@Arkaedrian: Turn 3 kills are pretty good. Even as a Boros Charm 5-8 it's better than Skullcrack in most matchups. Power level is way higher with Command.
Guess il be moving 2 skullcrack to the side and 4 command in the main if it's really that good. Anyone else have an opinion on this?
This is what I am thinking of. 4 Command in the sideboard.
Command is much better than skullcrack main deck. I would argue that if the life is that much of an issue, you need to play another deck. I mean if your meta is loaded with other burn players, affinity, and/or zoo you need to run a different deck(ideally anyways). Also if you are really heart set on a list like that use 3 searing blaze and 3 skullcrack. 3 Searing blaze is going to win you more games than a 4th skullcrack main.
Concerning the Ari Lax thing. Not trying to come off the wrong way here, as this is a seriousn question since I do not know, but has he top8'd anything with burn? It's easy to get sucked in on advise from pros. They are certainly good players and much better than myself. However I've watched enough vs series and MTGO video deck techs with the SCG guys to know that they don't always have a good grasp on the deck or even the right build. Honestly, would rather get feedback from guys who have just top8 major tournaments. Even if they aren't big names. The main issue with them is they don't often articulate the ideas very well, but whatever they were doing was working.
I've tried to stick to a cut one color sideboard plan, but it doesn't often work because there are cards of both splashes that are good in some matchups. E.g. Destructive Revelry and Deflecting Palm vs Infect. Or Revelry and Helix vs Affinity. Perhaps not loading up too heavy on splash cards is the main takeaway? But cutting one color or another seems impractical.
I like confluence and want to continue to try it out. Though, certainly a deck not heavy on more than 1 splash doesn't want it. It may or may not be better EV. I think the worst case scenario is that is breaks even on damage. If that's the case, we are only losing the marginal value of getting lands into our graveyard (assuming we cut Fetches, though I'm much more inclined to just go to 2 basics and have up around 10-12 fetches regardless).
That basically sums up my thoughts exactly. Also his only top 8 with a somewhat similar deck is a red deck wins a few years back. Obviously he is a great player, but even great players make mistakes all the time.
I've had quite a few games where Searing Blaze was a dead card, there were no targets on the other side of the field. It is great when it works, it's lackluster when there's no creatures to target.
I've had quite a few games where Searing Blaze was a dead card, there were no targets on the other side of the field. It is great when it works, it's lackluster when there's no creatures to target.
In my experience, besides the mirror, there will always be a target for Searing Blaze, whether it's already on the field when I draw, or one pops up.
Also, what's the general consensus on Bump in the Night? Yay or nay? I mean, it seems like it fits the deck well, and if you only run 2 or 3, you only require one black source. My biggest complaint about it is its sorcery type, as I adore casting spells on an opponents turn.
Hi guys, what's your thoughts on Ensnaring Bridge? Looks good against some tricky matchups, like Merfolks, Affinity, Infect (in both cases only if we are able to sit at 0 cards, Soul Sisters (at least we can force a draw lol), BW Bogles, Death and Taxes...
Is it played so little because it is bad or because of its price?
If you cast it turn 3. Many decks can kill you before it comes online. Also a lot of those decks run counters, bounce, or artifact destruction. It could certainly work game 2 against a lot of decks, but game 3 it will not once they see it and sideboard.
Concerning the Ari Lax thing. Not trying to come off the wrong way here, as this is a seriousn question since I do not know, but has he top8'd anything with burn? It's easy to get sucked in on advise from pros. They are certainly good players and much better than myself. However I've watched enough vs series and MTGO video deck techs with the SCG guys to know that they don't always have a good grasp on the deck or even the right build. Honestly, would rather get feedback from guys who have just top8 major tournaments. Even if they aren't big names. The main issue with them is they don't often articulate the ideas very well, but whatever they were doing was working.
I've tried to stick to a cut one color sideboard plan, but it doesn't often work because there are cards of both splashes that are good in some matchups. E.g. Destructive Revelry and Deflecting Palm vs Infect. Or Revelry and Helix vs Affinity. Perhaps not loading up too heavy on splash cards is the main takeaway? But cutting one color or another seems impractical.
I like confluence and want to continue to try it out. Though, certainly a deck not heavy on more than 1 splash doesn't want it. It may or may not be better EV. I think the worst case scenario is that is breaks even on damage. If that's the case, we are only losing the marginal value of getting lands into our graveyard (assuming we cut Fetches, though I'm much more inclined to just go to 2 basics and have up around 10-12 fetches regardless).
Ari went 10-6 at PT Fate Reforged, and to my knowledge he has had success with Burn decks and similar strategies for years. He's probably top 8ed with it at some point, but I'm not sure how I would track that. In any case 10-6 at a PT is respectable even if his limited record carried him, and his team did well overall with various Burn builds at the PT as well.
I wouldn't just blindly take a pros advice without thinking for myself or testing it to verify the effectiveness of the recommended strategy. But in this case it just makes sense to me, and so far it has worked really well.
Again, against Affinity Helix isn't doing anything for you if it's the only white spell in the deck, since fetching a shockland and paying 2 mana for a bolt is worthless unless you draw multiple Helix. And I only play 2. Against Infect, your life likely doesn't matter so urging a color is unnecessary. In the Mirror, fetching multiple chock lands is a death sentence, even with Firewalker sometimes. So I still think the strategy makes perfect sense. You don't always have to do it but when it makes sense it works really well. I hate being color screwed in a near monored deck.
I do think the point is that heavy splashes have their risks and their rewards. I tend to be more conservative. And keeping my color requirements low has helped me win a lot of close games. So regardless of Aris credentials with Burn, his idea stacks up for me at least.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MODERN RGB Jund BGR WGB Junk/Abzan Company WGB
LEGACY RUGB Delver GURB
EDH UW Geist of Saint Traft Aggro-Control WU RUG Riku of Two Reflections Combo GUR BBB Skithiryx Control BB
You shouldn't have to run out the helix right away though to be perfectly honest. If you have a hand full of multi-color it is all two mana cards and needs to be shipped. You would use rift bolts and lightning bolts to sandbag the board early. Then you helix to clean up. I think a lot of your perception about the splash comes from how you sequence cards, or what you view as a good hand. Also a lot of this changes on the play or draw. Typically at worst with helix you break even on life. That is still a refund on fetching you would not have before. Lets say you just leave green in vs affinity. A shock fetch plus normal fetch is -4 life, best case is shock plus an actual mountain is -2. With helix I can double fetch both colors and worst case I am -3 life after helix. If I get fetch plus fetch mountain I am -1. If I shock mountain I am +1 and if I shock confluence I am even. Don't forget to add the 3 life you gain back from helix. Hitting all your land drops on time, allows you to make many different plays as well. Typically you pay 4 life for the helix and are at -1 overall. It will often be just as disruptive as revelry against many affinity draws, and you are at a higher life total than you would be with affinity. Of course I run path in the board as well so that probably colors my perception.
@Arkaedrian: Turn 3 kills are pretty good. Even as a Boros Charm 5-8 it's better than Skullcrack in most matchups. Power level is way higher with Command.
Guess il be moving 2 skullcrack to the side and 4 command in the main if it's really that good. Anyone else have an opinion on this?
I'm not too sure about Atarka's Command. I run 4 Skullcrack MB and no Atarka's Command SB. I'm not sure about a three colour Burn that is consistent: I've got mana screwed twice last week against Affinity and Junk. I also don't like the idea of fetching then shocking and be at 14.
I don't want to look like I'm against Atarka's Command. The card is great, sure thing. But I'm more concerned about a three colour Burn than anything else. The manabase is becoming complicated and I'd like to see tournament results. It was fine in the States and it seems there's a trend to move toward it, but I'd wait for the three GPs in June/July to see how Burn performs: it'll be a nice indicator and I'll make my mind then.
You shouldn't have to run out the helix right away though to be perfectly honest. If you have a hand full of multi-color it is all two mana cards and needs to be shipped. You would use rift bolts and lightning bolts to sandbag the board early. Then you helix to clean up. I think a lot of your perception about the splash comes from how you sequence cards, or what you view as a good hand. Also a lot of this changes on the play or draw. Typically at worst with helix you break even on life. That is still a refund on fetching you would not have before. Lets say you just leave green in vs affinity. A shock fetch plus normal fetch is -4 life, best case is shock plus an actual mountain is -2. With helix I can double fetch both colors and worst case I am -3 life after helix. If I get fetch plus fetch mountain I am -1. If I shock mountain I am +1 and if I shock confluence I am even. Don't forget to add the 3 life you gain back from helix. Hitting all your land drops on time, allows you to make many different plays as well. Typically you pay 4 life for the helix and are at -1 overall. It will often be just as disruptive as revelry against many affinity draws, and you are at a higher life total than you would be with affinity. Of course I run path in the board as well so that probably colors my perception.
I understand that Lightning Helix is good against Affinity, and if you are already in white for other reasons, or you have a playset of Helix, than it's a no-brainer to stay in white for it postboard. But again, if you're like me and are only running 2 Helix in the entire list, than cutting them postboard to ensure you never need to fetch a second Shockland makes a lot of sense. The "refund" you get from the first Helix makes up for exactly 1 point of damage if you had to fetch an untapped shock for it, and that's not worth it to me. The second one gets a lot better, but I'm not hugely likely to draw two copies when it's only a 2-of in my deck. So again, it makes sense for some folks to keep the white splash against AFfinity, but for me it's been perfectly acceptable to shave the 6 maindeck spells (4 Charm, 2 Helix) and one of my Foundries for a powerful Gruul sideboard setup. Postboard I have 4 Destructive Revelry, 4 Searing Blaze, 2 Volcanic Fallout, and 2 Atarka's Command against Affinity. It's still a close match, but I feel damn confident in every postboard game if I get an even average draw against Robots. I'm not telling people they should all cut white, I'm saying that I do, and it's worked out well for me so far. I also don't think everyone has the same build that I do. And finally, this all stemmed from my opposition of running City of Brass effects. My logic in that regard still stands, but not everyone needs to subscribe to the same strategies. Clearly if you have a color-heavier manabase (with say 11+ fetches, 5+ shocks, and 2 City of Brass), than cutting a color isn't doing you much good. But with my build, I have 3-4 Shocks (haven't locked this down fully) and all the rest is basics and fetches, so I get a lot more mileage out of slicing a color in postboard games.
For reference, here is my current list: Perhaps this will take us away from this squabble and into a more constructive direction. Whether or not I cut a color in postboard games is'nt really that relevant to this thread. If you don't think it's for you, I'm not even remotely trying to push the idea on anyone. I'm simply defending my own card choices and strategies. I've always hated having mana issues or taking too much damage from my lands in this format, as it's very frustrating to lose to your own manabase. And reducing that problem is a huge way to gain an edge in Modern. Anyway, here's the list:
Against Amulet, pray you don't face it? Idk lol. But against Scapeshift, only fetch if you have to, and have 4 Helix in your 75.
Yea Amulet can be tough but destructive revelry will help to slow or turn off their combo. I would also run deflecting palm and path but they can win without creatures so your best bet is to destroy the amulet of vigor. As for scapeshift, deflecting palm will just straight up poop on that deck.
Against Amulet, pray you don't face it? Idk lol. But against Scapeshift, only fetch if you have to, and have 4 Helix in your 75.
Yea Amulet can be tough but destructive revelry will help to slow or turn off their combo. I would also run deflecting palm and path but they can win without creatures so your best bet is to destroy the amulet of vigor. As for scapeshift, deflecting palm will just straight up poop on that deck.
I don't want to get bogged down on this Lax stuff, but I feel like exploring this just a little further. I had a look at TCG and MTGtop8 and couldn't find any Burn top8 for Lax. He seems to have started as a Faeries player, had good runs with Ad Nauseum and more recently Blue Devotion and Midrange decks. 1 instance of a standard red aggro.
Actually just searched PT Fate and him and there is a deck diary for his Burn deck. What I noticed is that he didn't even test the 3rd splash. He started on straight RW and stayed there. I also noticed based on his write up he seemed to tunnel vision on having answers for answers. In other words, he did not include Kor Firewalker, but obviously knew about it as he was constantly mentioning having answers to it (rather than being proactive, a classic misunderstanding from midrange players on how burn plays IMHO). Ultimately went 6-4, which isn't terrible but not great.
Edit: I'll just add, his theorizing on the splash may sound perfectly reasonable. I mean that's where we start with deck building. Then we have to put it to the test to see if it actually pans out.
I agree that the heavier 3rd splash is slightly riskier. Perhaps a bit more damaging. However, as in the post I wrote a few back, the extra damage is a bit overblown and sequencing can help us a ton. I say that assuming a standard fetch/shock/basic manabase. Perhaps additions like Copperline and Confluence can smooth out both the consistency and the damage with some testing.
I think the power level added by Command is high enough to add that risk. Especially because the risk is largely manageable. If we decide we are the beatdown, we fetch shock hard and go for the throat. If we are the control, well we slow it down and sequence it out for low damage.
You shouldn't have to run out the helix right away though to be perfectly honest. If you have a hand full of multi-color it is all two mana cards and needs to be shipped. You would use rift bolts and lightning bolts to sandbag the board early. Then you helix to clean up. I think a lot of your perception about the splash comes from how you sequence cards, or what you view as a good hand. Also a lot of this changes on the play or draw. Typically at worst with helix you break even on life. That is still a refund on fetching you would not have before. Lets say you just leave green in vs affinity. A shock fetch plus normal fetch is -4 life, best case is shock plus an actual mountain is -2. With helix I can double fetch both colors and worst case I am -3 life after helix. If I get fetch plus fetch mountain I am -1. If I shock mountain I am +1 and if I shock confluence I am even. Don't forget to add the 3 life you gain back from helix. Hitting all your land drops on time, allows you to make many different plays as well. Typically you pay 4 life for the helix and are at -1 overall. It will often be just as disruptive as revelry against many affinity draws, and you are at a higher life total than you would be with affinity. Of course I run path in the board as well so that probably colors my perception.
I understand that Lightning Helix is good against Affinity, and if you are already in white for other reasons, or you have a playset of Helix, than it's a no-brainer to stay in white for it postboard. But again, if you're like me and are only running 2 Helix in the entire list, than cutting them postboard to ensure you never need to fetch a second Shockland makes a lot of sense. The "refund" you get from the first Helix makes up for exactly 1 point of damage if you had to fetch an untapped shock for it, and that's not worth it to me. The second one gets a lot better, but I'm not hugely likely to draw two copies when it's only a 2-of in my deck. So again, it makes sense for some folks to keep the white splash against AFfinity, but for me it's been perfectly acceptable to shave the 6 maindeck spells (4 Charm, 2 Helix) and one of my Foundries for a powerful Gruul sideboard setup. Postboard I have 4 Destructive Revelry, 4 Searing Blaze, 2 Volcanic Fallout, and 2 Atarka's Command against Affinity. It's still a close match, but I feel damn confident in every postboard game if I get an even average draw against Robots. I'm not telling people they should all cut white, I'm saying that I do, and it's worked out well for me so far. I also don't think everyone has the same build that I do. And finally, this all stemmed from my opposition of running City of Brass effects. My logic in that regard still stands, but not everyone needs to subscribe to the same strategies. Clearly if you have a color-heavier manabase (with say 11+ fetches, 5+ shocks, and 2 City of Brass), than cutting a color isn't doing you much good. But with my build, I have 3-4 Shocks (haven't locked this down fully) and all the rest is basics and fetches, so I get a lot more mileage out of slicing a color in postboard games.
For reference, here is my current list: Perhaps this will take us away from this squabble and into a more constructive direction. Whether or not I cut a color in postboard games is'nt really that relevant to this thread. If you don't think it's for you, I'm not even remotely trying to push the idea on anyone. I'm simply defending my own card choices and strategies. I've always hated having mana issues or taking too much damage from my lands in this format, as it's very frustrating to lose to your own manabase. And reducing that problem is a huge way to gain an edge in Modern. Anyway, here's the list:
Command feels like a maindeck card to me. Out the board it is a poor skullcrack or a better boros charm. Also even with considering your list, I would argue path to exile is the better than lava spike against aggro decks. I mean the point of going multi color is to get more powerful cards. If you don't want to run the cards, running the duals to support them is a poor idea. You are taking damage for no reason. I also feel that 4 searing blaze is wrong. You never want two in your starting hand because it is often a dead card. Helix on the other hand helps against aggro decks or you can just point it at them. A 3/3 split is more natural because you don't get flooded with either, but having one is extremely good.
Against scapeshift take out searing blaze and lavamancer. Bring in molten rain and revelry to deal with spellskite. We are talking about your specific list.
Against bloom bring in all your revelry, deflecting palm, path to exile, and molten rain on the play. I would cut eidolon, searing blaze, and helix for your sideboard cards. On the play post sideboard bring in your eidolon and remove molten rain. Eidolon is good at punishing pacts or multiple amulet hands but it is more important to keep them off doing anything with the pacts. This a terrible match up though.
If one is unable to afford the Arid Mesa or are waiting for a reprint (hopefully in battle for zendikar) what would you guys suggest as a replacement?
Currently I have Windswept heath but i've been looking at just basic mountains, dropping lands, or even city of brass. What do y'all think.
Also im on a pretty stock boros build
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Command is much better than skullcrack main deck. I would argue that if the life is that much of an issue, you need to play another deck. I mean if your meta is loaded with other burn players, affinity, and/or zoo you need to run a different deck(ideally anyways). Also if you are really heart set on a list like that use 3 searing blaze and 3 skullcrack. 3 Searing blaze is going to win you more games than a 4th skullcrack main.
That basically sums up my thoughts exactly. Also his only top 8 with a somewhat similar deck is a red deck wins a few years back. Obviously he is a great player, but even great players make mistakes all the time.
In my experience, besides the mirror, there will always be a target for Searing Blaze, whether it's already on the field when I draw, or one pops up.
Also, what's the general consensus on Bump in the Night? Yay or nay? I mean, it seems like it fits the deck well, and if you only run 2 or 3, you only require one black source. My biggest complaint about it is its sorcery type, as I adore casting spells on an opponents turn.
Thoughts?
-MH
Modern
BUGLantern ControlBUG
If you cast it turn 3. Many decks can kill you before it comes online. Also a lot of those decks run counters, bounce, or artifact destruction. It could certainly work game 2 against a lot of decks, but game 3 it will not once they see it and sideboard.
Ari went 10-6 at PT Fate Reforged, and to my knowledge he has had success with Burn decks and similar strategies for years. He's probably top 8ed with it at some point, but I'm not sure how I would track that. In any case 10-6 at a PT is respectable even if his limited record carried him, and his team did well overall with various Burn builds at the PT as well.
I wouldn't just blindly take a pros advice without thinking for myself or testing it to verify the effectiveness of the recommended strategy. But in this case it just makes sense to me, and so far it has worked really well.
Again, against Affinity Helix isn't doing anything for you if it's the only white spell in the deck, since fetching a shockland and paying 2 mana for a bolt is worthless unless you draw multiple Helix. And I only play 2. Against Infect, your life likely doesn't matter so urging a color is unnecessary. In the Mirror, fetching multiple chock lands is a death sentence, even with Firewalker sometimes. So I still think the strategy makes perfect sense. You don't always have to do it but when it makes sense it works really well. I hate being color screwed in a near monored deck.
I do think the point is that heavy splashes have their risks and their rewards. I tend to be more conservative. And keeping my color requirements low has helped me win a lot of close games. So regardless of Aris credentials with Burn, his idea stacks up for me at least.
RGB Jund BGR
WGB Junk/Abzan Company WGB
LEGACY
RUGB Delver GURB
EDH
UW Geist of Saint Traft Aggro-Control WU
RUG Riku of Two Reflections Combo GUR
BBB Skithiryx Control BB
I'm not too sure about Atarka's Command. I run 4 Skullcrack MB and no Atarka's Command SB. I'm not sure about a three colour Burn that is consistent: I've got mana screwed twice last week against Affinity and Junk. I also don't like the idea of fetching then shocking and be at 14.
I don't want to look like I'm against Atarka's Command. The card is great, sure thing. But I'm more concerned about a three colour Burn than anything else. The manabase is becoming complicated and I'd like to see tournament results. It was fine in the States and it seems there's a trend to move toward it, but I'd wait for the three GPs in June/July to see how Burn performs: it'll be a nice indicator and I'll make my mind then.
Aggro: Naya Burn RWG
Combo: Scapeshift RG
Control: Jeskai Control UWR
Legacy
Control: Miracles UW
Aggro: Burn R
I understand that Lightning Helix is good against Affinity, and if you are already in white for other reasons, or you have a playset of Helix, than it's a no-brainer to stay in white for it postboard. But again, if you're like me and are only running 2 Helix in the entire list, than cutting them postboard to ensure you never need to fetch a second Shockland makes a lot of sense. The "refund" you get from the first Helix makes up for exactly 1 point of damage if you had to fetch an untapped shock for it, and that's not worth it to me. The second one gets a lot better, but I'm not hugely likely to draw two copies when it's only a 2-of in my deck. So again, it makes sense for some folks to keep the white splash against AFfinity, but for me it's been perfectly acceptable to shave the 6 maindeck spells (4 Charm, 2 Helix) and one of my Foundries for a powerful Gruul sideboard setup. Postboard I have 4 Destructive Revelry, 4 Searing Blaze, 2 Volcanic Fallout, and 2 Atarka's Command against Affinity. It's still a close match, but I feel damn confident in every postboard game if I get an even average draw against Robots. I'm not telling people they should all cut white, I'm saying that I do, and it's worked out well for me so far. I also don't think everyone has the same build that I do. And finally, this all stemmed from my opposition of running City of Brass effects. My logic in that regard still stands, but not everyone needs to subscribe to the same strategies. Clearly if you have a color-heavier manabase (with say 11+ fetches, 5+ shocks, and 2 City of Brass), than cutting a color isn't doing you much good. But with my build, I have 3-4 Shocks (haven't locked this down fully) and all the rest is basics and fetches, so I get a lot more mileage out of slicing a color in postboard games.
For reference, here is my current list: Perhaps this will take us away from this squabble and into a more constructive direction. Whether or not I cut a color in postboard games is'nt really that relevant to this thread. If you don't think it's for you, I'm not even remotely trying to push the idea on anyone. I'm simply defending my own card choices and strategies. I've always hated having mana issues or taking too much damage from my lands in this format, as it's very frustrating to lose to your own manabase. And reducing that problem is a huge way to gain an edge in Modern. Anyway, here's the list:
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
2 Shard Volley
4 Boros Charm
4 Searing Blaze
4 Skullcrack
2 Lightning Helix
4 Arid Mesa
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
3 Mountain
3 Kor Firewalker
2 Molten Rain
2 Volcanic Fallout
2 Path to Exile
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Atarka's Command
RGB Jund BGR
WGB Junk/Abzan Company WGB
LEGACY
RUGB Delver GURB
EDH
UW Geist of Saint Traft Aggro-Control WU
RUG Riku of Two Reflections Combo GUR
BBB Skithiryx Control BB
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
Spells
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rift Bolt
1 Shard Volley
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
2 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
4 Arid Mesa
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Sacred Foundry
5 Mountain
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Stomping Ground
2 Lightning Helix
1 Searing Blaze
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Dragon's Claw
2 Deflecting Palm
2 Molten Rain
2 Path to Exile
How about Deflecting Palm for the titans against Amulet Combo?
Yea Amulet can be tough but destructive revelry will help to slow or turn off their combo. I would also run deflecting palm and path but they can win without creatures so your best bet is to destroy the amulet of vigor. As for scapeshift, deflecting palm will just straight up poop on that deck.
RWG Burn
GW Abzan Company
RWG Burn
GW Abzan Company
Maybe I am missing something but wouldn't Deflecting Palm only prevent one of the Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle triggers?
RWG Burn
GW Abzan Company
Actually just searched PT Fate and him and there is a deck diary for his Burn deck. What I noticed is that he didn't even test the 3rd splash. He started on straight RW and stayed there. I also noticed based on his write up he seemed to tunnel vision on having answers for answers. In other words, he did not include Kor Firewalker, but obviously knew about it as he was constantly mentioning having answers to it (rather than being proactive, a classic misunderstanding from midrange players on how burn plays IMHO). Ultimately went 6-4, which isn't terrible but not great.
Edit: I'll just add, his theorizing on the splash may sound perfectly reasonable. I mean that's where we start with deck building. Then we have to put it to the test to see if it actually pans out.
I agree that the heavier 3rd splash is slightly riskier. Perhaps a bit more damaging. However, as in the post I wrote a few back, the extra damage is a bit overblown and sequencing can help us a ton. I say that assuming a standard fetch/shock/basic manabase. Perhaps additions like Copperline and Confluence can smooth out both the consistency and the damage with some testing.
I think the power level added by Command is high enough to add that risk. Especially because the risk is largely manageable. If we decide we are the beatdown, we fetch shock hard and go for the throat. If we are the control, well we slow it down and sequence it out for low damage.
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)
Command feels like a maindeck card to me. Out the board it is a poor skullcrack or a better boros charm. Also even with considering your list, I would argue path to exile is the better than lava spike against aggro decks. I mean the point of going multi color is to get more powerful cards. If you don't want to run the cards, running the duals to support them is a poor idea. You are taking damage for no reason. I also feel that 4 searing blaze is wrong. You never want two in your starting hand because it is often a dead card. Helix on the other hand helps against aggro decks or you can just point it at them. A 3/3 split is more natural because you don't get flooded with either, but having one is extremely good.
Against scapeshift take out searing blaze and lavamancer. Bring in molten rain and revelry to deal with spellskite. We are talking about your specific list.
Against bloom bring in all your revelry, deflecting palm, path to exile, and molten rain on the play. I would cut eidolon, searing blaze, and helix for your sideboard cards. On the play post sideboard bring in your eidolon and remove molten rain. Eidolon is good at punishing pacts or multiple amulet hands but it is more important to keep them off doing anything with the pacts. This a terrible match up though.
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
6 Mountain
If one is unable to afford the Arid Mesa or are waiting for a reprint (hopefully in battle for zendikar) what would you guys suggest as a replacement?
Currently I have Windswept heath but i've been looking at just basic mountains, dropping lands, or even city of brass. What do y'all think.
Also im on a pretty stock boros build
RGW Burn RGW
U Mono U Tron U
EDH:
UR Niv-Mizzet UR