Yea, I remember when this was like $15 and a red staple. Obviously it wouldn't stand a chance now. It goes directly against the logic of most red decks, which is speed and the ability to win by turn 5 or so. This would mainly be good in long, drawn-out games where each player has used up most of their cards. It could perhaps find some use in red/blue control, but the red mana cost makes that difficult.
GoblinNaysayer93
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I don't see what's so great about this card. Assuming that you aren't running any mana accel, this card's two earliest possible uses will look like this:
Turn 3: Tap all lands, deal 3 damage to something.
Turn 5: Return the Hammer to your hand by tapping all lands.
Turn 6: Use half of the mana available to cast it again.
This means that you've spent 11 mana and 2.5 turns to use 2 lightning bolts at sorcery speed. Also, as it has been said, this completely ignores red's philosophy of winning by the fifth turn.
limbrooke
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I remember when these were $15 each too. It's strange despite the high mana cost they were still so regularly played. I have used nearly a playset of these in my R/U deck for years and even though I think to myself to replace them (notably with Chain or Ball Lightning) I never do. I run 2 now and yeah, the cost is high but late in the game they can really make a difference. Classic card and great artwork although time hasn't been too kind. 3.5/5
boneclub
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is fabulous in multiplayer. Just having recurring cards in drawn-out games is fantastic.
scumbling1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card was all the rage until they made a better version in Cursed Scroll. There are very few situations where I'd actually want to go back to using this card instead.
Shadoflaam
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(10 votes)
STOP
Hammertime.
Paladin85
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
People who can't see why this card is good: This is the earliest form of 'reuse cards' for red who often ran out of options by turn 4/5. If your opponent isn't dead by then, you need to hope for good draws or use recycle this
Though time has diminished the strength of this card, its still at least a 4.5/5
RedAtrocitus
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
For everyone downrating, you just aren't getting the point. This card Incinerates at sorcery speed for {R} more. For that {R} and drop in speed, you get a card that can help you win a game that goes longer than your gas can take you. It isn't meant to win the game for you, once you draw it you cease doing anything else but paying 8 mana a turn to deal 3 damage. Instead, it gives you something to do when you have nothing to do or extra mana laying around. Not for when your plans go smoothly and you win on turn 4. Plenty of games saw this cast and never recurred. Oh, but the option is sweet.
The slightly higher cost is for a little back up plan. A useful thing to have in an era where the cards for RDW may not have been as deep as they are now, the best red spells from over 60 sets instead of about 10.
SeriouslyFacetious
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yet another awesome old card put out to the EDH pasture...
Comments (14)
4.5 for the memories.
Turn 3: Tap all lands, deal 3 damage to something.
Turn 5: Return the Hammer to your hand by tapping all lands.
Turn 6: Use half of the mana available to cast it again.
This means that you've spent 11 mana and 2.5 turns to use 2 lightning bolts at sorcery speed. Also, as it has been said, this completely ignores red's philosophy of winning by the fifth turn.
Hammertime.
Though time has diminished the strength of this card, its still at least a 4.5/5
The slightly higher cost is for a little back up plan. A useful thing to have in an era where the cards for RDW may not have been as deep as they are now, the best red spells from over 60 sets instead of about 10.