For those who play the regular mono red list, how do you sideboard against Golgari? We side in Rekindling Phoenix obviously, and probably any Frenzy/Risk Factor we have, plus the extra land to go with that, but I'm not sure what we take out. The low end of the curve because we get stonewalked so quickly on the ground? And do we also side in removal, like maybe Lava Coil for Wildgrowth Walker? Or do we rather want to stay streamlined and avoid siding into an inferiour midrange deck? I mean we can't go under them anyway, right? Answer enough of their stuff to give us time to burn them out, I guess?
And how does the matchup feel in general?
matchup feels bad in general. they can grind, but red has Rekindling Phoenix and Experimental Frenzy to keep up.
Risk Factor seems bad against Golgari. better to board in Lava Coil.
always keep mana up and removal in hand for potential Wildgrowth Walker followed by explore creature on opponent's turn.
Yeah, it definitely feels like Wildgrowth Walker is a key card in the matchup. It's hard to get through on the ground, and one or two 3 life triggers can be enough to put them out of burn reach for good. Lava Coil on Walker also seems good so that they can't Find it back.
I could picture mono red's position being that it's kind of weak against Golgari, but good against a lot of the decks that aim for Golgari.
So, sideboarding is ... Coil, R-Phoenix and Frenzy in with the extra land, Factor and one drop creatures out? Are Risk Factors so bad against them that we take them all out?
It has been interesting to watch the conversation around Risk Factor, as like most "punisher" cards it was sort of initially dismissed. It seems that even the major Internet streamers all bandied about terms like "unplayable" at first, but all seemed intrigued by it being an instant-speed Browbeat with the cool Jump-start mechanic attached. Everyone seems real critical at first, but then finds the card to have an odd sort of inexorable late-game leverage that makes the card surprisingly powerful, especially when other burn/creature pressure has been applied. In the end, it is the most consistent of the "punisher" cards. I personally love it.
But, sort of chiming in with others above, the real hit of the Guilds of Ravnica set, red-wise, has to be Flaming Steam-Kin. I love that card, and I'm thinking of what to do with it and Experimental Frenzy in some sort of Modern burn shell; could be spicy.
There are two mono red decklists among the Trial winners at GP Lille. They both have three Phoenix, three Frenzy and zero Risk Factor main.
Upping Phoenix makes sense as they are our best card against Golgari and probably the UR decks too. Sideboarding or cutting Risk Factor I have no opinion on as I'm honestly not sure what matchups they are good or bad in, please fill me in if you know.
The lists have 22 and 23 lands respectively. I think I would lean 23 with six 4 drops, but I'm not sure... It's not like we're running 5 drops, and without Risk Factors we don't have a way to pitch extra lands. Still, casting our spells is good.
This is just two decks and two data points, but it's noteworthy that the only two surviving decks are similar.
GP Lille won by mono red. It ain't dead yet, mofos.
That's true, but it is worth adding that there was just two copies in the top 37. It's actually not one of the decks that did very well at the event, except for spiking #1. Golgari was 40% of the day 2 meta, which is terrifying. The other big decks were UR Phoenix and Jeskai Control, which should both be good matchups.
Edit: Also, zero mono red decks in the New Jersey top 32.
Note that the winning red decklist had a spicy four-of Treasure Map in the side, no Risk Factor in the 75. Also the full playset Frenzy in the main. Looks like the player decided that this is experimentalfrenzy.dec and decided to maximise that card and cut everything that doesn't synergize with it.
seems like Experimental Frenzy is worth 4 in the main like Hazoret was, despite being counter-intuitive (Hazoret being legendary and Frenzy not good or even detrimental in multiples). it's a must draw. playing it drastically increases your chances of winning.
i myself have dropped my Risk Factors from the mainboard last Showdown and have 3 Frenzies. went 3-2 but that's because i lost in the white weenie match because i didn't draw Cannonade and lost to R/w aggro because he played Frenzy first. i think 4 Frenzies in the main is the correct number, with 2 Rekindling Phoenixes. Rekindling isn't as impactful as Frenzy, in my observation.
Wilds serve two purposes, first they effectively reduce your land count, very important for frenzy, and again, they allow you to continue a frenzy chain when you hit a second land. And, no field doesn't really mess with the chain gang. The two and three lands give the deck upto 5 effective shuffles, each shuffle reducing your land count by 1.
matchup feels bad in general. they can grind, but red has Rekindling Phoenix and Experimental Frenzy to keep up.
Risk Factor seems bad against Golgari. better to board in Lava Coil.
always keep mana up and removal in hand for potential Wildgrowth Walker followed by explore creature on opponent's turn.
I could picture mono red's position being that it's kind of weak against Golgari, but good against a lot of the decks that aim for Golgari.
So, sideboarding is ... Coil, R-Phoenix and Frenzy in with the extra land, Factor and one drop creatures out? Are Risk Factors so bad against them that we take them all out?
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
But, sort of chiming in with others above, the real hit of the Guilds of Ravnica set, red-wise, has to be Flaming Steam-Kin. I love that card, and I'm thinking of what to do with it and Experimental Frenzy in some sort of Modern burn shell; could be spicy.
There are two mono red decklists among the Trial winners at GP Lille. They both have three Phoenix, three Frenzy and zero Risk Factor main.
Upping Phoenix makes sense as they are our best card against Golgari and probably the UR decks too. Sideboarding or cutting Risk Factor I have no opinion on as I'm honestly not sure what matchups they are good or bad in, please fill me in if you know.
The lists have 22 and 23 lands respectively. I think I would lean 23 with six 4 drops, but I'm not sure... It's not like we're running 5 drops, and without Risk Factors we don't have a way to pitch extra lands. Still, casting our spells is good.
This is just two decks and two data points, but it's noteworthy that the only two surviving decks are similar.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Edit: Also, zero mono red decks in the New Jersey top 32.
Note that the winning red decklist had a spicy four-of Treasure Map in the side, no Risk Factor in the 75. Also the full playset Frenzy in the main. Looks like the player decided that this is experimentalfrenzy.dec and decided to maximise that card and cut everything that doesn't synergize with it.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
i myself have dropped my Risk Factors from the mainboard last Showdown and have 3 Frenzies. went 3-2 but that's because i lost in the white weenie match because i didn't draw Cannonade and lost to R/w aggro because he played Frenzy first. i think 4 Frenzies in the main is the correct number, with 2 Rekindling Phoenixes. Rekindling isn't as impactful as Frenzy, in my observation.
4x Skirk Prospector
3x Fanatical Firebrand
4x Runaway Steamkin
4x Goblin Chainwhirler
4x Legion Warboss
4x Rekindling Pheonix
2x Seige Gang Commander
4x Lightning Strike
4x Lava Coils
3x Experimental Frenzy
2x Sarkahn, Fireblooded
2x Field of Ruin
3x Evolving Wilds
17x Mountain
I've had pretty good luck so far with this build overall.
Behind the eyes of truth, is a world of illustions.
Dragon Riderof a Mist Dragonn anyway with the Dragon Riders Clan.
5 Island
10 Mountain
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
Creature (16)
3 Arclight Phoenix
4 Crackling Drake
4 Enigma Drake
3 Rekindling Phoenix
4 Runaway Steam-Kin
3 Lava Coil
Instant (16)
4 Ionize
4 Lightning Strike
3 Risk Factor
3 Shock
Planeswalker (2)
2 Ral, Izzet Viceroy
1 Arclight Phoenix
4 Fight with Fire
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
1 Lava Coil
1 Ral, Izzet Viceroy
4 Unexplained Disappearance
Not sure what to take out for more counters especially since that would be a different kind of deck.
Vintage: Dredge | Legacy: Burn, Goblins, Soldier | Standard: Mono-Red Aggro
Commander: Nicol Bolas, Sliver Overlord, Rafiq
Casual: Selesnya Saproling Smackdown, Izzet Labs, Rebel
Played since June 2004, mostly inactive June 2011 to March 2018
Other usernames include AlanFromRochester, homerthebeerbaron
MTG checklists from Alpha to Ravnica Allegiance - https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/other-magic-products/third-party-products/805324-checklists-for-everything-from-alpha-to-ravnica
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Behind the eyes of truth, is a world of illustions.
Dragon Riderof a Mist Dragonn anyway with the Dragon Riders Clan.
Thanks for all the contributors!
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