Hi, folks, I'm testing a new deck I put together using some recent cards after taking a little break from the game, this is one of five decks I assembled with standard and modern as starting points.
The deck is an iteration on the BR beatdown with the new Eldrazi from Battle for Zendikar:
The deck's pretty straightforward: Cast creatures, attack, rinse, repeat until the opponent's defeated, if something gets in the way, either equip your creature to roll over the defenders, or directly kill the defenders to continue the beating, I've tested a couple of times and I like a lot how the deck ticks. Now on the card choices:
BR Lands: These are pretty much obvious, Eye of Ugin and Eldrazi Temple work like an Ancient Tomb to jump ahead the mana curve, allowing you to summon beaters as soon as turn 2.
BRCreatures: Most of the creatures here are basic beatsticks, and although the curve starts on 2 mana, the ramp provided by the Temples allows you to apply pressure very fast.
Dominator Drone and Vile Aggregate: The deck has a little Processor component on Wasteland Strangler and Processor Assault, so these two critters are enablers for that. Aggregate also hits hard on late turns and its trample is amazing with its high power, one of my favorites in the deck.
Wasteland Strangler: 3 mana for a 3/2 in black is a damn fine size, this guy also doubles as removal for tiny early creatures if it processes some exiled card.
Dust Stalker: Basic beatstick, I played with (and against) Viashino Cutthroat several years ago, and I've learned not to underestimate the power of haste creatures, this thing comes down fast and hits like a truck, and if you have another creature, it stays in the field to repeat in case the opponent isn't dead yet.
Forerunner of Slaughter: This, along with Vile Aggregate, were the cards that inspired me to make the deck, this little 3/2 for TWO mana is deceptively powerful, becoming a pseudo-Fervor that can hit face too, it's rarely a dead draw (It can grant haste to itself if cast after turn 2), as other creatures you draw after this will likely always benefit from the "Pay 1: Gains haste" ability, it really speeds down the beating. The mana cost is kinda clunky, though.
Endless One: This is another beatstick, the good thing on this is that it's also never a dead draw, you can summon it on ANY turn you draw it, incredibly flexible, it plugs any holes you might have in your curve, another card I like a lot here.
Barrage Tyrant: What happens if your opponent is near zero after your attack and you haven't beaten him/her yet? He/she might draw a mas removal and wreck you, so this guy takes care of that by Flinging any blocked creature straight to his/her face, and with so many 5-power creatures in the deck, it won't take more than 2 activations to seal the deal.
BROther Cards: There's mostly removal and support for the beatdown here, I liked the BR fast decks since a long time, most of the cards here are for those purposes:
Processor Assault: This one's here for flavor reasons, and also because it strikes for 5 pinpoint damage, few creatures can survive it.
Ruinous Path: There's one because that's the one I got at BFZ's prerelease, also, it kills anything too, so it's very good.
Serpentine Spike: This is the only card I've rarely cast on this deck, I've wanted to test it badly since it offers to get rid of three creatures for one card, but the 7 mana cost is very restrictive without ramp, I might switch it out for another card soon.
Ghostfire Blade: Play it for 1, equip it for 1, get +2/+2, swing, if creature dies, pay 1, equip again, the only card that gives such a high bonus for such few mana and stays that long is Rancor.
So, that's pretty much it for now, the mana base can use lots of tweaking adding nonbasics to make it easier to have BR available by turn 2, and there are some interesting creatures in OGW I might want to try here (Reaver Drone for example). The removal can use some more tweaking for tourney play too I guess.
I would like to top the deck's curve with some heavy Eldrazi, but so far I haven't found one I could reliably cast that fast or that would push the fast beatdown strategy, so if you have suggestions those are welcome.
Hi, folks, I'm testing a new deck I put together using some recent cards after taking a little break from the game, this is one of five decks I assembled with standard and modern as starting points.
The deck is an iteration on the BR beatdown with the new Eldrazi from Battle for Zendikar:
11 Swamp
7 Mountain
4 Eldrazi Temple
1 Eye of Ugin
Creatures (24)
4 Dominator Drone
4 Wasteland Strangler
4 Vile Aggregate
1 Barrage Tyrant
4 Forerunner of Slaughter
3 Dust Stalker
4 Endless One
4 Transgress the Mind
1 Ruinous Path
3 Processor Assault
1 Serpentine Spike
4 Ghostfire Blade
The deck's pretty straightforward: Cast creatures, attack, rinse, repeat until the opponent's defeated, if something gets in the way, either equip your creature to roll over the defenders, or directly kill the defenders to continue the beating, I've tested a couple of times and I like a lot how the deck ticks. Now on the card choices:
BR Lands: These are pretty much obvious, Eye of Ugin and Eldrazi Temple work like an Ancient Tomb to jump ahead the mana curve, allowing you to summon beaters as soon as turn 2.
BR Creatures: Most of the creatures here are basic beatsticks, and although the curve starts on 2 mana, the ramp provided by the Temples allows you to apply pressure very fast.
Dominator Drone and Vile Aggregate: The deck has a little Processor component on Wasteland Strangler and Processor Assault, so these two critters are enablers for that. Aggregate also hits hard on late turns and its trample is amazing with its high power, one of my favorites in the deck.
Wasteland Strangler: 3 mana for a 3/2 in black is a damn fine size, this guy also doubles as removal for tiny early creatures if it processes some exiled card.
Dust Stalker: Basic beatstick, I played with (and against) Viashino Cutthroat several years ago, and I've learned not to underestimate the power of haste creatures, this thing comes down fast and hits like a truck, and if you have another creature, it stays in the field to repeat in case the opponent isn't dead yet.
Forerunner of Slaughter: This, along with Vile Aggregate, were the cards that inspired me to make the deck, this little 3/2 for TWO mana is deceptively powerful, becoming a pseudo-Fervor that can hit face too, it's rarely a dead draw (It can grant haste to itself if cast after turn 2), as other creatures you draw after this will likely always benefit from the "Pay 1: Gains haste" ability, it really speeds down the beating. The mana cost is kinda clunky, though.
Endless One: This is another beatstick, the good thing on this is that it's also never a dead draw, you can summon it on ANY turn you draw it, incredibly flexible, it plugs any holes you might have in your curve, another card I like a lot here.
Barrage Tyrant: What happens if your opponent is near zero after your attack and you haven't beaten him/her yet? He/she might draw a mas removal and wreck you, so this guy takes care of that by Flinging any blocked creature straight to his/her face, and with so many 5-power creatures in the deck, it won't take more than 2 activations to seal the deal.
BR Other Cards: There's mostly removal and support for the beatdown here, I liked the BR fast decks since a long time, most of the cards here are for those purposes:
Transgress the Mind: I know, I know this is no Inquisition of Kozilek, nevertheless, it deals with mass removal and big creatures, which are the biggest hurdles for this deck, also, it feeds Wasteland Strangler too.
Processor Assault: This one's here for flavor reasons, and also because it strikes for 5 pinpoint damage, few creatures can survive it.
Ruinous Path: There's one because that's the one I got at BFZ's prerelease, also, it kills anything too, so it's very good.
Serpentine Spike: This is the only card I've rarely cast on this deck, I've wanted to test it badly since it offers to get rid of three creatures for one card, but the 7 mana cost is very restrictive without ramp, I might switch it out for another card soon.
Ghostfire Blade: Play it for 1, equip it for 1, get +2/+2, swing, if creature dies, pay 1, equip again, the only card that gives such a high bonus for such few mana and stays that long is Rancor.
So, that's pretty much it for now, the mana base can use lots of tweaking adding nonbasics to make it easier to have BR available by turn 2, and there are some interesting creatures in OGW I might want to try here (Reaver Drone for example). The removal can use some more tweaking for tourney play too I guess.
I would like to top the deck's curve with some heavy Eldrazi, but so far I haven't found one I could reliably cast that fast or that would push the fast beatdown strategy, so if you have suggestions those are welcome.
Fan of Both old and new Slivers (But the new ones are still better anyway)
C Call of Emrakul - G vs R DD: Elves vs. Goblins - W vs B DD: Divine vs. Demonic - WUB Esper Artifice - RGW Aura Dancers
WUBRG Wrath of the Reaper King - WB Men of Faith - B Mercenaries - UB Phyrexian Assault 2.0 - WU Artifacts of Empires
BR Skeleton Warriors - RG Night of The Howlpack - B Bog Murderers - BR Eldrazi Assault - BGU Ulamog's Swarm