Opinions on Grim Lavamancer
Modern forum
Posted on May 18, 2015, 8:07 p.m. by HSF117
I've been playing my burn deck for almost a year now but I have not been convinced that Grim Lavamancer has a place in the current modern burn deck. I'd like to know everyone's opinions and how well this card actually does. Maybe you've only played against Grim Lavamancer, that's cool too, every opinion is helpful.
Blackwind36 says... #3
He's a bit slow for modern burn. I do like him though. He gives some very good value being a repeatable shock and a chump blocker. There's a bit too much competition at the 1cmc slot for him to really make the cut.
May 18, 2015 8:22 p.m.
My only problem is that it's too slow in my opinion but I see pretty much every other burn deck using it. Usually any 1-drop that I cast is doing something immediately. The 1-drop creatures have haste and are attacking and the burn spells are dealing damage but with Grim Lavamancer it simply lands on the battlefield. No immediate effects at all.
May 18, 2015 8:25 p.m. Edited.
I have to kindly but completely disagree. It is absolutely not too slow for modern burn and he sees plenty of top tier play in that deck, good sir.
May 18, 2015 8:26 p.m.
wwhitegoldd says... #7
I play her as a one of and she's amazing. Instead of asking people for opinions go and play it for awile. You'll see how good she is.
May 18, 2015 8:30 p.m.
wwhitegoldd says... #9
Whatever it/she/he is. Doesn't matter. It's still a good card.
May 18, 2015 8:33 p.m.
I feel like the current meta is too aggro to be playing Grim Lavamancer though. That's why I want people's opinions. If a lot of people say that it's worth using then I'll playtest with it but if not then I won't.
May 18, 2015 8:35 p.m.
Blackwind36 says... #11
@vishnarg First turn you play him he does nothing. Nearly every other burn one drop has haste. But he's not really meant to be played very early. He needs fuel so turn 3 or so you drop him. Turn 4 you can start using up the fetches and spells you've already used. The issue you have to consider, is the benefit he provides in the long term greater than the explosiveness of a different one drop. He's great if you want to play a more controlling game.
May 18, 2015 8:39 p.m.
If you want to play a fast deck go play Bloom combo or something. That's not why you play Burn.
Burn is all about the rate of damage compared to its cost. A Lava Spike is only always going to be 3 damage for 1 mana and 1 card. The reason burn plays creatures are for the draws where say Goblin Guide gets to be a 4-6 damage burn spell, despite the fact that it's essentially a burn spell that your opponent gets to interact with blockers and removal. Sometimes you need this extra efficiency to push past certain draws and sideboard cards.
Grim Lavamancer is essentially a Goblin Guide that can't get blocked. Its value is dependent on how much removal and/or Kitchen Finks type cards are in the format. I would need to see a metagame pretty flush with Lightning Bolts and such before having 1-2 Grim Lavamancer is wrong.
May 18, 2015 9:21 p.m.
aeonstoremyliver says... #13
Grim Lavamancer is freaking amazing. You never really wanna play him turn one, as Guide, Swiftspear, or Vexing Devil fill that role better. Turn two onward is when it should be played. All the fuel with fetches and spells make Lavamancer a beast in the 'late game.' Being able to clear blockers for your guys to get through, removing Robots, and lastly going for the dome are all worthy reasons to include at least two. I run four, if that says anything, in both my Modern and Legacy RDW lists.
Opponents who know what the card is capable of groan when it hits the board and remove it ASAP.
May 18, 2015 9:23 p.m.
15bernardom says... #14
I have to agree with aeonstoremyliver. While Grim Lavamancer isn't a fantastic play for turn 1, it becomes amazing when things have started "cooling down" and the game starts going long (which is after turn 4-5 for Burn). I wouldn't recommend a playset, but 1-2 is a good number, and I personally love running at least 1 in most of my decks with red.
May 18, 2015 10:41 p.m.
notamardybum says... #15
There have been plenty of times where I've won with grim doing the final points of dmg, and lost to it's ping. It's good. Now that t.cruise is bamned, grim can take the role of using the gy as a resource
May 18, 2015 11:08 p.m.
JexInfinite says... #16
I love him in Naya Burn. You play at least 10 fetches, so fuelling the graveyard is no problem. Generally, I only want to play it after (or on the same turn) as an Eidolon.
As notamardybum said, it takes the place of the card that uses you resources after you've used them. The best thing it adds is extra reach. It makes it harder to burn out like the deck usually does.
May 19, 2015 5:08 a.m.
Doran_The_ButtFighter says... #17
Depends on the burn you are running. I run UWR Delver Burn, and found that my burn spells interracted with other creatures in my deck better than the Lavamancer. However, I used to run Naya burn and he was absolutley filthy due to the fetches and constantly full graveyard.
May 19, 2015 2:33 p.m.
any deck i have with red and minimal graveyard interaction i run at least one
any repeat source of damage is awesome. and any way to tap into another resource is awesome. (soilent green that shit!)
grim is awesome.
i love her.
god awful in multiples, though.
like truly, the second grim has got to be one of the worst cards in modern.
i probably say this shit daily,
but thank god for faithless looting.
vishnarg says... #2
It's good use of the graveyard, annoying for the opponent to remove, good at hitting their dudes if need be, and a reusable source of direct damage. I always liked it, you should definitely give it a shot.
May 18, 2015 8:20 p.m.