I recently already cut Chandra Nalaar from my cube, but I'm sure for those still running her, hes an easy upgrade from her and she can get cut for him.
I will be picking up a foil one out of the gates for my Cube. Damn the price. I like this card because it gives some more sweet options for Big Red style decks, which I like a lot. I like the late game reach of the card, being able to dodge sweepers and hard removal for the most part. I am not sure if you really need any of his other abilities at all more often than not.
Total side note but I like how people are discussing running this over itself.
Well, it has to be said that Kolaghan is clearly better than Kolaghan. Considering what BR decks usually want and how stiff the competition in this guild is, there is no way that I would run Kolaghan over Kolaghan! Kolaghan might make it in as the sixth guild card or so. Kolaghan on the other hand ranks several places below that.
It was so funny to me when they described this as a downgrade to the original Zurgo during the Pax East panel. I was thinking if this is a downgrade, they should really "downgrade" all legendary creatures. Haha.
My deck designing is quite concise at this point:
1. Come up with deck idea
2. Realize this idea is somehow fundamentally similar to another deck I have or that is commonly played in my group
3. Decide I don't want to disassemble one of my existing decks
4. Give up and do nothing
I don't see the point of this new shroud mechanic. It's strictly worse than Hexproof. Threshold is pretty bad too, Delirium is a much better mechanic and probably easier to activate.
Otherwise this card is a pretty neat guy. Dodges removal and grows into a Primal Huntbeast. 3/5
He is a red good non 4 drop walker that I was complaining I wanted the other day for my cube. He also becomes a dragon so that just makes him more of an auto include.
Wowww.... Competition is sooooooo tight at 5 red, but he is soo good.
Gonna find a way to include him for testing. Suspect he'll stick.
I love how he can act as solid removal in a pinch, while providing an extremly fast evasive clock by himself.
If for some reason they have a maze of ith, or some way to block him while not being able to swing back, his ultimate is completely game ending.. He also can't be killed by wraths, or doom blade effects, so much harder for a control deck to deal with.
There's an interesting concept in cube design this card brings up.
It's important to limit the expensive spells in your cube, due to mana curve issues. But by how much?
A deck with an extremly high power level can compensate for inconsistencies in it's mana curve. By how much is an intuition/experience thing.
In some colors, their expensive spells at 4 + 5 that are so much more powerful than their 2-3 CMC counter parts (pound for pound power). If this is the case, it's sometimes ok to be over-satured at 4 or 5. I think red 4-5 meet's this criteria.
FWIW, I love the "big agro red" archetype. If I get a mana crypt P1P1, it's one of the first archetypes that I look to go into. Devil's play, tempt with vengeance, bonfire of the damned, Hellrider, Hero of oxid ridge, Thundermaw hellkite. Sarkhan would be perfect in that deck.
Just last week I went, turn 1 mountain + mana crypt + goblin rabblemaster. turn 2 mountain + hellder , turn 3 Devil's play + fire blast. Win!
Pretty sure this is better than Thundermaw Hellkite. Being more versatile and being immune to a significant portion of removal is more important than being a faster clock. I'm not sure if I'll cut the Hellkite for him, though.
It's also the coolest PW'er ever.
360 Staple.
EDIT: Well, upon further reflection, the above is maybe a bit-overoptimistic. It's likely that most of the time this is going to play the same as a 4/4 flying haste with partial protection from removal, which is not better than Thundermaw. I say that because the ultimate, while great in a vacuum, doesn't mesh very well with the +1 ability. If you've attacked twice with the dragon, aren't you better of just do it a couple times more to kill them instead of "wasting" a turn to ultimate (which doesn't do anything positive until your next turn)? Anyway, the minus ability still is relevant, so it's at the very least up for serious consideration (and I'm perfectly willing to let the coolness factor decide any ties :))
Yup, I think it's great and maybe even better than Thundermaw Hellkite. It's true that you often won't need the ultimate, but that's not a drawback, is it? You have the option if you need it.
Thundermaw is better when all you need is push 5 damage through, because it can't be chumped the turn it comes into play (except by a creature with reach). But the new Sarkhan is more versatile: a clock or a removal when you need it, and maybe draw 3 each turn when you really need to dig for an answer or burn spell.
His ultimate is less powerful than Chandra, Pyromaster but his +1 is waaaaay better.
His -3 is less powerful than Garruk, Apex Predator, but I think his +1 ability and 5CMC make him a good pull.
Seems more or less on the same level as Chandra Nalaar. The + ability is A LOT stronger, but the - ability and the ultimate are weaker and he also has 2 fewer starting loyality. At 600 cards, I'll try to play both. Smaller cubes will probably test him in Nalaar's slot. Or in Thundermaw Hellkite's slot? The etb effect can be quite relevant and the dragon also can't die to a counter attack.
Chandra Nalaar seems the closest analogue to new Sarkhan. I'm not convinced about it taking either Thundermaw or SGC's slot, though. The magical 4 damage is a really nice ability in tandem with his +1 as you can either stabilise or go for the throat depending on board state. The Ulti is underwhelming for a five mana walker and I can't see not attacking again instead in most instances. I think it will probably miss the cut at 360. Good card though, PW Form of the Dragon makes sense.
He's powerful enough. Flying, haste and indestructible is a huge beating to deal with, especially if he immediately kills a creature upon resolution. But red is a big subjective logjam once you get past 3CMC. There's nothing to say someone would be wrong to have Stormbreath or SCG or Thundermaw instead. Some people don't want planeswalkers too heavily diluting their cube.
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/3pq
Cubetutor Link
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
Overall, he looks awesome!
He's probably better than both of them, but I'd try to find other stuff to cut before those.
Idk if he's better than Thundermaw, but easily the 2nd best red 5 drop.
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
It feels like a breath of fresh air to get a red walker that isn't a Chandra.
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
Gonna find a way to include him for testing. Suspect he'll stick.
I love how he can act as solid removal in a pinch, while providing an extremly fast evasive clock by himself.
If for some reason they have a maze of ith, or some way to block him while not being able to swing back, his ultimate is completely game ending.. He also can't be killed by wraths, or doom blade effects, so much harder for a control deck to deal with.
There's an interesting concept in cube design this card brings up.
It's important to limit the expensive spells in your cube, due to mana curve issues. But by how much?
A deck with an extremly high power level can compensate for inconsistencies in it's mana curve. By how much is an intuition/experience thing.
In some colors, their expensive spells at 4 + 5 that are so much more powerful than their 2-3 CMC counter parts (pound for pound power). If this is the case, it's sometimes ok to be over-satured at 4 or 5. I think red 4-5 meet's this criteria.
FWIW, I love the "big agro red" archetype. If I get a mana crypt P1P1, it's one of the first archetypes that I look to go into. Devil's play, tempt with vengeance, bonfire of the damned, Hellrider, Hero of oxid ridge, Thundermaw hellkite. Sarkhan would be perfect in that deck.
Just last week I went, turn 1 mountain + mana crypt + goblin rabblemaster. turn 2 mountain + hellder , turn 3 Devil's play + fire blast. Win!
Last Updated 02/07/24
Streaming Standard/Cube on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/heisenb3rg96
Strategy Twitter https://www.twitter.com/heisenb3rg
My 540 Powered CubeTutor Page
It's also the coolest PW'er ever.
360 Staple.
EDIT: Well, upon further reflection, the above is maybe a bit-overoptimistic. It's likely that most of the time this is going to play the same as a 4/4 flying haste with partial protection from removal, which is not better than Thundermaw. I say that because the ultimate, while great in a vacuum, doesn't mesh very well with the +1 ability. If you've attacked twice with the dragon, aren't you better of just do it a couple times more to kill them instead of "wasting" a turn to ultimate (which doesn't do anything positive until your next turn)? Anyway, the minus ability still is relevant, so it's at the very least up for serious consideration (and I'm perfectly willing to let the coolness factor decide any ties :))
A Comprehensive list of Cube Archetypes
Thundermaw is better when all you need is push 5 damage through, because it can't be chumped the turn it comes into play (except by a creature with reach). But the new Sarkhan is more versatile: a clock or a removal when you need it, and maybe draw 3 each turn when you really need to dig for an answer or burn spell.
His -3 is less powerful than Garruk, Apex Predator, but I think his +1 ability and 5CMC make him a good pull.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
If you're at 360 and you're playing three big red things, it should probably be Seige-Gang Commander, Thundermaw Hellkite, and this.
CUBE TOP 10 - Help us vote for the best cards in cube
Draft my counters themed cube!