Pointed Discussion

Situational, but the Scry 2 is pretty much always better than the -1/-1.

I would've taken a higher cmc cost to get a -2/-2. At -1/-1, it doesn't really feel like it'll do anything other than scry.

It depends on the format. If this was in Zendikar, it would be a high pick in drafting for the -1/-1, because of cards like Plated Geopede, Steppe Lynx, and Goblin Shortcutter. Even when there aren't so many things aroung that it can kill, it's still an instant, so you can use it as a combat trick. Plus the scry, so not at all bad.

One mana to be able to kill an indestructible creature with 1 toughness as an instant isn't bad at all. It can also be used to weaken creatures slightly enough to add just enough edge. Add the scrying feature and you've got a really nifty and highly utilitarian card.

4/5

I like it too. I run 4 Funeral charms in one of my decks, which have better use since you can pick from three effects, but most of the time, i use it to kill anyway. So you can use this card in a slightly less situations, but the scrying makes up for it, imo.

It's extremely satisfying to get rid of those Vedalken engineers, wellwishers or elvish pipers for just one mana. There are tons of similar annoying small creatures and this is nice tool to deal with them (plus you avoid insulting all those bigger kill spells by not wasting them on such a weenie XD ).

Probably not as useful as Darkblast unless you've set up your deck to take advantage of scrying.

Not much of a constructed card, but it's still a solid combat trick. Knocking out your opponent's first creature and then getting to Scry 2 is pretty solid.

there are only 2 indestructible creatures with one toughness in the entire game

Preordain and Serum Visions retain card parity by cantripping. This maintains card parity by being a 1-for-1. Not as versatile as a Darkblast, can't "gain" you 3 life like Wring Flesh, and is definitely not a powerhouse of removal like Dismember. But this does have its place. If you want to sift through the top cards of your library however, there are much better options. This is nowhere near as good as Magma Jet.

I don't think I've ever encountered a 1 toughness indestructible creature I needed to kill other than Stuffy Doll, so I don't see the point in mentioning that it can kill indestructible creatures at all. Still, great at killing mana birds or goblins.

Bye bye Ball Lightning

That black oil in the art... :o No wonder he lost hope.

why didn't this get reprinted in theros?

Mirror to Stand Firm

After playing with lots of scry in Theros Standard and Limited, I've learned that you don't really need to set your deck up to take advantage of scry. Scrying is always good.

Every Magic deck is essentially a combo deck: you need to combo lands and cards of the right mana cost. Scrying will help any deck find lands at the right time.

Of course scrying might not be so important that you'd spend an otherwise useless card on it-- experiment to see how important the -1/-1 and scrying is in your metagame and your deck. But don't assume scrying is only good for decks with complex combos or heavy color requirements.

@kausenpaus: Hints of the Phyrexian invasion!