Glad to see Crystal Ball is working well for you. I suggested it awhile ago but it didn't work too well for me. But I took out Magma Jet for it which was probably what hurt more. I see that Magus of the Moon has fallen out of favor, any reason why? I am most likely playing this deck tonight (list in my signature) and I run 2 Magus mainboard, wondering if I should take out Magus and put in 1 Crystal Ball and one Pia and Kiran Nalaar. I'm not sure but it might be worth a shot.
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Went 3-1 tonight. Had some success. Got annihilated by Naya Burn but other than that it was a pretty good night. Pia and Kiran Nalaar saved my ass in round 2. I was able to chump block for 3 turns against a 5/5 until I could establish the lock. I ran that card as a 1 of and might have to make room for a second. It was very good.
Round 1 vs Naya Burn 1-2 Game 1 - 0-1, I was just way too slow. Couldn't get anything up before he just won. Tried blocking his Monastery Swiftspear with a leveled up 4/4 Kargan but it could only stop so much. Sided in Witchbane Orb and Sun Droplet Game 2 - 1-1, I was able to Blood Moon into an ultimated Koth for the win, he only got me down to 7 life. Game 3 - 1-2, Too slow again. Had a decent opening hand but didn't draw anything but Mountains the entire game and just couldn't win with just my opening hand. Literally only drew 4 mountains and died.
Round 2 vs Bant Eldrazi 2-0 Game 1 - 1-0, Early Blood moon into having Koth on the board and he just scooped. Game 2 - 2-0, He got me down to 7 health with a 5/5 ground creature on the board as well as two 1/1 tokens and one 2/2. I was able to Anger of the Gods away everything but the 5/5. Next turn he got me down to 3 with the 5/5 and I resolved a Pia and Kiran which chump blocked the 5/5 until I won with ulting Koth.
Round 3 vs UW 2-0 Game 1 - 1-0, Scooped to turn 1 Chalice, I was on the play. Game 2 - 2-0, Scooped to turn 3 Blood Moon after a turn 2 Chalice.
Round 4 vs UB Tezzeret 2-1 (this deck was interesting, it had the same game plan as we do but then kills with Tezzerets ultimate by hitting target player for twice the amount of artifacts he controlled and just ran way more artifacts than us, Spellskites, Relics, Mana rocks, Ensnaring Bridges etc...) Game 1 - 1-0, Was able to ult Chandra and Koth on the same turn, pretty game ending. Game 2 - 1-1, Wasn't able to get a Chalice down, he played a Leyline of Sanctity before the game started which is a glaring weakness for us. This was a long game where he locked the board with Ensnaring Bridges and Pithing Needle's naming my Mountains and Chandra (brilliant play since Koth was already at 5 and I could ult him next turn, he Pithing Needled naming mountain so I couldn't use the ability to kill his artifact creatures lol). He eventually got 10 artifacts on the board and ulted Tezzeret to kill me. Game 3 - 2-1, No Leyline this time. I made a brilliant turn 2 play. He had a Glimmervoid, Pithing Needle, and Relic on the board. I was able to Replicate Shattering Spree to kill the two artifacts and the Glimmervoid was sacrificed at the end of my turn leaving him stuck on one land for a couple turns. I was then able to swing for 8 each turn with Pia and Kiran, the 2 tokens, and Koth's mountain. He was down to 2 life before he could bounce back from getting stuck on 1 land and had to scoop.
All in all I would say I am really happy with how the deck performed and I feel like adding 2 Pia and Kiran is definitely a good play. Maybe I will end up dropping Magus of the Moon for them as well. They were really clutch. Proving that they can apply offensive pressure or defensive protection in multiple situations.
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Skia_Aop: That's some compelling writing, congrats on the 3-1, and I dig your construction. Off the bat, how was Kargan Dragonlord? I haven't used him in a while, but recall him hulksmashing when it came to G/w decks that sided out their Path to Exile and Control decks that side out their creature kill -- I don't think he would do well against the particular opponents you faced at FNM.
Shattering Spree for the win against Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas deck! 'Uge. I've also swept away glimmervoids when facing Affinity with that same replicated play. Considering Smash to Smithereens, Shatterstorm, and other options, there is no way I'd use any other dedicated kill. I have gone down to 2 after some successful testing against Affinity lately, and it seems like the right number to bring in against Tron. Lantern? "You can never have enough" - Hammer (from I'm gonna git you sucka fame).
When facing Leyline of the Void or the possibility that it'll come down, I don't ultimate my Chandra, Torch of Defiance at (7) loyalty counters. Just keep exiling the top card, and that 2 damage isn't targeted, so you can win 1 shock at a time. And, the 2 Stormbreath Dragons in the sideboard are intriguing - again, I dig your construction in that you are sitting astride the Bloody Humans cusp rather nicely. And, Stormbreath is the undisputed king of dragons in today's meta.
I'm with you: Pia and Kiran Nalaar have gone up to (3) in my deck. Trés, baby! Seems excessive, but it's such a board splasher and later wincon. I love my Parents.
As for my recent deck developments, I've decided to do the following:
Strip it down to the cards that count - go for consistency - no more midrange and 1-of answers
Pack the punch with the best cards and do it in multiples
Don't be afraid of high cost spells, because over 50% of my deck is dedicated to mana provisions and acceleration
So, what's the New Tech that brings us closer to streamlined mana acceleration with added cantrip benefits? Mind Stone. Shoot, it wasn't my idea first. It's been mentioned elsewhere, but JfMajor said it best:
Quote from : Jfmajor »
A thought: would it make sense to replace the 4x Desperate Ritual with 4x Mind Stone Desperate Ritual provides +1 mana on the turn you cast it, and allows for more explosive 1st or 2nd turns. Later on, it's pretty much a dead card.
Mind Stone provides +1 mana on each subsequent turn (after a 1-turn commitment), and can eventually replace itself when you no longer need it.
In a deck that runs 4x Blood Moon and 2-3 Magus of the Moon, I see more value in Desperate Ritual (for the always-enjoyable 1st or 2nd turn Blood Moon). But with less commitment to the "Free Win" and a lot of cards that generate extra spell opportunities, it feels like Mind Stone could help keep casting stuff, and provide one extra chance to draw something you REALLY need right now (ex: Ensnaring Bridge).
Word. I perused back a page to see who illustrated the idea, and now realize my post is already tl;dr. Jfmajor said it all. O.K., Raystack, then let's get to the actual deck idea!!! So, I dropped the Spellskite, Molten Rain, Anger of the Gods, and Pia Nalaar. Nothing Mid-Range, Mountainfolk! Keep the recipe simple: (7) 4-CMC spells in a 22 Land deck.
Now, the 4-drops change the board state and there are more mana sinks for when the flood comes. 1innocentBystander talked about difficulty with Blue Based Decks (which seem to be more popular). With this new approach, our win-con spells must be protected, so...
One thought is Molten Rain, but I like the idea of his suggestion, Guttural Response. Also, Anger of the Gods has been beefed up in count and moved to the SB. The shifts in construction basically derive from two developments: 1.) Aggro isn't as prevalent as it once was & we seem to handle it better than we knew (but, this is always a tightrope, so we don't want to get too confident). 2.) Walking Ballista. This guy is such an adaptable tool - does a little bit of everything.
There is another 1K this weekend, and I am going to try to bring the Hammer back if possible.
Kargan Dragonlord is awesome when your opponent can't find their removal or if you need to side out your Ensnaring Bridge for Stormbreath Dragon or something else. There have been been quite a few games I have just leveled Kargan to an 8/8 and won without even needing to play anything else. He is pretty damn good. Only thing that feels kinda bad is if an opponent waits for you to level him up and then they instant remove him, that feels kinda bad but usually I am sandbagging lock pieces that they don't know about yet so next turn I can usually recover.
I don't know if I like removing Desperate Ritual for Mind Stone... Mind stone does help later in the game if you need more mana to empty your hand but desperate ritual is just explosive. I'd rather be explosive for an early game play than have 1 colorless mana available later. I have had too many people just scoop to a turn 1 or 2 blood moon to give up that play.
But yeah, I think I am going to leave the deck as is for a bit, it performs really well. Only thing I might change is going up 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar like I said and maybe go down either Magus of the Moon, 1 Spellskite, or 1 Anger of the Gods. Not quite sure yet. Those cards are all spicy in their own way. I have been wanting to put in 2 Molten Rain in the sideboard and maybe go down the Stormbreaths, but Stormbreath is just so good when I have to bring out my bridges so idk yet.
But good luck with Hammer/Free Win at the 1k. Let us know how it goes.
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My current modern paper decks with current match records since 02/01/17:
Among interesting inclusions, Sin Prodder caught my attention. Is this worth considering? In any matchups where Ensnaring Bridge is wasted (I know my local metagame is full of control and combo decks where it doesn't do all that much), this could provide card advantage or pressure an opponent's life total. Since we have soooo many cards that cost 3-4, this could be interesting, and gets quickly ridiculous in multiple copies.
In a control-heavy meta, would it make sense to maindeck 4x Goblin Rabblemaster and 4x Sin Prodder, and keep Ensnaring Bridge in the sideboard? Essentially, this would be the opposite of the traditional "creatureless deck into creature deck".
If Control/Combo decks continue to rise in popularity, then I'm definitely ready to pull the trigger on 4 Goblin Rabblemaster in the maindeck. I've already identified how the swap would play out in my current construction. The Rabble is monstrously effective in closing out a win on its own - especially as a T1 drop - against Tron/Combo and the like. And like Skia_AoP said, even if your single investment creature dies, then you most likely have a handful of lock options to follow up with.
As for Sin Prodder, I scooped a playset upon release - intrigued. But, when it comes to my Red Prison builds, he is kind of a dud. I currently have 22 lands and (6) X/X spells which means after I cast this dude, then there is almost a 50/50 chance that my opponent can send my topdecked card to the graveyard at no cost. Bam Bam swings a bigger club.
Nonetheless, JfMajor, it's possible that we could go 'bridgeless' (like that B/R Legacy deck), but....it'll be very difficult for a mono-red deck to 'outcreature' an opponent's creature-based deck which is based in more potent colors. That deck you linked has a lot of Legacy tricks/cards we can't exploit.
For now, I don't see myself straying too far from the panic button of Briiiiiiidge!!!!! It's the perfect equalizer: Ensnaring Bridge is a Damnation in perpetuity.
It's been a while since I've been here so I just wanted to give a quick update to the sideboard tips since my last journey to my LGS. When it comes to Goryo's Vengeance decks, Chalice of the Void on 2 with an Ensnaring Bridge is pretty much unbeatable game one. Game two, they will bring in their one mana red artifact hate so it's a race to finding two Chalice of the Void so we can lock that out. Chances are they will only find one so if you double up on Ensnaring Bridge, you've got this.
Hope it helps
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Modern - Pyro Prison
Modern - GW Tron
Modern - Mono G Tron
Modern - RWg Burn
Commander - Yisan, The Wanderer Bard cEDH build
Commander - Edric, Spymaster of Trest - Budget/Casual list - complete
Commander - Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis - $35 Budget upgrade
Commander - Edgar Markov - $150 upgrade
My buddies and I are going to go to GP San Antonio and I am going to be playing this. Trying to still figure out the correct build especially sideboard but I think with Jund and bantdrazi on either side of me we will have a tough time losing.
I was using the original saffron olive build, added a Karn to spice it up a little (was amazing) but ultimately I am moving some stuff and trying out the goblin charbelcher and mom and dad to throw excess chalices and bridges. Any reason for no faithless looting?
I am decided between playing this and eldrazi tron (that deck is REAL) this Friday.
How did the 1k go raystack? Anything you would change?
New Blood: Abzanleap! Another first time poster making his debut in the RED Prison / Hammer's Slammer thread.
As for Faithless Looting, it's been talked about here before. It does make an appearance in both Saffron Olive's mono-red deck, and I find its inclusion...puzzling. I tried it. Distinctly, I recall one time having a chalice on the board and 2 Faithless Looting in my hand. I felt like a jackass. Also, I've watched video of Saffron not dropping a chalice on one while he casts and flashbacks Faithless Looting. That approach was to his detriment, because meanwhile the opponent was firing off 1-CMC spells.
Faithless Looting is there, as I see it, for one reason: it nearly guarantees a turn 2 blood moon. I get that, but there is more to the game than slamming a T2 Moon. Our archetype develops more facets of the gamescape. We have creatures. We have alternative lands. Our game development doesn't require the speed of someone outrunning an Infect or Affinity deck every single round. And, for Koth's sake, we are running (4) Chalice of the Void!
Karn Liberated! Holy sheeshums. Ya know what, that original deck ran so many damn rituals, I'm not surprised that you could actually fire that bully-titted bastard into play. With my lowered land count, I'm keeping things safely at a 4-cmc cap. And, Goblin Charbelcher could go big in the long game, but I feel like it might be a bit of a win-more. We need so many of our slots to be dedicated to shutting down the entirety of Modern creation. No small task. Maybe it could replace the Witchbane Orb in my sideboard??
I didn't make it to the 1K, but did pull down a 3-1 at FNM.
ROUND 1 - Mono-Red Burn: Chalice aaaaand Chalice. Not much more to say.
ROUND 2 - Ponza: She got me with Land Destruction in game 1. In games 2 and 3, I struck a rich vein of in them thar hills. Bridge Shields were raised and Firewoman wielded her magic.
ROUND 3 - G/x Tron: [loss 1-2] I magma jetted in game 1 to find a T3 dropped Magus of the Moon and won off of him and Pia and Kiran Nalaar beats - monkey beats too. He Ugin-ed me in Game 2. Game 3 was close, but Ugin again.
ROUND 4 - Death and Taxes: Flickerwisp tricks got the best of my bridge for one alpha strike, but it wasn't enough. I took him down 2-0. As long as Thalia, Guardian of Thraben paired with a land light draw doesn't occur, I feel fine about this matchup. Especially true with (3) Anger of the Gods in the sideboard.
This is my current decklist. Couple tweeks here and there (you know our boy Koth was back in - I'm surprised there weren't comments on the last experimental build without him). Ultimately, Spellskite [just the 1] covers a lot of bases. The single mind stone feels a little 'out of place', but the curve is fine. If I went with one more Mind Stone, I would like to see an Outpost Siege make it into the mix, but that would be 9 4-cmc spells. Seems a little greedy. As for how this racehorse performs on the track? Well. Really, really well. I love the rise of these Tron/Eldrazi variants we're seeing. The moon shines favorably upon them. And, again, the new Modern meta is putting out decks that I feel we can handle beautifully in the ring.
Thanks! Yeah I can see why faithless gets the chop. I am waiting for my pks to get in the mail so this FNM will be eldrazi tron. In my experience with saffron olives variation, I haven't once won against elves because I cannot ever find my cage or torpor orb. Stupid rec(ked) sage.
What do you normally pitch for gemstone? And how often do you find the man land useful?
But I think witchbane orb is essential against the combo decks like ad naus and storm and elves randomly having a "gotcha" with shaman.
On Tuesday modern i will start my practice again with Free win red until GP SA so I might start posting reports.
Also, I know it is hearsay for people, but I add extra salt with this deck. Everything that can is white bordered and ever land for me is different art. I just love the salt I get. For the GP it will def be all same art but at an FNM level it is so fun.
ROUND 1: G/x TRON - I drop the round 0-2. First 0-2 loss that I can remember. Good player. I knocked him off his game with a Blood Moon, but couldn't find threats before he naturally cast his bombs off a continuous spree of drawing land (unusual as they run little land). In game 2, I couldn't find a Blood Moon, and he dropped an Oblivion Stone to clear my board and Ugin ftw.
ROUND 2: BURN - Blood Moon housed his mana in game 1 and then I went Chalice on 1 into Chalice on 2 into Witchbane orb into...scoop.
ROUND 3: G/x - Melira/Coco/Chord - Blood Moons closed these games out in what appeared to be an unfair fight. Chalice and Grafdigger's got in on the action.
ROUND 4: MARDU Aggro - No moon action this time around, as it turned into Bridge/Planeswalkers for the 2-0 win.
Interesting Sideboard Note: Sun Droplet. I was reviewing the tiered decks to see how often this card gets brought in. Once. Against one deck: Burn-Zoo/Burn. That's it. Wow, and I talk enough about how I feel favored here already. So, I got to thinking: what if I drop these? Split the difference on the loss in firepower against burn by bringing in an additional Witchbane Orb. And, as Abzanleap said, it is valuable against so many other decks as well. The 2nd slot? I'm thinking it's time to boost the Moon count. Tons of Eldrazi and Tron out there, so let's add a Magus of the Moon to the sideboard (which somebody was recently advocating).
Now, here's why this is particularly interesting. The other decks that are cousins to RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer run a ton of Dragon's Claw and Sun Droplet in their sideboards. And, I am proposing a shift to none. I maintain that those cards are passive - almost lazy. Let's figure out how to turn a shield into a spear.
What's in a Name?
It's been tossed around that this thread is, to some degree, a proxy site for Free Win Red or All-In Red. We are a distinct deck unto ourselves, Mountainfolk. For instance, my RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer deck is Thirty-Three (33) cards different from Saffron Olive'sFree Win Red deck that I originally reference in the Official Primer over a year ago. Independently, we have developed our decks to become more similar - that's true. Nonetheless, he started with no Chalice of the Void and has since combined (4) of them with a healthy array of 1-CMC drops.
We've gone big. That's why the RED is capitalized. We have creatures in the main and sideboard (ala Bloody Humans), a higher average CMC, and more diversified lands & threats. But, Koth has been shifted out of the driver's seat. This is unmistakably a Nalaar Deck. Every last one of the fiendishly clever family members are in the fight. I always liked the cheeky, but accurate, name of Hammer's Slammer. And, I think I'd like it to stay. Is it time for a change?
RED Prison // Chandra's Cage RED Prison // Bondage Babe RED Prison // Nalaar's Nightmare RED Prison // Hog-Tied & Slapped Silly
Has anyone tried Trinisphere on the sideboard? I know it's mostly a legacy card, but it is modern legal. Affinity and lantern control will probably has problems dealing with it. It could also go in when the blood moons come out.
So got back from Tuesday night magic and got roflstomped. My deck is nearly the same as a few posts up except charbelcher in place of crystal ball.
Match 1: Bant Eldrazi
Game 1 I get stomped by displaced beats and don't see a lock piece until too late. Game 2 and 3 both saw bridge and moon with PK/Rabblemaster beats. This player is always super salty and toxic and I love beating him and his "best deck ever" with blood moon.
[1-0]
Match 2: BTL Scapeshift
Game 1 I misplay and don't drop the 2nd moon and it bites me in the behind with a cryptic + scapeshift. Game 2 i keep an awkward hand with rabble and chAlice and hope it was good enough for 6. It wasnt, lost to a 6 drop Chandra and baloth beats, never saw the moon or bridge.
[1-1]
Match 3: Gifts Storm
Game 1 he storms me turn 3, not much I could do. Game 2 I mull and get a chalice on 1 and... draw 2 witchbane orbs in a row with only 2 lands. I got Emptied and lost never seeing a board wipe or bridge with a PK and Chandra in hand.
Dropped to go home and sleep.
Overall I was greatly disappointed. When the deck worked it was great but struggled a lot. I think the 4 drops are a little too high. If you get to 3 lands and bridge (or rush a bridge out) with multiple 4 drops, you are screwed for a few turns. I enjoyed having the faithless looting in over the PK because better filtering. Maybe drop the flex slot of crystal ball/belcher and 1 PK for 2 looting. Yes I know we often chalice for 1 and lock out looting but it felt better with them in to help smooth out some draws.
My sideboard was trash as well. I am not sure on certain cards. No tron here but rabble did help in some matchups. Graf was brought in against storm (not sure about BTL if it stops that), but that's really the only gate for yards. Witchbane is great, but drawing 2 sucks especially when you are stuck on 3 mana against a scapeshift deck. shattering spree, no affinity here. Had torpor orbs against the toolbox decks and elves and whatnot but didn't get paired against them.
I guess closing statement, it seems like the change from saffron olives version to the latest list has made it lose a lot of explosiveness but gave it more win cons. But how far is the trade off. I am thinking of going back towards seths version as I get ready for states.
Hey Harroxelas - Trinisphere, eh? Yeah, it'll give affinity & lantern a run as well as storm and cheerios-puresteel palladin (all the rage). We were testing it back on page 1 of the thread. The consensus was that it does belong in Legacy due to the obvious answers of speed. Personally, I see it as a delayer but I want a dead-stop lock. Eventually, the opponent will overcome the sphere and it really does slow us down as well (we are a bridge deck). But, it might have a place, like you suggest, in today's meta.
Abzanleap's Report:
ROUND 1: beatdown of Bant Eldrazi is the best news I take away from his post. That is the deck today, and we are soooo well positioned to slap it down.
ROUND 2: As for 2nd match against Bring to LightScapeshift, I'm curious how you sideboarded. You mentioned that you had a chalice of the void in game 2. All 4 of these are the first cards to go when I'm sideboarding in this matchup.
ROUND 3: Gifts Storm gets a nut hand in round 1, ok - happens. And, you got mana screwed in round 2, ok - happens.
As for your overall assessment on a limited day [not a lot of data here], your first critique is right on the money: "I think the 4 drops are a little too high". I run 8 with a crystal ball to assist. You ran 9 with no ball. The SSG and Desperate Ritual, along with a Chandra +2 , are boosts. But, I readily admit that we're flirting with danger on a (22) count for land. Oh, and the early magma jet scry is critically important. Your sideboard was trash? Hard to speak to that without seeing a list, but I am not on board with Torpor Orb. It does affect our cards negatively, and I've found that the better answer to Elves and G/W tricksy creature decks is (3) Anger of the Gods, (2) Slagstorm, (1) Ratchet Bomb, (1) Walking Ballista, and (4) Magma Jet. Grafdigger's Cage wrecks them and bridge locks are brutal.
My concern with going to a Free Win Red approach is 'win-con speed'. Take your Bring to Light / Scapeshift matchup. Without creatures pressing the attack, is a planeswalker win enough? Grixis/Control will similarly choose the right spells to remand/mana leak. How about Jund/Abzan? If your Blood Moon doesn't hit immediately (or Magus doesn't die to a bolt/path), then cards like Pia and Kiran Nalaar/Spellskite are some of your only hopes as your bridge will get blown. Tron? Again, you have to put them on a clock with Goblin Rabblemaster. Free Win Redis a fine deck, but, like Khan in the Mutara Nebula, its thinking is....2 dimensional. Seth/Saffron Olive says he has not played his deck in paper, and according to his last update his online win percentage (Eight 5-round tourneys) is in the low 70s% range.
The creatures make all the difference. They allow for a metered implementation of the locks. It doesn't have to happen all on turn 2, and if your deck is all about having every answer in the earliest stages of the game, then the mid-late game will have Captain Kirk rising up behind you with phasers blasting. Don't rush out an Ensnaring Bridge, for instance. It doesn't even have to come out early against Infect, Chalice of the Void does. In a lot of ways, Pia and Kiran Nalaaris a bridge, plus they attack and can throw out mini-bolts. Trust in the other components of the deck knitting together to create a comprehensive net.
I am mainly working towards my list that I will use at GP San Antonio in team unified so I have no angers, Jund is taking that card. I will be going to modern states this weekend with this, changing a little definitely bringing in ball. As for the SB, torpor is sort of my cage 3 and 4 and to stop a naturally drawn rec sage. Might be too cute. Maybe I just had bad draws all night (except against Bant Eldrazi heyoooo)
Ever a fan of B/R decks, I gave that decklist you posted up a 2nd look, jfmajor. Some novel additions, but too many contradictions in constructions. But, it was good enough for an 8th place States finish in Hawaii...
So, what else is happening in the world of red-gloved slapdowns? Any new tourney finishes to report, mountainfolk? For the first time in ages, I tried a different deck at my FNM. It's also an outlier deck with similar impressive finishes in premier events. Buuut, like RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer, there hasn't been a commensurate amount of buzz on their discussion boards, despite the successes. It is baffling. Folks fear trying out the new and shiny, s'pose.
Let's review the record: 2017 finishes in paper tournaments. In (1) premier event and (6) FNM events with an average attendance of 20+ players, my big RED had 21 wins and 6 losses for a win percentage rate of 78%. It has to be noted that Between the Hammer and the Anvil is a well known quantity in my meta. No one is making any mistakes when it comes to fetching for a basic land. In a new environment, against unknowing opponents, I gotta believe that percentage would crest so much higher.
So, what is catching the buzz? What is similar to RED prison, but catching more of the spotlight? R/W Prison with variants that primarily include either Planeswalker control or Bridge control. First, let's all be mindful of the rules of etiquette. I want to be courteous to our cousin deck. They're doing well, and have recently gotten elevated to Tier 2 here in MTGsalvation. Newly popular, but I wonder. Do cards like Rest in Peace, Stony Silence, Lightning Helix, and Leyline of Sanctity make the difference? On page 1 of this primer, I talked about my favorite artifact of war: The Shield Gun.
Here in Massachusetts, there was an historical weapons museum, The Higgins Armory, whose collection rivaled that of any in the world. One of my favorite items was a 16th century-ish device called a "Shield Gun". They had the original prototype (it was never thought to have actually been used in battle). It was a round shield with a small pistol that was situated in the middle, within the shield, with its barrel protruding from the center of the shield. The user could defend against weapon blows while blasting hot lead. Best of both: Offense and Defense....
Herein lies the critical difference. When I look at Free-Win Red and R/W Prison Lockdown, I see the shield. I don't see the barrel in the middle. I have tested both of these decks, and fear for their ability to both lock out an opponent's wins and deliver their own win. Take R/W prison: in their main deck, I envy none of their spells, not one. Maaaybe an Ajani Vengeant as a 1-of (Nahiri, the Harbinger is unplayable due to Ensnaring Bridge).
The sideboard is where element shines, but it durdles. These are answer cards to problem cards that an opponent may never even draw. This reminds me of how I once feared Burn more than I had to. I was packing my sideboard with Dragon's Claw and Sun Droplet and hunkering down...A giant that doesn't know his own strength. Be aggressive. Be, Be aggressive. Now? I pull out some number of ensnaring bridge and put in Goblin Rabblemaster.
One example of a maindeck difference between R and R/W: Lightning Helix is a fine card, but if I've already accounted for life loss in my construction, then Magma Jet is superior: 1.) it's not multi-colored, 2.) Helix's (3) point life gain in a deck with fetch/shock/fast lands may be a break even at best, and 3.) there aren't many 3-Toughness creatures out there these days.
So, I've been thinking about this deck and I've come up with a win condition. I do not recall if it was mentioned here, but it is Goblin Charbelcher. Would this card work as a kill condition in this deck?
I also wanted to combine the Lantern core to this deck; meaning, I would have to remove Chalice of the Void. In it's stead would be board wipes.
Kill Conditions: What kind of gambling is your pleasure? Dice...Cards...Roulette? With Goblin Charbelcher, I feel too vulnerable to the winds of chance. At least with Poker, I can do some statistical analysis on probabilities. The Charbelcher fires blindly (scry aside), and you gotta hope for the best. Just knowing myself, if I had 2 blanks in a row (mountains on the top flip activation), I couldn't get back in line for another shot at "The Big Wheel".
G. Belch has been discussed, Spec.ops. Got a report that PokerKingDave boasted a 14 point shot with it in one test game. Ultimately, I just couldn't sac up. Too risky. With a high curve of (8) 4-cmc spells, it just seems like a reach. The only place I might envision Charbelcher is in the sideboard bring-in amidst a matchup with something like Grixis Control or Patriot where you know the grind can allow for some misfires. You mentioned adding some Lantern elements. Interesting - what would it look like?
I got a private message from an occasional contributor. He asked about the most recent developments against Ad Nauseam and Death's Shadow Jund. 1st: Ad Nauuuushusss - the matchup plays out like facing Grishoalbrand: you see your opponent tapping, searching, flashing stuff back or spilling heaps of cards into the graveyard, but....they're not actually advancing forward down the hopscotch line.
For sideboarding against Ad Nauseam, it's:
- 4 Ensnaring Bridge
- 2 Slagstorm
- 1 Roast
- 1 Walking Ballista
As for Death's Shadow Jund, holy hell - Talk about the new, shiny kid on the block. It has forced 1 shift in my main deck:
+ 1 Roast
- 1 Magma Jet
Along with the rise of Bant Eldrazi/Eldrazi Tron, Roast has become a key component to our scheme of disruption. I've got 2 in the 75, and might consider more, but shooooot, reckon ain't nobody gonna get through our Ensnaring Bridge. Ain't that right, Mountainfolk! Cheekiness aside - let's get pre-emptive. There are some new kings on the block, and we are the sideboard deck. Thought-Knot Seer, Tarmogoyf, Death's Shadow, and Reality Smasher all laugh at small bolts --- might be time to be packing heavy heat right out of the gate....blazing. Roast!!!
>>>EDIT: Big Question: Are 4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance too much? You'd think that (4) of these beauties can't be too greedy. BUT, I'm starting to think otherwise lately.
Have other people run into a lot of dead draws by hitting too many Chandras?? Honestly, I feel like I probably see an unnecessary duplicate somewhere around 1/3 of the time.
So, the thinking is: Drop the 4th Chandra to add an Outpost Siege. And, Extra Step: +1 Roast // -1 Crystal Ball. This puts a shift towards a little more spot removal and resiliency to the phat piggies getting cast out there.
Dragon Stompy - R 11-6-0
Ponza - RG 8-4-0
Tron - BG 1-2-0
Naya Burn - WRG 2-4-0
Spirits - UW2-2-0
Dragons - R
This was the list and matchups tonight:
2 Kargan Dragonlord
2 Spellskite
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Planeswalkers - 6
4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Koth of the Hammer
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Magma Jet
2 Anger of the Gods
Artifacts - 8
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Ensnaring Bridge
Enchantments - 4
4 Blood Moon
Lands - 22
2 Gemstone Caverns
20 Mountain
4 Relic of Progenitus
3 Shattering Spree
1 Ratchet Bomb
2 Sun Droplet
1 Anger of the Gods
2 Witchbane Orb
2 Stormbreath Dragon
Round 1 vs Naya Burn 1-2
Game 1 - 0-1, I was just way too slow. Couldn't get anything up before he just won. Tried blocking his Monastery Swiftspear with a leveled up 4/4 Kargan but it could only stop so much. Sided in Witchbane Orb and Sun Droplet
Game 2 - 1-1, I was able to Blood Moon into an ultimated Koth for the win, he only got me down to 7 life.
Game 3 - 1-2, Too slow again. Had a decent opening hand but didn't draw anything but Mountains the entire game and just couldn't win with just my opening hand. Literally only drew 4 mountains and died.
Round 2 vs Bant Eldrazi 2-0
Game 1 - 1-0, Early Blood moon into having Koth on the board and he just scooped.
Game 2 - 2-0, He got me down to 7 health with a 5/5 ground creature on the board as well as two 1/1 tokens and one 2/2. I was able to Anger of the Gods away everything but the 5/5. Next turn he got me down to 3 with the 5/5 and I resolved a Pia and Kiran which chump blocked the 5/5 until I won with ulting Koth.
Round 3 vs UW 2-0
Game 1 - 1-0, Scooped to turn 1 Chalice, I was on the play.
Game 2 - 2-0, Scooped to turn 3 Blood Moon after a turn 2 Chalice.
Round 4 vs UB Tezzeret 2-1 (this deck was interesting, it had the same game plan as we do but then kills with Tezzerets ultimate by hitting target player for twice the amount of artifacts he controlled and just ran way more artifacts than us, Spellskites, Relics, Mana rocks, Ensnaring Bridges etc...)
Game 1 - 1-0, Was able to ult Chandra and Koth on the same turn, pretty game ending.
Game 2 - 1-1, Wasn't able to get a Chalice down, he played a Leyline of Sanctity before the game started which is a glaring weakness for us. This was a long game where he locked the board with Ensnaring Bridges and Pithing Needle's naming my Mountains and Chandra (brilliant play since Koth was already at 5 and I could ult him next turn, he Pithing Needled naming mountain so I couldn't use the ability to kill his artifact creatures lol). He eventually got 10 artifacts on the board and ulted Tezzeret to kill me.
Game 3 - 2-1, No Leyline this time. I made a brilliant turn 2 play. He had a Glimmervoid, Pithing Needle, and Relic on the board. I was able to Replicate Shattering Spree to kill the two artifacts and the Glimmervoid was sacrificed at the end of my turn leaving him stuck on one land for a couple turns. I was then able to swing for 8 each turn with Pia and Kiran, the 2 tokens, and Koth's mountain. He was down to 2 life before he could bounce back from getting stuck on 1 land and had to scoop.
All in all I would say I am really happy with how the deck performed and I feel like adding 2 Pia and Kiran is definitely a good play. Maybe I will end up dropping Magus of the Moon for them as well. They were really clutch. Proving that they can apply offensive pressure or defensive protection in multiple situations.
Dragon Stompy - R 11-6-0
Ponza - RG 8-4-0
Tron - BG 1-2-0
Naya Burn - WRG 2-4-0
Spirits - UW2-2-0
Dragons - R
Shattering Spree for the win against Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas deck! 'Uge. I've also swept away glimmervoids when facing Affinity with that same replicated play. Considering Smash to Smithereens, Shatterstorm, and other options, there is no way I'd use any other dedicated kill. I have gone down to 2 after some successful testing against Affinity lately, and it seems like the right number to bring in against Tron. Lantern? "You can never have enough" - Hammer (from I'm gonna git you sucka fame).
When facing Leyline of the Void or the possibility that it'll come down, I don't ultimate my Chandra, Torch of Defiance at (7) loyalty counters. Just keep exiling the top card, and that 2 damage isn't targeted, so you can win 1 shock at a time. And, the 2 Stormbreath Dragons in the sideboard are intriguing - again, I dig your construction in that you are sitting astride the Bloody Humans cusp rather nicely. And, Stormbreath is the undisputed king of dragons in today's meta.
I'm with you: Pia and Kiran Nalaar have gone up to (3) in my deck. Trés, baby! Seems excessive, but it's such a board splasher and later wincon. I love my Parents.
As for my recent deck developments, I've decided to do the following:
Word. I perused back a page to see who illustrated the idea, and now realize my post is already tl;dr. Jfmajor said it all. O.K., Raystack, then let's get to the actual deck idea!!! So, I dropped the Spellskite, Molten Rain, Anger of the Gods, and Pia Nalaar. Nothing Mid-Range, Mountainfolk! Keep the recipe simple: (7) 4-CMC spells in a 22 Land deck.
Creatures (6)
3 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Walking Ballista
1 Magus of the Moon
Accelerators (9)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
2 Mind Stone
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
Removal (6)
4 Magma Jet
2 Slagstorm
4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Artifacts (9)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Crystal Ball
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
2 Mutavault
2 Gemstone Caverns
1 Guttural Response
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Shattering Spree
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Sun Droplet
1 Ratchet Bomb
Now, the 4-drops change the board state and there are more mana sinks for when the flood comes. 1innocentBystander talked about difficulty with Blue Based Decks (which seem to be more popular). With this new approach, our win-con spells must be protected, so...
One thought is Molten Rain, but I like the idea of his suggestion, Guttural Response. Also, Anger of the Gods has been beefed up in count and moved to the SB. The shifts in construction basically derive from two developments: 1.) Aggro isn't as prevalent as it once was & we seem to handle it better than we knew (but, this is always a tightrope, so we don't want to get too confident). 2.) Walking Ballista. This guy is such an adaptable tool - does a little bit of everything.
There is another 1K this weekend, and I am going to try to bring the Hammer back if possible.
I don't know if I like removing Desperate Ritual for Mind Stone... Mind stone does help later in the game if you need more mana to empty your hand but desperate ritual is just explosive. I'd rather be explosive for an early game play than have 1 colorless mana available later. I have had too many people just scoop to a turn 1 or 2 blood moon to give up that play.
Against Leyline of Sanctity my Chandra was under a Pithing Needle so there wasn't much I could do unless I drew Shattering Spree.
But yeah, I think I am going to leave the deck as is for a bit, it performs really well. Only thing I might change is going up 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar like I said and maybe go down either Magus of the Moon, 1 Spellskite, or 1 Anger of the Gods. Not quite sure yet. Those cards are all spicy in their own way. I have been wanting to put in 2 Molten Rain in the sideboard and maybe go down the Stormbreaths, but Stormbreath is just so good when I have to bring out my bridges so idk yet.
But good luck with Hammer/Free Win at the 1k. Let us know how it goes.
Dragon Stompy - R 11-6-0
Ponza - RG 8-4-0
Tron - BG 1-2-0
Naya Burn - WRG 2-4-0
Spirits - UW2-2-0
Dragons - R
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/this-month-in-legacy-february-legacy-challenge-and-reassessing-threats
Among interesting inclusions, Sin Prodder caught my attention. Is this worth considering? In any matchups where Ensnaring Bridge is wasted (I know my local metagame is full of control and combo decks where it doesn't do all that much), this could provide card advantage or pressure an opponent's life total. Since we have soooo many cards that cost 3-4, this could be interesting, and gets quickly ridiculous in multiple copies.
In a control-heavy meta, would it make sense to maindeck 4x Goblin Rabblemaster and 4x Sin Prodder, and keep Ensnaring Bridge in the sideboard? Essentially, this would be the opposite of the traditional "creatureless deck into creature deck".
Thoughts?
As for Sin Prodder, I scooped a playset upon release - intrigued. But, when it comes to my Red Prison builds, he is kind of a dud. I currently have 22 lands and (6) X/X spells which means after I cast this dude, then there is almost a 50/50 chance that my opponent can send my topdecked card to the graveyard at no cost. Bam Bam swings a bigger club.
Nonetheless, JfMajor, it's possible that we could go 'bridgeless' (like that B/R Legacy deck), but....it'll be very difficult for a mono-red deck to 'outcreature' an opponent's creature-based deck which is based in more potent colors. That deck you linked has a lot of Legacy tricks/cards we can't exploit.
For now, I don't see myself straying too far from the panic button of Briiiiiiidge!!!!! It's the perfect equalizer: Ensnaring Bridge is a Damnation in perpetuity.
Hope it helps
Modern - GW Tron
Modern - Mono G Tron
Modern - RWg Burn
Commander - Yisan, The Wanderer Bard cEDH build
Commander - Edric, Spymaster of Trest - Budget/Casual list - complete
Commander - Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis - $35 Budget upgrade
Commander - Edgar Markov - $150 upgrade
I was using the original saffron olive build, added a Karn to spice it up a little (was amazing) but ultimately I am moving some stuff and trying out the goblin charbelcher and mom and dad to throw excess chalices and bridges. Any reason for no faithless looting?
I am decided between playing this and eldrazi tron (that deck is REAL) this Friday.
How did the 1k go raystack? Anything you would change?
As for Faithless Looting, it's been talked about here before. It does make an appearance in both Saffron Olive's mono-red deck, and I find its inclusion...puzzling. I tried it. Distinctly, I recall one time having a chalice on the board and 2 Faithless Looting in my hand. I felt like a jackass. Also, I've watched video of Saffron not dropping a chalice on one while he casts and flashbacks Faithless Looting. That approach was to his detriment, because meanwhile the opponent was firing off 1-CMC spells.
Faithless Looting is there, as I see it, for one reason: it nearly guarantees a turn 2 blood moon. I get that, but there is more to the game than slamming a T2 Moon. Our archetype develops more facets of the gamescape. We have creatures. We have alternative lands. Our game development doesn't require the speed of someone outrunning an Infect or Affinity deck every single round. And, for Koth's sake, we are running (4) Chalice of the Void!
Karn Liberated! Holy sheeshums. Ya know what, that original deck ran so many damn rituals, I'm not surprised that you could actually fire that bully-titted bastard into play. With my lowered land count, I'm keeping things safely at a 4-cmc cap. And, Goblin Charbelcher could go big in the long game, but I feel like it might be a bit of a win-more. We need so many of our slots to be dedicated to shutting down the entirety of Modern creation. No small task. Maybe it could replace the Witchbane Orb in my sideboard??
I didn't make it to the 1K, but did pull down a 3-1 at FNM.
ROUND 1 - Mono-Red Burn: Chalice aaaaand Chalice. Not much more to say.
ROUND 2 - Ponza: She got me with Land Destruction in game 1. In games 2 and 3, I struck a rich vein of in them thar hills. Bridge Shields were raised and Firewoman wielded her magic.
ROUND 3 - G/x Tron: [loss 1-2] I magma jetted in game 1 to find a T3 dropped Magus of the Moon and won off of him and Pia and Kiran Nalaar beats - monkey beats too. He Ugin-ed me in Game 2. Game 3 was close, but Ugin again.
ROUND 4 - Death and Taxes: Flickerwisp tricks got the best of my bridge for one alpha strike, but it wasn't enough. I took him down 2-0. As long as Thalia, Guardian of Thraben paired with a land light draw doesn't occur, I feel fine about this matchup. Especially true with (3) Anger of the Gods in the sideboard.
This is my current decklist. Couple tweeks here and there (you know our boy Koth was back in - I'm surprised there weren't comments on the last experimental build without him). Ultimately, Spellskite [just the 1] covers a lot of bases. The single mind stone feels a little 'out of place', but the curve is fine. If I went with one more Mind Stone, I would like to see an Outpost Siege make it into the mix, but that would be 9 4-cmc spells. Seems a little greedy. As for how this racehorse performs on the track? Well. Really, really well. I love the rise of these Tron/Eldrazi variants we're seeing. The moon shines favorably upon them. And, again, the new Modern meta is putting out decks that I feel we can handle beautifully in the ring.
Creatures (6)
3 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Walking Ballista
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Spellskite
Accelerators (8)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
1 Mind Stone
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
Removal (6)
4 Magma Jet
2 Slagstorm
4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Koth of the Hammer
Artifacts (9)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Crystal Ball
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
2 Mutavault
2 Gemstone Caverns
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Shattering Spree
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Sun Droplet
1 Witchbane Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
What do you normally pitch for gemstone? And how often do you find the man land useful?
But I think witchbane orb is essential against the combo decks like ad naus and storm and elves randomly having a "gotcha" with shaman.
On Tuesday modern i will start my practice again with Free win red until GP SA so I might start posting reports.
Also, I know it is hearsay for people, but I add extra salt with this deck. Everything that can is white bordered and ever land for me is different art. I just love the salt I get. For the GP it will def be all same art but at an FNM level it is so fun.
ROUND 1: G/x TRON - I drop the round 0-2. First 0-2 loss that I can remember. Good player. I knocked him off his game with a Blood Moon, but couldn't find threats before he naturally cast his bombs off a continuous spree of drawing land (unusual as they run little land). In game 2, I couldn't find a Blood Moon, and he dropped an Oblivion Stone to clear my board and Ugin ftw.
ROUND 2: BURN - Blood Moon housed his mana in game 1 and then I went Chalice on 1 into Chalice on 2 into Witchbane orb into...scoop.
ROUND 3: G/x - Melira/Coco/Chord - Blood Moons closed these games out in what appeared to be an unfair fight. Chalice and Grafdigger's got in on the action.
ROUND 4: MARDU Aggro - No moon action this time around, as it turned into Bridge/Planeswalkers for the 2-0 win.
Interesting Sideboard Note: Sun Droplet. I was reviewing the tiered decks to see how often this card gets brought in. Once. Against one deck: Burn-Zoo/Burn. That's it. Wow, and I talk enough about how I feel favored here already. So, I got to thinking: what if I drop these? Split the difference on the loss in firepower against burn by bringing in an additional Witchbane Orb. And, as Abzanleap said, it is valuable against so many other decks as well. The 2nd slot? I'm thinking it's time to boost the Moon count. Tons of Eldrazi and Tron out there, so let's add a Magus of the Moon to the sideboard (which somebody was recently advocating).
Now, here's why this is particularly interesting. The other decks that are cousins to RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer run a ton of Dragon's Claw and Sun Droplet in their sideboards. And, I am proposing a shift to none. I maintain that those cards are passive - almost lazy. Let's figure out how to turn a shield into a spear.
What's in a Name?
It's been tossed around that this thread is, to some degree, a proxy site for Free Win Red or All-In Red. We are a distinct deck unto ourselves, Mountainfolk. For instance, my RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer deck is Thirty-Three (33) cards different from Saffron Olive's Free Win Red deck that I originally reference in the Official Primer over a year ago. Independently, we have developed our decks to become more similar - that's true. Nonetheless, he started with no Chalice of the Void and has since combined (4) of them with a healthy array of 1-CMC drops.
We've gone big. That's why the RED is capitalized. We have creatures in the main and sideboard (ala Bloody Humans), a higher average CMC, and more diversified lands & threats. But, Koth has been shifted out of the driver's seat. This is unmistakably a Nalaar Deck. Every last one of the fiendishly clever family members are in the fight. I always liked the cheeky, but accurate, name of Hammer's Slammer. And, I think I'd like it to stay. Is it time for a change?
RED Prison // Chandra's Cage
RED Prison // Bondage Babe
RED Prison // Nalaar's Nightmare
RED Prison // Hog-Tied & Slapped Silly
Thanks in advance.
Match 1: Bant Eldrazi
Game 1 I get stomped by displaced beats and don't see a lock piece until too late. Game 2 and 3 both saw bridge and moon with PK/Rabblemaster beats. This player is always super salty and toxic and I love beating him and his "best deck ever" with blood moon.
[1-0]
Match 2: BTL Scapeshift
Game 1 I misplay and don't drop the 2nd moon and it bites me in the behind with a cryptic + scapeshift. Game 2 i keep an awkward hand with rabble and chAlice and hope it was good enough for 6. It wasnt, lost to a 6 drop Chandra and baloth beats, never saw the moon or bridge.
[1-1]
Match 3: Gifts Storm
Game 1 he storms me turn 3, not much I could do. Game 2 I mull and get a chalice on 1 and... draw 2 witchbane orbs in a row with only 2 lands. I got Emptied and lost never seeing a board wipe or bridge with a PK and Chandra in hand.
Dropped to go home and sleep.
Overall I was greatly disappointed. When the deck worked it was great but struggled a lot. I think the 4 drops are a little too high. If you get to 3 lands and bridge (or rush a bridge out) with multiple 4 drops, you are screwed for a few turns. I enjoyed having the faithless looting in over the PK because better filtering. Maybe drop the flex slot of crystal ball/belcher and 1 PK for 2 looting. Yes I know we often chalice for 1 and lock out looting but it felt better with them in to help smooth out some draws.
My sideboard was trash as well. I am not sure on certain cards. No tron here but rabble did help in some matchups. Graf was brought in against storm (not sure about BTL if it stops that), but that's really the only gate for yards. Witchbane is great, but drawing 2 sucks especially when you are stuck on 3 mana against a scapeshift deck. shattering spree, no affinity here. Had torpor orbs against the toolbox decks and elves and whatnot but didn't get paired against them.
I guess closing statement, it seems like the change from saffron olives version to the latest list has made it lose a lot of explosiveness but gave it more win cons. But how far is the trade off. I am thinking of going back towards seths version as I get ready for states.
Abzanleap's Report:
ROUND 1: beatdown of Bant Eldrazi is the best news I take away from his post. That is the deck today, and we are soooo well positioned to slap it down.
ROUND 2: As for 2nd match against Bring to Light Scapeshift, I'm curious how you sideboarded. You mentioned that you had a chalice of the void in game 2. All 4 of these are the first cards to go when I'm sideboarding in this matchup.
ROUND 3: Gifts Storm gets a nut hand in round 1, ok - happens. And, you got mana screwed in round 2, ok - happens.
As for your overall assessment on a limited day [not a lot of data here], your first critique is right on the money: "I think the 4 drops are a little too high". I run 8 with a crystal ball to assist. You ran 9 with no ball. The SSG and Desperate Ritual, along with a Chandra +2 , are boosts. But, I readily admit that we're flirting with danger on a (22) count for land. Oh, and the early magma jet scry is critically important. Your sideboard was trash? Hard to speak to that without seeing a list, but I am not on board with Torpor Orb. It does affect our cards negatively, and I've found that the better answer to Elves and G/W tricksy creature decks is (3) Anger of the Gods, (2) Slagstorm, (1) Ratchet Bomb, (1) Walking Ballista, and (4) Magma Jet. Grafdigger's Cage wrecks them and bridge locks are brutal.
My concern with going to a Free Win Red approach is 'win-con speed'. Take your Bring to Light / Scapeshift matchup. Without creatures pressing the attack, is a planeswalker win enough? Grixis/Control will similarly choose the right spells to remand/mana leak. How about Jund/Abzan? If your Blood Moon doesn't hit immediately (or Magus doesn't die to a bolt/path), then cards like Pia and Kiran Nalaar/Spellskite are some of your only hopes as your bridge will get blown. Tron? Again, you have to put them on a clock with Goblin Rabblemaster. Free Win Red is a fine deck, but, like Khan in the Mutara Nebula, its thinking is....2 dimensional. Seth/Saffron Olive says he has not played his deck in paper, and according to his last update his online win percentage (Eight 5-round tourneys) is in the low 70s% range.
The creatures make all the difference. They allow for a metered implementation of the locks. It doesn't have to happen all on turn 2, and if your deck is all about having every answer in the earliest stages of the game, then the mid-late game will have Captain Kirk rising up behind you with phasers blasting. Don't rush out an Ensnaring Bridge, for instance. It doesn't even have to come out early against Infect, Chalice of the Void does. In a lot of ways, Pia and Kiran Nalaar is a bridge, plus they attack and can throw out mini-bolts. Trust in the other components of the deck knitting together to create a comprehensive net.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/588118#online
Essentially trading out the Rituals for a black splash of hand disruption with Thoughtseize, Collective Brutality (and Fatal Push in the sideboard).
This deck's also packing the 4x Goblin Rabblemaster in the maindeck.
So, what else is happening in the world of red-gloved slapdowns? Any new tourney finishes to report, mountainfolk? For the first time in ages, I tried a different deck at my FNM. It's also an outlier deck with similar impressive finishes in premier events. Buuut, like RED Prison // Hammer's Slammer, there hasn't been a commensurate amount of buzz on their discussion boards, despite the successes. It is baffling. Folks fear trying out the new and shiny, s'pose.
Let's review the record: 2017 finishes in paper tournaments. In (1) premier event and (6) FNM events with an average attendance of 20+ players, my big RED had 21 wins and 6 losses for a win percentage rate of 78%. It has to be noted that Between the Hammer and the Anvil is a well known quantity in my meta. No one is making any mistakes when it comes to fetching for a basic land. In a new environment, against unknowing opponents, I gotta believe that percentage would crest so much higher.
Quick aside: this is the Store write-up on the premier event in which I took top seed. http://tjcollectibles.wpengine.com/category/blogs/
So, what is catching the buzz? What is similar to RED prison, but catching more of the spotlight? R/W Prison with variants that primarily include either Planeswalker control or Bridge control. First, let's all be mindful of the rules of etiquette. I want to be courteous to our cousin deck. They're doing well, and have recently gotten elevated to Tier 2 here in MTGsalvation. Newly popular, but I wonder. Do cards like Rest in Peace, Stony Silence, Lightning Helix, and Leyline of Sanctity make the difference? On page 1 of this primer, I talked about my favorite artifact of war: The Shield Gun.
Herein lies the critical difference. When I look at Free-Win Red and R/W Prison Lockdown, I see the shield. I don't see the barrel in the middle. I have tested both of these decks, and fear for their ability to both lock out an opponent's wins and deliver their own win. Take R/W prison: in their main deck, I envy none of their spells, not one. Maaaybe an Ajani Vengeant as a 1-of (Nahiri, the Harbinger is unplayable due to Ensnaring Bridge).
The sideboard is where element shines, but it durdles. These are answer cards to problem cards that an opponent may never even draw. This reminds me of how I once feared Burn more than I had to. I was packing my sideboard with Dragon's Claw and Sun Droplet and hunkering down...A giant that doesn't know his own strength. Be aggressive. Be, Be aggressive. Now? I pull out some number of ensnaring bridge and put in Goblin Rabblemaster.
One example of a maindeck difference between R and R/W: Lightning Helix is a fine card, but if I've already accounted for life loss in my construction, then Magma Jet is superior: 1.) it's not multi-colored, 2.) Helix's (3) point life gain in a deck with fetch/shock/fast lands may be a break even at best, and 3.) there aren't many 3-Toughness creatures out there these days.
My Current Deck
Creatures (6)
3 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Walking Ballista
1 Spellskite
Accelerators (8)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
1 Mind Stone
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
Removal (6)
4 Magma Jet
2 Slagstorm
4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Koth of the Hammer
Artifacts (9)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Crystal Ball
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
2 Mutavault
2 Gemstone Caverns
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Shattering Spree
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Witchbane Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Roast
1 Magus of the Moon
I also wanted to combine the Lantern core to this deck; meaning, I would have to remove Chalice of the Void. In it's stead would be board wipes.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GOBOTS
G. Belch has been discussed, Spec.ops. Got a report that PokerKingDave boasted a 14 point shot with it in one test game. Ultimately, I just couldn't sac up. Too risky. With a high curve of (8) 4-cmc spells, it just seems like a reach. The only place I might envision Charbelcher is in the sideboard bring-in amidst a matchup with something like Grixis Control or Patriot where you know the grind can allow for some misfires. You mentioned adding some Lantern elements. Interesting - what would it look like?
I got a private message from an occasional contributor. He asked about the most recent developments against Ad Nauseam and Death's Shadow Jund. 1st: Ad Nauuuushusss - the matchup plays out like facing Grishoalbrand: you see your opponent tapping, searching, flashing stuff back or spilling heaps of cards into the graveyard, but....they're not actually advancing forward down the hopscotch line.
For sideboarding against Ad Nauseam, it's:
- 4 Ensnaring Bridge
- 2 Slagstorm
- 1 Roast
- 1 Walking Ballista
+ 4 Goblin Rabblemaster
+ 2 Shattering Spree
+ 1 Ratchet Bomb
+ 1 Witchbane Orb
As for Death's Shadow Jund, holy hell - Talk about the new, shiny kid on the block. It has forced 1 shift in my main deck:
+ 1 Roast
- 1 Magma Jet
Along with the rise of Bant Eldrazi/Eldrazi Tron, Roast has become a key component to our scheme of disruption. I've got 2 in the 75, and might consider more, but shooooot, reckon ain't nobody gonna get through our Ensnaring Bridge. Ain't that right, Mountainfolk! Cheekiness aside - let's get pre-emptive. There are some new kings on the block, and we are the sideboard deck. Thought-Knot Seer, Tarmogoyf, Death's Shadow, and Reality Smasher all laugh at small bolts --- might be time to be packing heavy heat right out of the gate....blazing. Roast!!!
>>>EDIT:
Big Question: Are 4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance too much? You'd think that (4) of these beauties can't be too greedy. BUT, I'm starting to think otherwise lately.
Have other people run into a lot of dead draws by hitting too many Chandras?? Honestly, I feel like I probably see an unnecessary duplicate somewhere around 1/3 of the time.
So, the thinking is: Drop the 4th Chandra to add an Outpost Siege. And, Extra Step: +1 Roast // -1 Crystal Ball. This puts a shift towards a little more spot removal and resiliency to the phat piggies getting cast out there.
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