

Combo Potential: This dragon works well with cards that manipulate counters and abilities that trigger upon mana expenditure. Pairing it with artifacts or enchantments that double mana or provide cost reductions can turn it into a formidable force swiftly.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where air superiority can tip the scales, Furnace Whelp’s potential for rapid growth in power makes it a significant player. It can quickly become a threat that must be answered, lest it dominates the board and takes control of the game.


How to beat

Furnace Whelp is a creature card that can be both a blessing and a thorn in a player’s side in the world of Magic: The Gathering. With the capability to boost its power with each red mana invested, it can quickly turn from a mild threat to a formidable foe. To effectively navigate a duel against this fire-breathing dragon, smart resource management is key. Neutralizing Furnace Whelp before it ramps up in power is essential. This can be done through removal spells that exceed its toughness or through board control abilities that prevent its ability activation altogether.

Counterspells serve as one of the several tactical defenses against Furnace Whelp, ensuring it never takes flight. Additionally, cards that restrict activated abilities can clip its wings, rendering the mana-investment strategy fruitless. It’s also advisable to maintain a strategic reserve of mana for instant-speed responses, ensuring you’re always prepared to extinguish the threat. Consistently monitoring your opponent’s mana pool can also give you an upper hand, offering insights into when they might be poised to pump their Whelp, allowing you to preemptively act.

Altogether, while Furnace Whelp has the potential to bring a fiery demise to an unprepared adversary, a vigilant defender, equipped with the right spells and the foresight to anticipate and counter its growth, can readily keep the beast at bay in the multiverse of Magic: The Gathering.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Furnace Whelp MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn and Tenth Edition, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Furnace Whelp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Furnace Whelp Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 2004-06-04 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-06-04Fifth Dawn5DN 652003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 205★2003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
32007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2052003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
42008-11-07Duel Decks: Jace vs. ChandraDD2 432003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
52010-06-18ArchenemyARC 392003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
62011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1242003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
72012-07-13Magic 2013M13 1332003NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
82014-07-18Magic 2015M15 2792015NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
92014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. ChandraJVC 432015NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
102017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 832015NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
112017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1292015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
122019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9412015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
132020-07-17JumpstartJMP 3232015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
142020-09-26The ListPLST IMA-1292015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
152022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 792015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
162022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 5372015NormalBlackShreya Shetty

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Furnace Whelp has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal