MTG Salvation

Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran - Enlightened Rush

Introduction
I was always a very big fan of the Boros Legion, a guild that had two of my favourite colours in magic and more or less just wanted to attack until nothing remained. Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran, while a big player in the Ravnica Novels, never saw standard, extended or legacy play (nor will he see modern), yet he suits our purposes here wonderfully as one of three Boros guild leaders and one that favours an attacking style. The issue I had deck-building wise is the similarity this Agrus has with a straight Marton Stromgald deck, such as mine or ISBPathfinder's, yet I believe the white allows us to factor in a gearshift to become control (closer to a Razia, Boros Archangel build) mid game. I make no apologies about using so many overtly 'staple' cards and using a sideboard, the general itself is offbeat, so one should work harder to show what they can do to succeed. With that, I hope you find my deck interesting.


Card Availability
1. I cannot afford an Imperial Recruiter, although one would be desirable.
2. I don't have a Mana Crypt currently, but this deck could use one.

Notes
1. Sideboard is for Golden Wish, not regular interchange at start. In metagame hostile to wishes though, choose card from it you favour most.

Cards under Consideration:
1. Armageddon
2. Contested War Zone

Change Log

Sideboard Change Log

This is a deck I've had for a while, but not posted, I'll write about it soon (tomorrow), but for now I would love thoughts on it.

Placeholder! Should I seek to do Primer.

Some thoughts, many of which you've probably considered, but you asked.

14 basics = Land Tax. Aside from $$, hard to argue against this one. Then of course Scroll Rack would be knocking on the door wanting to play too.

Several producers of soldiers, but no Knight-Captain of Eos. Brings his own soldiers to the party then kills them to save your bacon. Pretty dang good with the Elspeths. (Speaking of which, maybe has less synergy with your deck, but Gideon has proven to be pretty good in EDH in my group. Lure ability is useful, kills tapped creatures is useful, 6/6 body that can wear equipments is very useful).

I've been loving Cloudshift in white decks. W to either protect a creature from a targeted attack or reuse its ETB or both. Ghostway is one I like, but probably not in a deck that makes tokens.

I love me a flying ball of myr, but I'm wondering about it with this general not pumping any of the myrs? It's an autoinclude in Jor Kadeen, who could almost helm this list with a higher artifact count.

Both Kiki-Jiki and Goblin Welder, but no Duplicant who plays well with both.... I know it drives up the CMC of the deck, but once in play Kiki can make a copy to exile something, then the welder can trade the copy with the battlesphere in your graveyard.... and other shenanigans.

I'd love to hear some game reports because one of the directions I've been considering with Jor Kadeen is more of a soldier/goblin tribal which you've pretty much got going on here.

Thank you for the response kraus911, I was beginning to fear Agrus Kos was too yesterday for most people to care, especially with Aurelia and Razia being better (although I don't think Brion is).

Land Tax would be easy enough, I have it in every other white deck I have, so I'm surprised I forgot in this one.

Ghostway as you said is a non-bo for this deck, although would have situations where it works if all the tokens are dead, but not creatures that spawned them, so I think I will pass.

I like Duplicant, but I'm attempting to keep the cost down and I'm running the high quality white removal instead to increase my clock potentially.

Cloudshift I feel is limit as a one trick pony, it works once, but doesn't have flashback, so it doesn't do enough.

Knight-Captain certain could have a place with the synergies soldier wise I have, I'll really try work it in.

Gideon is probably awesome, but I kinda want to avoid the control route as a primary path.

I understand that Myr Incubator doesn't work as well with Agrus as Jor, but with several cards it can still kill them and my deck was heavy on artifacts regardless, so it's a harmless combo, I could however add Jor Kadeen instead as an additional anthem while maintaining my theme, so not a bad comment.

Thank you for the feedback, the old version of deck pre-wishboard had success, but I havent played it enough to offer firm results yet.

I'm curios, aside from being flavourful, does Agrus has any edge against Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer? Please don't read this as "X is more powerful than Y so you should play X." I just want to discuss Agrus's merit.

Quote from pinguis

I'm curios, aside from being flavourful, does Agrus has any edge against Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer? Please don't read this as "X is more powerful than Y so you should play X." I just want to discuss Agrus's merit.

Well I run Agrus as well and he has great synergy with effects that let you have additional combat steps. Each time he attacks your creatures get buffed so if you attack multiple times the buffs keep stacking. He also gives a defensive buff if the creature is white, while Jor is purely a power buff. Jor is a bit more fragile too in a sense that his ability is dependent on metalcraft and him being on the field. If your enemy makes you lose metal craft or kills Jor after you attack but before damage you might get blown out in combat. He also forces you to play with a lot of artifacts.


I run more of a token build but here is some stuff that has worked out for me:

• Glory of Warfare
  
• World Queller
  
• Goldnight Commander
  
• Goblin Assault
  
• Moggcatcher
  
• Moonveil Dragon
  
• Instigator Gang
  
• Elemental Mastery
  
• Rakka Mar
  
• Rise of the Hobgoblins
  
• Mentor of the Meek
  
• Cathar's Crusade
  
• Relentless Assault
  
• Waves of Agression
  
• Aggrivated Assault

etc...

I see Agrus as weaker in a sense, but his buff only has conditions attached to the colour, which at times can be easier to achieve then Jor (Since people might even target them to set you back), even with there being somewhat fewer good red token generaters.

Groundswell, you did list some good cards, but a lot are also quite medicore. You want to attack, not necesarilly make a creature bigger than will invariable die.

Quote from Groundswell

Well I run Agrus as well and he has great synergy with effects that let you have additional combat steps. Each time he attacks your creatures get buffed so if you attack multiple times the buffs keep stacking. He also gives a defensive buff if the creature is white, while Jor is purely a power buff. Jor is a bit more fragile too in a sense that his ability is dependent on metalcraft and him being on the field. If your enemy makes you lose metal craft or kills Jor after you attack but before damage you might get blown out in combat. He also forces you to play with a lot of artifacts.

Hm...that's interesting. I've never looked at it that way.

Waves of Aggression could have considerable utility with that considered, but I'm not sure we would want to focus on that without supporting tools for.

This deck has been upated, main wants are still Land Tax and potentially Armageddon or Contested War Zone.

I was debating replacing Agrus with Anax and Cymede, by they are too difficult to get the power out of, even if they do work with white a bit better.