I think this is a likely a guaranteed 4-of, replacing Skullcrack if you have 4 of those or possibly shorting some copies of Helix or Blaze if not. Sure, if you have this and Swift out, you aren't getting a Prowess trigger out of it. However, you weren't getting Prowess triggers on turn 2 with Skullcrack either. I think it should be rather easy to get this out for R less often than Rift Bolt, but often enough to be worth calling it another Bolt.
I think I'll be moving my Skullcracks to the side and cutting down on graveyard hate to make room, probably. It's likely the nail on the coffin for me finding room for Deflecting Palm anymore, too.
Also, how the hell didn't Flores get this one to spoil on Top Level Podcast?
I can imagine Jund or Mardu burn taking off with skewer, which I agree with the seasoned red mages here is an auto-4-of. Don't forget, at it's core all burn really wants to do is spend R on 3 damage. This spell can and should replace some number of 2 cmc cards. I think the 20-bolts list featuring skewer and bump in the night might do really well.
What's the general consensus on Light Up The Stage? In my testing in standard burn over 90% of the time it basically reads R: Draw 2 cards. I'm sure that number would be nearly 100% in modern. Could this be our thoughtcast? Do we need a thoughtcast?
I love Cindervines and Skewer the Critics. Cindervines lets us keep artifact/enchantment hate while also having an anti combo/control card? Sure, meta dependent, but I can see this as a 3-4 of in the sideboard. It frees up SB space to more specific answers by being solid in so many freakin situations. Skewer is great. At best its chain lightning, at worst its a late game topdeck rift bolt. Burn players WILL win more games by more effectively lowering their curve and having more damage on earlier turns, either racing their opponent a bit more or putting more pressure to stop slower decks from turning the corner (the decision making between 8 life, 7 life, and 6 life are all enormous changes on the margins).
However, Cindervines raises the question of whether we should revisit Wild Nacatl and/or Atarka's Command to place a greater emphasis on green.
I don't think light the stage is playable. I think that draw spells in Modern Burn have to be utterly broken or they have to deal damage and draw.
I think Skewer is easily playable, for reasons I said above. As far as AC and Nacatl now, I don't think there's enough room with Skewer. You'd have to play RG Burn and replace Charm with AC and Helix with Nacatl or something.
I think that the RG enchantment is interesting as a versatile card that provides additional capabilities at the cost of 1 more mana to blow up enchantments/artifacts, but I think I'll stay on smash. It hates on spell decks, but we already do that pretty well. I'm not sure if want to go back to Naya just for that.
It feels insanely strong, 20 1-mana bolts makes the deck Lightning fast, Light up the stage adds a lot to the consistency and is worth 1 skullcrack and 1 searing blaze imo
I'm hesitant about Light Up the Stage for the same reason I was on Risk Factor. The deck really doesn't need card draw. It just needs a little bit more speed, and I think Skewer does just that. Even if Cindervines turns out to be less amazing than I suspect (bear in mind I hate KCI, and this card is beautiful for telling KCI to **** off), burn hasn't had a clear spell upgrade in about four or five years, since Swifty.
I'm hesitant about Light Up the Stage for the same reason I was on Risk Factor. The deck really doesn't need card draw. It just needs a little bit more speed, and I think Skewer does just that. Even if Cindervines turns out to be less amazing than I suspect (bear in mind I hate KCI, and this card is beautiful for telling KCI to **** off), burn hasn't had a clear spell upgrade in about four or five years, since Swifty.
I think the biggest difference is the consistency and the cost. There is almost zero chance you can't cast it for spectacle cost. 1 mana to draw 2 is right in our wheelhouse for CMC, and I disagree about not needing card draw. We very frequently end up in top deck mode, hell that's one of the premises of the deck; We get our opponent at or near bolt range and then topdeck the win. Wouldn't it be better if instead we didn't have to hope for a solid topdeck and had draw 2?
I believe that the creatures are too important to Burn to cut without having access to absurdly strong cards. The potential for recurring damage is too powerful.
Oh well yeah that list isn't even burn, definitely not top tier material, I was talking about the lists we might actually run that will cut some 2 cmc cards for more 1cmc burns
Im really not convinced yet by the 2 spectacles cards.
Dont forget, as a sorcery and with the spectacle clause, you cant cast those spells before attacking.
You will have some akward situation often that will prevent you from attacking with your guide or your swiftspear (spectacle is a nombo with prowess of swiftspear).
Imagine also if you are in topdeck mode, you will have to pay the complete cost.
Imagine also if your creature get destroyed before damage, or if your first damage spell get countered, you will not be able to cast spectacle spells...
By the time you are in topdeck mode the 3cmc cost shouldn't be a problem. Nor is anything else you're mentioning really, sure it's stuff to deal with when casting the card, but in terms of turning on prowess and all the rest you can cast it quicker and more reliably than Rift Bolt even, and none of what you just said would ever be reason to not run Rift Bolt.
You can also turn on spectacle with other burns, not just attacks, and lists that run 20-24 lightning bolts should have no problem using 20 of them to turn on the remaining 4. Fetchlands turn spectacle on as well.
Im really not convinced yet by the 2 spectacles cards. Dont forget, as a sorcery and with the spectacle clause, you cant cast those spells before attacking. You will have some akward situation often that will prevent you from attacking with your guide or your swiftspear (spectacle is a nombo with prowess of swiftspear).
Imagine also if you are in topdeck mode, you will have to pay the complete cost.
Imagine also if your creature get destroyed before damage, or if your first damage spell get countered, you will not be able to cast spectacle spells...
I made the comment above about creatures being too important because someone did suggest a spell only build. My gut feeling is that you move Skullcrack to the side for this card.
Let's imagine you move Skullcrack to the side for Skewer. It's true that Skewer isn't great with Swiftspear on two unless you're also playing a Lava Spike first, but you probably weren't going to cast Skullcrack on t2 for the prowess trigger, either.
Imagine it's t2 on the play and they held up a fetch to bolt your creature on your turn. You can spectacle after attacks.
I rarely have a game where I finish on 2 lands, so I should always be able to cast this for 3 in top deck mode.
I think most people know that I'm not one to jump on a new card because it's new and different. I think there's a genuine possibility that this card is almost as easy to cast for R as Rift Bolt, and I think that's an easy inclusion and makes it "more bolts".
As far as the enchantment, versatility is great, but I don't think I want my artifact/enchantment hate to cost 3 even if it does come with a pseudo-Pyrostatic Pillar.
@elconquistador, me neither im not a player who jumps on a new card just because its new. I always ask myself: what would i remove for that card, and is it better ?
Skewer is a good card. Almost good enough to make the 75. What makes the difference for me is the sorcery speed.
It will put a weight on your other instants just to be able to use the spectacle.
It feels like the setup cost to get there is just high enough to make me hesitate...
You say that you rarely end up with only 2 lands in play.
I agree with you.
In that case Then, why not play shard volley ?....
It will ALWAYS cost 1 and an instant, which is strictly better than skewer ...
Im still hesitant.
PS, im playing 3 skullcrack maindeck (0 side) and i believe i will keep them main for GP Toronto.
Theres so many accidental lifegain to balance the fact that 2 mana 3 damage is below average.
And i will be playing cinder lash instead of destructive revelry. It offers the possibility to be proactive instead of reactive, which is the vision that burn decks want to have. Just keep one mana up instead of 2.
And in worst case, its a 3 mana destrucive revelry. Anyway its not at turn 2 that you need to disenchant (ok maybe kci or hardened scales, but those games sometime you can disenchant turn 3 and still be ok)
And in bonus, you might get free damage point.
@elconquistador, me neither im not a player who jumps on a new card just because its new. I always ask myself: what would i remove for that card, and is it better ?
Skewer is a good card. Almost good enough to make the 75. What makes the difference for me is the sorcery speed.
It will put a weight on your other instants just to be able to use the spectacle.
It feels like the setup cost to get there is just high enough to make me hesitate...
You say that you rarely end up with only 2 lands in play.
I agree with you.
In that case Then, why not play shard volley ?....
It will ALWAYS cost 1 and an instant, which is strictly better than skewer ...
Im still hesitant.
PS, im playing 3 skullcrack maindeck (0 side) and i believe i will keep them main for GP Toronto.
Theres so many accidental lifegain to balance the fact that 2 mana 3 damage is below average.
And i will be playing cinder lash instead of destructive revelry. It offers the possibility to be proactive instead of reactive, which is the vision that burn decks want to have. Just keep one mana up instead of 2.
And in worst case, its a 3 mana destrucive revelry. Anyway its not at turn 2 that you need to disenchant (ok maybe kci or hardened scales, but those games sometime you can disenchant turn 3 and still be ok)
And in bonus, you might get free damage point.
I believe if you have skullcrack, blaze, or helix in your 60, this is what Skewer replaces. 1 mana for 3 damage is the foundation of our deck. I agree that Shard Volley should be played more as a 2-3 of, but it isnt strictly better than Skewer because it costs a land. That is a very real cost for our deck.
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Skewer the Critics
I think this is a likely a guaranteed 4-of, replacing Skullcrack if you have 4 of those or possibly shorting some copies of Helix or Blaze if not. Sure, if you have this and Swift out, you aren't getting a Prowess trigger out of it. However, you weren't getting Prowess triggers on turn 2 with Skullcrack either. I think it should be rather easy to get this out for R less often than Rift Bolt, but often enough to be worth calling it another Bolt.
I think I'll be moving my Skullcracks to the side and cutting down on graveyard hate to make room, probably. It's likely the nail on the coffin for me finding room for Deflecting Palm anymore, too.
Also, how the hell didn't Flores get this one to spoil on Top Level Podcast?
What's the general consensus on Light Up The Stage? In my testing in standard burn over 90% of the time it basically reads R: Draw 2 cards. I'm sure that number would be nearly 100% in modern. Could this be our thoughtcast? Do we need a thoughtcast?
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
However, Cindervines raises the question of whether we should revisit Wild Nacatl and/or Atarka's Command to place a greater emphasis on green.
I think Skewer is easily playable, for reasons I said above. As far as AC and Nacatl now, I don't think there's enough room with Skewer. You'd have to play RG Burn and replace Charm with AC and Helix with Nacatl or something.
I think that the RG enchantment is interesting as a versatile card that provides additional capabilities at the cost of 1 more mana to blow up enchantments/artifacts, but I think I'll stay on smash. It hates on spell decks, but we already do that pretty well. I'm not sure if want to go back to Naya just for that.
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
4 Bump in the Night
4 Skewer the Critics
3 Searing Blaze
3 Skullcrack
2 Light Up the Stage
2 Mountain
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Blood Crypt
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
It feels insanely strong, 20 1-mana bolts makes the deck Lightning fast, Light up the stage adds a lot to the consistency and is worth 1 skullcrack and 1 searing blaze imo
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
Cindervines is great hate against those types of 'chain spell' decks, I always liked a bit of Green for Destructive Revelry, so why not..
Spirits
I think the biggest difference is the consistency and the cost. There is almost zero chance you can't cast it for spectacle cost. 1 mana to draw 2 is right in our wheelhouse for CMC, and I disagree about not needing card draw. We very frequently end up in top deck mode, hell that's one of the premises of the deck; We get our opponent at or near bolt range and then topdeck the win. Wouldn't it be better if instead we didn't have to hope for a solid topdeck and had draw 2?
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
The Rakdos madness burn posted there has zero creatures, just looter spells and bolts.
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
Dont forget, as a sorcery and with the spectacle clause, you cant cast those spells before attacking.
You will have some akward situation often that will prevent you from attacking with your guide or your swiftspear (spectacle is a nombo with prowess of swiftspear).
Imagine also if you are in topdeck mode, you will have to pay the complete cost.
Imagine also if your creature get destroyed before damage, or if your first damage spell get countered, you will not be able to cast spectacle spells...
They did it, the absolute madmen. They (almost) gave us Chain Lightning.
You can also turn on spectacle with other burns, not just attacks, and lists that run 20-24 lightning bolts should have no problem using 20 of them to turn on the remaining 4. Fetchlands turn spectacle on as well.
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
You may want to read Spectacle again.
Let's imagine you move Skullcrack to the side for Skewer. It's true that Skewer isn't great with Swiftspear on two unless you're also playing a Lava Spike first, but you probably weren't going to cast Skullcrack on t2 for the prowess trigger, either.
Imagine it's t2 on the play and they held up a fetch to bolt your creature on your turn. You can spectacle after attacks.
I rarely have a game where I finish on 2 lands, so I should always be able to cast this for 3 in top deck mode.
I think most people know that I'm not one to jump on a new card because it's new and different. I think there's a genuine possibility that this card is almost as easy to cast for R as Rift Bolt, and I think that's an easy inclusion and makes it "more bolts".
As far as the enchantment, versatility is great, but I don't think I want my artifact/enchantment hate to cost 3 even if it does come with a pseudo-Pyrostatic Pillar.
4 Goblin Guide
4 Eidolon of the Great revel
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lava Spike
4 Bump in the Night
4 Rift Bolt
4 Skewer the Critics
4 Lightning Helix
4 Boros Charm
2 Sacred Foundry
3 Inspiring Vantage
2 Mountain
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Scalding Tarn
3 Arid Mesa
2 Wooded Foothills
RGWNaya BurnRGW+++RGWKiki ComboRGW
UGInfectUG+++++++++.++++++++UGMerfolkUG
GGNykthos WaveGG++++++++++GGStompyGG
BRVampiresBR+++++++.+++++++BRGoblinsBR
WGBogglesWG+++++++++++++CRSkred RedCR
UBRGDredgeUBRG++++++++++BB8 RackBB
URWJeskaiURW+++.++UBRGrixis DelverUBR
URStormUR++++++++UWGBant CompanyUWG
WUBRGHumansWUBRG+CCEldrazi TronCC
Skewer is a good card. Almost good enough to make the 75. What makes the difference for me is the sorcery speed.
It will put a weight on your other instants just to be able to use the spectacle.
It feels like the setup cost to get there is just high enough to make me hesitate...
You say that you rarely end up with only 2 lands in play.
I agree with you.
In that case Then, why not play shard volley ?....
It will ALWAYS cost 1 and an instant, which is strictly better than skewer ...
Im still hesitant.
PS, im playing 3 skullcrack maindeck (0 side) and i believe i will keep them main for GP Toronto.
Theres so many accidental lifegain to balance the fact that 2 mana 3 damage is below average.
And i will be playing cinder lash instead of destructive revelry. It offers the possibility to be proactive instead of reactive, which is the vision that burn decks want to have. Just keep one mana up instead of 2.
And in worst case, its a 3 mana destrucive revelry. Anyway its not at turn 2 that you need to disenchant (ok maybe kci or hardened scales, but those games sometime you can disenchant turn 3 and still be ok)
And in bonus, you might get free damage point.
I believe if you have skullcrack, blaze, or helix in your 60, this is what Skewer replaces. 1 mana for 3 damage is the foundation of our deck. I agree that Shard Volley should be played more as a 2-3 of, but it isnt strictly better than Skewer because it costs a land. That is a very real cost for our deck.