MTG Salvation

Journey Into Nyx gave us the excellent new legend, Iroas, God of Victory, and I'm very excited to use him as a commander. Boros is definitely my favorite guild, and Iroas will be a powerful weapon in an aggressive deck. The main theme is cards like Fury of the Horde granting extra combat phases, and cards like Chaos and Master Warcraft and Odric not allowing blocking or creating favorable blocking situations.



Other cards considered:
- Brave the Elements
- Wear // Tear
- Archetype of Aggression
- Archetype of Courage
- Banisher Priest
- Path of Bravery
- Sulfur Elemental
- Sunglasses of Urza
- Wojek Embermage
- Cleaver Riot
- Cyclops of Eternal Fury
- Rage Reflection

Some slight tweaks to the build - added Browbeat, Faithless Looting, Inheritance, Mentor of the Meek, Staff of Nin, and Ghostway. Unfortunately, still having a ton of trouble deciding what to cut out, would greatly appreciate the help of an experienced EDH player.

Some of the one-shot Threaten-type effects look pretty weak. I'd cut Threaten, Act of Treason, Traitorous Blood, and Unwilling Recruit right off the bat.

Browbeat isn't a good card in 60-card, and it's even worse here. 99% of the time it'll be a Lava Axe, which isn't great. Reforge the Soul and Wheel of Fortune are great alternatives that also mess with the combo players' well-sculpted hands.

Gleam of Battle is pretty weak when Cathars' Crusade is a card, especially given the sheer number of token makers you're running.

It looks like you're running enough lands, but I think you're way too low on mana rocks. I'd be much more comfortable with 8-10 rocks. Boros Signet, Boros Keyrune, Darksteel Ingot, and Expedition Map (in addition to what you already have) would be a good base to start with.

Quote from Bismuth Von Pherson

Some of the one-shot Threaten-type effects look pretty weak. I'd cut Threaten, Act of Treason, Traitorous Blood, and Unwilling Recruit right off the bat.

What makes these cards weak in EDH? I would think especially in an environment where large creatures are plentiful, and where my creatures will often be outmuscled, it'll be very helpful to have the ability to take control of someone else's blocker - could make all the difference in a big swing. Even adds to battalion in a pinch.

Quote from Bismuth Von Pherson

Browbeat isn't a good card in 60-card, and it's even worse here. 99% of the time it'll be a Lava Axe, which isn't great. Reforge the Soul and Wheel of Fortune are great alternatives that also mess with the combo players' well-sculpted hands.

Yeah, point taken on Browbeat. I like Reforge the Soul as well, but Wheel of Fortune is a little more expensive than I was looking to go.

Quote from Bismuth Von Pherson

Gleam of Battle is pretty weak when Cathars' Crusade is a card, especially given the sheer number of token makers you're running.

Yeah, very nice pick, thanks!

Quote from Bismuth Von Pherson

It looks like you're running enough lands, but I think you're way too low on mana rocks. I'd be much more comfortable with 8-10 rocks. Boros Signet, Boros Keyrune, Darksteel Ingot, and Expedition Map (in addition to what you already have) would be a good base to start with.

These are good suggestions as well, thanks. Unfortunately, with replacing Browbeat and Gleam of Battle with Reforge the Soul and Cathars' Crusade, the addition of extra mana rocks puts me at 140 cards. Definitely need to start cutting down.

Quote from Sword of the Morning

What makes these cards weak in EDH? I would think especially in an environment where large creatures are plentiful, and where my creatures will often be outmuscled, it'll be very helpful to have the ability to take control of someone else's blocker - could make all the difference in a big swing. Even adds to battalion in a pinch.


Yeah, point taken on Browbeat. I like Reforge the Soul as well, but Wheel of Fortune is a little more expensive than I was looking to go.


Yeah, very nice pick, thanks!


These are good suggestions as well, thanks. Unfortunately, with replacing Browbeat and Gleam of Battle with Reforge the Soul and Cathars' Crusade, the addition of extra mana rocks puts me at 140 cards. Definitely need to start cutting down.

While our decks are somewhat different, you might find some ideas from my list.

I agree that one-shot threaten effects are weak. If you are going to run them, you'd at least want a reliable sac outlet.
If you want effects like this, I'd pretty much only run Zealous Conscripts, Insurrection and Grab the Reigns.

Honestly I would just cut the weak battalion cards like Wojek Halbediers. Sure it's on theme, but you're short on room and it's just a weak card. If you run stronger, more reliable creatures you can cut the 'no blocking effects' which are also really lackluster.

Anyways...my 2 cents.

Quote from Sword of the Morning

What makes these cards weak in EDH? I would think especially in an environment where large creatures are plentiful, and where my creatures will often be outmuscled, it'll be very helpful to have the ability to take control of someone else's blocker - could make all the difference in a big swing. Even adds to battalion in a pinch.

If you had more sac outlets, they'd be a different story. But Boros tends to lack good outlets beside things like High Market. It's cute being able to smack something with their own Avacyn, but in reality these have the same problems that burn spells have. They're even more dead against any type of token strategy or the hexproof generals. The ones that might still be worth running are the ones stapled to bodies (Zealous Conscripts), the ones that can steal any permanent (again, Zealous Conscripts), the ones that don't target or grab many guys at once (Mass Mutiny and Insurrection), and the ones that have a built-in way to kill what you stole (Grab the Reins). I just think having four one-shot Threatens is way too many wasted card slots that could be mana rocks or more threats.

I also agree with Dracilic on cutting the weaker battalion dorks. I'd cut anything that doesn't have some form of protection and/or evasion outside of battalion.

EDIT: D'oh, I didn't realize you're ~40 cards over 100. By all means, cut away then!

Cut all the way down to 110, ditched some weaker creatures, blocking-related cards, and a couple enchantments in order to focus the deck a little. Just need a last few cards, would greatly appreciate some further input. Thanks in advance!

My ten cuts would be:

• Boros Reckoner
  
• Heathfire Hobgoblin
  
• Inheritance
  
• True Conviction
  
• Raise the Alarm
  
• Debt of Loyalty
  
• Hound of Griselbrand
  
• Faithless Looting
  
• Boros Battleshaper
  
• 1 Plains

I would also try to fit in Skullclamp.

Hmm, interesting - why those cards? For example, why the Reckoner over, say, Spitemare?

Quote from Sword of the Morning

Hmm, interesting - why those cards? For example, why the Reckoner over, say, Spitemare?

Because I overlooked Spitemare somehow I'll fix that, though I would remove both and add Skullclamp.

Spitemare
Not really impressive. Most the times it's just gonna go unblocked on the swing (which you should be swinging often to trigger tajic) and when you leave it to block it will generally just kill a dork IF it kills a dork. Too conditional basically

Heathfire Hobgoblin
Does nothing outside the combat step and isn't that impressive in it either.

Inheritance
I understand that Boros is light on the draw, but there are way better draw effects even in these colors. Bad draw is bad.

True Conviction
Typical win more card. Good when you are ahead, not so much when you aren't

Raise the Alarm
One shot effect for two 1/1's. If you had more focus on soldiers then I could see this being useful otherwise it's really weak in multiplayer.

Debt of Loyalty
Super Situational card. Not very good. The amount of times it does nothing is going to be greater than the times it does awesome things.

Hound of Griselbrand
Better than the Hobgoblin by a large margin but still not that awesome

Faithless Looting
Again it's card advantage. But it's not the best. Not every card advantage spell is good in every deck. And this one just doesn't fit here.

Boros Battleshaper
Control over combat is cool. And can be game changing with something like Odric. Unfortuantly this is not Odric. It's more expensive and much worse than Odric. It's more cool and interesting than it is good.

Plains
You have some rocks and plenty of land. You can cut one.

Some (very) quick explanations.

Thanks for your help! I do agree on a couple of these, but others I'd really appreciate some further rationale.

-1 Hearthfire Hobgoblin
-1 Hound of Griselbrand
-1 Raise the Alarm
-1 Debt of Loyalty

Quote from Dracilic

Because I overlooked Spitemare somehow I'll fix that, though I would remove both and add Skullclamp.

Well, in my regular R/W deck, I can use Master Warcraft to force someone to block into Reckoner/Spitemare, but I guess that's not really an option here; I think I cut even the 1 copy that I was running out of this model. Is it really that common to see spite creatures like those two just go totally unblocked?

If I add Skullclamp, shouldn't I add something like Squee to use it with?

Quote from Dracilic

Inheritance
I understand that Boros is light on the draw, but there are way better draw effects even in these colors. Bad draw is bad.

Faithless Looting
Again it's card advantage. But it's not the best. Not every card advantage spell is good in every deck. And this one just doesn't fit here.

I get that you prefer Skullclamp, but it seems like I have little enough draw in here that I should try to keep all of these that I can.

Quote from Dracilic

True Conviction
Typical win more card. Good when you are ahead, not so much when you aren't

Not sure if I agree here - if I'm down, what could be better than something that gives all my creatures lifelink and double damage? It immediately makes me a larger threat and a guaranteed way to get more life.

Quote from Dracilic

Boros Battleshaper
Control over combat is cool. And can be game changing with something like Odric. Unfortuantly this is not Odric. It's more expensive and much worse than Odric. It's more cool and interesting than it is good.

Hmm, I mean, I agree that it's worse than Odric, but this seems infinitely amusing in EDH. I think I'd like to keep it if at all possible.

***

Also, I saw Wild Ricochet and just couldn't resist. So now I'm at 107.

Quote from Sword of the Morning

Well, in my regular R/W deck, I can use Master Warcraft to force someone to block into Reckoner/Spitemare, but I guess that's not really an option here; I think I cut even the 1 copy that I was running out of this model. Is it really that common to see spite creatures like those two just go totally unblocked?

If you're playing against competent players, then most games they go unblocked. Almost all decks run small utility creatures that never attack and want to stay alive. Sure I can block and kill spitemare, but is it worth losing my Lotus Cobra? Nah I'll take the three. Big Whoop.

If I add Skullclamp, shouldn't I add something like Squee to use it with?

No, not necessarily. You have some token producers (this card is insane with Assemble the Legion). And you have some other cards that are x/1 that eventually lose their usefulness. And some people forget that the creature doesn't have to be x/1 to be a good skullclamp target. You can put it on a creature you're going to block with. You may be wrathing, and get two free cards out of the deal.

Skullclamp is the best card advantage Boros has. I don't think it's even close. Skullclamp is broke.

I get that you prefer Skullclamp, but it seems like I have little enough draw in here that I should try to keep all of these that I can.

Sure draw is good. But there is much better than this. Mentor of the Meek is much better than Inheritance.

Not sure if I agree here - if I'm down, what could be better than something that gives all my creatures lifelink and double damage? It immediately makes me a larger threat and a guaranteed way to get more life.

Life is way overrated and so is lifegain. Put cards that get you closer to winning instead of prolonging losing.

Quote from Hmm, I mean, I agree that it"s worse than Odric, but this seems infinitely amusing in EDH. I think I"d like to keep it if at all possible.[/QUOTE »

Sure it is interesting. And if you're wanting to run cards like this then do it. But if your wanting good/competitive cards, then this is not one of them.

[QUOTE]***

Also, I saw Wild Ricochet and just couldn't resist. So now I'm at 107.

I like Wild Ricochet in decks with blue but it's not too bad here.

-1 Plains
-1 Mountain
-1 Spitemare
-1 Boros Reckoner
-1 Ranger of Eos
-1 Reveille Squad
-1 Boros Battleshaper
-1 Faithless Looting
-1 Inheritance
-1 True Conviction
-1 Expedition Map

+1 Mentor of the Meek
+1 Siege-Gang Commander
+1 Angelic Skirmisher
+1 Skullclamp

Finally down to 100! Made my mana curve a tiny bit steeper, but hoping that the model will still work. Still open to any suggestions/changes/criticism Thanks in advance!

Bump from the graveyard; have tweaked and twerked the deck a bit, and updated it with new cards from this block. It really came together when Iroas, God of Victory was shown, I think he's the perfect commander for this deck.