Red Creature Removal (EDH) Better than Path to Exile
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Dec. 2, 2015, 1:59 p.m. by Ledfeelcrank
I read maro say that he thinks Path to Exile shouldn't have been printed because it delivers restriction-free creature removal really well to white, which is something white's not supposed to have. It also said that black is supposed to be the king of removing creature removal, followed closely by red.This got me thinking that red should have some creature removal for edh which is superior to Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshares. I think that the low cmc's, the instant speed, and the exiling are what goes into making those cards good, so the improved red version should have something along those lines.So far, this is what I have come up with (names pending).
Consumed by Desire 
Instant
Target creature deals damage to itself equal to its power. If a creature dealt damage this way would be put into a graveyard, exile it instead.
Flashback
Blowin' Stuff Up 
Instant
Destroy target artifact, creature, or land. If you cast this spell during your main phase, you may destroy up to one other artifact, creature, or land.
Diaochan, Vengeful Beauty 
Legendary Creature - Human
1/1
: Destroy target creature that attacked you, or a planeswalker you control, last turn.
Ledfeelcrank says... #3
@BababadYeah I think you're right - what would you go with for mana cost to keep it fair, but leave it slightly better than Path to Exile?
December 2, 2015 2:22 p.m.
I mean, red has Lava Axe
what more could you want?
2 drop instant speed for initial
sac a land + RR1 for flashback imo.
there are black sorcery speed spells that do that effect for BB, instant puts it well into the realm of playable.
If commander exclusive (please don't make something this broke for vintage/legacy), that should be fair.
December 2, 2015 2:29 p.m. Edited.
I think Diaochan isn't red enough (if there is such a thing). There should something whimsical, or random in it. Something like: creatures that dealt combat damage this turn deal also damage to themself.
I really like consumed by desire, and it is pretty solid I think...but the flashback makes it REALLY good (broken perhaps), if you want flashback, it should carry a fine. Something like: Flashback Sac a permanent.
I imagine that 'Blowing stuff up' would be a nice Goblin flavoured card :) . It would be a good common if you added the clause that it must be non-land and that they deal damage equal to their combined cmc to the caster or something like that.
December 2, 2015 3:09 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #6
I think the most important part about those white removal spells was the fact that they give back to your opponent. Red doesn't always give things though, so I'd change it to this:
Target creature deals damage to you and to itself equal its power. If it dies this turn, exile it.
With no flashback.
It's playable and actually really great! Just don't target Blightsteel Colossus.
December 2, 2015 4:29 p.m.
Ledfeelcrank says... #7
I thought about the trading white provides, but maro said that the trades on both cards are too low to matter, and he wasn't even talking about EDH in particular. I think that in EDH the gifts that Path and Swords give are negligible. I think the good part about the white cards is that the creature is straight up exiled - doesn't matter it's P/T, or if it's indestructible, it's just gone. Even blue now has Reality Shift, which does much the same thing for only 
extra, with only a small downside of donating a 2/2. So I thought if white can have a 1 mana exile with virtually no downside, and blue can have a 2 mana exile with only the smallest of downsides, that red should have a 1 mana exile of sorts. The thinking is that it's better than Swords because you can either remove 1 creatures where P>=T, or 1 creature where T<=2P (which is why the flashback) - the downside is that you cannot touch indestructible creatures like the blue and white cards can.So this card, with it's flashback, would exile a Courser of Kruphix or an Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, and if they creatures it wants to exile happen to be P>=T types for both, then it's lucky-for-red day.That's what I was going for anyway. Maybe something like one of these 2 would be better:
Atomize
Instant
Exile target creature. It's controller puts a 0/1 ash token into play.
Vaporize
Instant
Exile target creature. It's controller discards up to 1 card, then draws than many cards.
December 2, 2015 5:25 p.m.
Ledfeelcrank says... #8
For a different take on a more red-feel Diaochan, how about:
Diaochan, Vengeful Beauty
Legendary Creature - Human
1/1
Haste.
: Choose target creature attacking you or a planeswalker you control. Destroy that creature.
All creatures attack each turn if able.
December 2, 2015 5:32 p.m.
Ledfeelcrank says... #10
I considered that. My thinking was that replicated could allow someone to kill many many creatures, where flashback would only allow a maximum of 2 to be destroyed, with no possibility to recur the spell after the second use. Also, the flashback eats it to yard hate, which reduces the power level a bit compared with replicate.You think replicate would be a better option?
December 2, 2015 7:38 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #11
Oh wait, do a kicker! Kicker and then "If ~ was kicked, that creature deals twice that much damage instead."
Bababad says... #2
Consumed by Desire would be super pushed at that cmc.
December 2, 2015 2:08 p.m.