"The Need For Removal:A List of Khans of Tarkir Removal Spells"

"The Need For Removal:A List of Khans of Tarkir Removal Spells"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

Spot Removal has always been a crucial piece in winning games. A single removal spell can be the difference between surviving and having an 8/8 creature trampling all over you.

As a sort of follow-up to "Khans of Tarkir PR: Exploiting Each Clan Mechanic Weakness" I am writing this handy spot removal list. One of my readers Andy Baker mentioned that removal is key and knowing what is available in this limited set should give you the edge over your opponents. I have sorted this out by color and found some important differences in how each color takes care of pesky creatures.

Removal means any spell or ability that removes a threat from the battlefield.So I will not be listing Despise because of its discard effect.I will not be touching on Deathtouch for creatures as well. Same goes for Naturalize and Shatter that is reprinted in this set.These are the spells that you should be on the look out for when you crack open your packs. Good Defense or so the saying goes.So here it we go:

Black: Traditionally has the best spot removal available for every set. We just have to see for Khans of Tarkir.

Means of removal:

(1)Forces player to Sacrifice creatures(Dead Drop)

(2)Aura giving -2/-2 on creature(Debilitating Injury)

(3)Destroys Target Creature(Murderous Cut,Rite of the Serpent)

(4) Spells that give -4/-4 to creatures(Throttle)

Total Number of removal spells:5

Blue:No longer content with just denying spells. Blue now has monsters and aggressive creatures as well as a handful of nasty unconventional removal spells.

Means of removal:

(1)Tapping creatures , they don't untap on their controllers next untap step  (Crippling Chill,Quiet Contemplation,Singing Bell Strike)

(2)Bounce to owners hand (Force Away,Water Whirl)

(3)Tapping creatures(Icy Blast) 

(4)Putting Non-land permanents on top of owners library(Set adrift)

(5)Returning tapped creatures to their owners hands(Thousand Winds)

Total Number of removal spells:8

Green: Green traditionally has the biggest creatures in any given set and in this set the color seems more occupied with putting counters and making things big. So it makes sense that green doesn't need spot removal as much. It has big creatures that could clobber attackers.

Means of removal:

(1)Fighting(Savage Punch)

(2)X Damage to flying creatures(Windstorm)

Total Number of removal spells:2

Red:Red has always done double duty because it has cards that could kill creatures as well as damage players as well. There are a few in this set as well.

Means of removal:

(1)Gain Control of opposing creatures(Act of Treason)

(2)Direct Damage(Arc Lightning,Arrow Storm,Barrage of Boulders,Bring Low,Burnaway,Crater's Claws,Sarkhan,The Dragonspeaker)

Total Number of removal spells:8

White: White doesn't seem to be packing a lot of tapping power like it did in previous sets but in a limited environment where the best mass removal spell is End Hostilities expect this color to shine in the creature killing department

Means of removal:

(1)Tapping Creatures(Dazzling ramparts)

(2)Mass Removal(End Hostilities)

(3)Destroying target attacker(Kill Shot)

(4)Destroying creature with power 4 or greater(Smite the Monstrous)

(5)Exiling a creature with 3 or greater toughness(Suspension Field)

Total Number of removal spells:5

Multicolored Spells: Since we are now about to play with Wedges we would be finding ourselves playing a lot of multicolored spells and here are the awesome line up of removal spells that should be available in our arsenal.

Means of removal:

(1)Exiling Creature with 3 toughness or greater (Abzhan Charm)

(2)Tapping a Blocking or Attacking Creature (Bribers Purse)

(3)Forcing Each Opponent to Sacrifice a creature with greatest power he or she controls(Crackling Doom)

(4)Giving -2/-2 to all creatures(Death Frenzy)

(5)Destroying all other creature , Player chooses on creature that survives(Duneblast)

(6)Direct damage to creature when it attacks(Heartpiercer) 

(7)Returning another target creature to owners hand when turned face up(Icefeather Aven) 

(8)Putting target creature on top of owners library(Jeskai Charm)

(9)4 direct damage to target creature(Mardu charm)

(10)Draw a card. Deals damage to creature in play equal to number of cards in your hand(Master the way)

(11)Destroying target blocking creature(Ride down)

(12)Forcing opponents to sacrifice creatures(Sorin,Solemn Visitor Emblem)

(13)Destroying Mono-Colored Creature(Sultai charm)

(14)Fighting(Temur charm) 

(15)Exiling target non-land permanent(Utter End) 

(16)Tapping or Dealing 2 damage to creature(Winter Flame)

Total Number of removal spells:16

So there we have it. The multicolored spells are the most abundant source of removal while in contrast green only has 2 removal spells at its disposal. By now you have already chosen your clans and know what banners to raise. Make sure that you know what your opponents will be raising as well so that you could prepare the proper removal of choice.

As an added bonus this is a graveyard hate Anti Sultai removal area:

Cranial Archive(target player shuffle graveyard to lib,Burnaway(Exiles all cards in graveyard)