I'll be testing a Gods package tonight against WB Zombies, Temur Flamecaller Marvel, and Mardu Aggro. Trying to figure out where to fit that extra Dispossess in the side depending on how badly Marvel smashes me, but I'm not sure I'll stay on the Gods without good results given I'm not as used to it as the other version.
I'll have to consider the land. I recently went up from 20 after dropping Rishkar. Going to need to do some playing around with the hypergeometric calculator. The Disintegration switch looks good too. Been far too used to just always wanting the Harnessed Lightning in the board in an energy deck. I thought Ribbons being double black would be a problem too, but given it's not going to be too useful until around Turn 8 or just go to over a stalled game. I like the sideboard choices there. I'm definitely keeping the two Tireless Trackers in there though as they've done far too many good things for me in grindy games. Sweltering Suns or Radiant Flames I've considered, but it's definitely something I have to test. I've always been worried about wiping my own board. Lots to think about.
I want to explore what cards we use for sideboarding against Zombies, Marvel, Mardu, Control, and Constrictor. Each splash offers unique ways at dealing with them, but I also am trying to figure out where we stand against some of them as the beatdown or the control deck. My intuition tells me I want to bring in anti-creature answers for Zombies, Mardu, and Constrictor and then try to go bigger or over them. Marvel I want to prevent the Turn 4 Ulamog, and if I can't do that then you'd have to certainly splash in order to deal with it resolved that early. Against Control I just go to my tried and true value plan of slamming Planeswalkers and Tireless Tracker. I'm sticking to black for now for Fatal Push, Unlicensed Disintegration, Dispossess, Transgress the Mind, and maybe Scarab Feast.
Marvel has never been one of our better matchups especially if it doesn't splash a third color. If you are just RG you are better off just hoping they whiff with their own fail rate and then destroy it with the plethora that exists in those colors. If they hit a Turn 4 Ulamogg then that's pretty much over, and it will be for most decks if only just in the tempo swing.
In Jund I've been pushing my sideboard around to make room for Dispossess and Transgress the Mind which really help the matchup.
You aren't casting Ribbons with only 4 sources. I'd been considering putting it into my Jund version though since it runs 13 sources and needs to be only cast very late.
As for whether Cut alone is worth it I wouldn't really be sure. Harnessed Lightning is vastly superior, and for other red options there are Shock, Incendiary Flow, and Magma Spray. Really depends on how much you need to deal 4 damage outside of Harnessed Lightning. Nature's Way is an underrated option as well if you are looking at sorcery speed removal and have enough 3-4 power creatures. Personally once I splashed black I couldn't imagine going back.
Smashed FNM 4-0 against GB Constrictor, WB Zombies, Mono-Black Aggro, and UR Control. Hazoret overperformed as a one of compared to my expectations as a hellbent card that's difficult to deal with later in any game. All the five drops feel like they turn around a game incredibly quick by being additional removal in a deck with 8 mainboard answers and the ability to go up to 12 or more, and serve as answers themselves to decks as they transform into planeswalkers. In the more grindy meta that lacks Copy Cat the Tireless Trackers were the winners. As answers have to be thrown at Heart of Kiran, Longtusk Cub, Greenbelt Rampager, Scrapheap Scrounger, and Voltaic Brawler it feels like they run out of answers for a Turn 4 Tracker with a clue which if left alone for any longer than that ends the games with that drowning card advantage. Chandra still felt amazing with the versatility and incremental advantage. I managed to pop Heart of Kiran out of her extra mana twice, and even the time it was hit with Never // Return it felt like a victory. The removal really feels like it can be tweaked based on the expected meta and still gives Jund a strong way to deal with opposing decks.
Needs plenty more testing especially when the Mardu players show up and I will be trying an RG Gods variant, but two-drop focused Jund Energy has continued to treat me well. My sideboard feels like a scattered mess, but I managed to use most of it.
I've integrated a couple Sheltered Thicket to help cast Glorybringer and Chandra, Torch of Defiance more reliably. With my experience it's possible to pull off Jund, but it definitely can't be a double black card. Fatal Push isn't even a reliable turn one option with ~13 sources of black, but you often want to be using Attune with Aether or Greenbelt Rampager anyway. It's actually possible we don't need Black anymore either, but curving out two drops while still using Fatal Push has won me so many games just off that tempo.
What I'm trying to do is integrate Rhonas, the Indomitable, and Hazoret, the Fervent and turn it into an Aggro/Midrange Gods type build. The balance comes in that we need a critical mass of 4 Power creatures to turn on Rhonas immediately to defend against Aggro. Bristling Hydra becomes better in a format without Copy Cat, and feels like an inclusion. Lathnu Hellion is possible, but all my energy goes into Longtusk Cub. Longtusk Cub is still absurd when you are ahead on the boarding removal, but has a harder time reaching 4 power than 3 power. Of which Heart of Kiran is still an impressive beater in this deck, and can turn on Rhonas and be crewed even with inactive gods. I'm kind of on the feeling of dropping Cub, and going lighter on removal just to make room for the gods. Needs a ton more testing though. I've also started to feel that Blossoming Defense gets a bit of an uptick in strength given you sometimes want to keep the mana open for Censor anyway, and there's a lot of expensive mana removal out there like Cast Out that it blows out. Also can enable Rhonas in a pinch. Speaking of which, Arlinn Kord also feels like she gets a boost in a Rhonas deck, but there still needs to be a critical mass of creatures.
Aethersphere Harvester would fit in as a direct sub, but I think if you go without the Heart of Kiran it'd be better to make sure you have the black for Winding Constrictor and go that kind of route.
2-Drop, 2-Drop + Greenbelt Rampager, into double 2-Drop or 2-Drop, Rishkar, into 5-Drop is what can make the deck have an aggressive board state on Turn 4 on the play. Heart of Kiran is pretty important to increasing the threat I'd agree, but there's nothing wrong with x2 Voltaic Brawler, a Rampager, Longtusk Cub, and a Scrapheap Scrounger threatening on the board either. On the draw you have a lot of removal options to control the board state and eventually slam down your own threats. Not to mention Rampager can wall off a large number of aggressive threats out there today. Dynavolt Tower I think would do better in a deck devoted to it like you say given I don't like potentially slamming down 3 mana worth of something that can't do anything, and a lot of our creature drops don't futher the Tower plan enough. Temur Tower Control is really good though so I doubt you'd be disappointed with moving into that.
I honestly think RWx Vehicles is one of our best matchups. We don't need a sweeper. We just need to play our bigger things and pick off their Vehicles with our removal. It's Midrange against Aggro and we are favored. Unless you are talking about the Pummeler version maybe?
When Jund Aggro can get a Top 8 PT and a 9-0 Day 1 of a GP with such an under-represented meta-share I'm convinced the deck is the real deal. Besides being undefeated at FNM lately. The black splash has only broken my consistency in maybe a single mulligan, and I've actually been happy with Longtusk Cub again with the amount of removal I've gone up on.
I much prefer Elephant on Turn 3 anyway, not Turn 2. Attune, 2-Drop, 2-Drop, and Elephant is a lot to deal with on Turn 3. That or using it to trigger Revolt for Fatal Push.
Won Game Day and FNM with this list. It feels like it tears apart Copy Cat, other Control, and Mardu Vehicles, but the matchup isn't favored against GB Snake. I was just lucky on getting removal heavy hands and eating away at their board while they couldn't deal with the Scrapheap Scrounger and Bristling Hydra with their own removal effectively enough. They seem to have difficulty in dealing with our big 5+ CMC bodies when you prevent them or answer them getting their own, but if unchecked they will outgrow by a lot. I also found that dropping the Heart of Kiran after the first match seemed to catch a lot of people off guard as they brought in Natural State, Fragmentize, and such. Not completely convinced I should be taking it out though.
Natural State hitting Stasis Snare and Quarantine Field have always been one the reasons I play it over something that hits strictly Artifacts. I do think there is some merit in making room for strict artifact hate though with Release The Gremlins and Natural Obsolescence. I think I'm set on getting the black splash in after playtesting.
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Forest
4 Game Trail
2 Mountain
2 Sheltered Thicket
1 Swamp
Spells (15)
4 Attune with Aether
2 Blossoming Defense
2 Fatal Push
3 Heart of Kiran
4 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Bristling Hydra
2 Glorybringer
4 Greenbelt Rampager
2 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Longtusk Cub
2 Rhonas the Indomitable
3 Scrapheap Scrounger
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Voltaic Brawler
1 Fatal Push
1 Radiant Flames
3 Magma Spray
1 Prowling Serpopard
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
2 Appetite for the Unnatural
3 Transgress the Mind
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Dispossess
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Forest
4 Game Trail
2 Mountain
2 Sheltered Thicket
1 Swamp
Artifacts (4)
3 Heart of Kiran
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
Instants (8)
1 Blossoming Defense
3 Fatal Push
2 Harnessed Lightning
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
4 Attune with Aether
1 Cut // Ribbons
Planeswalkers (2)
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Creatures (20)
2 Glorybringer
4 Greenbelt Rampager
4 Longtusk Cub
1 Rhonas the Indomitable
3 Scrapheap Scrounger
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Voltaic Brawler
1 Fatal Push
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Transgress the Mind
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Appetite for the Unnatural
1 Dispossess
2 Tireless Tracker
2 Magma Spray
1 Glorybringer
In Jund I've been pushing my sideboard around to make room for Dispossess and Transgress the Mind which really help the matchup.
As for whether Cut alone is worth it I wouldn't really be sure. Harnessed Lightning is vastly superior, and for other red options there are Shock, Incendiary Flow, and Magma Spray. Really depends on how much you need to deal 4 damage outside of Harnessed Lightning. Nature's Way is an underrated option as well if you are looking at sorcery speed removal and have enough 3-4 power creatures. Personally once I splashed black I couldn't imagine going back.
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Forest
4 Game Trail
2 Mountain
2 Sheltered Thicket
1 Swamp
//Spells
4 Attune with Aether
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Fatal Push
3 Harnessed Lightning
3 Heart of Kiran
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Glorybringer
4 Greenbelt Rampager
1 Hazoret the Fervent
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Voltaic Brawler
1 Fatal Push
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
1 Harnessed Lightning
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Dissenter's Deliverance
1 Root Out
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
2 Tireless Tracker
2 Magma Spray
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
Needs plenty more testing especially when the Mardu players show up and I will be trying an RG Gods variant, but two-drop focused Jund Energy has continued to treat me well. My sideboard feels like a scattered mess, but I managed to use most of it.
What I'm trying to do is integrate Rhonas, the Indomitable, and Hazoret, the Fervent and turn it into an Aggro/Midrange Gods type build. The balance comes in that we need a critical mass of 4 Power creatures to turn on Rhonas immediately to defend against Aggro. Bristling Hydra becomes better in a format without Copy Cat, and feels like an inclusion. Lathnu Hellion is possible, but all my energy goes into Longtusk Cub. Longtusk Cub is still absurd when you are ahead on the boarding removal, but has a harder time reaching 4 power than 3 power. Of which Heart of Kiran is still an impressive beater in this deck, and can turn on Rhonas and be crewed even with inactive gods. I'm kind of on the feeling of dropping Cub, and going lighter on removal just to make room for the gods. Needs a ton more testing though. I've also started to feel that Blossoming Defense gets a bit of an uptick in strength given you sometimes want to keep the mana open for Censor anyway, and there's a lot of expensive mana removal out there like Cast Out that it blows out. Also can enable Rhonas in a pinch. Speaking of which, Arlinn Kord also feels like she gets a boost in a Rhonas deck, but there still needs to be a critical mass of creatures.
I honestly think RWx Vehicles is one of our best matchups. We don't need a sweeper. We just need to play our bigger things and pick off their Vehicles with our removal. It's Midrange against Aggro and we are favored. Unless you are talking about the Pummeler version maybe?
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
5 Forest
4 Game Trail
2 Mountain
1 Swamp
//Spells
4 Attune with Aether
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Fatal Push
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Heart of Kiran
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
3 Unlicensed Disintegration
4 Greenbelt Rampager
3 Longtusk Cub
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
2 Verdurous Gearhulk
4 Voltaic Brawler
1 Fatal Push
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
2 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Release the Gremlins
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
4 Tireless Tracker
1 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Shock
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
6 Forest
4 Game Trail
2 Mountain
1 Swamp
//Artifacts
3 Heart of Kiran
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
//Instants
2 Fatal Push
4 Harnessed Lightning
2 Unlicensed Disintegration
4 Attune with Aether
//Planeswalkers
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
//Creatures
2 Bristling Hydra
4 Greenbelt Rampager
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
3 Tireless Tracker
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
4 Voltaic Brawler
2 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Fatal Push
2 Shock
1 Natural State
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
2 Release the Gremlins
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Fleetwheel Cruiser
2 Unlicensed Disintegration