As I did after Theros Beyond Death released, I’m making an Oathbreaker Top 10 series for Ikoria. To be more specific, I’ll be doing a Top 10 article for cards of each color, as well as one for multicolor cards. I’ll also be doing a separate Top 10 article covering cards from the Commander 2020 preconstructed decks. My Top 10s are based on 1) how strong I think a card will be in Oathbreaker, and 2) how many different types of Oathbreaker decks I expect the card to see play in. While I do try to be as objective as I can, these are ultimately just my own thoughts/opinions. With all that out of the way, let’s continue with my Top 10 Red cards from Ikoria for Oathbreaker!
#10: Forbidden Friendship
Forbidden Friendship bears a very strong resemblance to a few other red sorceries, Dragon Fodder and Krenko’s Command, though there are a few key differences. The first difference is that neither of the tokens created by Forbidden Friendship are goblins, which I would technically count as a downside given the popularity of goblins as a tribal strategy. The fact that the Dinosaur token from this spell has haste is another small, yet noteworthy, difference. This small upside may seem negligible, but there are definitely aggressive decks that could take advantage of it. I think there are a fair number of red token-based strategies in Oathbreaker that wouldn’t mind swapping Forbidden Friendship in for their Dragon Fodder or Krenko’s Command, so I expect it will see its fair share of play.
#9: Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor
Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor is an interesting new option for a removal spell in Oathbreaker. When utilized in the wrong kind of list, this card will often be a worse version of Lightning Strike; however, I think this card has the potential to shine in certain spell-heavy lists. If you’re playing a deck that can consistently have four or more spells in your graveyard then Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor becomes a pretty solid removal spell. I could see this card working particularly well in certain Blue/Red shells, where paying two mana to remove an opposing Oathbreaker at instant-speed would be considered a pretty good rate. Although Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor will likely be limited to seeing play in these spell-heavy strategies, it will make a fine addition to those decks as a new removal spell.
#8: Footfall Crater
Footfall Crater may not look like much at first glance, but I think this card is deceivingly powerful. After being played early in the game, this enchantment has the potential to make any of your creatures into a greater threat. I especially like that it gives the targeted creature haste and trample, meaning it can be put to good use targeting creatures of your’s that already don’t have summoning sickness. In the absolute worst-case scenario, you can even cycle this card for the low cost of one mana and get a redraw. The biggest downside of this card is that it does require you to tap the enchanted land, effectively eating up one mana whenever you want to activate it. All that said, I don’t think this downside will stop Footfall Crater from seeing play, and I look forward to seeing what types of strategies players manage to fit this spicy enchantment in.
#7: Drannith Stinger
Do you remember back when red couldn’t even get vanilla 2/2s for two mana? Well, those days are long behind us now, if Drannith Stinger is any indicator. I think this card is really going to add a fair bit of “oomph” to cycling decks in Oathbreaker. Drannith Stinger is kind of like a cycling equivalent of Thermo-Alchemist, and you can bet that if a cycling deck gets this card down early, it’s going to do a lot of damage to the rest of the table. It’s also pretty nice that Drannith Stinger can attack and block on its own, and it can even be cycled for only one mana. The only reason this card isn’t higher on this list is the fact that it’s pretty much limited to cycling strategies, but Drannith Stinger is a very strong addition to that archetype nonetheless.
#6: Momentum Rumbler
Momentum Rumbler is an interesting new option for red aggressive strategies. Four mana for a 3/3 with first strike is an okay rate, but once Momentum Rumbler gets double strike, it’ll become a serious threat. It’s also worth noting that if you have a way to give this creature first strike right away, it’ll gain double strike on its first attack. It’s a bit unfortunate that Momentum Rumbler doesn’t have any actual evasion, meaning you may have to pair it with something else in order to deal as much damage with it as possible. Still, at the very least I expect this four-drop dinosaur will be a very solid budget option for red aggressive/stompy decks.
#5: Everquill Phoenix
Speaking of sweet red four-drops, Everquill Phoenix is an efficiently-costed flyer whether you’re casting it normally or for its mutate cost. Similar to a number of other mutate-creatures, you’ll usually get the most value out of this card by mutating it onto a smaller creature, turning it into a 4/4 flyer that can be partially revived after it dies. The Feather token does return Everquill Phoenix to the battlefield tapped, but this downside is mostly mitigated by the fact that the token can also be sacrificed at instant-speed. Despite all of its upsides, I’m not entirely sure what decks Everquill Phoenix easily fits into. It could certainly function well enough at the top-end of an aggressive deck’s mana curve, but there’s a lot of competition at the four-drop slot nowadays. I’m not entirely sure what homes Everquill Phoenix will ultimately find in Oathbreaker, but I look forward to trying it out.
#4: Yidaro, Wandering Monster
As cool as it is, I am not interested in Yidaro, Wandering Monster for its janky four-time cycling trigger. I, personally, am most interested in the fact that it’s an 8/8 with trample and haste, which is a pretty fast clock by Oathbreaker standards. Although most Oathbreaker decks don’t typically make it to seven mana, green/red ramp strategies could certainly hard-cast Yidaro without too much difficulty. You could also always include Yidaro in a polymorph or reanimator strategy and look to cheat him into play instead, and the fact that he has haste and trample means he’s almost assured to get in some amount damage the turn he hits the field. He’s also, coincidentally, another two-mana cycler for any cycling decks, and those strategies may even get the chance to cycle him more than once. I can’t wait to see all of the different ways players are going to make this big old turtle work in Oathbreaker.
#3: Weaponize the Monsters
While it’s no Goblin Bombardment, I think Weaponize the Monsters will prove to be of a surprisingly similar power level. Dealing two damage for sacrificing one creature is a pretty good deal, especially since it can be thrown at any target. The only thing holding this card back is its additional two-mana cost to activate, but I don’t think that will stop it from seeing play in Oathbreaker. The upfront cost of the enchantment itself couldn’t realistically be any lower, and this kind of effect could easily help a red aristocrats strategy close out a game quickly. It’s always fun to see new sacrifice outlets, and Weaponize the Monsters is a fair, but strong, addition to red’s options.
#2: Blisterspit Gremlin
Blisterspit Gremlin has the potential to deal similarly large amounts of damage as Drannith Stinger over the course of a game, but Blisterspit Gremlin also has the perk of not being limited to one particular archetype. Having to pay one mana to activate it is definitely less than ideal, but that won’t stop this little fella from dealing a ton of damage to your opponents. Burn decks and spellslinger strategies are the two most obvious homes for this card, but I could even see it working in a Saheeli, Sublime Artificer + Thoughtcast shell. Basically, if there’s an Oathbreaker deck running Firebrand Archer, it’s probably also going to want to find room for Blisterspit Gremlin. Man, what a solid common.
#1: Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast
What excites me most about Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast is that his abilities are pretty unique amongst the various options for mono-red Oathbreakers, and they’re all fairly powerful abilities to boot. Lukka’s +1 ability is some solid card advantage, by red’s standards, and its wording ensures you’ll have access to any exiled creature spells even if you’re forced to replay Lukka. His -2 ability is also worded in a way the ensures you’ll hit a bigger creature than whatever your exile target was, and it’s the perfect kind of ability for a polymorph strategy. To top it all off, his -7 is pretty reachable as far as ultimate abilities go, and it can potentially deal enough damage to take multiple opponents out of a game. I’m super psyched to see how different players build around Lukka and see what Signature Spells get paired with him.
What are your favorite red cards from Ikoria? Are there any red cards you’re particularly excited to try out in Oathbreaker? Make sure to tell me in the comments or on Twitter! I’ll be back tomorrow with my Top 10 Green Cards from Ikoria for Oathbreaker.
About the author: My name is Alex Enders. I am a college student that’s been playing MTG for almost eight years, though I only recently began experimenting with writing content. My personal formats of choice are Oathbreaker, EDH, and draft. My other interests include music, education, and most things nerdy. You can find me on Twitter (@AAAEnders) or email me at aenders2112@gmail.com