Hour Of Devastation Set Review - Red

Abrade

Getting the red cards off to a good start, Abrade is a great modal card for constructed sideboards. It's cheap, instant speed, deals with artifacts quite nicely and doubles up as creature removal. In limited Abrade is going to be incredibly useful, giving you options for whatever you need at the time and like I said, it's going to be invaluable in constructed as it can free up some room for other cards, rather than playing cards that deal with creatures and cards that deal with artifacts, Abrade lets you cut down on your card choice by giving you two in one.

Blue Of Blades

Not a big fan of Blur Of Blades, it feels like it wanted to be a removal spell and a burn spell but got a bit lost in between. Yes you might get a creature with Blur Of Blades and get to Shock your opponent as well, but I feel like it doesn't give you enough. There are better spells than Blur Of Blades for the same cost, if you really need a small time removal spell then this will do, but I'm sure you'll find a reason to cut it in limited.

Burning-Fist Minotaur

I think Burning-Fist Minotaur is going to be a limited all-star. A two mana First Striking 2/1 is pretty good for combat and when it can get a lot bigger in exchange for a card, and two mana, it could easily go toe to toe with almost any creature and thanks to the First Strike probably come out on top. The early game is the perfect place for Burning-Fist Minotaur as it will be difficult to get around without a combat trick or removal spell and in multiples they will make it almost impossible for your opponent to attack.

Chandra's Defeat

Another of the Defeat cycle that could see constructed play as it gets to hit both the Chandras that see play and, maybe most importantly, Glory Bringer. Like with most of the other Defeats it will probably sit in the sideboards, but being able to bring it in and take down any of the aforementioned cards above just for one mana will be a real thing. If you do hit a Chandra planeswalker then the discard and draw could be a thing as you get to filter out a card to possibly find something a bit more useful, almost like a free Cycle, but I think after managing to get rid of a very powerful planeswalker, it could just be gravy which is to say it's not the main reason for playing it.

Chaos Maw

 A massive bomb in limited that will more than likely win you the game. Getting to seven mana isn't the easiest thing but in limited there aren't many speed bumps like counterspells or many removal spells. Once you have gotten to seven mana to cast Chaos Maw there is a decent chance that dealing three to each other creature will leave you in a commanding position of the battlefield. Obviously Chaos Maw is nuts in limited but probably a bit too expensive for constructed even with the immediate impact it has.

Crash Through

 Crash Through is a great card for the more aggressive decks in limited; it's cheap, it replaces itself and can force through some damage. It's nothing massively special but it's probably good enough to play.

Defiant Khenra

 A two mana 2/2. Nothing more, nothing less. You're going to play it in limited but it will definitely be on the list for cuts when you get there.

Earthshaking Khenra

 Earthshaking Khenra is a good example for a creature to replace Defiant Khenra with. A two mana 2/1 with Haste and an ability is almost a strict upgrade to just a two mana 2/2, and when it's ability stops creatures from blocking it's hard to argue with playing. Also note that the ability doesn't stop the target creature from blocking just the Khenra, it stops it blocking all together as long as it has equal to or less power than Earthshaking Khenra. It gets so much better when you Eternalise it as, at the point, it turns from stopping two power or less to four power or less which will probably cover a lot of your opponent's creatures. This guy can do a lot of work in limited, maybe letting your guys get by a particularly difficulty blocker, and as far as constructed goes, I could see it being played in some sort of red midrange deck with a lot of value creatures that hit hard early.

Fervent Paincaster

Aggressive pingers, like Fervent Paincaster, are fantastic in limited as that give you the choice of attacking, in this case for three damage, or just tapping for one damage. Fervent Paincaster is slightly different as it does give you the choice of shooting your opponent or a creature for one damage, but if you do want to target a creature you have to Exert the Paincaster. It does come down early so if you did want to shoot a creature you might be able to kill it straight away, but later on in the game it's probably going to be used to finish a creature off after combat or a burn spell. Other than that it attacks well and, even though it's pretty fragile, being able to sit back and ping your opponent for one each turn does add up.

Firebrand Archer

 This creature is probably most a kin to Lightning Weaver, but where Lightning Weaver was good at blocking and could deal with a creature or two, Firebrand Archer is pretty fragile and the ability sends the damage to your opponent, but it does trigger off any non creature spell you play not just instants or sorceries. Firebrand Archer is common so you will see it a lot more in limited than you would have seen Lightning Weaver, and it costs one less as well so it comes down cheaper. In the right deck it could be very powerful and in multiples could make light work of your opponents life total.

Frontline Devastator

 Afflict cards in Hour Of Devastation seem to be pretty pushed all round. A long with being able to shoot your opponent for damage, two in this case, just for being blocked, a lot of them come with decent stats. A four mana 3/3 is good enough to play with or without the Afflict 2 but it doesn't just stop with the Afflict. Being able to pay two mana to give Frontline Devastator a power boost will be very helpful in those times you're facing down bigger creatures or maybe just need to extra couple of points to finish your opponent off. All of this makes it a good aggressive creature for those red limited decks that like having a mana sink in their decks.

Gilded Ceradon

 Speaking of aggressive creatures, Gilded Ceradon is one that sits nicely on the top end of the curve. Just for having a Desert in play or in your graveyard, which as we've established probably won't be too hard, Gilded Ceradon allows you to keep an opposing creature from blocking indefinitely meaning you could get round that annoying Deathtouch creature that otherwise would eat one of your attackers. It may be on the more expensive side, especially for traditional red decks in limited, but if you get to attack with it, you're going to be very happy.

Granitic Titan

 Pretty standard creature in Granitic Titan, six mana 5/4 with Menace and Cycling. It's difficult to block when it does land and if you don't need it in the early game, you can Cycle it to find something more appropriate for the situation. Obviously only for limited but I could see this turning up in Living End decks in modern.

Hazoret's Undying Fury

 The fourth card in the "Last" cycle of cards, don't worry just because it doesn't have Last in the name it does definitely stop your lands from untapping for a turn, and it's probably the most promising. Six mana is a lot but this is the one that you don't mind playing on turn six and essentially missing your turn seven, mainly because it would be close to your top end but also because of the value it gives you. The potential to give you four nonland cards for free is nothing to scoff at and if you do hit all four you're going to be slightly more alright that you don't get a turn seven. This is a massive bomb in limited thanks mostly to the value and it could see some constructed play but I think it could a little slow and eggs all in one basket kind of play.

 Hour Of Devastation

 Wrath effects nowadays need to cost a little more than they used to. Typically four was the price point but it turns out that's a little too good especially for control decks. The red Promise goes one more mana up in cost but the power is definitely above five mana; it's virtually a Wrath Of God as most creatures won't survive five damage but for the added one mana, it hits planeswalker as well, granted that could include your planeswalkers but with that knowledge you can play around your own card in the same way you would with Wrath Of God, not running out all your creatures to destroy them yourself. Limited bomb all the way and I think will see constructed play.

Imminent Doom

 I'm not sure where this card should be but I'm sure I like it. First off it's fairly cheap so it can come down early. Secondly it's hard to deal with as enchantment removal doesn't get played as much as other removal spells. Thirdly, its removal as you can target creatures. Lastly, it's an additional problem for your opponent to take into consideration. Obviously you would love to curve out with this card but even if you don't it's still a problem as it could tick up any minute and they are fantastic in multiple especially when you use the second to trigger the first when it's on three counters. A deck like blue red control might love this card but I'm sure it could spawn its own archetype, it's playable in limited but you do need to gear your deck more towards it than you would a normal aggro deck.

Inferno Jet

 This is just Lava Axe. It costs one more mana but does one more damage and it comes with Cycling. It is expensive but it's great in limited as it is more than a quarter of their starting life total, and if you can't get to six you can just trade it in and see what you get.
 

 Khenra Scrapper

 Even just as a three mana 2/3 with Menace Khenra Scrapper is very playable. Being able to Exert it, turning it into a 4/2 with Menace, means it will start taking sizeable chunks out of your opponents life total. Obviously the Exert does mean you only get to attack with it every other turn but it doesn't stop Khenra Scrapper being a good aggressive creature for limited.

Kindled Fury

 Kindled Fury is a good red combat trick for limited that will hopefully take care of an opposing creature while leaving yours to fight another day, and it's cheap so it can be hard to play around.

Magmaroth

 Aggression is Magmaroth's middle name, well I guess it would be it's last name strictly speaking. Dropping this guy on turn three means that your opponent is going to have to find an answer as it is way above curve and being able to keep it at a 5/5 will be hard to deal with in general. You will always play this in limited as it's big, easy to splash and hits hard.

Manticore Eternal

 A five mana 5/4 is good no matter which way you look at it. The fact that Manticore Eternal still deals damage even when it gets blocked makes it a hard creature to play around, either you take five or your take three and probably lose a guy in the process. Yes it does have to attack each turn if able but in all honesty what would you be doing with it anyway?

Neheb, The Eternal

 Obviously a limited bomb being a five mana 4/6 that's hard to block thanks to the Afflict 3, and any life lost from your opponents gives you extra red mana in your post combat main phase just adding to the value of Neheb. Keep in mind it does say opponents, plural, so it looks like Neheb will be really good for commander play as well. As far as constructed is concerned, it could see play but I think it's a bit expensive and doesn't have the most immediate impact on the game.

Open Fire

 Through the years, red instant burn spells dealing three damage have gone through a lot of iterations. Most of them can only hit creatures or players but not both, though there have been some very good exceptions; Lightning Bolt and Lightning Helix to name a couple. Open Fire gets to join those very good red instant burn spells, for three mana, which is probably the right mana cost, it gets to hits a creature or player for three damage. It's a no brainier in limited and I think it could see constructed play, mainly because it's a fairly versatile spell that could deal with planeswalkers easily. It's probably not a four Of in constructed as it is a tiny bit expensive, I think because of how spoiled we've been in the past, but one or two of seems fine.

Puncturing Blow

 Another fantastic removal spell for limited, Puncturing Blow pretty much says "Exile target creature." as a lot of medium size creatures in limited have four toughness and there are a lot of the higher costed creatures at around the four/five toughness mark. It's at it's best when it hits a creature with Embalm or Eternalise because it stops your opponent getting full value out of that creature. You will always play this when you're in red and it could even tempt you to splash it.

Sand Strangler

 Welcome back Flametongue Kavu! I may be a bit ahead of myself as it's a 3/3 instead of a 4/2 and it only deals three damage as opposed to four, but it costs the same and sometimes having three toughness does make the difference, it can't get Magma Sprayed for example. Now to have Sand Strangler deal the three damage you need to have a Desert either in play or in your graveyard, but between Amonkhet and Hour Of Devastation I'm sure you'll have plenty, almost ensuring it will.

Thorned Moloch

 There are some cards in Magic that almost teach you how to play, Thorned Moloch is one of them. First of all, a three mana 2/2 is good, add Prowess and it becomes great. When a creature has an ability like this, gaining First Strike when it attacks, yeah it's fine on the defense but what it's saying is "Attack with me!", and the First Strike is really relevant especially if you can pump it by playing non creature spells. You play this in limited almost all the time but obviously no place for it in constructed.

Wildfire Eternal

 Wildfire Eternal looks like an awesome and quite powerful card, unfortunately I'm not sure it's as good as it looks. Obviously a bomb in limited, mainly because of the high Afflict number, but a lot of the time you can just let it go unblocked, hit for one damage calling their bluff and probably get away with it. In constructed it is a slightly different story as you can gear your deck more towards playing unfair, high costed spells for free, but removal spells are more widely played in constructed so Wildfire Eternal probably won't last long. Some potential and I would love to see it work out but I think it's a long shot.

Zealot Of The God-Pharoah

 This is a super aggressive creature for red decks in limited, it's on the curve and can deal direct damage. If left unblocked, on turn five Zealot Of The God-Pharaoh has the potential to hit for six damage and it gets better. When you get to the late game and have drawn a lot of land it doesn't even need to attack, yes ten mana is a lot but it will probably happen, if only once, and then you can start hitting your opponent for four at the end of their turn. You should always play this in limited and maybe even try to splash it.

That's the end of our look trough the red cards of Hour Of Devastation, stay tuned to Game Changers for all the green cards.