If they wanted Bolt out of the picture, they should have reprinted Burst Lightning instead.
Well, at least the flavor text is nice.
alucard311
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Boooo! Send the other guy back out!
Kyzar
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(9 votes)
go away you
WateryMind
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
"Guys! I think Lightning Bolt is a bit broken." "Why?" "Well, its in nearly every deck that has any chance of splashing red..." "Okay then. reprint Shock. Let them *** about that for a while." - WoTC R&D
Deco_y
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
"F*** you red"
-WoTC
TheSwarm
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Weird, They reprint Lavamancer, give red a new planeswalker, a new fun creature in the form of that phoenix, and then take away lightning bolt.
jsttu
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(11 votes)
The flavor text references our shock at them taking away lightning bolt and replacing it with this. Pun intended.
Steinhauser
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(10 votes)
A lot of people are complaining, but what are you really losing? After all, your opponents don't have access to Bolt now either, so it's not like you're personally disadvantaged. Nor is red an underrepresented colour this rotation, far from it. If anything it's looking to be the most threatening.
No, all you're losing is an easy decision. Lightning Bolt was so good you didn't have to think about it. If you needed burn, Bolt filled the first 4 slots by default. Now that it's gone, you'll have to choose from among the lesser burn spells, none of which is the standout superior like Bolt was.
qwertycrap
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Well, time to say byebye to bolt for a few years.
Frozenwings
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
What Jace TMS for blue is the same as lightning bolt for red.
Hancocky
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
wow I just got used to Lightning Bolt but as I saw this card reprinted I realized that Lightning Bolt was owerpowered holy, one core set later and I would have said to this: "crap, lightning bolt is better"... puh, thanks wizards!
DlCK
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Wow, I feel really bad for all of you stuck playing standard... (but not really, hahahaaa)
dudecow
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(9 votes)
Shock is NOT bad. We've been spoiled by Bolt. Don't forget that we also got Incinerate back.
Revelation666
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Every one wants to play Lightning Bolt, no one wants to play Shock. I agree they should've just went with the happy medium and made Burst Lightning a core set card.
Gelzo
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I hate this reprint exactly as much as I loved Lightning Bolt's. Which is to say, quite a bit.
I think I understand why they might have made the decision and I can't really be mad at them about it. I just hope that we get something better in the next set.
But hey, you have to admit that it's still a good card in limited.
@Axelle, Revelation666: Burst Lightning would be at a good power level for this slot, but the problem there is introducing the notion of Kicker to new players in the core set. If they're going for simplicity, Shock is sadly the superior choice for inclusion. I just hope they put Burst Lightning in Innistrad or something.
DeathDark
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(15 votes)
Dear Red,
I say we petition to get our 3-for-1 instants back.
Sincerely,
Green
PS. Don't let Black or Blue know I said this.
True_Smog
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(8 votes)
I'm glad they brought it back, LIghtning Bolt was awsome but it was VERY unhealthy for the format, because ALL OTHER BURN SPELLS WERE INFERIOR.
Ruho
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I think wizards is willing to create situations where cards supporting burn decks are more powerful than the actual burn spells in red decks. Therefore cards like Lightning Bolt, Searing Blaze and Staggershock would be probably too awesome with cards like Chandra, the Firebrand, Grim Lavamancer and Shrine of the Burning Rage rolling in the standard right now. And i kind of like it. The problem is that if Innistrad and other blocks to come may form the creatures too big where 2 damage isnt enough to kill any, Shock will be abandoned totally in constructed.
Although shock is alot more stabilized than Lightning Bolt in limited, where Bolt was pretty much ridicilous first-pick material in drafts.
RCsamurai
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(24 votes)
The sparkmage shrieked, calling on the rage of the storms of his youth. To his dismay, the sky responded with an energy he'd hoped never to see again.
blindthrall
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@DICK: My thoughts exactly.
Mode
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Compare this rating to the 9th Edition rating. Spoiled kids and their Lightning Bolts in Standard these days...tsk-tsk.
nic56
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(9 votes)
At least they didn't replace Lightning Bolt with Scorching Spear
Vandarringa
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(14 votes)
Don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a flavor text. Wizards know their audience. For the limited environment, Shock is a good sign for red, since it's paired with Incinerate. Whens the last time that two cheap common burn spells were printed in one set? Well I didn't check, but I bet it was the last time Shock was printed.
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
Toggo's greatest invention! Welcome back, shock. I don't hate you for your inferiority. In fact it makes me love you all the more.
Sothasil
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is garbage. Powercreep is ridiculously rampant... how is 3 damage for 1 mana broken? Red burns its hands quickly anyway, getting 2/3 of the power from the 2 cards in your hand (reverberate+ shock) or from Chandra's -2 leaves red feeling a little.. lacking considering the loss of card advantage inherent in the color.
Lyoncet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's a little odd to see this reprint now, given that it coincides with Galvanic Blast and that there's no situation in which you'd run this over its Scars incarnation. And since just about every burn deck worth its salt runs 4 Shrine of Burning Rage, you just may be able to squeeze that extra damage out even if you're not artifact-heavy.
Far more valid post-rotation. Personally, I don't like Lightning Bolt. Where one used to have to be creative with his choice in small burn spells, now they just grab four of those. Glad Shock and Incinerate are back.
DacenOctavio
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
@ Axelle:
Wizards is very meticulous about what card mechanics make it into core sets, and sadly, neither Kicker nor Metalcraft fit the bill for core set material. That said, I will never point this card at anything as long as Burst Lightning and Galvanic Blast are legal.
If I want vanilla 2 damage for {R}, I'll stick with Grim Lavamancer... as soon as I can fork over 40 bucks for a playset.
supertails15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Dear Red
You suck now!
Sincerely, White
PS. Don't let Green know I said this.
whoiam
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Shock used to be good, but after reprinting Lightning Bolt and printing Burst Lightning, Galvanic Blast and Forked Bolt, this card doesn't seem to be good anymore.
Kitty_the_Kat
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
I think its good to see the last of the boon cards going out, it will force us to mix things up for a bit. Gobby decks still have Goblin Grenade where as kudotha decks have Galvanic Blast, other red decks still have Grim Lavamancer and can still use the grenade with low costing gobbys.
Ales
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Lightning bolt didnt saw it coming. Ever.
FiveColorFinder
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Maybe its just crazy of me, but I prefer Shock over Lightning Bolt. I mean, sure, yeah, you get to go "Klickety-pow!" and blow a huge amount of creatures off the field, then smugly look at your opponent, but I think Shock is a lot more even. As someone who plays for fun and flavor, I don't think 3-for-1 is truly necessary, even as a devoted Red-head. So, I'll stick to my 2-for-1, preferably with perks. But maybe it is just me.
JFM2796
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(8 votes)
The problem with Shock and Lightning Bolt is that 1 extra damage. Shock is rather underpowered and Lightning Bolt is overpowered. In a perfect world (or an un-set) we could get a instant that deals "21/2 damage to target creature or player." You could tell Wizards was enjoying the freedom of being able to make cards strictly better than Shock in Burst Lightning, Galvanic Blast, Forked Bolt, and, obviously, Lightning Bolt. Sadly, being overshadowed so much makes people think it is unplayable. That is a shame, because I used to enjoy playing this in my early history of Magic. What I'm more interested to see rather than "What will Standard do?" is if Wizards will continue to make strictly better cards than this. Like in Innistrad, maybe a Shock with Flashback or something. Only time will tell. And you know what? I'm giving 5* to bump it up from this 2.5 rating.
The_Trendkill
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I find it very amusing that all of the earlier printings of this card are rated around a full star higher than this version. I'm not sure everyone realizes it, but Shock is a good card. The reason it's getting so much hate these days is because we've spent the past two years with the strictly better Lightning Bolt and Burst Lightning in our pockets, getting spoiled by their awesome power.
Yes, Shock is underpowered. Yes, Lightning Bolt is overpowered. Both are still very good. The happy medium is somewhere in between the two, but unfortunately fractional damage is confined to the absurd realm of Unhinged. I would love to see a new 1-mana instant burn spell core set staple that was in that happy medium between the two (like Burst Lightning), but I'm not sure how that card would work. Maybe R&D will surprise us all and get it figured out.
In the mean time, I'll gladly shuffle a playset of these and Incinerate into my red deck when Standard rotates this fall.
Zoltantf
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(10 votes)
Lightning bolt has spoiled us. I guess it is good to cycle out lightning bolt. It was in the past two core sets. Leaving it out, this core set, will keep the red mages humble. I'm sure we will see bolt again, but until then we have this.
AzirSeroz
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@ The_Trendkill: Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player. If a creature is chosen, tap that creature.
Sound better?
Saxophonist
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(15 votes)
Look at that flavor text. Wizards knew they were trolling us.
Dr_Fletchers
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Just doesn't match up against its other comrads eg: Lightning Bolt but useful in a Bloodthirst deck I suppose.
Hayw00d0909
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I know Wizards doesn't like introducing too many keyword mechanics in the core sets (Kicker), but Burst Lightning IS the happy medium between Shock and Lightning Bolt.
I will be very happy if Dark Ascension offers a new take on shock with a very reasonable flashback cost.
Personally I felt that Lightning Bolt was overpowered. I'm happy the classic is back.
Calwin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Really kind of suprised they didn't reprint kindle instead of this or incinerate, since Inni is big into graveyard effects.
leomistico
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Like somebody already said, this is underpower and Lightning Bolt is overpower. I'm glad for the return of this card, because with the Bolt you didn't have any choise about which burn spell play, because the Bolt was the best. If the best is Bolt, why bother to play another burn? Now, we have Shock and a lot of other burn spells slightly better than Shock, so you have to choose between those spells the one that suit your deck the most. With Shock, Wizards has some design space to make a burn spell not overpowered and playable. There are surely better spells, but a basic one is always welcome. Like vanilla creatures... I'll give it 3.5/5, that for me isn't a bad rating. If a balanced vanilla creatura (for example Nessian Courser) is the standard, why not give it 2.5/5, that's the mean of the rating...? 3.5 because this is here to teach to a lot of people the values of basic spells, something that everybody always forget...
infernox10
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Shock is, in my opinion, similar to Cancel. Shock is an underpowered Lightning Bolt, and Cancel is an underpowered Counterspell. Inbetween the underpowered cards and the overpowered cards, there are plenty of things being thrown in to compensate. (ie. Galvanic Blast and Stoic Rebuttal.) While people are willing to use both Shock and Cancel, They are simply at the lower end of the spectrum.
djflo
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Shock sees play in some highly competitive decks. That alone warrants a higher rating than its current 3 stars.
But I agree that this is underpowered if you want it to be a tournament staple like the Bolt. Surely a balance between the two which hasn't been tried yet is Sorcery-speed Bolt (printed without the copy stuff in Chain Lightning)? Seems fairly costed set against everything else in standard.
Negated
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Strictly worse than Galvanic Blast. Blast costs the same mana, for the same effect - unless you have metalcraft active, where you get a strictly better effect. I run the blast over shock in any deck that has three or more artifacts.
dingophone
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why not something that does 3 damage to a player OR 2 to a creature?
Pigfish99
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
There should be a middle version of lightning bolt and shock.
Lightning Shock R Instant
Deal two damage to Target creature or player. Flip a coin. If heads, deal an additonial 1 damage to the target.
SquirePath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Pigfish99 There will be an in-between for Shock and Lightning Bolt it. It will be in the next Un-Set.
It will read:
Taze Instant Taze deals 2½ damage to target creature or player.
"Don't Taze me bro!"
Travis44
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
it should be renamed as Delver Remover. R to destroy target Delver
Trygon_Predator
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
"Haha, joke's on you! I'm countering your Shock with my Mental Misstep and- oh wait..."
Bob111634
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It ain't got nothin on lightning bolt...
Rainyday2012
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You should run Galvanic Blast over this even if you don't play a single artifact. If you play this over Blast you're essentially telling your opponent that you're not playing artifacts, and why would you want to give him that information?
LordOfTheFlies87
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Balanced. Good to have around.
blindloyalty
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Infamously strictly worse than Lightning Bolt, which was last printed in Magic 2011.
Even in Standard, Shock is strictly worse than Mirrodin block's Galvanic Blast.
Notchism
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
i know people say its not as good as lightning bolt and its not but in edh you get one of each card and this actives blood thirst so what i do in my vamp edh is i have a bunch of burn cards to activate bloodthirst bump in the night brimstone volley galvanic blast incinerate lightning bolt shock
Dabok
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Okay, what I'm about to say may not be popular to many of you guys out there but I just wanted to say that I dislike this card. It's because I have started playing magic when Shock was the staple burn card. And when I say staple I mean it. It's a classic card that everyone knows and were actually happy to have in their decks. Everyone was satisfied with it. - I do understand that with the powercreeping, it became necessary to print this again, to adjust the level of removal and creatures. Now that creautres are becoming "normal" again (not too cost efficient), I think it's a good thing that they gave us shock back. - I can understand people who have started playing with Lightning Bolt being disappointed, but what I'm trying to say is. It's been a GIFT to the players that they've reprinted this card. Shock and its 2 damage variants are fine. Lightning Bolt should NOT be the measuring stick to which we must compare 1 mana burn spells. Shock is.
ZeoStar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
At first, I thought, "2 damage instead of 3 is going to be a problem." As it turned out, it almost always gave me that extra two damage I needed to destroy an unsuspecting blocker and get my assault through effectively this past year.
Red-White
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
'Strictly worse than Galvanic Blast. Blast costs the same mana, for the same effect - unless you have metalcraft active, where you get a strictly better effect. I run the blast over shock in any deck that has three or more artifacts.' - Negated
Strictly better/worse is a very hard thing to use, since there are so many card combos turning it around. On first look, your explanation is valid, but its actually invalid.
Mindslaver is used by an opponent. He uses your galvanic blast and kills you sine you were on 4 hp with epic creature defense, playing against a guy whohad no chance but this mindslaver. So, its not STRICLY better, but it is better in high 90's of cases.
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Notchism, you shouldn't be playing singular cheap burn in EDH.
Why?
They have 40 life, you can only have 1 of each non-basic-land card, and burn is a quick, aggro strategy. There are very few good aggro strategies in EDH, like Voltron (get lots of Auras/Equipment and attach to your general for quick general damage win).
Well it kinda sucks compared to lightning bolt, It is much more balanced. 4/5 Stars
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@red-white Strictly better means it accomplishes the same thing for a lower mana cost or does more for the same. It doesn't take into account what the opponent responds with.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
After reading some articles, I have changed my opinion on limited cards to needed for the game. Shock is still very playable and deadly, well done R&D
Lord_Sun_Fin
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
After a year of PIllar of Flame and Searing Spear as the standard burn spells I'm excited to have this back in M14. Yeah it might not be Lightning Bolt but it's much better than what we've had for the last year!
Comments (69)
If they wanted Bolt out of the picture, they should have reprinted Burst Lightning instead.
Well, at least the flavor text is nice.
"Why?"
"Well, its in nearly every deck that has any chance of splashing red..."
"Okay then. reprint Shock. Let them *** about that for a while."
- WoTC R&D
-WoTC
No, all you're losing is an easy decision. Lightning Bolt was so good you didn't have to think about it. If you needed burn, Bolt filled the first 4 slots by default. Now that it's gone, you'll have to choose from among the lesser burn spells, none of which is the standout superior like Bolt was.
but as I saw this card reprinted I realized that Lightning Bolt was owerpowered
holy, one core set later and I would have said to this: "crap, lightning bolt is better"...
puh, thanks wizards!
I think I understand why they might have made the decision and I can't really be mad at them about it. I just hope that we get something better in the next set.
But hey, you have to admit that it's still a good card in limited.
@Axelle, Revelation666: Burst Lightning would be at a good power level for this slot, but the problem there is introducing the notion of Kicker to new players in the core set. If they're going for simplicity, Shock is sadly the superior choice for inclusion. I just hope they put Burst Lightning in Innistrad or something.
I say we petition to get our 3-for-1 instants back.
Sincerely,
Green
PS. Don't let Black or Blue know I said this.
Although shock is alot more stabilized than Lightning Bolt in limited, where Bolt was pretty much ridicilous first-pick material in drafts.
Spoiled kids and their Lightning Bolts in Standard these days...tsk-tsk.
Hell, I might even even use Spawning Breath or Gut Shot over this depending on the deck.
Wizards is Troll-Facing us hard with this reprint. They know it will never see play.
So, anyways, GTFO SHOCK. Probably the only thing you'll ever be better than is Scorching Spear, and you know it.
inb4lowrating
Good luck, Shock.
Wizards is very meticulous about what card mechanics make it into core sets, and sadly, neither Kicker nor Metalcraft fit the bill for core set material. That said, I will never point this card at anything as long as Burst Lightning and Galvanic Blast are legal.
If I want vanilla 2 damage for {R}, I'll stick with Grim Lavamancer... as soon as I can fork over 40 bucks for a playset.
You suck now!
Sincerely,
White
PS. Don't let Green know I said this.
You could tell Wizards was enjoying the freedom of being able to make cards strictly better than Shock in Burst Lightning, Galvanic Blast, Forked Bolt, and, obviously, Lightning Bolt.
Sadly, being overshadowed so much makes people think it is unplayable. That is a shame, because I used to enjoy playing this in my early history of Magic.
What I'm more interested to see rather than "What will Standard do?" is if Wizards will continue to make strictly better cards than this. Like in Innistrad, maybe a Shock with Flashback
Yes, Shock is underpowered. Yes, Lightning Bolt is overpowered. Both are still very good. The happy medium is somewhere in between the two, but unfortunately fractional damage is confined to the absurd realm of Unhinged. I would love to see a new 1-mana instant burn spell core set staple that was in that happy medium between the two (like Burst Lightning), but I'm not sure how that card would work. Maybe R&D will surprise us all and get it figured out.
In the mean time, I'll gladly shuffle a playset of these and Incinerate into my red deck when Standard rotates this fall.
Sound better?
I will be very happy if Dark Ascension offers a new take on shock with a very reasonable flashback cost.
Geistflame? I don't think so.
Personally I felt that Lightning Bolt was overpowered. I'm happy the classic is back.
Shock is an underpowered Lightning Bolt, and Cancel is an underpowered Counterspell.
Inbetween the underpowered cards and the overpowered cards, there are plenty of things being thrown in to compensate. (ie. Galvanic Blast and Stoic Rebuttal.)
While people are willing to use both Shock and Cancel,
They are simply at the lower end of the spectrum.
But I agree that this is underpowered if you want it to be a tournament staple like the Bolt. Surely a balance between the two which hasn't been tried yet is Sorcery-speed Bolt (printed without the copy stuff in Chain Lightning)? Seems fairly costed set against everything else in standard.
Lightning Shock
R
Instant
Deal two damage to Target creature or player. Flip a coin. If heads, deal an additonial 1 damage to the target.
It will read:
Taze
Instant
Taze deals 2½ damage to target creature or player.
"Don't Taze me bro!"
Even in Standard, Shock is strictly worse than Mirrodin block's Galvanic Blast.
bump in the night
brimstone volley
galvanic blast
incinerate
lightning bolt
shock
It's because I have started playing magic when Shock was the staple burn card. And when I say staple I mean it. It's a classic card that everyone knows and were actually happy to have in their decks. Everyone was satisfied with it.
-
I do understand that with the powercreeping, it became necessary to print this again, to adjust the level of removal and creatures.
Now that creautres are becoming "normal" again (not too cost efficient), I think it's a good thing that they gave us shock back.
-
I can understand people who have started playing with Lightning Bolt being disappointed, but what I'm trying to say is. It's been a GIFT to the players that they've reprinted this card. Shock and its 2 damage variants are fine. Lightning Bolt should NOT be the measuring stick to which we must compare 1 mana burn spells. Shock is.
Strictly better/worse is a very hard thing to use, since there are so many card combos turning it around. On first look, your explanation is valid, but its actually invalid.
Mindslaver is used by an opponent. He uses your galvanic blast and kills you sine you were on 4 hp with epic creature defense, playing against a guy whohad no chance but this mindslaver. So, its not STRICLY better, but it is better in high 90's of cases.
Why?
They have 40 life, you can only have 1 of each non-basic-land card, and burn is a quick, aggro strategy. There are very few good aggro strategies in EDH, like Voltron (get lots of Auras/Equipment and attach to your general for quick general damage win).
Lastly, if I were in your situation, I'd play Curse of the Pierced Heart or something that is a consistent damage dealer for your opponent, and one that you don't have to waste a card draw on. Maybe Honden of Infinite Rage, Magmatic Force or Staff of Nin.
4/5 Stars