I feel the need to call it now: this may be the best common of the set. It's 2/2 for 2, in TWO relevant tribes (thank you, Cavern of Souls), with an invaluable ability that grows even more powerful the more of him you have on the field, especially since the vast majority of cheap draw/counters rotated out with Scars and M12. This little weirdo deserves to go in R/B Delver and I predict it will very quickly become BFFs with Snapcaster Mage, Delver of Secrets, Augur of Bolas, and Talrand, Sky Summoner all at the same time. Plus he's a common. A common. Your Cancels are now Counterspells. Your Searing Spears are now Lightning Bolts. He diminishes the costs for Overload, Flashback, and spells. Like I said: possibly the best common in the set.
Lotsofpoopy
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(8 votes)
This is one awesome goblin. Pros like me also like that it has a 2/2 body.
oddmonk
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This is the model for what a strong common should be.
It is aggressively costed, fairly simple and will probably at least end up being a role-player in several decks/archetypes. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Science Goblin.
LordRandomness
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
OH HELL YES.
For reference, I was building Arcane Melee decks before it was cool.
Crack Sulfur Vent for this... and combo him/her out.
Eternal_Blue
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
Sometimes, there's a goblin wizard. And I'm talkin' about the Electromancer here. Sometimes, there's a goblin, well, he's the goblin for his time and place. He fits right in there. What else can be said, really? This little goblin may very well be my most anticipated card of the set for its versatility, utility, and above all else, it's commonality. That's right--he's a common! Pauper players rejoice!
CORRBentOrgy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As many people have already mentioned, his potential in Standard alone is worth running four, but something I've noticed is the lack of Modern repercussions being spotted;
One mana Remand, one mana Corrupted Resolve, and one of the greatest blue enchantments (In my opinions) Clout of the Dominus; turning him into a 4/4 Goblin with shroud, haste, and his already fabulous ability.
It all makes me slightly dizzy.
DoragonShinzui
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I hate cards that are automatic 4-ofs in decks. They're just lazy design, both the card and the deck itself.
Vandarringa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wow, just when I think all cards like this (efficiently costed creatures with relevant, abusable abilities you can build around) have to be rare, Wizards go and make an exception for my two favorite colors. Bravo!
RJ.693
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Some folks are born with Steam Vents in their eyes- Electromancy's in store. And when you ask 'em "How much power is required?"- You know they only answer "More" (more, more) It ain't me; it ain't me-e. I ain't no Izzet Gob-lun (lord, no) It ain't me; it ain't me-e. I ain't the spellcastin' one!
Awesome card for sure and if there's a card that can enable the fabled past in flames deck for standard, this is it.
My only complaint is that electromancer has to be a frikkin goblin, I'm so tired of that tribe (along with elves) at this point. They deserve an extended leave and should make room for new red main tribe like orcs or dwarves or whatever.
Domak
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(6 votes)
"Lotsofpoppy"'s "pros like me" comments were annoying to me at first. Then I realized he seems to have done one for every card in this set. That's some diligence.
Xilinoc
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
So Izzet scientists run xkcd, then?
http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/
RAV0004
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I was amazed and then I saw it was a 2/2.
Relevant ability AND relevant Body? COMMON?
Da Fuq. Give me more, please. I require more. For.... reasons.
Scamperdoof, you will be VERY delighted to know that this works PERFECTLY with x. When you play an x cost spell you choose the value of "x" so it does indeed lower it after you choose.
For example: I play fireball choosing x=5 +R so this is then reduced by 1 colorless for each electromancer you have. lets say only one. so the new cost is 4+R that you have to pay for it :) hope this helps
This is one awesome fun guy. Novice like me also know that it has die to removal spell from Mono-Black controlo decks.
Radagast
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Not too expensive and he helps everything else out, so why not?
Weisse
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Favorite card in the set, probably favorite common or card of all time (Goblin favorite tribe, UR favorite color combo). Twice as efficient for flashback spells. Lets you Syncopate for one mana. And a bunch of other nice things that have been mentioned.
5/5 for being an awesome common.
Purplerooster
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I haven't carefully looked at all the commons in the set, but this has got to be in the top 5. Mana acceleration, no sacrifice to power and toughness, and a relevant creature type.
The main lacks with Arcane Melee is of course what Goblin Electromancer gives; speed and that it's only your instants/sorceries.
pau3r
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Holy crap. I haven't looked at any of the new Ravinca cards cause i've been 'saving' the surprise for when I first draft with it.
I just lost the game and started looking at cards. This is one of the first things I see and I am so happy. BLUE RED (fav colour combo), INSTANTS AND SORCS?!?!(love that shit), 2/2 (also love creatures, but goblin wizard = +12)
Its a dream come true. This will definitely find many a place in many a blue red deck
victory to the people
FaceClaimer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
has anyone tried running 4 of this guy and 4 rewind? after turn 3 it's an absolute nightmare to deal with. that's 6 untapped land for every rewind played if you have at least 2 of this guy on the field. JUST TRY TO PLAY A SPELL I DARE YOU.
Dragonspeaker1995
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hm...I wonder how this would work for a spell with X in its cost, like Fireball...Would you be able to have X automatically be 1 without paying any colorless mana?
Odee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Elvoran It's true that you do need two of them but think on this, those two can attack and block for 2-2 each, plus there are a heap of instants in Return to Ravnica that will give them power and toughness boosts and sometimes hexproof to boot
azure_drake222222
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@flavor text:
"How much power is required?"
"Are you trying to win combat against me? I'm not telling you!"
I wouldn't mind if this was a rare. But this is a freaking common. It costs just and having two of these in play would let you massacrate everyone with overload spells, especially with e.g. a pair of guttersnipes . If I am ever going with Izzet - 3 of those guys is a must.
ToastKnight
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm working on an R/U LD deck that features a play-set of him, I actually enjoy his 2/2 body almost as much as I do his passive ability!
GlintKawk42
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
how is this not rated at least a 4? easily the best common in the block so far, and makes spell decks that much more potent. 5/5, no question.
Krysto
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
If the rulings are correct, this should also cost reduce the buyback costs on clockspinning. That means with 3 of these in play you can infinitely recast clockspinnings for 1 mana each.
Spam clockspinning on your planeswalker and watch things get crazy. Imagine Ral Zarek ready to uber on the second turn in play? Heck, you could even use his untap to open a land to clockspinning as well!
That being said, the potential here is ridiculous, and in semi-casual play this shouldn't be overlooked for its massive range of applications to kicker, buyback, overload, and similar effects.
Plus he's a Grizzly Bear!
Imagine casting full Rite of Replication on this guy! The next kicked Rite would only cost 3 mana CMC to cast WITH kicker.
Some really nasty things are possible here...
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Infinite Reflections
FruitShaped
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Obviously a great card if you run a heavy instant/sorcery deck, cutting down the generic mana cost by one, but also a pretty decent two drop common for 2/2. I like!
Magic-Master
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm not a huge player, but these are my favourite types of cards! Ones like Training Grounds, older ones like the Sunscape Familiar, and others... I have an Arcane Melee, which unfortunately gives your opponent an advantage as well... But this one is so cheap, with no colour restriction!
Hussalo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dragonshift just became THE go-to game ender for Izzet, and this guy makes it possible on turn 5. T 1) Legion loyalist T 2) This guy T 3) another 'mancer, Searing Spear, or Pillar of Flame to the face T 4) 3rd 'mancer, another Spear, or Pillar T 5) overloaded Dragonshift, GG Granted, you'd need optimal drawing of lands or the burns, but it is not unlikely. Worst case, a turn 6 Explosive Impact to seal the deal, if you didn't have the Pillars or Spears.
Tamerlein
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I like this card a lot. He makes Dissipate a Counterspell with an upside, and you can play Think Twice and draw two cards for three mana at instant speed, which isn't shabby at all. Still, after playing him quite a bit in my U/R control deck, he just isn't worth a slot because he doesn't provide card advantage in the same way that Augur of Bolas or Snapcaster Mage do.
Nonetheless, he is a really nice card with a solid body.
4/5
Hepatizon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
There are so many amazing wizard creatures in red/blue multicolor. Seems like they really could have done more with wizards in Izzet the way they did with Boros soldiers.
jfre81
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I've run a deck of some sort long before Ravnica gave it a name, and I can't think of one that didn't have counters and burn, which this makes so economical. This is too good to be a common, really.
This and Guttersnipe are a good team. RDW meets blue control in this deck and it's fun to play.
Travelsonic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just one turns Cancels into Counterspells, Searing Spears into Lightning Bolts, Thunderbolts into either Lightning Bolt OR a version of 'bolt that does 4 damage to a creature instead of 3 to a creature or player, depending on which one of Thunderbolt's effects you choose, the amount of awesome just one of these out packs is crazy given it's a common... I LOVE IT!
Do not underestimate this creature, and protect it well.
Casimir_the_Great
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
YES, someone else who reads xkcd!
Anyway, my deck's a beast between 4 of these, an Epic Experiment, a variety of damage spells like Fireball and a crapload of Overloaded cards, with a handful of Replicate ones.
I'd like to see this ability in an enchantment or artifact, even a colored artifact. Because every time I cast a Pyroclasm I lose this pretty goblin! And because in my Melek EDH deck I would appreciate a little redundancy in this department... And no, Semblance Anvil and Cloud key don't count, because with them I can discount Instant OR Sorceries, not both! Arcane Melee doesn't count either, because it costs too much and helps the opponents too. However, great creature! It was time for Izzet to get an effect like this! With Past in Flames, it's just so much win! 4.5/5
SkyknightXi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With that flavor text, I just know that if they existed in Ravnica, this would have been an Orc Wizard, not a Goblin Wizard.
Comments (50)
It is aggressively costed, fairly simple and will probably at least end up being a role-player in several decks/archetypes. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Science Goblin.
For reference, I was building Arcane Melee decks before it was cool.
*1 mana Manamorphose 0_0
*1 mana Desperate Ritual and Pyretic ritual
*1 mana Grapeshot
*2 mana Seething song
*3 mana Empty the warrens
Crack Sulfur Vent for this... and combo him/her out.
One mana Remand, one mana Corrupted Resolve, and one of the greatest blue enchantments (In my opinions) Clout of the Dominus; turning him into a 4/4 Goblin with shroud, haste, and his already fabulous ability.
It all makes me slightly dizzy.
Electromancy's in store.
And when you ask 'em "How much power is required?"-
You know they only answer "More" (more, more)
It ain't me; it ain't me-e.
I ain't no Izzet Gob-lun (lord, no)
It ain't me; it ain't me-e.
I ain't the spellcastin' one!
My only complaint is that electromancer has to be a frikkin goblin, I'm so tired of that tribe (along with elves) at this point. They deserve an extended leave and should make room for new red main tribe like orcs or dwarves or whatever.
http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/
Relevant ability AND relevant Body?
COMMON?
Da Fuq. Give me more, please. I require more. For.... reasons.
For example: I play fireball choosing x=5 +R so this is then reduced by 1 colorless for each electromancer you have. lets say only one. so the new cost is 4+R that you have to pay for it :) hope this helps
Twice as efficient for flashback spells. Lets you Syncopate for one mana. And a bunch of other nice things that have been mentioned.
5/5 for being an awesome common.
Mana acceleration, no sacrifice to power and toughness, and a relevant creature type.
I love it!
This guy is a common.
As in, easier-to-get-than-Blistercoil-Weird common.
Something doesn't seem right here.
Just giving people a hint there.
Goblin Electromancer is multi-colored whereas Arcane Meleeis mono-blue.
To reach the same effect you'd need two Goblin Electromancers (4 CMC vs. 5 CMC, 2 cards vs. 1 card).
Arcane Melee doesn't die to creature removal.
The main lacks with Arcane Melee is of course what Goblin Electromancer gives; speed and that it's only your instants/sorceries.
I just lost the game and started looking at cards. This is one of the first things I see and I am so happy. BLUE RED (fav colour combo), INSTANTS AND SORCS?!?!(love that shit), 2/2 (also love creatures, but goblin wizard = +12)
Its a dream come true. This will definitely find many a place in many a blue red deck
victory to the people
It's true that you do need two of them but think on this, those two can attack and block for 2-2 each, plus there are a heap of instants in Return to Ravnica that will give them power and toughness boosts and sometimes hexproof to boot
"How much power is required?"
"Are you trying to win combat against me? I'm not telling you!"
S'good.
It costs just
If I am ever going with Izzet - 3 of those guys is a must.
Spam clockspinning on your planeswalker and watch things get crazy. Imagine Ral Zarek ready to uber on the second turn in play? Heck, you could even use his untap to open a land to clockspinning as well!
That being said, the potential here is ridiculous, and in semi-casual play this shouldn't be overlooked for its massive range of applications to kicker, buyback, overload, and similar effects.
Plus he's a Grizzly Bear!
Imagine casting full Rite of Replication on this guy!
The next kicked Rite would only cost 3 mana CMC to cast WITH kicker.
Some really nasty things are possible here...
But this one is so cheap, with no colour restriction!
T 1) Legion loyalist
T 2) This guy
T 3) another 'mancer, Searing Spear, or Pillar of Flame to the face
T 4) 3rd 'mancer, another Spear, or Pillar
T 5) overloaded Dragonshift, GG
Granted, you'd need optimal drawing of lands or the burns, but it is not unlikely. Worst case, a turn 6 Explosive Impact to seal the deal, if you didn't have the Pillars or Spears.
Nonetheless, he is a really nice card with a solid body.
4/5
This and Guttersnipe are a good team. RDW meets blue control in this deck and it's fun to play.
Do not underestimate this creature, and protect it well.
Anyway, my deck's a beast between 4 of these, an Epic Experiment, a variety of damage spells like Fireball and a crapload of Overloaded cards, with a handful of Replicate ones.
Oh, and I have an assortment of cards like Tibor and Lumia, Djinn Illuminatus, and of course Guttersnipe
However, great creature! It was time for Izzet to get an effect like this! With Past in Flames, it's just so much win!
4.5/5