Every Magic: The Gathering player loves the classic card Young Pyromancer. It’s been a staple for years in both legacy and modern, with the fiery kid making tokens left and right. But what if he grew up? The brand new mythic rare spoiler from Modern Horizons answers that question: enter the Seasoned Pyromancer!
[irp posts=”24038″ name=”New Mythic card Morophon, the Boundless revealed for Modern Horizons”]
Breakdown
Like the aforementioned Young Pyromancer, Seasoned Pyromancer also makes 1/1 red elemental tokens. However, instead of casting spells to make the tokens, you instead discard 2 cards and then draw 2. You make a token for every non-land you discard, so usually you’ll make one or two. This does, unfortunately, make him a vanilla 2/2 for 3 if you draw him late game or have only lands in hand.
It is important to note that his discard effect doesn’t happen until he enters the battlefield, so you won’t get blown out by a counterspell. His graveyard effect reminds me of Lingering Souls, flashing back for 5 mana to make 2 more tokens.
So where does Seasoned Pyromancer fit in modern? My first instinct is to put him in a deck like Dredge. The fact that he discards two cards before you draw lets you pitch any dredge cards you have, then dredge back any you pitched. He also has a graveyard effect, which in some ways makes him a bit better than Cathartic Reunion. The mana cost is a bit tougher, but it gives you more upside to what was a simple draw spell.
Another possible home is in Mardu Pyromancer, discarding spells to fill up your grave for a Bedlam Reveler while swarming the board. It could also work as a possible option for Jund decks to filter cards or to discard to a Liliana of the Veil and flashback later.
For more Modern Horizons spoilers like Seasoned Pyromancer, keep tabs on our Magic: The Gathering page. For a full recap of yesterday’s reveals, check out our full May 19 spoilers rundown.
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