Locations
Welcome back to part four of our exciting Edge of Eternities picks. I'm going to be talking about all the colors in Edge of Eternities, so be sure to check out the previous colors by clicking on my byline above.
Today we're continuing with the red cards that caught my eye. I usually try and select around eight cards for lists like this, but as with the previous colors, I may err on the side of shorter descriptions while cramming in more cards if the selection warrants it.
Let's begin!
Devastating Onslaught
The only thing that could make this card better is if it said "except they aren't legendary." I imagine making, like, four copies of Atraxa, Grand Unifier and attacking with them would be a little overkill, but keep in mind you not only have to control a seven-mana Atraxa at that point, but also spend nine mana on the Onslaught. So it kind of feels like you've earned it at that point. Who knows? While you can still "copy" legendary cards, you just won't be able to attack with them since they would die to the legendary rule, which makes me a little sad.
Drill Too Deep
As far as artifact removal spells go, this is a unique one. This set has a ton of artifacts, and if you're not killing one of their Spacecrafts, putting five charge counters on one of your own Spacecrafts or Planets could be a very big deal. I think this would just be a phenomenal card, however, if it allowed you to put five charge counters on any permanent.
Invasive Maneuvers
Interesting take on the set's two-mana, instant-speed, three-damage spell. At face value, it's totally fine, but if you control a Spacecraft, five damage for two mana is great. Roast was a staple, and it was a sorcery that could only hit creatures without flying. If Spacecrafts become a thing, this is an all-star removal spell.
Nova Hellkite
Nova Hellkite is the first time in a long time that I'm not terribly excited by a set's five-mana, four-power flier. On the one hand, you do get a free attack when you warp it in on turn three. This basically amounts to a damage-free Char if they don't have a way to block or remove it. That's all great, but I think I'm just a bit underwhelmed by the one damage it deals. When you compare this to other options, like Goldspan Dragon or Stormbreath Dragon, it just feels a little meh. Maybe that's why it's only a rare?
Pain for All
Turning any one of your creatures into a Boros Reckoner is a pretty cool effect, especially since there are so many good ways to exploit that effect, like Blasphemous Act or Star of Extinction.
Typically an Aura like this would open you up to a good old-fashioned two-for-one, but the nice thing about Pain for All is that you get to deal damage to - and ideally kill - another creature when it enters. Really nice to see that even if the creature gets killed at some point, you should still get some value out of this as a removal spell.
Possibility Technician
Back in the day, Abbot of Keral Keep was a staple in the mono-red deck for its ability to get you a single free card. Possibility Technician is basically better in every way.
Not only does it have great stats for a red creature as a 3/3, but it also 1) triggers every time it or another Kavu enters, 2) has warp, so you can get an extra card off of it when you have two mana, and 3) lets you play the card at any time, not just the turn it's exiled, so long as you control a Kavu.
The worst part about the Abbot was having to use the card the same turn you cast the Abbot, which was considerably restrictive. The Technician avoids that. Also consider that if you put a second Technician into play, you'll get two new cards exiled off of their triggers!
Ruinous Rampage
This is like a bad Brotherhood's End. The artifact removal is great, but dealing damage to opponents instead of each creature and planeswalker makes this much worse. That being said, the artifact removal may still be good enough for this to make the cut.
Rust Harvester
This is an interesting one-drop. Unlike some other red options, it does take a bit of setup to get all those artifacts into your graveyard, but being able to grow this larger at will, while also dealing progressively more damage in the process seems pretty good.
If nothing else, it has big Grim Lavamancer energy. You need fewer cards in the graveyard per activation (albeit more specific cards), it has the same activation cost, it will typically deal more than two damage per activation, it will get larger over time, and it has menace. That's quite the upgrade, I think.
Tannuk, Steadfast Second
The best part about Tannuk is that he gives all your cards with warp haste, which is something they sorely lack. The other best part about Tannuk is that he gives warp to all your artifacts and red creatures that don't have warp as well! The fact that Tannuk has neither haste nor warp himself is fascinating, but whatever.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll catch ya next time!
Frank Lepore
