So I noticed in the latest Perilous Research column that mono-red decks are starting to play Reckless Waif in the main deck over Stromkirk Noble. For the life of me though, I can't figure out why this would be a good idea. As a sideboard, yes, phenomenal, but so many of the decks I play against have one-drop spells, and it you sacrifice a turn to flip Waif, I feel like you're losing more tempo than you gain.
probably has to do with the online metagame in which less and less aggro decks (or decks with turn 1 players) exist, making it far more likely to flip right away coupled with the fact that stromkirk gets outclassed often by things like augur of bolas or centaur healers.
your local FNM may be different, in which case this isn't the correct call. its a meta-dependent decision.
Blue is the best color ever. How do you deal?
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I play RDW occasionally and have Reckless waif in the main. Reason being, if I am not playing humans it is a better 1 drop for me. At some point either I will have 2 in play and skip playing a car on 4th turn to turn them or my opponent will have a less than ideal hand and not play a card on 2 or 3rd turn...hell maybe even first turn! Either way I get a 3/2, whereas if I played stromkirk noble (who IS in my sideboard for humans) I get a 1/1 who might (and less often than you think) pump and build with the game for 1R mana......I have better results with the waif, and hey, if your opponent has a great curve and is aggro just switch him out second game!
Waif is an interesting card, but the most important consideration in playing it should come with if you are on the play or not. For this reason I think it's a fantastic replacement 1-drop for the sideboard- but it's usefulness in the maindeck strikes me as something to be very cautious about. Considering that most metas right now are punishing "small" play, it might be difficult to make Waif particularly good.
Most of the good werewolves are in this finnicky situation where they are potential blowout cards, even without flipping- but the game is warped into such a durdly state that even Half-tongue Kavu has it's utility compromised.
