Has anyone seen Eric Froehlich's deck guide article on this, on Channel Fireball? If you haven't, here it is. I just saw this primer and was surprised to see no reference to it yet.
Anyway, EFro played this deck to an 11-4 finish at GP Los Angeles in May - a much more respectable finish than I'd have thought possible at a Grand Prix level event.
Anyway, I read the article shortly after he posted it, and knew immediately I wanted to try it out. I've played a few decks in modern - I started off with mono-G Stompy (a great budget intro to the format), then moved onto UR (and later Grixis) Delver, with my latest deck being UG Infect - I had a reasonable amount of success with Infect, but in spite of doing well I never enjoyed it as much as good old Stompy. I wanted a change, and as I already had a playset of original Blood Moons from The Dark laying around doing nothing, this seemed like a great choice. I sleeved it up and started battling.
I haven't played it at any tournaments yet, but it's been doing a great job generally hosing people whenever I've played with it, and it's been a ton of fun. Nothing quite like going:
T1 Forest, T, Arbor Elf, go;
T2 Play a land, use that to cast Utopia Sprawl on the Forest choosing red, T Forest for GR, T Arbor Elf to untap the Forest, T Forest again so you have GGRR, cast Mwonvuli Acid-Moss (allowing your opponent to read the card haha) on their land, fetching up a tapped Stomping Ground, go;
T3 Inferno Titan, wreck your board / face, stifle your giggles.
This deck seems to have quite a few decent matchups, with Affinity being one of the more problematic (as it is for most decks). I'm looking forward to having a crack with it the next time my LGS hosts a modern event.
Fixed the deck list above - oops. Should work now.
I've found Bonfire to be pretty good against the many creature strategies out there, from Abzan Company to Hatebears, Affinity to Bogles. Sure, there are some matchups when it's poor (and you want to side it out for those), but on the whole I like it a decent amount. I'm happy with Anger of the Gods out of the SB for the matchups when it's useful. The deck has enough finishers - most any of the creatures get the job done - without needing to burn them out.
I don't think Garruk is very good for this build - he's more about ramping out big things, which this list doesn't really do. There's 24 lands, 10 G ramp spells, and 4 GG ramps - that's plenty for our few 5- and 6-drops. Other than those I want to cast Obstinate Baloth - the body is very well sized, and the 4 life is always good too - lots of aggressive strategies out there at the moment.
I'd have Blood Moon over Trinisphere, no question - it's great in the current meta. There are so many decks it just stops cold, then you don't care how many lands they have in play. I'll have to have a look at some of those articles - thanks for the links!
Hello there all! I am Harrison Gill, and I recently went 11/4 to a top 32 finish with RG Ponza at SCG Syracuse. I had loads of fun playing the deck, and got to be on camera during round 14. Here's my list and sideboard guide:
Affinity:
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 2 Ancient Grudge
+ 1 Fracturing Gust
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
- 4 Stone Rain
- 2 Thragtusk
- 2 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Tron:
Laugh
Burn:
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
+ 1 Anger of the Gods
- 2 Beast within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 1 Inferno Titan
Burn has a lot of variations now, so if you see more creatures or a zoo deck just
add the other 2 Anger of the Gods and take out 1 Blood Moon and 1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Jeskai Nahiri:
+ 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
+ 1 Stormbreath Dragon
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 4 Bonfire of the damned
- 2 Obstinate Baloth
Dredge:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 2 Beast Within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 2 Blood Moon
- 2 Bonfire of the Damned
The deck served me very well except for a couple of rounds where I had to mulligan to 4 or 5, and I was overall pretty happy with how the deck played. Changes that I am going to make:
Main:
+ 1 Polukranos, World Eater
- 1 Obstinate Baloth
Baloth doesn't really add that much to the board once it lands, but a card like polukranos can get bigger and blow things up. Polukranos is also a much better topdeck than a vanilla 4/4. He also just seems really sweet. I will test and see what happens.
Side:
+ 2 Natural State
- 2 Ancient Grudge
Affinity seems like a very good matchup from what I've played of it, and natural state is much better when considering other decks besides affinity. Ancient grudge is a dead card in the sideboard most of the time except for affinity, but you can bring natural state in against merfolk which is one of the worst matchups.
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
- 1 Kitchen Finks
I feel like the coco/jeskai nahiri/dredge matchups could be better, and the burn and aggro matchups are already fine. I will test only 2 finks and see how it goes.
Hello there all! I am Harrison Gill, and I recently went 11/4 to a top 32 finish with RG Ponza at SCG Syracuse. I had loads of fun playing the deck, and got to be on camera during round 14. Here's my list and sideboard guide:
Affinity:
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 2 Ancient Grudge
+ 1 Fracturing Gust
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
- 4 Stone Rain
- 2 Thragtusk
- 2 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Tron:
Laugh
Burn:
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
+ 1 Anger of the Gods
- 2 Beast within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 1 Inferno Titan
Burn has a lot of variations now, so if you see more creatures or a zoo deck just
add the other 2 Anger of the Gods and take out 1 Blood Moon and 1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Jeskai Nahiri:
+ 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
+ 1 Stormbreath Dragon
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 4 Bonfire of the damned
- 2 Obstinate Baloth
Dredge:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 2 Beast Within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 2 Blood Moon
- 2 Bonfire of the Damned
The deck served me very well except for a couple of rounds where I had to mulligan to 4 or 5, and I was overall pretty happy with how the deck played. Changes that I am going to make:
Main:
+ 1 Polukranos, World Eater
- 1 Obstinate Baloth
Baloth doesn't really add that much to the board once it lands, but a card like polukranos can get bigger and blow things up. Polukranos is also a much better topdeck than a vanilla 4/4. He also just seems really sweet. I will test and see what happens.
Side:
+ 2 Natural State
- 2 Ancient Grudge
Affinity seems like a very good matchup from what I've played of it, and natural state is much better when considering other decks besides affinity. Ancient grudge is a dead card in the sideboard most of the time except for affinity, but you can bring natural state in against merfolk which is one of the worst matchups.
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
- 1 Kitchen Finks
I feel like the coco/jeskai nahiri/dredge matchups could be better, and the burn and aggro matchups are already fine. I will test only 2 finks and see how it goes.
Congrats on your success. Seems like a really cool deck. Have you considered tireless tracker at all? I feel like it would be a solid addition and provide some card draw.
I was thinking that it might be better to replace finks with more baloths due to the mana acceleration.
Also curious to hear how polukranos is in testing.
Hello there all! I am Harrison Gill, and I recently went 11/4 to a top 32 finish with RG Ponza at SCG Syracuse. I had loads of fun playing the deck, and got to be on camera during round 14. Here's my list and sideboard guide:
Affinity:
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 2 Ancient Grudge
+ 1 Fracturing Gust
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
- 4 Stone Rain
- 2 Thragtusk
- 2 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Tron:
Laugh
Burn:
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
+ 1 Anger of the Gods
- 2 Beast within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 1 Inferno Titan
Burn has a lot of variations now, so if you see more creatures or a zoo deck just
add the other 2 Anger of the Gods and take out 1 Blood Moon and 1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Jeskai Nahiri:
+ 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
+ 1 Stormbreath Dragon
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 4 Bonfire of the damned
- 2 Obstinate Baloth
Dredge:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 2 Beast Within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 2 Blood Moon
- 2 Bonfire of the Damned
The deck served me very well except for a couple of rounds where I had to mulligan to 4 or 5, and I was overall pretty happy with how the deck played. Changes that I am going to make:
Main:
+ 1 Polukranos, World Eater
- 1 Obstinate Baloth
Baloth doesn't really add that much to the board once it lands, but a card like polukranos can get bigger and blow things up. Polukranos is also a much better topdeck than a vanilla 4/4. He also just seems really sweet. I will test and see what happens.
Side:
+ 2 Natural State
- 2 Ancient Grudge
Affinity seems like a very good matchup from what I've played of it, and natural state is much better when considering other decks besides affinity. Ancient grudge is a dead card in the sideboard most of the time except for affinity, but you can bring natural state in against merfolk which is one of the worst matchups.
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
- 1 Kitchen Finks
I feel like the coco/jeskai nahiri/dredge matchups could be better, and the burn and aggro matchups are already fine. I will test only 2 finks and see how it goes.
Fantastic match to be on camera! I literally cheered when you played that Primal Command. Good show!
Question - what were you playing around at the end of the first game?
Thanks for sharing your list and sideboardidng suggestions. I'm thinking of putting a very similar list together, and wanted to know why no Huntmaster in a Baloth spot. Is the 2 lifegain instead of 4 the only reason he's not in, because the multiple bodies with a chance for more seems better against agro.
Congrats on your success. Seems like a really cool deck. Have you considered tireless tracker at all? I feel like it would be a solid addition and provide some card draw.
I was thinking that it might be better to replace finks with more baloths due to the mana acceleration.
Also curious to hear how polukranos is in testing.
Tireless tracker seems really cool, and I'll give it a run, but its not a replacememt for finks. You are right, tracker can provide more value, but finks isn't in for value it's for survival. The life gain and double blocker in one card makes it very difficult for burn and zoo decks to break through.
Question - what were you playing around at the end of the first game?
Haha my first game on camera I forgot to write down the 3 damage inferno titan did when it entered the battlefield, so I thought I was barely off lethal and I didnt want to swing into the bloodghast backswing. My mistake but it worked out fine
Thanks for sharing your list and sideboardidng suggestions. I'm thinking of putting a very similar list together, and wanted to know why no Huntmaster in a Baloth spot. Is the 2 lifegain instead of 4 the only reason he's not in, because the multiple bodies with a chance for more seems better against agro.
Huntmaster is sweet, but he just dies so easily. Baloth is in there to be a 4/4 body that can easily block 3 power creatures (including the beast tokens we gave away!) He is also out of bolt range, which is big when that is the only spell they can cast off blood moon. Huntmaster takes a few turns to get going, which makes him meh in the deck. Also no one is going to be casting 2 spells in a turn so he will only flip once or twice.
As far as testing goes, polukranos, world eater seems much better than obstinate baloth. I haven't played a tough aggro matchup with him yet though, and I feel like it makes the matchup much worse. But playing polukranos turn 3 then monstrosity for 2 on turn 4 to blow up a blocker and swing for 7 is pretty silly. Also its an insane topdeck in the late game. I think he will be joining the ranks for a little while at least. Now we have 2 monstrosity creatures!
Hahaha ok ember swallower seems pretty frikin sick. The risk isn't the problem though- it's the monstrosity cost. The deck often wiffs on lands as there are so few, so consistently using the monstrosity is iffy. That being said, it is super sweet and I will deffinetly test it. Putting in 1 stormbreath, 1 polukranos and 1 swallower is a really cool monstrosity theme
Coming from tooth and nail as my mess around deck, I love Love this LD.
Nothing to spicy. I run 61 cards never had a problem, but one reason is why I am now playing this is I play zoo and my lgs has 2 new zoo players and I hate mirror matches or just people copying my build. I'd love to fit sudden shock in side but as said with zoo, soul sisters and Merfolk in my meta, I choose to run 4x anger. I also run 1 extra primal command in side. Most take primal command out but I have learn to love in midrange deck. Hoses a goyf, gains life when needed.
Also searches for a fattie. I go back and forth with Chandra and one big DL Atarka. Which is another reason to run 3rd primal. I love the look on a long grindy match when you gain 7 and search out an Atarka to cast. but Chandra is a great draw engine to cast cards once you get mana. Might be my lock but got tired of drawing into and opening to bonfires so it is 3. I also test with Thundermaw and sarkhan,dragon speeker
Hey all, glad to see there's finally some discussion about this deck. I've been playing it for about a month myself, and almost went to Syracuse as wel (only a three hour drive for me) but family stuff came up.
So, couple of comments/questions:
Harrison, why the Bonfires in the MD. I've tested them and consistently hate them. I don't even bother with them in the side, preferring MD Angers. It makes dealing with a big 'Goyf challenging, but, but I have other ways of handling that.
I'm also surprised that there isn't more love for Stormbreath. Anything that says "Protection from Path 2 Exile" is really solid in the current meta. He also comes in fast on Lilianna, which can be very relevant.
Ima throw this out there.
All of these are and/or suggeations
Nykthos in permanant based versions
Temur Sabertooth +acidic slime. (Great with Nykthos)
Crumble to Dust
We have harmonize, but idk what in 75 to take out. I met 4-0 last night. I like bonfire I don't love it, I'd like to be 2x angers and a Harmonize but anger hoses some of out ramp. But outside of one game bonfire kept coming out. Life gain never felt like a problem. At one point I had 34 life against junk
As far as testing goes, polukranos, world eater seems much better than obstinate baloth. I haven't played a tough aggro matchup with him yet though, and I feel like it makes the matchup much worse. But playing polukranos turn 3 then monstrosity for 2 on turn 4 to blow up a blocker and swing for 7 is pretty silly. Also its an insane topdeck in the late game. I think he will be joining the ranks for a little while at least. Now we have 2 monstrosity creatures!
Have you tried Chameleon Colossus in the 4-drop slot ?
It can become ridiculously big and pro-black can be really good (doesn't die to Terminate/Dismember).
SO I Just got back from GP Indy I went 10-5 with this list
4 Elf
2 Birds
1 Colossus
2 Baloth
1 Thragtusk
2 Stormbreath
4 Inferno Titans
4 Sprawls
4 Stone Rain
4 Acid Moss
4 Blood Moon
2 Beast Within
3 Bonfires
1 Primal Command
9 Forest
1 Mountain
4 Windswept
4 Foothills
1 Verdant
Side Board
3 Finks
1 Thrun
1 Dismember
2 Sudden Shocks
1 Shatterstorm
2 Ancient Grudge
3 Anger of the gods
2 Grafdigger Gage
Anyway, EFro played this deck to an 11-4 finish at GP Los Angeles in May - a much more respectable finish than I'd have thought possible at a Grand Prix level event.
Here's the list he ran:
1 Mountain
3 Stomping Ground
9 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures
4 Arbor Elf
2 Birds of Paradise
2 Obstinate Baloth
4 Inferno Titan
1 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Thragtusk
4 Utopia Sprawl
2 Beast Within
4 Stone Rain
4 Blood Moon
4 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
4 Bonfire of the Damned
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Lightning Bolt
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Dismember
1 Fracturing Gust
3 Kitchen Finks
1 Natural State
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Sudden Shock
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
His list featured a single Misty Rainforest and Verdant Catacombs over the third and forth Windswept Heath, but for all intents and purposes any green fetch serves the same purpose.
Anyway, I read the article shortly after he posted it, and knew immediately I wanted to try it out. I've played a few decks in modern - I started off with mono-G Stompy (a great budget intro to the format), then moved onto UR (and later Grixis) Delver, with my latest deck being UG Infect - I had a reasonable amount of success with Infect, but in spite of doing well I never enjoyed it as much as good old Stompy. I wanted a change, and as I already had a playset of original Blood Moons from The Dark laying around doing nothing, this seemed like a great choice. I sleeved it up and started battling.
I haven't played it at any tournaments yet, but it's been doing a great job generally hosing people whenever I've played with it, and it's been a ton of fun. Nothing quite like going:
T1 Forest, T, Arbor Elf, go;
T2 Play a land, use that to cast Utopia Sprawl on the Forest choosing red, T Forest for GR, T Arbor Elf to untap the Forest, T Forest again so you have GGRR, cast Mwonvuli Acid-Moss (allowing your opponent to read the card haha) on their land, fetching up a tapped Stomping Ground, go;
T3 Inferno Titan, wreck your board / face, stifle your giggles.
This deck seems to have quite a few decent matchups, with Affinity being one of the more problematic (as it is for most decks). I'm looking forward to having a crack with it the next time my LGS hosts a modern event.
As a sweeper I would prefer Anger of the Gods/Mizzium Mortars and as a burn/finisher spell I would go with Crater's Claws/Banefire (or Clan Defiance).
I'm surprised there is no Garruk Wildspeaker in the deck as he helps ramp and get an early titan or pump out beasts.
Wouldn't Trinisphere work even better than Blood Moon in the deck (keeping them under 3 lands) ?
Btw, here is a good article series about this deck:
http://manadeprived.com/rg-ponza-primer/
http://manadeprived.com/rg-ponza-primer-part-2-sideboarding/
http://manadeprived.com/rg-ponza-update/
http://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-wr-control-26473
(probably based on this with slight SB tweaks - http://www.starcitygames.com/article/32996_Daily-Digest-Nahiri-Ponza.html)
And here is another RG list that looks pretty good - http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/deck.asp?deck_id=1265389
Fixed the deck list above - oops. Should work now.
I've found Bonfire to be pretty good against the many creature strategies out there, from Abzan Company to Hatebears, Affinity to Bogles. Sure, there are some matchups when it's poor (and you want to side it out for those), but on the whole I like it a decent amount. I'm happy with Anger of the Gods out of the SB for the matchups when it's useful. The deck has enough finishers - most any of the creatures get the job done - without needing to burn them out.
I don't think Garruk is very good for this build - he's more about ramping out big things, which this list doesn't really do. There's 24 lands, 10 G ramp spells, and 4 GG ramps - that's plenty for our few 5- and 6-drops. Other than those I want to cast Obstinate Baloth - the body is very well sized, and the 4 life is always good too - lots of aggressive strategies out there at the moment.
I'd have Blood Moon over Trinisphere, no question - it's great in the current meta. There are so many decks it just stops cold, then you don't care how many lands they have in play. I'll have to have a look at some of those articles - thanks for the links!
I really want to test out Trinisphere so I 've freed 3x slots by cutting an Obstinate Baloth and 2x Chandra, Pyromaster.
As much as I like the Deus of Calamity it's probably not good enough so it should be Inferno Titan.
Here is how my updated list looks like:
4x Arbor Elf
2x Birds of Paradise
3x Obstinate Baloth
4x Goblin Dark-Dwellers
4x Inferno Titan
Sorcery (10)
4x Molten Rain
2x Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
4x Stone Rain
Instant (3)
3x Beast Within
4x Utopia Sprawl
Artifact (3)
3x Trinisphere
Planeswalker (2)
2x Garruk Wildspeaker
Land (21)
4x Wooded Foothills
3x Windswept Heath
4x Stomping Ground
2x Cinder Glade
7x Forest
1x Mountain
4x Anger of the Gods
1x Beast Within
2x Destructive Revelry
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Pyroclasm
Link:
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/budget-magic-99-69-tix-modern-dark-dwellers-stone-rain
RBGU Dredge RBGU
RG Ponza RG
UR Thing in the Ice Ascension UR
[EDH/CMDR]
G Titania, Protector of Argoth G
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-born UB
UWR Zedruu, the Greathearted UWR
4 windswept heath
4 wooded foothills
9 forest
1 mountain
3 stomping ground
Dorks
4 arbor elf
4 utopia sprawl
2 birds of paradise
Land destruction
4 blood moon
4 stone rain
4 mwonvuli acid-moss
2 beast within
2 primal command
4 bonfire of the damned
Finishers
4 Inferno titan
1 stormbreath dragon
2 thragtusk
2 obstinate baloth
3 anger of the gods
3 kitchen finks
2 sudden shock
2 ancient grudge
1 dismember
1 fracturing gust
1 thrun, the last troll
1 stormbreath dragon
1 grafdigger's cage
Jund:
+ 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
+ 1 Dismember
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 1 Inferno Titan
- 1 Primal command
- 2 Bonfire of the Damned
Infect:
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Dismember
- 2 Primal Command
- 2 Thragtusk
- 2 Obstinate Baloth
Affinity:
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 2 Ancient Grudge
+ 1 Fracturing Gust
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
- 4 Stone Rain
- 2 Thragtusk
- 2 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Tron:
Laugh
Burn:
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
+ 1 Anger of the Gods
- 2 Beast within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 1 Inferno Titan
Burn has a lot of variations now, so if you see more creatures or a zoo deck just
add the other 2 Anger of the Gods and take out 1 Blood Moon and 1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Jeskai Nahiri:
+ 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
+ 1 Stormbreath Dragon
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 4 Bonfire of the damned
- 2 Obstinate Baloth
Dredge:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
+ 3 Kitchen Finks
- 2 Beast Within
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
- 2 Blood Moon
- 2 Bonfire of the Damned
Bant Eldrazi:
+ 1 Dismember
- 1 Stormbreath Dragon
Merfolk:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 1 Dismember
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 1 Ancient Grudge
- 4 Blood Moon
- 1 stormbreath Dragon
- 2 primal command
Valakut/Scapeshift:
Laugh More
Abzan Coco/Kiki Chord:
+ 3 Anger of the Gods
+ 2 Sudden Shock
+ 1 Dismember
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
- 2 Thragtusk
- 1 Obstinate Baloth
- 2 Primal Command
- 1 Bonfire of the Damned
- 1 Blood Moon
The deck served me very well except for a couple of rounds where I had to mulligan to 4 or 5, and I was overall pretty happy with how the deck played. Changes that I am going to make:
Main:
+ 1 Polukranos, World Eater
- 1 Obstinate Baloth
Baloth doesn't really add that much to the board once it lands, but a card like polukranos can get bigger and blow things up. Polukranos is also a much better topdeck than a vanilla 4/4. He also just seems really sweet. I will test and see what happens.
Side:
+ 2 Natural State
- 2 Ancient Grudge
Affinity seems like a very good matchup from what I've played of it, and natural state is much better when considering other decks besides affinity. Ancient grudge is a dead card in the sideboard most of the time except for affinity, but you can bring natural state in against merfolk which is one of the worst matchups.
+ 1 Grafdigger's Cage
- 1 Kitchen Finks
I feel like the coco/jeskai nahiri/dredge matchups could be better, and the burn and aggro matchups are already fine. I will test only 2 finks and see how it goes.
Congrats on your success. Seems like a really cool deck. Have you considered tireless tracker at all? I feel like it would be a solid addition and provide some card draw.
I was thinking that it might be better to replace finks with more baloths due to the mana acceleration.
Also curious to hear how polukranos is in testing.
Fantastic match to be on camera! I literally cheered when you played that Primal Command. Good show!
Question - what were you playing around at the end of the first game?
Tireless tracker seems really cool, and I'll give it a run, but its not a replacememt for finks. You are right, tracker can provide more value, but finks isn't in for value it's for survival. The life gain and double blocker in one card makes it very difficult for burn and zoo decks to break through.
Haha my first game on camera I forgot to write down the 3 damage inferno titan did when it entered the battlefield, so I thought I was barely off lethal and I didnt want to swing into the bloodghast backswing. My mistake but it worked out fine
Huntmaster is sweet, but he just dies so easily. Baloth is in there to be a 4/4 body that can easily block 3 power creatures (including the beast tokens we gave away!) He is also out of bolt range, which is big when that is the only spell they can cast off blood moon. Huntmaster takes a few turns to get going, which makes him meh in the deck. Also no one is going to be casting 2 spells in a turn so he will only flip once or twice.
As far as testing goes, polukranos, world eater seems much better than obstinate baloth. I haven't played a tough aggro matchup with him yet though, and I feel like it makes the matchup much worse. But playing polukranos turn 3 then monstrosity for 2 on turn 4 to blow up a blocker and swing for 7 is pretty silly. Also its an insane topdeck in the late game. I think he will be joining the ranks for a little while at least. Now we have 2 monstrosity creatures!
Nothing to spicy. I run 61 cards never had a problem, but one reason is why I am now playing this is I play zoo and my lgs has 2 new zoo players and I hate mirror matches or just people copying my build. I'd love to fit sudden shock in side but as said with zoo, soul sisters and Merfolk in my meta, I choose to run 4x anger. I also run 1 extra primal command in side. Most take primal command out but I have learn to love in midrange deck. Hoses a goyf, gains life when needed.
Also searches for a fattie. I go back and forth with Chandra and one big DL Atarka. Which is another reason to run 3rd primal. I love the look on a long grindy match when you gain 7 and search out an Atarka to cast. but Chandra is a great draw engine to cast cards once you get mana. Might be my lock but got tired of drawing into and opening to bonfires so it is 3. I also test with Thundermaw and sarkhan,dragon speeker
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/427831#paper
So, couple of comments/questions:
Harrison, why the Bonfires in the MD. I've tested them and consistently hate them. I don't even bother with them in the side, preferring MD Angers. It makes dealing with a big 'Goyf challenging, but, but I have other ways of handling that.
I'm also surprised that there isn't more love for Stormbreath. Anything that says "Protection from Path 2 Exile" is really solid in the current meta. He also comes in fast on Lilianna, which can be very relevant.
Here's my current list:
Lands (21)
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
9 Forest
1 Mountain
3 Stomping Ground
Dorks
4 Arbor Elf
4 Utopia Sprawl
1 Birds of Paradise
Land Destruction
3 blood moon
4 stone rain
3 mwonvuli acid-moss
3 beast within
4 Molten Rain
1 Primal Command
3 Anger of the Gods
Finishers
3 Inferno Titan
3 Stormbreath Dragon
1 Thragtusk
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Batterskull
3 Kitchen Finks
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Ancient Grudge
3 Relic of Progenitus
1 Thrun, The Last Troll
2 Grafdigger's Cage
All of these are and/or suggeations
Nykthos in permanant based versions
Temur Sabertooth +acidic slime. (Great with Nykthos)
Crumble to Dust
Have you tried Chameleon Colossus in the 4-drop slot ?
It can become ridiculously big and pro-black can be really good (doesn't die to Terminate/Dismember).
Another option might be to go to 5 mana for Thundermaw Hellkite or Deus of Calamity.
4 Elf
2 Birds
1 Colossus
2 Baloth
1 Thragtusk
2 Stormbreath
4 Inferno Titans
4 Sprawls
4 Stone Rain
4 Acid Moss
4 Blood Moon
2 Beast Within
3 Bonfires
1 Primal Command
9 Forest
1 Mountain
4 Windswept
4 Foothills
1 Verdant
Side Board
3 Finks
1 Thrun
1 Dismember
2 Sudden Shocks
1 Shatterstorm
2 Ancient Grudge
3 Anger of the gods
2 Grafdigger Gage
Wins
2 Tron
1 Boggles
1 Jund
1 Suicide Zoo
1 Bant Eldrazi
1 Dredge
1 Zoo
1 Jeskai Control
1 Grixis Control
Losses
1 R/W Burn
1 Merfolk
1 Affinity
1 Suicide Zoo
1 Grim Junk