Welcome all to another edition of the Daily Dose of Core Set 2020 where today it’s all about the fire. Chandra’s presence continues to influence this set. Today I’m going to be talking about some powerful new cards including a sweeper, a legendary artifact, and a mythic Elemental creature. Currently the only Mono-Red decks in the format are aggro decks that can sideboard into a midrange, card value grinding decks if necessary. With the looks of it, Core Set 2020 will bring a new Mono-Red Midrange Chandra/Elemental deck that is sure to shine.
Let’s have a look at some of those new red cards from Core Set 2020.
I want to start off by talking about a sweeper card. Here is Flame Sweep.
Since cards like Pyroclasm, it’s always been important to have a sweeper in red that deals damage to all creatures. Usually it ranges from 2 to 3 damage, and most often it is in sorcery form, but other times it is instant like we have seen recently with Fiery Cannonade. When it comes to a straight sweeper, Flame Sweep is better since you will be sure to hit all your opponents’ creatures 100% of the time. There is even the odd time where your flying creatures will survive as a bonus. This is a great card to have in the format coming out of the sideboard if aggro decks become too prominent.
Next is a very sweet Legendary Artifact which immediately wants me to start deckbuilding for that all-Chandra all-the-time deck. Here is Chandra’s Regulator.
This reminds me very much of the card Vivien’s Arkbow from War of the Spark. The difference is that I believe that Chandra’s Regulator will see play in Standard. Currently there is little to no artifact removal being played in the format other than cards that can hit all permanents. It also comes with two abilities instead of one. First off, you can copy planeswalker abilities for one mana, that’s right copy planeswalker abilities. You can look at your top two cards with Chandra, Fire Artisan. How about creating four 1/1 Elemental creatures with haste using Chandra, Acolyte of Flame. Not satisfied with that, how about creating two emblems that each deal a damage to your opponent each turn using Chandra, Awakened Inferno. On top of that it allows you to cycle most of your deck thanks to its second ability. Getting lands into your graveyard can be beneficial to other cards in this set as you will see shortly. A great card to play on curve in the two-mana slot. Don’t worry about having four of them in your deck as you can cycle them if needed.
Finally, I want to talk about a card that you want to be playing in your Elemental deck. Here is Cavalier of Flame.
First thing I’ve noticed is that this creature won’t be one that you can splash into any deck. Its very red intensive mana cost will mean it will most likely find a home in mono-coloured or 2-coloured decks. Its base stats are a 6/5 for five mana which is solid. A key thing to note is that this is an Elemental creature and will have synergy with other cards in the set. This creature is loaded with three abilities, let’s have a look. When it enters the battlefield you can cycle as many cards from your hand for new ones. It’s great in that you can choose which ones you swap out and don’t have to discard a set amount. Another thing it can do is make all your other creatures, especially new ones onto the battlefield better. It can pump up creatures and give them haste for every two mana you spent. Heck, if you have 7 mana, it can even give itself haste. Its bonus ability is that when it dies it has a chance to deal some damage on the way out. Hopefully at that time you have discarded some lands to the graveyard with its own ability or with cards like the previously talked about Chandra’s Regulator.
Red mages unite, as it looks like there is plenty to be happy about in Core Set 2020. First with the multiple new Chandra cards and now 3 more cards to complement a new Mono-Red deck build. Thanks again for joining me on the Daily Dose of Core Set 2020. Tomorrow the fun continues with some more preview cards from the new set!
