Why is Guttersnipe such a good card?
General forum
Posted on June 11, 2013, 2:07 p.m. by KultRitualz
lately, i've seen and heard a lot about Guttersnipe and how it is a good card. Although,i fail to see this, as the card's only ability is, "whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Guttersnipe deals 2 damage to EACH opponent."Am i missing something?!i understand it's a 3drop and all but still,whats so good about it?
Guttersnipe
is a really useful card in mono-red and blue-red decks. When you cast an instant or sorcery, no matter what it does, each opponent feels the pain, and if you have more than one Guttersnipe
in play, the damage is devastating.
With only two 'snipes in play, a Shock
now deals 4 damage to each opponent, and 2 damage to one opponent or player. The benefits are pretty obvious when even casting Think Twice
is hurting your opponents and refilling your hand with more instants and sorceries.
June 11, 2013 2:19 p.m.
It deals damage to opponents. Your opponents have only 20 life (you have 20 life as well, but you're not your own opponent, so nevermind). If you decrease this to zero, they lose the game. If they all lose the game, you win the game. A mayor way to decrease the life totals of your opponents is through damage. Guttersnipe deals damage to opponents (when you cast spells), therefore it does decrease their life totals and help you win the game.
June 11, 2013 2:25 p.m.
ScionLocke says... #6
to add to what i said before, assuming that you do no damage besides Guttersnipe 's ability, you only have to cast 10 spells before your opponent looses the game. (assuming they don't have life gain)
June 11, 2013 2:28 p.m.
Most magic decks have at least some instant or sorcery cards, so Guttersnipe becomes a force multiplier that takes what you would already be doing and making it better. The ability is triggered so you can utilize it as soon as Guttersnipe hits the field, yielding a pseudo-haste for dishing out pain.
June 11, 2013 2:29 p.m.
SwiftDeath says... #8
first of all this is better for the forums.
but to answer your question it is simply value when you resolve a guttersnipe you have a semi-weak 2/2 but just for casting spells you deal damage. the spell doesn't have to resolve and in control/tempo decks this can translate into just enough damage to win even without attacking. the other good thing about this card is that it gets passed effects like Witchbane Orb which saw fringe sideboard play for a while but that is no longer played as much.
The idea around guttersnipe is to play it with protection so make sure to already have mana up for a counterspell not to stop them from countering it because that is demeaning your value but if it resolves to make sure they have a hard time trying to kill it. the other nice thing is it draws out your opponents answers most of the time a resolved guttersnipe is sometimes annoying to deal with because burn does more damage, cantrips add damage to draws, and counterspells add damage to their spells as well. If your opponent is able to kill your guttersnipe it isn't going to hurt you as bad and you can easily deal with it where some cards are just to good value to lose.
sorry if this sounds bad while reading, kinda tired and unfocused.
June 11, 2013 2:32 p.m.
KultRitualz says... #9
fu*king wow.i took it as damage would also be inflicted upon me.Took to late notice that I'm not an opponent.. (as my cousin gracefully smacks me upon the head for uploading this question.)heheh, -" thank you all though for the extra info though.
June 11, 2013 2:50 p.m.
I played a deck at the last FNM...
T3 - Guttersnipe
T4 - Guttersnipe
T5 - Hidden Strings (tap 2 creatures, deal 4 damage)..., another Hidden Strings ... (another 2 creatures tapped, and 4 more damage)... swing with 2 Guttersnipe .... no blockers, because they are tapped... (4 damage). 2x Hidden Strings cast through cipher... (untap my creatures and land, and deal 2x2x2=8 more damage)... total of 20 damage in one turn, using just Guttersnipe , and Hidden Strings .
Happened twice in the course of the 5 round tournament... placed in top 8... beat out by Naya Blitz.
June 11, 2013 4 p.m.
it's not a good card, it is an evil little beady eye goblin that needs to be curb stomped until it is mearly a puddle of goblin goo in the gutter.
unless you are playing it, then it is a wonderful work horse of a card
June 11, 2013 4:23 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #13
Because it totally owns in RDW decks, and can quickly end a multiway.
June 11, 2013 4:50 p.m.
SwiftDeath says... #15
it doesnt work for storm as well because the copies aren't cast but for the initial storm count it could do well.
June 11, 2013 5:18 p.m.
beakedbard says... #16
I'm just waiting on Young Pyromancer him in combination with Guttersnipe in an instance/sorcery heavy deck shall be fun. Chuck a couple of unblockables, cipher stuff and some burn ah how i can't wait.
Guttersnipe is an amazing card if put in the right deck he can be devastating to the opponent.
ScionLocke says... #2
in a lot of decks that use a lot of instants and sorceries, the damage from Guttersnipe adds up.
say i cast Hands of Binding . I deal 2 damage to opponents then cipher it onto my Guttersnipe . Then i swing in with my Guttersnipe and deal 2 combat damage and another two from the casting of the ciphered Hands of Binding . I just caused 6 damage from a 2 CMC card. This example isn't even that good.
June 11, 2013 2:16 p.m.