Hell Hath No Fury Like A Red Player Scorned

Red cards are widely known as the “aggressors”, and rightly so. Who doesn’t like feeling unstoppable? There is a certain madness that overtakes the red card holders, the desire to burn opponents to the ground and laugh while the flames consume their hard-earned armies. A red deck relies on speed and power to quickly blitz the battlefield. Goblins, dragons, and fireballs are the staple of any solid red deck, and let’s be honest, that combination appeals to the little pyromaniac gremlin in all of us. The success of a deck is indeed dependent on the chemistry of the unit as a whole, but there are a handful of cards that have flames that burn brighter than the others. 

20. Cavalcade Calamity

What is great about this card? 

• Low Mana Cost
• Static Damage

At first glance, this simple enchantment may not look like a bombshell, but at an incredibly low mana cost of only two, this card is invaluable in the early stages of the game. It boosts the power of other low-cost, low-stakes cards, guaranteeing at least 1 point of damage will be dealt to the opposing player or planeswalker. The continued passive damage has a way of stacking up, and if you mix in a few distracting big plays, your opponent may not even notice the extent of the damage until it is too late.

19. Goblin Recruiter

What is great about this card?

• Low Mana Cost
• Stacks Your Deck

One of the hardest things about MTG is the fact that no matter how skilled you are, you still have to rely on the luck of the draw. The Goblin Recruiter eliminates a large portion of that problem. For a pretty small mana cost, you can stack the top of your deck with any number of goblin cards. In a game that is as much about chance as it is about strategy, knowing what is coming next is invaluable.

18. Dreadhorde Arcanist

What’s great about this card?

• Low Mana Cost
• Allows For Graveyard Casting

Death means nothing in the eyes of the Dreadhorde Arcanist! Being able to cast spells from the graveyard can shift the outcome of the game dramatically, especially if you don’t have to pay the mana cost, or flashback cost, of those spells. This card becomes especially valuable if you pair it with enchantments or equipment that raise its power level. You may not need to pay the mana cost of the instants and sorceries you play from the graveyard, but the cards you can play can’t have a cost that exceeds the Dreadhorde Arcanist’s power level, so increasing it, also increases the number of options you have.

17. Star of Extinction

What is great about this card?

• Board Wipe
• Intimidation Factor

Board wipes can often be a double-edged sword, and the Star of Extinction is no exception, but in this case, the benefits may far outweigh the risks. Everyone knows that a late-game board wipe can be just what you need to shake things up and possibly turn the tides of battle to get the upper hand and that is just what this card can do. Not only does the Star of Extinction allow you to wipe the board of creatures and planeswalkers, but it also destroys a piece of your opponent’s land. Mana is the lifeblood of the game, and if you can reduce the amount that your adversary produces you will have greatly affected the quality and quantity of spells they can cast when trying to rebuild their army. There is also always a chance that in making such a catastrophic move, your enemy gets so disheartened that they concede the match. Big swings like this, especially when they’re made after a battle has been going on for a while, can scare off the faint of heart, and having reduced mana can be so frustrating that even battle-hardened magic veterans wave the white flag and give you the win.

16. Sarkahn's Unsealing

What is great about this card?

• Static Damage
• Any Target

Let’s be honest, if you’re playing an aggro deck, damage is king and damage that can’t be blocked? That’s the best kind of all. The bare minimum of this card’s abilities deals 4 damage to any target, meaning it can not only clear the battlefield of creatures, but it can also be aimed to take down your opponent. This is a great card to play during the mid to late game, where your mana production is at its highest and you can afford to play the creature spells that trigger this card’s second ability, doing damage to not just one target, but every creature, and planeswalker your opponent controls as well as the opponent.

15. Goblin Warchief 

What is great about this card?

• Low Mana Cost
• Affects An Entire Card Type

Goblins are a staple of most aggro decks, and rightfully so. Most goblins are relatively low in mana cost, meaning that while they aren’t necessarily heavy hitters, you can put them out early. Strength in numbers applies here, and this card serves to amplify those classic goblin qualities that we love. This card reduces the cost of Goblins by one, and for a creature that usually has quite a low cost already, this means you can cast Goblins for practically nothing. That with the addition of haste, means you will have plenty of cannon fodder to keep your opponent occupied, and yourself protected. When in doubt, if you can’t hit hard? Just hit them a lot.

14. Robber of the Rich

What is great about this card?

• Low Mana Cost
• Control Opponent’s Cards

A creature with both reach and haste is valuable enough as it is, but with the added benefit of allowing you to steal cards from your opponent, it's no wonder that the Robber of the Rich card is a fan favorite. This card not only allows you to steal a card from your opponent's library, but it also lets you act as though you have the mana required to cast them, meaning you don’t have to be fighting another Red Deck wielder for this card to be effective. There’s a special kind of irony-fueled joy in using your opponent’s cards against them, and this card lets you revel in that joy. As long as they have more cards in their hand than you do, you can take advantage of those perceived riches and deliver the ultimate insult to injury by defeating your opponent with their own carefully curated cards.

13. Ilharg, The Raze Boar

What is great about this card?

• Heavy Hitter
• Can’t Permanently Destroyed Or Exiled

If you can get a card that deals heavy damage and also brings some cool abilities to the table, well it’s like having your cake and eating it too, and that is just what Ilharg, the Raze-Boar is all about. Any card that deals four or more damage in a single turn, is almost always considered to be a powerhouse, and Ilharg, the Raze-Boar is no exception, able to deal 6 damage to any target by itself. On top of that this card employs trample, meaning that more often than not, even if your opponent blocks, you are going to get a little bit of damage through to them. Ilharg, the Raze-Boar also has two static abilities that don’t require mana to trigger, giving you all benefits and zero cost. Any time you attack with this card, you also get to attack with one from your hand, boosting your damage dramatically, and having to return that creature during your end step means that you can repeat this feat over and over with a killer combo. Its second ability will definitely have your opponent tearing their hair out in frustration, because Ilharg, the Raze-Boar cannot be permanently destroyed or exiled. Any time it is destroyed or exiled, this card simply returns to your library just two cards down from the top. This means that this powerhouse card is never far away, and can be used to terrorize the battlefield again and again.

12. Muxus, Goblin Grandee

What’s great about this card?

• Field Flooder
• Damage Boost

The random element of MTG can be unforgiving, leaving you stranded without creatures to defend you, and this card graciously eliminates that risk. At a fairly high mana cost, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to use this card for an immediate advantage in the early game, but it can definitely tip the scales when you’re well into it. This card lets you flood the battlefield with goblins straight from your library without expending any extra mana. This provides valuable cannon fodder to take control of the field, either as sacrificial lambs to absorb damage, or to attack with to chip away at your opponent’s defenses. On top of everything else, whenever you attack with Muxus, Goblin Grandee, its power is boosted by every goblin you control. This can turn a relatively middle-ground card into an absolute powerhouse, letting you take massive swings that your opponent won’t be ready for.

11. Etali, Primal Storm

What is great about this card?

• Heavy Hitter
• No Cost Card Play

The awesome power of dinosaurs cannot be overstated, and Etali, Primal Storm, is sure to shake the battlefield. More than just being intimidating, this card deals very solid damage with a power and toughness of six each it can give as good as it gets. More than that, attacking with this card does more than just deal damage. Every time you attack with this card, the top cards of your, and your opponent’s libraries are exiled, and free for you to play at no cost. Being able to cast spells for free is a huge advantage, and being able to do that with not only your cards but your opponent’s, means you have a much wider variety of ways to bring your enemy to their knees. And who doesn’t love the sweet, sweet irony of taking your opponent down with their beloved cards?

10. Krenko, Mob Boss

What is great about this card?

• Flood the Field
• No Mana Cost Repeatable Ability

Goblins, goblins, and more goblins! They aren’t the most powerful creatures in the bunch, but they can be the most annoying for your enemy. This card can take an already prolific population of these little monsters, and dial it up to 11. For no mana, tapping this card effectively doubles the number of goblins on your side, meaning you have plenty of creatures to sacrifice for the greater good. This ability can also be triggered over and over again, as long as this card is alive and can be tapped, you can continue to mass-produce goblins for no mana at all.

9. Torban, Thane of Red Fell

What is great about this card?

• Static Ability
• Damage Boost

You know what they say, if you can’t beat ‘em, well, keep hitting them over the head until you do. This card may not look like a great play for damage building as it has a base power of only two, but this card's power lies outside of direct combat. Any damage you do with a red source, creature, instant, sorcery, and so on, this card’s static ability piles onto it. Getting an additional two damage with every hit to any target can easily shift the game to your advantage. Two damage for every swing without having to pay any mana can not only cause you to wipe out your opponent’s army but it could also be used to deal the final blow directly. At the bare minimum, it is a great way to torment your opponent, either into an outright surrender or into making rash mistakes.

8. Terror of the Peaks

What is great about this card?

• Static Damage
• Life Cost

What is a red deck without a dragon? The awesome firepower of this mythical beast is a staple of any good aggro deck, and the Terror of the Peaks definitely deserves some praise. It’s got a fairly decent power stat, able to deal five damage, and coupled with the flying ability, this card is already a very solid choice to bring to the table. This card has more to offer than just standard firepower though, bringing with it two static abilities that can break down even the toughest opponents. If your opponent wants to take down this card, they have to pay for it with their life, needing to sacrifice three health for every spell that targets this fire-breather. If that wasn’t enough, the Terror of the Peaks deals additional damage to any target anytime you summon a new creature, meaning you don’t even have to attack to deal damage to your opponent. The more powerful the card you play, the more damage this card can deal out.

7. Fiery Emancipation

What is great about this card?

• Damage Boost
• Static Ability

You know what they say, every little bit helps, so dealing damage with even your weakest cards can be the difference between victory and defeat. Fortunately, this card can take those measly little strikes, and turn them into massive blows. This card triples the damage done by any source you control, meaning that every hit big or small can be really impactful. More than that this ability doesn’t require mana to trigger, so once you pay to cast this enchantment, you can trigger this ability as many times as it takes until you secure the win. As an added bonus this card’s effect is not exclusive to damage dealt by red cards, meaning it’s a great addition to any battle team. If you’ve got the red mana to summon this card, it will lay waste to any who dare oppose you.

6. Double Vision

What is great about this card?

• Static Trigger
• Copycat

The worst thing about instant and sorcery spells is that when you use them, they are gone, so this card is great to have to pad the loss. You’re only allowed so many copies of spells in any one deck, and this card provides a helpful little loophole that lets you double the amount of those spells you can play. Having this enchantment on the board means that you can play a copy of the first instant or sorcery you cast each turn, and select a new target for the copy. This means you can spread out the pain, and double down on the damage.

5. Quakebringer

What’s great about this card?

• Stops Life Gain
• Foretell

Having heavy hitters is important no doubt, but when facing down an opponent that has set themselves up to regain lost life, it can feel like you are trying to climb up a greased pole. The Quakebringer is a triple threat in this regard, as it not only provides big swings with a base power of five, it also prevents your opponent from gaining life and deals two points of static damage at the start of every turn. This card even allows you to get around its large cost, by using its foretell ability you can essentially split the mana cost of this card over two turns, instead of making one large payout. If you can manage to keep this card on the board, you will have your opponent on the ropes in no time, since they can’t recover the damage done, a few turns will have their backs against the wall. 

4. Rampaging Ferocidon

What is great about this card?

• Stops Life Gain
• Static Damage

The Rampaging Ferocidon is infamous in MTG circles for its practically unstoppable nature. This card is widely regarded as overpowered, to the point where playing with it is illegal in certain competitions. This powerhouse is a double-edged sword though, so you need to plan its arrival because, for three measly mana, this card can enter the battlefield and effectively put the game on a timer. With Ferocidon on the board, no one can gain life, and anytime a creature is played it deals one damage to that controller. When the Ferocidon is played, the game goes into overdrive, and the only option is to kill or be killed. This card also has a large intimidation factor, playing this card is a little bit like putting a grenade in your mouth and pulling the pin, making you seem just crazy enough for your opponent to think twice about taking you on.

3. Embercleave

What is great about this card?

• Reduced Cost
• Multiple Ability Boost

It may be shocking to see a piece of equipment so high on this list of the best cards, but the Ember Cleave has earned its spot. Coming in with Flash, meaning it can be played outside of your play phase, it’s great for a quick power and toughness boost to protect one of your better cards. This card can also be equipped automatically when it is first played, so there is no extra mana cost. Even though it only provides a one-point boost, equipped creatures also gain double strike, meaning the damage is not only boosted, it gets doubled. If that wasn’t enough, the equipped creature also gains trample so any leftover damage carries through to hit your opponent directly. If you’re still not convinced because the cost of the Ember Cleave seems steep, then have no fear. You can lower this card's mana cost by one for every creature you have attacking, essentially meaning you can cast this card for practically nothing if you’re making a heavy swing.

2. Chandra, Torch of Defiance

What is great about this card?

• Planeswalker
• Emblem Creation

Planeswalkers are all-powerful, but this one deserves some special attention. Building your planeswalker loyalty count is always a bit of a chore, and in many cases, the moves that increase loyalty tend to be a little lackluster. In this case, though, even the moves that boost that loyalty can be devastating. To build your planeswalker’s loyalty, you have a myriad of options here from playing a card you exile, dealing two damage to your opponent, or simply getting the all-too-crucial mana boost. These options mean you can definitely keep control of the battlefield even as you are preparing to make those bigger moves. Speaking of bigger moves, if you can accrue enough loyalty points, Chandra the Torch of Defiance can create an emblem that deals five damage to any target for every spell you cast. Emblems are the holy grail of planeswalker abilities, they can’t be touched once they hit the battlefield. Getting this emblem out means the game is all but over. If you aim the damage at your opponent, assuming they are still at the maximum starting count of twenty hit points, theoretically all you’d have to do is play four spells. This Planeswalker is definitely a game closer.

1. Anax, Hardened in the Forge

What is great about this card?

• Heavy Hitter
• Token Generator

If you are playing a red mono deck, this card deserves the top spot. Its toughness is nothing to write home about at only three points, but the power is where this card really shines. Anax, Hardened in the Forge, has a power count that is dependent on your loyalty to red, meaning the more red permanents you have on the field, and the more red mana they cost, the stronger this card becomes. If you have a field flooded with goblins for example, the power of this card can easily hit the double digits, letting you take huge chunks of damage out of your opponent or the creatures they control. Not only is this glass cannon capable of huge damage, but it has the added bonus of allowing you to generate red satyr creature tokens every time a creature you control dies. This will fill the field, and give you plenty to work with in terms of defending and distracting.

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