UL's Card(s) Corner: Red "Burntrips"

I've become quite the red player recently, which to some isn't probably a surprise. But it is to me.

My particular deck of choice is a slightly competitive Heartless Hidetsugu EDH, which was borne of the ashes of my old Fun-miko Fumiko EDH. May she RIP.

The idea of Hidetsugu is essentially a downhill race to the finish in terms of life totals, aimed at getting Hidetsugu to "Shiva-blast," as I call it, all our life totals to make games shorter for the people in my playgroup.

Recently, it's been pretty fun for me because I've put a few cards into the deck that I call, "Burntrips." I'm sure they have a better, more flavorful name than what I've penned them as here, but essentially they are cards that allow players to make a decision: Pain or Resolve.

What makes these cards "hawt tech" in my mind is not the fact that they are necessarily secret cards, but that they have a nice win-win setup in Hidetsugu. If you let the spell resolve, I win. If you take damage, I Shiva-Blast on the stack and the pain is magnified. And I win.


Mages' Contest is a pretty fun way to interact with your opponent. I played this spell the other night, and people were astounded that the red player could respond with soft counters. It makes people think twice about untapped Mountains, and I get to laugh.

This is a card that's been sitting in my binder for a long, long time. Pretty much since I got it in Planechase 2009. However, in this particular deck, I've been able to draw a few cards when my hand was low. I've also been able to bluff my way through with a hand full of land in order to find useful cards. And damage.

Mostly, it's cool cause you can put it on the stack, and in response tap Hidetsugu to pressure people into letting you get cards. A lot of the time people don't realize that 5 damage is a bigger deal when you have 20 or less life.

It's a psychologically intensive card, but if you know the people in your playgroup, you can better manage how you want to use it.

This deck is pretty successful any time I can get cheap lightning bolt-style effects in. This is one of them. I feel pretty good when I can cast Reverberate or Reiterate on this too.

Most of the time, Hidetsugu's only getting one or two Shiva-Blasts off, and is probably off the table, so cards like Molten Influence is really good when you're opponent is downhill.

Now, I haven't actually decided to put this in the deck. However, it seems like a whole load of fun, turning the game into a nice poker match.

I got a copy recently, and I'm still tweaking this deck, so it definitely has chance to get in here and be an All-Star, cause one of the big problems I have is that I don't play a whole lot of late-game dudes in this deck.

Unfortunately, I can't interact with this on the stack. I have to Shiva-Blast before I make my opponent outbid their current life total.

Otherwise, this sorcery (womp womp) might be an instant include.




Once I get this deck a little more fleshed out, I'll be sure to post it up here on TGZ.

Till then, play 40 lands, and have your pet spayed, if it's a girl.

Your Move.

-UL