Seismic Wave has been performing well for us as an alternative to Arc Lightning / Flames of the Firebrand, and this is really similar as a one-sided sweeper. Seismic Wave is a bit more flexible with its mana cost, ability to hit planeswalkers, and can take out a non-artifact creature with 3 toughness for 3 mana, but Delayed Blast Fireball has more raw sweeping power and can always dome the opponent. I might give this a spin over Seismic Wave, although being harder to splash is going to be a big deal for a lot of decks, especially if they're playing it as a sideboard card.
Card is gas. Main deckable sweeper in agro decks that's also a solid sweeper in ramp decks.
The foretell is not far from flavor text, but it adds a little spice to the card.
I'm trying to watch my sweeper count, but if I don't add it over a random burn spell, I'll replace another sweeper with it.
Chandra 4 , light up the stage, shelldock isle, gonti, new 4 drop adventure creature, Laelia are the cards off the top of my head that are commonly cubed and will bypass the foretell cost.
It’ll come up, but 90%+ of the time it won’t be for the foretell cost.
The problem with foretelling it is, if you foretell it early you lose the ability to cast it for its 3 mana mode. The alternate mode is a lot more restrictive and expensive than overloading mortars/wings.
The interaction is powerful enough to skew the drafting process though, which is fun. (Ie pick Chandra higher then you otherwise would)
The only consistent somewhat-cubeable enablers for casting this off exile without paying the foretell cost that I could find were Bring to Light and Conspiracy Theorist. Many other cards either require you randomly hit this card off an exile-from-top-of-library effect, or that it is not you, but your opponent playing this card.
This card seems so strong that I'm not sure I want to cube it. Imagine an aggro mirror where this card is cast on turn 3. Seems like the end of the game more or less! And that's just the 2 damage mode. Casting this off of Laelia, the Blade Reforged, Light Up the Stage, or Expressive Iteration is just absurd.
Seems amazing, I'm still a fan of pyroclasam and Breath of Diagraz and this seems like a solid switch for either.
Id proabaly be happy playing this in most red decks, for a red sweeper not killing my own dudes is huge. Having, essentially, 4 casting modes (normal 3 mana, fortell & cast later, 8 mana, and 3 mana not from hand) keeps it live in alot of situations.
Another obscure commander card (of a commander legends set no less) that turned out to be a great hidden gem. This has turned out to be the best pure (not counting Fiery Confluence) red sweeper for me. Being one-sided makes it much more versatile than the Earthquake effects and is essentially a much easier to work with Bonfire of the Damned. Unlike other foretell spells, the primary mode is still above rate of what you'd normally get, generally outclassing things like Seismic Wave / Arc Lightning / etc.
Yep, card is still gas. Amazed more people don’t run it.
The biggest difference from pure sweepers is it’s incredible in red Agro and ramp/control making it so versatile.
It’s a mid (leaning early mid) pick for me in a fully powered cube.
I had the opposite experience. The card ends up being really middling at just 2 damage, and the 3 mana for 2 burn just hasn't been worth it for our aggro decks. We've opted for Brotherhood's End and Subterranean Tremors for our red board clears since they offer some unique angles of interaction for our less aggressive red decks once we cut Wildfire and Burning of Xinye. The instant speed was nice, but the main takeaways for us was that the 6-mana mode (really 8 mana) is really difficult to reach even in bigger red decks like UR control or ramp, and our red midrange decks still didn't really need these effects besides vs aggro and Deranged Hermits, so the unilateral aspect of the wrath wrath almost never actually came up. Also the 2 mana to fortell is quite a bit so you had to sneak it in where you could, often early in the game. So if you Fortold the Delayed Blast Fireball early or in the midgame with the intention of casting it on for 6 mana, a sometimes things wouldn't go as planned and if you changed your mind and needed the 3 mana mode you just couldn't access it anymore. This didn't come up super often, but enough that it can be a notable issue with the card.
The increased damage from the Brotherhood's End and the possible 2 mana Breath of Darigaaz mode/4+ mana modes from Subterranean Tremors have just offered us more reach, and the artifact destruction has been pretty relevant. Maybe the artifact removal is less useful in unpowered cubes, but I think the bigger deal-breaker was that for cards to make maindecks they usually need to be strong enough at what they do, and while Delayed Blast Fireball was ideally really versatile, it ultimately felt a little weak for whatever specific aspect of it you wanted it to use, regardless of niche. This contrasts Brotherhood's End and Subterranean Tremors, which are more narrow but are imo the stronger and more defensive red wraths in control and combo decks. They also carry weight vs decks with powerful cheap artifacts, vs decks with lower loyalty PWs who make tokens for Brotherhood's End, or as an alternate win-con in bigger mana red decks for Subterranean Tremors.
Sounds like it worked better for others but we were largely disappointed.
Yep, card is still gas. Amazed more people don’t run it.
The biggest difference from pure sweepers is it’s incredible in red Agro and ramp/control making it so versatile.
It’s a mid (leaning early mid) pick for me in a fully powered cube.
Yah I think the consensus we can draw from this forum is this:
1. If you have an unpowered cube and you would like a sweeper that's serviceable in both Aggro, ramp/control, then this is a good card. However, I do have concerns about being able to cast a double red spell in a ramp deck.
2. If you're playing a Vintage cube and you don't feel your aggro decks need a sweeper, then Brotherhood's End is the better option.
3. If neither of the above apply in your case, then you should probably play Subterranean Tremors
fwiw, casting delayed blast fireball from exile for 3 mana is so powerful that it’s worth building around a bit.
it’s worse as a pure sweeper in creature light ramp decks than it’s competition, but it’s way better in every other red archetype and has a much higher upside (multiple ways to cast it from exile).
Agro decks don't "need" a sweeper, but a one sided pyroclasm is very useful to push through damage against creature decks. Many great red 1 drops and rabblemaster clones get stonewalled by green/white decks, so clearing out part of their fodder, or attacking them -> delayed blast fireball after blocks allows you to trade up for their bigger creatures. Even control decks that aren't creature based tend to play planeswalkers that generate tokens that can be annoying to get through. The extra 2 face damage and non-symmetry is key.
Yes it's a high variance card. It's partially contingent upon how many ways you can abuse it's exile strength. Sometimes the card will be 3 mana deal 2 damage, other times the card will be a 3 mana instant speed 4 for 1 that directly impacts the board. Much like a bonfire of the damned, it's high variance makes it challenging to get a true gauge of it's power level from playing with it a few times.
I originally wrote this card off because of its double red, but its been surprisingly strong in testing, especially in aggressive decks that would appreciate the sweeper effect against tokens/ dorks from the opponent's side.
It's foretell mode isn't nothing either, its essentially 5 damage in the late game.
A lot of people love(d) Fire Covenant, but I think mono red just has so many better options these days with this, Seismic Wave, and Fear, Fire, Foes!. Delayed Blast Fireball is definitely the best of the bunch and is an extremely high pick in my group. My only gripe about it is that it's a sweeper like Fiery Confluence where any deck is can take it, not just the control players. I wish the best aggro tech like this wasn't also a good card in said aggro decks.
A lot of people love(d) Fire Covenant, but I think mono red just has so many better options these days with this, Seismic Wave, and Fear, Fire, Foes!. Delayed Blast Fireball is definitely the best of the bunch and is an extremely high pick in my group. My only gripe about it is that it's a sweeper like Fiery Confluence where any deck is can take it, not just the control players. I wish the best aggro tech like this wasn't also a good card in said aggro decks.
A lot of people love(d) Fire Covenant, but I think mono red just has so many better options these days with this, Seismic Wave, and Fear, Fire, Foes!. Delayed Blast Fireball is definitely the best of the bunch and is an extremely high pick in my group. My only gripe about it is that it's a sweeper like Fiery Confluence where any deck is can take it, not just the control players. I wish the best aggro tech like this wasn't also a good card in said aggro decks.
Double pip is never a dealbreaker for me at 3-cmc and above, I personally see this as a feature, not a bug. Things are so splashable these days (cough, INITIATIVE, cough), that I like that there's more commitment required for powerful effects like this.
I was always a fan of Pyroclasam and I am one of the few still running Breath of Darigaaz, it's definitely a pet card but a damage based sweeper that goes to the face can really pay off,
Delayed blast does all the things I liked about the above with 2023 power creep. Casting it from exile for 3 will end games pretty quickly and it's only going to get better with time as we get more cards that put things in exile to cast later.
For what it's worth, I don't think I have ever foretold delayed blast. It is always being cast for 3, wether from exile or hand.
Seismic Wave has been performing well for us as an alternative to Arc Lightning / Flames of the Firebrand, and this is really similar as a one-sided sweeper. Seismic Wave is a bit more flexible with its mana cost, ability to hit planeswalkers, and can take out a non-artifact creature with 3 toughness for 3 mana, but Delayed Blast Fireball has more raw sweeping power and can always dome the opponent. I might give this a spin over Seismic Wave, although being harder to splash is going to be a big deal for a lot of decks, especially if they're playing it as a sideboard card.
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That's an insane ceiling, and the card is good on its own. Will definitely be finding a spot for this.
The foretell is not far from flavor text, but it adds a little spice to the card.
I'm trying to watch my sweeper count, but if I don't add it over a random burn spell, I'll replace another sweeper with it.
Last Updated 02/07/24
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Chandra 4 , light up the stage, shelldock isle, gonti, new 4 drop adventure creature, Laelia are the cards off the top of my head that are commonly cubed and will bypass the foretell cost.
It’ll come up, but 90%+ of the time it won’t be for the foretell cost.
The problem with foretelling it is, if you foretell it early you lose the ability to cast it for its 3 mana mode. The alternate mode is a lot more restrictive and expensive than overloading mortars/wings.
The interaction is powerful enough to skew the drafting process though, which is fun. (Ie pick Chandra higher then you otherwise would)
Last Updated 02/07/24
Streaming Standard/Cube on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/heisenb3rg96
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Interested in Custom Card Creation.
My Cube:Cardinal Custom Cube
A custom version of a third modern masters: MM2019
(filter->rarity to see in set rarity).
Id proabaly be happy playing this in most red decks, for a red sweeper not killing my own dudes is huge. Having, essentially, 4 casting modes (normal 3 mana, fortell & cast later, 8 mana, and 3 mana not from hand) keeps it live in alot of situations.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
The biggest difference from pure sweepers is it’s incredible in red Agro and ramp/control making it so versatile.
It’s a mid (leaning early mid) pick for me in a fully powered cube.
Last Updated 02/07/24
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The increased damage from the Brotherhood's End and the possible 2 mana Breath of Darigaaz mode/4+ mana modes from Subterranean Tremors have just offered us more reach, and the artifact destruction has been pretty relevant. Maybe the artifact removal is less useful in unpowered cubes, but I think the bigger deal-breaker was that for cards to make maindecks they usually need to be strong enough at what they do, and while Delayed Blast Fireball was ideally really versatile, it ultimately felt a little weak for whatever specific aspect of it you wanted it to use, regardless of niche. This contrasts Brotherhood's End and Subterranean Tremors, which are more narrow but are imo the stronger and more defensive red wraths in control and combo decks. They also carry weight vs decks with powerful cheap artifacts, vs decks with lower loyalty PWs who make tokens for Brotherhood's End, or as an alternate win-con in bigger mana red decks for Subterranean Tremors.
Sounds like it worked better for others but we were largely disappointed.
Yah I think the consensus we can draw from this forum is this:
1. If you have an unpowered cube and you would like a sweeper that's serviceable in both Aggro, ramp/control, then this is a good card. However, I do have concerns about being able to cast a double red spell in a ramp deck.
2. If you're playing a Vintage cube and you don't feel your aggro decks need a sweeper, then Brotherhood's End is the better option.
3. If neither of the above apply in your case, then you should probably play Subterranean Tremors
it’s worse as a pure sweeper in creature light ramp decks than it’s competition, but it’s way better in every other red archetype and has a much higher upside (multiple ways to cast it from exile).
Agro decks don't "need" a sweeper, but a one sided pyroclasm is very useful to push through damage against creature decks. Many great red 1 drops and rabblemaster clones get stonewalled by green/white decks, so clearing out part of their fodder, or attacking them -> delayed blast fireball after blocks allows you to trade up for their bigger creatures. Even control decks that aren't creature based tend to play planeswalkers that generate tokens that can be annoying to get through. The extra 2 face damage and non-symmetry is key.
Yes it's a high variance card. It's partially contingent upon how many ways you can abuse it's exile strength. Sometimes the card will be 3 mana deal 2 damage, other times the card will be a 3 mana instant speed 4 for 1 that directly impacts the board. Much like a bonfire of the damned, it's high variance makes it challenging to get a true gauge of it's power level from playing with it a few times.
Last Updated 02/07/24
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It's foretell mode isn't nothing either, its essentially 5 damage in the late game.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Its double red requirement has been problematic.
Double pip is never a dealbreaker for me at 3-cmc and above, I personally see this as a feature, not a bug. Things are so splashable these days (cough, INITIATIVE, cough), that I like that there's more commitment required for powerful effects like this.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Delayed blast does all the things I liked about the above with 2023 power creep. Casting it from exile for 3 will end games pretty quickly and it's only going to get better with time as we get more cards that put things in exile to cast later.
For what it's worth, I don't think I have ever foretold delayed blast. It is always being cast for 3, wether from exile or hand.