4 damage for 3 mana is pretty good (see Char, Flame Javelin, Flames of the Blood hand). The inability to target creatures sucks, but the extra ability can be useful. But if you have less life than that player even after this spell though, you're probably in trouble.
Penultimate
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Mdak, since this card is an instant, even on 6th turn, if you're untapped (which for red WAS highly unlikely) you could burn them for 8 and maybe bring them down to fireball range. Being able to smack them in the mouth for 4 at the end of every one of their turns until the life totals equaled for a measly cost of 3 mana was ridiculous. Pulse of the Fields being the reverse of this, but good still.
Kaizeischi
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
So much better than Lava Axe! I can't imagine why this wouldn't be in something like a red EDH, where someone is bound to have more life than you. Recurrable damage can be so devastating when card advantage really counts. Sadly, this just wouldn't make it in today's red decks - if your opponent isn't 7-10 damage below you by turn three, you're doing something wrong :3
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hurt by the loss of mana burn. You can't tinker with your life total until this works anymore.
sarroth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
3 CMC instant speed 4 damage is even better! ; )
Drop it in a black/red multiplayer deck and never fear using your life as a resource for powerful black spells - it only allows you to use this even more. Given that no one has a counter in hand, you can go around the table with this knocking down player's life totals. Of course, you'll be lucky if it doesn't get countered, because Blue Player may enjoy you lowering the life of White Player, but they'll have your plan figured out enough that they might counter your play just in case.
Knifethrower
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like to kill planeswalkers with this. Use with phyrexian mana.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use with Ravnica shocklands. Specifically Sacred Foundry, Steam Vents, Blood Crypt, and Stomping Ground. Zoo decks (the kind that run Wild Nacatl at least) that run shocklands usually match their damage output with their lifeloss from fetching shocklands for the first 5 turns of the game, so it's very easy to use this card in that type of deck. Of course, if you're running 5 colors of dual lands, you could just as easily use Tribal Flames for massive damage output.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems combo-able with the various Lich type cards that let you survive being at 0 or less life.
Bantman543
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this was one of my first burn cards i love this card
I had never played this card before, but the "lightbulb" moment that happened when I was playing Cube, drew this, looked at all my untapped mana and then across the field at my opponent's Tamiyo and Sorin will always be one of my favorite moments in my Magic experience.
Exelia
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Ever been so mad that your rage coalesced into a shining ball of pain that struck your enemies with force greater than a Lightning Bolt?
That guy has.
Don't mess with him.
LordRandomness
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Note that if your opponent has more life than you this lets you murder all their planeswalkers. Additionally, if you're running {R}/{W} and using cards like Worship, Fortune Thief, Angel's Grace, and others to stabilize at low life totals, this can be a win condition all by itself. Being instant means you can use your mana to defend yourself if necessary, perhaps with Fateful Hour cards?
Fluicor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Turn 6 Me:4 life (bad day) Opponent:16 life(lots of weenies)
Comments (16)
Drop it in a black/red multiplayer deck and never fear using your life as a resource for powerful black spells - it only allows you to use this even more. Given that no one has a counter in hand, you can go around the table with this knocking down player's life totals. Of course, you'll be lucky if it doesn't get countered, because Blue Player may enjoy you lowering the life of White Player, but they'll have your plan figured out enough that they might counter your play just in case.
That guy has.
Don't mess with him.
Me:4 life (bad day)
Opponent:16 life(lots of weenies)
Opponent:"I end my turn"
Me:"In the end step,Pulse of the forge followed by Pulse of the forge,and now in my turn I will play,oh yes,Pulse of the forge followed by can you guess what?"
Opponent:"Not pulse of the forge,now we are both in 4"
Me:"Reverberate" C: