Welcome all to the Daily Dose of Core Set 2020 where a tradition unlike no other continues. It’s time for the guide to combat tricks and removal cards by color for Core Set 2020.
This is one of my favorite articles to write for each set as it helps me get to know all the cards a little bit better and helps me prepare for prerelease weekend, so I don’t get blown out by a card I wasn’t expecting. Finding the right mix of combat tricks to put in your deck is often the key to victory. Having information like this guide is the key to finishing the information puzzle that is a game of Magic. Often deducing what your opponent can’t play is just as important as what they can play. Calculating their amount of and what type of mana they have available will unlock what they might have in their hand.
White Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
Devout Decree is situational removal, but quite strong against the right decks. Aerial Assault and Eternal Isolation are clean creature removal spells, you just might need to take a hit from your opponent to use them. Raise the Alarm could surprise your opponent by putting some chump blockers on the battlefield. Gods Willing and Moment of Heroism are two of the best combat tricks in the set. Planar Cleansing is the only true sweeper in the entire set, so watch out for that one. Brought Back is great to bring back some destroyed permanents, but unless they have enter the battlefield abilities, they won’t affect you until the following turn.
Blue Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
As usual, blue has their group of counterspells in the form of Bone to Ash, Convolute and Negate. Do notice there are no clean counterspells in the set. Aether Gust is a situational way to remove something if you are playing red or green. Befuddle is a great combat trick, but costs three mana, if they only have one mana up, beware of Unsummon. Brinehorn Cutthroat could be played as a surprise blocker. Sleep Paralysis is a sorcery speed way to shut down one creature from everything except triggered abilities and activated abilities that don’t require tapping.
Black Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
Fathom Fleet Cutthroat and Gruesome Scourger are two creatures that can finish off a creature after combat if needed. Agonizing Syphon is a medium removal spell, but must be cast at sorcery speed. Noxious Grasp is a strong removal card, but only against green or white. Black lacks many combat tricks to cast on your own creatures with only Bladebrand available. When it comes to instant speed and/or straight removal black only has one spell to do the trick, and that is Murder. The only other removal is the very situational Legion’s End and will most likely be just a one-for-one trade.
Red Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
Fry acts as good removal against white or blue mages. Red has two good combat tricks in the form of Infuriate (the red Giant Growth) and Uncaged Fury, which can win a game out of nowhere. Ember Hauler can sometimes act as a three-mana removal spell that does 2 damage. Red provides two instant speed removal spells in the form of Shock and Chandra’s Outrage. If you need a little bit more damage, you can cast Reduce to Ashes at sorcery speed. Flame Sweep is red’s best attempt at having a sweeper.
Green Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
As usual, green is heavy on some nice combat tricks to help your own creatures. Feral Invocation, Might of the Masses and Growth Cycle can all pump up a creature to win a key combat. Natural End and Plummet are situational spells that can take out a key piece at instant speed if needed. Pulse of Marasa can provide instant life gain and return a potential lethal threat. Veil of Summer is a great card to use against blue and black mages looking to mess with your permanents and spells. Rabid Bite is a strong removal if creatures are on the battlefield. Thrashing Brontodon is a four-mana way to remove an artifact or enchantment if it’s causing a lot of trouble.
Artifact Combat Tricks and Removal Cards
No cards at instant speed obviously, since they are artifacts, but Meteor Golem can remove any nonland permanent on the battlefield. Vial of Dragonfire is a four-mana way to get creature removal in any deck.
There you have it folks, a Guide to Combat Tricks and Removal Cards by Colour. As you can see there is a one-mana combat trick in each of the five colours that you need to be aware of. Being able to play around each one could help you win some games. Thanks again for reading the Daily Dose of Core Set 2020. Join me again tomorrow as I crack open a prerelease kit and have a practice deck build.
