Almost exactly one year ago Wizards launched the new "Premium Deck Series" with a much anticipated but genuinely disappointing Sliver deck.  If price is any indication of a Magic product's actual worth than the PDS isn't off to a great start.  Initially released at $35, the deck was immediately discounted by retailers to $29.99 and has now fallen to at least $25.  In some places you can find it for as low as $20.  Great news for casual players, of course, but not so great news for the future of these Premium decks.  This year Wizards is hoping to burn away any misgivings fans might have about the foil-filled decks by offering a number of old-school fan favorites in new frames on shiny cardboard.  Let's take a look at Fire and Lightning, shall we?

[deck title=Premium Deck Series: Fire and Lightning]

[Creatures]

*1 Ball Lightning

*1 Boggart Ram-Gang

*1 Cinder Pyromancer

*1 Figure of Destiny

*1 Fire Servant

*1 Grim Lavamancer

*1 Hellspark Elemental

*2 Jackal Pup

*1 Jaya Ballard, Task Mage

*1 Keldon Champion

*2 Keldon Marauders

*2 Mogg Fanatic

*2 Mogg Flunkies

*2 Spark Elemental

*1 Vulshok Sorcerer

[/Creatures]

[Lands]

*21 Mountain

*1 Barbarian Ring

*1 Ghitu Encampment

*2 Teetering Peaks

[/Lands]

[Other Spells]

*1 Browbeat

*1 Chain Lightning

*1 Fireball

*1 Fireblast

*1 Flames of the Blood Hand

*1 Hammer of Bogardan

*4 Lightning Bolt

*1 Pillage

*1 Price of Progress

*1 Reverberate

*1 Sudden Impact

*1 Thunderbolt

[/Other Spells]

[/deck]

What it's Got

I don't know about you but the first thing I look at when deciding whether or not to pick up a pre-constructed deck are: the rares.  For this deck you've got Figure of Destiny and Chain Lightning headlining with Reverberate and Ball Lightning in supporting roles. The rares are really what determines the value of a pre-constructed deck and this time around I think you'll be getting your money's worth.  Cool Stuff Inc. is selling the package for $28 and I think you can safely value the foiled Figure of Destiny at more than $10.  The Chain Lightning is also for sale at SCG for about $7 so if you can see more than $10 worth of value in the rest of the package I'd recommend picking

[caption id="attachment_12790" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Is this guy bringing the Fire or the Lightning? Nothing says "Red Wizard" like flying Kithkin!"][/caption]

it up if you can find it for under 30 bucks.

Like the sliver deck, this deck would benefit greatly by being doubled.  If you can manage to afford/find/swindle your way into acquiring two of these babies you might just have a viable deck on your hands.  Double up on the FoD and Chain Lightning to get rid of some stinkers such as Mogg Flunkies and Thunderbolt (does thunder come in the form of bolts?!).

What it's Not

Premium sealed decks suffer from an identity crisis.  There are two reasons a thoughtful player might want to pick up a package like this.  One- they need a new casual deck.  Or Two- they want the singles for other decks, collecting etc.  Unfortunately these Premium decks try to do both and end up failing (atleast somewhat) at both.  For the deck to become 'playable' and by that I mean "able to tango with the likes of Baneslayer Angel, Vengevine or even Liliana Vess" it would need to be heavily tweaked.  Why give us Vulshok Sorcerer or Cinder Pyromancer when we should be playing another Hellspark Elemental or Keldon Champion?  These decks are obviously designed for beginners and/or people who don't have a lot of cards already if they expect me to roll out with this deck untweaked.  But on the other hand, if these decks are meant for collecting and acquiring singles then why aren't there more than a handful of singles in the deck worth paying hard-earned-recession-dollars for?  I'd like to see the next Premium deck either become semi-playable or simply focus on the "package of singles" that most people buy these sets for anyhow.  Wizards could do both by putting better cards in but I think it's clear at this point that Wizards has a value quota that they cannot surpass for each product they release.  What it's not?  This deck isn't a deck you can play against your buddy's  modern deck that includes mythics, multiples of good cards, or any semblance of strategy.  It's also not a very convincing treasure chest brimming with $35+ worth of badass singles to sprinkle around your existing decks.

Of course we can always wish for more value from our Magic the Gathering purchases and Wizards is typically inclined to decline such requests.  But if you were a company who released a super special, limited edition product annually that ended up being instantly devalued by %25 of the MSRP before it is even released... Wouldn't you think twice about the inherent value that your customers and retailers were placing on said item?  Maybe you could throw in a couple more usable rares?  Perhaps you could even (wait for it, Wizards...) lower the price?  Either way it's clear that everyone who deals in Magic the Gathering value on a daily basis takes a look at the price of these premium decks and says, "I'll give you %65 of what you're asking... maybe".  Not a great position for a "premium" item to be in.

Conclusion

I know, I know I've confused everyone!  On one hand I'm excited about a foil Figure of Destiny,  Chain Lightning, and four shiny Lightning Bolts while on the other it concerns me that I could simply purchase the ten singles I'm interested in for less than half of the listed MSRP of this deck.  So is it worth it?  Of course it is... to the right person.  And who might that person be?  If you're new to the game and want a great launching point for a truly classic red deck I might consider putting this in your stocking this Holiday.  Or, if you're a die-hard red wizard who just wants to foil-up a bunch of cards you're already playing.  I could also see this used as a great giveaway, prize or gift this season.  But for the competitive player with 1000's of Magic cards in his or her collection, stacks of modern, mythic-filled decks already and all of the foil lightning bolts he or she could ever want... I think I'd pass on this particular venture.  If you're somewhere in between then I suppose it's up to you whether or not you grab a copy.  Most of your decision will probably hinge upon the price point you're able to find this at.  If the sliver deck is any indication of the direction the price might go then I'd just wait until it's going for $20-25.  That way you're sure to be getting your money's worth.  Personally, I find this deck much more appealing than the watered down sliver deck I reviewed last year.  If you bought that deck for $35 and were happy, you'll probably love Fire and Lightning.

[caption id="attachment_12804" align="aligncenter" width="434" caption="If you pick this up you'll certainly look like a certified badass with your translucent-red countdown die and foily burn spells!  Does anyone else smell toast?"][/caption]

[poll id="39"]

Fire and Lightning is released on November 19th so be sure to pre-order it through your favorite online Magic the Gathering retailer. Or support your local hobby shops by purchasing it in your home town.

UPDATE: BREAKING NEWS!

Wizards has just announced a new addition to the Magic Online Deck Series entitled 'Legacy'.  The only reason I mention this fact is that it so serendipitously ties into what I wrote about in today's article.  Take a look at these online only deck lists.

Four Chain Lightnings, four Goblin Guides and four Hellspark Elementals!!!  Wizards, I do forgive you for reading my mind today because these are the kinds of decks I'd pay $30 for!  This is a deck I could hand over to a friend I'm trying to get into Magic the Gathering.  This is playable out of the box and competitive enough to hang in the fiercest casual, kitchen-table games as well as being a good start for a legacy tournament deck.  Heck, I might even pick one up myself... oh wait... what's that?  Oh yeah.. they're online only. Oh, and they're just event decks which means... the cards are limited to legacy events.  I see, well... the point still stands.  Wizards obviously is aware of how to make solid decks and should make decks like these available to the masses through paper and online!

[caption id="attachment_12815" align="aligncenter" width="350" caption="Best Pre-Constructed Decks Ever? Yes, with metaphysical certitude... Yes."][/caption]

Now, we here at the offices of Gathering Magic do so love Magic the Gathering Online.  Do not mistake us, we are excited for these decks to be online.  And it's good to know that Wizards does, in fact, remember how to make competitive decks.  It's saddens me, however that they fail to integrate this knowledge into their paper products.  Please, Wizards.. hear our cry.  Paper pre-constructed decks have been a joke far too long.  The casual players out there want something that can hang with any other casual deck out there.  Fire and Lightning, Premium Deck: Slivers, Most Duel Decks and roughly 100% of all Intro Packs are just not fit for duty anywhere, at any time (unless of course they are being played against another Intro Pack!)  If you can offer quality, competitive, value-packed decks online then you can do it in paper as well.

Very sincerely,

GatheringMagic.com

PS: I sent our friends and Twitter followers Mike Turain and Mark Rosewater this tweet last night.  Please retweet it if you'd also like to hear an answer.