Combustion Technique – Avatar
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2025
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.37
Casual: 3.40
Limited: 3.83
Multiplayer: 3.25
Commander [EDH]: 3.37
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
We’ve seen this kind of effect before – in fact, the first such card was Kindle from 1997! – but each one has something that sets it apart in a big or small way. Caring about Lessons may not seem like a huge deal at first, although I’d argue it adds some interesting dimensions to how Combustion Technique will play. It’s going to be very relevant in the context of the Avatar set, because it advances one of the environment’s mechanical themes while also being a good card just in general. You don’t feel like you’re compromising or using a sub-par option in the interest of synergy. And in casual play, it’s ready-made to interact with Strixhaven‘s “learn” keyword. We’re getting a lot more interesting cards to learn in general, but this might be one of the most powerful options from either Strixhaven or Avatar.
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
More Lesson-based payoffs can be quite fun, and Combustion Technique is both a payoff and a decent removal spell. It doesn’t take much to turn this into “Lightning Strike with upside” against creatures, and while this isn’t as flexible, exiling the target is good enough upside to make this worth consideration. It’s both decent early and powerful late (especially in multiples), and while it’s not going to be a star, there’s enough this does to make it worth considering if you have at least one other Lesson and a need to kill creatures.
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4 (Lessons are a big part of this Limited, and this is premium removal)
Multiplayer: 3.25
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
Thijs
Is there a deck on the way called ‘Lesson Learnt’?
I for one would love that. Nay, I would LOVE it. What makes this card good and not great is the mana cost and the fact that it only deals damage to creatures. So I’m afraid the Lesson idea still isn’t fully grown to epic proportions.
Still, I will build a Lesson Learnt deck. If it’s the last thing I do.
Constructed: 3
Casual: 3,1
Limited: 3,5
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 3
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