This is a fine card with or without Grove of the Burnwillows (in fact Grove is just a mean combo that breaks it, and also puts you out of PURE Red damage. Its a half-green land, and that counts in my book.)
with all the fire on this card, I would only run it in mono-red, cuz thats how I roll.
Compare it to Hammer of Bogardan if you want to know how good this really is. For 1 less mana, you get 1 less damage and REPEATABLE FLASHBACK FOR R!
True, this is only 'conditional' flashback, a card that is just plain bad to MAINdeck because there's cards that are better against 90% of decks. So? Do you not play with a sideboard? Do any of your friends have any love at all for the colors green, white, or black? or the tribes Clerics, Vampires, or Elves? or any of a number of cards like Basilisk Collar, which randomly power out a bunch of life? Chances are you know someone with a lifegain deck. Kill it with this. Auto-Sideboard x4 in all casual Red Decks, and many pro decks as well.
I ... (see all)
Posted By:
DarthParallax
(3/20/2011 9:19:48 AM)
2 damage for 2 mana, pay for return, the only good thing I see about this is it can keep on killing creatures.
And BTW the burnwillows give your opponent 1 life and this thing deals ->2<- damage, 1 red per turn to deal 1 damage to your foe is awful, as I said, aim creatures, don't bother with this on other people.
Posted By:
WER386
(12/2/2009 7:35:51 AM)
Anyone who doesnt see this cards amazing potential, is an absolute moron.
Posted By:
NeoSin
(3/14/2010 8:59:06 PM)
I like the art and design of this card, but I'm not sure I would run it very often. I was playing 3-player pack wars and when one player dumped Ob Nixilis on the board and started racking up the landfall, me and the other player conspired against him: my ally stuck him in the swamp with Mire Blight, and i bonked him on the head with my lava mallet. Of course any burn would do, but the image of the Legendary Demon's demise was particularly amusing.
Posted By:
Bryntenstein
(10/7/2009 1:27:56 PM)
almost happy stigma lasher isnt standard legal now
idk, red burn may still be viable, this and lava axe (unstable footing)
never been a red mage really, so I dont really know, will have to talk to my bro (I the controler, he is the fire bug)
Posted By:
Dingo777
(10/3/2009 10:09:46 PM)
Well it's no Lightning Bolt of course, but think of all the life gain lands alone people tend to throw into decks. The best part, if you have 3 mana open then you end up with this sort of scenario.
Opponent: Ok I gain X life--
You: Before that, Punishing Fire for 2
Opponent: Sure, then I gain my life--
You: And I get the fire back for 1.
Opponent: ...does it really work like that? Freakin' annoying...
Worth considering for sideboard in any burn-heavy decks at least, not bad for a cheap common.
Posted By:
Zaneshift
(5/4/2011 5:47:33 AM)
wut, this card was from zendikar?
Posted By:
Arachibutyrophobia
(12/20/2011 7:57:03 PM)
Man Zendikar Block had some good burn spells...
Posted By:
pedrodyl
(1/15/2012 12:49:10 AM)
I can see the strength of this card in certain decks and against certain strategies - but why is it banned in Modern? Did it break the format?
Posted By:
Adunar
(9/11/2012 1:25:17 PM)