His straightforward design makes him a favorite for players who prefer a reliable, heavy offensive playstyle, providing a sturdy anchor that fits perfectly into various deck types
Lava Coil certainly has a bigger kill range than Doom Blade being able to target anything and killing a touch over 88% of those things in my cube
(Yep, it was a precon rare!) Since that day, it has made Hand of Cruelty into a tournament threat, been banned from Modern, helped justify the existence of creature decks in Legacy, and proven to be unbeatable past the second charge counter
He can strike and block as usual because of his vigilance and flight skills, but he can also stop creatures by flying without tapping
It's a solid commander if a little slow
The intention is to tweak the templating of the ability without actually changing it mechanically