So because Comet Storm doesn't have the non-flying limitation, despite that there are more than a few red cards that do have that limitation, this card is "trying too hard" and forcibally green. I think we'll have to agree to disagree. I see where this card makes sense from a design stand-point; you do not.
Not quite correct on your assumptions of my understanding. I see where this card makes sense from both flavor, play, and design. I get it. I get that it's a Chinese Menu card with a modal structure: i.e., column A (X to target player; Red), column B (X to target creature with flying; Green), and column C (X to target creature without flying; Red). Almost all of Red's burn is indiscriminate, and of late Red's "concern" for nonfliers has been generally eliminated regardless of Magmaquake , an example seen just in Standard or the the previous Standard, such as with Disaster Radius , Blasphenous Act and Chain Reaction ; for every Rolling Temblor , you get a Slagstorm .
I have no problem "agreeing to disagree," but when you do, please don't follow that with a mischaracterization; it's like you're baiting me to respond.
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Magmaquake wasn't the only standard example; whenever red focuses on its 'Earth Elemental aspects of flavor, we see the non-flying limitation. Whenever we see Red's Fire Elemental we don't. Gruul's flavor is significantly more inclined toward the land than toward fire. Also, Street Spasm was another standard example.
I think this card is noteworthy for being one of the first constructed playable spells with the 'non-flying' inhibitor on it. Yes, it gets to target a flier too, but still.
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Why are we arguing over this card's colors? Sure, it would work as a monored card (although imo it would feel very weird because it's essentially a bigger version of Branching Bolt ). But we're in a block built around two-color guilds, so many cards are going to be 2 colors simply because they can be both colors. Loxodon Smiter could have easily been a monogreen card. Rakdos Shred-Freak could have been monored. Detention Sphere could have been monowhite. But they aren't. Welcome to Ravnica.
Why are we arguing over this card's colors? Sure, it would work as a monored card (although imo it would feel very weird because it's essentially a bigger version of Branching Bolt ). But we're in a block built around two-color guilds, so many cards are going to be 2 colors simply because they can be both colors. Loxodon Smiter could have easily been a monogreen card. Rakdos Shred-Freak could have been monored. Detention Sphere could have been monowhite. But they aren't. Welcome to Ravnica.
Quote for thruth. Simply stop expecting every multicolored card to be exactly 50/50.
Reminds me of Branching Bolt and Firespout . Looks like an altogether solid R/G burn spell. In Modern, it could fit in a R/G deck alongside Savage Twister and Rosheen Meanderer . In standard, I see it fitting into a red/green mana ramp deck alongside Axebane Guardian , who can quickly pump it full of mana, and Revive to retrieve it, letting you fire additional shots.
Yes, I know, I know, I am just being a pain in the neck.
Notice how only two of those are Modern-legal, one is before M* core set-naming, and the remaining one is exactly one-third as good as classic Bolt.
Fail!
Notice how I said I was just being a pain in the neck. The entire point of my post was to be facetious.
"I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all men as I am no man and therefore I am a God."