MTG Salvation

This is honestly a large weakness in the current Boros HUMANS list. You’ve got one, maybe two capable bodies here, and then it’s barren. However, for non-human lists there are options that can go a long way toward legitimizing this deck (and probably pushing it to Tier 1). This slot in the curve is one of the big reasons I feel the tribal list is inferior as of GTC.

Champion of the Parish - The ideal starting drop in a human deck. He grows, he beats, and he’s amazingly good at both of those. He’s also incredibly CoS-friendly. In a non-human deck, his uses drop too quickly to even consider. ONLY use him if you build your whole deck to accommodate humans.

Stonewright - Great in a mono-R deck, but in Boros where there’s such a heavy mix of W, his ability probably isn’t worth it. You cannot count on using his ability as a mana dump in a deck that doesn’t focus on R primarily. He's still probably the best topdeck 1drop we have available, except maybe Legion Loyalist, but Battalion is proving difficult to trigger. Basically a 1/1 for 1 isn’t enough here. Heck, even a 2/2 for 1 might not be good enough, which brings us to…

Legion Loyalist - An interesting Soldier, this goblin offers one thing we haven’t seen on a 1 drop in ages: haste. He’s always going to be a 1/1 though. What is his major advantage? He makes an amazing topdeck if you’ve got other guys out – 2 specifically – so you can activate his Battalion. Pairing trample with first strike is potent. Trample alone is even great here, but that’s because many of these guys have some sort of “strike” already. Is he good enough? Testing will see, but being a Goblin kind of hurts. He feels more like a sorcery-speed trick than a creature.

Stromkirk Noble - Don’t get me wrong, I love my Nobles, but they can be slow. Regardless, if not running the human tribe, then you should play four of this guy without question. His semi-evasion can be very relevant, and if left alone he will get huge. If you have T1 red, you want this. Will be even better with Sacred Foundry or in any deck that isn’t focused on the human tribe. This guy is still a beastly T1 drop, so don’t dismiss him.

Rakdos Cackler - While he's only a 2/2, and can’t block, it can apply pressure. It's also consistent. It swings for 2, always. If you're into the human tribe, it won’t help pump your Champ, or increase your Malcontents’ burst. Just like Stonewright, it simply isn’t as strong in the tribal version of the deck where it can’t be guaranteed to be cast T1. Then again, in Mono-Red this guy is your next set of T1 beaters where his "can't block" doesn't matter. He’s quite good at putting on the pressure, and thus he still deserves an answer.

Reckless Waif - Another mediocre beater, only given thought due to being human and due to being an amazing T1 play against durdle decks. It shines T1 on the play, and only then if your opponent stalls out T1. It’s decent when flipped, but keeping it that way is going to be hard, and harder as the game goes on. If it doesn’t flip in the first 3 turns, it probably won’t, and then it’s just a huge waste of deck space.

others…
Doomed Traveler - His only real advantage is that he’s flexible enough to beat and survive removal. His reincarnation is also evasive. But in a deck without anthems, a 1/1 for 1 is what he’ll usually be, and that isn’t great. Only those serious about the human tribal should consider him.

War Falcon - This card has potential. You have to build around it, but it’s considerably worth it. Three are lots of good cards in this list that are either Soldiers or Knights, and given proper construction any time you play this, you’ll easily be able to follow it up with a T2 that enables it. An evasive 2/1 for 1 IS good. We just need to see whether there will be enough Knights/Soldiers, or if we’re going to continue to use Warriors and Berserkers instead (making this bird worthless). Works very well with exalted triggers.

Dryad Militant - Not a human (though he is a Soldier), the dryad at least has a very relevant ability and thus can serve well. It’s never really bad to have a T1 Savannah Lions, especially if he slows down a Think Twice deck. Humans would rather their other 1 drops be able to pump up the Champion, and non-humans have other options that won’t always have 1 toughness (a huge liability).

Foundry Street Denizen – This little fellow may be one of the better overlooked cards in the set. Granted, he’s a 1/1 Goblin Warrior for 1, but if your deck is skewed toward Red, then he’s going to be a 2/1 for 1 more often than not, and occasionally a 3/1. If you’re talking him in conjunction with a token producer or something, it could be better still. That’s where I think we’ll see him, honestly, beside Krenko or Assemble the Legion etc., but he’s still nothing to scoff at.

Boros Elite – GTC addition, typical human soldier, which sadly means he’s got only a 1/1 body on normal days, and that just won’t cut it. Sure, if you have Battalion he gets to be 3/3, but that’s just… not enough. As an additional pump for Champions he is good, but as a T1 play, he’s not a Stromkirk Noble, and he’s barely even Reckless Waif. He just relies too much on other cards to make himself worth it.

At two, this deck has a glut of options. This is probably the hardest cut to make, as it can go several different ways. You can opt for utility, haste, first strike, token production, or many other ways. It’s good to have decisions to make, but if only some (or ONE) of these had cost just 1 less… Ah well.

Ash Zealot - I don’t need to explain why this card is so far above the curve, and why it shouldn’t ever be in doubt, do I? If you’re running enough red (and you should be), you need 4 of this card in your deck.

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - She’s great against all kinds of decks that rely on spells… which fortunately this deck does not. How often has she slowed that sweeper down the one necessary turn to really be a Control hoser? On a 2/1 first striker? Yes please. I’ve been playing 3 main, which cuts down on the removal package I run. Then again, that also allows me to be that much more aggressive. Downside: limits Rally the Peasants too.

Precinct Captain - First Strike is his biggest perk, because we really can’t make much use of his tokens in this deck without running anthems. They can add to the Hellrider or Battalion counts, but usually they’ll just be chump blockers or pings. Feels weaker than Elite Inquisitor due to lack of protections, but he creates interesting blocking situations for your opponent. Still, WW might be a challenge depending on which sort of deck you're running. Also not sure if this guy is even any better in this deck than…

Lightning Mauler - Haste for anyone is great, when it’s timed appropriately. How often that happens, though, that’s the trick. He can be great, especially if paired with someone like Odric or Pyreheart Wolf. But are we running them MB? Is haste worth it? He also looks bad against Blind Obedience, which I predict will start to see play. I’d like to think he's good, as he can get Battalion rolling as early as T3. He just has such a weak body.

Truefire Paladin – Don’t let his 2/2 for 2 body fool you, he’s much bigger than that. Vigilance makes this guy a monster, especially since he’s one of the best topdecks late game, even after a board wipe. The more mana you have open, the better he gets. If you don’t need his FS then he’s even better. The only downside is that he’s very mana intensive. But so what?

Burning-Tree Emissary – If you get her with another 2-drop in your opening hand, and you can cast her RR cost, she’s going to make your start very explosive. However, it also will open you up to an even more devastating sweep. It’s a risk you must be willing to take if you play her. Then again, she combos well with Lightning Mauler, or really any of the 1C creatures in this list. Just be wary that you can’t hit a double-color OR anything W.

Gore-House Chainwalker - Much, much weaker than the alternatives, that’s mostly because the others are just that much better. A 3/2 for 2 was good, but now that “can’t block” matters some (due to there being another 3/2 for 2), I think he simply isn’t cutting it any more. How sad is that? Anyway, he’s easily splashable, which also means he can be cast off a Burning-Tree's extra mana, so there’s a big plus in his favor if you’re color-concerned. I don’t expect to see him in many decks otherwise.

Wojek Halberdiers - This, this is the guy that makes Gore-House Chainwalker look weak, and that’s saying something. He’s always a 3/2 for 2. Think about that. And if he attacks with two friends, he gains first strike. There’s no downside on this guy. So why is he all the way at the bottom of this list? Because look at who is above him. If you’re running white, there are probably better options. If you’re running red, there are definitely better options. How many slots do you want to have dedicated to 2 drops? Man, that’s just rough…

others…
Elite Inquisitor - Vigilance and First Strike make for a great combination. His protections can be relevant as well. Downside? He’s only a 2/2, and his WW cost can be pretty harsh, especially when trying to cast him in the same deck as Ash Zealot (which we really want to play).

Nearheath Pilgrim - Cute trick enabler, and a way to buy the requisite time to keep a Midrange deck at bay. Best interactions include soulbonds with Hellrider, Silverblade Paladin, and Kessig Malcontents (stack your triggers properly), but anyone will suffice, really. Lifelink is nothing to sneer at.

Bomber Corps – This guy screams SB to me, but I still like him. Against decks where there are creatures with only one toughness, this guy is superb removal. Running two out at a time will give you lots more options. Tokens getting you down? Ping one a turn, assuming you’ve got two other dudes to attack with him. His own 2 toughness is important in that it makes him a step above the typical two-drop in that category. Sad that he’s not a bear pre-Battalion though. Then he’d definitely be solid. Still, something to keep an eye on.

Cloistered Youth - 3/3 as soon as it can start attacking, but at the same time it’ll start ticking your own clock. Needs more testing, but I could actually see it working. When you cast it, it’s still got a relevant type (Human). If you're into racing, and you're in white, then consider her.

Knight of Glory - Prot black means more and more in a meta where zombies creep out of their graves and into Top 8s. Exalted is also nice in the early turns, especially if it enables a 3/3 attack T2 from a Champion, but it usually won’t be active again until you see a Sublime Archangel (if you even run her), and at that point it’s just one more trigger. Then again, if you’re running Sublimes, this feeds synergistically into you overall endgame, and that’s never bad. Just realize that it exposes you even more to Charms.

Loyal Cathar - Undying is nice, even if it comes with a drawback and a weakened toughness. While not a first-striker, Vigilance isn’t useless. Still, I’ve never found use for him in the deck. There just seem to be better 2 drops, especially if we’re willing to accept double-colored.

Kruin Striker - This guy was a house in Limited, but I’m just not sure that he’s worth the investment in constructed. He triggers on any creature you control, and that’s nice, but he’s pretty much guaranteed to die when he attacks, if not before. That 1 toughness is quite bad. In fact, he’s a liability most games I’ve tried him in, since you’re usually only losing on both power and toughness when you play him. Gore-Chain Walker makes him just look sad.

Daring Skyjek - This 3/1 Knight is actually one of the cards I’m interested in testing. It fits well into the two slot as a three-power beater (always good) that can occasionally also be evasive. Flying is no small deal for our guys. The downside? He only has one toughness, and that is something this deck must consider. It’s going to be surprisingly weak to something like Electrickery or an opposing Bomber Corps if we’re not careful. It’s already seeing problems thanks to Rolling Temblor and its variants. Is his upside worth the down? I’m just not sure yet.

Azorius Arrester - 2/1 body on a Human Soldier, not bad. Detain also isn’t bad… but usually it just won’t be useful. He’s strange in that he’s probably a better drop later in the game than on T2, since the later turns are when we want to push the damage through potential blockers. Worth considering, but he won’t fit your perfect curve.

Fencing Ace - If it’s paired with something that ups its P/T, this double-striker could really shine. Coming in as a measly 1/1 hurts it though. Maybe consider it if you’re running an anthem, or enchantments. Realistically, this deck won’t run either unless we see something like Honor of the Pure reprinted, which would make this deck ABSURD.

Syndic of Tithes – Extort Bear is what he really is. If Extort ends up being something good, then this card will be good. I don’t expect to see it in many Boros lists though. Just put here for the Extort mention. We’ll track it and see.

Now we start getting to the hard choices. These really go a long way toward shaping the deck, because they offer a lot of power. Do you want to exile opposing threats, or push your damage through? Do you want to risk yourself on any kind of strikers, or just go for the throat with a pump spell? Three is where you have to start making serious decisions, because we’re nearing the top of the curve; you don’t have much room to work with. That said, I include some very marginal cards here just to talk about them and keep them in mind for those who really like to test EVERYTHING as much as I do.

Silverblade Paladin - He just wins games. Period. Giving double strike to any creatures in this deck is how you win more games than anything else. Paired with a Champion, he’s especially devastating. But honestly, double strike is just absurd, and this guy allows for stupid damage to happen quickly. Run 4 if you have the W to support him, always.

Frontline Medic - This guy is very good. A 3/3 for 3 is something white rarely if ever sees. Add to that two potent abilities and he’s great. His indestructibility Battalion trigger will break games open by allowing you to attack into anything, and his sacrifice ability means that the first Sphinx’s Revelation might not be as potent as it could be. Very, very useful. That said, it remains to be seen how easy it is to trigger Battalion, so it might be overreaching, and the indestructibility is only on that one turn. He appeared like he'd be an auto-4-of until the next guy was spoiled:

Boros Reckoner - He’s not a human, but that’s the only strike against him. He dis-incentivizes your opponent from using an entire type of removal on him, since burn will just 2-for-1 them. This is incredibly relevant since most of the best removal in the format is burn-based. By that same right, he’s a bulky body that makes your opponent reconsider blocking. That’s powerful. He’s good, maybe great. He’s just going to be harder to cast if you’re running more colorless lands, especially since his types are worthless: Minotaur Wizard?! Really?

Pyreheart Wolf - We know what he can do: He pushes damage through. Not many decks are prepared to block when this wolf hits the table, especially if he’s brought in and paired immediately with a Lightning Mauler. Undying is also one of his bigger perks, since that means that they must have a very specific answer to your threat, or you’re charging in at full speed next turn, too. His first turn down, he’s a fantastic chump blocker. Basically, he's a very good card. He's even easy to splash.

Kessig Malcontents - Cute, mostly, and ONLY in a humans deck. He can be a potent (free) shock or better, depending on your board state. Then again, this is one of those cards you definitely side out against Control, since you won’t have enough humans to make that ETB effect matter. Only 1 toughness also hurts, a lot, though 3 power means he hits hard if allowed to connect, and he can usually trade with whatever you want. Sadly, he usually trades with smaller creatures costing you tempo, though I suppose that’s why the ETB matters so much. It’s a shame all tokens being produced of late are Soldiers, or he might be a nice supplement to a token-themed deck.

Skyknight Legionnaire - Better known as “crotchknight legionnaire” due to the new art, this card does two things well. First, it comes down and attacks immediately. Second, it does that evasively due to flying. That’s it. It’s a solid, evasive 2/2 for 3. That’s not bad in a deck that might want to enable Battalion. If you’ve got low-CMC creatures with Battalion, keep her in mind.

others…
Splatter Thug - 3/3 first strike for 3 is solid. His FS is less valuable if he cannot block, which is why this card is so odd, but he is a very strong attacker. Alternatively, a 2/2 FS is notably what we’d pay for our 2 drops, so he’s either unleashed or not in the deck. Not so good. He can apply good pressure while also taking out a most potential blockers (especially Tusks) with his FS.

Riot Ringleader - Granting +1/+0 to all humans (not necessarily attacking, but when is that relevant?) isn’t bad, but… for a 2/2, it may not be enough. It’s usually going to be win-more, which isn’t what this deck needs. It’s essentially a step down from Instigator Gang, since it only hits humans and it must attack to grant its bonus. Luckily, since it’s a 3-drop, that means its effect will be available on the ever-important T4.

Fiend Hunter - An excellent sideboard card, since it fills the ever-important role of removal in creature form. Also a human, which is an extra perk. He’ll see play. Pack at least a couple, since he also doesn’t get in Thalia’s way. The downside is that without any sort of anthem, he only has 3 toughness, which makes him susceptible to lots of easy removal, and since most important creatures now also pack ETB effects, that means you’re giving your opponent a free effect.

Kruin Outlaw - If it were easier to get this card to flip, she would be amazing. Sadly, she just isn’t going to reliably go, and a 2/2 FS for 3 again puts her behind almost all of our 2 drops. That just isn’t enough. If you want a reliable double striker, get one of the non-werewolves: Fencing Aces at 2 CMC, Silverblades at 3, or Hounds at 4. If she flips, any of your human-tribal buffs (like Riders of Gavony) no longer apply to her. She’s better against control decks than most other archetypes, but that’s because she flips most often against those style decks.

Fervent Cathar - I’m not sure if this guy is really worth talking about, but haste with a “cannot block” tacked on isn’t really bad. Then again, if you’re close enough that one less blocker matters, wouldn’t the Malcontents probably finish it off for you?

Midnight Guard and Mentor of the Meek
- I really wanted to find a way to make these work, whether it be with some sort of combo or just as draw engines, but I just do not see it at the moment. Mentor is too costly, and Guard simply doesn’t do enough.

Crusader of Odric - This is what I’d like to call a trap. If she’s big enough to matter, you’re already winning. You’re just better off using something else at this spot, since 3 is prime real estate in this deck.

Thraben Doomsayer - Slow, but a token generator if that’s what you really want. Also worth noting, the tokens are Humans as well, so they’ll work to pump Champions. In the event that you’re in Fateful Hour, you also get an anthem for all your dudes. I cannot say that ability has ever been useful for me though.

Hellrider - The gold standard for this cost. Usually you just want to play four and get on with it. Stacking two on the field at a time wins you the game faster than you can sneeze. The only time he might not be an auto-include is in a Boros Humans deck. Because in that deck, the tribe matters. “Human” is one of the reason the deck works, since it makes CoS function as both uncounterable AND mana fixing. T1 CoS is the ideal play there. It’s free fixing, making the T1 Champion into T2 Ash Pilgrim play possible. In that context, Hellrider actually falls down, but only slightly. He's still so good that he's probably just what you need to be running. The other options are decent but not great.

Odric, Master Tactician - It’s surprisingly common to be attacking with 4 creatures IF you have an Odric out as well. Then again, if you have Odric out, your opponent has run out of removal. 3/4 FS is a good body at this cost, and his ability is amazing, if you can trigger it. Paired with Lightning Mauler, he’s golden… but that requires both cards, which can happen, but not as often as one might like. So why is Odric arguably better than any other 4-drop that we have available? Because if it lands, it can end games as soon as it swings. It’s got a sizable body that survives lots of common burn/removal, and it ends any stalled board states. It is the single best trump against the current green decks, whether they’re Thragtusk- or Ooze-based. He doesn't work well against control though, or removal-heavy decks. He also does not effect the board the first turn in play unless you really need that 3/4 FS to block.

Sublime Archangel - This is where things get really difficult. Sublime makes all of your creatures threats, and all of them relevant. Each body beyond the first is power and toughness to whichever attacker you choose… and if you have a Silverblade paired with anything, you know what that attacker will have? Double strike. It’s unbelievable when it goes off… but she competes with Hellrider for spots. The other downside is she encourages going wide (to get more exalted triggers) while discouraging swinging with the team. It’s an interesting dilemma, and one that almost plays into a different type of build’s strengths: it’s the opposite of MonoR Sligh because it is VERY good at playing defensively. In a deck (like Humans) where most of the supporting creatures have first or double strike, that makes keeping them back while you swing with your angel very strong as well. Is it better than Hellrider? I honestly haven’t done enough testing to know for sure, but they’re quite similar. It’s much weaker against Selesnya or Azorious Charm decks, and it does require a slightly different build, but she's worth considering.

Riders of Gavony - Good against tribal decks and only in a Human tribal deck, but that normally puts it in the role as a SB card. Vigilance is nice, and the fact that his ability will (ideally) hit all your creatures can be useful, but Pyreheart Wolf usually does just as good a job… for any deck... and has Undying to come back after the removal. He also costs 1 less. Riders have WW in their cost, though by T4 that should not be an issue. Also helpful: he’s human. He essentially offers up an ETB in that his ability hits all your humans as soon as he hits the field, meaning you can attack through whichever defender you are now ignoring. That can be huge against decks that only play a few (or a few types) of creatures. This can easily win games if planned for properly.

Spark Trooper – Hello ball-lightning-helix man! He’s aggressive, that’s for sure, but is he worth it? Cons: Any blocker with first strike will make him look silly, as will Blind Obedience. Pros: He’s a freaking 6/1 haste, trample, lifelinker. Pair him with a Silverblade or Boros Charm for way too much fun.

Instigator Gang - Always discounted, the Hellrider-esque effect on this guy (though absurd if he flips) is good but not quite great. Notice: He doesn’t have to attack for his perk to be active. Just being there makes it true. Pros: He’s easier to cast than Hellrider, and he’s human. Both of those are very real perks. Power increases also go very well with the abundance of first- and double-strikers we have available. And if he DOES flip? You pretty much win. Cons: His bonus damage relies upon your creatures getting through, and he’s got a weak body before flipping. Also, if he flips, any of your human-tribal buffs (like Riders of Gavony) no longer apply to him.

Firemane Avenger - This angel has been a topic for some serious discussion already, so I don’t think I need to go over his virtues and vices. However, I will say this: if the format slows down enough where a 4 CMC creature without haste and an immediate effect on the battlefield is acceptable, then this 3/3 evasive beater will be one of the choice picks. Will that happen before ISD rotates? I just don’t think so.

others…
Hound of Griselbrand - This guy has done nothing but impress me since I added him to my RDW (and consequently GR aggro) build lately. Then again, is he good enough to put in Boros Humans? We already have first strikers, and while Undying is nice, it doesn’t really put him over the top. This deck wants to be hyper aggressive, and without some sort of trample, he won’t ever make the most of his double strike. Even Slayers’ Stronghold only helps so much. From my testing, there are other, better 4-drops to take this spot, at least in the main board.

Rubblebelt Raiders - If not kept in check, this guy can get huge. However, that is very unlikely given that it must attack first, and it doesn’t have haste. First swing they’re still a 4/4 at worst, and that isn’t bad… but it would take the format slowing down considerably for it to be outstanding. Maybe it’s a great card against those Ooze decks with mainly Ultimate Price and Fight as removal. RRR hurts in the casting cost.

Restoration Angel - We know what she does, but in this deck the interactions are more limited. She can save someone from removal, or blink Malcontents for more damage, or blink something else to grow a Champion… but none of those plays are really awe-inspiring. Blinking mid-combat to break and re-soulbond is useful, I suppose, but I’m not sure if it’s enough to warrant running her, flash, flying and all.

Angel of Jubilation - Anthem on a body, with some relevant anti-zombie tech as well. Generally that’s good, but a 3/3 flyer for 4 is bad when three of those four are WWW. It’s hard to cast, and that’s often enough going to be reason not to play this angel. Sadly, a +1/+1 effect also isn’t great at the 4 slot, especially when compared to the other heavy hitters already available. Maybe in a token deck with Assemble the Legion.

Slayer of the Wicked - Depending on how popular certain cards become in the meta, his ability may be relevant. Not as a maindeck card, mind you, but in the SB. I just can’t see him ever being the best option there. 4 mana for removal on a stick is hefty.

Goldnight Commander - If only the plusses weren’t until EOT… but that would be broken. As is, he can sometimes work, but usually the bonuses just aren’t enough without running some token generation, and then you’re running a different deck.

Mondronen Shaman - I really wanted this card to be good, since it’s a control hoser of sorts, but getting it to flip is almost impossible. You can’t afford to stall out a full turn just to shock your opponent for 4 the next turn, and she’ll probably die before the flip anyway: 2 Toughness is a huge liability on a 4 drop. So is the lack of haste or ETB. It’s really just not good enough.

Knight of Obligation - The only reason I’m mentioning this guy is because some deck somewhere might consider running more Extort triggers. This guy does that. Granted, he’s a 4 drop (slow), and he’s not hastened or anything, so he barely helps you push damage through… but if Extort offers the reach this deck needs against some matchups, then this 2/4 vigilant Knight might be worth considering. I just don’t foresee it...

Silver-Inlaid Dagger – This card has actually proven itself to be really impressive as a singleton in the deck I’ve been running. It gives +3 power to any creature in your deck for just 2 equip cost. That it’s also a 1-drop itself, which this deck has been lacking thus far, means that it helps fill in the curve of a deck with something that can survive a sweeper. It’s extremely useful, especially on a haste creature (like Ash Zealot) on an empty board. I’m not sure if getting more than 2 in the deck is that good – I often find myself siding them out – but 2 to 3 seem very solid.

Faith’s Shield – Protection from an opponent’s removal or pushing through a defensive line of creatures, this spell can be quite versatile. It’s also incredible in the Fateful Hour, but really, you cannot ever count on that working out. I still think it’s one of the best tricks available currently for RW. It’s usually unexpected, and it’s like a white counterspell, all for only one W mana.

Smite – I know, I know, it’s limited usefulness will probably be its downfall, but it’s still a destroy effect in white, at instant speed, for ONE mana. It can humble even the largest of dudes, with nothing but a chump block!… assuming you can block them. I think it might be worth SB consideration, especially if you start running some of the Vigilant beaters.

Beckon Apparition – An instant-speed, body-producing graveyard remover isn’t bad. Don’t want your opponent to grab that Griselbrand? Who could blame you for taking it as a 1/1 flyer instead? Probably won’t see MB play, but I could see it as SB material against a lot of decks. Then again, an instant 1/1 flyer might be MB playable if there really aren’t any other 1-drops you’re considering.

Dynacharge – The smaller version of Rally, which can be overloaded to do the exact same thing sans flashback. A decent trick, but the real cost is that you’d be playing this in the same slot you’d probably rather play Rally in. I just don’t see it working out.

Banners Raised – Another small trick, but pushing through 1 extra power on all your dudes for 1 mana is a decent deal, especially since this deck has the tendency to over-extend. Then again, it’s not over-extending if you don’t get punished for it, and what better way to prevent that punishment than to pound extra damage in as quickly as possible? Better than Dynacharge if you’ve got 3 creatures out, even at 2, and I’m just not sure if that doesn’t make it better overall, since the damage is spread across more bodies.

Cloudshift – Similar to Faith’s Shield, but it lacks the offensive potential of bypassing blockers. Instead you get the possibility of blinking an ETB, like Malcontents or soulbonds. That’s not something to overlook lightly.

Boros Charm - This is the big daddy. Each option is potent and useful. The only downside may be that ... oh wait, there isn’t one, except that you must hold up RW mana to use it. Wow, that’s rough. /sarcasm

Blind Obedience - For a card that most people thought would be potent in control decks, I like thinking of this as a way for a Boros deck to get REACH. Yes, it only drains one point at a time, but how often have those last few points been really critical? This card also offers up something otherwise hard to get: a stop to your opponents flash-blocks AND haste attacks. That’s a potent offensive weapon if it’s used as such.

Bonds of Faith - Either +2/+2 for one of our guys or a Pacifism for one of theirs. I like modal cards, but it depends on how much Human decks take off. Could work nicely. Could flop.

Gather the Townsfolk - I do not like this card. I don’t want to be casting spells, especially if (as I expect) Thalia is going to be in the MB. That said, its interaction with Champion is worth noting, and it gives two bodies on one card. Ugh.

Burning Oil - Removal that can be used twice is good. Since it will kill almost any creature worth mentioning, it’s also worth serious consideration. The flashback is a bit pricey a 3W though. It feels like it belongs more in a midrange list.

Volcanic Strength – The only reason I bring this up, and trust me I dislike enchantments as much as most of you, is because of the increasing probability of playing a deck with Mountains in it. The mirrors exist. This card makes your dudes (whichever they may be) potent threats, especially if paired with that Silverblade.

Curse of Stalked Prey – The more creatures you have, the better this card is. It’s a super-slow anthem, but considering that there’s not a static anthem for non-token creatures out there right now, it’s pretty much the best RW has currently. Downsides: this actually runs you into range of a Selesnya Charm, which is beyond annoying, rather quickly. Did I also mention how ridiculously slowly this is? And it makes any type of bounce that much better.

Nightbird’s Clutches – If you really need to push through the damage, there aren’t many better options in RW than this. How sad is that? Then again, this has a flashback at only 3R, so it essentially gets you though most typical defenses TWICE. That should be enough for lethal a large portion of the time, unless you’ve been swept, at which point this type of card really shouldn’t be your biggest concern anyway.

Rally the Peasants - Same cost on either side makes this a REALLY good option for alpha strikes. 6 mana buys you +4 power to all your attackers. That’s no joke. Downside: it really requires you to already have a board presence, so it’s really not great against Control, which seems to be on the rise again.

Ajani, Caller of the Pride – With two extremely useful abilities (and a minus that won’t kill him immediately), Ajani deserves serious consideration if you can hit his cost. Downside: He clashes with Thalia. Upsides: a +1 ability that distributes +1/+1 counters as you see fit, added resistance to sweepers, and a grossly-powerful, easily-accessible (-3) evasive power boost almost on demand. He’s still going to be weak against flyers, since this deck already is, but if we get even one use out of his -3, that can be enough. As with all walkers, ignore his ultimate; the game will be over before that.

Oblivion Ring – If you want defensive spells, here’s the old reliable. Still easy to splash, and still takes care of almost everything, especially opposing Walkers, which otherwise might be bothersome. Problem is that as nice as it is to get rid of an enchantment or artifact or PW, most often this will want to hit a creature, and Fiend Hunter does that better. Flexibility is key here, though -- and it’s still ORing.

Rootborn Defenses - Essentially it’s just wipe protection. Not awful, but not great either. You won’t ever get use out of the Populate part, but it can be a good way to “counter” Supreme Verdict, for example. Still does nothing against Terminus though. I believe it’s too narrow to see serious play.

Immortal Servitude – This card is kind of interesting in that it’s an anti-wrath of sorts. Played later in the game for X=2, this guy could net you a LOT of power being added back to the board. The one downside to consider, though, is that it only returns what you pay for. As in, it’s not “less than or equal to X”. Don’t misread it. Also, WWW is going to be a pain to hit, but it could be very worth it.

Pillar of Flame – I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Shock. What you lose in instant speed you gain in exiling, but that loss of speed is huge.

Geistflame – pretty terrible, and not really worth discussing. We can do better.

Electrickery – If humans start to take off, it might be time to reevaluate this card; most humans tend to run only one toughness, or so it seems. That said, at the current moment it just isn’t well positioned. When most of the decent 1 drops have 2 toughness, what’s 1 damage going to do? This wishes it was a real sweeper, but it just can’t do enough.

Searing Spear – This spell is the best of the 2-mana burns. 3 damage, unconditional, at instant speed, to anything. It’s very good. It’s good enough as it is that I’m surprised Incinerate stayed around as long as it did, because anti-regen is starting to matter some too. OK, not really, but it could.

Mizzium Mortars – Overloaded, it’s one of the better sweepers, but its cost may be prohibitive. It’s frustrating that it can’t damage players. Then again, in this deck, you just want to clear the way for your creatures to attack. This does that, and it does it very well. Of all the power creatures out there, this misses only Hellkites and Angels of Serenity, but they’re both late-game concerns.

Skullcrack – If I need to tell you why this card has applications in our deck, then you haven’t been playing much Standard lately. It won’t be a MB card unless things get even more obscene, but it will fit nicely into sideboards against lots of the decks that will hope to stall until Thragtusk or Revelations can save them at the last moment. This 3 damage can look a lot like 8.

Thunderbolt – Advantages: instant speed, can 1-for-1 a Restoration Angel, or it can go to the dome for 3. Drawbacks: it can’t hit grounded creatures at all. Sadly, that drawback makes this a really niche card, and most often it just won’t be good enough. This card really wants to be played, but it’s frustrating to draw it when you really just want another Spear.

This is where the challenge starts to hit. Do you really want to cast a spell for 3, or would you rather drop one of your potentially-game-winning creatures? Well, it doesn’t help that the options are only marginal at best…

Annihilating Fire – Double R can be rough, but the fact that it’s instant AND exiles its target is important. It’s one of the best ways to deal with a Thragtusk, since those decks just love to reanimate.

Flames of the Firebrand – Flexible but sorcery speed. It’s not terrible, but it will depend on if there are lots of x/1 creatures in the format. If so, look to this to get your card advantage.

Brimstone Volley – I’ve always thought this was a little too cute. Too frequently it’s just 3 damage for 3 mana, and even though it’s instant speed, that’s not a good enough return on investment. If it’s morbid, only then does it pay for its keep.

Aurelia’s Fury – This card looks like something to seriously consider. Need to guarantee your opponent won’t do something nasty on this turn? Silence them first, and it deals 1 damage to them to boot. Want to tap down the last blocker too? Add one more mana. There’s another blocker? Add one more mana. And we’re talking about 5 mana at that point. That’s a very powerful card. It will be a mostly preemptive weapon, I think, but it’ll also be VERY good at that. Keep in mind: it is instant speed.

Devil’s Play – Not sure that, even with flashback, this card is worth running. We just won’t expect to have enough mana to use it as a finisher most games.

Bonfire of the Damned – If aggro decks pick up as I expect them to, this card will be gold (again).

Magmaquake – Sadly, it will kill most of our own guys, so I don’t see this working.

Street Spasm – even more limited use than Magmaquake, but if flying creatures don’t make up more of the meta, this could be seen as an instant Bonfire. That’s actually quite useful and rarely bad… though when it is it’s awful.