Since tomorrow, May 29th, Viashino Slaughtermaster will be MTGO pauper legal as part of the MM2 downshifts.
The activated ability is ok, but what really caught my attention is that it will be the cheapest double striker in the format. And in acolor with some excellent pumps (Reckless Charge, Titan's Strength, Brute Force). So I started thinking on an All out Aggro red deck with efficient creatures, good pumps and of course, burn.
I think I like brute force better than (one of your buff spells) because it protects your viashino from lightning bolt.
Also, two colors isn't so onerous that you need to commit red. Giant growth is also very good, and works well with your other includes. Black offers interesting alternatives (like giving your guy death touch or tagging him with undying evil), but I think generally RG is the way to go.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
I don't think adding a second color would help when your aim is to deal the most possible damage the first turns.
Adding green involves playing taplands and fetchlands which will cost you a turn.
Except that's not really what this deck wants to do. The best guys in this deck don't swing until turn 3. Besides, nothing in the deck has a color weight greater than 1.
The deck looks a lot like burn, but in fact it is quite different, as you usually aim the burn to the creatures. I'd say it's much closer to a Boss Sligh.
Mutagenic Growth is a very versatile card that pushes the curve down much more than you'd imagine. Turn 1 Akroan Crusader -> Turn 2 Mut is 4 damage turn 2 while leaving mana open for most of the deck. It also pushes Kiln Fiends through the roof for free. At worst is a zero mana shock. Searing Blaze (and Smash To Smithereens ) usually mean a lot more damage will go through by removing those turn 1-3 blockers. Most of the sideboard is built around this idea, actually.
All creatures are as efficient as possible and carry the pumps extremely well when needed. All of them are amazing targets for Reckless Charge
Lastly Gut shot in the SB was an experiment for delver and fairy combo, but haven't had much uses for it. So far it has been pretty underwhelming as electrickery seems pretty much always better. It would probably be better as Flaring Pain.
It does _look_ like a very playable red deck wins sort of list.
Your overall card selection looks to include most of the best that red has to offer at the common rarity. It looks like it'd be better if you splashed blue for nivix cyclopse and cut VSM, though.
Have you considered one or two nonbasics? Panoramas would let you cast searing blaze at instant speed on rare occasions when you'd want to, and smoldering spires or teetering peaks have both seen play in mono-red builds (the latter in particular interacts well with VSM).
Your overall card selection looks to include most of the best that red has to offer at the common rarity. It looks like it'd be better if you splashed blue for nivix cyclopse and cut VSM, though.
I was about to say. In comparison, what incentivizes us to play this over the Nivix Cyclops build?
The problem with defining this format by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
Your overall card selection looks to include most of the best that red has to offer at the common rarity. It looks like it'd be better if you splashed blue for nivix cyclopse and cut VSM, though.
I was about to say. In comparison, what incentivizes us to play this over the Nivix Cyclops build?
20 snow covered mountains and Skred?
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The activated ability is ok, but what really caught my attention is that it will be the cheapest double striker in the format. And in acolor with some excellent pumps (Reckless Charge, Titan's Strength, Brute Force). So I started thinking on an All out Aggro red deck with efficient creatures, good pumps and of course, burn.
Here's a quick sketch:
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Akroan Crusader
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Reckless Charge
4 Titan's Strength
2 Mutagenic Growth
2 Fireblast
4 Chain Lightning
20 Mountain
1 Searing Blaze
2 Flaring Pain
3 Electrickery
3 Smash to Smithereens
2 Martyr of Ashes
2 Molten Rain
2 Pyroblast
(Sideboard copied from a burn deck)
Opinions??
Also, two colors isn't so onerous that you need to commit red. Giant growth is also very good, and works well with your other includes. Black offers interesting alternatives (like giving your guy death touch or tagging him with undying evil), but I think generally RG is the way to go.
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Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
Adding green involves playing taplands and fetchlands which will cost you a turn.
Except that's not really what this deck wants to do. The best guys in this deck don't swing until turn 3. Besides, nothing in the deck has a color weight greater than 1.
I have cut the Titans Strength and instead added the full playset of mutagenics.
Also added Staggershocks (aka. pure value) and the 4 Searing Blaze.
4 Akroan Crusader
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Viashino Slaughtermaster
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Searing Blaze
2 Fireblast
4 Chain Lightning
2 Staggershock
4 Reckless Charge
20 Mountain
4 Electrickery
4 Smash to Smithereens
2 Frostburn Weird (Pyroblasts when I get them)
2 Gut Shot
2 Stone Rain (Molten Rain when I get them)
The deck looks a lot like burn, but in fact it is quite different, as you usually aim the burn to the creatures. I'd say it's much closer to a Boss Sligh.
Mutagenic Growth is a very versatile card that pushes the curve down much more than you'd imagine. Turn 1 Akroan Crusader -> Turn 2 Mut is 4 damage turn 2 while leaving mana open for most of the deck. It also pushes Kiln Fiends through the roof for free. At worst is a zero mana shock.
Searing Blaze (and Smash To Smithereens ) usually mean a lot more damage will go through by removing those turn 1-3 blockers. Most of the sideboard is built around this idea, actually.
All creatures are as efficient as possible and carry the pumps extremely well when needed. All of them are amazing targets for Reckless Charge
Lastly Gut shot in the SB was an experiment for delver and fairy combo, but haven't had much uses for it. So far it has been pretty underwhelming as electrickery seems pretty much always better. It would probably be better as Flaring Pain.
I'm actually pretty excited about this deck.
Your overall card selection looks to include most of the best that red has to offer at the common rarity. It looks like it'd be better if you splashed blue for nivix cyclopse and cut VSM, though.
Have you considered one or two nonbasics? Panoramas would let you cast searing blaze at instant speed on rare occasions when you'd want to, and smoldering spires or teetering peaks have both seen play in mono-red builds (the latter in particular interacts well with VSM).
I was about to say. In comparison, what incentivizes us to play this over the Nivix Cyclops build?
20 snow covered mountains and Skred?