Also, if you don't like Fanatic, you could try Chandra
Pretty much what i'm doing. My list is exactly the same, except i swapped the fanatics out for chandras. I like the redundancy of having two cards in the deck that denies my opponent blockers (chandra and firefist). Chandra also allows us to return the phoenix without aiming the burn to the face. At worst, her 0 ability gives you more lands for the Hammer.
Done a few more hours of testing, and I'm sticking with my original conclusion. With so much removal flying around at the moment, and cheap sweepers like anger of the gods, this deck is sub-par. If you get the nut-draw you can blow your opponent away but otherwise you're a sitting duck. Too many things totally shut us down, and so much removal means our opponents can just stall for 3-4 turns until our threats are too small and they've got board presence. There's not as much haste running around as ISD standard, making us a turn slower, and the prevalence of Mizzium Mortars means more often than not your Flamedrinker Satyr is going to do no more than cost you four life, at least in my experience.
I think come Theros, everything's going to go big, midrange or control. Any successful aggro decks in the format are going to be more akin to Big Red and Kibler's Gruul list than the RDW, AIR or Rg aggro we saw in the last format. I'm not saying mono-red aggro won't exist -- it always exists -- because it will, mainly because it's easy to play and cheap to build, but it won't be very viable and it certainly won't be tier 1.
That's my two cents, anyway. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I can't see this deck being particularly viable. I'll keep an eye on this thread regardless, though. I always like to have a competitive Rx aggro deck around to pick up and play the odd time, even if my "main" deck is something else.
I agree that Anger of the Gods is an issue, but a format having removal never really stopped RDW before. I would even say RDW (sligh that is) may be alot MORE viable now than it was in INN standard due to the absence of thragtusk and proper mana fixing for the midrange decks. I don't know what you tested against, but in my experience, your opponent is not ALWAYS gonna have an answer to your threats, variance is part of magic.
Exava is a good choice if you're going to splash. If you want to stay mono red and want a 4 drop besides Fanatic, I think you're going to find a lot more success with Chandra than Purphoros.
I haven't tested the fanatic, but I HAVE tried chandra and I really never regret playing her at any point. The ability to negate a blocker is awesome. I agree that Purphuros is probably not the direction you want to be going with this deck tho. Rather play the fanatic after a board wipe than purphuros tbh.
If the fanatic is as good as everyone says it is then I don't think worrying about sweepers should be on this deck's "list of things to do". Its not like our opponents are going to be casting thragtusk after the sweeper (or before), so its not like we have to deal EDH amounts of damage anymore. The deck has mutavault and the hammer, which both give you good play after a sweeper
well, path does stack so they're good if u draw multiples whereas the spear isn't. And the lifegain is good for racing. I'm also not sure ur ever gonna have the 3 mana open to use the spear's ability. I do like the non-conditional pump of the spear tho.............maybe a 2/2 split of both?
Assuming you have some sort of board presence by turn 4, for 4 mana, wouldn't you rather play chandra and push through some damage than play this guy? I mean, unless you're killing them then and there on that turn, then I don't think this is a better play than chandra.
Like metamorph said , it really sux after a board wipe. I think maybe this will be better if we can find some non creature devotion enablers for him. Things that are harder to get rid of. I'm guessing on average he will do 3-4 damage with his etb ability, but for me, paying 4 for 3 dmg and a 4/2 just isn't as good as playing chandra
Brave the Elements is a maindeckable card. I can't see why you wouldn't want to include it in the 60, it does everything! Protects against burn (targeted or otherwise) Allows you to block with impunity (for the most part) and most importantly, can allow an alpha strike..........there really is no reason to not have 4 of this maindeck lol. I like the Immortal Servitude plan. If you're running 8 - 10 one drops a servitude for 4 mana after a board wipe can be pretty backbreaking. I think 4 spears are bad tho, I'd use 2-3 max.
I'd probably use Precinct Captain and Cavalry Pegasus as the 2 drops. The pegasus isn't the best card but it grants everyone evasion except for the captain tokens and reckoner (who doesn't really need evasion anyway). Banisher Priest should get the spot over field medic. He is doubles as removal and with the inclusion of the pegasus and brave the elements, the combat indestructibility clause on the medic seems redundant.
Don't knock Path of Bravery. As an anthem effect it is sub-par yes. But u can't have 2 spears in play and the lifegain from path can be very relevant.
Mizzium Mortars is a really important exception though. That is likely to be one of the most played removal spells in the format.
Quite possibly, but i don't think its a reason not to run this guy. Its not unlikely that in a ramp deck you can activate the monstrous ability the next turn, putting him out of mortars range.
good point on the "ability to push damage through". Thundermaw has him beat there. But I guess we'll have to wait and see how the non-white decks develop after the release. Either way.......RG aggro can't use thundermaw anymore and this is probably the best replacement they are gonna get
ok sure its weaker in stats than thundermaw, and dies to mortars.........but it's immune to azorius charmdetention sphere and selesneya charm. I think that's a better trade tbh. Besides those, it dies to the same removal thundermaw did.
Ideally, shock would get replaced with a one drop creature. I haven't seen anything worth the slot in Theros thus far..............maybe legion loyalist?
Sideboard is meta dependent obviously. But this is solid i think. I tried to build it so that we won't need to rely on puphuros for the win. Some tokens with A&C can deliver the beatdown. What I'd really like is some sort of shimmering wings type card, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
T1 Land, Experiment One
T2 Draw, Land, Burning-Tree Emissary into Ordeal. Swing with Exp1 for 3.
T3 Draw, Swing with Exp1 and BTE for 6. Bolt with Ordeal for 3.
...Then continue into your second main phase and play that 3rd land. That leaves you left with 3 mana open and 4 cards (5 if on the draw) in hand. And your opponent is at 8 life, assuming they didn't have any of their shocks come in untapped.
This card is crazy good, people. Even though I just ran through the best possible out come. You have to realize that this is just as consistent as Exp1 into BTE and Flinthoof Boar which was a RDW favorite for all of gatecrash. Except that what I described up there is a lot better AND a lot more consistent since the same exact plays can be made with a T1 Rakdos Cackler. Which also makes it easier to play since it gives you leeway if you are stuck with double red or green mana in your opening hand.
This.
Sure, it is a "nut draw". But it is hardly "magical xmas land". Its 3 cards....THREE, that drops ur opponent to 8........EIGHT life by turn 3. I can't see how that is not worthy of consideration for an aggro deck.
I would argue however, that the evasion on madcap skills makes it better than this, seeing as in the same situation the skills will help deal the same 12 dmg by turn 3. Only downside being that with exp 1, the madcap skills play is weak to doom blade whereas you would have enough counters to regenerate if you were to use the ordeal instead.
I also agree that this card would be ALOT better if the bolt trigger was caused by the aura leaving play and not being sacrificed, but hey, it would of also been alot better if it was 1 cmc ..........so whatever lol.
The card isn't horrible, but i'm pretty sure there will be better aggro worthy cards than this
@Kahmos yea i think maybe dropping it to 2 might be wise.
@TeeWX I cut reckoner completely. He isn't what I want to be doing on turn 3. As for BTE. Sometimes the mutavault screws up the t2 BTE plays, but if u go one drop on t1 and then use the mutavault and the t1 land to play ur 2 drop, you can still swing with 3 creatures on turn 3 (activating the mutavault). Granted this way u won't have as much mana open, but u still manage to keep the pressure on ur opponent.
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Pretty much what i'm doing. My list is exactly the same, except i swapped the fanatics out for chandras. I like the redundancy of having two cards in the deck that denies my opponent blockers (chandra and firefist). Chandra also allows us to return the phoenix without aiming the burn to the face. At worst, her 0 ability gives you more lands for the Hammer.
I agree that Anger of the Gods is an issue, but a format having removal never really stopped RDW before. I would even say RDW (sligh that is) may be alot MORE viable now than it was in INN standard due to the absence of thragtusk and proper mana fixing for the midrange decks. I don't know what you tested against, but in my experience, your opponent is not ALWAYS gonna have an answer to your threats, variance is part of magic.
I haven't tested the fanatic, but I HAVE tried chandra and I really never regret playing her at any point. The ability to negate a blocker is awesome. I agree that Purphuros is probably not the direction you want to be going with this deck tho. Rather play the fanatic after a board wipe than purphuros tbh.
If the fanatic is as good as everyone says it is then I don't think worrying about sweepers should be on this deck's "list of things to do". Its not like our opponents are going to be casting thragtusk after the sweeper (or before), so its not like we have to deal EDH amounts of damage anymore. The deck has mutavault and the hammer, which both give you good play after a sweeper
4 Boros Elite
4 Dryad Militant
4 Precinct Captain
4 Cavalry Pegasus
4 Banisher Priest
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Brave the Elements
2 Immortal Servitude
3 Mutavault
19 Plains
maybe something like this?
Like metamorph said , it really sux after a board wipe. I think maybe this will be better if we can find some non creature devotion enablers for him. Things that are harder to get rid of. I'm guessing on average he will do 3-4 damage with his etb ability, but for me, paying 4 for 3 dmg and a 4/2 just isn't as good as playing chandra
I'd probably use Precinct Captain and Cavalry Pegasus as the 2 drops. The pegasus isn't the best card but it grants everyone evasion except for the captain tokens and reckoner (who doesn't really need evasion anyway). Banisher Priest should get the spot over field medic. He is doubles as removal and with the inclusion of the pegasus and brave the elements, the combat indestructibility clause on the medic seems redundant.
Don't knock Path of Bravery. As an anthem effect it is sub-par yes. But u can't have 2 spears in play and the lifegain from path can be very relevant.
4 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Guttersnipe
2 Purphuros, God of the Forge
4 Hidden Strings
4 Magma Jet
4 Voyage's End
2 Turn//Burn
2 Chandra Pyromaster
Quite possibly, but i don't think its a reason not to run this guy. Its not unlikely that in a ramp deck you can activate the monstrous ability the next turn, putting him out of mortars range.
good point on the "ability to push damage through". Thundermaw has him beat there. But I guess we'll have to wait and see how the non-white decks develop after the release. Either way.......RG aggro can't use thundermaw anymore and this is probably the best replacement they are gonna get
4 Ash Zealot
4 Spike Jester
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch
2 Underworld Cerberus
4 Magma Jet
4 Shock
2 Chandra Pyromaster
Ideally, shock would get replaced with a one drop creature. I haven't seen anything worth the slot in Theros thus far..............maybe legion loyalist?
4 Legion Loyalist
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Anax and Cymede
2 Purphuros, God of the Forge
4 Ethereal Armor
4 Martial Glory
4 Boros Charm
4 Molten Birth
9 Mountain
6 Plains
3 Mutavault
Sideboard is meta dependent obviously. But this is solid i think. I tried to build it so that we won't need to rely on puphuros for the win. Some tokens with A&C can deliver the beatdown. What I'd really like is some sort of shimmering wings type card, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
This.
Sure, it is a "nut draw". But it is hardly "magical xmas land". Its 3 cards....THREE, that drops ur opponent to 8........EIGHT life by turn 3. I can't see how that is not worthy of consideration for an aggro deck.
I would argue however, that the evasion on madcap skills makes it better than this, seeing as in the same situation the skills will help deal the same 12 dmg by turn 3. Only downside being that with exp 1, the madcap skills play is weak to doom blade whereas you would have enough counters to regenerate if you were to use the ordeal instead.
I also agree that this card would be ALOT better if the bolt trigger was caused by the aura leaving play and not being sacrificed, but hey, it would of also been alot better if it was 1 cmc ..........so whatever lol.
The card isn't horrible, but i'm pretty sure there will be better aggro worthy cards than this
Just curious, when u side in Burning Earth, what do u side out? Hellrider?
@TeeWX I cut reckoner completely. He isn't what I want to be doing on turn 3. As for BTE. Sometimes the mutavault screws up the t2 BTE plays, but if u go one drop on t1 and then use the mutavault and the t1 land to play ur 2 drop, you can still swing with 3 creatures on turn 3 (activating the mutavault). Granted this way u won't have as much mana open, but u still manage to keep the pressure on ur opponent.