I like that list, though I would cut one Cut fir a third (or even a fourth) Fiery Impulse. The problem with Murderous Cut is that it clashes with both Fiery Impulse and Goblin Dark-Dwellers.
Also, with Big Red, you really want to kill stuff on the early turns.
Agreed. IMO Murderous Cut is a SB card in this archetype. Or no more than a 1 of. We want to be synergistic, and its not like we are hurting on spot removal.
I have not used, and have not missed fiery impulse in my builds, as I run wild slash x4 and draconic roar x4 which I feel gives plenty of early game removal, which I agree we have to have. But I feel the build benefits more from being able to go to the head with our burn spells more so than triggering mastery and being able to hit for an extra pint of damage. Same amount of damage being done by draconic roar. Also running at least 2 to 3 exquisite firecraft in all of my versions so far.
That's one of the things I really like about this deck, its actually a true burn deck once again.
KPAL - I will be honest, I have not played with crackling doom almost at all. It doesn't strike me as worth splashing in a 3rd color, even if its easy to do. But please share your thoughts once you have given it a go for awhile and how it performs.
Kolaghan's Command is one of my least favorite instant spells in the deck. I have cut back to using only 2 of them, and almost every time I draw it I am wishing for either a wild slash (can do same dmg for 2 less mana!), draconic roar or exquisite firecraft.
I know all the command cards have been very popular and are in demand, but honestly, this deck is pretty straight forward ( my point being, card disadvantage not being its strong suit, burn and beat down being the strong suit.) and for 3 mana, the option for the other abilities almost have never been anything I have needed or wanted during a game. I have always used of course 2dmg to player or creature, and usually then make them discard. Very occasionally, like maybe once or twice used it to bring a creature back from the grave yard. I know on paper it seems like a great fit, but I think I may take them out as they just seem lack luster in this deck to me.
But if I am missing some obvious common sense regarding the use in this deck of the card, someone knock some sense into me please and do me the favor of convincing me!
I lost my win and in for day 2 (actually all my losses) were to never drawing a 4th land in all game 3s.
Some things: Dark Dwellers is great, however, its not THAT great MD in Game 1. It's significantly better in postboard games where you want to loop k command (if you run them) or discard spells.
DO NOT RUN LESS THAN 3 KOLAGHAN. This card puts you significantly ahead of most midrange decks in G1 and improves value of Draconic Roar in G1... I ran a 3/2 of kolaghan and dark dweller, and I will be going to a 4-1 split with a 2nd GDD in the side for postboard games. Often times with this deck in post board games where you have the opponent low, all you need is a top deck kolaghan and you will win.
Firecraft is not a good card in this shell without playing 7 1 drops. If you want to play it, add the 1 drops. Play Roast, Kcommand or Grasp in some number. You will need the kill spells, and paying 3 mana to kill an anafenza feels pretty awful.
Cutting murderous cut from the main is just insane. It's your best removal spell vs rally, GR Ramp and Abzan in game 1....
Thanks for the updates. Sounds like you are a big fan of K-command in the deck even without Goblin Dark-Dwellers?
Really I am not going to argue with your experience at the Atl event, I am however trying to burn out my opponent and I do run seven 1 drop creatures.
My sideboard has 4 Roast for Abzan.
After looking at your list some more, our strategies are bit different. My list is aimed more for speed while yours is more mid-ranged.
I actually have never been a big fan of Kolaghan's Command in standard. Yes, it is very versatile and we have several big creatures we would like to buy back, but when we get to play it by turn three, it can't get rid of Anafenza, the Foremost, Mantis Rider, Savage Knuckleblade, tier 2 Warden of the First Tree, or a host of others. You will probably even miss on Monastery Swiftspear and most (good) players probably have a land in hand to discard if you want that option. And get rid of an artifact... what artifact sees play except Hangarback Walker, which you don't really want to kill when your threats are flyers.
In Modern, it's a different game: utility creatures have 1-2 toughness and artifacts abound. It's a fantastic 2 for 1 in that format.
You can probably safely cut the Command for more burn removal.
As for Grasp of Darkness vs Exquisite Firecraft. The choice is not that clear-cut, despite the fact that they deal the same "damage" and the first costs 2 and is an instant. 1RR is generally easier to cast for a Big Red Deck (unless you run 12 or so fetchlands). It also kills Gideon and several other planeswalkers and can burn face.
Yes, Kolaghan's Command is very flexible, I will not deny that. However, in my experience running Mardu Dragons during DTK and BFZ standard seasons, I will say that I far too often lost with it in my hand, being unable to affect the board in any significant way. I gave it a fair try, running up to 3 at some point, but it felt bad top-decking it most of the time.
Going to type this response in order to the questions.
Yes I played in SCGATL I ended up 5-4.
3 of the 4 losses were to missing land drops in game 3..Where I either had to mull to 6, or kept a 7 with two lands and didn’t draw lands 3-5 until it was too late.
R1: L vs GR Ramp - lost in G3 to a top deck world breaker, it was his only out I had lethal next turn.
R2: W vs GR Ramp - lost game 1, games 2-3 I was discarding his hand pretty heavily.
R3: W vs BW Eldrazi
R4: W vs Mirror - Opponent was playing Firecraft, I was playing Pia..Pia was a house.
R5: W vs GR Midrange
R6: L vs Abzan - mull to 5, kept a 1 lander never really got there.
R7: L vs Grixis Control - Close match, needed a threat in game 3 but never drew one
R8 - W vs Abzan - outpost siege real good
R9 - L vs Mono W
The “core of the deck” was fine. As much I hate being one of those people that blames variance, it just wasn’t on my side that day, which is fine, this is Magic after all!
My experience with the 7 1 drops is that they are just not impactful enough without pump spells. They are terrible top decks, and pretty bad vs abzan who is heading in the direction of main decking Sylvan Advocate. Also, when you play 1 drops, you really shouldn't play more than 2-3 kolaghan, or even dark dwellers for that matter.
I have hated hordeling outburst as a card ever since Stoke the Flames rotation, however, I found myself needing to draw another threat or having opening hands that were threat light… So I may be forced to play the card. I have an IQ on Sunday and will most likely be running BR dragons back depending on how FNM goes.
K Command is one of those cards that is usually good all the time. It’s weak in the Abzan matchup, but its another shock/discard in the aggro matchup, and the discard is good vs ramp in G1. I used to think I’d never play it, but I think 3 copies is fine, even 1 copy is fine… The card is good. Sure it can’t “kill” a pumped up warden, mantis rider, knuckle blade (do people even play this card?) and anafenza…but you have upwards of 11 different MD kill spells that do that. People also forget the regrow ability of the card. make you discard return my Dragon/GDD is a pretty big tempo play.
I don’t like fire craft, it’s slow, and the 3 cmc is a big deal. Often times this deck is capable of two plays a turn, and fire craft really inhibits the chances of doing that.
Grasp vs Roast is a close debate, I don’t think you can say one is strictly better than the other. However, killing Wingmate roc in game is a huge plus for Grasp, it’s arguably the best card against us. Yes it doesn’t kill rhino in G1, but you still have other ways to combine two spells for that.
Playing main deck duress means you need more black sources, so I can see the potential for Grasp being good. I don’t think one is strictly more correct than the other, certainly warrants testing.
Currently my list for IQ looks something like this: (subject to change throughout the week)
WTG in ATL Purp! Not to shabby and thanks for sharing your deck list, and how your matches went.
(Purp on a side not, Id like to hear more about your last match against the mono white deck - if you can remember anything about the deck, can you message me some details please! )
I think I am "wanting" to be a bit more aggro/burn minded. Not sure if that is the right answer or not, but its how I am focusing on tuning and piloting the build for now.
But on the topic of 'big fliers' that you touch on above - I'd say depending on build we have different strategies against fliers we can not just burn away. Going wide, doubling up damage (regardless if it is a red or black spell) etc. And that is more or less true for almost all of the large fliers we would most likely come up against and would give our deck problems. But wingmate roc is a still a problem because of its mirror token which we have to prepare for as well. SO unless you have 2 grasps in hand, or main decking rending volley x2, (which of course no one would be doing) were still left with another 3/4 flier to contend with.
Chris Juliano's original deck list ran sunken hollow x1 along with 7 fetch lands which could grab it, and in his SB he had Negate x2 for his metagame at the time. We could follow suite and SB in w/ a blue splash, disdainful stroke or spell shrivel as an option as well. I'd typically shy away from splashing a 3rd color for only 1 or 2 spell, but that is rather outdated notion in this day and age I suppose.
Was not excited about it when I first saw it, but taking a 2nd look, especially at "Repeat this process once." I am wondering if this could be a another finisher for this deck? And one that could be a great come back after our opponent plays a board sweeper against us?
If this has a place in our deck, it would certainly synergi well with K-command, and all the burn we run in our deck.
If I am reading this right "Repeat this process once" the effects on the card happen twice?
If that is so, it looks like a dam evil card. Perhaps too gimicky?
I mean it has the potential to cause 10 points of damage or cause someone to sacrifice 2 creatures and/or planeswalkers, or discard 4 cards. Or some combination of the options.
Seems that which ever option the opponent would take, it has the possibility of leaving us with some sort of advantage.
I also like that it is another possible way to finish off (no one I assume would take the full 10 points of life loss, but any combination SHOULD lead to their demise ) the game aside from beat down w/ creatures.
Leaving the option to the opponent is always a problem, especially in a token-heavy standard such as this one. Still, I like the card, but I would rather play Goblin Dark-Dwellers in the five slot, which is already heavy with Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury.
I mean it has the potential to cause 10 points of damage or cause someone to sacrifice 2 creatures and/or planeswalkers, or discard 4 cards. Or some combination of the options.
Seems that which ever option the opponent would take, it has the possibility of leaving us with some sort of advantage.
I also like that it is another possible way to finish off (no one I assume would take the full 10 points of life loss, but any combination SHOULD lead to their demise ) the game aside from beat down w/ creatures.
I guess only one way to find out!
It looks cool on paper. In practice it may not work. It might be alright as a try as a one of. Probably sideboard because it is weak to token strategies.
AML, you would probably rather recycle a K-command or a Firecraft from a GD-D I would think.
SCG Open happening right now in my home town Columbus Ohio.
No I am not at the event. Howver, FNM was crazy last night because of the event. There were 6 rounds, a lot of out-of-towners. Swiftspears, Thought-Knot Seers, and Hangarback Walkers were everywhere
Round 2 was vs a mono red aggro deck. Not completely optimized. Easy 2-0 win.
Round 3 put me at the front of the room at table #1.
Key match up vs a very good player on Atarka Red.
Game 1 he come out fast and hard and gets me down to 2. However he runs out of steam and I am able to mount a major surge and win.
Game 2 this time I srart out fast and hard. Now I fizzle out and the opponent storms back to win.
Game 3 disaster strikes. My starting hand has 3 Swiftspear, foul-tongue invocation, Arc Lightning and two mountains. However those are the only two lands I see the entire game. NO other cheap cards show up other than the starting 3 swiftspears. I loose the game with Foul-tongue, arch lightning, flamewake phoenix, 2 thudnerbreaks and a kolaghan the storms fury in my hand.
Round 4 puts me against BW control featuring thought-knot seer, reality smasher, and Gideon. This deck outclassed mine and I loose 2-1.
Round 5 is against a strange Red/Blue/Black control deck sharing the same dragons as our decks. 2-1 Win
At this point its midnight and I call it.
I decided not to change my original list much since its been doing well.
Here is what I played:
If anyone watched day one of the SCG tourny today, they un-officially classed R/B Dragons as Tier 1. I think it's about time. I loved Mardu dragons and while I'll be sad to see the deck go with SOI(what are the odds of us getting a suitable replacement for Kolaghan unless they give us a huge gift and reprint Stormbreath...we even loose Sarkhan, the only possible replacement), I'm glad to see the dragons getting their time in the sun.
Personally, I prefer a more mid range style Dragons, cutting the 1 drops for kill spells, 4 zulaports, flamewake and hordeling outburst.
Anyway, Regent will still be welcome in any deck running red since he's way too much value not to.
I've only been playing about 4.5 months, so I'm still learning which deck beats what.
Was wondering if someone could put together a list of what's a good match up for R/B Dragons(or even Mardu Dragons) and what isn't.
In my time with the deck, creature decks are what I want to see across the board. Atarka red gets eaten by this deck if it survives turn 3 and even wide decks typically aren't fast enough if we can pick them off one by one. We got a huge gift in grasp of darkness which makes short work of above curve power level titans like Anafenza and Sav. Knuckleblade.
The deck I think we have a bad match up is any ramp. We simply can't race consistently to a turn 5 kill. If it goes past turn 6, Ugin into Ulamog is toast for us if they resolve.
Control is 50/50. If they have the right counter spells, we simply can't win. But do they have the spells.
Anyway,yeah if you guys could put together a list, I can create a new post to compile each matchup and your thoughts.
Removing the one drop creatures but still maintaining aggro from Forerunner and Heelcutter.
Dark-dwellers is just too good not to have. Menace followed by a dashed Kolaghan.
I think Dark Dwellers will make this deck even better. From your list, I'd like to see at least 7 dragons. Cut the Slaughter, put in hordeling outburst and put in another heelcutter IMO.
Also, if you could fit in a couple grasp of darkness, it is hugely important early and late game.
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Totally. This is why I am going to 4x Exquisite Firecraft removing 2x murderous cut. And really want to try 3x crackling doom inplace of my 3x kolaghan's command.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Kolaghan's Command is one of my least favorite instant spells in the deck. I have cut back to using only 2 of them, and almost every time I draw it I am wishing for either a wild slash (can do same dmg for 2 less mana!), draconic roar or exquisite firecraft.
I know all the command cards have been very popular and are in demand, but honestly, this deck is pretty straight forward ( my point being, card disadvantage not being its strong suit, burn and beat down being the strong suit.) and for 3 mana, the option for the other abilities almost have never been anything I have needed or wanted during a game. I have always used of course 2dmg to player or creature, and usually then make them discard. Very occasionally, like maybe once or twice used it to bring a creature back from the grave yard. I know on paper it seems like a great fit, but I think I may take them out as they just seem lack luster in this deck to me.
But if I am missing some obvious common sense regarding the use in this deck of the card, someone knock some sense into me please and do me the favor of convincing me!
Some things: Dark Dwellers is great, however, its not THAT great MD in Game 1. It's significantly better in postboard games where you want to loop k command (if you run them) or discard spells.
DO NOT RUN LESS THAN 3 KOLAGHAN. This card puts you significantly ahead of most midrange decks in G1 and improves value of Draconic Roar in G1... I ran a 3/2 of kolaghan and dark dweller, and I will be going to a 4-1 split with a 2nd GDD in the side for postboard games. Often times with this deck in post board games where you have the opponent low, all you need is a top deck kolaghan and you will win.
Firecraft is not a good card in this shell without playing 7 1 drops. If you want to play it, add the 1 drops. Play Roast, Kcommand or Grasp in some number. You will need the kill spells, and paying 3 mana to kill an anafenza feels pretty awful.
Cutting murderous cut from the main is just insane. It's your best removal spell vs rally, GR Ramp and Abzan in game 1....
Purp can you clarify the above? Im not following? Are you talking about playing in ATL?
Also, can you share your deck list please?
Thanks for the updates. Sounds like you are a big fan of K-command in the deck even without Goblin Dark-Dwellers?
Really I am not going to argue with your experience at the Atl event, I am however trying to burn out my opponent and I do run seven 1 drop creatures.
My sideboard has 4 Roast for Abzan.
After looking at your list some more, our strategies are bit different. My list is aimed more for speed while yours is more mid-ranged.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
In Modern, it's a different game: utility creatures have 1-2 toughness and artifacts abound. It's a fantastic 2 for 1 in that format.
You can probably safely cut the Command for more burn removal.
As for Grasp of Darkness vs Exquisite Firecraft. The choice is not that clear-cut, despite the fact that they deal the same "damage" and the first costs 2 and is an instant. 1RR is generally easier to cast for a Big Red Deck (unless you run 12 or so fetchlands). It also kills Gideon and several other planeswalkers and can burn face.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
Yes I played in SCGATL I ended up 5-4.
3 of the 4 losses were to missing land drops in game 3..Where I either had to mull to 6, or kept a 7 with two lands and didn’t draw lands 3-5 until it was too late.
R1: L vs GR Ramp - lost in G3 to a top deck world breaker, it was his only out I had lethal next turn.
R2: W vs GR Ramp - lost game 1, games 2-3 I was discarding his hand pretty heavily.
R3: W vs BW Eldrazi
R4: W vs Mirror - Opponent was playing Firecraft, I was playing Pia..Pia was a house.
R5: W vs GR Midrange
R6: L vs Abzan - mull to 5, kept a 1 lander never really got there.
R7: L vs Grixis Control - Close match, needed a threat in game 3 but never drew one
R8 - W vs Abzan - outpost siege real good
R9 - L vs Mono W
This was my decklist:
4 Flamewake
4 Thunderbreak
3 Kolaghan
2 Goblin Dark Dwellers
1 Ruinous Path
4 Fiery Impulse
4 Draconic Roar
3 Murderous Cut
2 K-Command
8 Mountain
1 Swamp
11 Fetches
3 Smodlering Marsh
2 Haven
1 Roast
2 Self Inflicted Wound
3 Duress
4 Transgress the Mind
1 Kalitas
1 Outpostsiege
1 Ob NIx
2 Act of Treason
The “core of the deck” was fine. As much I hate being one of those people that blames variance, it just wasn’t on my side that day, which is fine, this is Magic after all!
My experience with the 7 1 drops is that they are just not impactful enough without pump spells. They are terrible top decks, and pretty bad vs abzan who is heading in the direction of main decking Sylvan Advocate. Also, when you play 1 drops, you really shouldn't play more than 2-3 kolaghan, or even dark dwellers for that matter.
I have hated hordeling outburst as a card ever since Stoke the Flames rotation, however, I found myself needing to draw another threat or having opening hands that were threat light… So I may be forced to play the card. I have an IQ on Sunday and will most likely be running BR dragons back depending on how FNM goes.
K Command is one of those cards that is usually good all the time. It’s weak in the Abzan matchup, but its another shock/discard in the aggro matchup, and the discard is good vs ramp in G1. I used to think I’d never play it, but I think 3 copies is fine, even 1 copy is fine… The card is good. Sure it can’t “kill” a pumped up warden, mantis rider, knuckle blade (do people even play this card?) and anafenza…but you have upwards of 11 different MD kill spells that do that. People also forget the regrow ability of the card. make you discard return my Dragon/GDD is a pretty big tempo play.
I don’t like fire craft, it’s slow, and the 3 cmc is a big deal. Often times this deck is capable of two plays a turn, and fire craft really inhibits the chances of doing that.
Grasp vs Roast is a close debate, I don’t think you can say one is strictly better than the other. However, killing Wingmate roc in game is a huge plus for Grasp, it’s arguably the best card against us. Yes it doesn’t kill rhino in G1, but you still have other ways to combine two spells for that.
Playing main deck duress means you need more black sources, so I can see the potential for Grasp being good. I don’t think one is strictly more correct than the other, certainly warrants testing.
Currently my list for IQ looks something like this: (subject to change throughout the week)
4 Flamewake
4 Thunderbreak
4 Kolaghan
2 Pia and Kiran
3 Fiery Impulse
4 Draconic Roar
3 Murderous Cut
2 Duress
3 Hordeling Outburst
6 Mountain
3 Swamp
2 Haven
3 Smoldering Marsh
11 Fetches
2 Goblin Dark Dwellers
1 Duress
4 Transgress the Mind
2 Outpost Siege
2 Roast
3 Kozi Return
1 Kalitas
I am trying out the MD Duress/Grasp combo, if I dislike it Roast/KCommand would be a fine substitute.
(Purp on a side not, Id like to hear more about your last match against the mono white deck - if you can remember anything about the deck, can you message me some details please! )
I think I am "wanting" to be a bit more aggro/burn minded. Not sure if that is the right answer or not, but its how I am focusing on tuning and piloting the build for now.
But on the topic of 'big fliers' that you touch on above - I'd say depending on build we have different strategies against fliers we can not just burn away. Going wide, doubling up damage (regardless if it is a red or black spell) etc. And that is more or less true for almost all of the large fliers we would most likely come up against and would give our deck problems. But wingmate roc is a still a problem because of its mirror token which we have to prepare for as well. SO unless you have 2 grasps in hand, or main decking rending volley x2, (which of course no one would be doing) were still left with another 3/4 flier to contend with.
Chris Juliano's original deck list ran sunken hollow x1 along with 7 fetch lands which could grab it, and in his SB he had Negate x2 for his metagame at the time. We could follow suite and SB in w/ a blue splash, disdainful stroke or spell shrivel as an option as well. I'd typically shy away from splashing a 3rd color for only 1 or 2 spell, but that is rather outdated notion in this day and age I suppose.
Was not excited about it when I first saw it, but taking a 2nd look, especially at "Repeat this process once." I am wondering if this could be a another finisher for this deck? And one that could be a great come back after our opponent plays a board sweeper against us?
If this has a place in our deck, it would certainly synergi well with K-command, and all the burn we run in our deck.
Thoughts?
If that is so, it looks like a dam evil card. Perhaps too gimicky?
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Or just play goblin dark-dwellers
C Long Live Eldrazi C
I mean it has the potential to cause 10 points of damage or cause someone to sacrifice 2 creatures and/or planeswalkers, or discard 4 cards. Or some combination of the options.
Seems that which ever option the opponent would take, it has the possibility of leaving us with some sort of advantage.
I also like that it is another possible way to finish off (no one I assume would take the full 10 points of life loss, but any combination SHOULD lead to their demise ) the game aside from beat down w/ creatures.
I guess only one way to find out!
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
It looks cool on paper. In practice it may not work. It might be alright as a try as a one of. Probably sideboard because it is weak to token strategies.
AML, you would probably rather recycle a K-command or a Firecraft from a GD-D I would think.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
3 zurgo bellstriker
4 monastery swiftspear
4 forerunner of slaughter
4 flamewake phoenix
4 thunderbreak regent
2 kolaghan, the storm's fury
4 wild slash
4 draconic roar
4 exquisite firecraft
3 crackling doom
land 24
4 blood-stained mire
4 wooded foothills
4 smoldering marsh
4 battlefield forge
2 nomad outpost
4 mountain
2 swamp
This is the deck I want to try Friday night. Even though it is sped up from my previous list, I wonder if it is actually weaker.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
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 don't follow, can you elaborate please?
What is your SB going to look like?
The opponent choosing the modes makes it the worst possible combination in any given situation.
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)
No I am not at the event. Howver, FNM was crazy last night because of the event. There were 6 rounds, a lot of out-of-towners. Swiftspears, Thought-Knot Seers, and Hangarback Walkers were everywhere
My night started out 2-0 defeating Mardu Tempo that featured Seeker of the way, Soulfire GrandMaster, lots of removal and Siege Rhino. yes the Rhino.
Round 2 was vs a mono red aggro deck. Not completely optimized. Easy 2-0 win.
Round 3 put me at the front of the room at table #1.
Key match up vs a very good player on Atarka Red.
Game 1 he come out fast and hard and gets me down to 2. However he runs out of steam and I am able to mount a major surge and win.
Game 2 this time I srart out fast and hard. Now I fizzle out and the opponent storms back to win.
Game 3 disaster strikes. My starting hand has 3 Swiftspear, foul-tongue invocation, Arc Lightning and two mountains. However those are the only two lands I see the entire game. NO other cheap cards show up other than the starting 3 swiftspears. I loose the game with Foul-tongue, arch lightning, flamewake phoenix, 2 thudnerbreaks and a kolaghan the storms fury in my hand.
Round 4 puts me against BW control featuring thought-knot seer, reality smasher, and Gideon. This deck outclassed mine and I loose 2-1.
Round 5 is against a strange Red/Blue/Black control deck sharing the same dragons as our decks. 2-1 Win
At this point its midnight and I call it.
I decided not to change my original list much since its been doing well.
Here is what I played:
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Flamewake Phoenix
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Thunderbreak Regent
2 Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
3 Zurgo Bellstriker
Spells 14
4 Draconic Roar
3 Murderous Cut
4 Wild Slash
4 Exquisite Firecraft
10 Mountain
2 Swamp
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Smoldering Marsh
4 Wooded Foothills
4 roast
4 duress
2 arc lightning
2 ultimate price
2 rending volley
1 foul-tongue invocation
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Personally, I prefer a more mid range style Dragons, cutting the 1 drops for kill spells, 4 zulaports, flamewake and hordeling outburst.
Anyway, Regent will still be welcome in any deck running red since he's way too much value not to.
I've only been playing about 4.5 months, so I'm still learning which deck beats what.
Was wondering if someone could put together a list of what's a good match up for R/B Dragons(or even Mardu Dragons) and what isn't.
In my time with the deck, creature decks are what I want to see across the board. Atarka red gets eaten by this deck if it survives turn 3 and even wide decks typically aren't fast enough if we can pick them off one by one. We got a huge gift in grasp of darkness which makes short work of above curve power level titans like Anafenza and Sav. Knuckleblade.
The deck I think we have a bad match up is any ramp. We simply can't race consistently to a turn 5 kill. If it goes past turn 6, Ugin into Ulamog is toast for us if they resolve.
Control is 50/50. If they have the right counter spells, we simply can't win. But do they have the spells.
Anyway,yeah if you guys could put together a list, I can create a new post to compile each matchup and your thoughts.
4 Forerunner of Slaughter
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Flamewake Phoenix
4 Thunderbreak Regent
2 Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
2 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
1 Goblin Heelcutter
4 Wild Slash
4 Draconic Roar
4 Exquisite Firecraft
3 Murderous Cut
Lands 24
10 Mountain
2 Swamp
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Smoldering Marsh
4 Wooded Foothills
Removing the one drop creatures but still maintaining aggro from Forerunner and Heelcutter.
Dark-dwellers is just too good not to have. Menace followed by a dashed Kolaghan.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Also, if you could fit in a couple grasp of darkness, it is hugely important early and late game.