Each edited post will have a last edit date. In general though, it's best to read the last few pages of discussion if you've been away for a while, in order to get the most recent developments.
Is the OP consistently updated? Does it includes cards up to the current set or will it be perpetually stuck at like 5 years ago or something like that?
Burn has been constantly changing, especially in the last 5 years. Also the banning of Top dropped the need to sideboard Vexing Shusher and Exquisite Firecraft.
Grim Lavamancer Best against Elves/Merfolks and other control type decks.
Vexing Devil Most misunderstood card, especially for those that don't play it.
And naturally, you can just add more burn.
Main spells:
Mostly had not changed.
Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Lava Spike and Rift Bolt. Although, I stopped playing Rift Bolt for over year because the Suspend ability seemed to drag the deck, other players seemed to like Rift Bolt because Countertop had a hard time in stopping the card... Countertop is now dead so I'm not sure how long will Rift Bolt will remain as a burn staple. I still believe the suspend ability is a major drag to the deck, especially if you're aim is playing Goblin Guides/Swiftspears on turn 1, and Eidolon on turn 2, that pushes Rift Bolt to turn 3 or 4 for the suspend ability. I've been playing Forked Bolt instead and enjoyed the performance.
Price of Progress and Fireblast. Most players play 4 each without question. Although Price of Progress can be flexible to 3 cards, but it depends on where you are playing.
Searing Blood, Searing Blaze. Both cards have their pros and cons. Because legacy is a creature format - it would be wise to play 3-4 of either or a mix of both spells.
Flame Rift I've seen love/hate at both ends. Good card but most burn players see the 4 damage and the 2 damage from Eidolon as a major disadvantage. Other's don't see it that way. Just recently, there are some players playing Flame Rift and Eidolon and they are doing well in tournaments.
Sulfuric Vortex This is a good card, very effective. The down side the card cost 3 mana, so player pack 2 in the deck.
Exquisite Firecraft for 2 years players were slowly adding Firecraft to their decks, some even play 3 in the main and 1 in the sideboard. It was an effective card against countertop. I don't see Firecraft getting played as much as today because countertop is now dead, but if you believe the meta is loaded with control decks, then maybe Firecraft is an idea card.
Skullcrack So far I had not seen anybody playing with the card. It's still a good card but overshadowed by the other burn spells. I won't be surprised to see players dropping their 3cc firecraft for 2cc Skullcrack.
New cards:
Harsh Mentor Seemed to be a good sideboard option against countertop. I do think players want to make this guy work, so we are going to see a few listed in the sideboard. I'm not sure and I don't think he was worth 8 dollars on the release, and since his price has dropped to 3 dollars each is a good sign on how over hyped the card was. I do think he's an awesome card for Vintage Burn, but who plays burn in vintage.
The four free slots are what I have to play with. I was wondering your opinions on the full playset of Searing Blood to fill that? I know eight searing effects might be a lot, but as you can see the rest of my deck is heavily slated against combo decks. I'm thinking that the eight effects could come in to help heavily favor me against creature decks post-board. My other option is 0-1 Searing Blood and 3-4 Pyroblast. That could help against Delver decks as well as FoW and Sneak and Show. I'd rather not pack graveyard hate, as I think I just wanna hope to dodge those matchups.
Of course, if you have any other suggestions about my deck overall, I'm happy to listen.
EDIT: Actually, the more I'm looking at it, the more I think a playset of Ensnaring Bridge might be just what the doctor ordered. It's slow, but it does give me hate against Reanimator and Sneak and Show without being dead in other matches. Specifically, I can also bring it in versus Eldrazi and Lands. What do you all think?
The four free slots are what I have to play with. I was wondering your opinions on the full playset of Searing Blood to fill that? I know eight searing effects might be a lot, but as you can see the rest of my deck is heavily slated against combo decks. I'm thinking that the eight effects could come in to help heavily favor me against creature decks post-board. My other option is 0-1 Searing Blood and 3-4 Pyroblast. That could help against Delver decks as well as FoW and Sneak and Show. I'd rather not pack graveyard hate, as I think I just wanna hope to dodge those matchups.
Of course, if you have any other suggestions about my deck overall, I'm happy to listen.
EDIT: Actually, the more I'm looking at it, the more I think a playset of Ensnaring Bridge might be just what the doctor ordered. It's slow, but it does give me hate against Reanimator and Sneak and Show without being dead in other matches. Specifically, I can also bring it in versus Eldrazi and Lands. What do you all think?
I like searing blood/blaze; both cards are awesome! I do strongly recommend playing 4 searing blood/blaze in the main deck. I would drop (or sideboard) the flame rifts. I noticed some player using flame rifts with eidolon but they seemed cautious and they would play 2 or 3 flame rifts. I also think you could drop (or sideboard) Grim Lavamancer.
Fireblast is a necessary burn card and you should never play less than 4. In the old school days playing less than 4 was ok because the burn decks were slow and drawing a fireblast was ok. Today you want to have that fireblast in your opening hand.
I have mixed feelings with Ensnaring Bridge. First, I do like it and 3 seemed like a good number. But Ensnaring Bridge don't do any good against a good reanimator/show player. All they do is drop Iona, Shield of Emeria into play and watch you fold. They will combo out for a first/second turn Iona, just because a burn player folding is the only option. Usually the best card against reanimator is Faerie Macabre. I like it because the opponent cannot counter the card. It's also an awesome card to play in response to exhume. Against show, some player used Angel of Despair or Ashen Rider a lot has to do with timing. I do think Red Elemental Blast and Pyroblast are better cards, it knocks out show or brainstorm. And it would be smart to sideboard 2 of each card. Sure you can play Ensaring Bridge to counter the secondary cards, but most of the time once you stopped the first creature the opponent won't be able to pull off the second one.
you could play some amount of karakas vs show and tell + reanimator... doesnt matter if you topdeck it or have it in your opener... you can still lose with it but it is a lot harder for them to kill you with a non legend or sneak attack...
Karakas is an awesome card against Show/Reanimator. But you need 3 copies because we have no way to tutor the card. And unfortunately, most of our cards don't ask for colorless mana, therefore Karakas is a dead land.
not sure about storm but their plan is to slow a little bit down to sb removal for eidolon or pillar or not?
some just ignore it and try to combo as fast as possible -> mindbreak trap...
Eidolon has been a good anti-storm card. If storm is a big deck in your tournament, it might be smarter to add 2 Pillars (sort of like Eidolon 5/6)
the sad truth is you can not cover all matchups without losing % in other matchups...
It's true, but unlike most decks, burn is the most aggressive. Every card/spell is an attack on the opponent's life points. Loosing the game by % can happen. I would like to lose against reanimator by a race. I hate to lose to reanimator because they tutored Iona and put her into play on turn 2.
well u can use the mana to pay for a chancellor if they reanimate it... anyways all other cards also have drawbacks but karakas can not be countered or discarded...
Sure but I'd never lost a game when Annex is the sole creature in play. Besides most reanimator/show would play Jin-Gitaxias Before they play Annex. And if they are skilled they would play Iona against burn and any other mono-color deck first.
I hate to lose to
thats why you have 15 slots and can pick your cards for matchups you are afraid of... ;-)
Please don't quote me out of context. What I was saying: I hate to lose to a quick tutored Iona because they are banking on that all my attacks would be blocked and I won't be able to cast spells.
15 card sideboard slots do help, but focusing on red/artifact don't have all the answers.
soo why do we still talk about that?
just suggested a card and said something about pro/con...
karakas is ok vs 2 problem matchups and you said yourself you can beat both decks if they dont go like t1 iona or t1-2 emrakul/griselbrand...
play 3-4 karakas or split your sb and play 3-4 ashen riders and 3-4 faerie or leyline or something even more narrow like brittle effigy thats your choice...
Sometimes it's best to talk out ideas to see what others think.
Like I said, I think Karakas is a wonderful card against reanimator/show... but the land also sucks because the land is exclusive to bouncing the legendary creatures back to the opponent's hand.
GP Vegas is coming up next week and I plan to play in one of the side events Thursday. I plan on playing Patrick Sullivan's list and the only thing I'm not sure about is my side board. I'm thinking I'd like to have 4x Smash to Smithereens, 4x Searing Blood, possibly 2x Vexing Shusher, and as for grave yard hate I can't decide between 4x Faerie Macabre or 4x Leyline of the Void? I own both I'm just not sure which would be the best option. As for the rest of the SB I'm not sure what should fill in the slots.
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Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
GP Vegas is coming up next week and I plan to play in one of the side events Thursday. I plan on playing Patrick Sullivan's list and the only thing I'm not sure about is my side board. I'm thinking I'd like to have 4x Smash to Smithereens, 4x Searing Blood, possibly 2x Vexing Shusher, and as for grave yard hate I can't decide between 4x Faerie Macabre or 4x Leyline of the Void? I own both I'm just not sure which would be the best option. As for the rest of the SB I'm not sure what should fill in the slots.
I like Faerie Macabre better because you can use him if you draw him later in the game. Layline your screwed if you don't have them in the opening hand, and each mulligan without a leyline is another twist in the screw.
so what's a mono red player to do against Iona, Shield of Emeria? Karakas can bounce her back into the hand over and over again, but i think it has some large drawbacks. without any tutors, i feel like youd need 3 or 4 of them in the deck if you were really expecting to have it help when you needed it to against Iona. but its not a very good card to draw at all, unless there is some crazy, must answer legend in play.
are there any other options, once shes in play?
thanks
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My decks. Feel free to make suggestions. The Precious B___U___G___R___W
This was discussed in the last few pages, but in short there's not much you can do. Dodge the matchup, dodge the card, exile it if it ever lands in the yard, and hope for the best.
I'm really not sure about Swiftspear but I'm willing to try some out, shaving a copy due to deck size. Rift Bolt could go to 3 due to speed/mana considerations if I need room. PoP seems good at 4 due to all the non-basics in the meta, but I wonder if Fireblast can be shaved to 3 due to multiples being clunky. I'd love a second maindeck Vortex but not sure where to pull from. Thoughts?
Because it can continue dealing damage without needing to attack. The Sullivan list can't beat Reanimator if Iona enters the battlefield but a list with Lavamancer, Barbarian Ring and Sulfuric Vortex mainboard can (very hard but possible compared to auto-scoop) win game 1 unless Reanimator has turn 1-2 Iona.
I don't think Grim is doing much of anything there. Iona's a 7/7 - you're not winning that race. You're also going to run out of cards in your graveyard. I think that if Iona lands, you just scoop and move on to the next game.
@Curby: I've been running a list online with Swiftspear. I run 2 Grim main like you, however I cut Blaze from main entirely for the 4th Swift and 2nd Vortex.
@Cainsson: Ahh, seem like a long shot, but makes sense.
Thanks, Nevelo. I like the Searing cards so much both because of the path-clearing nature for our weenies and the 2-for-1 nature (not to mention all the Deathrites running around), so it's hard to get rid of them entirely, though that might be the best bet regardless. Do you have an updated sideboard? I take it the link in your sig is out of date.
I don't think Grim is doing much of anything there. Iona's a 7/7 - you're not winning that race. You're also going to run out of cards in your graveyard. I think that if Iona lands, you just scoop and move on to the next game.
Sorry I have issues with auto scooping. If Iona becomes an issue than it might be a good idea to change strategy and/or color splash.
You're playing a linear deck and have issues with auto-scooping? Methinks you're in the wrong strategy. All linears in Legacy have cards they just pack it up to when resolved. Iona is Burn's.
You're playing a linear deck and have issues with auto-scooping? Methinks you're in the wrong strategy. All linears in Legacy have cards they just pack it up to when resolved. Iona is Burn's.
Why auto-scoop? Sideboard 3 Phyrexian Metamorph... sure your not going to kill their Iona, but they might be forced to block you're clone (especially if you shut down one of their colors).
RE: Rothgar13
I agree. No sense in diluting you sideboard for one miserable match up like Reanimator. Every deck has a weakness. Ours is Reanimator/Show and Tell. I don't mind having that certain "Achilles" so to speak. I'm not going to pack my SB full of 15 different one-of's or fill it full of super narrow hosers to combat one particular deck.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Re: Iona, I can see both sides. If Burn is your deck (i.e. you don't have resources to pivot into another) and your local meta is full of Iona, then attacking that meta means attacking Iona.
If you're going to a large 9+ round event and expect a diverse, healthy meta (c.f. GP Vegas), I'd go for a more general sideboard with more broadly-applicable cards. In such a meta you might not even see Iona, and boarding hate specifically for Iona might not be enough, so those slots are better used for more general hate. Speaking of which, has anyone considered Grafdigger's Cage recently? That would be good against Dredge, Elves, and other decks where Metamorph, Karakas, etc. would seem like worse options.
EDIT: Back to Searing spells, I guess my Lavamancers can fill the role of x-for-1 card advantage removal options for small creatures. I'll try 2 Lavamancer 0 Searing in the main and see what happens.
@Ridi that's pretty much what I've got going on, but I'm interested in trying out Swiftspears for the heck of it, cause I never have. I might run screaming back the other way.
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.
Burn has been constantly changing, especially in the last 5 years. Also the banning of Top dropped the need to sideboard Vexing Shusher and Exquisite Firecraft.
The core creatures are:
Goblin Guide
Eidolon of the Great Revel
Secondary Burn Creatures are:
Monastery Swiftspear Fast damage and sometimes better than Goblin Guide!
Grim Lavamancer Best against Elves/Merfolks and other control type decks.
Vexing Devil Most misunderstood card, especially for those that don't play it.
And naturally, you can just add more burn.
Main spells:
Mostly had not changed.
Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Lava Spike and Rift Bolt. Although, I stopped playing Rift Bolt for over year because the Suspend ability seemed to drag the deck, other players seemed to like Rift Bolt because Countertop had a hard time in stopping the card... Countertop is now dead so I'm not sure how long will Rift Bolt will remain as a burn staple. I still believe the suspend ability is a major drag to the deck, especially if you're aim is playing Goblin Guides/Swiftspears on turn 1, and Eidolon on turn 2, that pushes Rift Bolt to turn 3 or 4 for the suspend ability. I've been playing Forked Bolt instead and enjoyed the performance.
Price of Progress and Fireblast. Most players play 4 each without question. Although Price of Progress can be flexible to 3 cards, but it depends on where you are playing.
Searing Blood, Searing Blaze. Both cards have their pros and cons. Because legacy is a creature format - it would be wise to play 3-4 of either or a mix of both spells.
Flame Rift I've seen love/hate at both ends. Good card but most burn players see the 4 damage and the 2 damage from Eidolon as a major disadvantage. Other's don't see it that way. Just recently, there are some players playing Flame Rift and Eidolon and they are doing well in tournaments.
Sulfuric Vortex This is a good card, very effective. The down side the card cost 3 mana, so player pack 2 in the deck.
Exquisite Firecraft for 2 years players were slowly adding Firecraft to their decks, some even play 3 in the main and 1 in the sideboard. It was an effective card against countertop. I don't see Firecraft getting played as much as today because countertop is now dead, but if you believe the meta is loaded with control decks, then maybe Firecraft is an idea card.
Skullcrack So far I had not seen anybody playing with the card. It's still a good card but overshadowed by the other burn spells. I won't be surprised to see players dropping their 3cc firecraft for 2cc Skullcrack.
New cards:
Harsh Mentor Seemed to be a good sideboard option against countertop. I do think players want to make this guy work, so we are going to see a few listed in the sideboard. I'm not sure and I don't think he was worth 8 dollars on the release, and since his price has dropped to 3 dollars each is a good sign on how over hyped the card was. I do think he's an awesome card for Vintage Burn, but who plays burn in vintage.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
With SDT gone, I'm looking to slightly readjust my sideboard for Burn. Here's the list I have so far.
4x Goblin Guide
4x Monastery Swiftspear
4x Eidolon of the Great Revel
2x Grim Lavamancer
Spells
16x Bolts
4x Flame Rift
4x Price of Progress
3x Fireblast
10x Fetches
9x Mountain
4x Searing Blaze
3x Smash to Smithereens
2x Pyrostatic Pillar
2x Sulfuric Vortex
4x Free Slots
The four free slots are what I have to play with. I was wondering your opinions on the full playset of Searing Blood to fill that? I know eight searing effects might be a lot, but as you can see the rest of my deck is heavily slated against combo decks. I'm thinking that the eight effects could come in to help heavily favor me against creature decks post-board. My other option is 0-1 Searing Blood and 3-4 Pyroblast. That could help against Delver decks as well as FoW and Sneak and Show. I'd rather not pack graveyard hate, as I think I just wanna hope to dodge those matchups.
Of course, if you have any other suggestions about my deck overall, I'm happy to listen.
EDIT: Actually, the more I'm looking at it, the more I think a playset of Ensnaring Bridge might be just what the doctor ordered. It's slow, but it does give me hate against Reanimator and Sneak and Show without being dead in other matches. Specifically, I can also bring it in versus Eldrazi and Lands. What do you all think?
Mardu Burn
Monogreen Stompy
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Dimir Flicker
Monowhite Tokens
I like searing blood/blaze; both cards are awesome! I do strongly recommend playing 4 searing blood/blaze in the main deck. I would drop (or sideboard) the flame rifts. I noticed some player using flame rifts with eidolon but they seemed cautious and they would play 2 or 3 flame rifts. I also think you could drop (or sideboard) Grim Lavamancer.
Fireblast is a necessary burn card and you should never play less than 4. In the old school days playing less than 4 was ok because the burn decks were slow and drawing a fireblast was ok. Today you want to have that fireblast in your opening hand.
I have mixed feelings with Ensnaring Bridge. First, I do like it and 3 seemed like a good number. But Ensnaring Bridge don't do any good against a good reanimator/show player. All they do is drop Iona, Shield of Emeria into play and watch you fold. They will combo out for a first/second turn Iona, just because a burn player folding is the only option. Usually the best card against reanimator is Faerie Macabre. I like it because the opponent cannot counter the card. It's also an awesome card to play in response to exhume. Against show, some player used Angel of Despair or Ashen Rider a lot has to do with timing. I do think Red Elemental Blast and Pyroblast are better cards, it knocks out show or brainstorm. And it would be smart to sideboard 2 of each card. Sure you can play Ensaring Bridge to counter the secondary cards, but most of the time once you stopped the first creature the opponent won't be able to pull off the second one.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Karakas is an awesome card against Show/Reanimator. But you need 3 copies because we have no way to tutor the card. And unfortunately, most of our cards don't ask for colorless mana, therefore Karakas is a dead land.
Eidolon has been a good anti-storm card. If storm is a big deck in your tournament, it might be smarter to add 2 Pillars (sort of like Eidolon 5/6)
It's true, but unlike most decks, burn is the most aggressive. Every card/spell is an attack on the opponent's life points. Loosing the game by % can happen. I would like to lose against reanimator by a race. I hate to lose to reanimator because they tutored Iona and put her into play on turn 2.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Sure but I'd never lost a game when Annex is the sole creature in play. Besides most reanimator/show would play Jin-Gitaxias Before they play Annex. And if they are skilled they would play Iona against burn and any other mono-color deck first.
Please don't quote me out of context. What I was saying: I hate to lose to a quick tutored Iona because they are banking on that all my attacks would be blocked and I won't be able to cast spells.
15 card sideboard slots do help, but focusing on red/artifact don't have all the answers.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Sometimes it's best to talk out ideas to see what others think.
Like I said, I think Karakas is a wonderful card against reanimator/show... but the land also sucks because the land is exclusive to bouncing the legendary creatures back to the opponent's hand.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
I like Faerie Macabre better because you can use him if you draw him later in the game. Layline your screwed if you don't have them in the opening hand, and each mulligan without a leyline is another twist in the screw.
I'm not sure if there is a point to play Vexing Shusher, he's usually used in countertop and countertop is a dead deck. Red Elemental Blast and pyroblast seemed to be better cards, they knock out counterspell and show and tell.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Karakas can bounce her back into the hand over and over again, but i think it has some large drawbacks. without any tutors, i feel like youd need 3 or 4 of them in the deck if you were really expecting to have it help when you needed it to against Iona. but its not a very good card to draw at all, unless there is some crazy, must answer legend in play.
are there any other options, once shes in play?
thanks
The Precious
B___U___G___R___W
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
Edit: How's this maindeck look?
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Scalding Tarn
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
3 Monastery Swiftspear
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Fireblast
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Price of Progress
4 Rift Bolt
2 Searing Blaze
1 Sulfuric Vortex
I'm really not sure about Swiftspear but I'm willing to try some out, shaving a copy due to deck size. Rift Bolt could go to 3 due to speed/mana considerations if I need room. PoP seems good at 4 due to all the non-basics in the meta, but I wonder if Fireblast can be shaved to 3 due to multiples being clunky. I'd love a second maindeck Vortex but not sure where to pull from. Thoughts?
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
@Cainsson: Ahh, seem like a long shot, but makes sense.
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.
Sorry I have issues with auto scooping. If Iona becomes an issue than it might be a good idea to change strategy and/or color splash.
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Why auto-scoop? Sideboard 3 Phyrexian Metamorph... sure your not going to kill their Iona, but they might be forced to block you're clone (especially if you shut down one of their colors).
In his Second 100 days - Yawgmoth's Bargain is unrestricted in Vintage.
What is going to happen in the Next 100 days!!!
2 Harsh Mentor
2 Pyrostatic Pillar
3 Smash to Smithereens
3 Searing Blaze
3 Tormod's Crypt
I should note that I would include Ensnaring Bridge if I was prepared to spend that sort of money on MTGO. Likely difference would be:
-2 Red Elemental Blast
-2 Harsh Mentor
+3 Ensnaring Bridge
+1 Searing Blaze
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
I agree. No sense in diluting you sideboard for one miserable match up like Reanimator. Every deck has a weakness. Ours is Reanimator/Show and Tell. I don't mind having that certain "Achilles" so to speak. I'm not going to pack my SB full of 15 different one-of's or fill it full of super narrow hosers to combat one particular deck.
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Re: Iona, I can see both sides. If Burn is your deck (i.e. you don't have resources to pivot into another) and your local meta is full of Iona, then attacking that meta means attacking Iona.
If you're going to a large 9+ round event and expect a diverse, healthy meta (c.f. GP Vegas), I'd go for a more general sideboard with more broadly-applicable cards. In such a meta you might not even see Iona, and boarding hate specifically for Iona might not be enough, so those slots are better used for more general hate. Speaking of which, has anyone considered Grafdigger's Cage recently? That would be good against Dredge, Elves, and other decks where Metamorph, Karakas, etc. would seem like worse options.
EDIT: Back to Searing spells, I guess my Lavamancers can fill the role of x-for-1 card advantage removal options for small creatures. I'll try 2 Lavamancer 0 Searing in the main and see what happens.
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.
2) Use the right number of each card.
3) Know your probabilities.
4) Print your deck lists; make yourself and your judges happier.