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Magic: the GAFering |OT2|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
- Start date
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
So which hard counter do you guys see replacing dissipate?
I figure with Cavern rotating out, counterspells are going to be much bigger again.
I like render silent. It's clause isn't often important, but it's been usefull. Either way, it's a nice hard counter in the colors that look like will be a deck.
Hoping UWR becomes good post rotation so I can play Counterflux. And if Esper becomes a thing, I wouldn't be mad at casting a pretty easty to cast counter spell. Especially since graveyard shenanigans are gone.
So, uh. Depends?
Agreed. Grakl found a few copies in my room and I ended up sneaking a playset into our "find a way to play this shit in standard" pile.
Esper seems like the best bet for a control shell that can dodge bad breath derg.
Doom Blade and Psychic Strike means we don't have to main 4x Essense Scatter just to play around it. I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of counterspells that do nothing against Rakdos's Return... especially only as a metagame decision against a deck that'll run multiple copies of Rakdos's Return.
I think a 2-2 split of essence scatter is correct.
Keru_Shiri
Member
Good idea! I didn't even think of that. I don't know if I can do a full playset, but I could probably pin down a couple of copies and get the rest eventually with trades and FNM winnings. Plus my friends and I typically split a few boxes with dibs on our respective colors.
2 Scatter, 2 Blade?
I meant two main two side, but that works too.
Having both Counterflux and Physic Strike means that Grixis control is viable even with the loss of forbidden alchemy there is till Far//Away, Turn//Burn, Ral Zerek, Jace, charms and Doom blade. All that is missing is a good draw power card, I would say Opportunity but a cheaper one would be better such as Thought Scour and Forbidden Alchemy but they go with cavern of souls.
The win would then come from a Rakdos return or mill through Psychic Spiral/Jace.
Also Young Pyromancer and Duskmantle seer for when you need to attack.
Could this be where control goes after rotation?
The win would then come from a Rakdos return or mill through Psychic Spiral/Jace.
Also Young Pyromancer and Duskmantle seer for when you need to attack.
Could this be where control goes after rotation?
UWR will be a bit weaker with the duolands rotating out. Plus, I think Burning Earth is the reason why you see more U/W decks lately. Render Silent will be the way to go, although i think you'll just see Cancel being played in place (that W may be restrictive).
I agree that dragon is probably the best thing revealed so far. One keyword that's lackin in this set so far is haste. In a format that's supposed to slow down, Stormbreath Dragon is beating your face in fast and in the air.
A thought for regular azorius -- can we just race the dragon with Fiendslayer Paladin, Voyage's End/Cyclonic Rift, and Aetherling?
Sphinx's Revelation gains us enough life that being hit for 4 occasionally later in the game doesn't scare me too too much. Honestly, post-board -- when we have the full set of supreme verdicts in to deal with early aggression -- we have to be able to deal with the extremely real threat of a cerberus dropping the turn after a dragon, once we've exhausted our removal. We just can't let it become monstrous.
Fiendslayer Paladin profitably blocks every aggressive 1-3 drop in the format, with the exception of Boros Reckoner. It also can attack Chandra, albeit slowly, while chandra pings it to get attacks through.
Aetherling is still a clock, but I don't know how comfortable I am using it as a fast clock -- getting fogged by a magma jet could swing the game in our opponent's favor if we don't have the mana to pump it back to an X/3.
Voyage's End gives us some lategame dig while temporarily dealing with an attacker.
It isn't a great situation to be in, sure, but our "tap out and do shit" plan is still pretty fast.... and that's considering that we can have 8-9 counterspells capable of delaying our opponent post-board.
I'd say these 30 spells are our shell. I'm sure people will argue about the playset of Fiendslayers, but I'm 100% convinced they're correct.
Creatures:
4 Fiendslayer Paladin
2 Aetherling
1 Angel of Serenity
Spells:
4 Azorius Charm
2 Essence Scatter
3 Detention Sphere
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
2 Supreme Verdict
4 Syncopate
4 Sphinx's Revelation
here's an example manabase, it gets much worse if we don't get Nimbus Maze:
4 W/U Nimbus Maze
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Azorius Guildgate
9 Island
8 Plains
and here's an example sideboard:
SB:
2 Negate
2 Essence Scatter
2 Pithing Needle
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Dispel
2 Cancel/Render Silent
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Voyage's End
1 Keening Apparition
How do we fill out the remaining 3-4 slots in this deck? Another Angel? Cyclonic rift in the main? More countermagic? Full set of D. Spheres?
Sphinx's Revelation gains us enough life that being hit for 4 occasionally later in the game doesn't scare me too too much. Honestly, post-board -- when we have the full set of supreme verdicts in to deal with early aggression -- we have to be able to deal with the extremely real threat of a cerberus dropping the turn after a dragon, once we've exhausted our removal. We just can't let it become monstrous.
Fiendslayer Paladin profitably blocks every aggressive 1-3 drop in the format, with the exception of Boros Reckoner. It also can attack Chandra, albeit slowly, while chandra pings it to get attacks through.
Aetherling is still a clock, but I don't know how comfortable I am using it as a fast clock -- getting fogged by a magma jet could swing the game in our opponent's favor if we don't have the mana to pump it back to an X/3.
Voyage's End gives us some lategame dig while temporarily dealing with an attacker.
It isn't a great situation to be in, sure, but our "tap out and do shit" plan is still pretty fast.... and that's considering that we can have 8-9 counterspells capable of delaying our opponent post-board.
I'd say these 30 spells are our shell. I'm sure people will argue about the playset of Fiendslayers, but I'm 100% convinced they're correct.
Creatures:
4 Fiendslayer Paladin
2 Aetherling
1 Angel of Serenity
Spells:
4 Azorius Charm
2 Essence Scatter
3 Detention Sphere
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
2 Supreme Verdict
4 Syncopate
4 Sphinx's Revelation
here's an example manabase, it gets much worse if we don't get Nimbus Maze:
4 W/U Nimbus Maze
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Azorius Guildgate
9 Island
8 Plains
and here's an example sideboard:
SB:
2 Negate
2 Essence Scatter
2 Pithing Needle
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Dispel
2 Cancel/Render Silent
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Voyage's End
1 Keening Apparition
How do we fill out the remaining 3-4 slots in this deck? Another Angel? Cyclonic rift in the main? More countermagic? Full set of D. Spheres?
I think I want at least 1 copy of Big Jace somewhere in the 75, either to SB in control matchups, or just for greedy value. I also think i want 3 Supreme Verdicts in the main deck- there are plenty of games where you need to draw it or you just lose.
I probably want another creature in the maindeck, preferably one that is named different so it doesn't get hit by Slaughter Games (something not yet spoiled?). I also like Cyclonic Rift, maybe moving it maindeck.
1 bigjace in SB seems correct, maybe over one of the excess copies of dispel. They're both for control, might as well just play the card that actually wins instead of the one that counters Rev.
3 verdicts also seems correct, especially if the format turns out to be DUEL DECKS: CONTROL V RDW
The win condition creature to dodge slaughter games is definitely something not spoiled yet, unless it's 1-of elspeth. She's THREE creatures!
Keru_Shiri
Member
I just realized that the Theros gods count towards their own devotion.
Also, i'm waiting for the dual lands before deciding if U/W is the proper way, or U/W/X or B/U/X is the way to go. With Magical Christmasland mana going away, I think consistency might be better than the added color.
Keru_Shiri
Member
I just realized that the Theros gods count towards their own devotion.
What are you planning on playing?
It's potentially awesome or miserable.
It looks like the standard format could turn out pretty fun.
RW midrange
RB aggro with curve-toppers in 3-4x dragon, 0-2x cerberus
Selesnya aggro
Jund creature midrange w/ domri rade
Some awful tokens archtype with young pyromancer, guttersnipe, and phosphorus
UWx control
RDW
Big Red
There's just so much to do.
Real talk: Aurelia's Fury becomes a thing.
RW midrange
RB aggro with curve-toppers in 3-4x dragon, 0-2x cerberus
Selesnya aggro
Jund creature midrange w/ domri rade
Some awful tokens archtype with young pyromancer, guttersnipe, and phosphorus
UWx control
RDW
Big Red
There's just so much to do.
Real talk: Aurelia's Fury becomes a thing.
blindrocket
Member
I'm such a basic land snob. Ever since I bought my set of Zendikar full-arts, everything else just looks boring.
I want to get a set of the Unhinged lands.
I want to get a set of the Unhinged lands.
guru or everyone at fnm will make fun of me
You forgot our dumb Dark Prophecy black deck.
It's a shame they didn't reprint Vampire Nighthawk or Mutilate in M14.
Arghhhh those lands are so cool but I'll never have them arrrgggghhh.
I was never really a fan. I'd much rather spend that money getting FBB duals or foiling out pieces of similar price (bob, jitte, etc).
blindrocket
Member
I'm the opposite. I'm not a fan of foils (I use matte sleeves anyway) and would rather have my lands for the bling. lol
I almost pulled the trigger on 25 swamps for $100. Yeah... I probably never will have them since they are so expensive and there are actual playable cards I need to buy.
Good grief, the dragon is super expensive right now on ebay. :\
blindrocket
Member
Dude, you aren't kidding. Vampire Nighthawk is one of my favorite cards and opponents usually groan whenever I drop them... especially a second one... hahaha
Grakl and I are almost done with our 'big boros' list. It still needs something, but the general idea is solid and really silly. It's a standard Big Red list with some midrange elements.
There are two variants -- a W/r version and a R/w version -- and we keep changing our minds and arguing over which is better.
Here's the gameplan --
1: Drop early, aggressive creatures with prohibitive mana costs. The red version runs:
Rakdos Cackler
Ash Zealot
Boros Reckoner
(Chandra's Phoenix//Mindsparker -- meta choice)
Stormbreath Dragon
while the white version goes slightly bigger and more defensive, with
Dryad Militant (format-dependant -- none of the 1-drop creatures are actually in the written down list, but I'm strongly considering them now)
Precinct Captain
Keening Appirition
Boros Reckoner
(Fiendslayer Paladin//Frontline Medic -- meta choice)
Archangel of Thune (I don't like this. Needs testing.)
Angel of Serenity
The lists have the following in common, bringing us to:
2: Run midrange spells and removal with alternate casting costs (mortars), top off the curve with ~6cc spells, and carefully balance your curve with the Monstrous activations of your creatures
Chained to the Rocks
Magma Jet
Mizzium Mortars
Aurelia's Fury
Aurelia, the Warleader
Warleader's Helix
And the following under consideration:
Chandra, Pyromaster
So how the hell does this generic mess of an aggro list win anything? How does it play huge shit like Stormbreath Dragon, Angel of Serenity, Aurelia's freakin' Fury, overloaded Mortars etc?
3: Ramp.
Nykthos.
In 'big' aggro lists like this -- both red and white -- most of your mana costs are pretty restrictive. Dropping Nykthos on turn 1, 2, or 3 can be a massive disadvantage for you -- it's a lot of why I'm running 25 lands in each list -- but the eventual crushing mana advantage is how you win.
We have access to the best removal, some of the best hate against control, and our mana is consistent enough that we can splash for black to get access to the rest. The lists are both monocolor-with-a-splash as is, and they're pretty damn playable with just guildgates.
Back to Nykthos, let me show you some magical christmasland.
turn 1 nothing
turn 2 ash zealot or perimeter captain
turn 3 boros reckoner or boros reckoner
turn 4 nykthos, you have 6 mana, drop your dragon and swing for 9. You're set up to play Aurelia next turn, even if stuff gets taken off the board.
Normally, of course, we'll have opponents who play cards and removal, ruining the plan a bit... but the color weights in this deck are so absurd that we'll have trouble not getting advantage out of it. It isn't a win-more card in this list, even facing the oppressive removal of WU decks -- one copy of Boros Reckoner and -anything- else on the board, and it's a land that taps for two mana. We have creatures with monstrous, X-spells, overload, and tons of other shit to transition from an early aggro plan to an oppressive midrange plan in the late game.
I'm still only playing two right now, in either list.... I wanted one copy, but after shuffling it up a bit I think I agree with Grakl's original opinion of 2-3.
This is our 'super secret tech' for the upcoming format, was hesitant to post it, but I don't have enough byes for upcoming GPs to be competitive anyway Enjoy, and let me know what changes you'd suggest for a final decklist.
There are two variants -- a W/r version and a R/w version -- and we keep changing our minds and arguing over which is better.
Here's the gameplan --
1: Drop early, aggressive creatures with prohibitive mana costs. The red version runs:
Rakdos Cackler
Ash Zealot
Boros Reckoner
(Chandra's Phoenix//Mindsparker -- meta choice)
Stormbreath Dragon
while the white version goes slightly bigger and more defensive, with
Dryad Militant (format-dependant -- none of the 1-drop creatures are actually in the written down list, but I'm strongly considering them now)
Precinct Captain
Keening Appirition
Boros Reckoner
(Fiendslayer Paladin//Frontline Medic -- meta choice)
Archangel of Thune (I don't like this. Needs testing.)
Angel of Serenity
The lists have the following in common, bringing us to:
2: Run midrange spells and removal with alternate casting costs (mortars), top off the curve with ~6cc spells, and carefully balance your curve with the Monstrous activations of your creatures
Chained to the Rocks
Magma Jet
Mizzium Mortars
Aurelia's Fury
Aurelia, the Warleader
Warleader's Helix
And the following under consideration:
Chandra, Pyromaster
So how the hell does this generic mess of an aggro list win anything? How does it play huge shit like Stormbreath Dragon, Angel of Serenity, Aurelia's freakin' Fury, overloaded Mortars etc?
3: Ramp.
Nykthos.
In 'big' aggro lists like this -- both red and white -- most of your mana costs are pretty restrictive. Dropping Nykthos on turn 1, 2, or 3 can be a massive disadvantage for you -- it's a lot of why I'm running 25 lands in each list -- but the eventual crushing mana advantage is how you win.
We have access to the best removal, some of the best hate against control, and our mana is consistent enough that we can splash for black to get access to the rest. The lists are both monocolor-with-a-splash as is, and they're pretty damn playable with just guildgates.
Back to Nykthos, let me show you some magical christmasland.
turn 1 nothing
turn 2 ash zealot or perimeter captain
turn 3 boros reckoner or boros reckoner
turn 4 nykthos, you have 6 mana, drop your dragon and swing for 9. You're set up to play Aurelia next turn, even if stuff gets taken off the board.
Normally, of course, we'll have opponents who play cards and removal, ruining the plan a bit... but the color weights in this deck are so absurd that we'll have trouble not getting advantage out of it. It isn't a win-more card in this list, even facing the oppressive removal of WU decks -- one copy of Boros Reckoner and -anything- else on the board, and it's a land that taps for two mana. We have creatures with monstrous, X-spells, overload, and tons of other shit to transition from an early aggro plan to an oppressive midrange plan in the late game.
I'm still only playing two right now, in either list.... I wanted one copy, but after shuffling it up a bit I think I agree with Grakl's original opinion of 2-3.
This is our 'super secret tech' for the upcoming format, was hesitant to post it, but I don't have enough byes for upcoming GPs to be competitive anyway
Enjoy, and let me know what changes you'd suggest for a final decklist.1cc plays:
I'm hesitant to have any, considering the nature of the format, but if control is going to start its curve with Azorius Charm I'll consider certain 1-drops.
Rakdos Cackler is the best option.
Boros Elite is only good when followed up with Perimeter Captain, who, in turn, dies to Magma Jet.
Dryad Militant is good if you're desperate for early aggression.
Foundry Street Denizen and Legion Loyalist are too 'all-in' for this build imho, but keep them in mind as they're block constructed staples.
2cc plays:
Ash Zealot is king.
Precinct Captain is queen.
Azorius Arrester is archduke.
Burning-tree emissary is... a jester, I guess. It's pretty bad unless you're desparate for christmasland scenarios -- I don't care if I can magma jet afterwards, it just doesn't do enough.
Daring Skyjek is a peasant
Frostburn Weird is a.... wealthy landowner who's a pretty cool guy and fun to hang out with but kinda needy so you're hesitant
Keening Apparition is the dude who occasionally saves your ass, but is usually just hanging around and freeloading off you for that one time he saved your ass
Rakdos Shred-Freak is a... huh. Bishop or something? He's got haste. Play him if you need more aggression in your meta.
Imposing Sovereign is a... c'mon, really? Cool against midrange, amazing against aggro, bad against almost every form of control.
Goblin Diplomats is testing surprisingly well, but obviously only in aggro matchups. PS: It's a diplomat.
3cc plays:
Boros Reckoner is a lot of the reason you're in these colors. Try to keep up, man.
Frontline Medic is a 3/3 that forces your opponent to sandbag their Revelations until they can find removal -- this, in turn, forces them to tap out.
Mindsparker is a meta decision.
Fiendslayer Paladin is a better meta decision.
Chandra's Phoenix is your 'go-to guy' for stomping control. Hard to block, recurs itself... Exactly what you need!
Banisher priest... we all know it's good, but it does die to magma jet and shock. I'd only maindeck it if going deep on white, and then I'd be a Brave the Elements deck.
4cc plays:
Azorius Justicar can steal games in aggro mirrors. I like sideboarding two.
Rubblebelt Raiders is almost objectively bad, but it's silly enough that I'll try playtesting with it once or twice.
Rubblebelt Makka is monumentally silly. Combat tricks can be good to break through aggro matchups.
Tajic is pretty bad, your list is creature light, but you can try 1-2 for creature deck mirrors.
Seraph of the Sword is a slightly better tajic. It is still bad.
Ember Swallower is legitimately good in here as a 1-2 of, but generally outclassed by running a noncreature in your 4-slot (teehee). It dodges a lot of important removal and is generally profitable in combat -- 4/5 for 4 is alright-- but the Monstorus ability will rarely do much for you except in christmasland scenarios. You don't really want to be losing lands here, unless you've drawn multiple copies of Nykthos.
5cc plays:
Stormbreath Dragon is the best creature in Theros.
Archangel of Thune is too slow, dies to too much, doesn't really support your strategy.
6cc plays:
Aurelia, the Warleader is a hard to cast beatstick who wins games out of nowhere. You can't get her out on turn 4 with a perfect curve from Nykthos, which sucks, but she's still amazing in here. Haste makes winst.
7cc plays:
Angel of Serenity is good.
I'm hesitant to have any, considering the nature of the format, but if control is going to start its curve with Azorius Charm I'll consider certain 1-drops.
Rakdos Cackler is the best option.
Boros Elite is only good when followed up with Perimeter Captain, who, in turn, dies to Magma Jet.
Dryad Militant is good if you're desperate for early aggression.
Foundry Street Denizen and Legion Loyalist are too 'all-in' for this build imho, but keep them in mind as they're block constructed staples.
2cc plays:
Ash Zealot is king.
Precinct Captain is queen.
Azorius Arrester is archduke.
Burning-tree emissary is... a jester, I guess. It's pretty bad unless you're desparate for christmasland scenarios -- I don't care if I can magma jet afterwards, it just doesn't do enough.
Daring Skyjek is a peasant
Frostburn Weird is a.... wealthy landowner who's a pretty cool guy and fun to hang out with but kinda needy so you're hesitant
Keening Apparition is the dude who occasionally saves your ass, but is usually just hanging around and freeloading off you for that one time he saved your ass
Rakdos Shred-Freak is a... huh. Bishop or something? He's got haste. Play him if you need more aggression in your meta.
Imposing Sovereign is a... c'mon, really? Cool against midrange, amazing against aggro, bad against almost every form of control.
Goblin Diplomats is testing surprisingly well, but obviously only in aggro matchups. PS: It's a diplomat.
3cc plays:
Boros Reckoner is a lot of the reason you're in these colors. Try to keep up, man.
Frontline Medic is a 3/3 that forces your opponent to sandbag their Revelations until they can find removal -- this, in turn, forces them to tap out.
Mindsparker is a meta decision.
Fiendslayer Paladin is a better meta decision.
Chandra's Phoenix is your 'go-to guy' for stomping control. Hard to block, recurs itself... Exactly what you need!
Banisher priest... we all know it's good, but it does die to magma jet and shock. I'd only maindeck it if going deep on white, and then I'd be a Brave the Elements deck.
4cc plays:
Azorius Justicar can steal games in aggro mirrors. I like sideboarding two.
Rubblebelt Raiders is almost objectively bad, but it's silly enough that I'll try playtesting with it once or twice.
Rubblebelt Makka is monumentally silly. Combat tricks can be good to break through aggro matchups.
Tajic is pretty bad, your list is creature light, but you can try 1-2 for creature deck mirrors.
Seraph of the Sword is a slightly better tajic. It is still bad.
Ember Swallower is legitimately good in here as a 1-2 of, but generally outclassed by running a noncreature in your 4-slot (teehee). It dodges a lot of important removal and is generally profitable in combat -- 4/5 for 4 is alright-- but the Monstorus ability will rarely do much for you except in christmasland scenarios. You don't really want to be losing lands here, unless you've drawn multiple copies of Nykthos.
5cc plays:
Stormbreath Dragon is the best creature in Theros.
Archangel of Thune is too slow, dies to too much, doesn't really support your strategy.
6cc plays:
Aurelia, the Warleader is a hard to cast beatstick who wins games out of nowhere. You can't get her out on turn 4 with a perfect curve from Nykthos, which sucks, but she's still amazing in here. Haste makes winst.
7cc plays:
Angel of Serenity is good.
blindrocket
Member
I love my BR Rakdos deck and here are my cheap creatures that work great for me.
1 mana:
Rakdos Cackler - I always choose to upgrade him for free to a 2/2 that can't block using his Unleash ability. I'd rather have him as a bigger fighter than a chump blocker.
2 mana:
Ash Zealot - Haste and First Strike with graveyard punishment. She's awesome.
Spike Jester - A 3/1 with Haste. Yup, he swings pretty hard.
On turn two I am usually doing five damage.
1 mana:
Rakdos Cackler - I always choose to upgrade him for free to a 2/2 that can't block using his Unleash ability. I'd rather have him as a bigger fighter than a chump blocker.
2 mana:
Ash Zealot - Haste and First Strike with graveyard punishment. She's awesome.
Spike Jester - A 3/1 with Haste. Yup, he swings pretty hard.
On turn two I am usually doing five damage.
PART 3: SPELLS
Notes: The white plan seems to encourage clogged boards more, as cards like Fiendslayer Paladin discourage attackers and are hard to remove. This makes Nykthos more powerful, but the strategy is worse against WUx control.
1cc:
Shock. Keep it in the sideboard for aggro.
Brave the Elements. If your list is white-based and creature heavy, run 3 -- it is going to be the backbone of an aggro deck in the current standard, I'm just not sure it'll be this one.
Chained to the Rocks. It's insane.
2cc:
Magma Jet. I do not need to explain why this card is good.
Wear//Tear. Can occasionally get you advantage, is generally insane in a sideboard slot.
Mizzium Mortars -- welcome to our first advantage spell. You can cast it early to take out a 4-toughness creature, or late to clear the board in a mirror. Remember -- you've got Nykthos. "Late" for you is like, turn 4 in a clogged board scenario.
Boros Charm. Sideboard for control -- you can actually just transition to burn-aggro against control if you wanna be an ass.
Legion's Initiative. I need to test it. I do not know if it's good, and kind of assume it isn't, but it's worth a try.
Pacifism. Potential sideboard card for creatures with graveyard triggers. See Cerberus.
Skullcrack. Sphinx's Revelation.
3cc:
Path of Bravery. Potential sideboard card. One of those bad cards that needs juuuuuuuust the right amount of support to break open matchups.
Hammer of Purphoros. Is it better than Fires of Yavimaya? Probably. Would that card be even slightly playable today? Naw. Still, it merits more testing than I've seen people giving it, so I'll probably try a red variant with a single copy. I doubt it'll do anything.
4cc:
Chandra, Pyromaster. Draws you cards. Removes blockers. Does awesome shit. Should probably be in here.
Warleader's Helix. Killing 4 toughness creatures is pretty huge.
Burning Earth. SB, format-dependent.
5cc:
Assemble the Legion. Have not tested, assume it isn't very good except against midrange.
XCC:
Aurelia's Fury. Wins games, taps creatures, silences, slices, dices, etc. A gamewinning spell in the slowed down standard, and one of the reasons this deck exists.
Notes: The white plan seems to encourage clogged boards more, as cards like Fiendslayer Paladin discourage attackers and are hard to remove. This makes Nykthos more powerful, but the strategy is worse against WUx control.
1cc:
Shock. Keep it in the sideboard for aggro.
Brave the Elements. If your list is white-based and creature heavy, run 3 -- it is going to be the backbone of an aggro deck in the current standard, I'm just not sure it'll be this one.
Chained to the Rocks. It's insane.
2cc:
Magma Jet. I do not need to explain why this card is good.
Wear//Tear. Can occasionally get you advantage, is generally insane in a sideboard slot.
Mizzium Mortars -- welcome to our first advantage spell. You can cast it early to take out a 4-toughness creature, or late to clear the board in a mirror. Remember -- you've got Nykthos. "Late" for you is like, turn 4 in a clogged board scenario.
Boros Charm. Sideboard for control -- you can actually just transition to burn-aggro against control if you wanna be an ass.
Legion's Initiative. I need to test it. I do not know if it's good, and kind of assume it isn't, but it's worth a try.
Pacifism. Potential sideboard card for creatures with graveyard triggers. See Cerberus.
Skullcrack. Sphinx's Revelation.
3cc:
Path of Bravery. Potential sideboard card. One of those bad cards that needs juuuuuuuust the right amount of support to break open matchups.
Hammer of Purphoros. Is it better than Fires of Yavimaya? Probably. Would that card be even slightly playable today? Naw. Still, it merits more testing than I've seen people giving it, so I'll probably try a red variant with a single copy. I doubt it'll do anything.
4cc:
Chandra, Pyromaster. Draws you cards. Removes blockers. Does awesome shit. Should probably be in here.
Warleader's Helix. Killing 4 toughness creatures is pretty huge.
Burning Earth. SB, format-dependent.
5cc:
Assemble the Legion. Have not tested, assume it isn't very good except against midrange.
XCC:
Aurelia's Fury. Wins games, taps creatures, silences, slices, dices, etc. A gamewinning spell in the slowed down standard, and one of the reasons this deck exists.
blindrocket
Member
My aggro deck starts putting down 6/6 fliers on turn four.
Board wipes hurt the most, I think (Cyclonic Rift, Supreme Verdict). And spells that nullify attack damage for the turn.
Board wipes hurt the most, I think (Cyclonic Rift, Supreme Verdict). And spells that nullify attack damage for the turn.
This is a rough red list:
22 creatures:
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
2 Gore-House Chainwalker (TBD)
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Stormbreath Dragon
1 Aurelia, the Warleader
14 spells:
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Magma Jet
3 Aurelia's Fury
2 Chained to the Rocks
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
24 lands:
4 Sacred Foundry
4 (new R/W dual)
2 Boros Guildgate
2 Nykthos
9 Mountain
3 Plains
22 creatures:
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
2 Gore-House Chainwalker (TBD)
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Stormbreath Dragon
1 Aurelia, the Warleader
14 spells:
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Magma Jet
3 Aurelia's Fury
2 Chained to the Rocks
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
24 lands:
4 Sacred Foundry
4 (new R/W dual)
2 Boros Guildgate
2 Nykthos
9 Mountain
3 Plains
You can't even cast BTE.
kirblar which 2-drop should I play in that big boros list? I don't like gorehouse.
don't say jace
he isn't a 2-drop
this is probably the deck grakl and I are playing at SCG Open worcester, it depends on the lands spoiled.
OH RIGHT
For any gaffers interested: The competitive testing group at my school is, for lack of a better term, kind of bad. Are there any spikes here who'd like to playtest for the upcoming format online with me? Time is a concern, considering that SCG Open Worcester is literally one day after the release of Theros.
I love how Lucario is so crazy about stormbreath dragon, Thundermaw is a 5/5 flying haste that deals 1 damage and taps flying creatures. But that card wasnt played until recently. Aggro decks aint gonna play that card its too expensive, maybe sideboard. Cmon a set? Anyway UW are playing celestial flare, so theres an instant answer to it.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
I would love to play test for free. Let me know the decks you need work against.
Thundermaw saw play immediately.
No it didnt, it wasnt that popular. It was 10 tix.
Modern says hi.
I dont remember modern that much at that time because I was so focused with standard. But show me a list.
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/gptor12/welcome#dl
Edel won the tournament with it. It showed up once Lingering Souls started being played in "Jundk."
Cards cannot be evaluated in vacuums.
You need to look at the most powerful removal spells and creatures in the upcoming format. Then you'll realize why most competitive groups are freaking out over stormbreath.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Thundermaw starting seeing play in Modern almost immediately upon the start of PTQ season. UWR Midrange with Geist and Thundermaw was huge. And when Jund was getting more and more inbred, they were ramping into Thundermaw with Lotus Cobra to beat opposing Lingering Souls.
Stormbreath is very good. Trading 1 point of power and the tapdown effect for pro-white could prove to be very relevant in Modern.
Very few things actually deal with it efficiently.
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