Best removal?
Standard forum
Posted on July 4, 2014, 10:40 a.m. by tempest
So, in standard, what do you guys think are the best removals? (Creatures included if it makes a difference
mathimus55 says... #3
Yea, Hero's Downfall is probably tops, then classic ol Doom Blade /Ultimate Price . Boros Charm and Selesnya Charm for me come after that. And I won't admit that Supreme Verdict is good, bc that card can suck ma' nuts
July 4, 2014 10:56 a.m.
JakeHarlow says... #5
There are many solid spells, each excelling in a specialized role. Mizzium Mortars is versatile in that it can wipe. Also kills fatties like Blood Baron of Vizkopa . Sorcery speed limits its applications though.
Anger of the Gods rounds out red's mass removal. Denies reanimation. Still sorcery speed. Fast enough to see play on Modern sideboards. There's also Electrickery that is sometimes seen as a budget answer to token rush.
Supreme Verdict is supreme (lol) for mass removal in Standard. At only 4 mana and being uncounterable, it's quite good. Merciless Eviction sees less play due to its cost. However, it gets around indestructibility and denies reanimation, plus offers a wider selection of targets. Planar Cleansing and Fated Retribution are too slow right now! but might see play after rotation. Ratchet Bomb sees some play too.
Fated Conflagration is a nice spell for killing Planeswalkers. Dreadbore is a cheaper sorcery but fills the same role (also standing in as a slower speed Murder ).
Obviously, besides sweepers, against Hexproof decks, people will rely on Devour Flesh and Celestial Flare . These spells are just solid in general, though.
Last Breath sees play in control as a fast answer to small threats. Pharika's Cure fills a similar function for black.
For outright kill spells, Ultimate Price seems the most versatile these days. Doom Blade often compliments it. Dark Betrayal sees some play on mono-black sideboards for the mirror match. Bile Blight wipes tokens and a lot of other things. It can be back-breaking when timed properly.
Detention Sphere and Banishing Light are both incredible. The former is the second coming of Maelstrom Pulse , and is a staple in almost every deck that uses its colors, especially control. Chained to the Rocks is a very cheap, powerful staple for Boros aggro and Dega midrange.
Blue uses Rapid Hybridization and Domestication as forms of removal, besides countermagic. Cyclonic Rift can be a supplement, and is extremely solid as a token sweeper.
Vraska the Unseen , Elspeth, Sun's Champion , and Chandra, Pyromaster are all capable of varying levels of removal. But they are hardly relied upon as the first lines of defense.
Golgari has Putrefy . Pretty standard, no reneration. But it also has the heaping pile of awesomeness that is Abrupt Decay . This may be the best Standard has to offer in the competitive arena in terms of fast, targeted removal. It sees extensive play in Modern and Legacy, too. Gaze of Granite is a bit too slow.
With all the enchantments around Standard, there have to be answers. Revoke Existence is, barring its ability to hit artifacts, subservient to Deicide ...while Glare of Heresy is a white hoser for...well, anything white. Black has Feast of Dreams and Silence the Believers . Both of which are solid.
Basically, there's a TON of viable removal in Standard at present. I didn't even mention everything. I totally skipped mono-green, which usually uses creatures and fight mechanics as removal (like Polukranos, World Eater ). Anyways, that's my two cents on today's removal.
Whew!
July 4, 2014 11:19 a.m.
JakeHarlow says... #7
And of course Hero's Downfall , haha. Totally forgot about that. Brain Maggot and Duress /Thoughtseize also can be preemptive removal for black.
Oh, and Sin Collector .
CommanderOfBolas says... #2
im gonna have to say Hero's Downfall
July 4, 2014 10:47 a.m.