Hello Crew,
Now that the new set is fully spoiled, and hopefully the monitors are allowing us to write about it here (not sure?)...Here is my take on Dino's with a few questions primarily around the 4 drop. As I see it, you can go aggro or midrange with Dinos and I prefer midrange. So, I will focus there. I prefer to think in play turn sequences and about what might be played each turn given a set deck list. So, I will only include cards on my decklist currently and what can/could happen each turn. Turn 1 commune with dinosaurs reckless rage (I don't think I would ever do this but who knows....at least it is an option. Rules question would be whether I can given I would not have a creature of my own to target)
My deck has the following numbers
4 Commune
2 reckless rage
4 savage stomp
4 thunderherds
4 drovers
4 rangings
4 ripjaws
4 regisaurs
2 carnage
2 burnings
4 swelterings
1 Ghalta
Between communes, ranging raptors and thunderheads, I think we can go with 21 land and be certain not to miss one.
Anyone out there able to test online yet. I am only a paper player and while I am saying that this is my deck...until a couple weeks from now, it is not my deck yet. My group unfortunately frowns on playing a proxy you don't really own.
Having played this deck minus the thunderherds, rages, and ghalta I have learned...
1.Don't overextend (put too many creatures in play)...mass removal is real and prevalent
2.This deck is really are good at cleaning up the blockers and little guys...attack every turn you can and you'll get there. Opposing creatures are not a threat. Few creature based decks stand a chance. The 4 sweltering suns are a necessity to stay ahead in a creature based environment. The only creature in your deck that cares about that spell is the ranging raptors and those are really there initially to get killed. If your not in a creature based environment than out goes the suns and in comes a sideboard option (probably naturalize)
I used to rely on creature based ramp. I think all the ramp options allowing you to play any spell (not just creature spells) is so important to this deck. I can't wait to playtest.
Today at 00:00h the store where I play made the first presentation of the weekend.
With the cards to play I got Ghalta and Etali, and on the rewards for playing, another Etali and Zetalpa, and a friend got Nezahal and Tetzimoc, which I traded for. Now I only need Zacama!
I have been playing Ghalta along side Combustible Gearhulk and have been impressed. this is my current list, but I may trade some number of shefnet monitor for Spring // Mind. No plan on casting mind, it's just a good hit for combustible because it is 9cmc.
I'm always on variations of RG aggressive midrange decks. Obviously, Temur will probably still be what I'm on post-RIX but I like to bring out the nerf guns for FNM or Showdown.
I honestly think Regisaur Alpha into Ghalta, Primal Hunger is one of the most powerful things you can be doing in standard. Play around with Ghalta, In the current stat of standard he really isn't win more.
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I honestly think Regisaur Alpha into Ghalta, Primal Hunger is one of the most powerful things you can be doing in standard. Play around with Ghalta, In the current stat of standard he really isn't win more.
He's just nuts. I haven't been playing with dinosaurs at all lately since I've wanted to make vampires or merfolk work, but dinosaurs seem really well loaded right now for just an epic monsters deck. They also are one of the better tribes for using Path of Mettle, but I'd still want alpha's in the deck along with at least a few enablers to get the enchantment to flip. It should be possible with Otepec Huntmaster and Regisaur Alpha.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I honestly think Regisaur Alpha into Ghalta, Primal Hunger is one of the most powerful things you can be doing in standard. Play around with Ghalta, In the current stat of standard he really isn't win more.
Lands - 23 3 Hashep Oasis - add power for Ghalta for just in general 20 Forest
Trying to get Ghalta out an T4 is the goal, all the creatures listed are well by themselves. Running a Vehicles list is also possible but that would be a 3 color mana base.
since its mono green I know I have some space for utilty lands, not sure what to choose.
I'm always on variations of RG aggressive midrange decks. Obviously, Temur will probably still be what I'm on post-RIX but I like to bring out the nerf guns for FNM or Showdown.
I'm always on variations of RG aggressive midrange decks. Obviously, Temur will probably still be what I'm on post-RIX but I like to bring out the nerf guns for FNM or Showdown.
Edit: I do think you guys are correct. Week 1, having an aggressive 12/12 can't possibly be that bad. It's really neat to have a Metalwork Colossus that we don't have to work for other than the fact that we have to play dinosaurs and other fatties.
I've been testing a ton with the Dino deck on mtgo (many hours, different lists) and I have come around to excepting that Dinos needs to have:
1) Good Early Interaction that is not reliant on a creature being on the battlefield. I favor Abrade over Reckless Rage even though that card is really good and has a high ceiling in a dino deck.
2) Be aggressive. The T3 Ripjaw with Haste is actually a huge +, we gain back tempo and start racing the other aggro decks (and believe me we need to able to race BW Vamps and Merfolk).
3) The meta on mtgo is Aggro, GPG/Scarab God variants and control. Lots and lots of approach deck being tested. While I love Ranging Raptors it is not something I want on T3 as of this week. I have another variation of dinos that does have it and it does work. Deathgorge Scavenger has been very good at fighting the GY decks and with this plus 4x Abrade in the main the GPG match becomes favorable. Out of the SB I bring in x3 Thrashing Brontodon plus my desert plan to hose them more.
4) Without MD graveyard hate the deck cannot consistently beat GPG or Scarab God decks.
5) The UB decks are not good match ups, you need to pressure them and sadly my lil buddies Ranging Raptors don't crunch in hard enough.
The format is aggressive, it's always like that week 1 so, I've had decent success with what could be considered a stock list:
If control sees a ton of play (probably will) this arch type will need to splash another color, I think B gives the deck some interesting angles of Disruption. I have seen a Temur version, but mostly GR versions. Ghalta feels very win more, but I'm trying it out, she/he? it? Goes way over the top of the new GB snek decks. The explore decks cannot answer it outside of Vraska's Contempt.
I'm not sure whether splashing is good yet, but the hardest match ups are BW vamps ( they bring in Dusk//Dawn 4x). I have beaten vamps but and the version I was using wasn't tuned to beat aggro, I was still testing the best shell. Oh and we are favored against Merfolk, it's close but I have had good success against the decks on mtgo.
*** samut, shoots down tokens, gives Tyrant Double Strike, and can win the game in quick fashion. It's a flex slot but I have missed her in my testing.
Decks we are incedently just good against?
Mardu/ Artifact based decks
Straight GPG variations
GB (we go over the top of them)
Pirates
Merfolk is close
What are we bad against?
Approach based Control? Say a few prayers before SB The-Scarab God, yeah...if this lands on curve and we are on the draw we mostly likely auto loose. Umm, I'm not joking.
UB/x based midrange, just...more terrible things lol Flea infested Dogs that hose our 4-5 drops without question. Gonti is a hell of card against big dumb creatures...they sometimes just cast out own Carnage Tyrant's against us. Yeah not a nice exp.
BW Vamps is 50/50 G1, after Board is it very very very hard. We get better and my board is geared towards beating it.
Mono Red is still alive, and it's still not great. However if you slant to beat aggro you can have a better shoot at beating it now.
Oh right, the mirror:
The player who gets out Ripjaw Raptor first usually wins. The player who gets a dork out first is usually favored. If you get the first Tyrant you usually win. Ranging Raptors are excellent in the mirror since you can chump and thin the deck.
One last thing:
I think, we should test Blossoming Defense, in the flex slots. That may go a long way in shoring up the UB match up. Protecting your threats from being eaten by dogs and taken hostage might be the correct route. I haven't tried it yet but if any of you have, how has that effected gameplay?
I am going to try a list that I was running that will be modified towards a more aggro meta. This list though is terrible against the mirror. I am debating whether to remove Scavenging Grounds for a second swamp to run Tetzimoc, Primal Death
I think I need to see the metagame to evolve with it, but I wanted to try an updated spin on what I was running before. I think Doomfall might be a good card to run in the sideboard now or maybe Duress. I might need to run as well more artifact hate like abrade, possibly Blood Sun. I also like the idea of Vance's Blasting Cannons, but I think Chandra, Torch of Defiance might be better until she rotates.
Actually, you have a lot of choices depending on the color for dealing with merfolk. The primary weakness the deck has is that while it can see more cards than any other deck, none of them alone are as good as anything that a dedicated dinosaur deck can field. One on one a dinosaur can eat an unbuffed merfolk and is a removal in itself. The only thing that can't be targeted in merfolk by savage stomp or other kinds of target removal are pitiful 1/1 hexproof tokens that require significant effort to pump past being a 3/3, and that is assuming the merfolk player prioritized his hexproof minion over say, the unblockable herald or Kumena himself. In addition, the best thing merfolk can do for interaction is bounce / counter. The best thing they have against creatures is unsummon and that usually is used to protect one of their key pieces in case of removal.
For dinosaurs, all you basically have to do to win is manage to ramp into the big guns and merfolk wont have a lot of ways to trade favorably. If you're running the typical rampy natives you can also get some use out of Uncage the Menagerie to fetch a combination of otepec huntmaster and Drover of the Mighty to help gain spontaneous ramp on turn 5 into a 7 mana play. The chances that the merfolk player is packing spell pierce game 1 against a dinosaur deck isn't super likely. At least that has been my experience playing mirror matches so far. Again, want to build dinosaurs, just haven't gotten around to it.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Thnx so much! I think I'm the only one on my team jamming the deck day and night. I bring in Suns against every single aggro deck after board. Putting Sweltering Suns in the MD seems a bit excessive but there is a meta where that may be necessary.
I don't want to say this is the solution but boy is it huge plus. Saving a Ripjaw/Reggie is so good. All we need to do is prevent 1 removal spell from resolving and the deck usually cracks back for so much damage that it becomes hard to race.
My board plan against Merfolk (am 4-0 against in ques and leagues)
Draw:
Out: -2 Huntmaster, -1 Reggie, -3 Deathgorge -1 Abrade, -1 Tyrant, -1 Ripjaw
In: +3 Sweltering Suns (just cast it, don't worry about your mana dork, cast it and clean up the board), + 2 Magma Spray, +3 Thrashing Brontodon <---- 4 butt, blocks well and shoots down the hexproof enchantment if they run it.
***Dislclaimer, please note my Sb ideas reflect how I think the match up plays out on the draw. Ripjaw is great. but having my 4 drop Unsummon'd on the draw is bad. Having my 2cmc or 3cmc drop bounced is fine. if you find better plans I'm really open to suggestions and better ideas.
The B based decks are a grind, it's one of the reasons I like Tyrant so much. They can't target it and if you can get gifted aetherborn off the board things swing in your favor quickly. Again one of the reasons I like Abrade right now.
Life Crafter's Bestiary has been on my mind for a few days but the approach decks aren't that prevalent atm (they are being tested but aggro is literllay everywhere), I think the B based decks are actually doing a good job of keeping it in check. It would be great against control, but control isn't that hot right now. Aggro makes up about 75% of my match ups.
Banner seems okay if we enter a meta where Midrange becomes the norm, and blasting canons is a card I haven't tried.
The U/W control match up is bad and I think we need to accept that, we can board in Brontodon's and pressure ( I have beaten approach but you need to just jam every threat, and prevent them from going up on cards. As a control player and one who knows how to pilot approach, it is important to pressure and not let them glimmer. even if it means getting your chandra countered, jam it on T4 unless you have another 4cmc or 3cmc play that impacts the board)
The W splash, yeah, I wanted to try naya but the format is so fast and punishing that I wanted Magma Spray over any W at the moment. That said, yes there is a deck there and no one has actually brewed it for RIX standard. I have the cards but first, deal with aggro.
Glorybringer isn't bad, it's great and there may be a GR monsters deck. I really think there is, a la Khans/Theros, but I haven't looked into it. My initial concept is that it would be a jund deck, I think that deck wants 4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner as it's 2 drop and 4 Ripjaw.
Nissa, Vital Force is on my mind, a lot lately, but the question is how does she help; My mind says "regrow Carnage Tyrant. I think this card merits testing. That ULT is the control hoser...
I’ve rebrewed after testing about a dozen matches, so far it’s doing alright. Other tribal MUs feel like a cakewalk, UW Approach and GPG feel almost unwinnable G1. I feel like tribal decks and other fast decks are going to be out in force the first couple weeks so that’s the direction I aimed at.
4 Drover of the Mighty
1 Otepec Huntmaster
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Ripjaw Raptor
3 Forerunner of the Empire
4 Regisaur Alpha
1 Burning Sun’s Avatar
1 Polyraptor
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
4 Thunderherd Migration
3 Savage Stomp
3 Sweltering Suns
3 Reckless Rage
I know many aren’t a fan of the Polyraptor interaction but Forerunner is already a really solid effect against the other tribal decks, and 5GG isn’t far-fetched for this build.
I’m playing 9 spells CMC2 that are effectively ramp spells, I was originally playing just 4 Thunderherd + 4 Drover but I found that games where I had a t2 ramp were games I was much stronger in, so I increased the count to 9 with a single Huntmaster. He makes for a lot of strong plays against control by surprise-hasting a Dinosaur at their face t3, but overall I’d rather have access to Drover for Stomp/Rage/Commune. 9th CMC2 ramp is fine.
The removal Suite is where I’m most divided. I tried 4 Abrade 4 Stomp no Sweltering at first, but my slow starts just couldn’t catch up to a fast start from my opponent so I decided Sweltering was a must-have MB. Went with 4 to see how I liked it, kept turning my t2 Hatchling immediately into a 3/3 and giving me no value (unsummon??? didn’t much like hatchling anyway) so I cut those and went with a full set of Ranging Raptors.
Once I decided on playing the full set of those, I decided the deck needed to do a few things really well in this iteration.
1) it needed to go from 2->4 mana very consistently,
2) it needed to have something to do with 4 mana very consistently,
3) it needed a way to play catch up against aggro decks,
4) it needed a way to overwhelmingly pull ahead during the midgame.
Since I was already at the max # of ways to get to 4 mana by t3 that I was comfortable with, the next step was maximizing mana efficiency on turn three.
4 Ripjaw Raptor is where I started, and this is where the list started to morph a little; I wanted to maximize mana efficiency, I’m already playing Ranging Raptors, so I decided to cut Abrades entirely and play enrage enablers so I could go from 4->6 mana while also maximizing mana efficiency AND managing the board. That gave me 8 main cards to use 4 mana with, but I wasn’t quite hitting the Ranging + enrage often enough to like it.
That’s when I decided to add in Forerunner, as it solves a few problems at once. First, it turns Regisaur Alpha into “3RG: Make a 4/4 Dino, a 3/3 Trample Haste Dino, and Pyroclasm the board”. Second, it allows you to bullet for cards crucial in the current game state. Ripjaw, Regisaur, Polyraptor if you’re against a deck with only damage-based removal (or none at all), post-board you find Tyrants to clean up a grindy game or Ghalta to dominate a board state. And third, it gives you three more cards to play with four mana... which plays really nicely into a Regisaur, or a ripjaw + enrage spell, or Ranging Raptors for rampant growth + electrickery attached to a 2/3 body.
Of course the most common grab is Regisaur, against most creature decks he’s just game-ending. Not only do you get 7 power over two bodies, you also pyroclasm the board. And if you curved Ranging Raptors into Forerunner into Regisaur, you get to snag two more lands out of the deck!
In culmination, this is my approach to the deck and what I’ll be continuing from. It’s possible only 2 Forerunner is right, but in a deck like this I’m a big fan of adding electrickery to all of my creatures, especially when my creatures have enrage. I tried the Ghalta all-in deck but I was getting washed under super wide decks before I could stabilize behind a 12/12, which isn’t where I want to be.
It’s also likely Sweltering Suns won’t have a place in the MB, but it’s the only removal spell that isn’t dead VS control because you can still cycle it or use it to enrage your team if necessary (Not sure how that would come up but you know). It’s so far good at 3, but clogs. I find myself holding thickets for gas late-game more often than I’d expected.
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I don't want to say this is the solution but boy is it huge plus. Saving a Ripjaw/Reggie is so good. All we need to do is prevent 1 removal spell from resolving and the deck usually cracks back for so much damage that it becomes hard to race.
These were generally my thoughts.
While jamming aggressive midrange dinos in the prior format, I was finding two cards that I couldn't beat:
Additionally, I found that Rhonas + Deathgorge Scavenger was our best bet against The Scarab God. Keeping the GY clear is super important and Rhonas allows you to push past the god with profitable attacks.
I think Samut (both versions) are basically unplayable.
I am going to try a list that I was running that will be modified towards a more aggro meta. This list though is terrible against the mirror. I am debating whether to remove Scavenging Grounds for a second swamp to run Tetzimoc, Primal Death
I think I need to see the metagame to evolve with it, but I wanted to try an updated spin on what I was running before. I think Doomfall might be a good card to run in the sideboard now or maybe Duress. I might need to run as well more artifact hate like abrade, possibly Blood Sun. I also like the idea of Vance's Blasting Cannons, but I think Chandra, Torch of Defiance might be better until she rotates.
I run a singleton Scavenging Grounds for Scarab God and the Cycling decks. Might not be bad to run an Arch of Orazca for late card draw
Hey guys, just wanted to share the list I'm testing at fnm this week. This list is more focused around Rhonas as we've found Rhonas plus Nissa plays extremely well into board wipes since she can activate him after the wipe. Rhonas being able to make ripjaw raptor into a 6/5 trampler also makes the deck harder to chump block against. Ghalta sometimes comes down on t4 and gets free wins if they have no answer.
Still unsure about the burn. Hostage taker is a big problem as others have identified here.
The build I went with is this one. The only painful part is the Carnage Tyrant, but there's basically nothing else that beats it as a six drop in the deck, unfortunately.
The list posted on Strictly Better MTG had Gishath in the listing, but I like the idea of running 4x Galta since it's easier to cast and ultimately the deck is running 4x commune with Dinosaurs. It's been a while since I've seen a giant grizzly monsters ramp deck that just goes over everybody else, but considering all the answers in the format are kind of costly, the deck feels like it has legs. I think Raging Swordtooth probably isn't the answer to tokens that he is looking for, though. The best answer for tokens at the moment is something that hits everything for 2 like Fiery Cannonade. I sort of want to try a one of Zacama, Primal Calamity just for fun, but it probably isn't worth it. If it did land from a cast, though, that is basically at least 3+3 damage or two enchantments blown up.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
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RWG
2 Kinjalli's Caller
3 Snubhorn Sentry
2 Sun-Collared Raptor
2 Huatli's Snubhorn
2 Sky Terror
2 Cherished Hatchling
4 Siegehorn Ceratops
2 Thrashing Brontodon
4 Relentless Raptor
Enchantment
2 Path of Mettle
Land
4 Inspiring Vantage
2 Mountain
4 Forest
2 Rootbound Crag
2 Sunpetal Grove
4 Unclaimed Territory
2 Plains
4 Blossoming Defense
3 Shock
1 Alley Evasion
2 Lightning Strike
2 Sheltering Light
Sorcery
2 Appeal // Authority
1 Savage Stomp
2 Priest of the Wakening Sun
1 Kinjalli's Sunwing
2 Deathgorge Scavenger
1 Thrashing Brontodon
2 Blood Sun
2 Magma Spray
2 Abrade
2 Sheltering Light
1 Savage Stomp
- Mono Black Pox BBB Modern:
Now that the new set is fully spoiled, and hopefully the monitors are allowing us to write about it here (not sure?)...Here is my take on Dino's with a few questions primarily around the 4 drop. As I see it, you can go aggro or midrange with Dinos and I prefer midrange. So, I will focus there. I prefer to think in play turn sequences and about what might be played each turn given a set deck list. So, I will only include cards on my decklist currently and what can/could happen each turn.
Turn 1
commune with dinosaurs
reckless rage (I don't think I would ever do this but who knows....at least it is an option. Rules question would be whether I can given I would not have a creature of my own to target)
Second Turn Plays
Thunderherd Migration
drover of the mighty
Turn 3 plays
ranging raptors
sweltering suns
If ramping happened
ranging raptors + reckless rage or commune with dinosaurs
ranging raptors + savage stomp or commune with dinosaurs
Ripjaw Raptor
Reasonable Turn 4 plays
Ripjaw Raptor
If single ramp happened
regisaur alpha
ripjaw raptor + reckless rageor commune with dinosaurs or reckless rage
ripjaw raptor + savage stomp or commune with dinosaurs or reckless rage
regisaur alpha
If double ramping has happened
carnage tyrant
burning sun's avatar
Reasonable Turn 5 Options
regisaur alpha
If single ramp has happened
carnage tyrant
burning sun's avatar
If double ramp has happened
carnage tyrant plus any of our 1 mana options
burning sun's avatar plus any of our 1 mana options
If we happen to have enough power on the board, this should not be hard ghalta primal hunter
My deck has the following numbers
4 Commune
2 reckless rage
4 savage stomp
4 thunderherds
4 drovers
4 rangings
4 ripjaws
4 regisaurs
2 carnage
2 burnings
4 swelterings
1 Ghalta
Between communes, ranging raptors and thunderheads, I think we can go with 21 land and be certain not to miss one.
Anyone out there able to test online yet. I am only a paper player and while I am saying that this is my deck...until a couple weeks from now, it is not my deck yet. My group unfortunately frowns on playing a proxy you don't really own.
Having played this deck minus the thunderherds, rages, and ghalta I have learned...
1.Don't overextend (put too many creatures in play)...mass removal is real and prevalent
2.This deck is really are good at cleaning up the blockers and little guys...attack every turn you can and you'll get there. Opposing creatures are not a threat. Few creature based decks stand a chance. The 4 sweltering suns are a necessity to stay ahead in a creature based environment. The only creature in your deck that cares about that spell is the ranging raptors and those are really there initially to get killed. If your not in a creature based environment than out goes the suns and in comes a sideboard option (probably naturalize)
I used to rely on creature based ramp. I think all the ramp options allowing you to play any spell (not just creature spells) is so important to this deck. I can't wait to playtest.
Today at 00:00h the store where I play made the first presentation of the weekend.
With the cards to play I got Ghalta and Etali, and on the rewards for playing, another Etali and Zetalpa, and a friend got Nezahal and Tetzimoc, which I traded for. Now I only need Zacama!
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
4 Combustible Gearhulk
4 Ripjaw Raptor
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Shefet Monitor
4 Regisaur Alpha
Instant
2 Struggle // Survive
1 Harnessed Lightning
4 Sheltered Thicket
4 Rootbound Crag
9 Forest
7 Mountain
Sorcery
4 Thunderherd Migration
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
2 Savage Stomp
2 Carnage Tyrant
3 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 Chandra's Defeat
1 Abrade
1 Harnessed Lightning
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Hour of Devastation
4x Otepec Huntmaster
4x Rampaging Ferocidon
4x Thrashing Brontodon
2x Rhonas the Indomitable
4x Ripjaw Raptor
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Lightning Strike
4x Savage Stomp
1x Shock
2x Blossoming Defense
4x Sheltered Thicket
4x Ramunap Ruins
1x Hashep Oasis
7x Forest
3x Mountain
1x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
2x Blossoming Defense
2x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1x Abrade
3x Shock
2x Carnage Tyrant
4x Deathgorge Scavenger
He's just nuts. I haven't been playing with dinosaurs at all lately since I've wanted to make vampires or merfolk work, but dinosaurs seem really well loaded right now for just an epic monsters deck. They also are one of the better tribes for using Path of Mettle, but I'd still want alpha's in the deck along with at least a few enablers to get the enchantment to flip. It should be possible with Otepec Huntmaster and Regisaur Alpha.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Brewing MonoGreen turn 4 Ghalta, so far:
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Drover of the Mighty
3 Rishkar - 3 too much?
3 Rhonas, the indominable - 3 too much?
2 Swordtooth Raptor - Trying to get ghalta into play more reliably, probably terrible
4 Bristling Hydra
3 Ripjaw Raptor
2 Regisaur Alpha
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger - want to make sure I draw her by turn 4
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
3 Blossoming Defense - defense and +2 for Ghalta
2 Heart of Kiran - threat and +4 for Ghalta
Lands - 23
3 Hashep Oasis - add power for Ghalta for just in general
20 Forest
Trying to get Ghalta out an T4 is the goal, all the creatures listed are well by themselves. Running a Vehicles list is also possible but that would be a 3 color mana base.
since its mono green I know I have some space for utilty lands, not sure what to choose.
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
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Well this plan changed a bit.
Let's try this:
4x Otepec Huntmaster
4x Thrashing Brontodon
4x Deathgorge Scavenger
2x Rhonas the Indomitable
4x Ripjaw Raptor
4x Regisaur Alpha
2x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
4x Savage Stomp
1x Shock
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Sheltered Thicket
4x Hashep Oasis
5x Forest
6x Mountain
4x Blossoming Defense
2x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1x Abrade
3x Shock
2x Carnage Tyrant
3x Rekindling Phoenix
Edit: I do think you guys are correct. Week 1, having an aggressive 12/12 can't possibly be that bad. It's really neat to have a Metalwork Colossus that we don't have to work for other than the fact that we have to play dinosaurs and other fatties.
Link: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/january-15-2018-banned-and-restricted-announcement-2018-01-15
Ranging Raptors in turn 3 with 1 mana open for Savage Stomp/Reckless Rage as a ramp-kill spell that turns turn 4 to 6 mana for Carnage Tyrant/Burning Sun's Avatar/Etali, Primal Storm. For turn 2 ramp spell, I really like Pillar of Origins other than Thunderherd Migration. Only vulnerable to Abrade with a downside of not being able to cast anything other than dino (which is the most likely creature type chosen).
Modern : RG Titan Shift RG | RG Revolt Zoo RG | RG Ponza RG | RGW Naya Burn RGW
Legacy : RG Belcher RG
1) Good Early Interaction that is not reliant on a creature being on the battlefield. I favor Abrade over Reckless Rage even though that card is really good and has a high ceiling in a dino deck.
2) Be aggressive. The T3 Ripjaw with Haste is actually a huge +, we gain back tempo and start racing the other aggro decks (and believe me we need to able to race BW Vamps and Merfolk).
3) The meta on mtgo is Aggro, GPG/Scarab God variants and control. Lots and lots of approach deck being tested. While I love Ranging Raptors it is not something I want on T3 as of this week. I have another variation of dinos that does have it and it does work. Deathgorge Scavenger has been very good at fighting the GY decks and with this plus 4x Abrade in the main the GPG match becomes favorable. Out of the SB I bring in x3 Thrashing Brontodon plus my desert plan to hose them more.
4) Without MD graveyard hate the deck cannot consistently beat GPG or Scarab God decks.
5) The UB decks are not good match ups, you need to pressure them and sadly my lil buddies Ranging Raptors don't crunch in hard enough.
The format is aggressive, it's always like that week 1 so, I've had decent success with what could be considered a stock list:
4 Drover of the Mighty
4 Otepec Huntmaster
3 Deathgorge Scavenger
4 Ripjaw Raptor
4 Regisaur Alpha
3 Carnage Tyrant
Sorcery (4)
4 Savage Stomp
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
4 Abrade
Planeswalker (2)
2 Samut, the Tested
Land (24)
6 Forest
6 Mountain
2 Scavenger Grounds
2 Hashep Oasis
4 Sheltered Thicket
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Sweltering Suns
2 Magma Spray
3 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
If control sees a ton of play (probably will) this arch type will need to splash another color, I think B gives the deck some interesting angles of Disruption. I have seen a Temur version, but mostly GR versions. Ghalta feels very win more, but I'm trying it out, she/he? it? Goes way over the top of the new GB snek decks. The explore decks cannot answer it outside of Vraska's Contempt.
The ramp core is:
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Thunderherd Migration
4 Drover of the Mighty
I'm not sure whether splashing is good yet, but the hardest match ups are BW vamps ( they bring in Dusk//Dawn 4x). I have beaten vamps but and the version I was using wasn't tuned to beat aggro, I was still testing the best shell. Oh and we are favored against Merfolk, it's close but I have had good success against the decks on mtgo.
*** samut, shoots down tokens, gives Tyrant Double Strike, and can win the game in quick fashion. It's a flex slot but I have missed her in my testing.
Decks we are incedently just good against?
Mardu/ Artifact based decks
Straight GPG variations
GB (we go over the top of them)
Pirates
Merfolk is close
What are we bad against?
Approach based Control? Say a few prayers before SB
The-Scarab God, yeah...if this lands on curve and we are on the draw we mostly likely auto loose. Umm, I'm not joking.
UB/x based midrange, just...more terrible things lol Flea infested Dogs that hose our 4-5 drops without question. Gonti is a hell of card against big dumb creatures...they sometimes just cast out own Carnage Tyrant's against us. Yeah not a nice exp.
BW Vamps is 50/50 G1, after Board is it very very very hard. We get better and my board is geared towards beating it.
Mono Red is still alive, and it's still not great. However if you slant to beat aggro you can have a better shoot at beating it now.
Oh right, the mirror:
The player who gets out Ripjaw Raptor first usually wins. The player who gets a dork out first is usually favored. If you get the first Tyrant you usually win.
Ranging Raptors are excellent in the mirror since you can chump and thin the deck.
One last thing:
I think, we should test Blossoming Defense, in the flex slots. That may go a long way in shoring up the UB match up. Protecting your threats from being eaten by dogs and taken hostage might be the correct route. I haven't tried it yet but if any of you have, how has that effected gameplay?
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Mountains
1 Canyon Slough
2 Dragonskull Summit
1 Swamp
5 Forest
1 Scavenger Grounds
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
3 Savage Stomp
2 Sweltering Suns
2 Hour of Glory
4 Thunderherd Migration
1 Vraska, Relic Seeker
1 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
4 Drover of the Mighty
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Ripjaw Raptor
2 Regisaur Alpha
1 Burning Sun's Avatar
2 Carnage Tyrant
2 Etali, Primal Storm
1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
2 Carnage Tyrant
4 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Hour of Devestation
3 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Burning Sun's Avatar
I think I need to see the metagame to evolve with it, but I wanted to try an updated spin on what I was running before. I think Doomfall might be a good card to run in the sideboard now or maybe Duress. I might need to run as well more artifact hate like abrade, possibly Blood Sun. I also like the idea of Vance's Blasting Cannons, but I think Chandra, Torch of Defiance might be better until she rotates.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/897554#paper
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
great work, keep those lists coming
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
I only regret that I have but one upvote to give for this. Thanks for an awesome post!
Let's see now. I need to add some content for this not to be a spam post.
When do you bring in Sweltering Suns? Vampires and Merfolk?
What do you think about Vanquisher's Banner, Vance's Blasting Cannons or Lifecrafter's Bestiary for Sideboard against control.
Does a slight white splash for Cast Out or Ixalan's Binding seem worth testing to deal with The Scarab God?
Is anybody playing Glorybringer? Is it a problem?
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
I'm considering Sweltering Suns in the main. At worst it can be cycled. But against Merfolk, Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca can be a problem. On Vanquisher's Banner, Vance's Blasting Cannons or Lifecrafter's Bestiary, my vote goes to Vance's Blasting Cannons. In the past, Chandra, Pyromaster and Outpost Siege seems to be beneficial against control by having additional card to play each turn.
To be honest, I haven't explore standard quite a while so a bit unsure of the current meta. But that 4 Tyrant 4 Ghalta list is pretty awesome !
Modern : RG Titan Shift RG | RG Revolt Zoo RG | RG Ponza RG | RGW Naya Burn RGW
Legacy : RG Belcher RG
For dinosaurs, all you basically have to do to win is manage to ramp into the big guns and merfolk wont have a lot of ways to trade favorably. If you're running the typical rampy natives you can also get some use out of Uncage the Menagerie to fetch a combination of otepec huntmaster and Drover of the Mighty to help gain spontaneous ramp on turn 5 into a 7 mana play. The chances that the merfolk player is packing spell pierce game 1 against a dinosaur deck isn't super likely. At least that has been my experience playing mirror matches so far. Again, want to build dinosaurs, just haven't gotten around to it.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Updated list:
-2 Samut
1- Stomp
+3 Blossming Defense
I don't want to say this is the solution but boy is it huge plus. Saving a Ripjaw/Reggie is so good. All we need to do is prevent 1 removal spell from resolving and the deck usually cracks back for so much damage that it becomes hard to race.
My board plan against Merfolk (am 4-0 against in ques and leagues)
Draw:
Out: -2 Huntmaster, -1 Reggie, -3 Deathgorge -1 Abrade, -1 Tyrant, -1 Ripjaw
In: +3 Sweltering Suns (just cast it, don't worry about your mana dork, cast it and clean up the board), + 2 Magma Spray, +3 Thrashing Brontodon <---- 4 butt, blocks well and shoots down the hexproof enchantment if they run it.
***Dislclaimer, please note my Sb ideas reflect how I think the match up plays out on the draw. Ripjaw is great. but having my 4 drop Unsummon'd on the draw is bad. Having my 2cmc or 3cmc drop bounced is fine. if you find better plans I'm really open to suggestions and better ideas.
The B based decks are a grind, it's one of the reasons I like Tyrant so much. They can't target it and if you can get gifted aetherborn off the board things swing in your favor quickly. Again one of the reasons I like Abrade right now.
Life Crafter's Bestiary has been on my mind for a few days but the approach decks aren't that prevalent atm (they are being tested but aggro is literllay everywhere), I think the B based decks are actually doing a good job of keeping it in check. It would be great against control, but control isn't that hot right now. Aggro makes up about 75% of my match ups.
Banner seems okay if we enter a meta where Midrange becomes the norm, and blasting canons is a card I haven't tried.
The U/W control match up is bad and I think we need to accept that, we can board in Brontodon's and pressure ( I have beaten approach but you need to just jam every threat, and prevent them from going up on cards. As a control player and one who knows how to pilot approach, it is important to pressure and not let them glimmer. even if it means getting your chandra countered, jam it on T4 unless you have another 4cmc or 3cmc play that impacts the board)
The W splash, yeah, I wanted to try naya but the format is so fast and punishing that I wanted Magma Spray over any W at the moment. That said, yes there is a deck there and no one has actually brewed it for RIX standard. I have the cards but first, deal with aggro.
Glorybringer isn't bad, it's great and there may be a GR monsters deck. I really think there is, a la Khans/Theros, but I haven't looked into it. My initial concept is that it would be a jund deck, I think that deck wants 4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner as it's 2 drop and 4 Ripjaw.
Nissa, Vital Force is on my mind, a lot lately, but the question is how does she help; My mind says "regrow Carnage Tyrant. I think this card merits testing. That ULT is the control hoser...
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
4 Drover of the Mighty
1 Otepec Huntmaster
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Ripjaw Raptor
3 Forerunner of the Empire
4 Regisaur Alpha
1 Burning Sun’s Avatar
1 Polyraptor
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
4 Thunderherd Migration
3 Savage Stomp
3 Sweltering Suns
3 Reckless Rage
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Sheltered Thicket
8 Forest
5 Mountain
SB
1 Sweltering Suns
2 Abrade
3 Thrashing Brontodon
4 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Carnage Tyrant
1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
I know many aren’t a fan of the Polyraptor interaction but Forerunner is already a really solid effect against the other tribal decks, and 5GG isn’t far-fetched for this build.
I’m playing 9 spells CMC2 that are effectively ramp spells, I was originally playing just 4 Thunderherd + 4 Drover but I found that games where I had a t2 ramp were games I was much stronger in, so I increased the count to 9 with a single Huntmaster. He makes for a lot of strong plays against control by surprise-hasting a Dinosaur at their face t3, but overall I’d rather have access to Drover for Stomp/Rage/Commune. 9th CMC2 ramp is fine.
The removal Suite is where I’m most divided. I tried 4 Abrade 4 Stomp no Sweltering at first, but my slow starts just couldn’t catch up to a fast start from my opponent so I decided Sweltering was a must-have MB. Went with 4 to see how I liked it, kept turning my t2 Hatchling immediately into a 3/3 and giving me no value (unsummon??? didn’t much like hatchling anyway) so I cut those and went with a full set of Ranging Raptors.
Once I decided on playing the full set of those, I decided the deck needed to do a few things really well in this iteration.
1) it needed to go from 2->4 mana very consistently,
2) it needed to have something to do with 4 mana very consistently,
3) it needed a way to play catch up against aggro decks,
4) it needed a way to overwhelmingly pull ahead during the midgame.
Since I was already at the max # of ways to get to 4 mana by t3 that I was comfortable with, the next step was maximizing mana efficiency on turn three.
4 Ripjaw Raptor is where I started, and this is where the list started to morph a little; I wanted to maximize mana efficiency, I’m already playing Ranging Raptors, so I decided to cut Abrades entirely and play enrage enablers so I could go from 4->6 mana while also maximizing mana efficiency AND managing the board. That gave me 8 main cards to use 4 mana with, but I wasn’t quite hitting the Ranging + enrage often enough to like it.
That’s when I decided to add in Forerunner, as it solves a few problems at once. First, it turns Regisaur Alpha into “3RG: Make a 4/4 Dino, a 3/3 Trample Haste Dino, and Pyroclasm the board”. Second, it allows you to bullet for cards crucial in the current game state. Ripjaw, Regisaur, Polyraptor if you’re against a deck with only damage-based removal (or none at all), post-board you find Tyrants to clean up a grindy game or Ghalta to dominate a board state. And third, it gives you three more cards to play with four mana... which plays really nicely into a Regisaur, or a ripjaw + enrage spell, or Ranging Raptors for rampant growth + electrickery attached to a 2/3 body.
Of course the most common grab is Regisaur, against most creature decks he’s just game-ending. Not only do you get 7 power over two bodies, you also pyroclasm the board. And if you curved Ranging Raptors into Forerunner into Regisaur, you get to snag two more lands out of the deck!
In culmination, this is my approach to the deck and what I’ll be continuing from. It’s possible only 2 Forerunner is right, but in a deck like this I’m a big fan of adding electrickery to all of my creatures, especially when my creatures have enrage. I tried the Ghalta all-in deck but I was getting washed under super wide decks before I could stabilize behind a 12/12, which isn’t where I want to be.
It’s also likely Sweltering Suns won’t have a place in the MB, but it’s the only removal spell that isn’t dead VS control because you can still cycle it or use it to enrage your team if necessary (Not sure how that would come up but you know). It’s so far good at 3, but clogs. I find myself holding thickets for gas late-game more often than I’d expected.
@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
These were generally my thoughts.
While jamming aggressive midrange dinos in the prior format, I was finding two cards that I couldn't beat:
There's only really one clean answer in G and that's Blossoming Defense.
Have you tried playing more MD 3 drops? I was finding that to be an extremely powerful play against other midrange decks. Mainly the sequence of:
-- t2 dork
-- t3 dino + Savage Stomp
was basically unbeatable for a lot of decks.
We lost Rampaging Ferocidon but gained Thrashing Brontodon -- which could very well be just as good against tokens and better against vehicles.
Additionally, I found that Rhonas + Deathgorge Scavenger was our best bet against The Scarab God. Keeping the GY clear is super important and Rhonas allows you to push past the god with profitable attacks.
I think Samut (both versions) are basically unplayable.
I have been jamming Lightning Strike for reach but maybe Abrade is correct right now.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
I run a singleton Scavenging Grounds for Scarab God and the Cycling decks. Might not be bad to run an Arch of Orazca for late card draw
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
Still unsure about the burn. Hostage taker is a big problem as others have identified here.
7 Forest
2 Hashep Oasis
5 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
1 Scavenger Grounds
4 Sheltered Thicket
Creatures
4 Drover of the Mighty
2 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
2 Glorybringer
4 Regisaur Alpha
3 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Ripjaw Raptor
4 Lightning Strike
2 Shock
4 Thunderherd Migration
2 Abrade
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
2 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Carnage Tyrant
3 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 Glorybringer
2 Heroic Intervention
1 Naturalize
2 Savage Stomp
3 Sweltering Suns
4 Carnage Tyrant
4 Deathgorge Scavenger
4 Drover of the Mighty
4 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
3 Otepec Huntmaster
4 Regisaur Alpha
4 Ripjaw Raptor
spells
4 Commune with Dinosaurs
3 Savage Stomp
4 Thunderherd Migration
5 Forest
3 Hashep Oasis
1 Inspiring Vantage
5 Mountain
1 Plains
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Sheltered Thicket
1 Sunpetal Grove
3 Abrade
2 Chandra's Defeat
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Ixalan's Binding
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Nissa, Vital Force
1 Raging Swordtooth
3 Thrashing Brontodon
The list posted on Strictly Better MTG had Gishath in the listing, but I like the idea of running 4x Galta since it's easier to cast and ultimately the deck is running 4x commune with Dinosaurs. It's been a while since I've seen a giant grizzly monsters ramp deck that just goes over everybody else, but considering all the answers in the format are kind of costly, the deck feels like it has legs. I think Raging Swordtooth probably isn't the answer to tokens that he is looking for, though. The best answer for tokens at the moment is something that hits everything for 2 like Fiery Cannonade. I sort of want to try a one of Zacama, Primal Calamity just for fun, but it probably isn't worth it. If it did land from a cast, though, that is basically at least 3+3 damage or two enchantments blown up.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!