I spose, anyways. Never was a red player, but that is what I can gather.
CapnShapiro
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
Strictly worse than Incinerate, but strictly better than Volcanic Hammer. Well, I guess this is where we'll land for a year. Frankly though, the regeneration clause is irrelevant most of the time, so I think any deck will just take out Incinerates 1-for-1 for this come September.
shotoku64
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Both of this and incinerate are great, but I think incinerate had a better name
"I'm going to incinerate your creature!" sounds better than "I'm going to searing spear your creature."
Still, a decent card, but I think incinerate was a very fair card by itself.
Totema
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I dunno, I find it kinda endearing. But yeah, Incinerate will be missed.
DeckMechanic
★☆☆☆☆ (1.4/5.0)(5 votes)
4 Damage would have been nice.
ZEvilMustache
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Actually, I'm very happy with this.
Eternal_Blue
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(6 votes)
So this card exists. And they say Red doesn't have any good cards in Standard! Humph! Now to go craft the crappiest RDW deck ever!
SyntheticDreamer
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
I'd rather have Incinerate. Even Shock is more cost-effective than this.
Vakyoom
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Yep, this card will see draft play while incinerate stays in. Then whenincinerate rolls out red will have to resort to better cards or just move to a different color because you get no good pop spells now. No arc trail, no shock... RtR had better fix red in October or its gonna be hurt pretty severely.
blindthrall
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Whine, whine...we'll all use it at some point anyway.
Most of these comments aren't understanding the purpose behind the card. Far too many older cards canceled out regeneration for NO GOOD REASON. This doesn't, and still works beautiful. Stop complaining for nostalgia.
DarthParallax
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(7 votes)
At least Volcanic Hammer was a HAMMER.
Incinerate is what I think all Burn should aspire to. I think even Lightning Bolt can learn something from Incinerate. (You aren't a real Red Spell if you don't have a Jaya Ballard Quote)
I wrote to Wizards saying I sort of like what they're doing to make Regenerate relevant, but that a) Fire should get to beat Regenerate, according to everything I know about Trolls, b) if White and Black don't have it, giving it to Red doesn't screw Regenerate too badly and c) JAYA. BALLARD. GIVE ME BACK MY INCINERATE! :P
I urge everyone to send similar emails to MaRo because they only do things that lots of people write in about.
luca_barelli
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(3 votes)
oh come on, Incinerate and Lightning Bolt will cycle back around, and i'm sure they'll give us at least one Standard-playable burn spell in RtR.
RedAtrocitus
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Incinerate is only slightly better than this. Stop whining. If I was Wizards, I wouldn't want to give you all the bolt back either.
Tiggurix
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Man, they're really pushing regeneration. Apparently they still feel bad for all those years of Terror hosing everything that wasn't a zombie or a robot.
Zetan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
It amuses me that, at time of writing, this card is rated 2.265 while Volcanic Hammer is rated 2.721, despite being way worse. I guess people are harder on new cards, especially after being spoiled by Lightning Bolt for a couple sets.
KnexWiz
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
i agree with wizards trying to stop hoseing regeneration.
honestly, had this had a good name and a good flavor text (or ever no flavor text) this would be atleast 3.5 stars
4 Damage would have been nice -DeckMechanic
then it would be op, once you reach 4 damage on a low costed spell, it becomes less about creature removal and more about smashing face.
Dabok
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(8 votes)
I'm not gonna be popular by saying this, but yes, I agree that people have been spoiled by the very powerful Lightning Bolt. They now use it as a measuring stick to which every burn spell is to be compared too. For me it's just sad that people take Lightning Bolt for granted and consider the others trash. That shouldn't be the case. Those people should realise that Lightning Bolt was VERY strong. It shouldn't, by all means, be the "standard" burn spell.
c0d3br34k3r
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It's great how a card that, 99% of the time is Incinerate, has a rating about half that of Incinerate.
Negated
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
So much that I could say, but it boils down into one sentence:
It amuses me that calling forth a Lightning Bolt takes less energy and mana but does more damage than this puny spear...
rollinsclone
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'd have to say this is about on par with Shock. Not as good as Bolt or Incinerate, sure, but it can still do some damage and honestly Bolt is ridiculously good. There probably isn't ever going to be a cheap red spell better than Bolt, so I'm fine with this for now. Besides, it's not too bad. Better than Volcanic Hammer at least.
Ideatog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why not just reprint Flame Jet? If you're going to print an inferior Lightning Bolt, you could at least let it replace itself with something useful.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yay(?)
@ AncientKavu: Unfortunately, its mana cost did too.
3045
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sometimes you are stapled as a burn spell in consturcted with a rating of 5. Sometimes you are just a strictly-worse made for standard and limited.
loves_power_creep
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Has no one noticed that this is almost the same spear as from Searing Spear Askari? They should have had RKF do the art for this card.
CorkBulb
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Hey! What's up with low rating? All of you are so spoiled from Lightning Bolt you can't deal with anything less. Yeah yeah I know, we have Incinerate, which is strictly better because of the "can't regenerate" clause that so many of you are whining about. This being an instant over Volcanic Hammer makes it significantly strictly better, but it barely has a higher rating. This is an easy 3.5 if not 4 for a burn spell. It's a 2CMC 3 damage instant burn spell. What's wrong with you people? If it's not a Lightning bolt or incinerate it's no good and not worth printing? It would be awfully boring if the only 2 red burn spells around were lightning bolt and incinerate. Lightning bolt is rediculous on it's own right. Not broken, but extremely powerful, almost unfair. This does the same thing but cost more.
There are 50 different counterspells and most have at least 3.5 stars and none get this kind of criticism.
Compared to Shock, the extra point of damage is almost always worth it. Increasing the "burn range" from 2 toughness to 3 is a big deal.
In limited this is excellent, A must for a red deck and a high pick for a draft. It's the best way to take out those damned Vampire Nighthawks.
Being able to deal 3 damage at instant speed is good. The cost is just right, makes for a little more stratigizing than lightning bolt. And I think the art and flavor text is much better than on any lightning bolt. 4/5
Lotsofpoopy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is an awesome spell. With this spell I do what I do best and that is burn!
ndrew68
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is good in ANY limited format. Dont underestimate the power of 3 damage at insant speed. Plus Lightning Bolt is over powered anyways.
To me it just feels like a more modern version of Incinerate seeing as regeneration is hardly used now a days and makes for a rather clunky wording on a card that prevents regeneration
CORRBentOrgy
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Really? How often do you actually see regeneration anymore? Look at all the top decks in ANY format and you'll see... Actually, I can't see any. Point; yes, Incinerate is better, but that's no reason to slash a perfectly balanced card to two and a half stars.
Much like how Shock really isn't worth the cost without a touch of spice to it (Shock variants are some of my favorite cards), I don't think that should JUST deal 3 damage. Incinerate was a great answer for Regenerate, which tends to wreak havoc for burn spells, and I think it's a good baseline for burn. 2 mana for 3 damage and an added goodie. That seems fair to me.
jontagion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
and just like that, we're back to two pathetic Incinerates in standard. Thunderbolt is so bad I cry a little whenever I see it, at least this one can bold the Avacyn's Pilgrim
Lifegainwithbite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I mostly prefer Galvanic Blast for any deck with some artifacts.
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I hate how they have new art on the FNM Promos, but never any new flavor text. It's just so dissappointing.
sonorhC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lightning Bolt is the standard for comparison not just because it's good, but because it was the first. Back when I started playing, everyone had Lightning Bolts, and everyone took them for granted. When they replaced Bolt with Shock, it felt like a slap to the face, since it was strictly worse than something everyone was very used to. Yeah, Incinerate was usually worse than Lightning Bolt, but at least it wasn't strictly worse, so it still felt OK. This, though, doesn't.
RiftenBlack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Why do they even bother printing cards that do the same thing as other cards? Why not just reprint the old cards? Do we really have to spend $4 to get a playset of something of something we already have in other forms? Sigh.
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Worse than Lightning Bolt. Still Constructed playable. Deserves much more than 3.1/5.
Augthail
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Axelle I think the reason it's so low is that while it's a total beast in current Standard, it's completely trumped by both Lightning Bolt and Incinerate in literally every other constructed format besides block. In light of this, I think a rating of 3-3.5 (slightly above average) is fair.
otherwisee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Terrible card, when you compare it to incernerate, shock, pillar of flame, galvanic blast, lightning bolt, kindle, flame burst, glacial ray, magma jet, stagger shock, arc lightning, flame javelin, flames of the blood hand, violent eruption, pulse of forge.
OrangeAir
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is to Lightning Bolt what Cancel is to Counterspell. It's an incredibly aggravating downgrade, but it serves an understandable purpose, so we accept it.
RDorothy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Strictly worse than Lightning Bolt.
ddharrisjr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love the flavor text, and a good burn spell for standard.
What I hate about this card. The price is jacked up because its one of the few burns in standard, which keeps the demand high. 15 cents a pop, GRRRR Feel completely ripped off. Thanks for making something new just for the sake of making something new.
The art here is nothing to write home about, either. If it looked awesome or had a cool theme, you know, I wouldn't miss Lightning Bolt as much, but as it is? Nah.
WTB interesting burn effects.
Guest1162619373
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Currently one of the best burn spells in Standard.
On the note of Lightning Bolt, it was undercosted for what it does.
SAUS3
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
The reason they turned incinerate into this is because they are trying to move away from regeneration hate. That's why they printed day of judgement and doom blade and why you don't see 'can't be regenerated' on any cards anymore.
Sabisent
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Personally I like this a lot better than shock. The one more damage is definitely worth one more mana.
Of course Lightning Bolt is my favourite, but this works too.
leomistico
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
On the topic about the absence of the anti-regeneration clause, I would say a thing. I somehow think that they want to get rid of regeneration and keep only indestructible, which is more intuitive and better in almost 2 or 3 instances: it doesn't cost mana (generally), it doesn't tap the creature and doesn't remove from combat... Like they create hexproof instead of shroud because is all-upside, they would do something similar with indestructible!
I'm so sick about hexproof and indestructible. While green and white creatures are getting better and have these abilities, black and red destruction spells are getting costier and less reliable because of these abilities... Moreover, white and green removal also are getting better!
Tamerlein
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Goodbye, old friend. Even with Shock coming back, you will be missed.
EdgarPoeAllen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
What I don't get is how this does as much damage as a lightning bolt to the face, but costs more to cast.
SirLibraryEater
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
You people need to stop comparing this to incinerate and lightning bolt. The reason why WotC hasn't put them in instead of this is because they are absolutely ridiculous. Their existence does not make this any worse of a card. There are certainly worse burn spells WotC could have put in.
RamenAwesome
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Its a worse Lighting Bolt, that much is certain. the problem I'm having is determining if nerfing it that was necessary or not.
FruitShaped
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Combine this card with Goblin Electromancer and you're good to go.
Continue
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Lightning Strike. Looks like Searing Spear will be in Standard for two more years.
OlvynChuru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rate cards based on how good they are and how they interact with other cards, not based on how they compare to other cards. It doesn't matter if Searing Sphere is strictly worse than Incinerate; it's still an amazing card.
4/5
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The guy in the art is thinking "Ow, this hurts! But at least I'm not bored!".
raptorman333
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
9/24/2012 11:07:49 AM... Edited list:
i like it. only because now i can have more 3 damage for 2 mana burn cards in an EDH deck.
>30 of them including this card that you all rip on. You should have no problem with finding burn cards. This just adds to the EDH fun. (suggested Commander: Melek, Izzet Paragon with support: Uyo, silent Prophet)
Comments (63)
I spose, anyways. Never was a red player, but that is what I can gather.
"I'm going to incinerate your creature!" sounds better than "I'm going to searing spear your creature."
Still, a decent card, but I think incinerate was a very fair card by itself.
Incinerate is what I think all Burn should aspire to. I think even Lightning Bolt can learn something from Incinerate. (You aren't a real Red Spell if you don't have a Jaya Ballard Quote)
I wrote to Wizards saying I sort of like what they're doing to make Regenerate relevant, but that a) Fire should get to beat Regenerate, according to everything I know about Trolls, b) if White and Black don't have it, giving it to Red doesn't screw Regenerate too badly and c) JAYA. BALLARD. GIVE ME BACK MY INCINERATE! :P
I urge everyone to send similar emails to MaRo because they only do things that lots of people write in about.
honestly, had this had a good name and a good flavor text (or ever no flavor text) this would be atleast 3.5 stars
4 Damage would have been nice -DeckMechanic
then it would be op, once you reach 4 damage on a low costed spell, it becomes less about creature removal and more about smashing face.
They now use it as a measuring stick to which every burn spell is to be compared too.
For me it's just sad that people take Lightning Bolt for granted and consider the others trash. That shouldn't be the case. Those people should realise that Lightning Bolt was VERY strong. It shouldn't, by all means, be the "standard" burn spell.
Strictly WORSE than Lightning Bolt.
Please, do tell me how Cudgel Troll was your biggest threat while using a burn deck.
Mind YOU, Crimson Muckwader's and Duty-Bound Dead's are very prevalent in drafts.
@ AncientKavu: Unfortunately, its mana cost did too.
There are 50 different counterspells and most have at least 3.5 stars and none get this kind of criticism.
Compared to Shock, the extra point of damage is almost always worth it. Increasing the "burn range" from 2 toughness to 3 is a big deal.
In limited this is excellent, A must for a red deck and a high pick for a draft. It's the best way to take out those damned Vampire Nighthawks.
Being able to deal 3 damage at instant speed is good. The cost is just right, makes for a little more stratigizing than lightning bolt. And I think the art and flavor text is much better than on any lightning bolt. 4/5
To me it just feels like a more modern version of Incinerate seeing as regeneration is hardly used now a days and makes for a rather clunky wording on a card that prevents regeneration
Besides, with Goblin Electromancer and Guttersnipe, its as fine a spell as Lightning Bolt ever was.
FUUUUUUU R&D
The art here is nothing to write home about, either. If it looked awesome or had a cool theme, you know, I wouldn't miss Lightning Bolt as much, but as it is? Nah.
WTB interesting burn effects.
On the note of Lightning Bolt, it was undercosted for what it does.
Of course Lightning Bolt is my favourite, but this works too.
I'm so sick about hexproof and indestructible. While green and white creatures are getting better and have these abilities, black and red destruction spells are getting costier and less reliable because of these abilities... Moreover, white and green removal also are getting better!
4/5
Edited list:
i like it. only because now i can have more 3 damage for 2 mana burn cards in an EDH deck.
Here's my curve. Feel free to amend.
Geistflame
Lava Dart
Flame Jab
Seal of Fire
Shock
Pillar of Flame
Burst Lightning
Galvanic Blast
Lightning Blot
Arc Trail
Fire or Burn (only multicolor cards I'll list because it's essentially red despite its side-prited counterpart)
Kindle and/or Flame Burst
Glacial Ray
Sudden Shock
Magma Jet
Volcanic Hammer
This
Incinerate
Volt Charge
Puncture Blast
Arc Lightning/Flames of the Firebrand
Staggershock
Fiery Temper
Hammer of Bogardan
Yamabushi's Flame
Puncture Blast
Brimstone Volley
Char
Flame Javelin
Violent Eruption
Cackling Flames
Rekindled Flame
Beacon of Destruction
Lightning Surge
Thunderous Wrath
Explosive Impact
cards like Skull Crack, Sizzle, Flames of the Blood Hand, etc. only hit the opponent straight. Cards like Spitting Earth, Mizzet Mortars, Lightning Axe, Dead, Blasphemous Act, etc. only hit the creatures. And cards like Slagstorm, etc. give the option of all of one. Furthermore, cards like Lunge, Searing Blaze, etc. hit both.
That doesn't even touch upon the cards with X in their CMC.
>30 of them including this card that you all rip on. You should have no problem with finding burn cards. This just adds to the EDH fun.
(suggested Commander: Melek, Izzet Paragon with support: Uyo, silent Prophet)