Topic: RDW cards from M14

Hello,
I just wanted to see what cards do you think could be a nice addition to a RDW with the release of M14.

I am considering to run/try the following cards:
Young Pyromancer - 1R - 2/1
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a 1/1 red Elemental creature token onto the battlefield.
This might be good to create several blockers and, until rotation, have a lot of damage with an Hellrider.

Chandra's Phoenix - 1RR - 2/2
Flying
Haste
Whenever an opponent is dealt damage by a rest instant or sorcery spell you control or by a red planewswalker you control, return Chandra's phoenix from your graveyard to your hand.
It's a 2/2 with Flying and Haste, and also it can get back to your hand with some burn spells. I might think to run 3 or 4 of those in a RDW.

Burning Earth - 3R -Enchantment
Whenever a player taps a nonbasic land for mana, Burning Earth deals 1 damage to that player.
I see this card as a 1 of in main deck and 1 of in sideboard, especially playing against 2-3 color decks (that are more popular than monocolor). 3 color decks have basically no basic lands in the deck, and this enchantment can really hurt them.

Awaken the Ancient - 1RRR - Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Mountain
Enchant Mountain is a 7/7 red Giant creature with haste. It's still a land.
a 7/7 creature with haste for 5 (4+enchanted mountain) it's pretty good, especially with bigger creatures match up. I would see running 1 or 2 in total.

All this card are at the top of the mana curve, but they might be really good utility cards.

Last edited by kappolo (2013-07-10 21:19:26)

Re: RDW cards from M14

In the current RDW You don't cast many spells.  It's a creature based aggro deck. Young Pyromancer belongs in a deck with mostly spells. Something like a UR delver deck.

Chandra's phoenix was good the last time it was around, it provides evasion and recursion which are good, but it doesn't provide better damage, than say, a turn 2 burning tree + lightning mauler, unbonded, turn 3 reckoner+bond?   The board presence isn't as imposing as reckoner either for RDW purposes. Right now with pillar and other popular exile effects I wouldn't play this card. 

Burning earth is well, i'm not sure.  In a longer game it seems like it could be deadly, but current RDW build want to end the game by turn 5 ideally... so this card seems slow in theory.  Could be good, might not be... play it and see.

Awaken the ancients, is almost a direct replacement for hellrider/thundermaw.  Although with a couple big draw backs.  1) it's an enchant that turns a land into a creature so any removal spell can now immediately 2 for one you.  1.5) when they do remove it your down a mana now.  RDW is traditionally a mana light deck, you might only see 4 a game.  Do you want to give one up for this guy? 2) no trample/flying/evasion, it can be chumped with any 1/1 token.

Honestly to me these cards, except Awaken the Ancients, look like they belong in some kind of UR burn/control deck.  Like a UR midrange. Not 100% sure.  Too bad burning earth doesn't activate chandra's phoenix, but ral zarek does.  Also quicken with a red burn spell like mizzium mortars... seems like it be good.

Re: RDW cards from M14

My sense is that Ogre Battledriver will be the best replacement for Hellrider currently out there once rotation happens.  That being said, there's no need to modify RDW too much until rotation takes place.

I agree with elpablo on pretty much everything he's saying about the current setup.  Burning Earth is a solid SB card at best for when you run into that U/W Sphinx's Revelation deck.  Aside from that... really you're not looking at much to change for the time being.

Re: RDW cards from M14

You like the battle driver?  I wasn't sure about it.  I think post rotation you'd probably want to be rb or rg for aggro.  Theros is still up in the air, but spike jester/exava and burning tree are strong cards.

Re: RDW cards from M14

Essentially turning all your creatures into versions of Viashino Firstblade sounds decent to me.  Might not have the direct damage you like, but it makes even the tiniest creatures into threats, even if for only a turn.  You're not relying on them having +1/+1 counters for the haste either.

Re: RDW cards from M14

that's true, and it's 4 mana, it can be ramped out in RG seems good with kalonion hydra.

Re: RDW cards from M14

You wouldn't even need the hydra at that point.  I mean attacking with a 10/8 trample for five is certainly aggressive enough... one hell of a finisher... but hardly necessary.

Even things like Burning-Tree Emissary into, well, anything, is a solid T3-T4-T5 play with the Battledriver - as opposed to now being almost a total waste of time... With it granting everything haste, he offers a wealth of avenues for play in aggro builds, i.e., they T4 Supreme Verdict, you T4 Battledriver, unless they verdict again on T5, you can drop a handful of little guys again and finish them off on T5.

He might not be huge now, but unless we get something big in Theros, I can't see a better four drop in RDW post rotation (so I would pick up a playset now at all of $2 each).  Exava might be a decent in the right builds, but I'm thinking this is an easier piece to work with.

Re: RDW cards from M14

My inner timmy always comes out at new set time.  tongue

battle driver might be better than I initially thought, but we don't know what theros' power level will be yet.  RTR was a notch below innistrad , m14 is a notch below that in most peoples opinion.  If we don't get any powerhouses at that cmc then who knows.