Removal – 187s
For this cycle, I’m showcasing some solid two-mana creatures that can also spot remove various unwanted cards from your opponents. Inspired by the original cycle of 187s from Visions and the original cycle of two mana gold 2/2s from Invasion, I present my removal creatures.
Here we have an awesome Wizard that plays very nicely with my favorite Wizard tribal card: Riptide Laboratory. This guy comes flying out of the wings to protect you or your board from unwanted spells.
This guy is essentially a smaller Sister of Silence that can’t stop triggered or activated abilities or a Mystic Snake that can only counter instant or sorcery spells.
This guy is probably the most powerful in the cycle, allowing you to get rid of those pesky non-basic lands that everyone relies on these days AND providing you with a 2/2 defender.
I think this card is balanced by the fact that the opponent can get their land back by re-subjugating the refugees that fled to your side of the board and that using the creature to block is likely to result in that happening.
Speaking of switching sides, here we have a deserter who left your opponent, leaving a 2/2 hole in their ranks while providing you with a body. This traitor won’t defend the enemy he previously fought against (i.e., you), but he will attack their old controller, and that’s just as good.
This card highlights my first personal keyword: craven (This creature can’t block). The first time I saw it was on a couple of cards in Portal, and I’m surprised it hasn’t been keyworded since.
This guy comes out swinging and immediately breaks something, whether you want him to or not. An improvement over previous iterations such as Uktabi Orangutan, Manic Vandal, and my personal favorite, Plundering Barbarian.
I decided to make this guy a Barbarian instead of a Warrior since this cycle is also showcasing abandoned creature types, though he could possibly be both.
White and green have so many creatures that get rid of enchantments when they hit the board that linking to all of them would be impractical. They also have numerous 2/2 creatures with vigilance for two mana, including a hybrid.
The fact that this card doesn’t give you the choice of destroying an enchantment might be too big a drawback, especially in a color pair that historically gets a lot of enchantment synergy.