Lelouch32
03-29-2011, 04:26 PM
Rushing to War: The Haste Mechanic
By: Corlando
Hello and welcome readers… hello… hello… ummm… right. Well time for some explaining. Sorry about not writing in about two weeks. Due to the events that have occurred in Japan, my prayers and wishes of safety go to all affected; I have been busy rushing around trying to salvage my academics. This is because, as I said a while ago, I was planning to study abroad in Japan. This essentially means that with the canceling of my trip to Japan, I have lost an entire academic semester. Good news is I have a whole new plan and I should still be able to graduate on time as well as prepare myself for one very manageable senior year. Thanks for being patient with me as I worked out all of these issues.
But that’s enough about me and my difficulties; today we are here to talk about one of my preferred abilities of Magic the Gathering, Haste. It’s a fun little ability that pops out of nowhere as you catch an unsuspecting opponent off guard. But can a deck really be built around this ability? I’m definitely going to try. Won’t you come along?
So what exactly is haste? Haste is an ability that allows any creature who has it to enter the battlefield without summoning sickness. This means that as soon as the creature hits the board, it can activate any of its abilities or swing for damage against your opponent. As you might consider, this ability can be very useful, especially in early game when most opponents will not have a strong defense. Haste essentially allows players the ability to be relentless, never backing down, never stopping for a turn so their creatures can get use to the battlefield. No, with Haste it’s summon and smash. This can do a lot to just wear your opponent down if every turn you are just dropping another threat to their life total. It is a great ability and one that I love to abuse.
This is where you are probably wondering, “Alright, what are some examples of cards with Haste?” Well there is a substantial amount out there, but there is definitely one of great fame. Bloodbraid Elf is a 3/2 with Haste for :mana2::manar::manag:. That seems a little wonky when you think about it, but it is made even weirder when you point out the fact that this nonstandard uncommon can fetch a price as high as five dollars a pop! Why is that? It is because Bloodbraid Elf has the Cascade ability, an ability that allows a player to reveal cards from the top of their deck until they find a spell cheaper than the original spell. The caster can then choose to play that spell without paying its mana cost. This essentially means that you get two spells for the price of one. And since Bloodbraid Elf is :mana2::manar::manag:, you have quite a few classic spells that can be flung out with her ability. She is perfect for our purposes.
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGALARA_REBORN/BloodbraidElf.jpg
Alright we have our main creature, what about a few cards to help fill out our deck. Well first off I think we need a bear of sorts… not a plain bear either, a special bear. The word “Bear” is a term that refers to the card Grizzly Bear, a 2/2 creature for :mana1::manag: with no abilities that goes far back into Magic’s history. It is a cheap threat players can use in the early turns. For this deck we need a slightly better bear, one with an ability that we can abuse. Rip-Clan Crasher is a 2/2 with haste for :manar::manag:. It’s a simple easy threat that allows use to swing as early as turn 2 for just a poke of damage. Good card and one that we will need. I wonder if we can find another little creature to throw in… hmmm… how about Jund Hackblade. Oh yeah he’s fun. This little 2/1 for :manabg::manar: has the ability to become a 3/2 with haste if we control another multicolored permanent. How about we take a few quick turns:
Turn 1: Mountain
Turn 2: Forest, Rip-Clan Crasher, swing for two damage.
Turn 3: Any land, Jund Hackblade, swing for five damage
Three turns in and we have already dealt seven points of damage with only two creatures. Granted that is not as impressive as Kuldotha Red’s possible 10 or higher on turn three, but seven is not something to be disappointed in.
So we have our pawns, the guys who will hit first, but what about some middle men? Well one of the best creatures we could use would be Boggart Ram-Gang. This 3/3 with Haste and Wither for :manarg::manarg::manarg: gives us a good body to throw at our opponents. Plus it has Wither meaning it will give all creatures it deals damage to -1/-1 counters. This will help to break down our opponent’s defenses, allowing us to smash through with our weaker forces. Speaking of our forces, I feel I have to note the fact that our current strongest creatures have a power of 3. This means we will be great in early game, but terrible in late. How are we to survive then? We will have to call on the services of a great teacher, a mentor if you will. Bloodmark Mentor is a 1/1 for :mana1::manar: that gives all Red creatures we control First Strike. This means we have ourselves an army of hasteful, first striking weenies that should be able to survive in battle as they deal damage before the opponent’s creatures. We should all hope to learn much from this smallest of teachers.
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHA/boggart_ram-gang.jpghttp://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHA/bloodmark_mentor.jpg
Okay so we have our pawns. main creature, and some support creatures, anything else we should put in? Oh how about a few surprises and some tension to boot. For surprises I say we pack Hell’s Thunder a 4/4 flyer with haste for :mana1::manar::manar:. This big Lightning Bolt will definitely surprise our opponents with some out of nowhere damage, especially if we cascade into it using Bloodbraid. Bad news is that Hell’s Thunder destroys itself at the end of the turn. However Hell’s Thunder is far from being a one trick pony. With an Unearth cost of :mana4::manar:, you can bring back Hell’s Thunder and swing with it again to help finish off your opponent’s last bit of life. Now that is a fun card, right? Now as for tension, I think we need to throw in Sarkhan Vol, the original. This :mana2::manar::manag: planeswalker is the most expensive card in the deck, coming in at $7.80 at the cheapest and $15.38 at the highest. Good news is we are only putting two in the deck so it should keep the deck cheap for those interested in building the upcoming deck. His +1 ability to give all creatures you control +1/+1 and haste which just seems to go well with the deck we are building. His -2 to gains control of target creature, which will help eliminate blockers and threats to our constantly swinging team. Finally his ultimate, coming in as a -6, will put 5 4/4 dragons on the field for us to swing with and end any games that seem to be going on a little too long. Definitely a fun way to end a game.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=176455&type=cardhttp://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHARDS/sarkhan_vol.jpg
Alright so here is the weekly deck, Rushing for Glory. Nearly every creature in the deck has Haste with a few added tricks to help the creatures and the pain along:
Rushing for Glory:
Creatures:
4x Bloodbraid Elf
4x Bloodmark Mentor
4x Boggart Ram-Gang
4x Rip-Clan Crasher
4x Hell's Thunder
4x Jund Hackblade
Spells:
4x Violent Outburst
4x Colossal Might
4x Lightning Bolt
Planeswalker:
2x Sarkhan Vol
Land:
3x Copperline Gorge
4x Evolving Wilds
6x Forest
6x Mountain
3x Rootbound Crag
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/rushing-for-glory/
The deck is rather simple in design with a few fun interactions to keep it interesting. The playset of Colossal Might help to deal large chunks of damage while Lightning Bolt just does its thing. Violent Outburst is good, but it’s a little hard to work with because it can only hit the one and two drops meaning you could easily loose a Bloodbraid, Ram-Gang, or Hell’s Thunder to the bottom of the deck. However, the pay off from the extra points of damage can be quite useful.
Now the one problem with the deck is that it does not have a conclusion, something the deck is ultimately building too. Sure it has win conditions, but without a definitive end, things could get hairy. If you find yourself playing this deck and you want something more to help kill opponents, here are a few cards I suggest. Blitz Hellion is a 7/7 :mana3::manar::manag: Trampler with Haste that can strike out of nowhere for big ending damage. Only problem is that it shuffles itself back into the deck after every turn, meaning it is strictly a swinger. For more a more swarming effect you could do Hellion Eruption, which turns all the creatures you control into 4/4 monsters of destruction. Good in this deck because you’ll get a serious upgrade out of most of your cards, but if you have been fighting a while, you might not have that many creatures to upgrade. My ultimate suggestion is that, if you really want a card to build to with this deck, either go with the Blitz Hellion of Caldera Hellion, a 3/3 for :mana3::manar::manar: that has Devour 1, meaning each creature you sacrifice upon its entering the battlefield gives it a +1/+1 counter, and it deals 3 damage to each creature when it enters play.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=179406&type=cardhttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=198306&type=cardhttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=175072&type=card
Well with the deck done, time to roll over to everyone’s favorite and probably most missed section, the Closing Question Section:
1. What is your opinion of Haste? Good? Wish there were more cards with it? Harmless and forgettable?
2. What is your favorite Haste creature and why? If it is Bloodbraid Elf, I ask that you choose another one.
3. There is an argument amongst some Magic players concerning which ability goes with which color. Black usually gets Deathtouch, White Lifelink, Green Trample, Blue Flying, but the argument really flares up with Red because some players say Haste and others say First Strike. Which ability do you believe better embodies Red?
Well everyone hope you enjoyed the article. Stay with me next week as I look at the Knights vs. Dragons duel decks and find out if they are worth your money. And always remember my good friends, “Etherium is Limited. Innovation is not.” This is Corlando signing out.
By: Corlando
Hello and welcome readers… hello… hello… ummm… right. Well time for some explaining. Sorry about not writing in about two weeks. Due to the events that have occurred in Japan, my prayers and wishes of safety go to all affected; I have been busy rushing around trying to salvage my academics. This is because, as I said a while ago, I was planning to study abroad in Japan. This essentially means that with the canceling of my trip to Japan, I have lost an entire academic semester. Good news is I have a whole new plan and I should still be able to graduate on time as well as prepare myself for one very manageable senior year. Thanks for being patient with me as I worked out all of these issues.
But that’s enough about me and my difficulties; today we are here to talk about one of my preferred abilities of Magic the Gathering, Haste. It’s a fun little ability that pops out of nowhere as you catch an unsuspecting opponent off guard. But can a deck really be built around this ability? I’m definitely going to try. Won’t you come along?
So what exactly is haste? Haste is an ability that allows any creature who has it to enter the battlefield without summoning sickness. This means that as soon as the creature hits the board, it can activate any of its abilities or swing for damage against your opponent. As you might consider, this ability can be very useful, especially in early game when most opponents will not have a strong defense. Haste essentially allows players the ability to be relentless, never backing down, never stopping for a turn so their creatures can get use to the battlefield. No, with Haste it’s summon and smash. This can do a lot to just wear your opponent down if every turn you are just dropping another threat to their life total. It is a great ability and one that I love to abuse.
This is where you are probably wondering, “Alright, what are some examples of cards with Haste?” Well there is a substantial amount out there, but there is definitely one of great fame. Bloodbraid Elf is a 3/2 with Haste for :mana2::manar::manag:. That seems a little wonky when you think about it, but it is made even weirder when you point out the fact that this nonstandard uncommon can fetch a price as high as five dollars a pop! Why is that? It is because Bloodbraid Elf has the Cascade ability, an ability that allows a player to reveal cards from the top of their deck until they find a spell cheaper than the original spell. The caster can then choose to play that spell without paying its mana cost. This essentially means that you get two spells for the price of one. And since Bloodbraid Elf is :mana2::manar::manag:, you have quite a few classic spells that can be flung out with her ability. She is perfect for our purposes.
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGALARA_REBORN/BloodbraidElf.jpg
Alright we have our main creature, what about a few cards to help fill out our deck. Well first off I think we need a bear of sorts… not a plain bear either, a special bear. The word “Bear” is a term that refers to the card Grizzly Bear, a 2/2 creature for :mana1::manag: with no abilities that goes far back into Magic’s history. It is a cheap threat players can use in the early turns. For this deck we need a slightly better bear, one with an ability that we can abuse. Rip-Clan Crasher is a 2/2 with haste for :manar::manag:. It’s a simple easy threat that allows use to swing as early as turn 2 for just a poke of damage. Good card and one that we will need. I wonder if we can find another little creature to throw in… hmmm… how about Jund Hackblade. Oh yeah he’s fun. This little 2/1 for :manabg::manar: has the ability to become a 3/2 with haste if we control another multicolored permanent. How about we take a few quick turns:
Turn 1: Mountain
Turn 2: Forest, Rip-Clan Crasher, swing for two damage.
Turn 3: Any land, Jund Hackblade, swing for five damage
Three turns in and we have already dealt seven points of damage with only two creatures. Granted that is not as impressive as Kuldotha Red’s possible 10 or higher on turn three, but seven is not something to be disappointed in.
So we have our pawns, the guys who will hit first, but what about some middle men? Well one of the best creatures we could use would be Boggart Ram-Gang. This 3/3 with Haste and Wither for :manarg::manarg::manarg: gives us a good body to throw at our opponents. Plus it has Wither meaning it will give all creatures it deals damage to -1/-1 counters. This will help to break down our opponent’s defenses, allowing us to smash through with our weaker forces. Speaking of our forces, I feel I have to note the fact that our current strongest creatures have a power of 3. This means we will be great in early game, but terrible in late. How are we to survive then? We will have to call on the services of a great teacher, a mentor if you will. Bloodmark Mentor is a 1/1 for :mana1::manar: that gives all Red creatures we control First Strike. This means we have ourselves an army of hasteful, first striking weenies that should be able to survive in battle as they deal damage before the opponent’s creatures. We should all hope to learn much from this smallest of teachers.
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHA/boggart_ram-gang.jpghttp://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHA/bloodmark_mentor.jpg
Okay so we have our pawns. main creature, and some support creatures, anything else we should put in? Oh how about a few surprises and some tension to boot. For surprises I say we pack Hell’s Thunder a 4/4 flyer with haste for :mana1::manar::manar:. This big Lightning Bolt will definitely surprise our opponents with some out of nowhere damage, especially if we cascade into it using Bloodbraid. Bad news is that Hell’s Thunder destroys itself at the end of the turn. However Hell’s Thunder is far from being a one trick pony. With an Unearth cost of :mana4::manar:, you can bring back Hell’s Thunder and swing with it again to help finish off your opponent’s last bit of life. Now that is a fun card, right? Now as for tension, I think we need to throw in Sarkhan Vol, the original. This :mana2::manar::manag: planeswalker is the most expensive card in the deck, coming in at $7.80 at the cheapest and $15.38 at the highest. Good news is we are only putting two in the deck so it should keep the deck cheap for those interested in building the upcoming deck. His +1 ability to give all creatures you control +1/+1 and haste which just seems to go well with the deck we are building. His -2 to gains control of target creature, which will help eliminate blockers and threats to our constantly swinging team. Finally his ultimate, coming in as a -6, will put 5 4/4 dragons on the field for us to swing with and end any games that seem to be going on a little too long. Definitely a fun way to end a game.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=176455&type=cardhttp://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGSHARDS/sarkhan_vol.jpg
Alright so here is the weekly deck, Rushing for Glory. Nearly every creature in the deck has Haste with a few added tricks to help the creatures and the pain along:
Rushing for Glory:
Creatures:
4x Bloodbraid Elf
4x Bloodmark Mentor
4x Boggart Ram-Gang
4x Rip-Clan Crasher
4x Hell's Thunder
4x Jund Hackblade
Spells:
4x Violent Outburst
4x Colossal Might
4x Lightning Bolt
Planeswalker:
2x Sarkhan Vol
Land:
3x Copperline Gorge
4x Evolving Wilds
6x Forest
6x Mountain
3x Rootbound Crag
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/rushing-for-glory/
The deck is rather simple in design with a few fun interactions to keep it interesting. The playset of Colossal Might help to deal large chunks of damage while Lightning Bolt just does its thing. Violent Outburst is good, but it’s a little hard to work with because it can only hit the one and two drops meaning you could easily loose a Bloodbraid, Ram-Gang, or Hell’s Thunder to the bottom of the deck. However, the pay off from the extra points of damage can be quite useful.
Now the one problem with the deck is that it does not have a conclusion, something the deck is ultimately building too. Sure it has win conditions, but without a definitive end, things could get hairy. If you find yourself playing this deck and you want something more to help kill opponents, here are a few cards I suggest. Blitz Hellion is a 7/7 :mana3::manar::manag: Trampler with Haste that can strike out of nowhere for big ending damage. Only problem is that it shuffles itself back into the deck after every turn, meaning it is strictly a swinger. For more a more swarming effect you could do Hellion Eruption, which turns all the creatures you control into 4/4 monsters of destruction. Good in this deck because you’ll get a serious upgrade out of most of your cards, but if you have been fighting a while, you might not have that many creatures to upgrade. My ultimate suggestion is that, if you really want a card to build to with this deck, either go with the Blitz Hellion of Caldera Hellion, a 3/3 for :mana3::manar::manar: that has Devour 1, meaning each creature you sacrifice upon its entering the battlefield gives it a +1/+1 counter, and it deals 3 damage to each creature when it enters play.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=179406&type=cardhttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=198306&type=cardhttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=175072&type=card
Well with the deck done, time to roll over to everyone’s favorite and probably most missed section, the Closing Question Section:
1. What is your opinion of Haste? Good? Wish there were more cards with it? Harmless and forgettable?
2. What is your favorite Haste creature and why? If it is Bloodbraid Elf, I ask that you choose another one.
3. There is an argument amongst some Magic players concerning which ability goes with which color. Black usually gets Deathtouch, White Lifelink, Green Trample, Blue Flying, but the argument really flares up with Red because some players say Haste and others say First Strike. Which ability do you believe better embodies Red?
Well everyone hope you enjoyed the article. Stay with me next week as I look at the Knights vs. Dragons duel decks and find out if they are worth your money. And always remember my good friends, “Etherium is Limited. Innovation is not.” This is Corlando signing out.