Orcish Veteran - 2R
Creature - Orc
Orcish Veteran can't block white creature with power 2 or greater.
{R}: Orcish Veteran gains first strike until end of turn.
2/2
Initial thoughts:
I'm not sure what with old red cards and having really, really sub-par P/T compared to converted mana costs. This is noticable with the Hill Giant in every set and also Gray Ogre. But this isn't the only instance. Throughout the history of Magic, only Green and White can get good creatures--and white can't splash to get the 2/2 first striking vigilances; not to mention these cards are only of recent printings (post-M10).
But you used to get 2/2 hasters for 3; 3/2 hasters for 4; 5/4 hasters must-swings for 6; and the occasional 4/5 for 5. With the introduction of rares you can get Chandra's Phoenix, Spikeshot Elder, or even Bloodshot Trainee (although he uncommon). Red can't have the best creatures because red has the best direct-damage spells and abilities. Even if you just splash red you can still Fireball for 8 or 9 late game--a major portion of your opponent's life total. It would upset some of the color wheel if they could have both.
If you're playing red, you just deal with it, but a 3-cost 2/2 and able to be a first striker, (odds are you won't ever use it unless your opponent misplays) so it's still a decent card but it's draw back is still important: it can't be a chump blocker. Normally, you don't even have chump blockers in red, you typically just swing-swing-burn-game, a very simple, yet effective strategy and only a few cards are designed to be against it. Day of Judgement works nicely but Timely Reinforcements is the real killer, really any card designed to 2-for-1 like Forked Bolt, Jilt, or Arc Trail. All you have to do is stabilize against these kind of decks and you should be able to win. A really good card in Limited but in Constructed, even on kitchen games, it loses its usefulness. 2/5
No comments:
Post a Comment