In formats where Shocklands and Fetchlands are common, this can easily put someone down to critical levels
More land drops will lead to more lands being sacrificed and more elementals
Doubling life loss is a very easy way to turn cards like Zulaport Cutthroat, Blood Artist, and Gray Merchant of Asphodel into quick or even immediate game enders
It gets more efficient the more mana you have, which is why it seems to be a better option as a large X spell finisher than most
The set had eight major creature types (Elementals, Elves, Faeries, Giants, Goblins, Kithkin, Merfolk, and Treefolk), and the majority of creatures in the block were one of those types