This post is on its way to becoming a primer, I need to make updates to the post and keep it up to date as the meta changes. The deck needs minimal card draw due to Pia's Revolution and Scrap Trawler bringing all of our artifact creatures back to our hand unless the enemy wants to be burned for 3. We run good removal with Fatal Push and Unlicensed Disintegration even adding some extra burn to our build. We run a ton of artifact creatures that are actually ALL CONSTRUCTS besides Metallic Mimic which can be a construct (we will always make it a construct). All of these cards either have a "on death"/graveyard ability that when combo'd with Pia's Revolution is extremely unforgiving for the opponent, or a static ability that is buffing our whole board.
We top off the curve with Herald of Anguish which is a fantastic card for this deck. It allows our sacrificed artifacts to come back or burn them for 3 with Pia's Revolution while, at the same time, providing great removal on the board for small and large creatures. The discard at the end step is not to be taken lightly either because when dropping this, regularly, on turn 5, discard is an amazing mechanic. Causing them to discard cards they've been holding in their hand the whole game and basically making their draws worthless, eventually causing them to play off of "top deck".
Chandra, Torch of Defiance is another fun card we get to play with, with it being at 4 mana it rounds off our mana curve at the same time as adding burn, card advantage, mana stick, and removal all at the same time as adding another win condition to our deck.
Our win conditions are beat-down (practically inevitability) and Chandra.
I really just wanted to post the deck here for everyone to be able to see and give their opinions on/discuss this deck and what the B/R archetype can bring. This deck is extremely strong and consistent and I wouldn't doubt if it ended up being a tier 1 deck in some form. Obviously there and probably different choices I'm not seeing at first and I would like to hear all opinions/suggestions.
Things I've considered: Shock for Fatal Push. I've taken Fatal Push over Shock to begin with because it is just the best removal piece in standard in my opinion. Although Shock adds burn to the deck that Fatal Push doesn't add, so I'm not entirely sure on that one. I usually prefer not playing Red as it is my least favorite color, but I love the way it synergizes with my favorite color in a deck that is mostly colorless anyways.
THIS IS BASICALLY B/R ZOMBIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE GOOD TRIBAL.
Changes I've made:
4x Syndicate Trafficker out for 4x Metallic Mimic as mimic provides a better board state instead of just a sacrifice engine that works well with our deck.
This list looks great! I'm going to boot it up on xmage right meow.
How are the Mimic's testing so far? It looks like you made a good swap.
Regarding Push vs. Shock; that is indeed a tricky one. Without digging through a bunch of creature cards for specifics, I have to think they kill many of the same creatures in the early game and both adapt well for the late game. I guess it comes down to whether we'd want to be using the one drop slot to continue managing creatures in the late game or if we'd want to go for the face. Considering the list has a creature suite that ends up being more and more threatening on it's own makes me think being able to knock out those last couple points of damage with Shock might be really nice. But then again, by sac'ing to Herald we'll be burning via Pia's Revolution as well. It's really a tough call! I almost want to start with a split and see how it feels, maybe keep one of each in the sideboard for game 2 adjustments and go from there.
Thanks for sharing! I'm going to start tinkering as well.
What a about Walking Ballista and Scrap Trawler? These seem to have good synergies with the Mimic.
Walking Balista can do a lot in a game, it can attack and ping in response of destruction, going back to your hand with Scrap Trawler triggers.
I don't know if that's correct.
The target artifact card must have a lesser converted mana cost than the artifact that caused Scrap Trawler’s ability to trigger by being put into a graveyard. Use the artifact’s converted mana cost as it last existed on the battlefield to determine what may be returned.
While on the battlefield or in a graveyard, X in an object’s mana cost is 0.
Not that you'd have trouble reccuring Ballista with Trawler anyway in this deck. Just not off of itself.
You are totally correct. This card had a poor translation to Brazilian-Portuguese, in which it says that you can bring back the artifact with the lesser CMC of the graveyard.
I debated Walking Ballista but it seems like there are just better artifacts in our deck for clogging up the board. But, I will definitely test it out and let you know how I like it. Scrap Trawler on the other hand was very close to making it in to the deck and I might still add it by replacing Filigree Familiar with it. It is pseudo card draw for us but doesn't give us the 2 life, but is also a stronger creature with Construct for it's tribe. This is one I've been testing on and off. Maybe I just put Scrap Trawler in the main and side Filigree Familiar in against control? This will require more testing, but thanks for bringing it up, I want to put it in over Filigree Familiar I believe.
We top off the curve with Herald of Anguish which is a fantastic card for this deck. It allows our sacrificed artifacts to come back or burn them for 3 with Pia's Revolution while, at the same time, providing great removal on the board for small and large creatures. The discard at the end step is not to be taken lightly either because when dropping this, regularly, on turn 5, discard is an amazing mechanic. Causing them to discard cards they've been holding in their hand the whole game and basically making their draws worthless, eventually causing them to play off of "top deck".
Chandra, Torch of Defiance is another fun card we get to play with, with it being at 4 mana it rounds off our mana curve at the same time as adding burn, card advantage, mana stick, and removal all at the same time as adding another win condition to our deck.
Our win conditions are beat-down (practically inevitability) and Chandra.
4 Smoldering Marsh
4 Spire of Industry
4 Evolving Wilds
6 Swamp
6 Mountain
Removal (7)
4 Fatal Push
3 Unlicensed Disintegration
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Chief of the Foundry
3 Scrap Trawler
4 Treasure Keeper
3 Herald of Anguish
Enchantments (4)
4 Pia's Revolution
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Release the Gremlins
2 Hope of Ghirapur
4 Transgress the Mind
3 Yahenni's Expertise
3 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
I really just wanted to post the deck here for everyone to be able to see and give their opinions on/discuss this deck and what the B/R archetype can bring. This deck is extremely strong and consistent and I wouldn't doubt if it ended up being a tier 1 deck in some form. Obviously there and probably different choices I'm not seeing at first and I would like to hear all opinions/suggestions.
Things I've considered: Shock for Fatal Push. I've taken Fatal Push over Shock to begin with because it is just the best removal piece in standard in my opinion. Although Shock adds burn to the deck that Fatal Push doesn't add, so I'm not entirely sure on that one. I usually prefer not playing Red as it is my least favorite color, but I love the way it synergizes with my favorite color in a deck that is mostly colorless anyways.
THIS IS BASICALLY B/R ZOMBIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE GOOD TRIBAL.
Changes I've made:
4x Syndicate Trafficker out for 4x Metallic Mimic as mimic provides a better board state instead of just a sacrifice engine that works well with our deck.
Edit: 1/14/2017: 4x Chandra, Torch of Defiance to 4x Herald of Anguish
1/14/2017: 4x Herald of Anguish to 4x Chief of the Foundry
1/17/2017: 3x Filigree Familiar moved to sideboard for 3x Scrap Trawler. Sideboard: Removed 2x Chandra, Flamecaller and 2x Hope of Ghirapur for 1x Transgress the Mind and the 3x Filigree Familiar
1/21/2017:SB: 3x Filigree Familiar out for 3x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet. Kalitas provides more options for us against aggro decks whereas Filigree was adding protection against control when I think Scrap Trawler is already better against control in Filigree's spot.
How are the Mimic's testing so far? It looks like you made a good swap.
Regarding Push vs. Shock; that is indeed a tricky one. Without digging through a bunch of creature cards for specifics, I have to think they kill many of the same creatures in the early game and both adapt well for the late game. I guess it comes down to whether we'd want to be using the one drop slot to continue managing creatures in the late game or if we'd want to go for the face. Considering the list has a creature suite that ends up being more and more threatening on it's own makes me think being able to knock out those last couple points of damage with Shock might be really nice. But then again, by sac'ing to Herald we'll be burning via Pia's Revolution as well. It's really a tough call! I almost want to start with a split and see how it feels, maybe keep one of each in the sideboard for game 2 adjustments and go from there.
Thanks for sharing! I'm going to start tinkering as well.
Walking Balista can do a lot in a game, it can attack and ping in response of destruction, going back to your hand with Scrap Trawler triggers.
I don't know if that's correct.
Not that you'd have trouble reccuring Ballista with Trawler anyway in this deck. Just not off of itself.
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Thanks, I would not notice it otherwise.