With the loss of Snapcaster Mage, Restoration Angel, Augur of Bolas, etc, a reactive-style U/W/R is no longer acceptable. Additionally, since this is going to be the birth of a new Standard, tapout control decks tend to hit hard.
This is designed to punish everything out there. A variety of wrath effects against aggro, enough pressure to make midrange sad, and some very-hard-to-answer effects for against control.
The deck does have a ridiculous amount of synergy, but due to Thoughtseize being a thing, I'm avoiding a reliance on said synergy, with 14 different mainboard win conditions.
Example synergies: Purphoros is the hands-down nuts with almost every other permanent in my deck. The gods work very well for living through Supreme Verdicts. Boros Reckoner + Anger of the Gods is excellent. Hammer of Purphoros and Sphinx's Revelation were practically made for each other.... You get the picture.
As for the land... I'm pretty happy with this mix. You'll notice that I can cast Boros Reckoner with any combination of land I draw—this is extremely important. I have 11 lands that come into play tapped, but due to the complete lack of 1-drops, the scarcity of 2-drops, and all of the scry, I don't anticipate any troubles with hitting that key "4th turn untapped land for Supreme Verdict" mark.
The sideboard is an eclectic mix, designed to be able to have the maximum amount of answers in anticipation of whatever random deck I happen to come across.
---
One final note, about the design philosophy here. I'm doing my best to capture the "anything I topdeck helps me out" nature that defined Jund Midrange, and to combine that with the flexibility and superior resources of the U/W/R shell. I'm certain that some deck along these lines—even if not my exact build here—is going to totally and utterly wreck Standard for a while. I predict that we'll still have a very diverse metagame (yay), but some form of this is going to be top tier.
I like the cards you've selected for this list. I also like that you went heavy into a few high powered but vulnerable strategies, like Madcap Skills and Ordeal of Erebos. While some people would trash these cards because of the blow out potential, playing smart with them gives you the opportunity to gain more card parity/advantage as well as proactively answer some of aggro's weaknesses.
Madcap Skills and Agent of the Fates, for example, seems awesome. Besides the card advantage that comes with removing a creature, being able to remove a critical blocker (especially a hard to remove creature like Boros Reckoner) while increasing your tempo/board presence is huge.
I do like Tormented Hero, but wonder if even with decent Aura support whether or not it is better than Firedrinker Satyr. Ig you have tested both, I'm curious to know what your evaluation of the Satyr in this deck is.
Interesting. I was thinking something along similar lines. Ordeal of Purphoros piqued my interest as well, but I ultimately decided on something different. You certainly seem to have put a lot more thought into the meta and aggro's weaknesses than I have, though:
I was thinking something similar, but throw in the synergy between auras + agent of the fates/fiendslayer/cartel and orzhov charm. Here's my first draft.
Its possible Rakdos Cackler should be Elvish Mystic, and Nylea should be something else, not sure on that yet. Think it could be a reasonably competitive starting point.
Cards also considered are Ember Swallower, Polukranos and Kalonian Hydra. Hydra is an interesting one, its got great synergy with alot of the cards in here; Exp, Cackler, Ooze, Sage, just hate that it doesn't impact the board the turn its played, and if it immediately dies its so bad for you. Whereas Dragon has more immediate impact due to haste. Also I know BTE would probably be very good in here, I just dislike its 'glass-cannony' nature, and prefer my creatures to be good on their own.
Anyone's thoughts would be welcome!
im working on GR aggro also, im thinking like orge battledrivers could be playable also i think polukranos and burning tree emissary are musts.
It's a revision of everyone's favorite deck, U/W/R Control.
Presenting...
1x AEtherling
3x Boros Reckoner
1x Stormbreath Dragon
1x Heliod, God of the Sun
3x Purphoros, God of the Forge
Other Permanents (5)
2x Assemble the Legion
1x Hammer of Purphoros
1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1x Ral Zarek
Spells (20)
3x Anger of the Gods
3x Supreme Verdict
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Counterflux
1x Disperse
4x Magma Jet
4x Sphinx's Revelation
3x Steam Augury
4x Sacred Foundry
4x Steam Vents
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Temple of Triumph
2x Boros Guildgate
2x Izzet Guildgate
3x Azorius Guildgate
3x Mountain
1x Anger of the Gods
1x Boros Reckoner
1x Counterflux
3x Curse of the Swine
1x Elixir of Immortality
1x Pithing Needle
1x Ratchet Bomb
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Stormbreath Dragon
4x Swan Song
With the loss of Snapcaster Mage, Restoration Angel, Augur of Bolas, etc, a reactive-style U/W/R is no longer acceptable. Additionally, since this is going to be the birth of a new Standard, tapout control decks tend to hit hard.
This is designed to punish everything out there. A variety of wrath effects against aggro, enough pressure to make midrange sad, and some very-hard-to-answer effects for against control.
The deck does have a ridiculous amount of synergy, but due to Thoughtseize being a thing, I'm avoiding a reliance on said synergy, with 14 different mainboard win conditions.
Example synergies: Purphoros is the hands-down nuts with almost every other permanent in my deck. The gods work very well for living through Supreme Verdicts. Boros Reckoner + Anger of the Gods is excellent. Hammer of Purphoros and Sphinx's Revelation were practically made for each other.... You get the picture.
As for the land... I'm pretty happy with this mix. You'll notice that I can cast Boros Reckoner with any combination of land I draw—this is extremely important. I have 11 lands that come into play tapped, but due to the complete lack of 1-drops, the scarcity of 2-drops, and all of the scry, I don't anticipate any troubles with hitting that key "4th turn untapped land for Supreme Verdict" mark.
The sideboard is an eclectic mix, designed to be able to have the maximum amount of answers in anticipation of whatever random deck I happen to come across.
---
One final note, about the design philosophy here. I'm doing my best to capture the "anything I topdeck helps me out" nature that defined Jund Midrange, and to combine that with the flexibility and superior resources of the U/W/R shell. I'm certain that some deck along these lines—even if not my exact build here—is going to totally and utterly wreck Standard for a while. I predict that we'll still have a very diverse metagame (yay), but some form of this is going to be top tier.
WotC, please hire me already.
I like the cards you've selected for this list. I also like that you went heavy into a few high powered but vulnerable strategies, like Madcap Skills and Ordeal of Erebos. While some people would trash these cards because of the blow out potential, playing smart with them gives you the opportunity to gain more card parity/advantage as well as proactively answer some of aggro's weaknesses.
Madcap Skills and Agent of the Fates, for example, seems awesome. Besides the card advantage that comes with removing a creature, being able to remove a critical blocker (especially a hard to remove creature like Boros Reckoner) while increasing your tempo/board presence is huge.
I do like Tormented Hero, but wonder if even with decent Aura support whether or not it is better than Firedrinker Satyr. Ig you have tested both, I'm curious to know what your evaluation of the Satyr in this deck is.
Interesting. I was thinking something along similar lines. Ordeal of Purphoros piqued my interest as well, but I ultimately decided on something different. You certainly seem to have put a lot more thought into the meta and aggro's weaknesses than I have, though:
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Tormented Hero
4 Spike Jester
3 Rakdos Shred-Freak
3 Tymaret, the Murder King
3 Morgis's Marauder
4 Thoughtseize
3 Coordinated Assault
3 Madcap Skills
4 Lightning Strike
3 Magma Jet
2 Dreadbore
4 Blood Crypt
8 Swamp
8 Mountain
I wanted to include Agent of the Fates too, but I haven't play tested at all. Fanatic of Mogis may fit well in my list, too.
I was thinking something similar, but throw in the synergy between auras + agent of the fates/fiendslayer/cartel and orzhov charm. Here's my first draft.
4 Tormented Hero
3 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Cartel Aristocrat
2 High Priest of Penance
3 Agent of the Fates
4 Fiendslayer Paladin
4 Xathrid Necromancer
Enchantments (9)
4 Ethereal Armor
2 Gift of Orzhova
1 Gift of Immortality
2 Dark Prophecy
1 Boon of Erebos
3 Orzhov Charm
Lands (23)
4 Godless Shrine
4 Temple of Silence
6 Plains
6 Swamp
3 Mutavault
1 Brave the Elements
2 Thoughtseize
2 Pithing Needle
2 Doom Blade
2 Spear of Heliod
3 Sin Collector
1 Erebos, God of the Dead
2 Obzedat, Ghost Council
P.S.: To prevent possible questions - no, I don't smoke something illegal =)
im working on GR aggro also, im thinking like orge battledrivers could be playable also i think polukranos and burning tree emissary are musts.
Modern:
BRG DEMIGOD Jund GRB
UB TEZZ Control BU
4x Elvish Mystic
2x Blood Scrivener
4x Lifebane Zombie
2x Blood Baron of Vizkopa
2x Obzedat, Ghost Council
2x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4x Abhorrent Overlord
3x Whip of Erebos
2x Underworld Connections
Instants (9)
2x Abrupt Decay
1x Putrefy
4x Grisly Salvage
2x Commune with the Gods
2x Rescue from the Underworld
Planeswalkers (2)
2x Liliana of the Dark Realms
Lands (22)
9x Swamp
2x Forest
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Godless Shrine
3x Temple Garden
MTGO Nick: neonordnance
LGS: Dream Wizards in Rockville, MD
3x Mutavault
4x Rakdos Cackler
3x Firedrinker Satyr
2x Stonewright
4x Ash Zealot
2x Gore-House Chainwalker
4x Burning Tree Emissary
4x Firefist Striker
4x Dynacharge
1x Weapon Surge
2x Lightning Strike
2x Magma Jet
1x Flames of the Firebrand
2x Shocks
2x Hammer of Purphoros
Stonewright is from Avacyn Restored, and Shocks should be Shock.
MTGO Nick: neonordnance
LGS: Dream Wizards in Rockville, MD