Sudden Impact
Tempest 208 • uncommon
- Set
- Tempest
- Collector number
- 208
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Mana cost
- 3 generic mana red mana
- Type
- Instant
- Colors
- Red
- Artist
- Alan Pollack
- Market price
- $0.29
What it does
Sudden Impact deals damage to target player equal to the number of cards in that player's hand.
The Predator roared like an unruly beast, and the Weatherlight suddenly listed. "No!" screamed Hanna.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Sudden Impact was released in 1997 as part of the Tempest expansion for Magic: The Gathering. As a set, Tempest is widely regarded as one of the most significant releases in the game's early history, marking the beginning of the Rath Cycle and introducing mechanics like buyback and shadow. This specific red sorcery card was designed as a tool for aggressive play, intended to punish opponents for holding onto cards in their hand, which aligned with the high-damage, high-variance aesthetic common to red spells of that era.
The card’s illustration was created by artist Christopher Rush, a legendary figure in the early Magic community whose work helped define the game's visual identity. Rush opted for a stark, kinetic portrayal of magical force, favoring the gritty and immediate style that characterized the mid-90s trading card aesthetic. Upon its release, Sudden Impact was received as a solid niche inclusion in sideboards, valued by players looking to capitalize on control-oriented opponents who prioritized card advantage, solidifying its place in the history of red damage-based strategies.
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About Sudden Impact
Sudden Impact is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Tempest 208 • uncommon. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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