Hi everyone! I'm new to the game and recently purchased a bunch of red cards (mostly dragons). I'm looking to build two mono red decks, one aggro and one midrange (if it's possible with the cards I own). I'm also thinking about buying four copies of Dragonlord Atarka and build a red-green deck with cards I already have and some new ones (elves etc). Any suggestions on how these three decks could look? I don't mind using some of the cards in all of the decks. Below is my current collection:
You gots some cool stuff there. Is there a specific format ban list you're building for? Vintage by default? Are these for multiplayer or 1-v-1? Both? Need more info to really make up some decklists.
There's a couple dragon threads here and the MP subforum. Those should give you some ideas if you haven't read them already.
I've been running one that's RGB. This might be pointless info to share, as three colors might be hard to do without already owning a decent mana base. Not sure if you meant these are the ONLY cards you have. That Dragonlord Atarka idea would work much better if you could splash black. I'd add Broodmate Dragon with Lathliss, Dragon Queen and Scourge of Valkas running around. They are cheap. Black also adds some cheap recursion options to keep bringing things back. Return from Extinction and Victimize come to mind. Artarka likes recursion.
Some other cheap-to-cheapish stuff I'd add to the collection: Dragon Tempest Same proc as Scourge, plus hastey goodness Dragon Egg Triggers Scourge, Tempest, Lathliss. Then Scourge and Tempest again when it leaves. Dragon Hatchling You might want to use this in the aggro version. It's also not as useless as it looks in the late game. 2 mana for a bunch of Scourge/Tempest triggers has won me more than a few games. Vines of Vastwood and Blossoming Defense Basically counterspells when someone takes a pot shot at Atarka, Lathliss, Scourge, etc. Dragon's Hoard Yeah, might get blown up pretty quick, but great when it doesn't. Plus, bonus points for flavor. What kind of dragon quest doesn't have a big old stack of loot? Rite of Flame. It's a great card for the aggro list, but only legal in vintage I think.
I really wanted to suggest Nesting Dragon. However, they apparently went up a bit in price ($15) since I paid $4 a pop for mine. But if you have it, they're a great add to the Scourge/Tempest strategy. It's a commander card, so might not be legal in most formats.
There's a downside to all this dragony goodness. They aren't hard to stop. Tends to be very tribal. It's annoying enough that if you play the same people all the time, you'll get ganged up on as soon as someone figures out what you're playing. It's hard making a truly fast list. Mid-ramge at best.
Many random thoughts, hope it was remotely helpful. I'll talk dragons all day.
Wow, great reply! Thanks for answering! I appreciate the info and all the card tips. A 3-color dragon deck centered around Dragonlord Atarka sounds like a lot of fun. I have about 90 euro left to spend, and I think 4x Atarka will be around 40 euro, so the rest of the cards can’t cost more than 50 euro total. Do you think it’s doable for that price?
Regarding the format, at the moment I’m just doing kitchen table games with my friend and my wife, 1v1. So no card rules basically. We just build 60 card decks and have at it.
I would love to hear some ideas for decks if you could spare the time! The cards in the list are the ones I have atm, but since I'll be placing an order soon I’m very open to ideas with other colors, as long as it’s doable with the 50 euro my wife (read boss) approved, hehe. I guess I could skip one Atarka if it results in being able to get a stronger deck, but I would prefer to slam that lizard on the table at least once per game.
Yeah I get that dragons may not be that competitive, but they’re so cool… I even named my (mostly empty) bank account “Smaug's Lair”... And I’m 100% getting a couple of Dragon’s Hoard - epic card!
OK, so let's start with Atarka. Honestly, I'd just get 2 for starters. I rarely run more than 2 copies of anything at 6 mana or more. There are exceptions for 3 copies, but 4 is almost always overkill in a deck like this. Especially given Atarka's legendary status. You don't want it plugging up your hand in the early game, and you don't want it plugging up your hand later on when you can cast it, but can only have one in play at a time. This would give you a decent chunk of your budget back for some other stuff. Like lands. Gonna need some lands if your're gonna do 3 color.
I'd go for 2 decks. One straight red, more streamlined, fast mana, attacking, "mid-aggro" type of deal, and the second, a RGB Scourge of Valkas and Dragon Tempest token strategy. It's a slower, long-game kind of idea, and a lot more fun to play. This is where you find the fun stuff like Atarka and Dragon's Hoard. It doesn't really attack. All your damage usually comes from Scourge and Tempest procs. Making dragons faster than your opponent can blow them up is the hope.
There's a couple dragon threads here and the MP subforum. Those should give you some ideas if you haven't read them already.
I've been running one that's RGB. This might be pointless info to share, as three colors might be hard to do without already owning a decent mana base. Not sure if you meant these are the ONLY cards you have. That Dragonlord Atarka idea would work much better if you could splash black. I'd add Broodmate Dragon with Lathliss, Dragon Queen and Scourge of Valkas running around. They are cheap. Black also adds some cheap recursion options to keep bringing things back. Return from Extinction and Victimize come to mind. Artarka likes recursion.
Some other cheap-to-cheapish stuff I'd add to the collection:
Dragon Tempest Same proc as Scourge, plus hastey goodness
Dragon Egg Triggers Scourge, Tempest, Lathliss. Then Scourge and Tempest again when it leaves.
Dragon Hatchling You might want to use this in the aggro version. It's also not as useless as it looks in the late game. 2 mana for a bunch of Scourge/Tempest triggers has won me more than a few games.
Vines of Vastwood and Blossoming Defense Basically counterspells when someone takes a pot shot at Atarka, Lathliss, Scourge, etc.
Dragon's Hoard Yeah, might get blown up pretty quick, but great when it doesn't. Plus, bonus points for flavor. What kind of dragon quest doesn't have a big old stack of loot?
Rite of Flame. It's a great card for the aggro list, but only legal in vintage I think.
I really wanted to suggest Nesting Dragon. However, they apparently went up a bit in price ($15) since I paid $4 a pop for mine. But if you have it, they're a great add to the Scourge/Tempest strategy. It's a commander card, so might not be legal in most formats.
There's a downside to all this dragony goodness. They aren't hard to stop. Tends to be very tribal. It's annoying enough that if you play the same people all the time, you'll get ganged up on as soon as someone figures out what you're playing. It's hard making a truly fast list. Mid-ramge at best.
Many random thoughts, hope it was remotely helpful. I'll talk dragons all day.
Regarding the format, at the moment I’m just doing kitchen table games with my friend and my wife, 1v1. So no card rules basically. We just build 60 card decks and have at it.
I would love to hear some ideas for decks if you could spare the time! The cards in the list are the ones I have atm, but since I'll be placing an order soon I’m very open to ideas with other colors, as long as it’s doable with the 50 euro my wife (read boss) approved, hehe. I guess I could skip one Atarka if it results in being able to get a stronger deck, but I would prefer to slam that lizard on the table at least once per game.
Yeah I get that dragons may not be that competitive, but they’re so cool… I even named my (mostly empty) bank account “Smaug's Lair”... And I’m 100% getting a couple of Dragon’s Hoard - epic card!
I'd go for 2 decks. One straight red, more streamlined, fast mana, attacking, "mid-aggro" type of deal, and the second, a RGB Scourge of Valkas and Dragon Tempest token strategy. It's a slower, long-game kind of idea, and a lot more fun to play. This is where you find the fun stuff like Atarka and Dragon's Hoard. It doesn't really attack. All your damage usually comes from Scourge and Tempest procs. Making dragons faster than your opponent can blow them up is the hope.
What to buy? If it was me...
For the attacking deck-
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
4 Rite of Flame
4 Dragon Egg
4 Dragon Hatchling
For the token deck-
2 Dragonlord Atarka
1 Bladewing the Risen
3 Broodmate Dragon
2 Dragon Broodmother
3 Dragon Tempest
3 Blossoming Defense
2 Victimize
2 Bedevil
2 By Force
2 Putrefy
2 Feed the Swarm
3 Return to Nature
2 Dragon's Hoard
4 Unclaimed Territory
2 Savage Lands
Going for your budget here, there are better cards. I'm sure I forgot something. Not even sure I'm still in your budget?
The RGB version. Or at least a starting point off the top of my head:
3 Dragon Hatchling
3 Dragon Egg
3 Scourge of Valkas
1 Terror of the Peaks
2 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
2 Dragon Broodmother
3 Broodmate Dragon
1 Bladewing the Risen
2 Dragonlord Atarka
3 Dragon Tempest
3 Blossoming Defense
2 Sarkhan's Triumph
2 Victimize
3 Feed the Swarm
2 Return to Nature
2 Bedevil
1 By Force
2 Dragon's Hoard
Tweak to taste. Still need the land. What land do you have? Looks fun though.
Gotta think about the other deck.