Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Crafting the Optimal Aggro Curve with Battle Plan
In red-themed shells, tempo isn't just a vibe—it’s a game plan. Battle Plan from Modern Horizons 2 arrives as a compact, two-edged tool: it pumps one of your attackers right when you need that extra punch, and it hands you a flexible pathway to mana acceleration through basic landcycling. For players who joyfully chase that perfect turn-three or turn-four push, this enchantment helps you keep pressure while maintaining reach. And yes, the imagery of a battlefield where brave combatants are literally being told to “plan” their approach feels delightfully on-brand for red’s reckless optimism 🧙♂️🔥.
What this card brings to the table
- Mana cost and color identity: {3}{R} makes Battle Plan a sturdy, midrange-enabling pick in aggressive red decks. Its color identity and rarity as common keep it accessible for budget builds and new players exploring modern red archetypes.
- Combat pump on a turn-near-instant: At the beginning of combat on your turn, a target creature you control gets +2/+0 until end of turn. That extra two points of power can be the difference between a clean tap-out or a stubborn stalemate.
- Dual utility through cycling: Basic landcycling {1}{R} lets you discard to search for a basic land, then reveal it and put it into your hand. This is not just a late-game fuel for mana—it's a machine for stabilizing your mana base and keeping your threats online even when the draw isn’t cooperative. The card’s broader suite also includes Typecycling, a nod to the vibrant cycling subtheme of Modern Horizons 2. In practice, that means you’ve got resilient options to sculpt your turn-by-turn plan even when the battlefield is less than ideal.
- Foil or nonfoil availability: A nice contrast for collectors and players who love tactile differences in their decks; both finishes appear across MH2, including Battle Plan’s foil treatment.
Curve philosophy: rate, pressure, and fallbacks
Aggro decks crave continuity. You want to deploy threats on turns 1–3 and keep applying pressure without stalling out. Battle Plan slots into the third or fourth dot of your curve, turning a solid attacker into a weapon that presses for lethal damage in conjunction with other pump spells or equipment. The enchantment’s trigger is a proactive tool: you’re not waiting to react to your opponent—you’re orchestrating the tempo of the battlefield.
“Press the advantage, don’t chase it.” The Plan rewards you when you’ve stacked cheap, aggressive bodies and are ready to flood the board with forward momentum. It’s the kind of card that makes you smile when your 2-drop’s power gets a surprise upgrade on combat steps 🧙♂️⚔️.
Practical sequencing: a sample turn-by-turn thought process
Consider a standard red aggro line with a mix of early prowess and reliable reach. Your ideal start might look like this on a typical turn sequence:
- Turn 1: Play a Mountain, drop a low-cost 1-drop threat if possible; keep developing the board.
- Turn 2: Add another threat or a mana acceleration piece, setting up your next push.
- Turn 3: Cast Battle Plan targeting your strongest attacker. As combat begins, that creature swings in with an extra +2 power, often vaulting you past critical life totals or forcing unfavorable blocks for your opponent.
- Turn 4 and beyond: Use Basic landcycling to fetch a land when you need color fixing or an extra land drop to keep the mana flowing. The cycling ability keeps you from stalling if you draw a hand light on lands or choked by mana issues.
In practice, you’ll want to pair Battle Plan with creatures that already offer a solid baseline statline. The two-added power on a single attacker can be the nudge you need to break through a shield of blockers, especially when the law of averages lines up with a few well-timed pulls from your basic lands. And because you’re not banking on a single topdeck win, the landcycling option preserves viability across the midgame, ensuring you don’t fall behind just because a draw was a touch land-light 🔥💎.
Deck-building notes: synergy, meta, and value
- Synergy with red staples: Battle Plan works well alongside other aggressive spells and pump effects. It’s not a one-trick pony; the pump effect can be leveraged with any creature you’d like to push past blockers or lethal damage thresholds.
- Mana resilience via landcycling: The {1}{R} cycling cost makes it feasible to trim excess cards from your hand while fixing your mana—particularly useful in builds that lean on a rapid turn-three or turn-four beatdown.
- Budget-friendly entry point: The card’s common rarity and MH2 print status keeps it approachable for new players exploring Modern Horizons 2’s draft-inventive design. It’s the kind of card that elicits a quick grin when you realize you can dedicate more of your budget to spicy sideboard options or fetch lands for consistent color presence.
- Collector angle: Foil copies can be a nice centerpiece in a red aggressive deck, pairing the fiery aesthetic with a budget-friendly baseline that many players appreciate.
Flavor, art, and the bigger picture
The artwork from Modern Horizons 2, illustrated by Paul Scott Canavan, embodies the kinetic energy of a battlefield where fervor meets planning. The card’s flavor resonates with red’s iconic swagger: a quick plan, a quick strike, and the willingness to pivot when the board shifts. It’s a reminder that even in a fast game, strategy matters as much as speed 🧙♂️🎨.
As you experiment with Battle Plan, you’ll discover that the curve isn’t just a line on a page—it’s a living strategy. The card’s ability to both deliver a burst of damage and gently smooth your mana curve makes it a thoughtful addition to any red aggro roster, especially in formats where Modern Horizons 2’s design language shines brightest. And if you’re browsing for a way to stay connected with your playgroup or transport your deck-building notes while you commute, a high-detail phone case can be a reliable companion for those long practice sessions on the go.
For players who want a tangible reminder of the thrill of a well-executed turn, consider exploring the MH2 lineup and testing Battle Plan in a real-world aggro shell. It’s the kind of card that invites you to think about not just what you play, but how you plate your tempo on the battlefield—one fierce, calculated attack at a time 🧙♂️⚔️💎.