Bulk mythic. It'll be good in limited and EDH, but it's too slow for aggro decks and too weak for midrange.
Please, enlighten me with your obvious prescience as to how you ascertained this. People bashed on Hellrider till it got played, and before you say "but Hellrider has haste!" realize that his attack trigger is better(not strictly though) and has a relevant ability for the alpha strike.
Would you play this over Butcher of the Horde or Sorin?
I don't think so. If you have a rabble master out, Butcher is a flying 5/4 haste. This guy, if they have a blocker, you wont be even attacking with rabblemaster, so you probably will do 1 damage to there face, gain a life and then your token dies. I think 5/4 haste is better. Plus, the next turn (assuming both creatures survive), your 5/4 flyer has lifelink.
The 4 drop is to stacked right now for this guy. The Jeskai mythic was put in a spot (2 drop) that, while they had a decent card (seeker), it could easily be changed out to something better. We (mardu) already have a multiple 4 drops, and i think this guy is one of the weakest of the options.
Just think, rabblemaster into butcher into sarkhan or stormbreath will do much more damage than rabble master into this guy, into using his ability.
I might play him over Sorin in the right deck, and while Butcher is better, in WB Warrior decks you can't really run Butcher.
Well, I am assuming that this guy is to Mardu what that new 2 drop white mythic is to Jeskai. From that perspective, I don't think he is as well positioned for Mardu as I hoped our mythic was going to be. But, sure, in a warrior deck he is obviously better than butcher if you aren't running red.
And sure, he might be really good in a white/black warrior deck, or in a red/black deck. But as far as Mardu is concerned he would be closer to junk mythic then deck defining. (unless of course the deck shifts to tokens only, and then gets blown out by anger of the gods or drown in sorrow :P).
Bulk mythic. It'll be good in limited and EDH, but it's too slow for aggro decks and too weak for midrange.
Please, enlighten me with your obvious prescience as to how you ascertained this. People bashed on Hellrider till it got played, and before you say "but Hellrider has haste!" realize that his attack trigger is better(not strictly though) and has a relevant ability for the alpha strike.
Would you play this over Butcher of the Horde or Sorin?
I don't think so. If you have a rabble master out, Butcher is a flying 5/4 haste. This guy, if they have a blocker, you wont be even attacking with rabblemaster, so you probably will do 1 damage to there face, gain a life and then your token dies. I think 5/4 haste is better. Plus, the next turn (assuming both creatures survive), your 5/4 flyer has lifelink.
The 4 drop is to stacked right now for this guy. The Jeskai mythic was put in a spot (2 drop) that, while they had a decent card (seeker), it could easily be changed out to something better. We (mardu) already have a multiple 4 drops, and i think this guy is one of the weakest of the options.
Just think, rabblemaster into butcher into sarkhan or stormbreath will do much more damage than rabble master into this guy, into using his ability.
Actually if you swing with Rabblemaster + Token + Hordechief and pay 3 Hordechief and Rabblemaster will always do 6 damage + gain you 3 life + your opponent loses 3. In total that is a 12 point life swing (6 damage to your opponents, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain life 3).
Yes I would actually run the Brutal Hordechief over the Butcher of the Horde if my deck was "One For All" instead of "All for One" when it comes to the Butcher. This is not to say Butcher of the Horde is a lesser card than Brutal Hordechief, they are for different aggro styles. Like I pointed out with Hordechief being "One For All" styled and Butcher being "All For One" oriented.
As for Sorin, Solemn Visitor well he can be used for either purpose. However Sorin can also be utilized as a possible 2-of in the Brutal Hordechief as his + ability is very valuable "+1/+0 and lifelink ueot". Suddenly instead of the earlier example of a 12 point life swing it can become instead a 22 point life swing (8 damage to your opponent, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain 8 life because lifelink, you gain 3 life because Hordechief).
Most decks will run Bile Blight, Drown in Sorrow or removal of some kind. This has hosed a lot of aggro decks in my current meta. Not sure if this is a better turn 4 play than Bucther or Sorin. I'd rather drop a 5/4 Flyer TBH. If he had an extra point of Toughness he'd stay around long enough to matter. Warriors WB might see him do something, his second ability is expensive. Assuming you have more than 2 creatures left on the board (Seeker, Rabblemaster both have huge X's on their forehead the minute they enter play. Plus they both die to the 2 removal spells I mentioned before) I'm not quite sure what you'll assign to block.
Sometimes you gotta take a risk. Let me be frank for just one moment here, every standard format has had removal. One year it was Doomblade, a different year is was Bile Blight. Oh no! Not Anger of the Gods! a-red-sweeper-that-has-been-always-existed-in standard! Anything but that!
Its like facing down against an opponent playing blue, you know they may well have 4x of some counterspell. You just gotta take that risk. You honestly can't armor up your deck for every type of threat you may face.
Unless the format is warped *Coughed*Cawblade*Cough*, you are usually going to have what boils down to a "rock-paper-scissors" match.
I plan on testing a split of this, butcher, and sorin. It will take some testing, but between the jeskai cards, this and possibly the clan leader and the dragon I have a lot of proxys to make...
Bulk mythic. It'll be good in limited and EDH, but it's too slow for aggro decks and too weak for midrange.
Please, enlighten me with your obvious prescience as to how you ascertained this. People bashed on Hellrider till it got played, and before you say "but Hellrider has haste!" realize that his attack trigger is better(not strictly though) and has a relevant ability for the alpha strike.
Would you play this over Butcher of the Horde or Sorin?
I don't think so. If you have a rabble master out, Butcher is a flying 5/4 haste. This guy, if they have a blocker, you wont be even attacking with rabblemaster, so you probably will do 1 damage to there face, gain a life and then your token dies. I think 5/4 haste is better. Plus, the next turn (assuming both creatures survive), your 5/4 flyer has lifelink.
The 4 drop is to stacked right now for this guy. The Jeskai mythic was put in a spot (2 drop) that, while they had a decent card (seeker), it could easily be changed out to something better. We (mardu) already have a multiple 4 drops, and i think this guy is one of the weakest of the options.
Just think, rabblemaster into butcher into sarkhan or stormbreath will do much more damage than rabble master into this guy, into using his ability.
Actually if you swing with Rabblemaster + Token + Hordechief and pay 3 Hordechief and Rabblemaster will always do 6 damage + gain you 3 life + your opponent loses 3. In total that is a 12 point life swing (6 damage to your opponents, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain life 3).
Yes I would actually run the Brutal Hordechief over the Butcher of the Horde if my deck was "One For All" instead of "All for One" when it comes to the Butcher. This is not to say Butcher of the Horde is a lesser card than Brutal Hordechief, they are for different aggro styles. Like I pointed out with Hordechief being "One For All" styled and Butcher being "All For One" oriented.
As for Sorin, Solemn Visitor well he can be used for either purpose. However Sorin can also be utilized as a possible 2-of in the Brutal Hordechief as his + ability is very valuable "+1/+0 and lifelink ueot". Suddenly instead of the earlier example of a 12 point life swing it can become instead a 22 point life swing (8 damage to your opponent, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain 8 life because lifelink, you gain 3 life because Hordechief).
On turn 4, I attack with rabble master, and use his token to give butcher haste, i hit for 7. Turn 5 I play stormbreath and hit for 13, assuming no blocks and magic christmas land. Or I could hit for 12 and gain 5 life. So over 2 turns (assuming no blocks) I do 20 damage and gain 0 life, or 19 damage and gain 5 life.
With this guy, turn 4 you attack for 4 damage in creatures, they lose 2 life and you gain 2. Turn 5 you use his ability to block one of the rabble master tokens, and you hit for 8 dmg, they use 4 life, and you gain 4.
So I can do 20 damage in 2 turns with butcher, or 12 damage and gain 4 life with this guy and using his ability. Granted I only need two cards (and this is magic christmas land since i assume they will block/kill something), but I would pick butcher all day.
Sometimes you gotta take a risk. Let me be frank for just one moment here, every standard format has had removal. One year it was Doomblade, a different year is was Bile Blight. Oh no! Not Anger of the Gods! a-red-sweeper-that-has-been-always-existed-in standard! Anything but that!
Its like facing down against an opponent playing blue, you know they may well have 4x of some counterspell. You just gotta take that risk. You honestly can't armor up your deck for every type of threat you may face.
Unless the format is warped *Coughed*Cawblade*Cough*, you are usually going to have what boils down to a "rock-paper-scissors" match.
if the meta has all Disdainful strokes as counterspells, you react and play strong 3 mana and under spells (brimaz, rabblemaster). If everyone is playing bile blight or drown in sorrow, you can adjust and play brimaz and other 4 toughness guys. If you know the meta is full of anger of the gods, you don't just run cards that will get you wrecked by your opponents cards. It's one thing to say all creatures die to removal, it's another to put yourself in situations where you are playing into their cards.
Bulk mythic. It'll be good in limited and EDH, but it's too slow for aggro decks and too weak for midrange.
Please, enlighten me with your obvious prescience as to how you ascertained this. People bashed on Hellrider till it got played, and before you say "but Hellrider has haste!" realize that his attack trigger is better(not strictly though) and has a relevant ability for the alpha strike.
Would you play this over Butcher of the Horde or Sorin?
I don't think so. If you have a rabble master out, Butcher is a flying 5/4 haste. This guy, if they have a blocker, you wont be even attacking with rabblemaster, so you probably will do 1 damage to there face, gain a life and then your token dies. I think 5/4 haste is better. Plus, the next turn (assuming both creatures survive), your 5/4 flyer has lifelink.
The 4 drop is to stacked right now for this guy. The Jeskai mythic was put in a spot (2 drop) that, while they had a decent card (seeker), it could easily be changed out to something better. We (mardu) already have a multiple 4 drops, and i think this guy is one of the weakest of the options.
Just think, rabblemaster into butcher into sarkhan or stormbreath will do much more damage than rabble master into this guy, into using his ability.
Actually if you swing with Rabblemaster + Token + Hordechief and pay 3 Hordechief and Rabblemaster will always do 6 damage + gain you 3 life + your opponent loses 3. In total that is a 12 point life swing (6 damage to your opponents, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain life 3).
Yes I would actually run the Brutal Hordechief over the Butcher of the Horde if my deck was "One For All" instead of "All for One" when it comes to the Butcher. This is not to say Butcher of the Horde is a lesser card than Brutal Hordechief, they are for different aggro styles. Like I pointed out with Hordechief being "One For All" styled and Butcher being "All For One" oriented.
As for Sorin, Solemn Visitor well he can be used for either purpose. However Sorin can also be utilized as a possible 2-of in the Brutal Hordechief as his + ability is very valuable "+1/+0 and lifelink ueot". Suddenly instead of the earlier example of a 12 point life swing it can become instead a 22 point life swing (8 damage to your opponent, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain 8 life because lifelink, you gain 3 life because Hordechief).
On turn 4, I attack with rabble master, and use his token to give butcher haste, i hit for 7. Turn 5 I play stormbreath and hit for 13, assuming no blocks and magic christmas land. Or I could hit for 12 and gain 5 life. So over 2 turns (assuming no blocks) I do 20 damage and gain 0 life, or 19 damage and gain 5 life.
With this guy, turn 4 you attack for 4 damage in creatures, they lose 2 life and you gain 2. Turn 5 you use his ability to block one of the rabble master tokens, and you hit for 8 dmg, they use 4 life, and you gain 4.
So I can do 20 damage in 2 turns with butcher, or 12 damage and gain 4 life with this guy and using his ability. Granted I only need two cards (and this is magic christmas land since i assume they will block/kill something), but I would pick butcher all day.
Butcher: All for One. Your utilizing your resources to do maximum impact with a couple big creatures.
Hordechief: One for All. Your utilizing your resources to do impact with many small creatures.
if the meta has all Disdainful strokes as counterspells, you react and play strong 3 mana and under spells (brimaz, rabblemaster). If everyone is playing bile blight or drown in sorrow, you can adjust and play brimaz and other 4 toughness guys. If you know the meta is full of anger of the gods, you don't just run cards that will get you wrecked by your opponents cards. It's one thing to say all creatures die to removal, it's another to put yourself in situations where you are playing into their cards.
Yes but you need to be familiar with how each individual meta works. Each one is different. Why do you think its a common question in Legacy to ask what to run in a deck+sideboard because one is unsure about the meta. For all anyone knows they could have 500$ decks or a Manifest Deck under 20$.
EVEN THEN, your deck is still and never will be perfectly armored up for all situations. Unless that is everyone is running the exact same deck so everyone knows how to play against the mirror. Which is quiet frankly a rare sight.
Which was my point exactly, if you understand how the individual meta works, you don't just play willy nilly into their hand. You play smart, your card choices are smart. So complaining about someone saying a card dies to bile blight, isn't the same as saying all creatures die to removal. You can't stop removal, but you can play creature's that don't die to conditional removal.
And dude, go for it. I would like to see a deck played where this guy excels. But, like the previous commenter, I just believe it will be more of a bargain bin mythic than a game changer in standard.
Which was my point exactly, if you understand how the individual meta works, you don't just play willy nilly into their hand. You play smart, your card choices are smart. So complaining about someone saying a card dies to bile blight, isn't the same as saying all creatures die to removal. You can't stop removal, but you can play creature's that don't die to conditional removal.
And dude, go for it. I would like to see a deck played where this guy excels. But, like the previous commenter, I just believe it will be more of a bargain bin mythic than a game changer in standard.
No one said game changer. It will definitely be a role player in aggro. Anyone thinking anything else is just being asinine.
On turn 4, I attack with rabble master, and use his token to give butcher haste, i hit for 7. Turn 5 I play stormbreath and hit for 13, assuming no blocks and magic christmas land. Or I could hit for 12 and gain 5 life. So over 2 turns (assuming no blocks) I do 20 damage and gain 0 life, or 19 damage and gain 5 life.
With this guy, turn 4 you attack for 4 damage in creatures, they lose 2 life and you gain 2. Turn 5 you use his ability to block one of the rabble master tokens, and you hit for 8 dmg, they use 4 life, and you gain 4.
So I can do 20 damage in 2 turns with butcher, or 12 damage and gain 4 life with this guy and using his ability. Granted I only need two cards (and this is magic christmas land since i assume they will block/kill something), but I would pick butcher all day.
I'm confused about the comparison. In total on turn 5, with the Butcher + Stormbreath, you have attacked for 7, and then 13, ok I got that. 20 total.
With the Hordechief though, you are attacking for 4 + 2 life loss, then 8 + 4 life loss, which is 18 total life lost. Plus you need one less card, and you can do it even if your opponent can block, which you had to assume your opponent couldn't for the Butcher + Stormbreath example. If your opponent has no blockers still on turn 5, then play Stormbreath for even more damage. Isn't that better?
I mean, Brutal Hordechief does rely more on keeping other creatures on the board, whereas Butcher stands better alone. But in the example you're giving, I think it's pretty clear that the Hordechief does better.
On turn 4, I attack with rabble master, and use his token to give butcher haste, i hit for 7. Turn 5 I play stormbreath and hit for 13, assuming no blocks and magic christmas land. Or I could hit for 12 and gain 5 life. So over 2 turns (assuming no blocks) I do 20 damage and gain 0 life, or 19 damage and gain 5 life.
With this guy, turn 4 you attack for 4 damage in creatures, they lose 2 life and you gain 2. Turn 5 you use his ability to block one of the rabble master tokens, and you hit for 8 dmg, they use 4 life, and you gain 4.
So I can do 20 damage in 2 turns with butcher, or 12 damage and gain 4 life with this guy and using his ability. Granted I only need two cards (and this is magic christmas land since i assume they will block/kill something), but I would pick butcher all day.
I'm confused about the comparison. In total on turn 5, with the Butcher + Stormbreath, you have attacked for 7, and then 13, ok I got that. 20 total.
With the Hordechief though, you are attacking for 4 + 2 life loss, then 8 + 4 life loss, which is 18 total life lost. Plus you need one less card, and you can do it even if your opponent can block, which you had to assume your opponent couldn't for the Butcher + Stormbreath example. If your opponent has no blockers still on turn 5, then play Stormbreath for even more damage. Isn't that better?
I mean, Brutal Hordechief does rely more on keeping other creatures on the board, whereas Butcher stands better alone. But in the example you're giving, I think it's pretty clear that the Hordechief does better.
My bad, you're right. 18 versus 20. If you played Sorin, it would be 8 damage on turn 4 (with sorins +1) and then if you cast stormbreath it would be 16 on turn 5. So 24.
Either way, there are definitely multiple options and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Maybe it's a wash which card we play... which is good and bad. Gives us options but the "min-maxer" in me likes having a clear winner
(and this is all assuming magic christmas land. If they kill rabblemaster or brimaz, and you play Brutal Hordechief on an empty board, he isn't very amazing).
Hellrider without haste. Hmmm. Gains life? This isn't an aggro card, but it is still very good.
Midrange hellrider it is then. Mardu can definitely play it, and it might be worth it. Reach, an able body, and a strong curve with hordeling outburst + Rabblemaster.
I like him, and it's definitely going to be winning an FNM near you.
I play Mardu aggro, and I would take the Butcher of the Horde nearly every time. They both have life gain, and both have similar roles to play in the deck. However, one is good as a topdeck, and gets better the more creatures you have. The other is ok as a topdeck, and almost relies on other creatures to be relevant. In either case, you will need tokens to make them truly shine, but Butcher is a more resilient body that plays better on an empty board.
In my meta, Fast Aggro decks are a non factor. Most matches are Midrange, and when those decks go on line, they go on line turn 4 or 5. Aggro, seems to have a very small window to pull wins right now, which is why most morph into Midrange decks to keep up. If this is how the meta is shaping up then I want that extra point of Toughness so my creature can survive a Lightning Strike or Bile Blight. The reason Midrange is in right now is because the current removal/ Mass removal hoses anything below toughness 2. Seeker is an exception as you can pump him and prevent him going down so quickly. I'm not opposed to play testing Brutal Hordechief but I don't think he's that exceptional.
Also, most "good decks" will contain the above mentioned cards, so it makes it very hard to keep these critters alive long to make a difference. Hopefully I'm wrong and a deck will emerge that can get the most out of this card. Mardu Tokens comes to mind.
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Standard Arena: Eh? Gruul or Die
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now: G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record) C Eldrazi Tron (9-5) UG Infect RW Burn
Something that hasn't really been mentioned is how big a role valorous stance will play in the new meta. I mean with all the 4 toughness things out there plus the dual modes I think more than a few decks might main board this in over say a lightning strike. Being 4 toughness doesn't protect you as much when frf becomes legal.
Something that hasn't really been mentioned is how big a role valorous stance will play in the new meta. I mean with all the 4 toughness things out there plus the dual modes I think more than a few decks might main board this in over say a lightning strike. Being 4 toughness doesn't protect you as much when frf becomes legal.
If the meta adjusts to that, then the smart move is to adjust to the meta. I guess it will be cat and mouse between these cards
Mardu tokens that is ! T2 Raise the Alarm. T3 Hordeling Outburst. T4 this card. T5 can still be Butcher of the Horde. Or Sorin.
While possibly not as good, you could run mardu charm as well. Only make 2 guys, BUT they are first striking on there turn and it's instant speed to get around any sorcery removal shinanigans
Aggro is in sort of a weird place right now. It has the cards to either go wide and spit out a bunch of little guys like swiftspear, raise the alarm, hordeling outburst curving into Brutal Hordechief, or to focus on a nice steady curve of solid creatures like swiftspear, brimaz/rabblemaster, butcher, stormbreath with a few supporting spells. Both styles are perfectly viable and I think that both will see play as the meta continues to shift. If more decks start running the efficient sweepers like bile blight, drown in sorrow and anger, then Hordechief decks will be at a distinct disadvantage compared to Butcher decks. If more spot removal becomes the norm, though, the opposite will be true.
Personally I think it's just great that the options exist. We have the tools to adjust these decks to the meta and be much more flexible than aggro has been in some past standard environments, and I think that's what we should be focusing on here.
Mardu tokens that is ! T2 Raise the Alarm. T3 Hordeling Outburst. T4 this card. T5 can still be Butcher of the Horde. Or Sorin.
You can also look at the new black guy who creates a token when he attacks. Also flamerush rider. Turn 4 butcher turn five: dash this guy and you're attacking for 13 10 in the air.
Maybe dash is the way we fight sweepers.
Also Chief of the scale is an option too.
We still have the khan to come.
I don't know if we have enough to make Mardu warriors tier one but I think there are some interesting new tools
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I might play him over Sorin in the right deck, and while Butcher is better, in WB Warrior decks you can't really run Butcher.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
And sure, he might be really good in a white/black warrior deck, or in a red/black deck. But as far as Mardu is concerned he would be closer to junk mythic then deck defining. (unless of course the deck shifts to tokens only, and then gets blown out by anger of the gods or drown in sorrow :P).
Actually if you swing with Rabblemaster + Token + Hordechief and pay 3 Hordechief and Rabblemaster will always do 6 damage + gain you 3 life + your opponent loses 3. In total that is a 12 point life swing (6 damage to your opponents, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain life 3).
Yes I would actually run the Brutal Hordechief over the Butcher of the Horde if my deck was "One For All" instead of "All for One" when it comes to the Butcher. This is not to say Butcher of the Horde is a lesser card than Brutal Hordechief, they are for different aggro styles. Like I pointed out with Hordechief being "One For All" styled and Butcher being "All For One" oriented.
As for Sorin, Solemn Visitor well he can be used for either purpose. However Sorin can also be utilized as a possible 2-of in the Brutal Hordechief as his + ability is very valuable "+1/+0 and lifelink ueot". Suddenly instead of the earlier example of a 12 point life swing it can become instead a 22 point life swing (8 damage to your opponent, your opponent loses 3 life, you gain 8 life because lifelink, you gain 3 life because Hordechief).
4x Brutal Hordechief
2x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
Its like facing down against an opponent playing blue, you know they may well have 4x of some counterspell. You just gotta take that risk. You honestly can't armor up your deck for every type of threat you may face.
Unless the format is warped *Coughed*Cawblade*Cough*, you are usually going to have what boils down to a "rock-paper-scissors" match.
On turn 4, I attack with rabble master, and use his token to give butcher haste, i hit for 7. Turn 5 I play stormbreath and hit for 13, assuming no blocks and magic christmas land. Or I could hit for 12 and gain 5 life. So over 2 turns (assuming no blocks) I do 20 damage and gain 0 life, or 19 damage and gain 5 life.
With this guy, turn 4 you attack for 4 damage in creatures, they lose 2 life and you gain 2. Turn 5 you use his ability to block one of the rabble master tokens, and you hit for 8 dmg, they use 4 life, and you gain 4.
So I can do 20 damage in 2 turns with butcher, or 12 damage and gain 4 life with this guy and using his ability. Granted I only need two cards (and this is magic christmas land since i assume they will block/kill something), but I would pick butcher all day.
if the meta has all Disdainful strokes as counterspells, you react and play strong 3 mana and under spells (brimaz, rabblemaster). If everyone is playing bile blight or drown in sorrow, you can adjust and play brimaz and other 4 toughness guys. If you know the meta is full of anger of the gods, you don't just run cards that will get you wrecked by your opponents cards. It's one thing to say all creatures die to removal, it's another to put yourself in situations where you are playing into their cards.
Butcher: All for One. Your utilizing your resources to do maximum impact with a couple big creatures.
Hordechief: One for All. Your utilizing your resources to do impact with many small creatures.
A Hellrider is different from a Stormbreath Dragon.
THE TWO ARE DIFFERENT STYLES OF AGGRO.
Yes but you need to be familiar with how each individual meta works. Each one is different. Why do you think its a common question in Legacy to ask what to run in a deck+sideboard because one is unsure about the meta. For all anyone knows they could have 500$ decks or a Manifest Deck under 20$.
EVEN THEN, your deck is still and never will be perfectly armored up for all situations. Unless that is everyone is running the exact same deck so everyone knows how to play against the mirror. Which is quiet frankly a rare sight.
And dude, go for it. I would like to see a deck played where this guy excels. But, like the previous commenter, I just believe it will be more of a bargain bin mythic than a game changer in standard.
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I'm confused about the comparison. In total on turn 5, with the Butcher + Stormbreath, you have attacked for 7, and then 13, ok I got that. 20 total.
With the Hordechief though, you are attacking for 4 + 2 life loss, then 8 + 4 life loss, which is 18 total life lost. Plus you need one less card, and you can do it even if your opponent can block, which you had to assume your opponent couldn't for the Butcher + Stormbreath example. If your opponent has no blockers still on turn 5, then play Stormbreath for even more damage. Isn't that better?
I mean, Brutal Hordechief does rely more on keeping other creatures on the board, whereas Butcher stands better alone. But in the example you're giving, I think it's pretty clear that the Hordechief does better.
My bad, you're right. 18 versus 20. If you played Sorin, it would be 8 damage on turn 4 (with sorins +1) and then if you cast stormbreath it would be 16 on turn 5. So 24.
Either way, there are definitely multiple options and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Maybe it's a wash which card we play... which is good and bad. Gives us options but the "min-maxer" in me likes having a clear winner
(and this is all assuming magic christmas land. If they kill rabblemaster or brimaz, and you play Brutal Hordechief on an empty board, he isn't very amazing).
Trade, gives you life , gives you reach .... Just add a deadtouch guy and finish the big guy....
Midrange hellrider it is then. Mardu can definitely play it, and it might be worth it. Reach, an able body, and a strong curve with hordeling outburst + Rabblemaster.
I like him, and it's definitely going to be winning an FNM near you.
Also, most "good decks" will contain the above mentioned cards, so it makes it very hard to keep these critters alive long to make a difference. Hopefully I'm wrong and a deck will emerge that can get the most out of this card. Mardu Tokens comes to mind.
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
Modern : RG Titan Shift RG | RG Revolt Zoo RG | RG Ponza RG | RGW Naya Burn RGW
Legacy : RG Belcher RG
If the meta adjusts to that, then the smart move is to adjust to the meta. I guess it will be cat and mouse between these cards
While possibly not as good, you could run mardu charm as well. Only make 2 guys, BUT they are first striking on there turn and it's instant speed to get around any sorcery removal shinanigans
Personally I think it's just great that the options exist. We have the tools to adjust these decks to the meta and be much more flexible than aggro has been in some past standard environments, and I think that's what we should be focusing on here.
Otherwise, super sweet. I'll be interested to see whether this gets Standard play.
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You can also look at the new black guy who creates a token when he attacks. Also flamerush rider. Turn 4 butcher turn five: dash this guy and you're attacking for 13 10 in the air.
Maybe dash is the way we fight sweepers.
Also Chief of the scale is an option too.
We still have the khan to come.
I don't know if we have enough to make Mardu warriors tier one but I think there are some interesting new tools