Blackworm, I thought like you for a while - I frankly didn't like this card, and didn't see why everyone raved about it. 4 feels expensive for 2 more damage.
But think of it as an instant-speed, 5-mana fireball, and it becomes a lot clearer why this card is great.
Yes, it doesn't have the multi-target versatility that Fireball does, but in exchange it's instant speed. That helps a lot. As someone earlier pointed out, it's good early game or late game, a sort of versatility often not found in burn.
Posted By:
Magnor_Criol
(12/10/2010 9:04:37 PM)
if it kicked for less than 4, it'd be a shock and a lightning blast in one card.
I doubt wizards is willing to obsolete two classic cards in one go... though Galvanic Blast is kinda pushing it.
Posted By:
MtFrostM
(1/7/2011 10:49:15 AM)
Like it for pyro's ascension and for casting out of the graveyard with chandra, or both. The only problem is that I can't find a copy for sale. I guess everyone wants a low cost burn card.
Posted By:
Macsen
(5/15/2011 12:40:43 PM)
i think this was beter than shok but is still kinda a letdow n
Posted By:
AppleButter
(8/18/2011 6:22:47 PM)
Unkicked, it's a Shock. Kicked, it's a 4 point Blaze. Nice card.
Posted By:
Dragonmaster3.0
(8/25/2011 6:22:39 AM)
@Blackworm_Bloodworm: A kicker of 
wouldn't be paying twice the cost for twice the damage, since the most significant part of a card's cost isn't the mana; it's the card itself. This is why cards like Banefire are good, despite having less damage per mana than Scorching Spear: Because you get all of that damage from a single card. If you wanted the kicker to be double the cost, it'd have to be something like "Kicker , discard a card".
Posted By:
sonorhC
(10/17/2011 5:13:58 PM)
A late game mana sink for red decks or an early game shock quite versatile.
Posted By:
nightmare_zombie
(11/13/2011 6:02:15 PM)
A Shock with a lategame/empty hand option of becoming Lightning Blast for 
more than that card's CMC is quite good. The fact that you can choose is great - do you need cheap early removal, late medium-sized removal or a shot to the dome most? Do you want to chip away at life 2 at a time, or do you desperately need to kill that Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer immediately before you get taken down?
And for everyone who thinks that an extra 2 damage (1 more than Lightning Bolt) is measly and insignificant, let me throw some red instant math at you:
Shock/Unkicked Burst Lightning: 2 damage per turn = 10 shots to kill an opponent
Lightning Bolt: 3 damage = 7 shots to kill
Lightning Blast/kicked Burst Lightning 4 damage = 5 shots to kill
Shrapnel Blast: 5 damage = 4 shots to kill
Now with that said, aut... (see all)
Posted By:
Equinox523
(2/22/2013 7:05:24 AM)
Why is someone shocking that mountain? Is it a greater stone spirit or something? That thing deserves to be shivan meteor'd.
Posted By:
Goatllama
(4/12/2013 7:42:05 PM)
This is a fantastic burn spell. It's a shame all the formats it is/was legal in, Lightning Bolt was legal at the same time, cos old Bolty will always overshadow pretty much any other burn spell.
Posted By:
Valencio
(9/8/2013 6:49:12 AM)