Humble Beginnings
It’s hard to believe that our favorite trading card game is 27 years old and still going strong. Over those years, a red menace has been a constant threat. What?! No, I am not talking about the USSR, I am of course talking about Red Deck Wins or Burn! The beginning of Magic the Gathering was marked by an extensive exploration of game design. “Cycles” of cards with similar effects were created across all colors to keep balance in the game. While this continues today, massive imbalances marred the initial cycles. In our sights today is the “Boon” Cycle, which includes Ancestral Recall, Healing Salve, Giant Growth, Dark Ritual, and Lightning bolt. While Ancestral Recall is power nine and Healing Salve was always unplayable, Lightning Bolt created a movement.
When Lightning Strikes
There are a few ways to beat your opponent in the game of MTG. These can include complicated combos and cards that have their own win conditions, but the simplest way is to knock your opponent down to zero life. No deck does it better than Burn, and if you like instants and quick games, this is the deck for you! Building on the concept of one mana for three damage, many cards have made it possible for this deck to continue to this day. While I am covering the deck as it exists in eternal formats, DJ has written an article on the standard format where mono Red decks are perennial all-stars. Check it out!
Forged from the Flames
With the first core sets and expansions, many cards were printed that would allow for Red to dominate. Following the form of Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning and Fireblast provided an excellent bang for your buck. Initial Red decks, however, didn’t always follow the exact formulation that they would take today. Notable exceptions include the Sligh archetype, which was much more creature-based than we would recognize today. The continuation of Burn on the legacy side of the game consists of our initially powerful “bolt effects.” It also incorporates cards like Price of Progress to capitalize on the fact that it is a one-color deck. Rounding the deck out are cards that prevent life gain and creatures that provide a source of recurring damage.
Lighting Strikes Twice: The Modernization of Burn
The creation of the creatures Monastery Mentor, Goblin Guide, and Eidolon of the Great Revel were the most significant additions to the deck. They provide consistent damage and require an answer from your opponent. While not all the original bolt effects are available to players of the Modern format, these creatures are and provide the backbone of the current iteration of the deck. The deck has faded in legacy for many reasons, and while playable, the Modern version is much more powerful and eschews its mono Red forebears. While players have tried many formulations, including Naya (Red, White, Green) and Red Green, the deck has mainly coalesced into Red White. This allows for the use of powerful cards such as Boros Charm, Lightning Helix, and white sideboard cards. Currently, no versions of Burn show signs of slowing down, and will always be there to exploit a slow metagame. Always remember, when in doubt, Burn them out!
