It's true, a lot of the threats have 1 toughness. Pingers are not always useful in limited. In M11, it appears they are.
Mekh
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
I feel this card has been obsoleted by Cunning Sparkmage. Except of course, those few cases where this guy's 1 power can somehow really help your game. But the flavor text for this card is much better than the sparkmage's
Tokosan
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
he looks like a blood elf from wow
n00bmag1
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Agreed, as long as Cunning Sparkmage is around in standard this guy is drinking in the corner alone.
I ended up with 2 at the pre though, and as said already, he is super handy.
qaq456
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
better in limited then Cunning Sparkmage combos well Chandra's Spitfire my cousin made a mini-deck with a playset of both and it was getting pretty hectic except i had generator (he still won)
gwydion9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Surprised this isn't rated higher. He's super versatile, get four of these guys out and you can zap 4 toughness creatures with little to no fear or retribution. That or needle your opponent to death. Also great for getting rid of annoying low toughness creatures with special abilities like Royal Assassin.
Shinigami-2099
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
DEATHTOUCH!!! or INFECT or both hehehe... I mean *clears throat* MWAHAHAHA!!! Don't forget Sword of Kaldra
Strictly worse than Vulshok Sorceror and generally worse than Cinder Pyromancer
luca_barelli
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
5/5 for the epic goatee.
WindsPast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Tommy9898, that is not quite correct. If you block a creature and use the ability to cause 1 damage, it actually doesn't deal combat damage because it left combat before the damage phase.
Meaning you can't kill a 2/2 by blocking and poking it. Either way though, this is a good card
tcollins
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If you know what you're doing, he can also go down swinging against an X/2 creature if you really need the blocker! (Block, then activate the ability before combat damage)
Deathtamoor
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@WindsPast Tapping a creature after you declared it as a blocker doesn't remove it from combat. They only have to be untapped when you declare them as blockers.
Tommy9898
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
In a normal game state, there is at least one semi-common occurrence where his one power can be make him better than Cunning Sparkmage. If you are being attacked by a two toughness creature, you can block with the pyromancer and then tap to do damage to it. So he can actually trade with an X/2 when blocking. It's a good trick to know if you ever need it but I have to agree that the sparkmage is just much more useful.
Edit. Once you declare it as a blocker, it stays a blocker. The tapped-blocked thing does work.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The prodigal son of Prodigal Sorcerer?
BegleOne
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
This is NOT strictly worse than Vulshok Sorcerer; this only costs one red, the hasty version costs two red. That makes this more splashable.
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If the low damage of this bothers you, see also: Spikeshot Goblin
Starts off doing the same thing for one more red mana every time, but enchanted or equipped with something powerful he doesn't melt faces, he shreds them to pieces. A friend runs these goblins in a mono-red with Claws of Valakut, they can become frightening.
Just my 2 cents.
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gotta love timeshifted cards breaking out and existing on their own.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This can trade with x/2 creatures, cunning cannot. Go with cunning sparkmage for most cases.
osagee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Would ciphering hidden strings on him make an infinite loop?
Majora_13
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Osagree: no. Hidden strings (and cipher in general) is combat damage only. Nice try though, I like where you were going with that.
Comments (23)
Except of course, those few cases where this guy's 1 power can somehow really help your game.
But the flavor text for this card is much better than the sparkmage's
I ended up with 2 at the pre though, and as said already, he is super handy.
combos well Chandra's Spitfire my cousin made a mini-deck with a playset of both and it was getting pretty hectic except i had generator (he still won)
Meaning you can't kill a 2/2 by blocking and poking it. Either way though, this is a good card
If you are being attacked by a two toughness creature, you can block with the pyromancer and then tap to do damage to it. So he can actually trade with an X/2 when blocking.
It's a good trick to know if you ever need it but I have to agree that the sparkmage is just much more useful.
Edit. Once you declare it as a blocker, it stays a blocker. The tapped-blocked thing does work.
Starts off doing the same thing for one more red mana every time, but enchanted or equipped with something powerful he doesn't melt faces, he shreds them to pieces. A friend runs these goblins in a mono-red with Claws of Valakut, they can become frightening.
Just my 2 cents.