Trample is the keyword here.
As long as you have removal this guy will almost always be getting through.
So long as you kill a creature after it's declared as blocking the Shocker but before it actually exchanges damage it's treated as though the Shocker is being blocked by a creature with zero defense, so all the trample damage will go through and they will lose their hand.
Running this guy in a R/B control deck based on destroying everything they manage to cast makes it possible to mill your opponent to death rather quickly due to their inability to plan ahead.
Posted By:
N03y3D33R
(2/8/2014 9:27:27 PM)
Each Time Spiral card was an homage to at least one previously printed card.
This card is referencing Shocker.
Posted By:
Missile_Penguin
(3/11/2012 1:22:42 AM)
Those Fervid Shamans will do some kinky shit just to glimpse the future.
Posted By:
beerious
(7/5/2011 11:53:33 AM)
Barbed Shocker? I'm not sure I would recommend that.
And yes, that flavor text is the most unintentionally hilarious thing I've ever read on a Magic card.
Posted By:
Treima
(5/16/2010 12:10:18 PM)
Fun flavor text, and 2 power + trample is hilarious.
Posted By:
Radagast
(10/1/2012 5:19:35 PM)
Even the artwork on the card seems somewhat suggestive along with the artwork and flavour text... runs very well alongside cards that punish your opponent for drawing or discarding (such as Underworld Dreams or Megrim) also if you drop a Goblin Tunneler a few turns earlier, you can make it unblockable all in {R}.
Posted By:
tcollins
(8/9/2011 3:36:24 AM)
Well, nothing to jump around (except for flavor text), but it can be a beater in some sort of a casual red mill deck. With it's predecessor Shocker and some friends like Robber Fly, Wheel of Fate, Noggle Ransacker, Burning Inquiry, and, maybe, the king of them all - Dragon Mage... it can be worth a try.
Posted By:
Helianthus
(8/6/2009 8:30:06 AM)
Hilarious flavor text.
Posted By:
Gwoemul
(6/2/2009 5:28:41 PM)
No more Megrim, guys, use Liliana's Caress instead, so you don't lose any tempo.
Turn one, duress
Turn two, caress
turn three, dreams
turn four, shocker
Posted By:
DacenOctavio
(2/7/2011 1:10:38 PM)
This little beauty seems to be made for Bloodchief Ascension: its got two power, so it can hep to pump up the ascension if its not already going off, and if it is going off, then the card flip will provide victory. And in red and black, we've got Lightning Bolts and Terminates to keep the enemy's creatures from getting in the way. Once the path is clear and the ascension is charged up, Wheel of Fortune for many lols.
Good card.
Posted By:
Ritius
(1/14/2010 8:59:55 PM)