Does this effect happen before the Unearth end-of-turn effect? Ie. you can play it over and over again (because it gets sacrificed to graveyard rather than being removed from play)?
Claov
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
No. Unearth makes sure that if it would leave play to somewhere other than the removed-from-game zone, it goes to the removed-from-game zone instead. You can, however, cast Turn to Mist or Momentary Blink on it to avoid the permanent Unearth removal effect.
Equinox523
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
An interesting take on Ball Lightning, trading trample and some power for evasion, largely irrelevant toughness, and the awesome unearth ability.
SavageBrain89
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Remarkable card. Its good in almost every kind of aggro deck that there is. Played with cards like Bloodbraid Elf or Primal Forcemage the thunder can be absolutely devestaing.
Kryplixx
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Just love this card. Won couple games for me. Epic art as well. 4.5/5
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(14 votes)
I Mean Hes Great A Huge Third Turn Swing Thats Almost Never Prevented And If You Get Full Use Out Of Him Its 8 Mana For 8 Damage And With Bone Splinters Available He Can Even Wreak A Little Extra Chaos
VirtueVsVice
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Great card, but most of the time I would prefer Ball Lightning.
WER386
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This thing needs trample... beside that its a nice 4 damage unearthable or a big knock out on a foe's creature.
StriderHiryu
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
interesting trade offs between Ball Lightning. Its understandable that it doesn't have trample with only power 4. Even though the toughness is not really useful, it does prevent a lot of instants that could kill a Ball Lightning like Lightning Bolt, and it also helps prevent many creatures with first strike from destroying it. 4.5/5.
thezanet
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
4 flying damage on turn three can really knock some people back. Great card.
achilleselbow
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Wait a minute. Wouldn't Turn to Mist or Momentary Blink count as the creature "leaving play", which would trigger the exile effect?
zk3
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's not so much a creature as it is a burn spell; a cheaper toned-down lava axe with flashback. 4 damage early to the face, and then 4 damage later on when your hand's empty. Great card
keeds4
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Can you Unsummon a creature with Unearth and put it back into your hand?
ChaosFire
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(6 votes)
@littlebeast: No, you can't blink it or any other type of "flicker," as you put it. Those still make it leave play, rfg or not. The creature will exile itself as soon as the flicker attempts to resolve because it would LEAVE PLAY.
Keiya
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@keeds4: Unsummon will do nothing for Unearthed creatures because being returned to your hand counts as the creature leaving the battlefield, in which case the exile effect would activate on top of the stack and resolve first.
littlebeast
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
@fyerbug: No, you're missing the second part of that clause: "Exile it at end of turn or if it would leave play."
You can, however, use a flicker-type effect on it.
@Chaosfire: Yes you can. There is a ruling about this. ON THIS CARD.
igniteice
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
If you unearth this, then cast Flicker on it, Flicker will go on the stack, targeting Hell's Thunder. Unless something counters Flicker, it will resolve, removing Hell's Thunder from the game. Then, Hell's Thunder's ability triggers (because it was removed from play), to exile it. Then Flicker returns Hell's Thunder to play. However, Hell's Thunder can't remove itself again, because the Hell's Thunder on the battlefield is a new/different permanent. Makes sense to me.
@ChaosFire littlebeast is right, there is a ruling on this card (and also a similar one on Flicker) that describes in 'official' terms what I just wrote above. Same concept, different words.
A3Kitsune
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Phasing this out (say, with Teferi's Veil) is another way to avoid the sac and exile triggers.
And lol at the reminder text saying that Hell's Thunder gains haste when unearthed, as it already has haste.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Has anyone else considered Unearth? How about flashback on Unearth with Snapcaster Mage? That way, you could get at least 16 damage out of a single Hell's Thunder.
bowlofgumbo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't think there's any reason for Ball Lightning and this guy to be mutually exclusive.
The unearth ability can be your last and final attack with this card. I prefer to keep reanimating him using the likes of Crypt Champion, and Apprentice Necromancer for extra attacks before he gets exiled.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You've been... thunderstruck!.... by Hell's Bells.
Ummm, Choasfire is actually right on this one. Unearth contains a delayed triggered ability AND a replacement clause. I was actually unsure so I READ THE RULINGS ON THIS CARD. You can counter the delayed triggered ability to keep the unearthed creature on the battlefield, but the clause remains. If the creature would for any reason be removed from the battlefield (leave play) it is exiled instead. This replacement clause doesn't use the stack.
Sorry Littlebeast and Igniteice, Wizards seem to have covered their bases with this one.
Pigfish99
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If this is what hell's thunder is like, I don't want to see its kitchen! O_O
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Its a Tougher, less trampling version of Ball Lightning.
3.5/5 Stars
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@eak1801: "If a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth would leave the battlefield for any reason, it's exiled instead -- unless the spell or ability that's causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it! In that case, it succeeds at exiling it. If it later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Oblivion Ring or Flickerwisp might, for example), the creature card will return to the battlefield as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it."
The Unearth replacement effect only kicks in if the creature would the leave the battlefield other than by being exiled. Since flicker effects exile it anyways, the replacement effect doesn't kick in.
RetroGamer3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
No one has mentioned how Archwing Dragon is better then this.
Lord_of_phyrexia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This art is insane
PastProphet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
all the arguing and disagreement on the rules for this card make me not want to bother trying it out.... baffles me how many people around here play totally different types of magic!
Comments (31)
Does this effect happen before the Unearth end-of-turn effect? Ie. you can play it over and over again (because it gets sacrificed to graveyard rather than being removed from play)?
You can, however, use a flicker-type effect on it.
@Chaosfire: Yes you can. There is a ruling about this. ON THIS CARD.
@ChaosFire
littlebeast is right, there is a ruling on this card (and also a similar one on Flicker) that describes in 'official' terms what I just wrote above. Same concept, different words.
And lol at the reminder text saying that Hell's Thunder gains haste when unearthed, as it already has haste.
Sorry Littlebeast and Igniteice, Wizards seem to have covered their bases with this one.
3.5/5 Stars
The Unearth replacement effect only kicks in if the creature would the leave the battlefield other than by being exiled. Since flicker effects exile it anyways, the replacement effect doesn't kick in.
baffles me how many people around here play totally different types of magic!