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Counterplay Against Ral, Izzet Viceroy: Blue-Red Strategies
Few planeswalkers in Guilds of Ravnica feel as on-brand for a chaotic Izzet shell as Ral, Izzet Viceroy. With a crisp mana cost of {3}{U}{R} and a respectable starting loyalty of 5, this legendary planeswalker isn’t just a sticker on your battlefield—it’s a gateway to tempo, card draw, and potentially brutal burn pressure. As a blue-red powerhouse, Ral rewards you for being precise: he nudges your game plan along with clever disruption and immediate card selection, but he also tempts you to underestimate the danger of a well-timed emblem. 🧙♂️🔥💎
Ral's abilities:
+1: Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other into your graveyard.
−3: Ral deals damage to target creature equal to the total number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard.
−8: You get an emblem with "Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, this emblem deals 4 damage to any target and you draw two cards."
That three-move toolkit creates a delicate balance. He’s not a stomp—he’s a driver of tempo and inevitability, especially in decks that love to stack instants and sorceries. The +1 dig helps him deploy threats faster while fueling his own growth through the graveyard. The −3 punishes you for having a lively graveyard and exile domain, turning your scraps into a potential firestorm. And the −8 emblem, the cherry on top, can turn every spell you cast into a mini duel between you, Ral, and the game state itself. The result is a blue-red puzzle: how do you stop the man who loves to shuffle fate with flashy spellwork? 🎲💥
Three practical angles to counter Ral in classic formats
- Interrupt before impact: In multicolor games, your best bet is to disrupt Ral before he accrues too much value. A well-timed counterspell or a bounce effect can deny him the +1 and push the game into your comfort zone. If you’re playing a control shell, prioritize keeping him from loading the top of his library and marching toward the emblem. A single clean removal spell or a hard counter can derail the entire chain, especially if you can catch him as he tries to deploy a critical instant or sorcery to fuel his -3. 🧙♂️
- Plan around the emblem, not just the walker: The -8 emblem is a hard reset mechanic that rewards you for staying efficient with your spells. If your deck leans heavily on instants and sorceries, the emblem’s draws and damage can flip the game fast. Think about your sequencing: leaning on non-instant threats or using spells that don’t trigger the emblem can keep your plan intact while you neutralize Ral. When you do cast, aim to end the game quickly to minimize the emblem’s long-term payoff. ⚔️
- Manage the graveyard and exile count strategically: Since Ral’s −3 cares about the number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard, you can leverage that dynamic. If you’re the defending deck, avoid fielding too many instants or sorceries in a way that feeds his damage engine. On the flip side, if you’re playing a hybrid tempo deck, you can use that trait against him by pressuring him with fast threats while carefully curating which cards go to graveyard. It’s a delicate dance—feed or starve, depending on the board state. 🧭
In practice, most blue-red matchups against Ral revolve around tempo, counterplay, and smart removal timing. You’ll want to dominate the early turns with cheap threats or countermagic, then pivot to answered-to-go plan with your own threats that do not rely on instant or sorcery-based tempo exclusively. A classic plan is to tempo out your opponent and force him to spend mana on non-necessary plays, letting you stick an actual win condition on the table before the emblem can snowball out of control. The art of the matchup is about knowing when to press the gas and when to peel back to a defensive stance. 🧙♂️🎨
Communication with your playgroup about the exact balance of counterspells, bounce effects, and removal can help tailor a deck that thrives on the Izzet tempo while minimizing the risk of a blowout draw from the emblem. This is where the flavor of blue-red really shines: you’re always recalibrating, always calculating, and always ready to pivot to the next combination that keeps you alive until you slam a finishing spell or overrun with a timely threat. The thrill of watching a well-timed removal spell deny Ral’s ambitions and swing momentum back in your favor is part of why we play this game with such joy. 🧙♂️🔥
“Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, this emblem deals 4 damage to any target and you draw two cards.” This line isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a reminder that in the Izzet universe, speed and intellect collide. Plan your moves with surgical precision, and you’ll master the rhythm of blue-red counterplay.”
Thinking about deck tech and sideboarding
- In most formats, include a handful of reliable counterspells to deny Ral’s arrival in the first place.
- Include targeted removal to answer Ral on sight, ideally before he activates the +1—anything that can hit Planeswalkers works here.
- Consider bounce or removal suites that slow the tempo while you develop your own threats or finishers.
- Sideboard adjustments should center on your local metagame—more artifact destruction if opponents lean into the emblem-fueled mash, otherwise more counter magic and disruption for control mirrors.
As you brew for glory, keep a sense of humor about the neon chaos that is Ral’s world. The Izzet aren’t shy about drama, and Ral is a walking microcosm of that aesthetic—balanced between calculation and spark, ready to ignite a game at a moment’s notice. If you’re collecting cards, this one’s a striking centerpiece—the mythic rarity, the iconic color pair, and the art by Kieran Yanner all harmonize into a memorable piece of the GRN era. And when you’re ready to settle into your own creative space, nothing pairs better with late-night deck-building sessions than a comfy desk accessory that lets you focus on the play-by-play. 🔥🎨🧩
Feeling inspired to upgrade your desk and your game nights? Check out this customizable desk mouse pad to keep your setup pristine as you draft, brew, and duel. Design, slip in your favorite card sleeves, and ride the next wave of magic with confidence.