Posting this out here as opposed to the actual deck discussion threads as it applies to red in general and I thought it might generate more discussion. What I want to know, is why do players put Combust in their sideboard? I get that it can't be countered, but it seems like a really narrow card.
Take the sideboard for a recent MTGO PTQ Boros winner:
The rest of the sideboard makes complete sense to me - Blood Moon completely shuts down many decks relying on shock/fetchlands and others; Rule of Law shuts down a few different decks including Storm; Disenchant is good against a swath of decks, especially ones that will board in Leyline of Sanctity in Game 2 and makes more sense than Shatterstorm in a deck without the ability to replicate 3-4 red mana early on. So why would Red run Combustion card over, say, Volcanic Fallout for aggro, Relic of Progenitus, Shrine of Burning Rage etc? The only target I can imagine for it in a scenario where counterspells are a concern is one creature, and that would be Delver.
I just honestly want to know if I'm missing something or possibly have this popular sideboard choice for Red explained to me.
It kills both Pestermite and Deceiver Exarch uncounterably, which is very nice against the Splinter Twin decks. It also makes short work of guys in aggressive blue Delver of Secrets/Faeries decks, and is another card to bring in against any kind of white deck with guys.
Delver and Twin are the big ones I guess, I can't really think of any other deck that would warrant Combust. Getting a 2 for 1 against Twin is pretty huge if they go for the Splinter Twin win.
Take the sideboard for a recent MTGO PTQ Boros winner:
4 Rule of Law
4 Disenchant
3 Combust
The rest of the sideboard makes complete sense to me - Blood Moon completely shuts down many decks relying on shock/fetchlands and others; Rule of Law shuts down a few different decks including Storm; Disenchant is good against a swath of decks, especially ones that will board in Leyline of Sanctity in Game 2 and makes more sense than Shatterstorm in a deck without the ability to replicate 3-4 red mana early on. So why would Red run Combustion card over, say, Volcanic Fallout for aggro, Relic of Progenitus, Shrine of Burning Rage etc? The only target I can imagine for it in a scenario where counterspells are a concern is one creature, and that would be Delver.
I just honestly want to know if I'm missing something or possibly have this popular sideboard choice for Red explained to me.
(Also known as Xenphire)
This is the entire reason this card is sideboarded, and, tbh, it's a good reason. It makes that matchup virtually an auto-win after game 1.
CG