I guess they're trying to ease us back up to Lightning Bolt. I expect to see it back in M15 or M16.
master_biomancer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I really hope you idiots do not troll this card to death, yes there are strictly better variants mainly the bolt but you just sound like Droning Bureaucrats after a while...
I really did need more tools for my Guttersnipe deck... And at instant speed, this will outshine Pillar of Flame in most situations since Undying hasn't been a big problem for a while.... But after Pillar rotates, this card just gets even better.
Happy to see this and not Lightning Bolt, the power creep seems to be more under control with M14 and i'm happy to see that for once.
RiftenBlack
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I don't think instant 2 damage is all that relevant in Standard, but it will be played. Many creatures are going to get better now that Pillar of Flame is leaving us.
Playing Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 has tought me that it's important not to think of this is as good or premium removal. While it's going to kill Banisher Priest and other creatures just fine, people are going to avoid playing them just because Shock exists, so beware of Loxodon Smiters and Voice of Resurgences and everything else that is going to be played in Standard... Shock's going to be an even more dead card than Pillar has been.
Taudisban
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It is in the same limited environment as Young Pyromancer. In the same standard as Guttersnipe. It is good to have it back.
Lord_Sun_Fin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Welcome back. Instant speed and for 1 mana, that's what I look for in burn removal. Sure it's not Bolt but this is fine for the current power level in standard.
Cygore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Strictly worse than Lightning Bolt, but that's a given. With all the graveyard play these days, they should update some of their core set ideas. I would have much rather seen Magma Spray. Even at Sorcery speed, Pillar of Flame is still better than this.
itsandycapp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Only gets a bad rep because of its cousin uncle mcBolty bolt
Tamerlein
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Shock is a fine burn spell. It's versatile and cheap. The main reason that people dislike it is because Lightning Bolt was once a thing.
I personally prefer Searing Spear over this, but it is still a good card.
4/5
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I personally prefer having both Shock and Searing Spear. We did have Shock and Incinerate in Tenth Edition, after all. But I guess Flames of the Firebrand isn't bad either.
If you're facing down T1 Rakdos Cackler, T2 Madcap Skills while on the draw though, there's nothing more satisfying than casting Shock off your lone Mountain.
NuclearRainboom
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Thank you for balancing lightning bolt, wizards... twice! (See Searing Spear}
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
WotC prints broken mill cards in M14 and nobody bats an eye. If WotC were to print Lightning Bolt instead of this everyone would lose their minds. Explain.
IamjustnotCreative
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kinda wish they'd just reprint lightning bolt, but as an Uncommon, or rare.
Silence9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Strictly better than Lightning Bolt --- art wise. :) 3.5/5 for instant speed destruction of anything 2 toughness or less, or more if combined with combat.
Odee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't care so much what gets released as cheap instant burn I just wish they'd release more of it, there never seems to be quite enough insta-burn in a set to make a good standard legal red burn deck. At the moment things are good, great even...Turn/Burn, Searing Spear, Shock, Geistflame and Massive Raid make the Pyromancer and Guttersnipe much fun, but I'm gonna be sad to lose Geistflame and Searing Spear.
troll_berserker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@persons You either don't know what "strictly better" means or just aren't paying attention; neither Electrostatic Bolt nor Magma Spray can hit players. Tell me Magma Spray is "strictly better" when you topdeck it when your opponent's at 2 life and you're looking at a 5/6 Tarmogoyf across the table. Plus you forgot to include Lightning Bolt in your list.
And your "conditionally better" list... what?! Needle Drop and Spark Jolt are barely like Shock at all and don't even do two damage. Might as well say that Ember Shot is conditionally better than Shock.
arise_shine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card gets a bad rap because it's not Lightning Bolt. But two damage for one mana at instant speed is good. Not awesome, but good. In RTR/M14/THS Standard, this will kill just about any 1- or 2-drop, which can be very important for slowing down all these Devotion decks. And of course, sometimes you just gotta deal those last two points of damage to someone or something.
Solid, if unexciting utility. 3.5/5.0
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@LorenDorky
Burst Lightning is strictly better. Its functionally the same card but with positive option. Options are good and its extremely rare that having the option will be a downside.
Galvanic Blast I guess is better, but if your not running any artifacts its functionally the exact same thing. The only time it would matter is if your opponent gave you artifacts... So I would hardly call this strictly better...
Comments (23)
I am a Red mage through and through but I wish Lightning Bolt had never been printed because it gives unrealistic expectations to players.
Happy to see this and not Lightning Bolt, the power creep seems to be more under control with M14 and i'm happy to see that for once.
Playing Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 has tought me that it's important not to think of this is as good or premium removal. While it's going to kill Banisher Priest and other creatures just fine, people are going to avoid playing them just because Shock exists, so beware of Loxodon Smiters and Voice of Resurgences and everything else that is going to be played in Standard... Shock's going to be an even more dead card than Pillar has been.
I personally prefer Searing Spear over this, but it is still a good card.
4/5
If you're facing down T1 Rakdos Cackler, T2 Madcap Skills while on the draw though, there's nothing more satisfying than casting Shock off your lone Mountain.
(See Searing Spear}
If WotC were to print Lightning Bolt instead of this everyone would lose their minds.
Explain.
At the moment things are good, great even...Turn/Burn, Searing Spear, Shock, Geistflame and Massive Raid make the Pyromancer and Guttersnipe much fun, but I'm gonna be sad to lose Geistflame and Searing Spear.
And your "conditionally better" list... what?! Needle Drop and Spark Jolt are barely like Shock at all and don't even do two damage. Might as well say that Ember Shot is conditionally better than Shock.
Solid, if unexciting utility. 3.5/5.0
Burst Lightning is strictly better. Its functionally the same card but with positive option. Options are good and its extremely rare that having the option will be a downside.
Galvanic Blast I guess is better, but if your not running any artifacts its functionally the exact same thing. The only time it would matter is if your opponent gave you artifacts... So I would hardly call this strictly better...
Pillar of Flame is a sorcery, not strictly better.
Dead cannot hit players, not strictly better.