Pointed Discussion

I'm not sure if I like this or the old art the most, but it is fun to see another version of this, at the very least.

I think the old art is better

Both arts are incredible. I don't mind owning either. ;D

they reprinted it :D

@ Doaj: Think you mean, "I don't mind owning with either." This card rocks. Great to see a reprint.

Ya this card is bad f ucking black ass !

this one is more 'Maelstrom'-y, the other one is a real 'Pulse'. 'Nuff said about the arts. B|

Errata: Kill Target Dork and his entire family.

What can one say about Maelstrom Pulse? Very solid card, good in most formats it's available in. Like a Golgari version of Vindicate and arguably just as good.

FYI:

The art is from a Grand Prix 2011 Promo. Both arts are great, and John Avon never disappoints.

Pretty sure this is the highest rated card on gatherer right now! Let's keep it that way.

This card is so strong. Finally got one because there was actually one for trade :D glad they reprinted it (simply for availability).

The first one had Progenitus-like awe going for it, but this one is more "HOLY MOLY it just punched a hole through a mountain range", I think. They're both very fine art that show immense destruction in different ways.

I can clearly see a "pulse" ripping through the land in this art. I believe this is also the Judge Promo art. Is this better than the previous art? It's really hard to say, but if it came down to it, I'd say this one is better.

So what can be said about Maelstrom Pulse?
It's reason number 2 why is one of the most popular EDH colours (Reasons 1 being Pernicious Deed).
It can target almost any permanent (I wonder which it can't target... if only it were obvious...).
It can be just as effective as a sorcery-speed Naturalize, or just as damning as a completely one-sided Damnation.
It has the ability to kill Planeswalkers.
If there are two copies of one permanent where one is untargetable, you can target the targetable one to kill the other.
It's cheap enough to play competitively but expensive and colour-heavy enough where people don't complain about it.

It may be one of the most perfect cards in Magic.

Competes with:
-Beast Within
-Putrify
-Vindicate

all of which are instant speed. This however covers a few blind spots, such as tokens, and loses the drawback of Beast and gains targets over Putrify. If instant speed won't matter that game and you need a planeswanlker killer, this is probably where you want to go.

Deck:
Thrumming Stone x4
Maelstrom Pulse x4
Forest x3
Swamp x8
Overgrown Tomb x4
Twilight Mire x4
Verdant Catacombs x4
Relentless Rats x25

The Play:
Step 1 - Play Thrumming Stone. Your opponent is suspicious.
Step 2 - Play Relentless Rats. Your opponent is terrified.
Step 3 - Play Maelstrom Pulse, say "Relentless Rats". Your opponent is confused.
Step 4 - MORTAL COMBAAAAT

Detention Sphere had a child with Vindicate and it's... green?