Essentially a 1/1 that can be sacrificed for 1
mana for an Earthquake-type effect. The price is
certainly right mana-wise, but the damage done
depends on how many cards in your hand you
reveal. Magic is a game of information, after
all, and some cards you don't want your opponent
to know about until they're on the stack. Also,
red is not the card-drawing color by any means,
so you may not be able to reveal enough cards to
kill the majority of problem creatures. In
Ravnical block, there's plenty of multicolor
cards that count as both red and another color,
so this might find a place in a Gruul beatdown
deck, but then Gruul already has Savage Twister.
Maybe an Izzet deck with plenty of card draw and
few creatures beyond Niv-Mizzet and some
Dragonauts...
The Martyr cycle will remind anyone who played
with Urza's block cards of a couple cycles from
that. These ones, however, just don't cut it.
The Cinder Sage and Scent of Cinder were great
directed removal.
This is just a tremor on steroids. Mind you, the
effect plays nice with holding cards in hand,
but since when does red want to hold back and
play defense. Red in Coldsnap already seems a
big underpowered, and this guy doesn't do much
to shake that reputation.
I like this guy in limited - he's a short order
board reset, if you can go mono or heavy red. I
know others don't like him, since I can pick it
up very late pick, but eh. I've 2, 3 and 4 for
1'd many times with this.
In constructed, I wonder if it would be any good
against White Weenie as a board wiper - probably
not...? It's drawback is that it doesn't hurt
flyers...if it did, it could be good.
Constructed - 2
Casual - 2.5
Limited - 2.5
Aburame Shino
Martyr of Ashes
The red member of the Martyr cycle, this one has
possibly the most powerful of all of them. For
really cheap, and giving the opponent a peek at
your hand, you get a semi-earthquake ability. In
limited this can be really good since mass
removal of any kind can at least be considered
usable, but only if you get enough red cards to
reveal for this card. However, I don't see this
card making the cut for Standard. Most red decks
will have their hands empty from all the burn,
so I don't think you'd have the cards to reveal
to its ability.
Constructed: 2 - Maybe if the format starts
revolving around smaller creatures...
Casual: 2 - It's a fun board-wiper.
Limited: 3 - You have to get enough red cards to
abuse it, but it's still good.
