AntiPox said it all. This card seems terrible. Steel Hellkite can threaten to blow up their whole board and/or end the game if you pump it, making it a must-remove threat. This card doesn't do anything on its own.
I think you can just play it naming the tribe of whatever 3-drop is in your hand and call it a day. Gives you 3 total power for 2 as a baseline (assuming it lives until your next turn), with room for minor tribal interactions to increase its powerlevel beyond that. Not a bad 2-drop for a random creature deck.
Can sometimes telegraph your next play (uhhh, squirrels?) but yeah I agree with this.
Not sure on how you're planning on casting Banishing Light on your opponent's end phase, but anyway, all of the unchosen permanents are sacrificed at the same time, so the creature that the Banishing Light is exiling would return to the battlefield safely.
We used to run Nightscape Familiar. In a control deck he can act as a repeatable speedbump while ramping to your bigger spells. He was OK but nothing special. I'd say Bolas is more fun.
Gumming up the board for one turn in an aggro mirror doesn't seem like much value to me, but for what it's worth, Hellion would gum it up for 2 turns.
Marauders comes down a turn earlier and does 2 guaranteed damage (that can go at walkers) - true, and that's why I love me some Marauders. On the other hand, Hellion can attack out of nowhere via haste, so you can play it into windows that also guarantee damage, or will surprise take out a walker.
I realize Hell's Thunder can do the same thing, but we ultimately cut it because it couldn't go in as many decks due to the RR, and we found the unearth to be a tad expensive. Sure it's fine when you have nothing else to do, but that wasn't a good enough reason to warrant inclusion.
Also, lack of evasion applies to most red 3 drops. I don't see that as a major knock. Even the mighty Rabblemaster can be stymied by a 2/2. Clearing the path for your team is often necessary. So I disagree that taking out two blockers is below par. That's about average for Staggershock/Arc Lightning/Flames of the Firebrand, at least in my experience.
Perhaps Hellion will end up being too inconsistent, but it embodies the philosophy of fire so well that I can't help but testing it at least.
I think the Marauders comparison is apt. They are both temporary dudes that can swing hard early. Getting behind on board is a concern, but plenty of people still play Marauders. Dividable burn can shore up some of this card's weakness against chump blockers as well, clearing the way for unblockable attacks. Ideally by turn 4 you should be swinging for the win, or close enough to close out the game with burn, so I don't think having a permanent body is totally necessary.
Lathnu Hellion 2R
Creature - Hellion
Haste
When Lathnu Hellion enters the battlefield, you get EE.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice Lathnu Hellion unless you pay EE.
4/4
Kind of surprised there was no discussion for Keldon Marauders' bigger, angrier brother (hellion?).
Seems like an incredible rate for damage/mana invested.
On an empty board, it can do 8 damage (immediately attacks for 4, then pay the energy cost on your end step and attack again the next turn before having to sacrifice it).
Or it can kill a creature and deal 4 damage.
Or it can kill 2 creatures.
Are red's three drops so stacked now that this doesn't make the cut?
I think the bar for aggro 2 drops is either have 3 power or some form of evasion/first strike. I'd rather have the conditional haste of Lightning Mauler since it can sometimes give your 3 drop haste.
Not pushed enough for <=450, IMO. Needed trample, or fight on ETB instead of +4/+4. I like Wolfir Silverheart better and even that card is kind of fringe for my playgroup.
Blah, deathtouch on a 6/6 body is such a waste of a keyword. Sure, I guess frogs can be poisonous, but this thing ought to have reach so it can "eat" flyers.
Also, if anyone read the Magic Story article that went with this card,
it literally is a hypnotoad, so I wish they had played that up a bit more, rather than the sacrifice aspect.
I play Emrakul in cube.
My group likes splashy cards that pull you towards certain decks, especially in the guild section, and this Sorin certainly fits that theme.
On the other hand, we also like BW aggro, which is why Tidehollow Sculler is preferred over general goodstuff like Gerrard's Verdict.
Will probably try this over Sorin, Lord of Innistrad to see how it plays out.
2. EXCLUDED
3. INCLUDED
4. EXCLUDED
Marauders comes down a turn earlier and does 2 guaranteed damage (that can go at walkers) - true, and that's why I love me some Marauders. On the other hand, Hellion can attack out of nowhere via haste, so you can play it into windows that also guarantee damage, or will surprise take out a walker.
I realize Hell's Thunder can do the same thing, but we ultimately cut it because it couldn't go in as many decks due to the RR, and we found the unearth to be a tad expensive. Sure it's fine when you have nothing else to do, but that wasn't a good enough reason to warrant inclusion.
Also, lack of evasion applies to most red 3 drops. I don't see that as a major knock. Even the mighty Rabblemaster can be stymied by a 2/2. Clearing the path for your team is often necessary. So I disagree that taking out two blockers is below par. That's about average for Staggershock/Arc Lightning/Flames of the Firebrand, at least in my experience.
Perhaps Hellion will end up being too inconsistent, but it embodies the philosophy of fire so well that I can't help but testing it at least.
2R
Creature - Hellion
Haste
When Lathnu Hellion enters the battlefield, you get EE.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice Lathnu Hellion unless you pay EE.
4/4
Kind of surprised there was no discussion for Keldon Marauders' bigger, angrier brother (hellion?).
Seems like an incredible rate for damage/mana invested.
On an empty board, it can do 8 damage (immediately attacks for 4, then pay the energy cost on your end step and attack again the next turn before having to sacrifice it).
Or it can kill a creature and deal 4 damage.
Or it can kill 2 creatures.
Are red's three drops so stacked now that this doesn't make the cut?
Also, if anyone read the Magic Story article that went with this card,
My group likes splashy cards that pull you towards certain decks, especially in the guild section, and this Sorin certainly fits that theme.
On the other hand, we also like BW aggro, which is why Tidehollow Sculler is preferred over general goodstuff like Gerrard's Verdict.
Will probably try this over Sorin, Lord of Innistrad to see how it plays out.