No thank you. I'd rather use Spark Trooper. Same block, no less.
ThisisSakon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rare, no less ;)
Although, I don't think that 2 extra mana was worth one more damage over Lightning Helix...
Abl
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Compare this to Char. For one more W, you effectively gain 6 life, which is decent. And Char was considered one of the best burn spells of its time. The extra one damage DOES matter.
Continue
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Four damage for three mana is fair. See Flame Javelin for an example of that in mono-red. Tacking on some lifegain is worth one more mana. See the original Lightning Helix, which is of course in the same colors as this. With that logic, this is perfectly costed. I give it a 5/5 because it's powerful, but not more powerful than it needs to be.
should have traded the 2 colorless for 1 extra red, or a red/white hybrid. 4 is too much for a burn spell, even one that does 4 damage, especially not when you can just use the much more efficient Lightning Helix for essentially the same thing
Gcrudaplaneswalker
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Why is this rated so low? This is an obvious bomb in Limited, and 4 damage for 4 mana was always decent. Throw in the life gain, and this is Constructed playable. We all got spoiled with Lightning Helix.
rollinsclone
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
8 point life swing for 4 mana at instant speed? It's not Lightning Helix, but this one can kill Restoration Angel so I'm okay with it. Also, flavor text is awesome.
Smoke_Stack
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
the extra damage adds up. I don't know if this will see much play but there are lots of creatures with a high toughness that this could reliably deal with.
JaxsonBateman
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
How this is only a 3.5 at the time of this post is outrageous. This is one of the best removal spells in limited. There are definite other candidates, and it's hard to go past Putrefy from both an effect, cost and rarity standpoint, but unless you're dealing with a 5+ toughness creature Helix actually has the edge due to lifegain. And anyone who thinks that some bonus lifegain on an otherwise good effect is negligible obviously hasn't had a close race before. And then there are always those times when your opponent is on 4 or less life...
This is a very justifiable first pick in draft - and to get that kind of priority, you have a 4+/5 rating.
As for the comment about Spark Trooper - are you high? 2 damage and lifegain isn't nearly as potent as the ability to directly hit creatures if required. Pretty much the only thing Spark has going in its favor is the ability to contribute to Batallion. Don't get me wrong; it's a solid card, but I'd be much happier with a Helix in its place.
Blackwatch_00
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Has anyone noticed that most of the good cards released in the past 2 sets have 4 toughness...! yea ...exactly 5/5
I'm as butt-hurt as the next guy that we didn't get a Lightning Helix reprint, but it's worth noting that this one is still rowdy good in Limited and worthy of some fringe standard play in the america flash lists.
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Secretly Phyrexian, Aurelia?
Avensai
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
It's not Lightning Helix, but Helix is easily one of if not the best red/white cards ever printed and I doubt it'll return to standard any time soon (aside from being an ability tacked on to a creature or planeswalker, like with Firemane Avenger and Ajani Vengeant). That being said, 4 mana is a fair price to pay for 4 damage and 4 life in one package. It's not the spell we probably all wanted, but it's the spell that's fair. Overly competitive people hate fair. The rest of us should enjoy it for what it is: a welcome homage to an old classic.
FurnaceOfRath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Perhaps we ought to consider that blue enchantment from Avacyn Restored, Arcane Melee. It reduces this to exactly lightning helix cost, makes Obzedat's aid cheap, and does a really good job with the flashback costs on innistrad cards (Forbidden Alchemy for example).
GlintKawk42
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
either kills a threat and gains back some life, or a straight up 8 point life swing. definitely not to be laughed at.
Abberon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Really don't like the art. There are so many well-rendered Angels from the last few blocks that this picture is just yuck. She looks like Xena with wings.
Card's okay. I'm not thrilled about it. There aren't that many hasty 4 toughness creatures in the format so other than Exava and Resto Angel I don't see where it fits in as a 4 mana instant. That's too slow IMO but I'm no pro.
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@martianshark to which i respond, electrickery.
Lifegainwithbite
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
That 1 damage is very important. It can kill Restoration Angel, Loxodon Smiter and Sire of Insanity to name but a few. Sure Lightning Helix costs less and is generally the better card but when you're going up against these creatures, you'd rather have this card.
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
After playing with and against this for a while, I found this card to be pretty strong. I was playing green aggro last SGO and went 7-3, two of the matchs I lost were very close -- except the last match against UWR control, which I felt was completely hopeless. Game 2 he went T2 Augur of Bolas revealing Warleader's Helix, T3 Pillar of Flame + Augur of Bolas revealing Supreme Verdict, and T4 Restoration Angel revealing another Warleader's Helix. Normally an aggro deck can try to finish off opponents at 6-10 life via burn and hasty creatures for a few turns after T4-5. Add just one Helix, though, the game is likely lost right there when the last creature is killed.
This is for midrange decks what Lightning Helix is for aggro decks. I was so disappointed when it was spoiled, but it's a very good card for its own use.
The_Hittite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Abberon It's January 2014's FNM promo now. And it looks sweet. http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/ads/FNM2014/Cards/EN_FNM_Card_January.jpg
Comments (25)
Although, I don't think that 2 extra mana was worth one more damage over Lightning Helix...
The extra one damage DOES matter.
This is a very justifiable first pick in draft - and to get that kind of priority, you have a 4+/5 rating.
As for the comment about Spark Trooper - are you high? 2 damage and lifegain isn't nearly as potent as the ability to directly hit creatures if required. Pretty much the only thing Spark has going in its favor is the ability to contribute to Batallion. Don't get me wrong; it's a solid card, but I'd be much happier with a Helix in its place.
5/5
Card's okay. I'm not thrilled about it. There aren't that many hasty 4 toughness creatures in the format so other than Exava and Resto Angel I don't see where it fits in as a 4 mana instant. That's too slow IMO but I'm no pro.
It's January 2014's FNM promo now. And it looks sweet.
http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/ads/FNM2014/Cards/EN_FNM_Card_January.jpg