I play MTG since 2003 and I restarted playing after discovering Duel Commander this year. I was a RG player since the beginning of my Magic journey so, when choosing a commander, Radha was my ideal choice.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE PLAYING THIS DECK
- You like swing with creatures (huge or little one, we have both!)
- You like attacking your opponents mana base
- You love interacting with your opponents (YES, you can interact while attacking their mana base)
WHY YOU WILL NOT LIKE PLAYING THIS DECK
- You want to draw a lot of cards and to have always your hand full (we do our best, but we play Gruul damn it!)
- You want to control (or play Blue)
- You hate win with creatures and/or burn spells
Just to give you a background of where the deck is played, my playgroup is made of 25 different players with different decks: the actual meta is splitted between Geist, Titania, Teferi, Nissa, Melen, Daretti, Doran and so on. It is a diverse environment, so to me it is perfect for fine tuning the deck.
When I started playing Radha, I choose to design a Ponza list made of a lot of destroy-land spells and I finished 3-1 in my first Duel Commander tournament, making also my first top4 in a constructed event, below the list):
Obviously, at 30 life the deck was not so competitive: on the play it could be huge and difficult to stop, but most of the games you finished with ending up fuel and your opponent had time to recover.
By the way, the announcement of the new rules and of the 20 life was like fresh air, and I decided that the time to switch plan has come.
While playing with 30 life, I discovered that the deck has some bugs to fix:
1) Cannot win against fast creatures-based aggro decks (Titania just to give you a relevant example)
2) Has a strong problem with card disadvantage -> I was also a tempo player, and the idea of emptying my hand while praying that my opponent has no solutions does not suit well to me.
I am trying to solve both problems:
Point 1: I am using versatile mass removals (Starstorm for example could be cycled, Sudden Demise let you choose the color of the creatures you want to go against, Rolling Earthquake damages your opponent also : these cards also helps you in the Geist matchup) and distributed-damage cards (Violent Eruption, Pyrokinesis etc: remember that this cards could be also a STRONG mana denial resource - in a format in which 90% of the decks plays mana dorks, remove 2 mana dorks in a row and then destroy an opponent land could be brutal)
Point 2: Play high value cards that can reward us with a 2x1 or more in most situations.
Examples: Huntmaster of the Fells -> 2 creatures and 2 life , could be also a removal Starstorm -> Could sweep the board when our opponent has a lot of blockers, leaving our bigger beasts free to damage it; BUT it could also be cycled if not needed.
Below you can find the version 2, the one I am actually playing -> Two weeks ago I did 4-0 in a local event (9 players: 2-1 vs Maelstrom Wanderer, 2-1 vs Doran, 2-0 vs Nissa, 2-1 vs another player with a deck that unfortunately I don't remember).
On the left the analysis of the curve; on the right the creatures/noncreatures/lands distribution
STRATEGY
Depending on your hand, you will have the possibility to play multiple/diverse gameplans
AGGRO
Radha could help you having 4 manas on turn 3 every game if your opponent does not stop it (if you have a dork the mana are 5!)
This is equal to huge creatures to attack your opponent with (Hellrider, Chameleon Colossus, Thundermaw Hellkite and so on)
MIDRANGE
Play conservative, attacking your opponent resources with your removals (Destroy land creatures such as Ravaging Horde or removals like Pyrokinesis or lightning bolt and beat them down with your clever critters!
CONTROLISH
Against aggro decks: Let them empty their hands believing that you are a pure aggro, than clean the board with rolling earthquake or sudden demise or starstorm and win the game!
MATCHUPS
I will speak only about decks that I played against and that, in my opinion, will be playable in a 20 life environment
Titania, Protector of Argoth - 30-70 for Titania
This matchup strongly depends on your hand - If you have a sweeper and some creatures you can let him play, land a huge creature with thoughtness > 4 (Chameleon Colossus just to give you an example), then sweep from 3 and start beating.
If you have Arc-Slogger, try to use its ability together with Radha's one to beat your opponent as fast as you can while cleaning its board and milling your deck.
Sadly, there is no other plan: the matchup is truly difficult and very skill based.
Doran, The Siege Tower50 - 50
I can bring you the experience of playing with the Doran version played in my playgroup, the Voltron one.
This is a matchup that strongly depends on the hands of both decks, but it is playable. When I met this deck in competitions (two times) it ended 2-1 for him the first time and 2-1 for me the second.
Its pain point its the mana base: if you are on the play keep a hand that can screw him and try to kill its dorks if possible.
If you are on the draw let him play its hand, chumpblock Doran and wait for a sweeper or for a creature bigger than him, than start beating.
You could also try the aggro path, but it will not be easy - you will need evasive critters (dragons) to overcome Doran, but it plays a lot of removals.
Nissa, Vastwood Seer60-40
You have to go the aggro way: we are faster than them and we can also gain time destroying some lands.
Also, they will not have any interaction with our critters.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros55-45
It is a race, but we also have sweepers that they will not expect. Let them play, sweep and beat them down.
If we don't have sweepers, mulligan must be considered: they are faster.
Geist of Saint Traft???
I have not played a lot against this deck in tournaments: I will update the primer as soon as I will have more information.
I am open to ideas and suggestions to improve the deck, and I will love to see it played from other players that will help it show its potential!
Hi Magicmarvin91, thanks for answering.
I am playing this deck since the beginning of the 2016 and, before developing it, I've tried all the decklist available online.
Lorente's one plays an extremely aggro plan, mine is a diverse version (more midrange)
Obviously, we share a lot of cards
Thank you for the tip!
I dont think for example, ogre arsonist is good. 5 mana stone rain seems too slow. Sure it can come T3 off two dorks but that relies on your oponent having no removal.
Ogre Arsonist is a stone rain with legs. According to your thoughts:
Also, I dint test your deck but I played against radha with 30 life back in the day and I lost mostly when my oponent played some early beaters followed with few cheap LD spells.
Instead of playing creatures followed by cheap LD spells, you'll play creatures followed by other creatures that are also LD spells. It isn't that bad, isn't it?
Siege gang is not that good either in my experience, your deck doesnt seem that aggresive to make him realy work there.
Siege Gang is a huge beater and it is synergic with a lot of our cards (Goblin spells, Ogre Battledriver) and is a strong damage-in-the-face tool that has saved me in a lot of grinded games (with lots of creatures on both sides and little to no damage to do to win the game)
Temur sabertooth seems odd too, bouncing avalanche riders is cool but quite mana intensive.
I agree with you up to a certain point. Sabertooth ability is certainly expensive, but can save your creatures from removals, create new token with siege-gang, multiply our stone rain creatures and so on.
In the worst case, it is a 4/3 for 4 mana.
Ogre battlediver is also card that I wouldnt play in this deck (because you most of the time play only one guy a turn since your curve is mostly 4-5).
Ogre battledriver is a haste enabler; could help your useless dork to become 3/1 elementals; it is synergic with hellrider (a LOT of damage), with Siege-Gang, with a lot of other cards we play.
The problem seems to be IMO, that there are decks that can kill you turn 3/4 so what is your plan against them?
Examples? Zurgo? Kytheon? We play mass removals & creatures bigger than those decks. Obviously it is not an easy matchup, but we cannot win against any deck and midrange matchup vs pure aggro isn't positive.
I think you can cut some of the 5 and 4 mana guys for cheaper disruption and aggro (for example, magus of the moon, winter orb, tangle wire...) because in the end, you only need one 5cc guy in hand to cast from radha .
I tried Winter Orb and in every game I had it in my hand I cannot play it (because I was in a negative moment of the match) or I topdecked it when I need a creature or other things: my fault maybe, but I will use it only in decks in which it has synergies (Teferi, to give you an example). About Tangle Wire, I'll give it a try and I'll let you know!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE PLAYING THIS DECK
- You like swing with creatures (huge or little one, we have both!)
- You like attacking your opponents mana base
- You love interacting with your opponents (YES, you can interact while attacking their mana base)
WHY YOU WILL NOT LIKE PLAYING THIS DECK
- You want to draw a lot of cards and to have always your hand full (we do our best, but we play Gruul damn it!)
- You want to control (or play Blue)
- You hate win with creatures and/or burn spells
Just to give you a background of where the deck is played, my playgroup is made of 25 different players with different decks: the actual meta is splitted between Geist, Titania, Teferi, Nissa, Melen, Daretti, Doran and so on. It is a diverse environment, so to me it is perfect for fine tuning the deck.
When I started playing Radha, I choose to design a Ponza list made of a lot of destroy-land spells and I finished 3-1 in my first Duel Commander tournament, making also my first top4 in a constructed event, below the list):
Obviously, at 30 life the deck was not so competitive: on the play it could be huge and difficult to stop, but most of the games you finished with ending up fuel and your opponent had time to recover.
By the way, the announcement of the new rules and of the 20 life was like fresh air, and I decided that the time to switch plan has come.
While playing with 30 life, I discovered that the deck has some bugs to fix:
1) Cannot win against fast creatures-based aggro decks (Titania just to give you a relevant example)
2) Has a strong problem with card disadvantage -> I was also a tempo player, and the idea of emptying my hand while praying that my opponent has no solutions does not suit well to me.
I am trying to solve both problems:
Point 1: I am using versatile mass removals (Starstorm for example could be cycled, Sudden Demise let you choose the color of the creatures you want to go against, Rolling Earthquake damages your opponent also : these cards also helps you in the Geist matchup) and distributed-damage cards (Violent Eruption, Pyrokinesis etc: remember that this cards could be also a STRONG mana denial resource - in a format in which 90% of the decks plays mana dorks, remove 2 mana dorks in a row and then destroy an opponent land could be brutal)
Point 2: Play high value cards that can reward us with a 2x1 or more in most situations.
Examples:
Huntmaster of the Fells -> 2 creatures and 2 life , could be also a removal
Starstorm -> Could sweep the board when our opponent has a lot of blockers, leaving our bigger beasts free to damage it; BUT it could also be cycled if not needed.
Below you can find the version 2, the one I am actually playing -> Two weeks ago I did 4-0 in a local event (9 players: 2-1 vs Maelstrom Wanderer, 2-1 vs Doran, 2-0 vs Nissa, 2-1 vs another player with a deck that unfortunately I don't remember).
DATA
On the left the analysis of the curve; on the right the creatures/noncreatures/lands distribution
STRATEGY
Depending on your hand, you will have the possibility to play multiple/diverse gameplans
AGGRO
Radha could help you having 4 manas on turn 3 every game if your opponent does not stop it (if you have a dork the mana are 5!)
This is equal to huge creatures to attack your opponent with (Hellrider, Chameleon Colossus, Thundermaw Hellkite and so on)
PONZA
Screw your opponent mana using your creatures toolbox while beating them down to death!
You will have Petravark, Goblin Settlers, Ogre Arsonist, Ravaging Horde and so on to help you.
MIDRANGE
Play conservative, attacking your opponent resources with your removals (Destroy land creatures such as Ravaging Horde or removals like Pyrokinesis or lightning bolt and beat them down with your clever critters!
CONTROLISH
Against aggro decks: Let them empty their hands believing that you are a pure aggro, than clean the board with rolling earthquake or sudden demise or starstorm and win the game!
MATCHUPS
I will speak only about decks that I played against and that, in my opinion, will be playable in a 20 life environment
Titania, Protector of Argoth - 30-70 for Titania
This matchup strongly depends on your hand - If you have a sweeper and some creatures you can let him play, land a huge creature with thoughtness > 4 (Chameleon Colossus just to give you an example), then sweep from 3 and start beating.
If you have Arc-Slogger, try to use its ability together with Radha's one to beat your opponent as fast as you can while cleaning its board and milling your deck.
Sadly, there is no other plan: the matchup is truly difficult and very skill based.
Doran, The Siege Tower 50 - 50
I can bring you the experience of playing with the Doran version played in my playgroup, the Voltron one.
This is a matchup that strongly depends on the hands of both decks, but it is playable. When I met this deck in competitions (two times) it ended 2-1 for him the first time and 2-1 for me the second.
Its pain point its the mana base: if you are on the play keep a hand that can screw him and try to kill its dorks if possible.
If you are on the draw let him play its hand, chumpblock Doran and wait for a sweeper or for a creature bigger than him, than start beating.
You could also try the aggro path, but it will not be easy - you will need evasive critters (dragons) to overcome Doran, but it plays a lot of removals.
Nissa, Vastwood Seer 60-40
You have to go the aggro way: we are faster than them and we can also gain time destroying some lands.
Also, they will not have any interaction with our critters.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros 55-45
It is a race, but we also have sweepers that they will not expect. Let them play, sweep and beat them down.
If we don't have sweepers, mulligan must be considered: they are faster.
Geist of Saint Traft ???
I have not played a lot against this deck in tournaments: I will update the primer as soon as I will have more information.
I am open to ideas and suggestions to improve the deck, and I will love to see it played from other players that will help it show its potential!
Thanks for reading
Regards
Madmaker
Changelog
05/11/2016: Matchups added
I am playing this deck since the beginning of the 2016 and, before developing it, I've tried all the decklist available online.
Lorente's one plays an extremely aggro plan, mine is a diverse version (more midrange)
Obviously, we share a lot of cards
Thank you for the tip!
Haven't catch that. Could you please explain it in other words?
Have you tried playing the deck (or, at least, to use deckstats for goldfish)? Could you please motivate your thoughts against the curve?
We have 7 dorks + Utopia Sprawl + Exploration to boost our game (not considering Radha, a dork always available T2)
The curve has a steep increase at 4 because, thanks to Radha and to our dorks, we will play CC4 spells at turn 3 in almost every game.
5 CC and 6 CC are only 23% of our spells(and one of that is Pyrokinesis..): we can say that 87% of the deck' casting cost is 4 or less.
Ogre Arsonist is a stone rain with legs. According to your thoughts:
Instead of playing creatures followed by cheap LD spells, you'll play creatures followed by other creatures that are also LD spells. It isn't that bad, isn't it?
Siege Gang is a huge beater and it is synergic with a lot of our cards (Goblin spells, Ogre Battledriver) and is a strong damage-in-the-face tool that has saved me in a lot of grinded games (with lots of creatures on both sides and little to no damage to do to win the game)
I agree with you up to a certain point. Sabertooth ability is certainly expensive, but can save your creatures from removals, create new token with siege-gang, multiply our stone rain creatures and so on.
In the worst case, it is a 4/3 for 4 mana.
Ogre battledriver is a haste enabler; could help your useless dork to become 3/1 elementals; it is synergic with hellrider (a LOT of damage), with Siege-Gang, with a lot of other cards we play.
Examples? Zurgo? Kytheon? We play mass removals & creatures bigger than those decks. Obviously it is not an easy matchup, but we cannot win against any deck and midrange matchup vs pure aggro isn't positive.
To be honest, I haven't tried Magus because I don't own it: I will try it as soon as possible, thank you!
I tried Winter Orb and in every game I had it in my hand I cannot play it (because I was in a negative moment of the match) or I topdecked it when I need a creature or other things: my fault maybe, but I will use it only in decks in which it has synergies (Teferi, to give you an example). About Tangle Wire, I'll give it a try and I'll let you know!
Siege Gang, Arc-Slogger, Bolt, Starstorm (to deal with dorks of my opponent if necessary), Lavamancer, Violent Eruption, Duskwatch Recruiter, sac tokens of Tireless Tracker, Chameleon Colossus, pump Inferno Titan.. shall I continue?