Have any of you tested this card? It seems pretty interesting and it's one of my favorite cards in Standard currently, as it's a more versatile Magma Spray that's not instant.
I personally haven't played the card, but it's pretty cool and has a fair amount of relevant targets that I can think of off the top of my head... And worst case scenario it's still a Shock.
The upside is much more relevant in Standard since the density of cards that care about the upside is much more than in cube (that and since most creatures are on the small side, even playing vs something that doesn't care about the benefit will make it have a decent amount of incidental value.) It's the same reason why Red Sun's Zenith just isn't that good, even if the upside matters, it doesn't matter enough compared to the upsides on other similar cards.
I'd rather use Forked Bolt, and I don't play that at 450 (although I do think it's pretty good). I think the number of cases where I'm targeting 1-toughness creatures is far more common than the times where the exile will matter.
The upside is much more relevant in Standard since the density of cards that care about the upside is much more than in cube (that and since most creatures are on the small side, even playing vs something that doesn't care about the benefit will make it have a decent amount of incidental value.) It's the same reason why Red Sun's Zenith just isn't that good, even if the upside matters, it doesn't matter enough compared to the upsides on other similar cards.
Yes the exile is less relevant in cube and therefore Pillar of Flame is not a card for cube (yet). Red Sun's Zenith on the other hand not only has the exile but it is also a shuffle effect, and that makes it good enough in my book to play as the only red X spell (barring Earthquakes). That means for me Pillar of Flame is very close to playable, I'd play it if it were an instant I think.
I'd rather use Forked Bolt, and I don't play that at 450 (although I do think it's pretty good). I think the number of cases where I'm targeting 1-toughness creatures is far more common than the times where the exile will matter.
I agree with that. I play Forked Bolt at 450 btw, because the one mana spell slot is less stacked than the three mana slot and Forked Bolt is more mana efficient than Arc Lightning.
We already have three cube-worthy "shocks":
Firebolt, Forked Bolt and Burst Lightning They all make it in on being versitile or having potential card advantage. Pillar of Flame just misses out for my cube in my opinion.
Another card that just misses out for me is Sudden Shock, which kills a different subset of creatures (Mother of Runes, Wild Mongrel etc.), or is useful in some different scenarios. I wonder if I'd rather have Sudden Shock or Pillar of Flame in my R/x deck.
I agree with that. I play Forked Bolt at 450 btw, because the one mana spell slot is less stacked than the three mana slot and Forked Bolt is more mana efficient than Arc Lightning.
I play Firestorm over it right now. It causes some huge blowouts for 1 mana, and it works with my graveyard themes as well. It's a 1cc discard outlet for T2 reanimation, and it's also disgusting with Loam/Crucible. It also has extra value with Gravecrawler, Bloodghast, Genesis and others.
Have any of you tested this card? It seems pretty interesting and it's one of my favorite cards in Standard currently, as it's a more versatile Magma Spray that's not instant.
So here are some relevant targets:
Anything with Undying/Persist/Return:
Kitchen Finks
Murderous Redcap
Strangleroot Geist
Geralf's Messenger
Bloodghast
Gravecrawler
Puppeteer Clique
Chandra's Phoenix
Other Targets:
Solemn Simulacrum (Draw Trigger)
Various Reviellark targets.
Some Genesis targets.
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Various Recurring Nightmare Targets, such as Deranged Hermit.
I personally haven't played the card, but it's pretty cool and has a fair amount of relevant targets that I can think of off the top of my head... And worst case scenario it's still a Shock.
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I agree with that. I play Forked Bolt at 450 btw, because the one mana spell slot is less stacked than the three mana slot and Forked Bolt is more mana efficient than Arc Lightning.
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
Firebolt, Forked Bolt and Burst Lightning They all make it in on being versitile or having potential card advantage. Pillar of Flame just misses out for my cube in my opinion.
Another card that just misses out for me is Sudden Shock, which kills a different subset of creatures (Mother of Runes, Wild Mongrel etc.), or is useful in some different scenarios. I wonder if I'd rather have Sudden Shock or Pillar of Flame in my R/x deck.
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Yeah, I run it, but as a filler card. However, I do like the art a lot as well.
I play Firestorm over it right now. It causes some huge blowouts for 1 mana, and it works with my graveyard themes as well. It's a 1cc discard outlet for T2 reanimation, and it's also disgusting with Loam/Crucible. It also has extra value with Gravecrawler, Bloodghast, Genesis and others.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!