Unleash the Inferno - Golden Age Showcase (SNC)

Unleash the Inferno
Casting Cost: {1}{B}{R}{G}
Card Type: Instant
Card Text:

• Unleash the Inferno deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker: This is the primary effect of the spell. It deals 7 damage to a target creature or planeswalker of your choice. This damage can be lethal to many creatures and planeswalkers, potentially eliminating them from the battlefield.
• When it deals excess damage this way: This part of the card's text triggers if the 7 damage dealt is more than what's needed to destroy the targeted creature or planeswalker.
• Destroy target artifact or enchantment an opponent controls with mana value less than or equal to that amount of excess damage: Here, you can choose an opponent's artifact or enchantment with a mana value less than or equal to the amount of excess damage. Excess damage, in this context, refers to the damage that wasn't needed to destroy the initial target (creature or planeswalker). This ability allows you to potentially deal with multiple threats at once if the excess damage is sufficient to destroy an artifact or enchantment.

Strengths:

• Versatile Removal: Unleash the Inferno is versatile removal because it can deal with both creatures and planeswalkers, making it useful against a wide range of threats.
• Secondary Removal: The ability to destroy an opponent's artifact or enchantment as a bonus when there's excess damage can help you address additional threats on the battlefield.
• Mana Efficiency: Dealing 7 damage for a casting cost of {1}{B}{R}{G} is mana-efficient, especially considering it can eliminate multiple threats in one cast.

Weaknesses:

• Limited Targets: This spell requires a valid target creature or planeswalker to be cast, and the excess damage can only be used to destroy an artifact or enchantment. If there are no valid targets, you won't get the bonus effect.
• High Mana Cost: While it's efficient for its damage output, the casting cost of {1}{B}{R}{G} may make it challenging to include in decks with restrictive mana requirements or lower mana curves.

Deck Considerations:

• Midrange and Control Decks: Unleash the Inferno is often a good fit for midrange and control decks that want versatile removal options to deal with a variety of threats.
• Artifact and Enchantment Hate: If your metagame features a significant number of artifact or enchantment-heavy decks, Unleash the Inferno can serve as a way to address those threats while also dealing damage.
• Mana Ramp: Since this spell requires three different colors of mana, decks with good mana ramp and fixing may find it easier to cast consistently.

Flavor and Art:

• Art: The art of Unleash the Inferno likely portrays a scene of fiery destruction, with the inferno unleashed upon the target creature or planeswalker. The art may also depict the destruction of an opponent's artifact or enchantment as a result of the excess damage.
• Flavor: The flavor of the card suggests a powerful and destructive fire spell that burns away both creatures and any nearby magical artifacts or enchantments.

Overall Impression:

Unleash the Inferno is a versatile and impactful instant that can remove creatures, planeswalkers, artifacts, and enchantments in one fell swoop. Its ability to deal excess damage can be particularly satisfying when it allows you to eliminate additional threats on the battlefield. However, its three-color mana cost may limit its inclusion in certain decks, so careful mana planning is necessary.