Post by natedog08 on Jan 22, 2012 22:02:01 GMT -6
Anyone who has played mono-Red in Commander can attest to one of the color’s biggest weaknesses: it’s tendency to run out of steam coupled with a lack of strong card draw when compared to other colors (even Green has Harmonize and Primordial Sage, which are both exceptional). This is why Dragon Mage gets my pick for one of Red’s most underrated cards. Again, for those whose computers (still) reject images:
Dragon Mage 5RR
Creature – Dragon Wizard (Rare, Scourge)
Flying
Whenever Dragon Mage deals combat damage to a player, each player discards his or her hand and draws seven cards.
5/5
The stats alone make this card a good option for any deck sporting Mountains. Evasion is key in this format, and evasion on a 5/5 body can provide a very strong clock. The Mage’s Wheel of Fortune ability can also provide another form of evasion. Most players sitting on an empty or dead hand will gladly take 5 or help you clear a path to ensure that this guy hits.
For every opponent that is helped by a swinging Mage, there is bound to be another who is hindered by it. If he gets through, our favorite flying wizard can severely neuter every player trying to profit off of an obscenely large, Reliquary Tower fueled hand.
This Wheel of Fortune ability is what makes Dragon Mage such a strong card in mono-Red. Being able to refill your hand each turn this guy gets through will usually give you enough steam to survive, if not win the game. The fact that its ability can also act as hand disruption is also very strong. While you never know what they will get in their new seven, disrupting an opponent with an already more-than-full grip can be quite satisfying.
My favorite use for this guy is in Nicol Bolas. Hitting with both of these dragons can be very painful for your target. By putting Dragon Mage’s ability on the stack on top of Nicol Bolas’ ability you ensure that Nicol Bolas strips a full 7 cards from your opponent’s hand in addition to anything that was discarded to Dragon Mage. Add in Megrim effects and your attack phase becomes even more destructive.
Finally, the Mage is also extremely strong in reanimation decks. You don’t really care that you are dumping all of your awesome creatures in the graveyard when you are digging through your deck for Living Death.
In conclusion, Dragon Mage’s strength comes from not only its strong stats and evasion, but from the versatility of its Wheel of Fortune ability and the rate which it can be used and abused. Just remember, when you send your Dragon out to fetch you new spells, never drink and fly.
Dragon Mage 5RR
Creature – Dragon Wizard (Rare, Scourge)
Flying
Whenever Dragon Mage deals combat damage to a player, each player discards his or her hand and draws seven cards.
5/5
The stats alone make this card a good option for any deck sporting Mountains. Evasion is key in this format, and evasion on a 5/5 body can provide a very strong clock. The Mage’s Wheel of Fortune ability can also provide another form of evasion. Most players sitting on an empty or dead hand will gladly take 5 or help you clear a path to ensure that this guy hits.
For every opponent that is helped by a swinging Mage, there is bound to be another who is hindered by it. If he gets through, our favorite flying wizard can severely neuter every player trying to profit off of an obscenely large, Reliquary Tower fueled hand.
This Wheel of Fortune ability is what makes Dragon Mage such a strong card in mono-Red. Being able to refill your hand each turn this guy gets through will usually give you enough steam to survive, if not win the game. The fact that its ability can also act as hand disruption is also very strong. While you never know what they will get in their new seven, disrupting an opponent with an already more-than-full grip can be quite satisfying.
My favorite use for this guy is in Nicol Bolas. Hitting with both of these dragons can be very painful for your target. By putting Dragon Mage’s ability on the stack on top of Nicol Bolas’ ability you ensure that Nicol Bolas strips a full 7 cards from your opponent’s hand in addition to anything that was discarded to Dragon Mage. Add in Megrim effects and your attack phase becomes even more destructive.
Finally, the Mage is also extremely strong in reanimation decks. You don’t really care that you are dumping all of your awesome creatures in the graveyard when you are digging through your deck for Living Death.
In conclusion, Dragon Mage’s strength comes from not only its strong stats and evasion, but from the versatility of its Wheel of Fortune ability and the rate which it can be used and abused. Just remember, when you send your Dragon out to fetch you new spells, never drink and fly.