Why not Stone Rain!!? This could have at least had a cantrip. Or cost RRR .
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(16 votes)
this makes me mad. stone rain was never even overpowered. wizards has definitely taken the whole "land destruction isn't fun" thing too far.
ThisisSakon
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I gave it two stars for the silly Chandra quote
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Final proof Jaya Ballard is better than Chandra.
Eternal_Blue
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(6 votes)
The nonbasic lands keep getting stronger and the land destruction keeps getting weaker. Would a red card that cost 1R and said 'Destroy target nonbasic land' really be that overpowered? I mean, nonbasic lands generally ought to be fair game for removal.
majinara
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Because stone rain was too good... T_T We will never see playable ld decks again. :|
jsttu
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Alongside Acidic slime, this is needed for the hard to remove lands that are popular such as inkmoth nexus, the various innistrad utility lands, and now the one that gives exalted. The expensive cost and low versitility compared to older versions (pillage etc.) means it won't be used unless the players are really desperate though.
The Chandra quote is absolutely awesome, except for the fact that it was wasted on a 13th pick draft card that will never be played.
I suppose I should be thankful to not have played when Roiling Terrain was in Standard, because then I'd feel really gypped right now.
I do also know that Stone Rain exists. I just don't want to point it out (like how everyone has)
ZEvilMustache
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It isn't that stone rain was too good. Land destruction decks are just that lame.
LordOfTheFlies87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Awkward name for a card.
richardshort
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Yes. LD became a very "un-fun" deck type to play against. Stone Rain was NOT the problem. The problem was Stone Rain + Strip Mine + Sinkhole + Lay Waste + Molten Rain + Ice Storm + Wreck Havok + Dwaven Driller, etc, etc. ONE decent Land Destruction card WON'T break the format. Reprint Stone Rain.
DarthParallax
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(4 votes)
I do NOT want this reprinted- but...eh...since what's done is DONE- I guess I do not mind having another version of this effect for Commander...even if it's sorta overcosted.
Wizards? You owe us a Wrecking Ball in Standard for this.
On reflection- I'm trying to think of any deck that you would have a legitimate reason for Blowing up a Land- if you are considering both 'what do I need to win' AND 'what is fun gameplay for BOTH players, not just 1? (blowing up lands is mean. so it's *really* fun to do to someone. all the 'un-fun' things are actually a riot if your not on the receiving end.)
In the end, the only situation I could come up with where Land Destruction was important that didn't involve answering a specific 'problem child' non-basic, was against Green- not just Green though- kinda has to be Primeval Titan for me to think Stone Rain would add balance and fun. Now, if we'd gotten Stone Rain in M12, as a balance to PT, then that would have been exciting and great- since the Titan is leaving, I just don't see enough of a threat from Lands compared to how really awful getting manascrewed is.
What's the point of this when they just reprinted Demolish in Avacyn Restored? Even if you're really desperate for some standard legal land destruction, you're not going to use this when there's a strictly better version available.
The name and flavor text are nice though.
Atali
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
They clearly want to weaken land destruction, but can't remove it because its needed to deal with the powerful nonbasic lands they keep printing.
I have no love for Stone Rain, but I think they could have left us with Demolish.
Frozenwings
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(14 votes)
Now, red players, you all understand why we hated cancel over counterspell
Fenix.
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(16 votes)
"Utterly is our favorite way to make LD unplayable" -wotc
Averyck
★★☆☆☆ (2.4/5.0)(6 votes)
I love coming to newer LD cards and hearing the outcry of "BRING BACK STONE RAIN GURGLBLURG." Granted, Stone rain is better. I'd rather run it than Craterize. But Craterize is what I pulled, and Craterize killed my opponent's Cathedral of War. My $.25 card beat his. I have a sense of grim satisfaction from this.
Radagast
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(6 votes)
Useless trash - was Demolish too good?
Okay, we get it - land destruction isn't fun. So, perhaps we should move away from both land destruction cards that are too good... as if Stone Rain was broken... and junk like this. Make it exhile a land, destroy target Non-basic land, have some other effect... something other than a weaker version of a card that hadn't seen serious play in years.
Misleading_Guide
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
"Hum... I could destroy a land... Or I could play Krenko..."
True_Mumin
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
What. Is this supposed to be funny or something?
El_Pared
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Seriously guys? Stone Rain for 3R? Sooner or later they'll be prinding LLanowar Elves for 1G, Oblivion Ring for 3W and Doom Blade for 2B because you should pay arbitrarily high costs for things you know you could normally be getting cheaper.
and this in a set where they reprinted RANCOR and DURESS!? Rancor hasn't been printed since Urz block because it's "too good" and Duress is Duress. How is Stone Rain too broken but Duress isn't? This is why I don't play anymore
DoktorAwesome
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Couldn't we get Goblin Setter instead of this?
deadapult13
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I want my Petravark and Avalanche Riders please.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
"The land destruction here seems go out of its way to kill you." —Chandra Nalaar
Kryptnyt
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(6 votes)
The thing is, Stone Rain isn't even great. It's just about as average as it gets. This card is just going to make people like me angry and nothing else. For the record, land destruction IS fun. It's a blast. Blowing up land after land is just the best kind of glee there is. Who says one player can't have enough fun for both sides of the table?
Speednat
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I am trying to think of something good to say about this card, but with Demolish in AR, I can't.
Thrull_Champion
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(5 votes)
First card I ever gave a .5 rating too. I'm disappointed this card even exists.
Lash_of_Dragonbreath
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Well, we couldn't expect Tectonic Rift back after it completely broke standard in M12.
greenzero
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(5 votes)
I think that one developer at Wizards is just trolling Standard. The one who made Archangel's Light, Grounded, Defensive Stance, Heavy Mattock, Angel's Mercy etc.
Now, Wizards defends themselves by saying bad cards make good cards good, and to some extent I understand that (Even if I hate it). But honestly, when the Hell am I ever going to need a Stone Rain for one more, a card for two that wastes a card slot making something lose Flying, a 3 mana equip that for two mana gives +2/+2 to a human, +1/+1 to anything else, etcetera.
Wizards, stop sucking at card design. - Yours truly, Greenzero.
TheWrathofShane
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
Wizards is making a statement, they dont want pure LD decks to win games. This is a pure sideboard card, when budget players need an answer to powerful non basics.
Demolish is more likely to be maindecked, and more likely running into the situation where your stuck at 3 lands to have one of them demolished, completely spoiling your game!
Still that does not explain Bramblecrush, or Melt Terrain, and the fact that Demolish is in standard... Well I tried guys, maybe wizards just wanted a filler card that was worse then everything to take up space in your booster packs??
RedAtrocitus
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Dear Wizards,
If you don't want me to play land destruction, you can just not make cards that destroy land. You don't need to make awful cards to keep me from doing it.
MmmmK?
MmmmK.
-RA
thejester911
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I think this is quite funny!
I think they are trying to compensate for the shuffler mana screws in MTGO. Oh you are running 23 land in your 60 card deck? Lets give you 1 land in your opening hand (with all the best cards in your deck cc 3 or higher), none in your first mulligan, 1 in your second mulligan (with none of the cards you need) and then just for fun we will give you 3 land in your final mulligan (out of your remaining 4 cards and the remaining card will be a llanowar elf or something equally as exciting with no other playables in hand).
Should have kept your first hand and took a chance huh? You knew that the lowest land destruction was 4 casting cost. What were you thinking? haha
They don't think LD is fun? Im sure half of the best meta deck's aren't fun. You lose a lot of fun when you go for wins only. They really shouldn't have nerfed LD past usability when none of the best decks use it, especially going into M13.
yousquiddinme
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is not amazing but it also isn't worth 0.5 stars.
It's decent LD, and I think it's pretty notable with Cavern of Souls still in standard (although there is still better LD.)
Just because there's better of something doesn't mean that it can't be good.
Every creature in magic isn't bad because Emrakul exists.
Every planeswalker isn't bad because Jace the Mind Sculptor exists.
Every counterspell isn't bad because Counterspell exists.
Every burn spell isn't bad because Bonfire exists.
I like the flavor text, too.
j_mindfingerpainter
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Mechanically speaking, this is rated ~3.0 below Stone Rain for costing {1} more. Makes me wish they made Delver cost {1}{U}...
Paladin85
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I believe Wizards thought LD was too good when its 2R thanks to people playing G/R LD with mana acceleration, making turn 2 Stone Rains possible
Of course its quite stupid to make this cost more and making it strictly worse than Stone Rain. As TheWrathofShane has mentioned, there should be a nice little side effect when the casting cost is increased
Or make it cost RRR so that you have to run mono decks to play it
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Because Demolish, which you reprinted in the previous block, was far, FAR too powerful. Of course.
I'm fine with LD never being below 4 cmc so long as you make it INTERESTING. I'm perfectly willing to admit that Stone Rain is too powerful, that's fine by me. I'm perfectly willing to admit that Pillage was broken as all hell, I'm with you there. But printing blatantly shit cards? Just...no. Don't do it. It never goes down well with anyone, has never prevented power creep, and just leaves a sour taste in everyone's mouths. You're cutting down trees for your arrogance, guys. Making cards no one will ever play does not improve the game ever. For any reason.
Equinox523
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
This card upsets me. Stone Rain was NOT overpowered and land destruction is not unfun. With the overabundance of nonbasic lands in seemingly everybody's manabase, where is the punishment for this? Why shouldn't there be strategies that pull out the rug underneath everybody's feet, and show them respect for the very resources they rely on to cast their spells? Why should everyone's lands be allowed to go unpunished for three turns, affording them plenty of time to set up their strategies? Besides, it's not like there have been major land destruction decks taking over standard since...Magnivore and Wildfire.
I love the art on this card. And I was never around when Stone Rain was out, so 4cmc seems standard LD for me. I dunno, I like it.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Strictly worse than Pain // Suffering. When a card is functionally identical to half of a split card that was printed before it, that's a bit of a problem. Come on, Wizards. Just give us Stone Rain already. We haven't gotten it since 9th Edition...
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ugh, a card with a name as powerful as that shouldn't be allowed to be this underwhelming. I mean come on - C R A T E R I Z E - that sounds like some serious, as the flavor text implies, utterly destructive business. They could at least have added some collateral damage, like a Tremor effect on your opponent's side.
Now (even though this could have never happened due to their stance on LD on Standard for whatever reason), if they would just have made this a functional reprint of Stone Rain, I'd have been more than satisfied.
The_Erudite_Idiot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Don't waste cardstock on garbage - its not environmentally sensitive.
leomistico
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think that they did this card to set a standard for a "vanilla" land destruction spell, like Cancel is the one for counterspell... A standard that can be broken with a strictly better card sometimes, again like counterspell... The problem with 4CMC land destruction cards is that 4CMC is too high, but 3CMC is too low! So they have to do 4CMC LD cards with some twist, but for red is not so easy. Recently, they made a lot of LD spells, that do something else, other than destroy the land Seismic Spike Roiling Terrain Poison the Well Melt Terrain Icefall setting the standard cost for LD + a little bonus. So now a simple LD spell costs . Sure, there are cards that costs and do something more than destroy the land, but those bonus are usually quite uninteresting (except for Demolish and Avalanche Riders, but this one is also quite old...). I'm quite ok at LD at 4CMC, but this card surely leave everybody unsatisfied... Give me Demolish any day! At least, is flexible! Now I only would like to see a "vanilla" Non Basic Land Destruction spell... I bet that it would cost something like .
Another thing: Red destruction spells are some of the most non-versatile. Red can destroy only artifacts and lands (I'm not talking about damage here), so something more than Demolish is quite difficult, while at the same time Green has something like Beast Within and Bramblecrush... I would like to see Aftershock come back, or something that gives you some option, like: Choose one - destroy target land; or ~ deals 3 damages to target creature or player.
Comments (53)
I suppose I should be thankful to not have played when Roiling Terrain was in Standard, because then I'd feel really gypped right now.
I do also know that Stone Rain exists. I just don't want to point it out (like how everyone has)
Wizards? You owe us a Wrecking Ball in Standard for this.
On reflection- I'm trying to think of any deck that you would have a legitimate reason for Blowing up a Land- if you are considering both 'what do I need to win' AND 'what is fun gameplay for BOTH players, not just 1? (blowing up lands is mean. so it's *really* fun to do to someone. all the 'un-fun' things are actually a riot if your not on the receiving end.)
In the end, the only situation I could come up with where Land Destruction was important that didn't involve answering a specific 'problem child' non-basic, was against Green- not just Green though- kinda has to be Primeval Titan for me to think Stone Rain would add balance and fun. Now, if we'd gotten Stone Rain in M12, as a balance to PT, then that would have been exciting and great- since the Titan is leaving, I just don't see enough of a threat from Lands compared to how really awful getting manascrewed is.
The name and flavor text are nice though.
Solution!
Arson (U)
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy target nonbasic land.
Okay, we get it - land destruction isn't fun. So, perhaps we should move away from both land destruction cards that are too good... as if Stone Rain was broken... and junk like this. Make it exhile a land, destroy target Non-basic land, have some other effect... something other than a weaker version of a card that hadn't seen serious play in years.
and this in a set where they reprinted RANCOR and DURESS!? Rancor hasn't been printed since Urz block because it's "too good" and Duress is Duress. How is Stone Rain too broken but Duress isn't? This is why I don't play anymore
—Chandra Nalaar
For the record, land destruction IS fun. It's a blast. Blowing up land after land is just the best kind of glee there is. Who says one player can't have enough fun for both sides of the table?
Now, Wizards defends themselves by saying bad cards make good cards good, and to some extent I understand that (Even if I hate it). But honestly, when the Hell am I ever going to need a Stone Rain for one more, a card for two that wastes a card slot making something lose Flying, a 3 mana equip that for two mana gives +2/+2 to a human, +1/+1 to anything else, etcetera.
Wizards, stop sucking at card design.
- Yours truly, Greenzero.
Demolish is more likely to be maindecked, and more likely running into the situation where your stuck at 3 lands to have one of them demolished, completely spoiling your game!
Still that does not explain Bramblecrush, or Melt Terrain, and the fact that Demolish is in standard... Well I tried guys, maybe wizards just wanted a filler card that was worse then everything to take up space in your booster packs??
If you don't want me to play land destruction, you can just not make cards that destroy land. You don't need to make awful cards to keep me from doing it.
MmmmK?
MmmmK.
-RA
I think they are trying to compensate for the shuffler mana screws in MTGO. Oh you are running 23 land in your 60 card deck? Lets give you 1 land in your opening hand (with all the best cards in your deck cc 3 or higher), none in your first mulligan, 1 in your second mulligan (with none of the cards you need) and then just for fun we will give you 3 land in your final mulligan (out of your remaining 4 cards and the remaining card will be a llanowar elf or something equally as exciting with no other playables in hand).
Should have kept your first hand and took a chance huh? You knew that the lowest land destruction was 4 casting cost. What were you thinking? haha
Stone Rain, Avalanche Riders, Demolish, Dwarven Landslide, Earth Rift, Flowstone Flood, Goblin Settler, Lay Waste, Pain/Suffering, Tectonic Rift, Touch and Go
It's decent LD, and I think it's pretty notable with Cavern of Souls still in standard (although there is still better LD.)
Just because there's better of something doesn't mean that it can't be good.
Every creature in magic isn't bad because Emrakul exists.
Every planeswalker isn't bad because Jace the Mind Sculptor exists.
Every counterspell isn't bad because Counterspell exists.
Every burn spell isn't bad because Bonfire exists.
I like the flavor text, too.
Of course its quite stupid to make this cost more and making it strictly worse than Stone Rain. As TheWrathofShane has mentioned, there should be a nice little side effect when the casting cost is increased
Or make it cost RRR so that you have to run mono decks to play it
I'm fine with LD never being below 4 cmc so long as you make it INTERESTING. I'm perfectly willing to admit that Stone Rain is too powerful, that's fine by me. I'm perfectly willing to admit that Pillage was broken as all hell, I'm with you there. But printing blatantly shit cards? Just...no. Don't do it. It never goes down well with anyone, has never prevented power creep, and just leaves a sour taste in everyone's mouths. You're cutting down trees for your arrogance, guys. Making cards no one will ever play does not improve the game ever. For any reason.
I was with Wizards when they decided that Strip Mine and Wasteland were broken. Sinkhole and Pillage, too. But not this.
I mean come on - C R A T E R I Z E - that sounds like some serious, as the flavor text implies, utterly destructive business. They could at least have added some collateral damage, like a Tremor effect on your opponent's side.
Now (even though this could have never happened due to their stance on LD on Standard for whatever reason),
if they would just have made this a functional reprint of Stone Rain, I'd have been more than satisfied.
Seismic Spike
Roiling Terrain
Poison the Well
Melt Terrain
Icefall
setting the standard cost for LD + a little bonus. So now a simple LD spell costs
Sure, there are cards that costs
I'm quite ok at LD at 4CMC, but this card surely leave everybody unsatisfied... Give me Demolish any day! At least, is flexible!
Now I only would like to see a "vanilla" Non Basic Land Destruction spell... I bet that it would cost something like
Another thing: Red destruction spells are some of the most non-versatile. Red can destroy only artifacts and lands (I'm not talking about damage here), so something more than Demolish is quite difficult, while at the same time Green has something like Beast Within and Bramblecrush... I would like to see Aftershock come back, or something that gives you some option, like:
Choose one - destroy target land; or ~ deals 3 damages to target creature or player.
1.5/5