So, this is basically a Grapeshot on legs that can stonewall 2/X and survive Firebolt and Disfigure. I haven't seen much discussion about him, probably due to Izzet Drake being the control deck of choice, but do you guys think this has a place in the meta or does Kiln Fiend trump this as the "storm" creature / deck of choice? While both fold to Bolt, this at least has the advantage of being "unblockable", although it pushes less dmg through. Maybe substitute Delver for this in the fiend decks?
I actually was wishing this effect would be put at Common. I guess I didn't realize this was a common. If they would only print something like Spellheart Chimera we would have a super sweet Izzet tempo deck available.
I think its probably better to compare this card to something like a common Young Pyromancer. I think the deck this wants to be in is a burn deck replacing something like Goblin Fireslinger? Possibly good in a U/R Counter-Burn deck? I think with a critical mass of "ping per turn" effects that deck could start to see some play especially with all these instant speed effects. This kind of card let's you hold up both counter and burn mana.
On their turn they swing with a couple creatures? You block with Thermo, tap it for a damage, Vapor Snag another, tap Thermo, potentially bolt another, tap Thermo, and all the sudden their attack did little to no damage and you've pinged them for 4 across 2 mana and nearly reset their board. Depending on what your opponent swung with, you might even still have your Thermo around. That's basically time walking your opponent. Its great with cards like Firebolt and Think Twice that let you get multiple casts out of each copy.
I will say this though. If this card is capable of filling either of these slots then I think it may be one of the best additions to the format since Gurmag. Its a more "fair" Grapeshot in storm and could potentially be the defining/missing piece to make Counter-Burn a deck. I could also see this in a R/B control deck. Terminate, Ping you for 1. Blighting, Ping you for one. Chainer's Edict, Ping you for one.
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First thing I thought of after seeing this guy was a new version of mono-red kiln. Would it be better than what is out there now...........probably not, but, it could be fun.
I'm running it in one of the standard legal pauper decks I play when I go to local standard night. Hopefully I can catch more games on the store's twitch stream
Now that its out on MTGO I need to try it out. I am super excited to try it in a Counter-Burn deck. If you can protect him he counts 1-2 damage per turn. His floor is a slightly easier to kill Curse of the Pierced Heart. His ceiling is a strictly better Curse of the Pierce Heart and that's just off of counterspells.
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Because Kiln Fiend wants to do different things. They both trigger off of the same thing but Kiln Fiend wants to kill faster and can't do damage through blockers and is, itself, a crappy defense. Alchemist wants to slow drain the opponent to zero. Kiln Fiend represents a potential Lightning Bolt per instant/sorcery. Alchemist is only 1 damage. That's going to kill WAY slower. The deck either has to be designed to weather the long game or consistently win the fast game.
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I've been testing him in burn, he doesn't meet the must deal dmg immediately criteria but I usually win if he's not dealt with. Right now I'm testing him as a 4 of in the place of Mogg Fanatic, basically sacrificing speed and versatility for power. He's also harder to deal with than fiend in burn simply because of toughness greater than 3 blockers.
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So, this is basically a Grapeshot on legs that can stonewall 2/X and survive Firebolt and Disfigure. I haven't seen much discussion about him, probably due to Izzet Drake being the control deck of choice, but do you guys think this has a place in the meta or does Kiln Fiend trump this as the "storm" creature / deck of choice? While both fold to Bolt, this at least has the advantage of being "unblockable", although it pushes less dmg through. Maybe substitute Delver for this in the fiend decks?
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
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I think its probably better to compare this card to something like a common Young Pyromancer. I think the deck this wants to be in is a burn deck replacing something like Goblin Fireslinger? Possibly good in a U/R Counter-Burn deck? I think with a critical mass of "ping per turn" effects that deck could start to see some play especially with all these instant speed effects. This kind of card let's you hold up both counter and burn mana.
On their turn they swing with a couple creatures? You block with Thermo, tap it for a damage, Vapor Snag another, tap Thermo, potentially bolt another, tap Thermo, and all the sudden their attack did little to no damage and you've pinged them for 4 across 2 mana and nearly reset their board. Depending on what your opponent swung with, you might even still have your Thermo around. That's basically time walking your opponent. Its great with cards like Firebolt and Think Twice that let you get multiple casts out of each copy.
I will say this though. If this card is capable of filling either of these slots then I think it may be one of the best additions to the format since Gurmag. Its a more "fair" Grapeshot in storm and could potentially be the defining/missing piece to make Counter-Burn a deck. I could also see this in a R/B control deck. Terminate, Ping you for 1. Blighting, Ping you for one. Chainer's Edict, Ping you for one.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
I'm running it in one of the standard legal pauper decks I play when I go to local standard night. Hopefully I can catch more games on the store's twitch stream
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
Because Kiln Fiend wants to do different things. They both trigger off of the same thing but Kiln Fiend wants to kill faster and can't do damage through blockers and is, itself, a crappy defense. Alchemist wants to slow drain the opponent to zero. Kiln Fiend represents a potential Lightning Bolt per instant/sorcery. Alchemist is only 1 damage. That's going to kill WAY slower. The deck either has to be designed to weather the long game or consistently win the fast game.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097