Chris Taylor
Contributor
Red
Recent Changes:
Out:
Grim Lavamancer
Bogardan Hellkite
Hellspark Elemental
Firebolt (#2)
In:
Firedrinker Satyr
Viashino Slaughtermaster
Cunning Sparkmage
Mizzium Mortars
Molten Rain
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Red is another crowd favorite. Most common pair to black due to goblin bombardment (likely the strongest sac outlet for gravecrawler) as well as being a strong aggro color, and providing many useful tools for control as well.
And yes, volcanic hammer is still good enough to warrant control decks splashing for a few copies. While straight UR doesn't come together too often, UWR control is a favorite among the drafters, with white filling in red's weakness to 4 toughness creatures, and getting the best sweepers from each color (I've included both Anger of the Gods and Slagstorm, mostly because I don't own a second copy of Anger because of standard, but hey Slagstorm has killed 4 planeswalkers so far). I still think Pyroclasm and Firespout are too strong, but that may change.
Rolling Earthquake is another red control card you should all be proxying (Good god don't buy one. The card is good, not 150$ good. There are rumors of a possible reprint in From the Vault: Annihilation however, so keep it in mind)
Prophetic Flamespeaker has been a joy to play with and against, (with the small exception of ghor-clan rampager closing out games a touch too early) and I don't ever regret doubling up on it. Between him and Viashino Slaughtermaster occasionally being activated off of a city of brass, the double strike deck has been a joy to play with.
Kiki-Jiki recently came back in. I removed her initially because the accidental combo nature of her ability really doesn't mesh well with the predominantly sorcery speed removal my cube offers, but I decided to give her another shot. She's just so cool!
Soul of Shandalar has been preforming well. I feel at 450, if wildfire is a strategy you want to pursue, Red probably needs a 3rd beefy creature in addition to Inferno Titan and Crater Hellion, as most of the wildfire-compatible 4-5 drops don't live up to the hype. (Sorry Ember Swallower. You just never did anything). I tried adding the 3rd copy of wildfire however, and it proved a bit oppressive. Maybe mystical tutor could stand in, but I haven't taken that plunge yet.
One card I'm really liking for the cross archetype synergy is Hound of Griselbrand, as it not only survives wildfire (in a way) but has double strike and doesn't preform horribly with sac outlets. Try him out sometime, red usually needs ways to recoup lost cards anyways.
Current Custom Cards:
Cinder Swordsman
~ can't block
Enchanted Creature gets +2/+2 and can't block
Bestow
2/2
Added about a month before Gnarled Scarhide was spoiled (MTG Hipster Cred), this card is different in a few subtle ways:
-Red is way more likely to want to stun a single creature in my experience
-Double Strike is a red mechanic, so he gets bestowed more often than gnarled scarhide
-Usually red also needs the card neutral pressure that comes with bestowing more than black, which is constantly getting free cards from all the creatures coming back.
That all being said, there's certainly room for both of them right now. Plus being ballsy lets you draft the "can't block" theme deck!
Reckless Pillager
Reckless Pillager can’t be blocked except by 2 or more creatures.
When Reckless Pillager deals damage to an opponent, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
2/1
Another card I likely don't need, but me and my drafters like looting. This card has also shown me how perfectly balanced the red goblin war drums evasion is: Flying is better, but it's still not so much worse that it isn't even considered evasion like juggernaut's (Yeah bet you didn't remember he had an evasion clause did ya!)
Volcanic Cascade
Sorcery
Volcanic Cascade Costs 1 more for each target beyond the first.
Volcanic Cascade deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures or players.
Dividable Burn is a hard beast to tame in cube. Control decks love it (Arc Trail was better than most of the rares in scars of mirrodin limited), aggro decks love it too (See searing blaze for the best version for aggro decks) but too much and creature decks have a really hard time winning through the constant 2 for 1s.
This card and arc trail are in a good spot because of the more frequent 3 toughness on some of the 3+ cost creatures. Sometimes it can destroy people, but sometimes 2 damage isn't enough. As well, since it does such a good searing blaze impression, both control and aggro decks want it.
Next: Dinner for me, but after that green.
Recent Changes:
Out:
Grim Lavamancer
Bogardan Hellkite
Hellspark Elemental
Firebolt (#2)
In:
Firedrinker Satyr
Viashino Slaughtermaster
Cunning Sparkmage
Mizzium Mortars
Molten Rain
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Red is another crowd favorite. Most common pair to black due to goblin bombardment (likely the strongest sac outlet for gravecrawler) as well as being a strong aggro color, and providing many useful tools for control as well.
And yes, volcanic hammer is still good enough to warrant control decks splashing for a few copies. While straight UR doesn't come together too often, UWR control is a favorite among the drafters, with white filling in red's weakness to 4 toughness creatures, and getting the best sweepers from each color (I've included both Anger of the Gods and Slagstorm, mostly because I don't own a second copy of Anger because of standard, but hey Slagstorm has killed 4 planeswalkers so far). I still think Pyroclasm and Firespout are too strong, but that may change.
Rolling Earthquake is another red control card you should all be proxying (Good god don't buy one. The card is good, not 150$ good. There are rumors of a possible reprint in From the Vault: Annihilation however, so keep it in mind)
Prophetic Flamespeaker has been a joy to play with and against, (with the small exception of ghor-clan rampager closing out games a touch too early) and I don't ever regret doubling up on it. Between him and Viashino Slaughtermaster occasionally being activated off of a city of brass, the double strike deck has been a joy to play with.
Kiki-Jiki recently came back in. I removed her initially because the accidental combo nature of her ability really doesn't mesh well with the predominantly sorcery speed removal my cube offers, but I decided to give her another shot. She's just so cool!
Soul of Shandalar has been preforming well. I feel at 450, if wildfire is a strategy you want to pursue, Red probably needs a 3rd beefy creature in addition to Inferno Titan and Crater Hellion, as most of the wildfire-compatible 4-5 drops don't live up to the hype. (Sorry Ember Swallower. You just never did anything). I tried adding the 3rd copy of wildfire however, and it proved a bit oppressive. Maybe mystical tutor could stand in, but I haven't taken that plunge yet.
One card I'm really liking for the cross archetype synergy is Hound of Griselbrand, as it not only survives wildfire (in a way) but has double strike and doesn't preform horribly with sac outlets. Try him out sometime, red usually needs ways to recoup lost cards anyways.
Current Custom Cards:
Cinder Swordsman
~ can't block
Enchanted Creature gets +2/+2 and can't block
Bestow
2/2
Added about a month before Gnarled Scarhide was spoiled (MTG Hipster Cred), this card is different in a few subtle ways:
-Red is way more likely to want to stun a single creature in my experience
-Double Strike is a red mechanic, so he gets bestowed more often than gnarled scarhide
-Usually red also needs the card neutral pressure that comes with bestowing more than black, which is constantly getting free cards from all the creatures coming back.
That all being said, there's certainly room for both of them right now. Plus being ballsy lets you draft the "can't block" theme deck!
Reckless Pillager
Reckless Pillager can’t be blocked except by 2 or more creatures.
When Reckless Pillager deals damage to an opponent, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
2/1
Another card I likely don't need, but me and my drafters like looting. This card has also shown me how perfectly balanced the red goblin war drums evasion is: Flying is better, but it's still not so much worse that it isn't even considered evasion like juggernaut's (Yeah bet you didn't remember he had an evasion clause did ya!)
Volcanic Cascade
Sorcery
Volcanic Cascade Costs 1 more for each target beyond the first.
Volcanic Cascade deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures or players.
Dividable Burn is a hard beast to tame in cube. Control decks love it (Arc Trail was better than most of the rares in scars of mirrodin limited), aggro decks love it too (See searing blaze for the best version for aggro decks) but too much and creature decks have a really hard time winning through the constant 2 for 1s.
This card and arc trail are in a good spot because of the more frequent 3 toughness on some of the 3+ cost creatures. Sometimes it can destroy people, but sometimes 2 damage isn't enough. As well, since it does such a good searing blaze impression, both control and aggro decks want it.
Next: Dinner for me, but after that green.
