MTG Salvation

Yes, it's a sorcery and not an instant - but the 1RR cost makes it (I believe) a much better option than stuff like Flame Javelin and Stoke the Flames. Plus, I think getting the Spell Mastery part online will be relatively easy in the type of decks that would want to play this card. Maybe this doesn't make it in smaller lists, but I will be running this and I will be happy with that. Thoughts?

Is an extra point of damage worth not being able to split damage (like Arc Lightning/Flames of the Firebrand)? It's also a lot less splashable and is a sorcery. I'd try it over Javelin but it's been years since I played that.

I'd rather run Char if I only have room for one 4 damage burn spell, but this seems like a pretty good second option. I am not 100% sure if my 460 red section wants another 3 mana burn spell, and I think both Arc Lightnings are more important because dividable burn is one of red's only ways to generate "card advantage." I do think it's a no brainer for large cubes though. Also, sweet art!

The competition from other 3 mana burn spells in my cube is as follows:

• Char
  
• Flames of the Firebrand
  
• Arc Lightning
  
• Staggershock

I don't think this card beats any of those, but I suppose the argument could be made for Staggershock being weaker. There are definitely games where I wish I had another Char so I can kill my opponents Courser of Kruphix or something.

I don't think this is better than Stoke, for what it's worth. That card has been fantastic and flexible for us. Flame Javelin definitely feels like the cut for this, if you have room for it. I also think Brimstone Volley is definitely worse than this.

When I first read this I thought it was instant and was ready to auto-swap for char (I think uncounterability and the fact that char tends to get played in heavy red decks in our cube made up for the 1RR cost). But it's sorcery. Womp womp. I still think it's testable, and I think it will be very, very good in constructed (possibly modern playable), but not quite there for cube.

Quote from TheTennesseeFireman »

I don't think this is better than Stoke, for what it's worth. That card has been fantastic and flexible for us. Flame Javelin definitely feels like the cut for this, if you have room for it. I also think Brimstone Volley is definitely worse than this.

Yeah I have always held stoke higher than most. Sometimes you do have to toss if for 4, but is it still an instant and worth it. The times I ripped it for free or close to free are wonderful, especially with Brimaz.

Quote from asmallcat »

When I first read this I thought it was instant and was ready to auto-swap for char (I think uncounterability and the fact that char tends to get played in heavy red decks in our cube made up for the 1RR cost). But it's sorcery. Womp womp. I still think it's testable, and I think it will be very, very good in constructed (possibly modern playable), but not quite there for cube.

Yeah at instant this would have replaced Char. And sine it is not I don't see myself cutting 2 or 4 cmc spells either, it would have to come from creatures. And I would take Hell's Thunder over this in an heartbeat, and that is currently riding hte bench for me.

So while I like the idea of more 4 damage cards in my cube this doesn't do enough.

I think this is where Firecraft goes:

Char (instant and splashable)
Staggering Shock (still better imo. Splashable, instant, dividable)
Flames of the Firebrand (dividable - serves a different purpose)
Arc Lightning (dividable - serves a different purpose)

Equisite Firecraft

Brimstone Volley (I find that Morbid is too reactive for red)
Flame Javelin (essentially 4cc in most cases)

dschumm, I kind of forgot about Stoke the Flames. Your arguments are making me consider that card more than this one, especially now that we have more token production in red!

I like this spell more than most do, it seems. A consistent 4-damage burn spell for 3 mana looks good. It's a 1RR sorcery, but it still deals 4 damage to a single target right away, and there's value in that consistency. Plus, the spell mastery trigger is kinda cool, and won't be hard to achieve in a red burn deck.

Quote from hopefulhawkeye »

Does this beat out Brimstone Volley?

Yes. Red has a ton of 3 damage spells, not a lot of 4 damage ones. And consistency is more valuable for me. Instant vs sorcery is debatable though.

Quote from steve_man »

I'm considering testing this over Staggershock, it's been very hit or miss with me lately.

I like Staggershock more than this card, tbh.

I don't know what to think. It's a good card. But instant vs sorcery is a pretty huge deal for me.

I think this is an easy inclusion for me. It's a guaranteed 4 damage for 3 mana, and getting it to be uncounterable shouldn't be too hard. Sure, I'd like it more if it were an instant, but every sorcery would be better as an instant. Getting 4 damage for 3 mana is terrific, sorcery or not.

I might also like this card more than Staggershock, FWIW. There are just very few substitutes for a consistent 4-damage burn spell when you really need one.

Hm... We've been cubing Stoke the Flames for a while now and it's been consistently awesome. I don't know that the always three mana cost on this one makes up for the slower speed, especially since Stoke is cheaper some amount of the time and is pretty much always less than four mana.

I don't see how this could get played over stoke. Being able to respond to equip activations is so important.

I think stoke the flames and staggershock are both superior cards to this. Instant speed is a big deal.

Staggershock getting cast twice is also quite key for spells, if you support that.

A 3-cost burn spell would need to be better than Char for me to include it. I don't think this is better.

Quote from Fredo »

A 3-cost burn spell would need to be better than Char for me to include it. I don't think this is better.

That's quite a tall order there.

This isn't better than Char, but it's a solid 4 damage where you want it, if not necessarily when you want it (being a Sorcery and all). The Spell Mastery ability is relevant here too for free uncounterability when sniping midrange and control decks' creatures later in the game. 4 damage is a really good number when it comes to answering creatures, so much so that we're looking to re-add Mizzium Mortars which we've missed quite a bit since cutting it.

This may just miss the cut for us but that's OK. It's another good option for cubes to have.

Art is a cool concept, interesting to see a direct damage spell that isn't exactly just fire or lightning. It reminds me of that blue pirate guy's weapon from Guardians of the Galaxy. The red needle thing.

I've been looking to add stoke to my cube for awhile and this doesn't beat out stoke for me.

Stoke was (is still) awesome, because

1) instant
2) No one can see it coming tapped out.

This one is tough sell for me. I really hate the RR part. I think it's mainly due to limited.

Not sure this is better than Stoke and I don't run Stoke. At 450, I think my list is too tight for this.

Cheers,
rant

I like this for my 720. Not sure at 540 and below, it would probably be a tough cut.

Quote from InCabalTherapy »

Isn't Brimstone Volley better than this most of the time?

I think so, but a lot of people think a card is ***** if it isn't 100% consistent.(so morbid and miracle are bad mechanics to them)