Seething PathblazerHow it works & interactions with other cards

Converting Resources to Power

Seething Pathblazer features an activated ability that costs no mana. By sacrificing an Elemental, you grant Seething Pathblazer a +2/+0 power boost and first strike until the end of the turn. Because the cost is sacrificing a creature, this ability can be used to protect your Elementals from being exiled or to ensure they die at a specific moment to trigger other abilities.

Activating the Ability

To use this ability, you must declare you are activating it and then pay the cost by sacrificing an Elemental creature you control. The ability goes on the stack, and if it resolves, the Pathblazer receives the buffs. Since there is no 'once per turn' restriction, you can sacrifice multiple Elementals in a row to stack the power bonus, though multiple instances of first strike are redundant.

Timing and Combat Strategy

The best time to activate Seething Pathblazer is during the declare blockers step. If your opponent blocks with a creature that would normally trade with the Pathblazer, granting it first strike allows it to deal damage and destroy the blocker before the blocker can deal damage back. Remember that you cannot sacrifice the Pathblazer to its own ability to buff itself, as it would no longer be on the battlefield to receive the bonus.

Common Mistakes

A common error is forgetting that the sacrificed creature must be an Elemental. You cannot sacrifice a Golem or a Human unless an effect has changed their creature type. Additionally, note that sacrificing a creature as a cost cannot be responded to; once you announce the activation and sacrifice the creature, that creature is in the graveyard before any player can take another action.

Interaction examples

The Wrong Type of Fuel

Solemn Simulacrum

You have Seething Pathblazer and Solemn Simulacrum on the battlefield. You cannot sacrifice Solemn Simulacrum to the Pathblazer's ability because Solemn Simulacrum is a Golem, not an Elemental. The cost specifically requires an Elemental.

Becoming an Elemental

Roaming Throne

If you cast Roaming Throne and choose 'Elemental' as it enters the battlefield, it gains that creature type. You can now sacrifice Roaming Throne to Seething Pathblazer to give it +2/+0 and first strike. Note that Roaming Throne's double-trigger ability does not apply here because Seething Pathblazer has an activated ability, not a triggered ability.

Stacking the Heat

If you control Seething Pathblazer and two other Elemental creatures, you can sacrifice both of them in response to each other. Each activation will grant +2/+0, resulting in a Seething Pathblazer that is a 6/2 with first strike for the remainder of the turn.