Secrets of Strixhaven (SOS) Limited Set Review: Red

If you never played the original Strixhaven (STX), this is a true successor. The set supports a specific 5 archetypes; Silverquill (Orzhov), Prismari (Izzet), Witherbloom (Golgari), Lorehold (Boros), and Quandrix (Simic). A few of the archetypes may operate differently than you would expect the color pair to, specifically Silverquill being the fastest archetype, and Lorehold being a “slow” archetype as far as Boros is concerned. There is 0 support for color pairs outside of the 5 “Schools”, but splashing a third color is possible. When evaluating single-colored cards, I will often identify what archetype it works the best/worst in.

5.0: Disgustingly powerful and basically unbeatable. Either answer it the turn it comes down or just pack up your cards. (Gruff Triplets, Virtue of Persistence, The Eternal Wanderer)

4.5: Incredible bomb that still gives your opponent a slim chance. (Virtue of Loyalty, Imodane's Recruiter, Realm-Scorcher Hellkite)

4.0: Great rare or the absolute best uncommons and removal. (Faunsbane Troll, Gumdrop Poisoner, Talion’s Messenger)

3.5: Great role filler or removal that you never cut. (Candy Grapple, Hearth Elemental, Torch the Tower)

3.0: Good playable that I’m basically never cutting. (Shrouded Shepherd, Spellscorn Coven, Sharae of Numbing Depths)

2.5: Decent playable and the bar I hope nearly every card in my deck to reach. (Evolving Wilds, Archon's Glory, Flick a Coin)

2.0: Mediocre filler that normally is your 20-23rd card(s). (Mintstrosity, Ice Out, Grabby Giant)

1.5: Replaceable, overall bad filler. Could also be decent sideboard cards. (Titanic Growth, Scarecrow Guide, Territorial Witchstalker)

1.0: Bad filler. Gets cut most of the time. (Dark Tutelage, Kindled Heroism, Impact Tremors)

0.5: Very unhappy to main deck this, but maybe it has fringe sideboard applications. Cards that “could” be situationally decent, but bad in most situations. (Smothering Tithe, Rhystic Study, Mana Flare)

0.0: Unplayable in every possible situation. They rarely print cards this bad these days. (Hew the Entwood, One with Nothing)

Ancestral Anger

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Lorehold is a bit too slow to want this card, so it’s really just a Prismari card used to trigger opus. This can work well with something like Spectacular Skywhale, but isn’t for every Prismari deck.

Archaic’s Agony

Rating: 0.5 // 5.0

I suppose this could be played in a 4-5 color deck, but even there, this seems a bit sketchy to me.

Artistic Process

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

None of the modes are too exciting, but all 3 modes are viable. This also does a great job of triggering “big opus“. If your deck is solid, you can always keep this in the sideboard for the pyroclasm effect.

Blazing Firesinger // Seething Song

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This one is hard to evaluate, as I’ve never seen any creature quite like this. It’s kind of a one trick pony, but it does allow you to cast 6 mana spells on turn 4, which can be powerful.

Charging Strifeknight

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

I like the design of this card quite a bit. It’s a well-rounded creature that should be good at most points in the game in any red deck.

Choreographed Sparks

Rating: 0.5 // 5.0

I would advise against trying to make this work, but it certainly could be a nice finisher when paired with huge late-game spells.

Duel Tactics

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Both Red decks are combo/synergy focused than outright aggro in SOS, so this falls a bit short here.

Emeritus of Conflict // Lightning Bolt

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

The 2.5 grade is assuming your deck has a potential to cast 3 spells in a turn. Otherwise, this is clearly just a 2/2 first strike 2 drop – which is fine on it’s own.

Expressive Firedancer

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

A very replaceable 2 drop.

Flashback

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

The strength of this card correlates to the strength and volume of instant/sorceries your deck has. I wouldn’t put this in a lot of Red decks, but it can be solid in specific ones.

Garrison Excavator

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a decent engine for a synergistic Lorehold deck, with plenty of ways to triiger this.

Goblin Glasswright // Craft with Pride

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This seems solid in any red deck, but specifically strong in Prismari.

Heated Argument

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a very mediocre removal spell, but can work alright with Lorehold’s graveyard mechanics, as well as triggering Primsari’s big opus.

Impractical Joke

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Strangle is the closest comparison, a card that even saw some constructed play.

Improvisation Capstone

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This one will eventually end the game in one way or another. Either by out-valuing your opponents, or decking yourself.

Living History

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

The floor of this card is totally reasonable, however I’m not sure how realistic the attack trigger is.

Maelstrom Artisan // Rocket Volley

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Sometimes this will just be a 3 mana 3/2 haster. But when he can blow up a land, well it can be very impactful, especially if it cuts them off from a specific color.

Magmablood Archaic

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

Nothing to dislike about this card, it will often be a 4/4 for 4 mana, and the triggered ability is very potent.

Mica, Reader of Ruins

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This works incredibly well, especially with treasure tokens.

Molten-Core Maestro

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This guy can be a real problem, and is very scary to block without the fear of easily being 2-for-1’d.

Pigment Wrangler // Striking Palette

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This card is scary. It’s a gigantic flyer, that threatens to copy a spell the following turn. I like this thing.

Rearing Embermare

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is a good blocker, I suppose – but winners don’t block.

Rubble Rouser

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This actually looks like a decent tool for Lorehold. It’s an early blocker, helps fill your graveyard, deals damage, and removes things from your graveyard. This kind of checks all of the boxes that Lorehold needs.

Seize the Spoils

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

When compared to Thrill of Possibility, paying 1 more for a treasure token seems like it’s not all that exciting, but it’s a really nice investment for future turns – especially helping enable some splashes.

Steal the Show

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is a bit too inconsistent for my liking.

Strife Scholar // Awaken the Ages

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This things got a lot of value built in. It looks like it should be good in most Red decks.

Tablet of Discovery

Rating: 0.5 // 5.0

I don’t like this card.

Tackle Artist

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This thing doesn’t seem all that bad, actually.

Thunderdrum Soloist

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This can be fine as an early game blocker for late-game oriented Prismari decks.

Tome Blast

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

There will be times when this can’t kill what you need it to, but the potential value is pretty nice.

Unsubtle Mockery

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

I absolutely love the art/flavor of this card. Having said that, surveil 1 on a removal spell is very strong.

Zealous Lorecaster

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is essentially a bigger version of Shipwreck Dowser. This is slow, and I wouldn’t ever want more than 1 copy.

Top 3 Black Commons:

Unsubtle Mockery Strife Scholar Tome Blast

Red has the typical burn spell suite, but they all seem a bit more portent than usual. Red also has some very good value built into a lot of it’s creatures, and spells. Red’s looking pretty strong this go around. I’ll be breaking down Green next, stay tuned!

Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!