I've been a little surprised at people talking about being willing to tap down their own creatures to play Stoke the Flames in order to have a 4 damage instant burn spell. This is one I've been thinking about adding to my cube to help shore up aggro as a kind of second Fireblast. The drawback is nasty, and it's definitely not what any counterburn-syle control deck would want but it's splashable and it does seem more aggro-friendly than Flame Javelin, Stoke the Flames, Mizzium Mortars, or Flame Slash. Anyone tried this in their cube?
I have not tried this card myself, but I don't really see the appeal.
It's unplayable in anything other than aggro, and even for aggro it's narrow since it can't really be used to burn a blocker out of the way, and as a finisher it still requires two mana and another card in hand (unlike Fireblast).
Ugh, I hated to cube with Volcanic Hammer. We had it in our cube in the beginning and it feels so bad to pay 1R for a sorcery speed bolt :mad:. I'm okay with Searing Spear being strictly worse than bolt, but not with a card that is strictly worse than the card that is strictly worse than bolt, haha.
On topic: I'd pretty much only want to cast Sonic Burst if I had nothing else but lands on my hand, in which case Searing Blaze would be so much better.
Like many, many other red cards that could be cool discard outlets, this one also features the pesky words "at random", thus making it unfit for discarding specific cards.
It's unplayable in anything other than aggro, and even for aggro it's narrow since it can't really be used to burn a blocker out of the way, and as a finisher it still requires two mana and another card in hand (unlike Fireblast).
I don't understand the first part. Sonic Burst is an instant that can deal damage to creatures, so it is pretty good at burning a blocker out of the way. As for the second part: Aggro decks shouldn't have a lot of trouble to keep at least one card in hand for later, since they usually don't need a 6th or even 5th land.
I just meant that 2-for-1'ing yourself on T2 or T3 to burn away a blocker for your one drop(s) is not a recipe for success, especially since the discard is random.
I just meant that 2-for-1'ing yourself on T2 or T3 to burn away a blocker for your one drop(s) is not a recipe for success, especially since the discard is random.
Interesting option, I hadn't considered that, thanks for suggesting it. It reminds me of a non-tribal Goblin Grenade - a card that holds a special place in my heart. I'm not sure I'd play it over Burst, though. Sorcery speed plus needing a creature instead of just any card in your hand seems like it might end up stuck in your hand at times that Sonic Burst wouldn't. Have you tried it in your cube, Falcone?
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465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Without having thought about it too much, I think I like it quite a bit more than Sonic Burst, though, since four damage to any target for one mana is very efficient, and having an expendable creature seems easier than a random discard.
It's still pretty much aggro decks only, and it's still bad at one of the things a burn spell must be able to do well in order to be good in aggro decks, i.e. burning away blockers so that your creatures can get through.
If I wanted another Fireblast-type of effect, I'd consider it. My Cube would have to be at least 720 cards big for that, though.
I used to run Reckless Abandon in my cube, way back before a whole load of better burn cards were printed. This was back when damage went on the stack, and it annoyed me that I couldn't cast it as an instant using a creature that was going to trade in combat anyway. I'd still rather run it than Sonic Burst.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
So far it sounds like no one's tried Sonic Burst, so I'm going to give it a shot in place of Shrine of Burning Rage which I've found to be too slow for the red heavy decks that would profit from it best. Sonic Burst is splashable and has more impact the turn it comes down instead of having to wait for multiple turns to pass in order to do anything.
The Reckless Abandon suggestions are interesting, and I'll be keeping it in mind - especially if I start cubing more Threaten effects - but Sonic Burst seems better to me. It's instant speed and doesn't negate your own board presence or even require one in order to do its job - all you need is a card in your hand and the stones to be willing to lose it.
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465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Sonic burst was in the first draft of my cube years ago. It was...really bad. Is there something in the air this week that has people really eager to justify horrible tradeoffs to get a spell that does 4 damage instead of 3? If you're dead-set on killing that Courser of Kruphix, why not just run and cast two actually good burn spells instead?
To summarize:
Don't play flame javelin.
Don't play that convoke thing.
Don't play sonic burst.
Play reckless abandon if you have a lot of threaten effects, because that's just sweet.
If only this was a hellbent card and the random discard was part of the effect instead of the cost.
A man can dream...
Totes. I'm waiting for a pushed red rummager that has "T: discard a card, then draw a card." It's fair, it's very red, and it isn't overpowered, even at 2 mana.
Sonic Burst
I've been a little surprised at people talking about being willing to tap down their own creatures to play Stoke the Flames in order to have a 4 damage instant burn spell. This is one I've been thinking about adding to my cube to help shore up aggro as a kind of second Fireblast. The drawback is nasty, and it's definitely not what any counterburn-syle control deck would want but it's splashable and it does seem more aggro-friendly than Flame Javelin, Stoke the Flames, Mizzium Mortars, or Flame Slash. Anyone tried this in their cube?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
It's unplayable in anything other than aggro, and even for aggro it's narrow since it can't really be used to burn a blocker out of the way, and as a finisher it still requires two mana and another card in hand (unlike Fireblast).
I would rather play Searing Blaze, Mizzium Mortars or Volcanic Hammer, none of which are in my Cube.
A Comprehensive list of Cube Archetypes
On topic: I'd pretty much only want to cast Sonic Burst if I had nothing else but lands on my hand, in which case Searing Blaze would be so much better.
I don't understand the first part. Sonic Burst is an instant that can deal damage to creatures, so it is pretty good at burning a blocker out of the way. As for the second part: Aggro decks shouldn't have a lot of trouble to keep at least one card in hand for later, since they usually don't need a 6th or even 5th land.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
A Comprehensive list of Cube Archetypes
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
It certainly isn't Plan A, but I've Fireblasted creatures out of the way before out of desperation, and sometimes it's good to have that option when Searing Spear just won't get the job done. I'd absolutely 2-for-1 myself to Sonic Burst a Brimaz, King of Oreskos, a Meloku, the Clouded Mirror, a Kalonian Tusker, or a Courser of Kruphix without thinking twice if I was playing red aggro and I hadn't done enough damage yet to burn face with it instead.
Interesting option, I hadn't considered that, thanks for suggesting it. It reminds me of a non-tribal Goblin Grenade - a card that holds a special place in my heart. I'm not sure I'd play it over Burst, though. Sorcery speed plus needing a creature instead of just any card in your hand seems like it might end up stuck in your hand at times that Sonic Burst wouldn't. Have you tried it in your cube, Falcone?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Without having thought about it too much, I think I like it quite a bit more than Sonic Burst, though, since four damage to any target for one mana is very efficient, and having an expendable creature seems easier than a random discard.
It's still pretty much aggro decks only, and it's still bad at one of the things a burn spell must be able to do well in order to be good in aggro decks, i.e. burning away blockers so that your creatures can get through.
If I wanted another Fireblast-type of effect, I'd consider it. My Cube would have to be at least 720 cards big for that, though.
A Comprehensive list of Cube Archetypes
My 380 Beginners’ Cube on Cube Tutor
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
I believe we can't ask anymore of a 1cmc that deals 4 to any target including face or walker.
Shrapnel Blast would have been a staple if it didn't eat only artifacts.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
The Reckless Abandon suggestions are interesting, and I'll be keeping it in mind - especially if I start cubing more Threaten effects - but Sonic Burst seems better to me. It's instant speed and doesn't negate your own board presence or even require one in order to do its job - all you need is a card in your hand and the stones to be willing to lose it.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
A man can dream...
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
To summarize:
Don't play flame javelin.
Don't play that convoke thing.
Don't play sonic burst.
Play reckless abandon if you have a lot of threaten effects, because that's just sweet.
Also...
Totes. I'm waiting for a pushed red rummager that has "T: discard a card, then draw a card." It's fair, it's very red, and it isn't overpowered, even at 2 mana.
Trust in Wizards. They seem to know limited players appreciate them alot. In fact, expect variants of it every single block.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG