The race is run in the mind before the first step is taken. Dosan the Falling Leaf Illustrated by Jeff Easley Standard Not Legal Alchemy Not Legal Pioneer Not Legal Historic Not Legal Modern Legal Brawl Not Legal Legacy Legal Comp
Also note you can play any creature in your hand for generic mana, so if you dont have the right mana, no one cares
Against any agro deck he is a poor tempo play, even when you get to shoot them for three or four you will still generally lose tempo over a deck making plays that impact more on the board with their three mana
Its making me contemplate being active for a season and playing in person constructed, just to get all of the goodies
There is not much that can block a big Deaths Shadow, however, many of the common removal spells of the format can take care of it, until Lurrus Deaths Shadow and the namesake deck are emblematic for how Magic is played today, interrupt your opponent, play a cheap strong threat and counter whatever your opponent tries to play against you
This disparity in timing also explains why leylines tend to be so matchup-dependent