A lightning bolt that eradicates an entire town is not just a "bump in the night."
The_Stray
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(19 votes)
Too bad you can't do anything to creatures with this. I would love to bump my opponent's uglies.
Wait...that came out wrong.
StreamHopper
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(13 votes)
I adore this card. The art, the mechanical flavor/text, the cost, everything. For those of you that are upset about its flashback cost, let me explain something to you. It shows up early game as a one drop to get you there. Sure, three life, big whoop. But now you've got this bastard in your graveyard, and suddenly they have three less life than they did before. Why? Because if they drop to three life or lower, you can flashback this baby and win the game. It's effectively six damage for one mana if you think about it like you should. I don't think it'll find a place in constructed, but just for fun? A perfectly balanced and fun card. I look forward to my opponent forgetting about it.
>:)
PastProphet
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
another versatile card - if you play it early, it sits in the 'yard waiting to flashback. or, you play it twice in the late game for a whopping 6 damage. it's better than it sounds
Vandarringa
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
This won me several games at the prerelease. Provided great late-game reach for my red-black beatdown deck. I didn't have any spells that cost more than 5, so I just flashed back cards like this and Sever the Bloodline at that point. I really like the ally-color flashback cycle, and this card is no exception.
luca_barelli
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lava Spike- 4 stars This- 3 stars
Why?
ZestuXIII
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
My Casual deck is a BR Vampire deck. You know, like Worldwake Standard. This was an auto-4-of in there.
SkaerKrow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is one of those special cards that combines a great effect, great flavor and great art together into a single package. Play it early and your opponent may not even remember that you've got three damage waiting in your graveyard to finish them off later.
Steinhauser
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
This card just helped me close out two Limited matches, and I had to come here and upvote it. 6 damage to the face for 7 mana is already benchmark, and getting half of it up front for a turn 1 down payment is amazingly efficient in the decks this should be used in. It's the kind of card you love to have in your opening hand, and you love to topdeck late game too.
Leshrac_Nightwalker
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@DarthParallax: To me, your question about reduced flashback cost comes down to relative power levels of preexisting comparable effects. This is sort of tough because we're talking about two different colours, but I'll try to approximate. For :
Yes, I do realize that most preexisting black cards have a "gain that much life" rider - I'm going to disregard it since that doesn't typically help you kill your opponent directly. If you can accept that, then 3 life for seems like a real bargain. The part is a little trickier, and I think the closest comparison is this:
...yuck. Again, I know the comparsion isn't perfect - damage and life loss are very different - but I think it's more important to capture the fact that the "red half" is flashed back. A flashed back spell is more valuable than a non-flashed-back spell, because the card may have already done something for you, before you flashed it back. Maybe you've discarded it to a spellshaper. Maybe it has boosted a Magnivore. The important point is that when you look at the red effect, consider that Lava Axe can either be cast as a spell or it can pump up your Wild Mongrel once, but the "red half" of Bump in the Night can do both.
In light of all that, I really think that the spell is quite fairly costed - on both costs. The name is great; the art is great; the flavour text is great. I don't know what deck I would fit this into, but I really like it!
Valyant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
What the heck is a bump in the night anyway? And I definately don't think it's much to worry about.
Villainous1
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Shadowlurker says I'M WATCHING YOU SLEEP.
RikerBlake
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@luca_barelli : the reason this card is worse than lava spike in a vacuum is because black doesn't play aggro well. With Lava spike, you can easily get your opponent to 6 life and then bolt/lava spike/rift bolt FTW. Black is a more controlling color so this card often doesn't get a chance to shine. In red-black aggro, however, this is amazing. Suddenly, you have lava spike 5-8 that can be lava spike 9-12 late game, though the only way you'll reach late game is because you ran out of steam in the first place. The use for this card is slightly less-obvious than lava spike, and the fact you have to use 2 colors in an aggro deck (GOD FORBID) put people off this card more. Sure, it's a card you have to build around, but to do so is quite simple. Throw in ALL the bolts and some blightlings for card denial and additional damage, and you'll have the skeleton of an aggressive deck that is even legal in pauper. Solid common, I rate 4/5.
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@The_Stray: The term is "Smite Evil", not "Bump Uglies"
This is the color pie folks. Different colors do different things.
HuntedWumpusMustDie
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Great card- Cost-effective even without the flashback. Three damage is pretty great for one mana. The card is very one-dimensional, but it strikes with a vengeance. I think people are turned off by the flashback cost, but I think it is an excellent late game contingency plan. Having sure-fire access to 3 extra damage can be more useful late-game then a fatty powerhouse creature...
ayefightbears
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy I know went 5-0 with a burn deck, splashing black just for this card. So, y'know, don't knock it 'til you try it.
Alex343
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
replaces hammer of bogarden in my blightning deck!
PlanesMoyza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In drafts, just pick as many you can put your hands on. Love the flavor text.
Chrs84
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Fantastic burn option for black, and if anyone felt a little cheated from the spell specifying only an opponent as a target, there’s the flashback option. I do feel the flashback cost is too high, and in times of trouble I should hope that if I have 6 mana available I would be able to cast something just a bit more lifesaver-like. I try not to put cards in my deck just for those special moments when an opponent has 1 or 2 or 3 life left (but sometimes that is the style certain decks can support). The gameplay that got your opponent to 3 life should also get your opponent to 0. However, at face value or generally speaking, this card is fantastic; having splashed red into the flashback I would be ok with a total of 5 mana to flashback the spell. At a draft it’s definitely a no-brainer, and also great cheap soc spell for current standard. Way cool art.
blindloyalty
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I love this card. Burn spells are about as solidly red-flavored as you can get, but there's definitely room for some interesting cross-over burn spells like this one. This card is ready-made for any black deck (splashing red, ideally) with a win con of directly killing the other player, whether it's hyper-aggro beatdown or something more high concept.
True, it can't target creatures, but if you're putting this into an aggro black deck with some red splash, chances are the entire rest of your deck is effective at killing and blocking creatures, lol. And yeah, it's sorcery speed, but that really doesn't bother me. If it targeted creatures then yeah you would definitely want instant speed, but there's actually not a lot of situations where you need to do damage to an opponent at instant speed. And it only costs one mana; you're not likely to be limiting your options too much by playing it on your turn.
I'd like to take this and Guttersnipe for a ride...
GunG12aVe
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Well now, what do we have here? With the new Rakdos, Lord of Riots and some other RTR cards, this baby will finally find a home with open arms. Seriously, it can enable Rakdos cast, and if he is on the field you get a 2 mana discount on a creature (on top of 3 to the dome). Will be using it quite a bit in standard soon
DarthParallax
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Look, ThiisSakon raises what I think is a fair point- while I understand enough about Flashback to see that a card like this should NOT Flashback for just {B}, couldn't we have had it for maybe {2}{R}, or {1}{B}{B} instead?
HairlessThoctar, this is neither Black Bolt, nor Shadow Axe. I think Lava Spike is probably close to what we're looking at. Costing 1 on first casting makes twice as good as Lava Axe at least. Not being an instant makes it....'fair', is the word, I think. And nowhere near Lightning Bolt.
EDIT: Just wanted to say, everybody who looks at this card within a month of seeing "The Fellowship of The Ring" will immediately think of "Nazgul at Bree" in the artwork. ;D
Continue
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Guys, the flashback is for much later in the game. 3 quick damage now, 3 finishing damage a few turns down the road.
If you have bayou, blood crypt, dragonskull summit, urborg volcano, rakdos guidgate or city of brass - this card is just as good as lightning bolt (or more accurately lava spike).
Smoke_Stack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Been playing this in a B/R aggro deck. I run a lot of high cost creatures, banking on Rakdos, Lord of Riots to come out and swing for a reduced casting cost on everything else. This lets me play Rakdos turn 5 easily. Flashback is nice too
Comments (42)
It's more like a Lava Axe spread out over multiple turns.
6 life for 5BR
I don't quite like it. Although, I am relatively new to flashback. Are the costs SUPPOSED to be this high?
You could always ignore the flashback if you want to. Then it's 3 life for B, not a horrible deal at all.
Though, I like this card much better in a black-red deck.
Wait...that came out wrong.
For those of you that are upset about its flashback cost, let me explain something to you.
It shows up early game as a one drop to get you there. Sure, three life, big whoop.
But now you've got this bastard in your graveyard, and suddenly they have three less life than they did before. Why? Because if they drop to three life or lower, you can flashback this baby and win the game.
It's effectively six damage for one mana if you think about it like you should.
I don't think it'll find a place in constructed, but just for fun? A perfectly balanced and fun card.
I look forward to my opponent forgetting about it.
>:)
or, you play it twice in the late game for a whopping 6 damage.
it's better than it sounds
This- 3 stars
Why?
Absorb Vis - they lose 4 life for CMC
Blood Tithe - they lose 3 life for CMC
Brush with Death - they lose 2 life for CMC
Misery Charm - they lose 2 life for CMC
Soul Feast - they lose 4 life for CMC
Yes, I do realize that most preexisting black cards have a "gain that much life" rider - I'm going to disregard it since that doesn't typically help you kill your opponent directly. If you can accept that, then 3 life for
Scorching Missile - 4 damage for
...yuck. Again, I know the comparsion isn't perfect - damage and life loss are very different - but I think it's more important to capture the fact that the "red half" is flashed back. A flashed back spell is more valuable than a non-flashed-back spell, because the card may have already done something for you, before you flashed it back. Maybe you've discarded it to a spellshaper. Maybe it has boosted a Magnivore. The important point is that when you look at the red effect, consider that Lava Axe can either be cast as a spell or it can pump up your Wild Mongrel once, but the "red half" of Bump in the Night can do both.
In light of all that, I really think that the spell is quite fairly costed - on both costs. The name is great; the art is great; the flavour text is great. I don't know what deck I would fit this into, but I really like it!
Sunlance=3 damage to non-white creature
Bump in the Night=3 damage to player
Lightning Bolt=3 damage anywhere
Mind Bomb=3 damage unless they discard
Leaf Arrow=3 damage to fliers
This is the color pie folks. Different colors do different things.
Way cool art.
True, it can't target creatures, but if you're putting this into an aggro black deck with some red splash, chances are the entire rest of your deck is effective at killing and blocking creatures, lol. And yeah, it's sorcery speed, but that really doesn't bother me. If it targeted creatures then yeah you would definitely want instant speed, but there's actually not a lot of situations where you need to do damage to an opponent at instant speed. And it only costs one mana; you're not likely to be limiting your options too much by playing it on your turn.
HairlessThoctar, this is neither Black Bolt, nor Shadow Axe. I think Lava Spike is probably close to what we're looking at. Costing 1 on first casting makes twice as good as Lava Axe at least. Not being an instant makes it....'fair', is the word, I think. And nowhere near Lightning Bolt.
EDIT: Just wanted to say, everybody who looks at this card within a month of seeing "The Fellowship of The Ring" will immediately think of "Nazgul at Bree" in the artwork. ;D