MTG Salvation

Aggro that isn't just red. Focuses on running cheap and aggressive creatures early, trying to toss out more threats than they can deal with.

Aggro guys to think about:
Furnace Scamp - baits removal or does 4 damage
Chandra's Phoenix - keeps coming back, hasted
Diregraf Ghoul - excellent turn 1 drop
Reckless Waif - phenomenal turn 1 drop against most decks
Stromkirk Noble - same, but less so against WRG
Perilous Myr - can chump against protection profitably
Goblin Fireslinger - nobody wants to kill him, keeps swinging without swinging
Immolating Souleater - can finish out of nowhere, gets around protection

Finishers/Semifatties: We don't want to wait till turn 6 to drop a titan, 4CMC should be our ceiling.
Olivia Voldaren - pings little dudes, gets bigger, flies
Bloodline Keeper - has to be dealt with or he's just silly

Planeswalkers:
Liliana of the Veil - deals with hexproof, tanks damage
Chandra, the Firebrand - pings little guys, gets back phoenix, -2 is awesome with brimstone

Spells:
Bump in the Night - excellent card in aggro/burn, can't be spellskited, can come back to finish later
Brimstone Volley - cheap stuff dies, you run cheap stuff, forking this is pro
Geistflame - kills little rampers, gets back phoenix
Geth's Verdict - kills hexproof
Altar's Reap - can enable morbid on brimstone, can kill chump blockers before trample damage is dealt, can cockblock their removal spells, is sometimes a dead card, but the only draw spell I could see using (and 2 should be a definite max IMO)
Dismember - great vs infect, sadly not against much else
[2CMC black removal spells] - mileage will vary depending on your meta

Sideboard cards:
Blood Seeker - vs tokens, cause that's just funny!
Sword of Body and Mind - WR decks (maybe on these)
Sword of Feast and Famine - WR decks (maybe on these)


My preliminary deck:

I love this deck. It's been doing very well for me at FNM. I feel like it fixes all the problems that come with RDW. Here's my list.



My creatures all have evasion. Most utilize +1/+1 counters, hence the proliferate spells. The deck is split almost 50/50 for a spell/creature balance.

Somebody doesn't understand how trample works when the blocker disappears, though. If you Altar's Reap your guy blocking a trampler, everything tramples over and you get screwed.

702.17c If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.

after some searching, you are correct sir! I took it out anyways, here's a new list after some thought and bouncing stuff off of people

If you're going to build this deck, start with a RDW decklist. You guys are all playing red cards that even RDW wouldn't play, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, considering you have the same goal and that this deck should have more powerful cards options than RDW does.

Now to the OP, if you're playing more than 4 cards with a cmc of 4, bring your land count up to 24.

Added official tags, now an official thread, enjoy

Quote from gereffi

If you're going to build this deck, start with a RDW decklist. You guys are all playing red cards that even RDW wouldn't play, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, considering you have the same goal and that this deck should have more powerful cards options than RDW does.

Now to the OP, if you're playing more than 4 cards with a cmc of 4, bring your land count up to 24.

These things are true. I'll work on this, thanks. Maybe the way to look at it is RDW with a splash of black?

An aggro deck really isn't Chandra's place. She costs too much, the +1 is unimpressive and the -2 is too slow. At 4, Hero of Oxid Ridge is better because it can pretty much end the game if it resolves.

Same with Lili - you aren't interested in planeswalkers sponging damage, you're aggro, so Lili is effectively a 3 mana edict, a role that Geth's Verdict would be better in since that also burns them a little.

Porcelain Legionnaire would also be something to consider. You need 2-drops that hit hard if you're in aggro, Perilous Myr just doesn't make the cut.

Quote from Vestige

An aggro deck really isn't Chandra's place. She costs too much, the +1 is unimpressive and the -2 is too slow. At 4, Hero of Oxid Ridge is better because it can pretty much end the game if it resolves.

Same with Lili - you aren't interested in planeswalkers sponging damage, you're aggro, so Lili is effectively a 3 mana edict, a role that Geth's Verdict would be better in since that also burns them a little.

Porcelain Legionnaire would also be something to consider. You need 2-drops that hit hard if you're in aggro, Perilous Myr just doesn't make the cut.

I'm torn here. I see what you're saying, but Chandra's -2 with a brimstone volley is 10 damage. It doesn't happen every game, but Hero doesn't walk over snapcaster mage or viridian emmisary either.
He does walk all over mana dorks and unbuffed tokens though. I can see a lot of situations where neither would be great cards to have in your hand. Hmmm....

I think I will bring the lands up to 24, math-wise it shows that 10 cards in you SHOULD have 4 land more often than not.

I was also randomly thinking about putting tectonic rift in the sideboard vs wolf run, cause they'll have a lot of weenies and early titans. Just a thought, and not sure if the turns work out, it would just kill an inkmoth blocker and let you swing past the titans for a win if they were within range. I just really hate wolf run and see it as a major problem.

I really don't understand how the best aggro 2 drop in the format isn't in this list, especially with all the 1 drops.

Stormblood Berserker can win games allllll by itself. No questions asked.

Quote from KIX

I really don't understand how the best aggro 2 drop in the format isn't in this list, especially with all the 1 drops.

Stormblood Berserker can win games allllll by itself. No questions asked.

He's in my latest list, I couldn't believe I didn't think of taking the best stuff from RDW like gereffi said. I just feel silly changing the list over and over because I don't really get to playtest. But here's where I'm at so far.

Ahh, found a thread for fellow BR deck makers. Here is my list, so far working pretty well on cockatrice.




Mostly you drop some early pressure with noble, spikeshot, or stormblood, so you have some aggro. The sword is when things get more interesting. Feast and Famine works with Spikeshot absurdly well. Without removal you are clearing the board with him, 3 damage per shot, attack, untap all lands, repeat. Very easy to do 9 or 12 damage in one turn with this. Sword also works with Stensia. Unless I have been lied to on the rules, you can have 4 land out with a stensia, tap a few at the beginning of damage dealing, deal damage, untap, then retap lands to fire stensia during damage dealing phase. Or do this with Spikeshot. The sword also works extremely well with the stormblood, because he is harder to block, and with olivia the mana it opens up just controls the board.

Chandra can fork dismembers and doom blades, etc. Chandra and 4 arc trails means recursive phoenixes, again which work well with swords. Flying, and much less likely with phoenixes to have a sword out with no creatures to use it with. This is also why i went with wurmcoil instead of a titan. I tossed this together a week or two ago and so far it has done much better than I hoped. I dont think I have lost a best of three to RDW yet, trounced Illusions a few times, etc. It plays like a mild aggro deck but doesnt run out of steam, the later the game goes the better it plays. Turn 20 spikeshot is like drawing a titan. Equip sword, burn the board.

Any tips are appreciated.

Spikeshot Elder sounds like one of those cards, "Oh its a puny thing, we wont kill it. Your turn."

You do your upkeep stuff. "I cast Sword of Feast and Famine, then attach it to Spikeshot."

Other player: "Crap..."

I personally would swap Stensia Bloodhall for Solemn Simulacrum for more mana/faster game play. Reason I say that is if you were to attach a sword to Spikeshot, why would you use Stensia when you can do 3 damage to the player for less mana?

how can you not run stromkirk noble thats just silly, you are wrong on tons of cards

Reckless waif was pushed out of almost every RDW, furnace scamp is unplayable in RDW

Stromkirk is the BEST 1 drop in red right now AND you are running bloodlinekeeper so there is synergy there

Quote from dudebro

how can you not run stromkirk noble thats just silly, you are wrong on tons of cards

Reckless waif was pushed out of almost every RDW, furnace scamp is unplayable in RDW

Stromkirk is the BEST 1 drop in red right now AND you are running bloodlinekeeper so there is synergy there

You are rather late to this party, sir.

Q: How much damage does stromkirk do on turn 2, if he gets through?
A: 1 damage

Q: How much damage does furnace scamp do on turn 2, if he gets through?
A: 4 damage

Q: How much damage does reckless waif do on turn 2, if she gets through?
A: 1 damage, sometimes 3.


I also don't have any, and I really don't want to drop 20$ on a card I don't see as that powerful.

Also, if stromkirk noble being a vampire is somehow relevant while I have bloodline keeper out, then I'm already winning, so the only synergy I see is win-more synergy.

Also, here's a list from a guy's weird column that I follow. (article here)

Quote from J_Danger

You are rather late to this party, sir.

Q: How much damage does stromkirk do on turn 2, if he gets through?
A: 1 damage

Q: How much damage does furnace scamp do on turn 2, if he gets through?
A: 4 damage

Q: How much damage does reckless waif do on turn 2, if she gets through?
A: 1 damage, sometimes 3.


I also don't have any, and I really don't want to drop 20$ on a card I don't see as that powerful.

Also, if stromkirk noble being a vampire is somehow relevant while I have bloodline keeper out, then I'm already winning, so the only synergy I see is win-more synergy.

"I also don't have any, and I really don't want to drop 20$ on a card I don't see as that powerful. " I think this is the real issue

First you NEED to look at the well performing red decks before you try to justify playing bad cards.

IF furnace scamp gets through that is 4 damage sure but it destroys your board position, thats assuming they have no one drop to block the way

IF reckless waif FLIPS he gets in for 3 if you are playing one of the many variations of humans or tokens running pilgrim you do nothing, not even trigger bloodthirst there is a reason he ISNT PLAYED

Stromkirk does one damage and then becomes a 2/2 you can easily clear the way for him on your turn 2 if you need to and make him a 3/3 he QUICKLY becomes a huge problem your opponent needs to answer

AND if its humans you are facing he is a win con at 1 mana, he WILL have to eat a o ring or doj and.. hes only a one drop

IF budget is your concern I can understand but then it needs to be in the budget forum

Quote from zorn_of_god

Ahh, found a thread for fellow BR deck makers. Here is my list, so far working pretty well on cockatrice.

Mcpatches's DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Creatures (21) 4 Stromkirk Noble 4 Chandra's Phoenix 4 Spikeshot Elder 4 Stormblood Berserker 3 Olivia Voldaren 2 Wurmcoil Engine Spells 4 Arc Trail 2 Dismember 2 Go for the Throat 1 Doom Blade	Planeswalkers 2 Chandra, the Firebrand Artifacts 4 Sword of Feast and Famine Land (24) 10 Mountain 3 Stensia Bloodhall 3 Swamp 4 Blackcleave Cliffs 4 Dragonskull Summit	Sideboard 2 Dismember 3 Slagstorm 3 Nihil Spellbomb 4 Manic Vandal 3 Doom Blade

Mostly you drop some early pressure with noble, spikeshot, or stormblood, so you have some aggro. The sword is when things get more interesting. Feast and Famine works with Spikeshot absurdly well. Without removal you are clearing the board with him, 3 damage per shot, attack, untap all lands, repeat. Very easy to do 9 or 12 damage in one turn with this. Sword also works with Stensia. Unless I have been lied to on the rules, you can have 4 land out with a stensia, tap a few at the beginning of damage dealing, deal damage, untap, then retap lands to fire stensia during damage dealing phase. Or do this with Spikeshot. The sword also works extremely well with the stormblood, because he is harder to block, and with olivia the mana it opens up just controls the board.

Chandra can fork dismembers and doom blades, etc. Chandra and 4 arc trails means recursive phoenixes, again which work well with swords. Flying, and much less likely with phoenixes to have a sword out with no creatures to use it with. This is also why i went with wurmcoil instead of a titan. I tossed this together a week or two ago and so far it has done much better than I hoped. I dont think I have lost a best of three to RDW yet, trounced Illusions a few times, etc. It plays like a mild aggro deck but doesnt run out of steam, the later the game goes the better it plays. Turn 20 spikeshot is like drawing a titan. Equip sword, burn the board.

Any tips are appreciated.

I feel that you have more removal than necessary and the swords are a bit win more imo. I would drop 2 elders for 2 waifs and probably drop the swords for more burn like brimstone volley. I also feel that chandra would be better as a 2 heroes.

Didn't see this in the thread yet:

B/R Bloodhall
Featured by Ken Adams on 2011-12-11 (Standard)



Ken Adams piloted this extremely well in the invitational. I took out two Vandals and Doom Blade from the board for a Manabarbs, Traitorous Blood, and Crush. I feel like the board needs constant tuning, but the main list runs well.

I made the finals of a 14 person GPT and scooped to my friend who wants to go to GP Orlando. Otherwise I only lost one match to a tezzeret control deck that even my opponent admitted had the best opener and topdeck ever. Beat RDW, Esper control, Grixis Control, GW Tokens. I am still learning the sideboarding rules and match ups but the deck is just a more resilient RDW+B.

As for the Nobles argument, they are great against control, but not as good against equally fast decks. I found myself siding them out at times, but mainly because a turn 6 noble was no fun in some of my games.

I plan on making this my deck. I love it. There are some great options out there for meta game dependent choices, I've seen lists running Obliterators and more swamps to move mana intensive titan type controlling decks, so I think B/R has some legs.

This is a deck list I want to test. It's more geared on black cards controlling the match until I go lethal with either Chandra, Shrine, or Lili.



I understand it may not be a aggro heavy variant, but it does use burn aggressively since it won't need to use it to kill creatures. The shrine allows me to outpace control decks that counter all my spells, and with no fragile creatures on my side of the field, they have a lot of dead cards. With no 5+ drops, I kept the land base simple, and it looks harsh to have slagstorm & Liliana competing, but I don't want a t3 slag, I'd rather save it to -2 Chandra to kill Grave Titan and his army, Hero of Bladehold and her army, or any other army you can think of really.

The deck may not seem aggressive at first glance, but when it goes off on your life total, it goes off hard. A t2 Shrine guarantees a victory with hand disruption and card advantage generated by Tezze's Gambit. A combo of Chandra -2 -> Tezzeret's Gambit could be hard to recover from for any deck, but even more devastating is if you sideboard Slagstrom for Volt Charge. A Chandra forking that bad boy double proliferates everything on board, with 6 damage attached. That's 4 counters on a shrine if it's out. That's getting Lili to ultimate faster or edict a hexproof.

So, as you can see, I made the deck to be able to deal with any threat it's presented with, and I feel the deck finishes explosively. Any feedback/advice would be great!

I've been running a similar deck on MTGO and have had good results. I run slightly less creatures and more burn. One thing is recommend for late game is one or two Stensia Bloodhall. It's 2 life that can't be countered and sometimes its just enough to put you over.

I think this deck has potential but it has some obviously weaker match ups. I think I'm gonna sleeve up a paper version for next weeks FNM and see how it does.

here is my current list, sideboard is tuned to the meta (not a lot of mono red around my area)

I agree with dudebro. Stromkirk Noble is a 1cmc 1/1 creature that beefs up as the game progresses. It's your best one drop.
Also, it synergizes well if you run proliferate spells.
And cmon, given the current meta, Scamp and Waif are cards you dont want to be playing. You dont get to exhaust the value of these creatures and they tend to be a waste in your 75 list.
Seeing that you have Lilis in your deck, I don't think budget is your problem. So INVEST on four Nobles.