Limited Format Review: Prophecy Red

Gary Wise

The following is the fourth in my series analyzing the cards in Prophecy for the purpose of Limited play. I hope you'll find this useful.
Red

Remember about nine months ago, when Masques came out, how weak red was? It was generally agreed that Red was the weakest color for Limited play in Masques, and it was therefore shunned by drafters around the globe.

Then, Nemesis was released, and with it came that set's glorious collection of red uncommons: Ancient Hydra, Arc Mage and Lacolith Warrior made red worth drafting, with any of them capable of dominating the table from the moment they were played.

Now, with the addition of Prophecy, red becomes a powerhouse. With a strong collection of creatures and the set's #2 common, Rhystic Lightning, red goes incredibly deep in the third pack of Masques block booster draft. Solid all the way through, red is a good bet in Prophecy. That, combined with the inconsistency of the other colors, has red's praises being sung by those in the know.
Cards

Avatar of Fury - The moment I saw this card, the only reaction I could muster was a pained expression accompanied by a guttural 'oof.' This card, the best Prophecy's red offers, ends the game in two turns, but what makes it really scary is the fact that its so easy to cast. Seven lands really isn't that many to have in play in Limited, so you can almost expect to pay two mana for this absolute beast. Arguments could be made that this is the best Limited card in the set. 10/10

Barbed Field - Like its black cousin, this card is very underrated. The better of the two, Barbed Field provides its controller not only with an almost unkillable 'Tim,' but also with a colorless source of damage that will get around such annoyances as Story Circle and Protection from Red creatures. A viable first pick. 8.5/10

Branded Brawlers - Don't waste your time. Adding a nineteenth land is better. 1/10

Brutal Suppression - With the weak Rebels of Prophecy taking away from the strength of that deck, it seems rather unlikely that this card will be worth using unless your opponent has a minimum of ten rebels to search for. 3/10

Citadel of Pain - You really need to be desperate to use this card in your main deck. If you have a number of cards like Flowstone Wall and Ridgeline Rager you can sink mana into, keep on eye on your opponent's ability to use up their mana. 4.5/10

Devastate - This card seems a bit underrated to me. While Devastate isn't the card you've always wanted in your draft deck, it does serve as acceptable filler, especially if you don't have a lot of 1-toughness creatures. After sideboarding, this card can be pretty good against decks with a lot of 1-toughness creatures or a lot of mana intensity. 6/10

Fault Riders - I was recently amazed to find myself agreeing with the analogy that called Fault Riders a 'good Rootwalla.' For those of you who weren't around during Rath Cycle, Rootwalla was an amazing midsized creature. Fault Riders is indicative of the aggressive attitude a red draft deck should be taking. If you want to use all of your lands this turn, don't be afraid to cast before attacking. 8.5/10

Fickle Efreet - Surprisingly, I kind of like this guy. While obviously not awesome, red more than any other color can control a 5/2 creature, with Flowstone Wall and a number of Shock-style effects. The Efreet acts as a combination of Lava Axe and creature kill, trading with the biggest fatty your opponent has, if they decide to attack with it. What makes this card good is how late you'll get it. 7/10

Flameshot - Obviously excellent, you should be picking this over any red common. The Masques block equivalent of Arc Lightning, Mass kill is a much rarer commodity this time around, so treasure it. You won't find yourself using the alternate casting cost all that often, but on occasion, the time it buys you is worth the land you may not otherwise need. 9/10

Inflame - One of those deceivingly poor cards, Inflame has been played far more often than its power level merits. While yes, it combines well with cards like Arc Mage and Ancient Hydra, those cards are strong enough on their own that your deck should not be weakened by circumstantial combos. Leave it in the board, or better yet, let someone else play it. 3/10

Keldon Arsonist - Not a maindeck card, there are times that you'll want to sideboard this in, though they'll be few and far between. 4/10

Keldon Berserker - When this cards hits, it hits hard. I've seen a lot of players screw up the playing of this card, failing to realize that they must be tapped out upon declaration of attackers to receive the bonus +3/+0, but for those who know how to play the game, this guy is just a weapon. The second best red common creature, there will be times where your mana curve demands that you take Spur Grappler instead. 8/10

Keldon Firebombers - It's strange; when you look at this card, it seems a lot stronger than it is. With Green being Red's most popular coupling, you often need to keep yourself a lot of expendable mana, meaning that the ability is very circumstantial. That said, the best common in the set does rely upon the presence of a lot of land, so there are obviously uses. 7/10

Latulla, Keldon Overseer - Is it possible that this card is overrated? You're paying five mana for a 3/3 creature and you have to discard two cards to activate its ability. Don't get me wrong, Latulla is a game breaker, but there are definitely decks in which I'd rather have Troubled Healer. Definitely a first pick, but I wouldn't say it's automatic. 9.5/10

Latulla's Orders - I suppose this card is sideboardable, but there are very few decks I'd rather have it against over Crash or Mogg Salvage. 3.5/10

Lesser Gargadon - Call it the Lesser Gargadon or the Greater Fault Rider, however you name it, this guy is huge. At 6/4, you have one of the largest creatures in the environment, and it only costs you four mana. Yes, the sacrifice is a lot, but you're trading a land to kill two or more small creatures, one larger creature or to deal six points of damage. Six is a lot. 8/10

Panic Attack - Another card that forces the building of aggressive decks, panic attack won't do much in the slower ones. This said, this card serves pretty much the same purpose as did Falter in Urza's Block, that of the finisher, and does so pretty well. 7/10

Rhystic Lightning - The best red common, the Lightning can usually be counted on to do the four you need it to do, and will always do the two it promises. Cheap, cost effective and potentially explosive, you should never be disappointed with this card. 9/10

Ridgeline Rager - I'm not a big fan of this card, though it is playable. Firebreathing is a valid ability, but the fact that it is and always will be a two-toughness ground creature means it will almost always trade with some Grey Ogre type. Grab 'em late. 6.5/10

Scoria Cat - Now this little kitty is huge. The really impressive aspect of the Cat's ability is not that you can make it 6/6 any time you need to, but the fact that your opponent can't take advantage of your doing so by responding with a Thunder Clap or Rhystic Lightning. Where those spells could kill a Boa Constrictor in response to its activation, you can't respond to the tapping of lands, which means that this thing is incredibly hard to kill. 9/10

Search for Survivors - Well, you have to have creatures in the graveyard, they have to be decent ones and you can't have non-creature permanents in the graveyard. In other words, this is a highly circumstantial card that will seldom work out the way you want it to. 4/10

Searing Wind - I've talked to a number of players who think more highly of this card than I do, but I will grant that it can be a game finisher. If you draft it, play it, but I wouldn't draft it too high. 6/10

Spur Grappler - One of the cardinal rules of Limited play is that 'attacking is good,' and this card epitomizes that philosophy. With a potential power of four for three mana, you aren't going to get much more mana efficiency in your creatures than the Grappler offers. 8/10

Task Mage Assembly - I really like this card. While it's somewhat gimmicky, you can respond to your opponent's fast start by playing it on turn three and taking out a couple of creatures with it. Also viable is the virtual lock of playing it with an untargetable creature or one with protection from red. 7/10

Veteran Brawlers - At US Nationals, I drafted a slow blue/red deck that needed a way to slow down opposing attackers. With this being the case, I decided to try out the Brawlers and it turned out they were really strong. Acting as a virtual Stone Rain and a vicious wall, the Brawlers can definitely be a very big factor in determining who wins the race. 7.5/10

Whip Sergeant - While I like the fact that for one mana, this card can give itself haste, After initially loving it, I now find myself leaning towards Battle Rampart, as that one mana can be crucial in the early stages of the game. 6.5/10

Zerapa Minotaur - Zerapa the Rappa, as Mike Turian calls him, is large, plain and simple. While yes, an opponent can remove its first strike ability, in the early stages of the game it is very difficult to get enough defense on the table that you can block for the kill while having the mana to spend. A solid card in any deck. 7.5/10