Alright, so I recently taught a friend how to play magic using a couple of my own decks. Tis is a deck I plan on giving him to start him out, using cards that I've collected from various drafts and things:
Raging Goblin, Brimstone Volley, ect: Helps to reinforce learning about keyword abilities, as well as making sure to remember to read everything on the card.
Nightbird's Clutches: Gives him an introduction to more complex mechanics in a simple way. Also will show him that the graveyard can be good for more than just being a placeholder.
Fireball: Something big and splashy to feel like you're working towards while not messing with the curve too much.
Prodigal Pyromancer: Makes sure that he retains the knowledge about tap abilities in an elegant and easy-to-use package.
If you guys think anything is missing, or something looks out of place, feel free to suggestion it/point it out. It would be much appreciated!
The intention of teaching him what "Haste" means is definitely good. But Raging Goblin attacks in the first turn otp and then does pretty much nothing at all. With the Fanatic he would learn to sacrifice properly, which is also a major ability.
Well, everyone loves the Raging Goblin!
I also like it for a beginner because it's a decent card that can deliver the beats, and get let him start thinking about cards that might be better than it.
The Fire & Lightning PDS has some really neat sligh/burn cards for a beginner. Lots of neat things, including a Grim Lavamancer and Chain Lightning. But also there are Fanatics, Marauders, Jackal Pups, Bolts, Hellspark Elemental, Lightning Elementals, Ball Lightning..Etc. Plus, its freakin foil. I would reccomend his first magic investment be this if he likes the idea of sligh.
But that would be a matter of $40 vs $8 for a deck...
Yeah, I was just suggesting F&L as an upgrade once he grasps the idea of the game and (if he) wants to better his deck, not as a substitution for the original.
I don't think that you can really get the feeling of playing an aggressive deck unless you are packing a suite of one drops that can actually make your opponent hurt. Tattermunge Maniac, Jackal Pup, and Bonesplitter would be a good, inexpensive array of ways to start your clock on turn one.
I would also be keen on dropping the pyromancer in favour of another two drop. Fireslinger would work if you really want to get your ping on, but I would likely go for Ember Hauler or Stormblood Berserker.
Obviously it is totally up to you and your friend what deck you build, but this is a sample of where I would be looking to move that list.
For Sligh, the average land count would be around 19 lands (all basics usually), if there's non basics maybe wasteland(not very budget)/Strip Mine or barbarian ring as BlackVise has suggested. Teetering Peaks is bad because it comes into play tapped and reduces the number of threats you can play.
I don't agree with the lands part in the post above. 19 lands are way too few, even for a deck with a flat mana curve. Especially in red aggro builds that play a lot of creatures (RDW, Sligh, Goblins) you wanna make sure you can drop a land until turn 3 to keep the threats coming.
Also Teetering Peaks is a great card in this deck if you don't play it too often. It gives a small boost without having to cast a spell and produces red mana. There's good reason you saw it in most red Standard builds during its time.
I found it to be sufficient actually. I never needed many lands when I was playing Sligh (had more when I was running Goyf Sligh in the past, due to fetches and duals). After about 4 lands, usually any more land that is not a threat is a dead draw.
During my time in Standard (in Odyssey), Barbarian Ring was favored for not coming into play tapped and to be able to deal 2 points of damage directly (getting threshold wasn't hard).
Teetering Peaks would be good in a very limited card pool but the casual card pool actually includes all magic cards, there's quite a few more better options. Also, peaks gives a +2 point to a creature, which can be blocked. It is a bad draw on T1 and 2, not a really good one on T3 either. Possibly playable on turn 4-5 (assuming your hand is empty), to push for a few more points of damage via Blistering Firecat/Ball Lightning.
FYI, maybe perhaps I would show you my lists (might have some errors, RDW was back during 2005 and the sligh I played it a couple of years back for fun):
Ok, I have to admit I got you wrong on this one in the first place.
I play RDW and Goblins regularly and especially the latter rely heavilyontheir3-drops. That's why I'd never get below 22 Mountains.
But the curve on your sligh list looks perfectly low, you'll be fine with the 19.
I would agree on goblins =)
The lists I play frequently against never got below 22 lands (including mana denial and fetches) even with AEther Vials.
I don't tend to play aggro as much nowadays, I prefer stuff like reanimator or Sneak>Emrakul which runs low lands counts (at least when I have proper mana fixing available) =x
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4 Raging Goblin
4 Goblin Arsonist
4 Ashmouth Hound
4 Prodigal Pyromancer
4 Dragon Whelp
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
4 Brimstone Volley
2 Nightbird's Clutches
2 Fireball
21 Mountain
3 Teetering Peaks
A couple explanations:
Raging Goblin, Brimstone Volley, ect: Helps to reinforce learning about keyword abilities, as well as making sure to remember to read everything on the card.
Nightbird's Clutches: Gives him an introduction to more complex mechanics in a simple way. Also will show him that the graveyard can be good for more than just being a placeholder.
Fireball: Something big and splashy to feel like you're working towards while not messing with the curve too much.
Prodigal Pyromancer: Makes sure that he retains the knowledge about tap abilities in an elegant and easy-to-use package.
If you guys think anything is missing, or something looks out of place, feel free to suggestion it/point it out. It would be much appreciated!
Sasky for the Sig.
I am in your [PACK]. Watching you... do... something.
Thanks.
Well, like I said I made this mostly with cards I already had.
While Goblin Fireslinger is better than Pyromancer, I wanted Pyromancer because he can be good for threat evaluation.
Well, everyone loves the Raging Goblin!
I also like it for a beginner because it's a decent card that can deliver the beats, and get let him start thinking about cards that might be better than it.
I'll add a couple Teetering Peaks, thanks!
I'm not so sure on Tectonic Edge, as hardly anyone around here plays nonbasics, and the majority of the deck needs red mana.
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Yeah, I was just suggesting F&L as an upgrade once he grasps the idea of the game and (if he) wants to better his deck, not as a substitution for the original.
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I would also be keen on dropping the pyromancer in favour of another two drop. Fireslinger would work if you really want to get your ping on, but I would likely go for Ember Hauler or Stormblood Berserker.
Obviously it is totally up to you and your friend what deck you build, but this is a sample of where I would be looking to move that list.
4 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Jackal Pup
4 Bonesplitter
4 Ember Hauler
4 Stormblood Bersker
4 Ashenmoor Gouger
4 Incinerate
4 Brimstone Volley
2 Fireball
3 Teetering Peaks
For Sligh, the average land count would be around 19 lands (all basics usually), if there's non basics maybe wasteland(not very budget)/Strip Mine or barbarian ring as BlackVise has suggested. Teetering Peaks is bad because it comes into play tapped and reduces the number of threats you can play.
Slith Firewalker would be great synergy with Sligh (as removal helps him to get thru). Other creatures could be Jackal Pup, Blistering Firecat, Keldon Marauders and Goblin Guide.
Fireball is unnecessary as you don't expect the deck to progress to late game anyway. If you want a finisher, play Fireblast.
Why no Magma Jet? Burn and Sligh lacks card quality.
Browbeat can be considered maybe as a 2 of. Though many people do argue about it.
Hopes it helps! =)
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I found it to be sufficient actually. I never needed many lands when I was playing Sligh (had more when I was running Goyf Sligh in the past, due to fetches and duals). After about 4 lands, usually any more land that is not a threat is a dead draw.
During my time in Standard (in Odyssey), Barbarian Ring was favored for not coming into play tapped and to be able to deal 2 points of damage directly (getting threshold wasn't hard).
Teetering Peaks would be good in a very limited card pool but the casual card pool actually includes all magic cards, there's quite a few more better options. Also, peaks gives a +2 point to a creature, which can be blocked. It is a bad draw on T1 and 2, not a really good one on T3 either. Possibly playable on turn 4-5 (assuming your hand is empty), to push for a few more points of damage via Blistering Firecat/Ball Lightning.
FYI, maybe perhaps I would show you my lists (might have some errors, RDW was back during 2005 and the sligh I played it a couple of years back for fun):
4 Wasteland
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Rishadan Port
8 Mountain
// 16 Creatures
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Blistering Firecat
4 Jackal Pup
4 Seal of Fire
4 Cursed Scroll
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Lava Dart
4 Pillage
3 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Gamble
1 Shattering Pulse
2 Pulverize
4 Fledgling Dragon
4 Cursed Totem
This had more land due to the mana denial package and a slightly higher curve.
19 Mountain
// 12 Creatures
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Slith Firewalker
4 Cursed Scroll
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
4 Incinerate
4 Magma Jet
3 Cave-In
2 Browbeat
4 Fireblast
This was the last sligh (non-goyf) list I ran. Cave-In could be swapped for metagame tweaking though. Browbeat is debatable.
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I would agree on goblins =)
The lists I play frequently against never got below 22 lands (including mana denial and fetches) even with AEther Vials.
I don't tend to play aggro as much nowadays, I prefer stuff like reanimator or Sneak>Emrakul which runs low lands counts (at least when I have proper mana fixing available) =x
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WSoul SistersW
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UBT.E.S. - The EGG-pic StormBU
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