We’re over the hump and speeding down the hill quickly. Today we get a look at all of the red cards from Guilds of Ravnica, loads of Boros and Izzet cards to paw through along with a bunch of other great stuff. So without further ado, let’s begin...
Arclight Phoenix
We’re going into a format now with two 4 mana phoenixes in, Rekindling Phoenix and now Arclight Phoenix. Arclight Phoenix isn’t as powerful as Rekindling but it does rebut itself using a different medium: where Rekindling has to rely on a 0/1 token that may or may not survive, Arclight Phoenix just needs you to play 3 instant or sorcery spells. The problem here is that you usually want to be playing your spells in post combat to get the most out of them and your opponent’s mana usage so playing 3 spells feels a little steep, in the right deck though I’m sure it can utilise this 3/2 Flyer for 4 quite well, like a midrange deck for example. Really good in limited and could make some headway in standard.
Barging Sergeant
Barging Sergeant is a good late game aggro creature in limited. 4 damage out of nowhere is good and it can pump another creature for 1 as well, to top it off its easily splash able if you need a last creature in your splashing red deck.
Book Devourer
Really? He devours books? And that’s threatening? Alright. Despite the name, Book Devourer actually looks like a great late game card, it’s big and has Trample making it harder to chump block. You can often find your hand in the late game getting clogged up with dead spells and useless lands, in which case Book Devourer is happy to trade those in for you and provide you with a nice draw ability. You do have to have cards in hand to get any use out of this six mana beast but when it works and you get to spin the wheel it feels good. Limited only as the cost is way too high for constructed.
Command the Storm
This big removal spell is a great one of to have in limited to take down any bombs your opponent can drop. You only want one because of the high mana cost and the fact that Command the Storm only hits creatures, multiples without necessity will find themselves clogging your hand up and becoming dead cards.
Cosmotronic Wave
This is there for those moments in limited where you’re sat in a stalemate position. Cosmotronic Wave helps you push damage through and get over the line when your opponent has blockers for days. You shouldn’t play more than one, it’s often going to sit in your hand and you don’t want to risk more of that.
Direct Current
I don’t know if three mana is the right cost for this spell, it could be three to cost it out of constructed but even then I feel t could’ve been pushed to two mana. A Shock with Jump-Start is good but I think this will see limited play and little all else.
Electrostatic Field
This is a good way for slower, more controlling decks to not lose to an early creature that they can’t remove. Drop an Electrostatic Field on turn two, it does all the blocking work and you can sit back, play spells and get extra value. This is going to be great in limited for those creature-light decks and in multiples will be stupid good, as for constructed I can see slower decks playing it, maybe not the full four though.
Erratic Cyclops
I love this guy in limited, a four mana 0/8 helps gum up the board blocking pretty much everything on the ground and then can start going on the offensive when you start casting instants and sorceries. Being able to remove an opposing creature with a spell and then pumping Erratic Cyclops to charge in, the Trample will help you force some damage through and in lieu of a removal spell from your opponent - or something like Deathtouch on a creature - Erratic Cyclops could rule the table and win you lots of limited games.
Experimental Frenzy
Woah, this is weird. Red doesn’t often get to abuse the top of its library like this, being able to play the top card is really powerful but as always there needs to be something that balances it out. So Experimental Frenzy gives you access to the top card of your library but at the cost of not giving you access to anything in your hand while it’s in play, you can get around this by paying four mana to destroy it. The last abilities to me implies that Experimental Frenzy wants to be played in an all-out deck, one that plays out every card in its hand almost every turn and if at utilised well enough then this could be the answer to keep those decks going. I’m really not sure how this could look in constructed but I think you’re going to love this in limited when you start running out of gas.
Fearless Halbedier
It’s a decent creature and Fearless Halbedier sits nicely on the mana curve. There are better creatures but in a pinch this three mana 3/2 will do.
Fire Urchin
I quite like Fire Urchin because it gives you options. You can drop it early and use it to block well or later on in the game utilise your instants and sorceries to push damage through, the built in Trample really helps there. The best use of this effect is as a combat trick, even if the spell you cast isn’t a combat trick itself the power pump throws combat off for your opponent.
Goblin Banneret
As one drop goblins go right now I’m not hating Goblin Banneret. It’s not fast but it’s cheap and loves to help your other creatures in the early game: drop Goblin Banneret in turn one with a turn two Goblin Instigator and then on turn three you can crash in with everyone, paying two mana to pump the Banneret and subsequently either the token or the Instigator with the Mentor. Sure, it’s not the most powerful of starts but it’s pretty nifty as that start gives you two creatures to target with the Mentor ability twice each, provided they survive. As far as limited goes, Goblin Banneret is a good one drop for aggressive decks and it will see play consistently.
Goblin Cratermaker
What a fantastic utility creature to have access to. Goblin Cratermaker comes down early as a 2/2 but with so much upside, you can Shock a creature for 1 colourless mana or take down an artifact or, in the current meta especially, a Karn, Scion of Urza. All of that from a 2/2 creature, get ready to see this a fair bit and not just in goblin decks but midrange for sure.
Goblin Locksmith
I’m not sure why Goblin Locksmith only has 1 toughness when it’s clearly not that much more powerful than a regular Grizzly Bear. I like the flavour and if you have no other two drops in limited then it’s a fine creature, though you’ll probably have better options.
Gravitic Punch
This spell feels so underwhelming. Four mana is a fine cost and the Jump-Start is nice but the effect isn’t versatile enough, being able to dome your opponent is good and all but more often than not you will need a removal spell. Gravitic Punch would only see play in limited as a finisher but I don’t really like it there, it feels a bit do-nothing.
Hellkite Whelp
The stats are good, the cost is fine and the effect is a nice tempo based one. 1 damage isn’t always enough to take out a creature but it can help one of your other creatures trade up in combat, in multiples this five cost dragon is going to do work and it’s easy to cast as it’s not massively red intensive. Love it.
Inescapable Blaze
It does exactly what it says on the tin. Six mana, 6 damage to anything and it can’t be countered, Inescapable Blaze is a great removal spell and a good way to get over the line in the late game in limited. I could see it getting some constructed love due to the fact that it can’t be countered which is big game against control decks, though it is six mana which is steep.
Lava Coil
Double Magma Spray is here! Unfortunately Lava Coil isn’t an instant because it would be insanely powerful, look at it more as a Roast type of card: the damage output is worth the sorcery speed of the card. Lava Coil just feels like it’s going to see play everywhere even in modern, 4 damage for two mana and it exiles the creature of it dies is good value.
Legion Warboss
This creature is great, it’s going to be a limited bomb especially if dropped in the early game and will see constructed play. Three mana for two damage is alright but you’re getting a token for your troubles which will get the benefit from the Mentor mechanic. If your can protect Legion Warboss then it can take over a game for you and in multiples you are at such an advantage.
Maniacal Rage
This is actually an aura I would like to play in limited. On your side it’s a well priced stat boost and on your opponent’s side it allows you to get damage through your opponent’s biggest blocker. Multiples are fine but don’t get too trigger happy with Maniacal Rages on your creatures as they could backfire and allow your opponent to sneak down creatures through.
Maximize Velocity
...sure, this is a spell I guess. The effect on Maximize Velocity is ok, the Haste probably goes by the wayside a little as opposed to the +1/+1 most of the time but it could help in aggressive decks to barrage your opponent with fast creatures. Having Jump-start increases the value but Maximize Velocity is a sorcery and I don’t think it would’ve been too much if it was pushed to an instant and could be used as a combat trick. Limited only and I personally wouldn’t like it too much there.
Ornery Goblin
A decent in curve creature with an ability that will make your opponent think twice when blocking. The good thing about this ability is that it triggers before any combat damage is dealt, so if you have any burn spells to add to the 1 damage Ornery Goblin already provides you could end up dealing with any blocking creatures before the actual combat happens. Even if Ornery Goblin is blocked by multiple creatures it will trigger for each dealing, them all 1 damage, I like it in limited and multiples work well.
Risk Factor
It’s better than Browbeat, which isn’t a high bar, but I think that the fact that Risk Factor is an instant really helps its playability. This is a tempo spell, you want to keep applying pressure and then drop Risk Factor giving your opponent the option of taking damage and getting closer to death or letting you refuel and possibly drawing more burn or removal spells so you can keep the pressure on. I like Risk Factor in limited because it tends to be a quicker format but as far as constructed goes, it could see some play in super aggro/midrange tempo decks but it won’t be a four of.
Rubblebelt Boar
Great aggressive limited creature, four mana for 3 power is good in the early game as it can get a decent amount of damage through or trade with something at worst. The power bonus to one of your other creatures is good because it can help force a block, 5 damage is a lot and letting that through can put your opponent at such a disadvantage.
Runaway Steam-Kin
I love Runaway Steam-Kin but I’m not too sure where it goes. A two mana 1/1 is fine, if a little below the curve, but it redeems itself with its ability that counts red spells you play to get bigger. Then, out of nowhere you can remove three +1/+1 counters to get 3 red mana. As it stands, I don’t think standard would know what to do with Runaway Steam-Kin: at points it wants to be an aggressive creature and then sometimes it wants to help generate mana for your combo. In limited it’s probably great just because it gets bigger for you playing the game, though it does cap the counters at three, and I’m really keen to see where it lands in constructed.
Smelt-Ward Minotaur
Smelt-Ward Minotaur is a great aggressive utility creature in limited. With enough instants and sorceries you could push so much damage through and the 2/3 body isn’t nothing, in the early game Smelt-Ward Minotaur blocks well and later on the 2 damage can come into effect. I especially like how it’s easily splashable with the one red mana so in your three colour limited decks Smelt-Ward Minotaur can still be effective.
Street Riot
This is probably fine in limited but it’s really slow. Street Riot costs five and doesn’t do anything unless it’s your turn, one is fine but there are better cards.
Sure Strike
Great combat trick and it’s easily splashable. Sure Strike is brilliant on offensive and defensive and can really get your opponent at times.
Torch Courier
Another great goblin for the tribe. A one mana 1/1 Haste part is great for the early turns and the sacrifice effect can really help in the late game as it can throw off combat for your opponent when they’re not expecting a big hasty creature.
Wojek Bodyguard
Very aggressive strait forward creature here in the form of Wojek Bodyguard. Three mana for 3 power is on or maybe even above the curve and the fact that it can’t attack or block alone actually helps you use its Mentor trigger. What Wojek Bodyguard wants is for it to attack alongside a smaller creature that it can then make slightly bigger. It helps you learn how to use the mechanic because it forces you to use it which I like, it’s the easiest way to get someone to learn something. Great in limited with no prospects in standard.
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