The one big problem I see with this card is that between its frail health and lack of haste; often they'll just burn it before it can get an attack in.
syn2083
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Akin to the comment I left on supreme exemplar..
Turn one, Harbinger Turn two, Soul Warden Turn three, Incandescent Soulstoke Turn four, drop the nova chaser -> championing harbinger, gain 1, haste attack for 11, EOT sac -> harbinger rehits gain another life, search up a nova/supreme.
22 damage by turn 5.
MadTheorist
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(10 votes)
I can't read those silly god draw plans anymore. 22 damage turn 5 uhh how cool i am.... if the opponent does, well exactly... nothing. I could list you so many god draws for affinity and the likes that goldfish turn 3/4, but i dont care! Its not what magic is about!
Etregan
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I love the art on this card. "Why are you so angry?"
mysteric
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
If you use Incandescent Soulstoke to bring the Nova Chaser out, does the Soulstoke have to be removed from the game if you control no other Elementals?
zeyette
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Being a 10/2, its power is very precious but its toughness tells me that it is made to be thrown at your opponents when they least expect it.
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(5 votes)
I love these quick-beat-down kinds of red card. Champion is a great mechanic, when they kill this one, your harbinger that you champed will get another tutor effect.
TreeTrunkMaster
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
"I can't read those silly god draw plans anymore. " -MadTheorist
Anyone else see the irony in someone with that name saying this?? haha - it's a theoretical draw...
I wish this was currently in standard with bituminous blast
SereneChaos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The bomb (haha pun =P) in the Elemental deck, where everything has a wicked Evoke ability. "Attack for 10", "Block", "OK, you still take 8 from trample, my creature dies, Mulldrifter comes back."
Wait. No Dolmen Gate? It would be good with this card. It was even printed in the same set.
Ideally, a situation where you Flamekin Harbinger, tutor for this, Dolmen Gate, Seething Song or something and play this, then attack would be pretty fluid and awesome. Even if they kill it, it would still mean that Flamekin Harbinger comes back and you can retutor for another one (or something even more powerful, assuming that you've got several lands out) and repeat. The problem is that doing so is a stretch.
Do this with a double your Ball Lightning life-span combo:
Attack with Ball Lightning with Trample, Haste for 6, it doesn't get sacrificed until end of turn (End Step). After Combat, during second Main Phase, cast Nova Chaser, which Removes Ball Lightning from the game. When Nova Chaser dies, Ball Lightning returns for round 2!!!!
@Mysteric: It doesn't HAVE to be... you could sacrifice the Chaser instead.
But yeah, practically speaking.
Also, want FUN TIMES? Put this on a Mimic Vat while you have an evoking creature out.
In fact you can use that as a way to cheat them into play (although they're usually not significantly cheaper, but it's still fun); evoke a creature, then in response to its sacrifice clause, pull the chaser off the vat. Boom, 10/2 trample haste, and when it dies you get your evoke creature again.
You can also do similar things with Kiki-Jiki, Splinter Twin, and such things, of course, but Mimic Vat is a bit more stable since the chaser doesn't have to survive.
Turn 1: Harbinger Turn 2: Pyretic in Incandescent Turn 3: Incandescent into Nova Chaser (Champion the Harbinger), Swing and Fling, Harbinger hits play again, 22 Damage ending turn 3 w/ a repeat of Nova Chaser to come.
@MadTheorist... when did magic stop being about winning?
you dont really need more than a half decent hand to get one of these out by turn 3/4. and even if they opponent does everything they can to stop it, thats resources that they would just be using somewhere else. short of four lightning bolts, how else do you propose to do 10 damage so efficiently with only 4 mana and 1(2 i suppose because of the champion) cards?
Tap this with Splinter Twin to make a token, and have the token champion the mulldrifter. Hit in for some damage, then once the token is exiled, mulldrifter comes back, netting you card advantage. You can even do that in response to evoking the mulldrifter, meaning you'll draw 4 cards that turn. YAY.
"I swing." "I block with X creature, and take X damage. Nova Chaser dies." "Harbinger comes into play. I choose Nova Chaser." ">.>"
This is usually how my elemental deck plays out lol. I have a lot of other creatures in there, but if I get even one harbinger in opening hand, it's Nova Chaser until dead :-)
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just run a bunch of Soul's Fire, Fatal Frenzy and Fling, then drop one into play for 2 with Incandescent Soulstoke for massive damage. (Smokebraider handles the activation AND provides an evoke target, leaving at least three mana free for a doubling effect)
Salient
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
: Target Elemental becomes a 10/2 bomb. Return the Elemental to play after the bomb detonates.
...It's too bad Nova Chaser didn't have Haste. It really would fit the spirit of the card.
Findlesham
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
The first Magic card I ever saw. At the time, my neighbor was doing his best to explain the concept of basic land to me, and the badass name (HOLY CRAP JESUS CHRIST NOVA CHASER WHATS THAT) caught my eye. After realizing that I would to understand land to play a game with something that awesome in it, I became very interested. Ahh this takes me back to my earliest stages of Tinmydon, before my maniacal Johnny stream began to show itself.
Oh, yeah. The card. Right. Excellent use of the Champion mechanic for once, and comboes nicely with Ball Lightning.
BarlowEnter
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This equip with Runechanter's Pike would make her menacing elemental arm a superior psychotic thing. Run a few Fire Servant, make unearthly elemental burn deck.
Taiomah
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Kresh loves this guy. Just don't even champion anything, let it die, and you get 10 +1/+1 counters.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great friends with Fling.
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This thing certainly desires the same thing as Kamahl... Kamahl's Desire
Jack-o-Crow
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Torpor Orb actually keeps champion from triggering since it's an etb effect. The more you know.
cha0sc0w
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It really isn't that rare to get soulstoke > harbringer > nova chaser, although its true you virtually never get the full 22 damage off by turn 5. The soulstoke>nova chaser combo also works amazing with mulldrifter and reveillark. Replace nova chaser with Supreme Exemplar in the side board for when they don't have flying. Throw in some call to heels and you pick up momentum really fast.
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Tap for 10 damage. Fling in main phase 2 for extra 10 damage. Thanks for playing.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It doesn't get much more badass than this.
TheZombifier
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
First thing that came to my mind was U/R deck. This + Ghostform + Assault Strobe Pretty hilarious, I quess.
MagicBrad
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combine with Flamekin Harbinger(Turn 1), Infernal Plunge, and a disposable one-drop for Turn 2 casting. Hopefully you can throw out Assault Strobe, Boros Charm or Double Strike for some Turn 3 abuse. In the event that it suffers from removal or some other rushed fate, the return of the Harbinger gives you another opportunity to tutor some other big nasty out of your deck.
FaceClaimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
T1: Mountain, flamekin harbinger search for this guy. T2: Mountain, Smokebraider T3: Mountain, tap smokebraider and 1 mountain for Incandescent Soulstoke T4: Mountain, Tap smokebraider to activate Incandescent Soulstoke ability and cast Nova Chaser. Champion Flamekin Harbinger and swing for 10 trample haste. if Nova chaser dies in the attack or when he gets sacrificed at the end of turn, flamekin Harbinger reenters and searches for another Nova Chaser. rinse and repeat for massive swing damage. spend your mana on burn spells or protection for the chaser so the opponent can't prevent his damage.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
They pushed this card as far as they can go. 10 power, 4 mana, trample, drawback can be positive. Welcome to power creep :D
Manite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Brutal with Everlasting Torment and especially Soul's Fire.
pooplayer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this with young pyromancer
IndubitableSalmon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Fetching these out with Flamekin Harbinger, then dropping 'em on Flamekin Harbinger, just to be ready to fetch another when they die is crazy good. Add in Fling, Mulldrifter, a few elementaltribal-drivers, some counter-magic of your choice, and you're all set.
Burningsickle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
awesome card! 10/2 trample isn't something you see everyday. Guaranteed to soak removal, or blockers. Why do elementals get such awesome cards?
Comments (56)
Second turn: Lay a mana, tap Smokebraider and put Nova chaser into play championing the Smokebraider.
Third turn: Lay a mana, Attack with Nova chaser, then Double Cleave..and Brute Force if yo u want to :P
Turn one, Harbinger
Turn two, Soul Warden
Turn three, Incandescent Soulstoke
Turn four, drop the nova chaser -> championing harbinger, gain 1, haste attack for 11, EOT sac -> harbinger rehits gain another life, search up a nova/supreme.
22 damage by turn 5.
22 damage turn 5 uhh how cool i am.... if the opponent does, well exactly... nothing.
I could list you so many god draws for affinity and the likes that goldfish turn 3/4, but i dont care! Its not what magic is about!
Champion is a great mechanic, when they kill this one, your harbinger that you champed will get another tutor effect.
Anyone else see the irony in someone with that name saying this?? haha - it's a theoretical draw...
Ideally, a situation where you Flamekin Harbinger, tutor for this, Dolmen Gate, Seething Song or something and play this, then attack would be pretty fluid and awesome. Even if they kill it, it would still mean that Flamekin Harbinger comes back and you can retutor for another one (or something even more powerful, assuming that you've got several lands out) and repeat. The problem is that doing so is a stretch.
Attack with Ball Lightning with Trample, Haste for 6, it doesn't get sacrificed until end of turn (End Step). After Combat, during second Main Phase, cast Nova Chaser, which Removes Ball Lightning from the game. When Nova Chaser dies, Ball Lightning returns for round 2!!!!
You could do this with Hellspark Elemental as well.
Play shared animosity, and put elemental mastery on this guy. Swing with 10 10/1's!!!
But yeah, practically speaking.
Also, want FUN TIMES? Put this on a Mimic Vat while you have an evoking creature out.
In fact you can use that as a way to cheat them into play (although they're usually not significantly cheaper, but it's still fun); evoke a creature, then in response to its sacrifice clause, pull the chaser off the vat. Boom, 10/2 trample haste, and when it dies you get your evoke creature again.
You can also do similar things with Kiki-Jiki, Splinter Twin, and such things, of course, but Mimic Vat is a bit more stable since the chaser doesn't have to survive.
Turn 2: Pyretic in Incandescent
Turn 3: Incandescent into Nova Chaser (Champion the Harbinger), Swing and Fling, Harbinger hits play again, 22 Damage ending turn 3 w/ a repeat of Nova Chaser to come.
or how bout Incandescent Soulstoke and assault strobe?
Because I always like to win more than necessary.
you dont really need more than a half decent hand to get one of these out by turn 3/4. and even if they opponent does everything they can to stop it, thats resources that they would just be using somewhere else. short of four lightning bolts, how else do you propose to do 10 damage so efficiently with only 4 mana and 1(2 i suppose because of the champion) cards?
Tap this with Splinter Twin to make a token, and have the token champion the mulldrifter. Hit in for some damage, then once the token is exiled, mulldrifter comes back, netting you card advantage. You can even do that in response to evoking the mulldrifter, meaning you'll draw 4 cards that turn. YAY.
"I swing."
"I block with X creature, and take X damage. Nova Chaser dies."
"Harbinger comes into play. I choose Nova Chaser."
">.>"
This is usually how my elemental deck plays out lol. I have a lot of other creatures in there, but if I get even one harbinger in opening hand, it's Nova Chaser until dead :-)
...It's too bad Nova Chaser didn't have Haste. It really would fit the spirit of the card.
Oh, yeah. The card. Right. Excellent use of the Champion mechanic for once, and comboes nicely with Ball Lightning.
Thanks for playing.
This + Ghostform + Assault Strobe
Pretty hilarious, I quess.
T2: Mountain, Smokebraider
T3: Mountain, tap smokebraider and 1 mountain for Incandescent Soulstoke
T4: Mountain, Tap smokebraider to activate Incandescent Soulstoke ability and cast Nova Chaser. Champion Flamekin Harbinger and swing for 10 trample haste. if Nova chaser dies in the attack or when he gets sacrificed at the end of turn, flamekin Harbinger reenters and searches for another Nova Chaser. rinse and repeat for massive swing damage. spend your mana on burn spells or protection for the chaser so the opponent can't prevent his damage.
10 power, 4 mana, trample, drawback can be positive.
Welcome to power creep :D
Add in Fling, Mulldrifter, a few elemental tribal-drivers, some counter-magic of your choice, and you're all set.