Spells - 10 3 Thrash // Threat - removal, answer to planeswalkers, creature 4 Rhythm of the Wild - reason to play red over other colors, hoses counter spells. 3 Vivien Reid - maybe 4 ferox instead of Sunder Shaman then +3 Beast Whisperer?
Sideboard 4 Nullhide Ferox - punish grixis/discard decks, take out spells from main, Vivien/thrash? 4 Deathgorge Scavenger - prevent sultai from recasting cards and PHXs from coming back. Bring in against Mono Red? 3 Fiery Cannonade - tokens, decks that go wide, white weenie 3 Find // Finality - get cards back that have been killed, could we splash black to use finality? 1 ?
So Pelt Collector or thorn Lieutenant? Im taking out Sunder Shaman for sure, but in its place, Steel leaf Champion or Nullhide Ferox? If Ferox do I take out Vivien for like Beast Whisperer?
You don't like Rekindling Pheonix over the other 4 drops? Also do you really want4 Rhythym of the wilds? Seems like you wouldn't want more then one per game usually. Taking 2 turns off of playing creatures isn't something we want to do. Seems like 3 mb would be better.
You don't like Rekindling Pheonix over the other 4 drops? Also do you really want 4 Rhythym of the wilds? Seems like you wouldn't want more then one per game usually. Taking 2 turns off of playing creatures isn't something we want to do. Seems like 3 mb would be better.
To be honest I havent played the deck enough to know how many I would want. I figure if I wanted it at all I want 4 to try and ensure I can play it T2/3.
I dont have rekindling Phoenix in paper so its easy not to include. I am really drawn to casting Ghalta with Rhythm in play. I am also attracted to playing Kraul Harpooner with rhythm in play as well, like post sweeper, like harpooner into Ghalta and swing for 20, that sounds so sexy.
If I were to play that style enough to decide that it totally sucks then I might try the Monsters build with PHX and dragon.
Gotcha. The idea of winning with a haste 12/12 trample is sexy indeed.
Been heavily modifying the deck lately as I'm focusing on bo1 Arena game right now. Despite me missing bo3, it's much easier to build and play a bo1. Anyone else out there playing bo1 decks right now?
I'm going to try out stony strength. My goal is to beat the red tide. With bo1, you must lower the curve/make every card count when it comes down. Anyway, stony strength is my way to trounce mono-red. I play so many games against them; that's also why I include the shocks. However, I believe stony strength to be worth considering at least as a 1 of in sideboard for bo3. Hidden tech here is, you can use stony strength to get an extra growth chamber guardian by only playing 1 mana instead of 3. Try to shock my guardian? Sure, it lives, I get another copy in hand, blocks your creature and becomes a 3/3. It's worth looking at.
This is my approximate deck. I built it last night and still downloading the new update, so this is by memory. While the deck has had good success with a lower curve, I have yet to test the Stony strength of it yet.
I like the inclusion of Dire Fleet Daredevil. My friend uses that and Siege-Gang Commander to good effect in his R/B deck. I could see dire fleet being useful to get rid of control's Chemster's Insights that are in the graveyard. Mono red has plenty of burn we can throw back to their face if they're out of creatures.
I'd considered playing Goblin Chainwhirler but concluded it would be too much of a strain on the mana. Unclaimed territory with warriors chosen is an interesting solution.
I love Zhur-taa goblin. It is the best 2 drop in the format. Being able to haste it in is important against control match ups. Otherwise, as a 3/3 it beats all other 2 drops. It require mono-red to use 2 cards to get rid of it. This is a tempo. hit they can't afford. I think zhur-taa is a big reason why I now consistently beat mono-red. Won a close game the other day. They boardwiped me, but I had 2 zhur-taa's in hand. Hasted them both in on my next turn for the win.
I played this 60 (I don't remember the SB but it's similar to above) at the Pittsburgh RPTQ.
I played against t2 Wildgrowth Walker t3 Jadelight Ranger all day. Not a great time. Room was like 30%-40% Sultai and I played 5 rounds of sultai out of 6.
I've danced up and down the Mythic Ranking -- mainly hovering somewhere between 95% and top 500.
A couple notes on this list:
I need a maindeck mana dump. Maybe it's MD Vivien Reids. I lose a lot of games due to mulliganing to 5 or keeping 7 and drawing 5 spells and 15 lands. I'd say the obvious (Skarrgan Hellkite) but there's enough spot removal flying around that it just eats a Mortify. If I do play Hellkite I definitely don't want more than 2. Dismissive Pyromancer is maybe also worth considering. I flood alot and find myself digging for spells trying to dump my 10th land. At 23 lands and 4 mana dorks, I don't really want to cut any of 'em.
You might like Thorn lieutenant more than zhur-taa. (I'm playing bo1 Arena btw.) Good against control. His pump ability can become relevant late game. Really the benefit is the ability to get that extra 1/1 to combat aggro.
I find zhur-taa to be okay. However, bo1 is all about beatign that mono-red deck and a 3/3 for 2 does this pretty well. Also, it can be correct to haste him in against control.
My bo1 list. Karn is really good. I had a 7-8 winning streak if I could play Karn that game when he first went in. He has also help me beat control and fares well against aggro too. Not sure about the domri. Considering vivien instead again. Or a 3rd karn.
I like the inclusion of Dire Fleet Daredevil. My friend uses that and Siege-Gang Commander to good effect in his R/B deck. I could see dire fleet being useful to get rid of control's Chemster's Insights that are in the graveyard. Mono red has plenty of burn we can throw back to their face if they're out of creatures.
I'd considered playing Goblin Chainwhirler but concluded it would be too much of a strain on the mana. Unclaimed territory with warriors chosen is an interesting solution.
I love Zhur-taa goblin. It is the best 2 drop in the format. Being able to haste it in is important against control match ups. Otherwise, as a 3/3 it beats all other 2 drops. It require mono-red to use 2 cards to get rid of it. This is a tempo. hit they can't afford. I think zhur-taa is a big reason why I now consistently beat mono-red. Won a close game the other day. They boardwiped me, but I had 2 zhur-taa's in hand. Hasted them both in on my next turn for the win.
I've been playing BW midrange angels and I think that Domri using his +1 to haste a 4 or 5 drop is pretty nuts, especially with greens ramp often making that turn 5 play a 6 or 7 drop. That and Domri gives reach similarly to Vivien, though I like having both of them in the deck since one can kill enchantments and fliers.
There's not much I can do against a deck that just spams out 4/4 to 7/6 haste tramplers all the time.
Private Mod Note
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I just haven't wanted to play too many 5 drops with all the mono-red running around on bo1 ranked in gold. I had vivien in for a while, but downshifted in cmc to karn so I didn't need anymore land. I think my deck could support 1 Skaargan hellkite instead of Domri though.
Domri is okay, but I don't think more than 1 could be justified. It's just bad when the plus 1 on curve does nothing. He can be a bit hard to protect going second when playing bo1 with so many aggro creature decks out there. They can just easily swing into him and start taking him down. I'd rather just play a Rekindling Pheonix or a karn on turn 4 and get another creature out in most cases. That's bo1 though. Just lower that curve down a few notches. By the time I play Domri I usually only have 1 to 0 creatures left in hand.
Sorry if my bo1 distinctions don't belong on this thread. There is no one doing deck building in the Arena forum so...
Also, I'm beginning to wonder how relevant Kraul harpooner is. U/B drakes and spell spam has fallen out of favor quite a bit. Also not seeing too much mono-blue...
Call me crazy... Is it possible to splash White for Heroic Reinforcements? Maybe a venerated loxodon or Shalai, voice of plenty. Just played against a primarily g/w deck with what looked like a red splash for heroic, and it was pretty damn good. Very fast.
Nevermind about adding white. I updated the list and it's running quite well. Been keeping track of my win/loss ratio starting yesterday with this list. I'm at 9:4 right now for Best of 1. That's 69% win rate! A small sample size, but quite encouraging. Playing at Gold 2 right now.
Here's the new list. Thrash/Threat have been the card I was looking for. Removal, potential to kill big creatures, plus also a creature to fight control matches. Remember, this can hit walkers but lava coil can't. 2 Skarrgan have been great. I want a 3rd but don't want to mess with the list any further since it's doing so well. Very happy with where this deck is at right now. Beating out both aggro and control very well like a good midrange deck should.
You must have been right about those zhurr-taa goblins lugger. I took those out for jadelight ranger, switched out a mountain for a forest, took my curve up a bit, and the deck seems nearly unstoppable. I also went back up to 3 thorn lieutenant to compensate. Thorn is clearly the superior card. You can really lean on 'em when you get up to 6 mana. Like, "you want to block and lose your creature to my 2 drop?" usually, they just let it through. Then you use the mana to play another creature later on instead. It's almost like a "can't be blocked by creatures with toughness 6 or less if you control 6 lands" kind of card.
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
Im confused by "Shaman being good against moment of craving" So you bring in shaman against esper and esper sides in or leaves craving in against this deck? How is the card good against wilderness reclamation, or is it just that it is good against the deck? Im pretty sure I get what your saying, just clarifying.
Im confused by "Shaman being good against moment of craving" So you bring in shaman against esper and esper sides in or leaves craving in against this deck? How is the card good against wilderness reclamation, or is it just that it is good against the deck? Im pretty sure I get what your saying, just clarifying.
Immolation Shaman is good vs. Moment of Craving because it's an x/3. Esper will often board in Craving or leave them in, depending on their configuration.
It is also good against Wilderness Reclamation if they're trying to Nexus of Fate you. Generally, they have to stick a Search for Azcanta and flip it for a hard lock. That's hard to do without getting Shaman off the table. They have to find a Blink of an Eye to bounce it off the table or kill you with Hydras and looped Nexuses. Basically what you do with the card is make them jump through hoops to kill you. They have a moderately high fail rate when jumping through said hoops.
Well, took a stock list to Mythic on Arena. The deck is very powerful and has game against a lot of the field. Rattled off 7 wins in about an hour and half. Those 7 seven wins were against:
Mono Red 2-0 (Gruul Version)
The Mirror (With Pelt Collectors 2-1)
Nexus of Gates (2-1, don't ask, but Domri was instrumental in me recovering from sweepers)
Sultai Midrange 2-0
Esper Control 2-0
UW Azorious Aggro 2-1
UB Midrange 2-1
I did run into a rough spot last night where I dropped ranks. The deck is very mana hungry, it needs to hit 3 mana by T4, and the matches where you stumble are very punishing. The 7-0 run was the deck working at it's best. When this deck curves, it is great.
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Standard Arena: Every Viable Deck, a Tool is a Tool.
Current Arena Rank: Mythic 159
Last Season 3/19-4/19: MYTHIC 91%
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now: G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record) WGU Bant Eldrazi UG Infect RW Burn
Well, took a stock list to Mythic on Arena. The deck is very powerful and has game against a lot of the field. Rattled off 7 wins in about an hour and half. Those 7 seven wins were against:
Mono Red 2-0 (Gruul Version)
The Mirror (With Pelt Collectors 2-1)
Nexus of Gates (2-1, don't ask, but Domri was instrumental in me recovering from sweepers)
Sultai Midrange 2-0
Esper Control 2-0
UW Azorious Aggro 2-1
UB Midrange 2-1
I did run into a rough spot last night where I dropped ranks. The deck is very mana hungry, it needs to hit 3 mana by T4, and the matches where you stumble are very punishing. The 7-0 run was the deck working at it's best. When this deck curves, it is great.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/much-abrew-gruul-aggro-standard-magic-arena
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nullhide Ferox
4 Pelt Collector
4 Steel Leaf Champion
3 Thrash // Threat
4 Rhythm of the Wild
12 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
3 Banefire
4 Cindervines
1 Declare Dominance
4 Lava Coil
1 Prey Upon
1 Rabid Bite
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
4 Llanowar elves
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Thorn Lieutenant - easier to cast than Zhur-Taa Goblin with Green base, or Pelt Collector?
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Steel Leaf Champion
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger - imagine the Haste!
3 Thrash // Threat - removal, answer to planeswalkers, creature
4 Rhythm of the Wild - reason to play red over other colors, hoses counter spells.
3 Vivien Reid - maybe 4 ferox instead of Sunder Shaman then +3 Beast Whisperer?
Lands - 23
12 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Nullhide Ferox - punish grixis/discard decks, take out spells from main, Vivien/thrash?
4 Deathgorge Scavenger - prevent sultai from recasting cards and PHXs from coming back. Bring in against Mono Red?
3 Fiery Cannonade - tokens, decks that go wide, white weenie
3 Find // Finality - get cards back that have been killed, could we splash black to use finality?
1 ?
So Pelt Collector or thorn Lieutenant? Im taking out Sunder Shaman for sure, but in its place, Steel leaf Champion or Nullhide Ferox? If Ferox do I take out Vivien for like Beast Whisperer?
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
To be honest I havent played the deck enough to know how many I would want. I figure if I wanted it at all I want 4 to try and ensure I can play it T2/3.
I dont have rekindling Phoenix in paper so its easy not to include. I am really drawn to casting Ghalta with Rhythm in play. I am also attracted to playing Kraul Harpooner with rhythm in play as well, like post sweeper, like harpooner into Ghalta and swing for 20, that sounds so sexy.
If I were to play that style enough to decide that it totally sucks then I might try the Monsters build with PHX and dragon.
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
Been heavily modifying the deck lately as I'm focusing on bo1 Arena game right now. Despite me missing bo3, it's much easier to build and play a bo1. Anyone else out there playing bo1 decks right now?
I'm going to try out stony strength. My goal is to beat the red tide. With bo1, you must lower the curve/make every card count when it comes down. Anyway, stony strength is my way to trounce mono-red. I play so many games against them; that's also why I include the shocks. However, I believe stony strength to be worth considering at least as a 1 of in sideboard for bo3. Hidden tech here is, you can use stony strength to get an extra growth chamber guardian by only playing 1 mana instead of 3. Try to shock my guardian? Sure, it lives, I get another copy in hand, blocks your creature and becomes a 3/3. It's worth looking at.
This is my approximate deck. I built it last night and still downloading the new update, so this is by memory. While the deck has had good success with a lower curve, I have yet to test the Stony strength of it yet.
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Merfolk Branchwalker
4x Zhur-Taa Goblin
3x Thrahing Brontodon
4x Gruul spellbreaker
4x Rekindling Phoenix
3x Shock
4x Lightning Strike
3x light up the stage
8x Mountain
7x Forest
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
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StaffIn Bo3, I beat a Gates Ablaze, Gatebreaker Ram, followed up by a Hydroid Krasis for 8. The game lasted for about 8-10 turns and the highest CMC I drew was 2.
Anyway, maindeck is still the same but here's what I'm playing at the RPTQ on Sunday:
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
1x District Guide
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
9x Forest
6x Mountain
3x Lava Coil
1x Banefire
2x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
3x Cindervines
1x Vivien Reid
1x Skarrgan Hellkite
2x Domri, Chaos Bringer
2x Deathgorge Scavenger
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Staff4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Rekindling Phoenix
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Zhur-Taa Goblin
2 Collision // Colossus
2 Lava Coil
2 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
2 Gruul Guildgate
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
4 Unclaimed Territory
1 Forest
9 Mountain
3 Cindervines
1 Collision // Colossus
2 Fiery Cannonade
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Kraul Harpooner
1 Lava Coil
3 Legion Warboss
1 The Immortal Sun
A big red version of this deck did well in Memphis (4th place).
I lost to GerryT while he was playing this list last night. It looks excellent against Sultai. Thoughts?
I'd considered playing Goblin Chainwhirler but concluded it would be too much of a strain on the mana. Unclaimed territory with warriors chosen is an interesting solution.
I love Zhur-taa goblin. It is the best 2 drop in the format. Being able to haste it in is important against control match ups. Otherwise, as a 3/3 it beats all other 2 drops. It require mono-red to use 2 cards to get rid of it. This is a tempo. hit they can't afford. I think zhur-taa is a big reason why I now consistently beat mono-red. Won a close game the other day. They boardwiped me, but I had 2 zhur-taa's in hand. Hasted them both in on my next turn for the win.
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Staff4x Llanowar Elves
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
1x District Guide
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
6x Mountain
9x Forest
I played this 60 (I don't remember the SB but it's similar to above) at the Pittsburgh RPTQ.
I played against t2 Wildgrowth Walker t3 Jadelight Ranger all day. Not a great time. Room was like 30%-40% Sultai and I played 5 rounds of sultai out of 6.
I've danced up and down the Mythic Ranking -- mainly hovering somewhere between 95% and top 500.
A couple notes on this list:
I need a maindeck mana dump. Maybe it's MD Vivien Reids. I lose a lot of games due to mulliganing to 5 or keeping 7 and drawing 5 spells and 15 lands. I'd say the obvious (Skarrgan Hellkite) but there's enough spot removal flying around that it just eats a Mortify. If I do play Hellkite I definitely don't want more than 2. Dismissive Pyromancer is maybe also worth considering. I flood alot and find myself digging for spells trying to dump my 10th land. At 23 lands and 4 mana dorks, I don't really want to cut any of 'em.
Anyway, here's Wonderwall:
4x Pelt Collector
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
2x Dismissive Pyromancer
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
3x Lightning Strike
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
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Staff4x Llanowar Elves
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
3x Zhur-Taa Goblin
3x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spell Breaker
1x Legion Warboss
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
2x Ravager Wurm
1x Banefire
3x Lava Coil
2x Deathgorge Scavenger
3x Cindervines
1x Vivien Reid
1x Shivan Fire
Just plugging away.
5 drops aren't as in vogue right now as the control decks and big mana decks take hold. Zhur-Taa still sucks tbh.
I find zhur-taa to be okay. However, bo1 is all about beatign that mono-red deck and a 3/3 for 2 does this pretty well. Also, it can be correct to haste him in against control.
My bo1 list. Karn is really good. I had a 7-8 winning streak if I could play Karn that game when he first went in. He has also help me beat control and fares well against aggro too. Not sure about the domri. Considering vivien instead again. Or a 3rd karn.
8 Forest
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
4 Zhur-Taa Goblin
3 Merfolk Branchwalker
4 Lightning Strike
2 Kraul Harpooner
4 Rekindling Phoenix
3 Thorn Lieutenant
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
2 Jadelight Ranger
4 Lava Coil
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Domri, Chaos Bringer
I've been playing BW midrange angels and I think that Domri using his +1 to haste a 4 or 5 drop is pretty nuts, especially with greens ramp often making that turn 5 play a 6 or 7 drop. That and Domri gives reach similarly to Vivien, though I like having both of them in the deck since one can kill enchantments and fliers.
There's not much I can do against a deck that just spams out 4/4 to 7/6 haste tramplers all the time.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Domri is okay, but I don't think more than 1 could be justified. It's just bad when the plus 1 on curve does nothing. He can be a bit hard to protect going second when playing bo1 with so many aggro creature decks out there. They can just easily swing into him and start taking him down. I'd rather just play a Rekindling Pheonix or a karn on turn 4 and get another creature out in most cases. That's bo1 though. Just lower that curve down a few notches. By the time I play Domri I usually only have 1 to 0 creatures left in hand.
Sorry if my bo1 distinctions don't belong on this thread. There is no one doing deck building in the Arena forum so...
Also, I'm beginning to wonder how relevant Kraul harpooner is. U/B drakes and spell spam has fallen out of favor quite a bit. Also not seeing too much mono-blue...
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StaffHere's the new list. Thrash/Threat have been the card I was looking for. Removal, potential to kill big creatures, plus also a creature to fight control matches. Remember, this can hit walkers but lava coil can't. 2 Skarrgan have been great. I want a 3rd but don't want to mess with the list any further since it's doing so well. Very happy with where this deck is at right now. Beating out both aggro and control very well like a good midrange deck should.
You must have been right about those zhurr-taa goblins lugger. I took those out for jadelight ranger, switched out a mountain for a forest, took my curve up a bit, and the deck seems nearly unstoppable. I also went back up to 3 thorn lieutenant to compensate. Thorn is clearly the superior card. You can really lean on 'em when you get up to 6 mana. Like, "you want to block and lose your creature to my 2 drop?" usually, they just let it through. Then you use the mana to play another creature later on instead. It's almost like a "can't be blocked by creatures with toughness 6 or less if you control 6 lands" kind of card.
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Staff4x Pelt Collector
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
3x Zhur-Taa Goblin
3x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
2x Legion Warboss
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
3x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
1x Ravager Wurm
2x Banefire
3x Cindervines
2x Immolation Shaman
2x Fiery Cannonade
3x Lava Coil
2x Thrashing Brontodon
talk to us about the Wurm and shaman
also how long did it take to get up there>?
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
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StaffShaman is multipurpose.
Good vs. Search for Azcanta and Moment of Craving. So vs. Esper and Wilderness Reclamation.
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
Props to DarkNightCavalier 4 da banner and SGT_Chubbz 4 avvie, here
Standard
GRAggro
GRWNaya Purphoros
GWAggro Retired 9/19/2014
RGPrimeval Titan RIP
1/5/2010 - 9/30/2011
Top 4 Channelfireball Winter series 5k Feb. 2011
3rd at California National Qualifiers 2011
40th at GP SLC 2012
Find me on MTGO @ Ruslvmusl91
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StaffImmolation Shaman is good vs. Moment of Craving because it's an x/3. Esper will often board in Craving or leave them in, depending on their configuration.
It is also good against Wilderness Reclamation if they're trying to Nexus of Fate you. Generally, they have to stick a Search for Azcanta and flip it for a hard lock. That's hard to do without getting Shaman off the table. They have to find a Blink of an Eye to bounce it off the table or kill you with Hydras and looped Nexuses. Basically what you do with the card is make them jump through hoops to kill you. They have a moderately high fail rate when jumping through said hoops.
Mono Red 2-0 (Gruul Version)
The Mirror (With Pelt Collectors 2-1)
Nexus of Gates (2-1, don't ask, but Domri was instrumental in me recovering from sweepers)
Sultai Midrange 2-0
Esper Control 2-0
UW Azorious Aggro 2-1
UB Midrange 2-1
I did run into a rough spot last night where I dropped ranks. The deck is very mana hungry, it needs to hit 3 mana by T4, and the matches where you stumble are very punishing. The 7-0 run was the deck working at it's best. When this deck curves, it is great.
Current Arena Rank: Mythic 159
Last Season 3/19-4/19: MYTHIC 91%
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
WGU Bant Eldrazi
UG Infect
RW Burn
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StaffNice. What's a rough estimate of the 75?
3 Dire Fleet Daredevil
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Rekindling Phoenix
3 Skarrgan Hellkite
Spells:
2 Shock
2 Lava Coil
4 Lightning Strike
2 Collision // Colossus
1 Forest
2 Gruul Guildgate
9 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
4 Unclaimed Territory
2 Shivan Fire
4 Cindervines
2 Lava Coil
2 Legion Warboss
1 Domri, Chaos Bringer
2 Vivien Reid
2 Status // Statue
Current Arena Rank: Mythic 159
Last Season 3/19-4/19: MYTHIC 91%
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
WGU Bant Eldrazi
UG Infect
RW Burn