MTG Salvation

4 Leonin Vanguard (M19) 22

8 Plains (RIX) 192

4 Healer's Hawk (GRN) 14

4 Goblin Instigator (M19) 142

10 Mountain (RIX) 195

4 Boros Challenger (GRN) 156

4 Viashino Pyromancer (M19) 166

4 Charging Monstrosaur (XLN) 138

1 Clifftop Retreat (DAR) 239

1 Sacred Foundry (GRN) 254

1 Stone Quarry (M19) 256

1 Boros Guildgate (GRN) 244

1 Boros Guildgate (GRN) 243

4 Heroic Reinforcements (M19) 217

4 Act of Treason (RNA) 91

4 Conclave Tribunal (GRN) 6

1 Response // Resurgence (GRN) 229

I'm looking for some tips to improve my cheap and basic deck to hopefully climb out of Silver rank in Arena. I'm already considering trading out Act of Treason for something else, as stealing a creature for a turn has proven to be a bit situational.

Any suggestions or critiques would be greatly appreciated!

Considering you have a bunch of small creatures and tokens I would look into building on that plan. Replace the Act of Treasons and Monstrosaur for Shock and Lightning Strike. This will lower the curve so you can cut the three taplands (the two guildgates and quarry) for a fun card in Cavalcade of Calamity or Pride of Conquerors.

Welcome!

Decktags are super easy and great for allowing people to view your deck more easily, described here or "quote" a post with a spiffy decklist and see how it's done.

I mostly draft, so I end up with a random assortment of rares that I use to fulfill quests when I bomb out of drafts.

That said, I imagine that you have gotten the starter decks from your singleton Boros rare lands. I like building around Heroic Reinforcements and I agree that 4 Act of Treason seems like too much.

With only W 1 drops, your manabase seems skewed wrong. I would have 10 Plains and 8 Mountains to go with your 5 duals. With that manabase, I would look to add Legion's Landing, Legion Warboss, Tithe Taker, Venerated Loxodon, Tajic, Legion's Edge, and Unbreakable Formation if you have any. Other cards I have filled out my Boros deck with include Snubhorn Sentry, Adanto Vanguard, Skymarcher Aspirant, Hunted Witness and Rustwing Falcon, but I am not saying that these are better than what you have.

With 3-4 more duals (to get to 18-19 W sources, you could add WW cards like History of Benalia and Leonin Warleader. With or without Warleader, you could try Ajani's Pridemate with your Hawks and Leonin Vanguards.

Here is one of my random piles for reference:

I hope this helps!

Second version of the deck. Tossed out Charging Monstrosaur and Act of Treason in favor of more combat tricks - as many copies of Make a Stand and Unbreakable Formation as I have, and all my copies of Charge. Also added another copy of Response/Resurgence, because I only had 3 Charges and couldn't make a playset.

Nice work on the decktags! That seems like more pump spells than I would want. I think I would replace a Charge or three with creatures. I would also replace 1-2 Mountans with Plains. Light Up the Stage is an idea for the deck.

Please let us know how you fare with it.

I like the idea but you have to watch because you get blown out by two very popular cards atm.
cry of the carnarium and goblin chainwhirler. You have some combat tricks to save them but if you get caught, you are in a world of trouble. I agree though, way way to many combat tricks and no where near enough dudes.
swiftblade vindicator would fit your idea really well too. switch out the conclave tribunal for seal away imo also.

Quote from A_E_I_Own_U »

I like the idea but you have to watch because you get blown out by two very popular cards atm.
cry of the carnarium and goblin chainwhirler. You have some combat tricks to save them but if you get caught, you are in a world of trouble. I agree though, way way to many combat tricks and no where near enough dudes.
swiftblade vindicator would fit your idea really well too. switch out the conclave tribunal for seal away imo also.

Both of those cards have been problems, yes. I'm considering switching out Healer's Hawk for Rustwing Falcon, to keep the flight ability and add a bit more resilience against the Chainwhirler. Conclave Tribunal I've found to be invaluable, as it not only removes tough enemy creatures, but other problematic cards like Spires of Orazca, Open the Graves, or any Planeswalkers. With the plentiful number of cheap creatures, I almost always have something on the field to Convoke with.

Spires of orazca and open the graves are played near you? I haven't seen either one played in competitive games. The only thing you get crushed by is midranged creatures that are just bigger and badder. The tribunal requires you to no attack which just sucks for you. It is more midrangey than it is aggro. Your deck though, you'll figure it out.
The biggest problem i see is that you are playing lesser versions of the good cards in WW.
dauntless bodyguard
adanto vanguard
skymarcher aspirant
all three of these are better than the creatures you are currently running, super cheap (.25 each in most lgs) and fit the deck better.

Even tenth district legionnaire would be a house in there.

I play Arena, so "cost" works a little differently for me than paper magic players. I only have a couple of copies at most of the more commonly recommended cards like Adanto Vanguard. I figured consistency was more important than including my single copy of Dauntless Bodyguard.

Ah ok. i gotcha. Yea, probably right.

Quote from Sparklehammer3025 »

I play Arena, so "cost" works a little differently for me than paper magic players. I only have a couple of copies at most of the more commonly recommended cards like Adanto Vanguard. I figured consistency was more important than including my single copy of Dauntless Bodyguard.

I may be misunderstanding, but I disagree. I think that if Adanto Vanguard is better than, say, Viashino Pyromancer, then two of each is better than 4 of the weaker card. Further, if you want to cut an excess Charge or two and put in one or two of a better creature, that seems like a slam dunk to me. An additional benefit of running less than full playsets would be to learn what cards work best in which matchups. Then you will be able to tweak your deck for an expected meta. This could even translate to sideboarding skill.