Pointed Discussion

another one of those "how have they not printed this before!?" cards.

Sure, if you play two or three of them while having a token army or a number of doublestrikers, that's quite an effect. Most of the time though this card will just not do enough to be worth a card slot.

Hello Goblins... I hear you want to swing a little harder? well raise your banner's
great potential , some crackpot Timmy will make you respect this card, you mark my words.
2.5 out of 5

Scare Tactics in a more useful colour... about time!

Boring, probably decent for Limited. Yes, it is a wonder that something this simple hadn't seen print in red yet.

How have they not printed this before? It's simple--they have! A little card by the name of Hearth Charm was printed in Visions and is actually much, much better in that it allows for not one, but three useful choices. Other than in Standard, please consider running Hearth Charm instead.

@Eternal_Blue I think lorendorky might know about Hearth Charm (or even Scare Tactics).
Hearth Charm is a far more wordy multiple-choice card. While you are right, that this is pretty much the better choice in eternal formats, it's not strictly better either. (It affects attacking creatures, which does make a difference if you have something like Spikeshot Goblin or want to cast this card during your opponent's turn for some reason. Or if you're playing 2HG.)

What he was merely getting at was his surprise how this particular effect hasn't been printed yet after all the years. He has a point, i could easily imagine a card as simple as that (possibly even with that particular name) in one of the earliest Sets.

My guess is that this will see occational reprint in upcoming Core Sets...

I also think it still deserves more than a rating below 1.9 (12 votes as of now). With a little swarm of creatures this can make quite a difference for a single mana - also since it's an instant this can be a handy combat trick for some unsuspected lethal damage. I'd say this is more around 2.5.

Not a great card by any means, but it went a long way in my wins at the prerelease. Casting Thatcher Revolt then this (with other creatures already on the field) really helped me take chunks out of opponents' life totals.

I'd rate the art a 3/5 and the flavor (not just the flavor text, but how it fits within the story of AVR) a 4/5. The effect fits in red's slice of the color pie, the price is right, but it probably won't see much if any serious constructed play. 3/5 overall.

Battle cry for a turn. Meh. There's better things red can do for one mana.

This can be an overlooked card. It's not a head turner, but for all the token spamming goodness recently, that can hit pretty hard if you're netting 5+ additional power for a single mana. 3/5

Token deck Viagra, raising all those banners

I do feel this card is rated a little low on the basis of how limited is for the new set. I do agree 2.5 would be closer to appropriate.

I have trouble believing how low this card is rated. Yes, it isn't reds finest, but in any kind of token-spamming deck, it can be brutal. At the very least, if you get through three unblocked creatures, it's the same as a Lightning Bolt- 3 damage for R. If you're running tokens and can't manage three or more unblocked creatures, either you're playing against another token deck or you aren't playing your deck right.

4/5

Run Sinew Sliver or Muscle Sliver instead.

When I saw the art for this card (at the time, the actual card had yet to be spoiled), I had hoped it was a reprint of Coat of Arms.

Not the best answer to your opponent's Hold the Line

This is not even worth a card, just add a creature with battlecry, it's not hard, seriously. This is not what any deck wants, even if it was put on a stick. The only constructed play this card will see is as a proxy. It's barely even playable in limited ... Now if it was +2+0, that would be a limited card! But, no, no, too broken. *sigh* They should have tried to make it at least playable as a 13th pick. Drafting red in m13 had 3 easy to get chase cards. Goblin Arsonist, Krenko's Command, and Arms Dealer, if you curved correctly into that, it was game over. This card just makes no sense. Maybe run this with Odric, Master Tactician in limited? I don't know, I'm trying here ... this card is terrible.

0.5/5

Limited fodder.

Wow. Guys this card won me games in R/W human agro. I really don't see why you all are hating on it. Yeah, battle cry is awesome, but for standard? Standard agro could find a use for this card, especially chaining creatures with haste. A couple small creatures hitting for 1 or 2 each before turn 3? pretty good. those creatures now hitting for more, dealing a surprisingly large amount of damage turn 3? Great. It definitely puts opponents on the clock, especially if you can drop out more than 1.