I like 3 Shefet Dunes with 2 sideboard Scavenger Grounds. Playing a couple of Grounds also allows transformational boarding in a Big Red style deck with Glorybringer, Chandra, and sweepers.
Also testing out Soul-Scar Mage with Fiery Cannonade against Merfolk.
Currently running 22 lands, 10 white sources, 16 red sources.
I am starting to cut some copies of DFD, slotting in SSM. Testing is slow because I play in paper and don't have a huge scene for standard.
I do find this playing midrangy and I think that's the direction I want to take it, possibly moving away from Firebrand, but I don't know what replaces him.
Agreed, I don't like tunnel-visioning on flipping PoM ASAP, almost always playing an Ahn-crop Crasher on 3, or Daredevil + their one drop spell.
To reiterate: I've been crazy impressed with Huatli and I'm considering a second copy.
2 Dunes might be correct, I found a playset to be too detrimental and just scrapped the idea. To a degree, I think Huatli fills a similar role.
Firebrand is fine on the early game. It can take down pesty Merfolks that triger when they ETB. We gotta watch out not to mess around the main strategy of the deck. Huatli conflicts with Hazoret, because you want to play and attack on the same turn. Having a CMC 5 spell might screw that plan and she will attack one turn later.
a R/W deck with Path of Mettle made it to top 11 and another at 30th place, and there are quite a few mono red decks as well. i do not get what's "PogChamp" that's mentioned in reddit.
Ordered mine from eBay already, but I won't get them for a week or so, I'll try to test the deck without it as it is and once I get them I'll fit them in.
With the path the deck looks to be hyper aggressive after turn 2 or 3 and put a lot of pressure on the opponent for the rest of the game.
unfortunately, we don;t have much options for ordering online here in the Philippines, so most players line up the LGS day of release or buy from people who opened boxes. i wasn't able to get a set of Path last friday but i reserved a set to be picked up this tuesday.
Played this list (almost) at FNM for a 4-1 finish, beating UW Control, Jeskai Control, Mardu Vehicles, and UW cycle (He had Approach and Drake Haven as wincons). I lost to Grixis Energy but the two games I lost were super close, both within a few life.
The only change I made is I started running 4 Fanatical Firebrand and 4 Plains, but I quickly realized Firebrand isn't great lategame, or like past turn 3, and that I was sometimes 1 white short of either activating dunes or playing my white spells. So I took out one Firebrand (minimal impact) for 1 plains.
The SB is still very much up in the air, Harsh Mentor being a concession that I don't know if Whirler Virtuoso will stick around (it likely will).
SB Notes, you want to go up to 2 abrades in Blue control matchups to surprise take out a gearhulk, but you don't want more than that so you don't get stuck with them in hand. You want all 4 against Mardu.
MB, I'm pretty comfortable with the set up, but might want to add 3 drops to better curve out. Although it is worth mentioning that on the play, going one drop 2 drop 1+2 drop into t4 hazoret allows you to attack with her on t4. Path can help this immensely by being able to play 2 drops turn 3 (after flip).
Really need help sorting out the rest of the SB. I saw some lists running Ixalan's Binding and the card that sac's each board down to 4 power, but I believe playing that along with Hazoret is just plain bad.
The raptor has been okay, most times it just eats a removal spell on T2 because it's just bigger than everything.
So, how is the white Path of Mettle pl going? I have most of the cards for that, but I'd like to know if it's worth it over ordinary red before investing in the lands.
managed to go into top 8 of a 37-man PPTQ using mono red.
will post the deck list and report tomorrow. i am quite tired, as this is the first time i played in a competitive tournament in a year after 2 months of not playing Magic at all.
quite a straightforward deck with a couple of combat tricks. why not 4 Hazoret? because i don't have a 4th and there's no one selling them at the venue.
anyway, on with the matchup breakdown.
Round 1 vs Grixis Control - Win. oh boy. control for the first round. i just tried to dump my hand and bring his life total to zero before he could stabilize... which he could not because the sweeper he used was Fiery Cannonade and i had Fanatical Firebrand in play.
Round 2 vs U/W Cycling - Loss. this was a frustrating matchup. the loss of Rampaging Ferocidon means lifegain to stabilize vs aggressive red decks is a good strategy. Renewed Faith and Authority of the Consuls were just backbreaking.
Round 3 vs Grixis Energy - Win. i do not think the tweaked his mana base enough because he was mana screwed 2 games and i was able to chip away his life total quite easily.
Round 4 vs Mardu vehicles - Win. game 1 he ran me over with Heart of Kiran. the next 2 games i went control mode, patiently killing his creatures before i launched a counterattack.
Round 5 vs U/W Approach - Win. considering how i was defeated by another U/W deck previously due to lifegain, i felt quite down i had to face another deck with life gain. game 3 i mulliganed to 5, but my opponent apparently kept a slow hand, and when he finally cast a Regal Caracal to stabilize, he was already at 1 life and i top decked a Sunscorched Desert.
Round 6 - Intentional Draw. my opponent and i agred to draw since we're both gonna get into the top 8 anyway.
Quarterfinals vs Grixis Energy - Loss. game 1 i flooded, game 2 i was stuck on 1 land for a long time. he managed to cast 2 Whirler Virtuosos and it was over for me before i was able to fight back.
Overall, i feel that Mono Red is still competitive in a meta that plays a slower decks. with Attune with Aether banned, mana fixing was hit. but then the loss of Ramapging Ferocidon i really felt with my loss vs U/W Cycling.
that it for my report. if you guys have any suggestions or questions i welcome them.
My big question at the moment is how many lands to run in the mono red version of this. I see people running 22-24 these days. I just got back from a 3-0-1 Standard Showdown with a 23 land red deck(24th in SB). I worry that 24 lands is too many for a deck without Ramunap Ruins, but I like having 24 lands for going big after SB.
My big question at the moment is how many lands to run in the mono red version of this. I see people running 22-24 these days. I just got back from a 3-0-1 Standard Showdown with a 23 land red deck(24th in SB). I worry that 24 lands is too many for a deck without Ramunap Ruins, but I like having 24 lands for going big after SB.
You can always play a land in the SB. And, on top of that, it can be a "spell-land" like Scavenger Grounds.
Having played both, the R/W version feels much more consistent as well as having slightly more explosive starts.
Your end game is Path of Mettle and Hazoret so you no longer need Chandra main deck.
I played the version below to a top 4 finish in a 44 person pptq. (Made some mistakes in the top 4 match and feel like I should have won the whole thing)
The deck has consistently fast starts and is much better than mono red at emptying its hand for a turn 4/5 Hazoret. A flipped path of mettle can help clear our early blockers and can earn you a ton of value. (Glint Sleeve Siphoner, Explore Creatures, ect)
Have been playing this R/x (BR) build, pre- and post-rotation, after winning strong competition from a diverse meta at Store Championship and since moving to a different city and LGS. Have a couple of notes from each match but have got to first unpack my stuff and find my notepad; some comments below decklist, though.
* Aethersphere Harvester was replaced with two other things for some of the time. Chandra, Torch of Defiance was sided in when I was in my previous city and knew that I was going to bristle up against Control-heavier metas. Tried Liliana, Death's Majesty but that was too slow.
Currently, deck struggles with WU (Approach or Control) now, as life gain (e.g., that old Onslaught cycling card), Authority of the Consuls and Settle the Wreckage (Yahenni, Undying Partisan reduces exiling of recursive threats) make winning hard; thankfully, haven't encountered many Gifts decks, post-rotation, with playable graveyard and artifact hate but not hoping to bank on this fact alone. (Scavenger Grounds and as might the Fatal Push.) However, an artifact that I sometimes see and this deck sometimes struggles with is Torrential Gearhulk, which has been prompting me to consider changing Strikes for Abrades and to possibly reconsidering the Push–Disintegration breakdown.
Other control match-ups can be easy wins but they can also be hard if I can't vomit out my hand. Second game usually goes better with Doomfalls and Duresses.
(Other?) midrange match-ups can be bad but spells, in addition to the Ahn-Crop Crasher, Earthshaker Khenra and menacers (currently, only Glint-Sleeve Siphoner; no Kari Zev), used to make a hole can help punch in for 20+.
Against Hazored and RW, deck went fine despite Courier and just-resolved/-recurred Wanderer being utterly useless. Increased amount of removal compared to both decks often meant racing was viable and incremental advantage of Siphoner, when it survived, meant pulling ahead.
Anyone who has played this or against this, any advice on improving this as a BR build or going back to mono-R?
Merits on R/W vs Mono-Red with “Big Red” plan out of SB???
RW looks explosive, more susceptible to spot removal, gets brickwalled by a large creature from the Midrange decks (Ripjaw, Scarab God, Eternalize creatures).
Mono-Red looks less flexible, but more defined in its gameplans.
Thoughts on 24th land with 2 glorybringer in Big Red version? I think it’s required to curve out consistently, but I don’t have any experience with the deck
I’m getting into Standard after a 3-year hiatus, my only knowledge so far is from two weeks of LGS playing a RG Dinos List. I just ordered this deck and hope to learn it by 2/24 for a PPTQ.
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In my opinion R/W is the better version as of right now, if you are indeed playing the dino version of this deck instead of the 1 drop haste version of the deck.
...
While I think this list is interesting, I don't think it can be counted as an Aggro list. With five cards above CMC4, three at CMC4 (that aren't Chandra or Hazoret) and no burn that can go to the face, I think you're playing for a very different kind of game.
RW that isn’t 12 one-drops doesn’t feel very good. Maybe play the raptor but otherwise I’d stick to flipping Path ASAP. It’s guaranteed value.
Re: MonoRed list
My current SB is:
2 Direfleet Daredevil
1 Pia Nalaar
2 aethersphere harvester
2 Glorybringer
3 Chandra, torch of defiance
2 Chandra’s Defeat
2 Abrade
1 Desert of the Fervent
The only slot I’m unsure of is Daredevil, but against UBx he’s an absolute beating. I’ve cast more vraskas contempt on Scarab God than I can count, and I’ve only owned this deck for ~4 days. I feel a little weak to the mirror but I feel a lot stronger vs Grixis lists. My Approach MU isnt too bad either, I’m playing two Rekindling Phoenix MB which helps a ton vs Fumigate
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You’re getting a little aggressive here, calm down.
To most people who have been playing this game for a long time, the list looks like Midrange — it has expensive spells to cast, it has inefficient attackers (ranging raptors? Forerunner?), and it’s lacking a way to force through early attackers (that’s what burn spells, kill spells, and bounce spells are for — all of which are found in most fast aggro decks like zombies and merfolk)
This probably belongs in a dinosaur threat, there’s a general tribal discussion thread already that would love the input.
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The deck differs substantially from competitive shells. It only overlaps with 3 cards. It would likely get better feedback in its own Big Red Dino thread.
In my opinion R/W is the better version as of right now, if you are indeed playing the dino version of this deck instead of the 1 drop haste version of the deck.
This is my R/W build:
...
This deck is not as explosive as the 1 mana casting cost dorks deck or as a mono-red deck but after turn 2-3 once it gets going it is very difficult to stop. The flying dinos hit often because usually people don't have their own flying creatures to block, and I can take care of opposing creatures with burn spells, or they may come into play tapped due to Kinjalli's sunwing and can't block that turn anyways.
The deck can flip path with hazoret, aether chaser or relentless raptor but it is not in a hurry to do that early game and just likes to beat with the flyers. Forerunner of the empire gets me more dinos, a cheap one or an expensive one and helps to ping other creatures, it also makes a good combo with huatli who can make a dino every turn for free.
The sideboard is all over the place but basically against token decks I would put in the two sweltering suns and ixalan's binding and maybe forsake the worldly for their enchantments. Against other aggro red decks I would put in chandra's defeat and aetherspehere harvesters. Against control decks I would put in the 2 vehicles as well as Insult//Injury.
Anyways, let me know what you think about this different R/W path built or even try it out for yourself, you may be pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
I like the deck and appreciate your desire to share it.
In my opinion R/W is the better version as of right now, if you are indeed playing the dino version of this deck instead of the 1 drop haste version of the deck.
...
While I think this list is interesting, I don't think it can be counted as an Aggro list. With five cards above CMC4, three at CMC4 (that aren't Chandra or Hazoret) and no burn that can go to the face, I think you're playing for a very different kind of game.
I see two points:
Not aggro for CMC reasons
Different deck because different cards and no burn
Are you saying that an "aggro" deck must have burn spells that go to the face? So, mono green elves, green/blue merfolk and mono black zombies are not aggro decks then? Because none of those decks run burn spells obviously.
This deck is aggro because it is running 24 creatures, and 11 of those creatures are two drops, 4 of them are three drops so that by turn 4 you will be almost guaranteed to have 2 or even 3 creatures out.
Also most of the creatures count as unblockable for the opponent because Sky Terror is flying and also has menace so it's almost unblockable for all intents and purposes, and if you drop a Kinjalli's sunwing on turn 3 then every creature the opp casts after will come into play tapped, so he can't block with it for one turn.
Both those creatures are must kills by the opp if not they will take over the game very fast and beat him down due to their flying ability. The reason the deck doesn't run burn is because it wants to win with creatures, the burn spells are there to take out opposing creatures, if the opp even has any that can block fliers so early in the game, or to kill his creatures so that we can attack every turn and not worry about blocking with our guys, this deck doesn't like to block, that's why it's an AGGRO deck.
If you think that the deck doesn't need the 2 Planeswalkers or the bigger dinos then feel free to exchange them with burn spells instead that go to the face, this is just one version of the deck that I designed and like to play.
By focusing on only one aspect (lack of burn to the face) of multiple points in JimmySea's post, aren't you constructing a straw man argument? Is that "constructive" or "nice and respectful" as called for in the General Forum Rules?
You’re getting a little aggressive here, calm down.
To most people who have been playing this game for a long time, the list looks like Midrange — it has expensive spells to cast, it has inefficient attackers (ranging raptors? Forerunner?), and it’s lacking a way to force through early attackers (that’s what burn spells, kill spells, and bounce spells are for — all of which are found in most fast aggro decks like zombies and merfolk)
This probably belongs in a dinosaur threat, there’s a general tribal discussion thread already that would love the input.
The deck differs substantially from competitive shells. It only overlaps with 3 cards. It would likely get better feedback in its own Big Red Dino thread.
So explaining that a deck running 11 two drops is an aggro deck is aggressive to you? I don't even know what to say in response to your comments, forcing through early attackers? Did you not read my previous comment about using flyers to get through, and yes there are burn spells and kill spells in the deck, that's what magma spray, cut and abrade are there for.
How do you find burn spells in merfolk and zombies? Are you out of your mind or out of your league, do you even know what burn spells means?
This deck is a Red/White aggro deck and it belongs in the R/x thread where it is right now, not sure why having dinos in the deck makes it a tribal deck, if you take out the Forerunners and replace them with other aggro creatures or burn spells then it pretty much ceases to be a tribal deck altogether.
Instead of *****ing about people's decks that try to innovate maybe you should try coming up with a different version of R/x decks and show us something that we haven't seen before, eh? I've been playing the game since 1996 so I'm pretty sure I know what aggro means as for what you consider midrange, I have no idea whatsoever.
This thread is for proven Rx Aggro, not decks that "innovate", are a "different version of R/x decks" or "show us something that we haven't seen before." Per the Proven (Standard) Forum Rules, anti-competitive discussion is prohibited. This looks to me to be very close to anti-competitive discussion. You seem to agree that your deck is a significantly different shell, why must it fit in this "Proven" thread? Your deck is interesting and may be great, why not put it elsewhere until it can earn "Proven" status?
You should xaltair over in the proven UW control thread. Telling control players not to play Glimmer of Genius. Now he is telling red players not to play burn.
You should xaltair over in the proven UW control thread. Telling control players not to play Glimmer of Genius. Now he is telling red players not to play burn.
When Casuals Strike: A Thread
Re: Monored List
Who else is testing Rekindling Phoenix?? The card is bonkers, a lot of stores are sold out (even online) and I could see it being a $40 card. Games you have it in play feel very favorable, even if the opponent contempts it — that’s one less contempt they use on Hazoret. It also plays well into the “gum up the ground and fly over” role that glorybringer used to thrive in, except a mana cheaper, built in recursion, and it’s a house against opposing Glorybringers and Chandras
Mirror (snipe a Magma Spray/Chandra’s Defeat, leave a 2/1 First Strike body behind - attrition!)
Grixis Energy (Fatal Push, their own vraskas contempt vs a scarab god)
UWx decks (target their counter spell, swing out and counter Settle the Wreckage)
BG Snek (Fatal Push again)
UG Merfolk (unsummon on a 2/x body for 3cmc got banned in Standard once)
I’m loving the card, I have 2 in board and I side it in so much that I’ve considered just playing two in the MB, likely over 3rd Kari Zev and the 2nd Pia Nalaar. Who else has tested with this card?
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Phoenix, yes, love it for the reasons you said. Been running 2 main as a 3/2 split with Haz at the top end. Daredevil is still slowly coming down in price, and I'm likely to pick up a couple at least. Right now I have a couple of Invigorated Rampage in the main, but I think they will make way for the RedCaster Mage. I'll post a list later when I'm not on mobile...
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Also testing out Soul-Scar Mage with Fiery Cannonade against Merfolk.
Currently running 22 lands, 10 white sources, 16 red sources.
Old KTK/THS Rw Aggro used to play some number of evolving wilds to fetch a white source to play chained to the rocks
Obviously, it's a tapped land, but counting it as the 23 land seems like it should be fine.
I'd rather have good mana and have some games where I flood rather than games where I screw and lose because I can't cast all the spells in my hand.
Firebrand is fine on the early game. It can take down pesty Merfolks that triger when they ETB. We gotta watch out not to mess around the main strategy of the deck. Huatli conflicts with Hazoret, because you want to play and attack on the same turn. Having a CMC 5 spell might screw that plan and she will attack one turn later.
a R/W deck with Path of Mettle made it to top 11 and another at 30th place, and there are quite a few mono red decks as well. i do not get what's "PogChamp" that's mentioned in reddit.
LOTS of Chandra ToDs, though.
unfortunately, we don;t have much options for ordering online here in the Philippines, so most players line up the LGS day of release or buy from people who opened boxes. i wasn't able to get a set of Path last friday but i reserved a set to be picked up this tuesday.
2 Ahn-Crop Crasher
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
2 Soul-Scar Mage
1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
3 Fanatical Firebrand
3 Relentless Raptor
4 Bomat Courier
4 Earthshaker Khenra
3 Hazoret the Fervent
5 Plains
3 Shefet Dunes
4 Inspiring Vantage
11 Mountain
Instants 8
3 Shock
4 Lightning Strike
1 Abrade
Chandras 2
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
The Better Ramunap Ruins 3
3 Path of Mettle
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Abrade
3 Dire Fleet Daredevil
1 Aethersphere Harvester
2 Harsh Mentor
2 Soul-Scar Mage
3 Glorybringer
Played this list (almost) at FNM for a 4-1 finish, beating UW Control, Jeskai Control, Mardu Vehicles, and UW cycle (He had Approach and Drake Haven as wincons). I lost to Grixis Energy but the two games I lost were super close, both within a few life.
The only change I made is I started running 4 Fanatical Firebrand and 4 Plains, but I quickly realized Firebrand isn't great lategame, or like past turn 3, and that I was sometimes 1 white short of either activating dunes or playing my white spells. So I took out one Firebrand (minimal impact) for 1 plains.
The SB is still very much up in the air, Harsh Mentor being a concession that I don't know if Whirler Virtuoso will stick around (it likely will).
SB Notes, you want to go up to 2 abrades in Blue control matchups to surprise take out a gearhulk, but you don't want more than that so you don't get stuck with them in hand. You want all 4 against Mardu.
MB, I'm pretty comfortable with the set up, but might want to add 3 drops to better curve out. Although it is worth mentioning that on the play, going one drop 2 drop 1+2 drop into t4 hazoret allows you to attack with her on t4. Path can help this immensely by being able to play 2 drops turn 3 (after flip).
Really need help sorting out the rest of the SB. I saw some lists running Ixalan's Binding and the card that sac's each board down to 4 power, but I believe playing that along with Hazoret is just plain bad.
The raptor has been okay, most times it just eats a removal spell on T2 because it's just bigger than everything.
4 Bomat Courier
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Earthshaker Khenra
2 Glorybringer
4 Soul-Scar Mage
4 Hazoret the Fervent
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
16 Mountain
2 Scavenger Grounds
4 Sunscorched Desert
Spells (14)
2 Abrade
4 Invigorated Rampage
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
2 Aethersphere Harvester
4 Harsh Mentor
1 Abrade
2 Chandra's Defeat
3 Pia Nalaar
1 Vance's Blasting Cannons
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4 Bomat Courier
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Inventor's Apprentice
2 Soul-Scar Mage
4 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Pia Nalaar
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Lands (19)
14 Mountain
4 Dragonskull Summit
1 Scavenger Grounds
Spells (10)
2 Abrade
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
15 None Listed
4 Bomat Courier
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Hazoret the Fervent
2 Pia Nalaar
Lands (24)
11 Mountain
4 Swamp
4 Canyon Slough
4 Dragonskull Summit
1 Spire of Industry
1 Aethersphere Harvester
3 Abrade
2 Shock
4 Unlicensed Disintegration
1 Aethersphere Harvester
2 Glorybringer
1 Abrade
2 Fatal Push
2 Magma Spray
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4 Duress
EDIT: 3rd place, 11th, and 12th place MTGO PTQ lists for reference.
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Creature (25)
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Bomat Courier
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
2 Rigging Runner
4 Soul-Scar Mage
2 Abrade
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
Land (24)
19 Mountain
2 Scavenger Grounds
3 Sunscorched Desert
2 Abrade
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Aethersphere Harvester
2 Glorybringer
2 Pia Nalaar
3 Sweltering Suns
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Creature (25)
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Bomat Courier
1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Fanatical Firebrand
3 Hazoret the Fervent
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
3 Relentless Raptor
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
Enchantment (3)
3 Path of Mettle
Land (22)
4 Inspiring Vantage
11 Mountain
4 Plains
3 Shefet Dunes
1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4 Abrade
1 Crook of Condemnation
3 Glorybringer
2 Ixalan's Binding
1 Scavenger Grounds
2 Settle the Wreckage
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Bomat Courier
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Fanatical Firebrand
2 Hazoret the Fervent
1 Pia Nalaar
4 Rekindling Phoenix
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
3 Abrade
4 Lightning Strike
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
Land (24)
4 Dragonskull Summit
3 Ifnir Deadlands
15 Mountain
2 Swamp
1 Pia Nalaar
1 Abrade
3 Aethersphere Harvester
1 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
4 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Dire Fleet Daredevil
1 Duress
2 Magma Spray
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
seems like Red can diverge into different paths.
managed to go into top 8 of a 37-man PPTQ using mono red.
will post the deck list and report tomorrow. i am quite tired, as this is the first time i played in a competitive tournament in a year after 2 months of not playing Magic at all.
RPPTQ Minneapolis Tournament ReportR
4 Bomat Courier
4 Soul-Scar Mage
4 Fanatical Firebrand
3 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
3 Hazoret, the Fervent
2 Invigorated Rampage
2 Abrade
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
Lands
17 Mountain
1 Scavenger Grounds
4 Sunscorched Desert
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Sweltering Suns
2 Glorybringer
2 Abrade
2 Aethersphere Harvester
2 Chandra's Defeat
2 Pia Nalaar
quite a straightforward deck with a couple of combat tricks. why not 4 Hazoret? because i don't have a 4th and there's no one selling them at the venue.
anyway, on with the matchup breakdown.
Round 1 vs Grixis Control - Win. oh boy. control for the first round. i just tried to dump my hand and bring his life total to zero before he could stabilize... which he could not because the sweeper he used was Fiery Cannonade and i had Fanatical Firebrand in play.
Round 2 vs U/W Cycling - Loss. this was a frustrating matchup. the loss of Rampaging Ferocidon means lifegain to stabilize vs aggressive red decks is a good strategy. Renewed Faith and Authority of the Consuls were just backbreaking.
Round 3 vs Grixis Energy - Win. i do not think the tweaked his mana base enough because he was mana screwed 2 games and i was able to chip away his life total quite easily.
Round 4 vs Mardu vehicles - Win. game 1 he ran me over with Heart of Kiran. the next 2 games i went control mode, patiently killing his creatures before i launched a counterattack.
Round 5 vs U/W Approach - Win. considering how i was defeated by another U/W deck previously due to lifegain, i felt quite down i had to face another deck with life gain. game 3 i mulliganed to 5, but my opponent apparently kept a slow hand, and when he finally cast a Regal Caracal to stabilize, he was already at 1 life and i top decked a Sunscorched Desert.
Round 6 - Intentional Draw. my opponent and i agred to draw since we're both gonna get into the top 8 anyway.
Quarterfinals vs Grixis Energy - Loss. game 1 i flooded, game 2 i was stuck on 1 land for a long time. he managed to cast 2 Whirler Virtuosos and it was over for me before i was able to fight back.
Overall, i feel that Mono Red is still competitive in a meta that plays a slower decks. with Attune with Aether banned, mana fixing was hit. but then the loss of Ramapging Ferocidon i really felt with my loss vs U/W Cycling.
that it for my report. if you guys have any suggestions or questions i welcome them.
You can always play a land in the SB. And, on top of that, it can be a "spell-land" like Scavenger Grounds.
12 Mountain
3 Plains
4 Inspiring Vantage
3 Shefet Dunes
Creatures (25)
4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Bomat Courier
4 Earthshaker Khenra
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
3 Relentless Raptor
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Hazoret the Fervent
4 Shock
4 Lightning Strike
3 Path of Mettle
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Scavenger Grounds
2 Dire Fleet Daredevil
2 Glorybringer
2 Fragmentize
2 Ixalan's Binding
2 Magma Spray
2 Abrade
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Sorcerous Spyglass
Your end game is Path of Mettle and Hazoret so you no longer need Chandra main deck.
I played the version below to a top 4 finish in a 44 person pptq. (Made some mistakes in the top 4 match and feel like I should have won the whole thing)
The deck has consistently fast starts and is much better than mono red at emptying its hand for a turn 4/5 Hazoret. A flipped path of mettle can help clear our early blockers and can earn you a ton of value. (Glint Sleeve Siphoner, Explore Creatures, ect)
12 Mountain
2 Plains
4 Inspiring Vantage
4 Aether Hub
4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Bomat Courier
4 Earthshaker Khenra
3 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Rigging Runner
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Hazoret the Fervent
4 Shock
4 Lightning Strike
3 Path of Mettle
1 Canyon Slough
4 Dragonskull Summit
2 Ifnir Deadlands
3 Mountain
2 Scavenger Grounds
4 Sunscorched Desert
5 Swamp
Creatures
3 Ahn-Crop Crasher
3 Bomat Courier
4 Dread Wanderer
3 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
3 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Scrapheap Scrounger
2 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
4 Fatal Push
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Aethersphere Harvester
4 Duress
3 Doomfall
2 Key to the City
2 Lost Legacy
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
Maybeboard
2 Abrade
2 Dispossess
1 Earthshaker Khenra
1 Scrapheap Scrounger
4 Vraska’s Contempt
* Aethersphere Harvester was replaced with two other things for some of the time. Chandra, Torch of Defiance was sided in when I was in my previous city and knew that I was going to bristle up against Control-heavier metas. Tried Liliana, Death's Majesty but that was too slow.
Currently, deck struggles with WU (Approach or Control) now, as life gain (e.g., that old Onslaught cycling card), Authority of the Consuls and Settle the Wreckage (Yahenni, Undying Partisan reduces exiling of recursive threats) make winning hard; thankfully, haven't encountered many Gifts decks, post-rotation, with playable graveyard and artifact hate but not hoping to bank on this fact alone. (Scavenger Grounds and as might the Fatal Push.) However, an artifact that I sometimes see and this deck sometimes struggles with is Torrential Gearhulk, which has been prompting me to consider changing Strikes for Abrades and to possibly reconsidering the Push–Disintegration breakdown.
Other control match-ups can be easy wins but they can also be hard if I can't vomit out my hand. Second game usually goes better with Doomfalls and Duresses.
(Other?) midrange match-ups can be bad but spells, in addition to the Ahn-Crop Crasher, Earthshaker Khenra and menacers (currently, only Glint-Sleeve Siphoner; no Kari Zev), used to make a hole can help punch in for 20+.
Against Hazored and RW, deck went fine despite Courier and just-resolved/-recurred Wanderer being utterly useless. Increased amount of removal compared to both decks often meant racing was viable and incremental advantage of Siphoner, when it survived, meant pulling ahead.
Anyone who has played this or against this, any advice on improving this as a BR build or going back to mono-R?
RW looks explosive, more susceptible to spot removal, gets brickwalled by a large creature from the Midrange decks (Ripjaw, Scarab God, Eternalize creatures).
Mono-Red looks less flexible, but more defined in its gameplans.
Thoughts on 24th land with 2 glorybringer in Big Red version? I think it’s required to curve out consistently, but I don’t have any experience with the deck
I’m getting into Standard after a 3-year hiatus, my only knowledge so far is from two weeks of LGS playing a RG Dinos List. I just ordered this deck and hope to learn it by 2/24 for a PPTQ.
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3 Chandra
2 Ixalan's Binding
3 Direfleet Daredevil
3 Abrade
2 (forgot this last one) Could be sunscorched desert, chandra's defeat ect.
I lost once to mono red (better draws) and twice to the same uw eternalize deck. (Sunscorched desert or enchantment hate would have helped)
I beat 2x Grixis Control, BUG Control, UW GPG, and Mono Red.
I almost pulled out wins vs the eternalize deck but Authority of the Councils and Annointed Procession + Sunscourge Champion was too much.
While I think this list is interesting, I don't think it can be counted as an Aggro list. With five cards above CMC4, three at CMC4 (that aren't Chandra or Hazoret) and no burn that can go to the face, I think you're playing for a very different kind of game.
Re: MonoRed list
My current SB is:
2 Direfleet Daredevil
1 Pia Nalaar
2 aethersphere harvester
2 Glorybringer
3 Chandra, torch of defiance
2 Chandra’s Defeat
2 Abrade
1 Desert of the Fervent
The only slot I’m unsure of is Daredevil, but against UBx he’s an absolute beating. I’ve cast more vraskas contempt on Scarab God than I can count, and I’ve only owned this deck for ~4 days. I feel a little weak to the mirror but I feel a lot stronger vs Grixis lists. My Approach MU isnt too bad either, I’m playing two Rekindling Phoenix MB which helps a ton vs Fumigate
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To most people who have been playing this game for a long time, the list looks like Midrange — it has expensive spells to cast, it has inefficient attackers (ranging raptors? Forerunner?), and it’s lacking a way to force through early attackers (that’s what burn spells, kill spells, and bounce spells are for — all of which are found in most fast aggro decks like zombies and merfolk)
This probably belongs in a dinosaur threat, there’s a general tribal discussion thread already that would love the input.
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Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
I like the deck and appreciate your desire to share it.
I see two points:
By focusing on only one aspect (lack of burn to the face) of multiple points in JimmySea's post, aren't you constructing a straw man argument? Is that "constructive" or "nice and respectful" as called for in the General Forum Rules?
This thread is for proven Rx Aggro, not decks that "innovate", are a "different version of R/x decks" or "show us something that we haven't seen before." Per the Proven (Standard) Forum Rules, anti-competitive discussion is prohibited. This looks to me to be very close to anti-competitive discussion. You seem to agree that your deck is a significantly different shell, why must it fit in this "Proven" thread? Your deck is interesting and may be great, why not put it elsewhere until it can earn "Proven" status?
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.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
When Casuals Strike: A Thread
Re: Monored List
Who else is testing Rekindling Phoenix?? The card is bonkers, a lot of stores are sold out (even online) and I could see it being a $40 card. Games you have it in play feel very favorable, even if the opponent contempts it — that’s one less contempt they use on Hazoret. It also plays well into the “gum up the ground and fly over” role that glorybringer used to thrive in, except a mana cheaper, built in recursion, and it’s a house against opposing Glorybringers and Chandras
Re: Dire Fleet Daredevil
Matches it’s great in:
Mirror (snipe a Magma Spray/Chandra’s Defeat, leave a 2/1 First Strike body behind - attrition!)
Grixis Energy (Fatal Push, their own vraskas contempt vs a scarab god)
UWx decks (target their counter spell, swing out and counter Settle the Wreckage)
BG Snek (Fatal Push again)
UG Merfolk (unsummon on a 2/x body for 3cmc got banned in Standard once)
I’m loving the card, I have 2 in board and I side it in so much that I’ve considered just playing two in the MB, likely over 3rd Kari Zev and the 2nd Pia Nalaar. Who else has tested with this card?
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