Yeah, I think my problem is that I have yet to see the Gruul Aggro deck in action and figure out how it plays. The only experience I have is with the RDW, and I guess I expected the Gruul deck to function more or less the same.
In regards to the Reckoner, I would have to agree. All they seem to provide is a good transition into mid-late game. In a deck that is looking for tempo, they don't really do the job, unless I can soulbond it with a Lightning Mauler that was played the turn prior, which doesn't happen too often.
I think I'm gonna run the RDW again this week, figure out its mechanics some more, and go from there.
IMO, I reccomend the following changes to your Gruul deck:
-Drop 4 Boros Reckoner ... Mana will be a roadblock for him, and while he's awesome he doesn't fit well with what your deck wants to do ... and that's win with speed and efficiency.
-Add 1 Ash Zealot (because you should).
-Add 1 Devil's Play (creature removal or nice finishing spell if you stall out).
-Add 2 Rancor (because Gruul craves trample).
-Drop 2 Temple Garden (no more Reckoner).
-Drop 2 Mountain.
-Add 3 Forest. (you need green to drop Rancor/Bloodrush early).
-Add 1 Kessig Wolf Run (Trample and extra damage).
Other considerations:
-If you find that in your meta you are reaching mid-game more often than not, think about the card Wild Hunger. It's efficient in that it can be cast twice, provides trample, and your opponent forgets it's sitting in the graveyard.
-Hound of Griselbrand can be a complete monster in Gruul.
-Pyreheart Wolf loves causing problems for would-be foes.
Devil's Play will be hitting for 3/4 most of the time, seeing as the deck is running 21 lands with no ramp... often becoming an overpriced Searing Spear.
Pyreheart Wolf is iffy, if it had Haste instead of Undying I'd include it in a heartbeat, but it just seems too slow.
Hound of Griselbrand seems like more of a potential sideboard option, as Hellrider does everything better in the majority of matchups.
Kessig Wolf Run doesn't really mesh well with a deck that wants to finish on turn 5... at least in my mind. Sure it could save me late game, but I don't want to start gimping my Plan A just so I have a better Plan B, if that makes sense.
reckoner is a no brainer, if you don't have access for budget reasons i'd add hellion, probably not both though. burning tree has a lot of positive interactions as well also works well with hellion and of course burning tree into mauler is amazing. i have very mixed feelings on vexing, if a one mana sorcery deal 4 to target player is worth it then sure, waif is bad, legion loyalist is another mixed feelings he does work nicely as a finisher against a clogged board, i'd probably say he's meta dependent.
Great suggestions. Believe me when I say I know the dangers of Burning-Tree Emissary (I had a guy chain 3 of them together on turn 2 tonight at FNM), I just didn't think they would be that beneficial to a RDW. But yeah, the way you put it, it does seem quite good. Also, would Thundermaw Hellkite be good as a 2-of?
I have trouble against Boros Battalion Aggro and Straight Blue Mill (the deck I wanted to emulate.) The Boros is just too quick and get's me too low before I have the tools to react. The mill is pretty much a race against the clock, and unfortunately a race that I often end up losing. I don't have the time to establish any board presence, and as a result end up losing on turn 7 pretty much every time.
Of course, the leader of our group (the one that got us all into it) has a plethora of decks, and consistently beats us with ease. He mainly plays mono decks, mostly Mono Green Ramp, and builds an army full of Trampling Hexproof dudes that steamroll by turn 5.
This is what inspired me to build a mono-green of my own, with my own take on it.
Anyway, there's the rundown of the "meta" in my playgroup.
I was wondering if I could get some suggestions for a semi-budget Modern deck that can still compete at FNM. If it's possible, I'd like it to be easy to learn and play (I'm only about a month in). I'm sort of leaning towards a mono-color deck, merely because I don't want to buy shocklands/fetchlands and the deck won't suffer as a result. I would prefer the deck to be around 75$, stretching maybe 20$ in either direction.
Here are decks I'm considering and would like an opinion on:
What are your guys' opinions on Inquisitor's Flail? It seems like it would have great synergy with Tormented Soul. Get a few Exalted triggers. Double the damage. Ouch.
I would like to build a semi-budget (~75$) B/W Exalted deck that I can use at FNM. I know it might not be the best deck out there, but it seems fun and should do alright. Here's what I have in mind:
Great points, thanks for all the help.
I think I'm gonna run the RDW again this week, figure out its mechanics some more, and go from there.
Devil's Play will be hitting for 3/4 most of the time, seeing as the deck is running 21 lands with no ramp... often becoming an overpriced Searing Spear.
Pyreheart Wolf is iffy, if it had Haste instead of Undying I'd include it in a heartbeat, but it just seems too slow.
Hound of Griselbrand seems like more of a potential sideboard option, as Hellrider does everything better in the majority of matchups.
Kessig Wolf Run doesn't really mesh well with a deck that wants to finish on turn 5... at least in my mind. Sure it could save me late game, but I don't want to start gimping my Plan A just so I have a better Plan B, if that makes sense.
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Rakdos Cackler
2 Stonewright
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Ash Zealot
3 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Hellrider
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
2 Pillar of Flame
4 Searing Spear
2 Brimstone Volley
Lands:
2 Hellion Crucible
20 Mountain
2 Electrickery
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Skullcrack
3 Traitorous Blood
2 Annihilating Fire
I'm loving the deck and think that by playing it more and more I will get a better feel on how to operate it.
My question is, would converting this deck into a Gruul Aggro be a better option? What are the pros and cons of switching?
Here's a rough idea of what the Gruul Aggro Deck would look like:
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
3 Lightning Mauler
3 Ash Zealot
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Hellrider
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Searing Spear
2 Rancor
Lands:
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Temple Garden
11 Mountain
3 Volcanic Strength
3 Domri Rade
3 Mizzium Mortars
3 Pillar of Flame
3 Skullcrack
Right off the bat, the Gruul variant seems to offer more pump and a potentially better nut draw, but the RDW seems more consistent.
What are some of your thoughts?
Here's where it stands right now:
4 Stromkirk Noble
2 Stonewright
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Ash Zealot
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Hellrider
4 Searing Spear
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Brimstone Volley
Lands:
1 Hellion Crucible
21 Mountain
2 Pillar of Flame
3 Mizzium Mortars
2 Electrickery
2 Annihilating Fire
2 Traitorous Blood
4 Skullcrack
Should do fine. Only thing I'm having a dilemma over is whether to -1 Mountain and +1 Hellion Crucible.
Great suggestions. Believe me when I say I know the dangers of Burning-Tree Emissary (I had a guy chain 3 of them together on turn 2 tonight at FNM), I just didn't think they would be that beneficial to a RDW. But yeah, the way you put it, it does seem quite good. Also, would Thundermaw Hellkite be good as a 2-of?
That's what I was thinking... I'd also like an explanation behind the Burning-Tree Emissary.
4 Ash Zealot
4 Hellrider
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Rakdos Cackler
2 Stonewright
4 Stromkirk Noble
2 Zealous Conscripts
2 Brimstone Volley
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Searing Spear
Lands:
22 Mountain
Cards I'm considering/need opinions on:
RRR - Boros Reckoner
3RR - Thundermaw Hellkite
R - Vexing Devil
R - Legion Loyalist
R - Reckless Waif
Hellion Crucible
The sideboard is pretty rough at the moment...
Any and all suggestions are appreciated, thanks!
I'm looking to build a semi-budget U/R Delver deck, preferably only costing around $130.
I found a deck online that gives me a pretty good idea of where to start:
3 Augur of Bolas
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Guttersnipe
Spells:
3 Izzet Charm
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Searing Spear
2 Syncopate
4 Think Twice
4 Thought Scour
4 Unsummon
4 Izzet Guildgate
10 Island
8 Mountain
This deck only costs $30, which is great, but I'd be willing to invest a little bit more if it proved to be a good improvement.
Right off the bat, I feel that a playset of Snapcaster Mage would do wonders, but I also think it would help to add Steam Vents/Sulfur Falls.
I'd like some opinions on this deck, and how I can best improve it with an extra hundred bucks. Thanks.
We don't really have a meta. At the moment we just play casually, but a few of us have the intention to take it further in the future.
I have one deck right now. It's a beginner's take on Orzhov Control/Combo, with a couple Obzedat, Ghost Councils, four Geralf's Messengers and four Vizkopa Guildmages as its core, also featuring Exquisite Blood to trigger the infini-combo with VG as another win con.
I have trouble against Boros Battalion Aggro and Straight Blue Mill (the deck I wanted to emulate.) The Boros is just too quick and get's me too low before I have the tools to react. The mill is pretty much a race against the clock, and unfortunately a race that I often end up losing. I don't have the time to establish any board presence, and as a result end up losing on turn 7 pretty much every time.
Of course, the leader of our group (the one that got us all into it) has a plethora of decks, and consistently beats us with ease. He mainly plays mono decks, mostly Mono Green Ramp, and builds an army full of Trampling Hexproof dudes that steamroll by turn 5.
This is what inspired me to build a mono-green of my own, with my own take on it.
Anyway, there's the rundown of the "meta" in my playgroup.
TLDR: We're all noobs.
I was wondering if I could get some suggestions for a semi-budget Modern deck that can still compete at FNM. If it's possible, I'd like it to be easy to learn and play (I'm only about a month in). I'm sort of leaning towards a mono-color deck, merely because I don't want to buy shocklands/fetchlands and the deck won't suffer as a result. I would prefer the deck to be around 75$, stretching maybe 20$ in either direction.
Here are decks I'm considering and would like an opinion on:
- Red Deck Wins (Goblin Guide, Vexing Devil, Lightning Bolt, etc.)
- Mono Green Ramp (Llanowar Elves, Dungrove Elder, Primeval Titan, etc.)
- Mono Blue Straight Mill (Mind Sculpt, Jace's Phantasm, Jace, Memory Adept, etc.)
- B/W Exalted (Sublime Archangel, Duty-Bound Dead, Vampire Nighthawk, etc.)
Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks a lot!
Also... is Angelic Benediction worth it in this deck?
4 Duty-Bound Dead
4 Aven Squire
4 Knight of Infamy
4 Knight of Glory
4 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Sublime Archangel
Planeswalkers:
2 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
4 Tragic Slip
2 Sign in Blood
3 Ultimate Price
3 Lingering Souls
2 Oblivion Ring
Land:
3 Cathedral of War
10 Plains
9 Swamp
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Faith's Reward
4 Duress
3 War Priest of Thune
2 Angelic Benediction
2 Appetite for Brains
Now, here's what I need help with...
- As far as a one drop goes, is Duty-Bound Dead my best shot? Tormented Soul and Warclamp Mastiff seem like possibilites.
- Is Silverblade Paladin a better fit in this deck than Ajani, Caller of the Pride? My only concern is that the Soulbond sort of contradicts the Exalted theme...
- Should I consider Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis in my Sideboard for when I have to face a control deck?
- Is Angelic Benediction worth a spot in the Main Deck?
- How can I keep Sublime Archangel safe from removal? Should I run Orzhov Charm/Cloudshift/Mask of Avacyn?
- Are there any Artifacts that would be of use in this deck?
Thanks in advance, any suggestions are appreciated!