You're not blocking it. Not well, anyway. If
you've blocked with a 4/4, yeah, you'll kill it,
but you'll either lose your 3/4 or you'll lose
another 4-toughness creature or you'll take more
damage than you would have if you'd just
blocked. Chump blocking this really is for
chumps. And killing it? Well, if you use burn,
you're handing its controller a free copy of
your burn spell and letting him point it
wherever he wants. Ultimate Price can't kill it.
Executioner's Swing can, but you have to let it
deal damage first. Killing Glare and Grisly
Spectacle are probably your best in-set choices.
If you don't have one of those cards in hand
when this thing swings at you? You're taking
three, my friend. This creature really just
can't be blocked without you handing your
opponent a removal spell.
I'm a big fan of the design tropes that make
up Boros Reckoner, and he seems to basically
pick himself for any Standard deck that can cast
him. For all that big expensive creatures seem
to have been pushed, there are surprisingly few
creatures in recent sets that can actually fight
the Reckoner and live to tell the tale. In older
formats, though, you can do the infinite life
combo with Azorius Charm and Boros Charm just as
easily with Spitemare. Nothing against minotaurs;
I just like the idea of a horse made of freedom.
Today's card of the day is Boros Reckoner which
is a three mana Red or White 3/3 that deals
damage to target creature or player whenever it
receives damage and for one Red or White gains
First Strike until end of turn. In
Red/White or a mono of either of those colors
this is an efficient and effective card that can
easily force two for one trades, combo with mass
damage, or be a general threat to an opponent's
battlefield arrangement. The two effects
don't often mesh well, but offer flexibility for
different situations. Overall this is a
very strong card in the right build, as it is
not suited to decks with much in other colors,
and will be a popular card for quite some time.
In Limited this is excellent for Boros as a
three mana 3/3 alone, add in the effects and you
have an easy first pick and automatic inclusion
for Sealed. Orzhov and Gruul lose a bit of
the value by needing three of the same mana
sources in play to cast this, but hate drafting
it is probably a good idea. The impact
this can have on an opponent's offensive or
defensive choices can be major and whether
taking damage to deal damage or using First
Strike this is a serious threat for the cost.
Welcome back to Pojo.com's card of the day
section. We are closing out our week with a card
the needs no introduction, Boros Reckoner. Boros
Reckoner is a rare hybrid red/white creature
minotaur wizard that costs three hybrid red or
white mana for a 3/3. You may pay a hybrid
red/white mana to grant Boros Reckoner first
strike until end of turn. Boros Reckoner says
whenever it is dealt damage, you may deal that
much damage to target creature or player.
Honestly, who doesn't know about the Boros Reckoner, and how
amazingly broken it truly is? I'm sure you all
know the Charm infinite life combo, and how easy
kills are earned with a Blasphemous Act. So
there really isn't much to say. A great card
that is being fully exploited in a number of
decks simply due to how versatile it is.
