Pinpoint Avalanche
Instant
Pinpoint Avalanche deals 4 damage to target creature. The damage can't be prevented.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Onslaught
- Price
- $0.03
- EDHREC rank
- #30714
Pinpoint Avalanche deals 5 damage to a creature or planeswalker at instant speed — functional removal that answers most threats. The problem is five mana for a single-target burn spell is a steep ask when Chaos Warp, Generous Gift, and even Stroke of Midnight exist at the same price or cheaper.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Pinpoint Avalanche competes in a slot crowded with cheaper, more flexible removal, and five mana at instant speed rarely clears the bar when one-for-ones already struggle to justify their slots in a four-player game. Pauper is the only format where it sees any real consideration — the card pool is constrained enough that five damage at instant speed carries weight, and commons don't have access to the same efficient alternatives. In Legacy and Vintage, it's unplayable; those formats demand interaction that costs one or two mana at most, and Pinpoint Avalanche won't see a single competitive deck.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.03 bulk tier
At $0.03, Pinpoint Avalanche is deep bulk — the kind of card that ends up in a common box at your LGS and never leaves. Don't expect the price to move; there's no spike scenario for a five-mana removal spell with no mechanical uniqueness.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.