Has anyone been brewing with GPG? I have only seen mentions of it here and there, a list or 2 on star city, and there have been a few 5-0 lists from MTGO. I feel like this deck is a very strong contender going forward and I have been testing a sweet esper version that I hae been liking a lot I am just a little leary of my mana base. My list is admittedly greedy as I have gone into black for Dusk Legion Zealot, Chupacabra, Fatal Push, Scarab God, and possibly Vraska's contempt in the board. All while wanting to cast Fumigates and settle the wreckage. Honestly I have tested a good 50 games or so and have only had mana problems occur twice, but when it did happen I just wasn't playing magic. Variance happens, but I feel like I am opening myself up to more consistent issues with the number of potentially tapped lands I am playing. Maybe I am putting too much stock into actually casting Chupacabras and should cut a few fetid pools for basics? But I feel like there are times where I want to cast them for sure, and going into a week one meta I know I don't want to leave home without a few board wipes as I know I will see a ton of aggro. I also am unsure if I want to main fatal push, it seems to be un-necessary a lot of the time as I am mainboarding 2 Fumigates, but once in a while I find myself doing nothing for the first 4 turns and I end up dead. That may just be a concession of playing the deck, after I started running the pushes they didn't seem to be really helping that much, as if I actually needed them I was not in a situation that I was actively playing towards getting the gameplan online, I was just durdling and dying, and push was just delaying it a turn, I am going to test with a 3rd Fumigate in the main and maybe put the pushes in the board. I will post a full list later, but my mana base looks like:
15B 20B 16W, This has been enabling me to cast double w, double b on curve with careful sequencing, but I would really like to run more basics somehow. I do need to cast dusk legion zealot from hand, but am I putting too much stock in casting Chupacabra from hand and should I be focusing more on just goldfishing to the combo most of the time? And should I just get off of Push and lean more on Fumigte/settle? I will also note, I am playing refurbish/chart/strat planning plan and not the gate to the afterlife plan as I find the refurbish plan just more efficient. Any input is appreciated. The list I have been playing has been a house against other midrange and slower aggro decks (ie: slower than rdw)
In terms of value and lifegain, I'm testing Elenda, the Dusk Rose x4 along with 2x The Scarab God. I'm not very familiar with the deck but I feel like ensuring a big lifelinker VS aggro is nice. I always have trouble to stabilize with Sacred Cat and Mother Luck. Sunscourge Champion is one mana cheaper but the upgrade Elenda offers for one more mana is very tempting.
Anybody interested in this card ?
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
I've liked the results so far with it when it does fire, but I'm not sure on sideboard yet. I originally threw in a GFG as a backup plan in case the whole drain life thing didn't work out, but upped the copies to two since it ended up being a way better play than I had intended. I've been pondering adding red to the deck in order to counter graveyard hate cards like Silent Gravestone, since fewer people are running scavenger grounds. If I can Abrade it away that would be helpful. Also the new Ravenous Chupacabra is fun to unleash on people.
Also been playing with Champion of Dusk, since it's possible to close the game with just a few extra cards in hand and the life loss is kind of negligible. Sunscorched desert is on my try list if I don't need the land destruction.
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'm considering the following tests, does anybody have thoughts? Has anybody tried?
3-4 Search for Azcanta - T1 Minister into T2 Search is very, very powerful. With all the discard/selection effects, I feel like we wouldn't be stuck with additional copies dead in hand
1 Zetalpa main - Another good win-con
1-2 Cataclysmic Gearhulk s/b - Old lists ran this guy. Matches up very well against Anointed Procession decks, since their combo needs 2 enchantments. Won't hit Hazorat, or pemanently remove Scarab God, but neither does fumigate. Being a Refurbish target is a big plus too. We're almost OK with it being hit by Abrade, since that's 1 less Abrade going after GPG.
1 Sorcerous Spyglass s/b - Untapping with a Scarab God is absolutely backbreaking. After board, most of our Scarab God removal is also weak to their removal. And once again, refurbish target.
Any other thoughts on the current state in the Meta? I always felt the deck was weak to control & scarab god, but with U/W gift going 8-0 in the MOCs on the weekend in a meta magotty with UB Control, I'm wondering if I'm just playing the control matchup wrong.
U/W doesn't seem bad vs control.
if you can handle Gearhulks with something that doesn't o-ring it and open yourself to them freeing it again for value
the 8-0 list only had 2 Jace's Defeat. I don't think that's much versus Hulks.
Gift decks look like a large part of the control meta, it's inexpensive to build, it doesn't waste a lot of deck slots on removal in a control heavy meta hence improving its control mirrors
Shouldn't there be more talk of UR GPG given how well they are doing now?
I don't know why this thread is so quiet. Anyways, the UR deck is B U S T E D, even more now that skirk prospector is back. Standard hasn't got a turn 3 kill combo deck in probably more than a decade. YES, you heard me, a TURN 3 KILL.
Is the turn three kill a Magical Christmas Land or is it fairly consistent? Also what is it? This deck does intrigue me as DOM Standard is about to begin. It seems like the best combo deck as it has game playing a normal game as well.
Is the turn three kill a Magical Christmas Land or is it fairly consistent? Also what is it? This deck does intrigue me as DOM Standard is about to begin. It seems like the best combo deck as it has game playing a normal game as well.
Turn 3 kill is with very lucky mill: Turn 1 inquisitor, Turn 2 prospector + prospector/firebrand - mill 2 combat celebrant, turn 3 mill another celebrant - gate to the afterlife - sac 2 goblins for 2 mana - get GPG - win if you have 3 celebrants in graveyard or pretty close to winning.
The turn 3 GPG, though, is fairly consistent. I'd say 1 out of 3 goldfishing I can get a turn 3 GPG.
Thanks for that siregar. Luck seems to have to be on your side with the mills for a turn 3 kill so personally I don't want to go all-in on deckbuilding for the turn 3 kill, but knowing it's there will help me find it if I happen to get those mills. Thanks again.
Ben Friedman talking about some decks in new Standard and had some spicy GPG decks including one focusing on Goblins. Highly recommend checking out his article (on free side).
GR looks the most promising of the new styles. UR might just be the best because it is the most known and tuned as a result but Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar or Cultivator of Blades are strong things to get back as well. I think the trample will push Multani over Cultivator if GR becomes a thing.
Hello, Im back to Standard after long period.
Tbh, I just dont want spend for Karn, teferi, and any t2 playable. So I was looking for decks and found UR GIfts. I like the idea too.
But this is good now or can just waste of money? I Saw a 7-1 and today 5-0. Bur IRL I just see UW.
Can be a good option or better wait ?
UR and R variants with Gate to the Afterlife are good right now. Skirk Prospector has really helped the speed of the deck. R has a better alternate game plan of great red threats, UR is more consistent at finding Gate and getting 6 creatures in the yard. They both take a ton of practice to play right. The hardest matchup is Monored, followed by UW control and then Monogreen.
"hardest matchup is Monored, followed by UW control and then Monogreen." =(
But If GPG rewards you for playing a lot, making those decks easier matchups, I might jump into this. UR I guess, I dont wanna spend money for Teferi and Lyra now...since im back to MTG, maybe later I can have GPG variances. Decided this GPG couse long term and want deck for this season.
I'll put up a brief list/primer/sideboard guide today or tomorrow. On a side note, I really wish discussion of UR and UW GPG wasn't stuck on this forum, which is pretty dead and more focused on UB cycling anyways.
I'll put up a brief list/primer/sideboard guide today or tomorrow. On a side note, I really wish discussion of UR and UW GPG wasn't stuck on this forum, which is pretty dead and more focused on UB cycling anyways.
Oh nice!! will be great side guide, primer....will help a lot!
went 2-1 last night at FNM using one of the more stock U/R Gifts. Lost 1-2 against W/B aggro, won 2-1 against R/B aggro & U/R wizards. Im wondering whats the sideboard options to play against cards such as History of Benalia, etc?
went 2-1 last night at FNM using one of the more stock U/R Gifts. Lost 1-2 against W/B aggro, won 2-1 against R/B aggro & U/R wizards. Im wondering whats the sideboard options to play against cards such as History of Benalia, etc?
nothing in U/R is good against W/B aggro. I'm actually thinking of switching back to Esper GPG with angel, chupacabra and kitesail freebooter. I think with W/x based deck as the deck to beat now (U/W control, W/B, U/W midrange, etc) you have to have Angel of Invention as your main GPG target to counter combat Lyra and you need either freebooter or duress from sideboard to counter history. Playing Esper or U/B also gives you access to gifted aetherborn which is great at stopping agressive decks.
I know that I said I would post a gameplay/sideboarding guide, and I have been working on it. It turned out to be a lot harder and take more time than I thought to explain, but I'm 90% done. I hope to post it tomorrow, sorry if anyone was waiting. For now, here's my most recent list:
Sorry it took so long to write and post this, but here are my thoughts on the GPG archetype. Most of my notes will focus on the UR Gate to the Afterlife versions, as I have less experience with Refurbish decks.
God-Pharaoh's Gift decks in general are very powerful, especially if you play a version with Combat Celebrant or Angel of Invention. The Gate to the Afterlife variants also run a ton of creatures, which is good to block and buy time against aggressive strategies, or attack and apply pressure to control/slow decks. However, the weakness of GPG is always the post board games, where every opponent will have hate that makes your primary game plan significantly more difficult. To combat this, you either need to win games the fair way without GPG, or fight through a couple pieces of hate to get GPG online. Post board, you pick up close to zero free wins. Trying to grind through games with disparate, somewhat weak combo creatures is not for everyone. But the deck rewards practice and is very fun, so some players may find a long term deck in the archetype.
I have played a deck almost identical to this one to a 5-0 and a couple 4-1's in leagues in the last 2 months. It has incredible consistency at fetching God-Pharaoh's Gift, but a poor alternate game plan, which is why you see the sideboard focused on protecting the combo and not trying to change to a different play style.
This deck is the new hotness, and I have played a few leagues with it. I didn't love it, as I found it to be a less consistent UR list pre-board and a less focused Mono-Red aggro deck post-board. That being said, I respect a lot of the players endorsing it and the results coming out of it. I may need to play it more before dismissing it.
This deck was an attempt to keep the consistency of the UR deck pre-board, and play more powerful red cards post-board so that it is easier to fight hate cards and win with a normal game plan. This plan has helped my Mono-Red aggro matchup considerably and I believe has helped my overall win percentage.
You often get out to an early start, and deploy Minister of Inquiries as early as possible, T1 if possible. It is important to use it as early and often as possible unless you need the energy for Aether Hub color fixing, as you may draw another Minister or Hub and regret not using the mill when you could. You also always save it for the end step, as that way you can block a creature, you don't let them "get you" by surprise playing and activating Scavenger Grounds, and you give them less information. In versions of this deck with Fanatical Firebrand and/or Bomat Courier, you also often drop those early to start applying pressure and getting Bomat triggers.
The other 1 drop, Skirk Prospector, is less obvious as to when you want to play it. When you have two goblins and one is a Prospector, you want to drop both before T3, because it opens the possibility for a T3 Gate activation. The rest of the time, sequencing is very difficult and very dependent on matchup, board state, and hand. For example, you may want to save playing creatures so they don't die to an on-curve Goblin Chainwhirler without a Gate trigger or play them early when you know they can't be Essence Scattered.
In certain matchups, a Warkite Marauder on T2 can do an enormous amount of work. Because you run 4 Walking Ballistas and some number of Fanatical Firebrands, the attack trigger of Warkite is often a terminate. This card does a lot of work against green decks and gods in particular, singlehandedly taking the matchup against The Scarab God from lukewarm to amazing. That being said, it is particularly bad against Goblin Chainwhirlers and other Walking Ballistas.
Gate to the Afterlife takes quite a bit of play to get used to. Because Gate grants death triggers that can loot away more creatures, each creature that dies can put 2 creatures in the graveyard. This means Walking Ballista for zero, sacrificing creatures like Skirk Prospector, or even killing your own creatures with Fanatical Firebrands and Ballistas can be powerful since they rapidly fill the graveyard and help activate Gate. Gate to the Afterlife is almost always a T3 play, because it is usually pretty easy to sacrifice or mill a bunch of creatures to fill the graveyard and activate Gate on T4. The nut draw lets you activate Gate on T3 right after playing it if you have a Skirk Prospector and another goblin already on the field to generate 2 mana.
Sacrificing board presence or card advantage can help activate a Gate quickly, but you need to be careful not to dedicate too many resources and then get blown out by an Abrade, Disallow, Cast Out, or Blink of an Eye. Discarding cards with Champion of Wits, milling with Minister of Inquiries, or blocking are usually much safer ways to accumulate creatures in the graveyard. When you have a Gate on the battlefield, you will have to decide how aggressively you want to try to get 6 creatures in the graveyard and combo. Factors to consider when making this decision include the answers the opponent may be playing, the mana they are representing, the pressure you are under, the match up, and the quality of your hand. Obviously, most of the risk of aggressively trying to combo is alleviated if the opponent is tapped out or you have a second Gate to the Afterlife in hand.
When you do have a God-Pharaoh's Gift on the field, it's important to know how the combo works. Gift generates a trigger that does not target, and if your opponent exiles your graveyard with the trigger on the stack, you can let their effect resolve and then mill yourself or sacrifice a creature with the trigger still on the stack. Your best option to reanimate is usually Combat Celebrant, since you can exert it while attacking to get an additional combat step, which gives the Gift an additional trigger. If you have 2 Celebrants and 1 other creature in the grave, Gift lets you attack for at least 16 over 3 combat steps. Exerting Celebrant untaps every other creature, including exerted Celebrants (2 do not go infinite) and buys you more mills with Minister of Inquiries and more attack triggers with Warkite Marauder. Your second best option to reanimate is usually Champion of Wits, since it draws 4 cards and lets you discard 2 (including things you'd rather were in the grave, like Celebrants and other Champions). Siege-Gang Commander and Warkite Marauder are also good to reanimate. Sometimes, you cannot immediately win with Gift so you should try to set up a second gate for the next turn by reanimating Champion or Trophy Mage.
This deck is mana hungry. To reach the late game with this deck, you need lands. That means that discarding creatures and holding lands with looting is often correct because you both fuel Gate to the Afterlife and will eventually reach 7 mana. At 7 mana, you can hard cast Gate, play and activate Siege-Gang Commander, and eternalize Champion of Wits. At 8 mana, you can double activate Ballista, activate Ipnu Rivulet and then play and crack Gate to the Afterlife, or cast a 3 mana spell and a Siege-Gang Commander. You typically lead with eternalizing Champion of Wits, as it is your best immediate reward and it also baits Disallows which can counter the activation of a Gate to the Afterlife. If the opponent does Disallow your activation of Champion, they have 1 less card that could hold you back from comboing with Gift or Gate. If it resolves, you get to draw more cards and get a 4/4 for your trouble.
In general, things get slower and you face more disruption post-board. Chandra, Torch of Defiance is a critical piece of the puzzle, as she is removal, card advantage, or mana ramp and can take over the game by herself. The only time I don't board her in is when I expect there may be enough pressure on the board to make her only a speed bump. Padeem, Consul of Innovation protects the combo while also potentially drawing cards and blocking considerable pressure. Glorybringer addresses this deck's lack of removal while putting a fast clock on the opponent, which is essential for matchups like Mono-Red. Negate protects the combo and punishes expensive non-creature spells, while Blink of an Eye can answer Lyra Dawnbringer while also bouncing Cast Out and Authority of the Consuls. Sweltering Suns is the best way to punish decks that hope to swarm with small creatures like Mono-Red, and Squee, the Immortal is very difficult to play against for a control opponent.
Other options for the side include Spell Pierce, which helps protect a fast combo, Chandra's Defeat, which almost always removes a powerful creature or planeswalker and trades up on mana, and Hour of Devastation, which will wipe even boards with Steel-Leef Champions, multiple planeswalkers, or Hazoret.
UW Control
Bait out or play around Disallow and Settle the Wreckage. Seize the opportunity when they tap out to resolve another threat. Lean on eternalizing Champion of Wits as a late game only answered by Disallow.
R Aggro
Probably this deck's worst matchup, it combines a fast clock with good hate. Block as much as possible, play for an early combo. Leave some mill unused so you can refill the grave after Scavenger Grounds shows up. Don't let too many X/1s clog your battlefield at once or you will die to Goblin Chainwhirler. Be wary of main deck and sideboarded Abrade.
This has been a brief introduction to the UR GPG archetype. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have or discuss the deck further. Thanks for your time.
Thanks kmk888, great write up. 2 questions. I don't quite get what you mean by "Kill Toolcraft Exemplar with the trigger on the stack." Also, have you played around with Battlefield Scavenger?
I was referring to the fact that you play Walking Ballista and some number of Fanatical Firebrand. Toolcraft Exemplar isn't a 3/2 all the time, but rather is a 1/1 until its trigger resolves at the start of combat. I'm okay with taking 1 damage a turn, but not 3. I wait until combat, and if the opponent has an artifact I kill the Exemplar before the trigger resolves and it gets 2 toughness.
I thought about Battlefield Scavenger. The reverse looting does seem awesome for the deck, and it has some neat combos with Combat Celebrant. But in the end, I couldn't bring myself to put a 2/2 for 2 in the deck. Maybe it's better than I think. Have you tried it out?
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4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Irrigated Farmland
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Aether Hub
1 Island
15B 20B 16W, This has been enabling me to cast double w, double b on curve with careful sequencing, but I would really like to run more basics somehow. I do need to cast dusk legion zealot from hand, but am I putting too much stock in casting Chupacabra from hand and should I be focusing more on just goldfishing to the combo most of the time? And should I just get off of Push and lean more on Fumigte/settle? I will also note, I am playing refurbish/chart/strat planning plan and not the gate to the afterlife plan as I find the refurbish plan just more efficient. Any input is appreciated. The list I have been playing has been a house against other midrange and slower aggro decks (ie: slower than rdw)
Anybody interested in this card ?
3 Field of Ruin
4 Ifnir Deadlands
15 Swamp
Artifacts
4 Bontu's Monument
4 Gate to the Afterlife
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
4 Bishop of the Bloodstained
4 Gifted Aetherborn
4 Oathsworn Vampire
4 Pitiless Plunderer
4 Skymarch Bloodletter
3 Bone Picker
2 Bontu the Glorified
3 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
I've liked the results so far with it when it does fire, but I'm not sure on sideboard yet. I originally threw in a GFG as a backup plan in case the whole drain life thing didn't work out, but upped the copies to two since it ended up being a way better play than I had intended. I've been pondering adding red to the deck in order to counter graveyard hate cards like Silent Gravestone, since fewer people are running scavenger grounds. If I can Abrade it away that would be helpful. Also the new Ravenous Chupacabra is fun to unleash on people.
Also been playing with Champion of Dusk, since it's possible to close the game with just a few extra cards in hand and the life loss is kind of negligible. Sunscorched desert is on my try list if I don't need the land destruction.
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!
3-4 Search for Azcanta - T1 Minister into T2 Search is very, very powerful. With all the discard/selection effects, I feel like we wouldn't be stuck with additional copies dead in hand
1 Zetalpa main - Another good win-con
1-2 Cataclysmic Gearhulk s/b - Old lists ran this guy. Matches up very well against Anointed Procession decks, since their combo needs 2 enchantments. Won't hit Hazorat, or pemanently remove Scarab God, but neither does fumigate. Being a Refurbish target is a big plus too. We're almost OK with it being hit by Abrade, since that's 1 less Abrade going after GPG.
1 Sorcerous Spyglass s/b - Untapping with a Scarab God is absolutely backbreaking. After board, most of our Scarab God removal is also weak to their removal. And once again, refurbish target.
Any other thoughts on the current state in the Meta? I always felt the deck was weak to control & scarab god, but with U/W gift going 8-0 in the MOCs on the weekend in a meta magotty with UB Control, I'm wondering if I'm just playing the control matchup wrong.
if you can handle Gearhulks with something that doesn't o-ring it and open yourself to them freeing it again for value
the 8-0 list only had 2 Jace's Defeat. I don't think that's much versus Hulks.
Gift decks look like a large part of the control meta, it's inexpensive to build, it doesn't waste a lot of deck slots on removal in a control heavy meta hence improving its control mirrors
The turn 3 GPG, though, is fairly consistent. I'd say 1 out of 3 goldfishing I can get a turn 3 GPG.
Ben Friedman talking about some decks in new Standard and had some spicy GPG decks including one focusing on Goblins. Highly recommend checking out his article (on free side).
Que Significa Dominaria
GR looks the most promising of the new styles. UR might just be the best because it is the most known and tuned as a result but Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar or Cultivator of Blades are strong things to get back as well. I think the trample will push Multani over Cultivator if GR becomes a thing.
GR also has quite a bit of utility in its creature. Need another land? Get back Jadelight Ranger or Merfolk Branchwalker. Need to kill some cretures? Get back Glorybringer. Artifact or Enchantment got you down? Get back Thrashing Brontodon and pay 1!
Defintely going to be testing the GR version.
4 Bomat Courier
4 Combat Celebrant
2 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
2 Hazoret the Fervent
4 Rowdy Crew
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Walking Ballista
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Gate to the Afterlife
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
Lands
23 Mountain
4 Abrade
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Crook of Condemnation
3 Glorybringer
2 Magma Spray
1 Pia Nalaar
1 Silent Gravestone
Tbh, I just dont want spend for Karn, teferi, and any t2 playable. So I was looking for decks and found UR GIfts. I like the idea too.
But this is good now or can just waste of money? I Saw a 7-1 and today 5-0. Bur IRL I just see UW.
Can be a good option or better wait ?
thanks!
UW with Refurbish is also playable. It has a ton of great cards borrowed from UW control, with Lyra Dawnbringer, Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, and Seal Away.
Gift decks definitely have legs right now and are not a waste of money. There's a ton of hate post-board though, so don't pick the deck up if you don't like playing around counterspells, Abrade, Naturalize, Thrashing Brontodon, Deathgorge Scavenger, Ixalan's Binding, Fragmentize, Authority of the Consuls, Crook of Condemnation, and Silent Gravestone.
But If GPG rewards you for playing a lot, making those decks easier matchups, I might jump into this. UR I guess, I dont wanna spend money for Teferi and Lyra now...since im back to MTG, maybe later I can have GPG variances. Decided this GPG couse long term and want deck for this season.
have any sideboardguide, primer?
Thanks!
Oh nice!! will be great side guide, primer....will help a lot!
4 Spirebluff Canal
4 Aether Hub
4 Ipnu Rivulet
3 Island
6 Mountain
2 Sulfur Falls
4 Gate to the Afterlife
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
4 Minister of Inquiries
4 Skirk Prospector
2 Fanatical Firebrand
3 Warkite Marauder
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Walking Ballista
4 Champion of Wits
4 Combat Celebrant
2 Rowdy Crew
2 Siege-Gang Commander
2 Glorybringer
2 Blink of an Eye
2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
2 Squee, the Immortal
3 Negate
2 Sweltering Suns
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
I also like the matchup against BW Aggro, so that's an interesting contrast.
I used to play UB GPG with Gifted Aetherborn, Kitesail Freebooter and Ravenous Chupacabra, but found it to be a worse UB midrange deck. I switched to UR because of the higher consistency and power of Gate to the Afterlife in the UR version. I do like the positioning of Ravenous Chupacabra right now, but it would take a lot to get me to stop playing Skirk Prospector and Combat Celebrant. They're just insane in this deck.
Recent 5-0 UR GPG List online (_Pheonix_)
4 Aether Hub
4 Ipnu Rivulet
3 Island
6 Mountain
4 Spirebluff Canal
2 Sulfur Falls
4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Minister of Inquiries
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Warkite Marauder
4 Walking Ballista
4 Champion of Wits
4 Combat Celebrant
2 Trophy Mage
1 Vizier of Many Faces
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
2 Abrade
2 Chandra's Defeat
2 Glorybringer
2 Negate
1 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
2 Spell Pierce
2 Squee, the Immortal
2 Sweltering Suns
I have played a deck almost identical to this one to a 5-0 and a couple 4-1's in leagues in the last 2 months. It has incredible consistency at fetching God-Pharaoh's Gift, but a poor alternate game plan, which is why you see the sideboard focused on protecting the combo and not trying to change to a different play style.
Recent 5-0 MonoR GPG List online (EARLDER1)
23 Mountain
4 Skirk Prospector
2 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Bomat Courier
4 Walking Ballista
4 Combat Celebrant
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
2 Hazoret the Fervent
4 Rowdy Crew
3 Siege-Gang Commander
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
4 Abrade
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3 Glorybringer
2 Magma Spray
1 Pia Nalaar
2 Scavenger Grounds
This deck is the new hotness, and I have played a few leagues with it. I didn't love it, as I found it to be a less consistent UR list pre-board and a less focused Mono-Red aggro deck post-board. That being said, I respect a lot of the players endorsing it and the results coming out of it. I may need to play it more before dismissing it.
Kmk888 UR GPG
4 Spirebluff Canal
4 Aether Hub
4 Ipnu Rivulet
3 Island
6 Mountain
2 Sulfur Falls
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Minister of Inquiries
2 Fanatical Firebrand
3 Warkite Marauder
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Walking Ballista
4 Champion of Wits
4 Combat Celebrant
2 Rowdy Crew
2 Siege-Gang Commander
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
2 Glorybringer
2 Blink of an Eye
2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
2 Squee, the Immortal
3 Negate
2 Sweltering Suns
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
This deck was an attempt to keep the consistency of the UR deck pre-board, and play more powerful red cards post-board so that it is easier to fight hate cards and win with a normal game plan. This plan has helped my Mono-Red aggro matchup considerably and I believe has helped my overall win percentage.
The other 1 drop, Skirk Prospector, is less obvious as to when you want to play it. When you have two goblins and one is a Prospector, you want to drop both before T3, because it opens the possibility for a T3 Gate activation. The rest of the time, sequencing is very difficult and very dependent on matchup, board state, and hand. For example, you may want to save playing creatures so they don't die to an on-curve Goblin Chainwhirler without a Gate trigger or play them early when you know they can't be Essence Scattered.
In certain matchups, a Warkite Marauder on T2 can do an enormous amount of work. Because you run 4 Walking Ballistas and some number of Fanatical Firebrands, the attack trigger of Warkite is often a terminate. This card does a lot of work against green decks and gods in particular, singlehandedly taking the matchup against The Scarab God from lukewarm to amazing. That being said, it is particularly bad against Goblin Chainwhirlers and other Walking Ballistas.
Gate to the Afterlife takes quite a bit of play to get used to. Because Gate grants death triggers that can loot away more creatures, each creature that dies can put 2 creatures in the graveyard. This means Walking Ballista for zero, sacrificing creatures like Skirk Prospector, or even killing your own creatures with Fanatical Firebrands and Ballistas can be powerful since they rapidly fill the graveyard and help activate Gate. Gate to the Afterlife is almost always a T3 play, because it is usually pretty easy to sacrifice or mill a bunch of creatures to fill the graveyard and activate Gate on T4. The nut draw lets you activate Gate on T3 right after playing it if you have a Skirk Prospector and another goblin already on the field to generate 2 mana.
Sacrificing board presence or card advantage can help activate a Gate quickly, but you need to be careful not to dedicate too many resources and then get blown out by an Abrade, Disallow, Cast Out, or Blink of an Eye. Discarding cards with Champion of Wits, milling with Minister of Inquiries, or blocking are usually much safer ways to accumulate creatures in the graveyard. When you have a Gate on the battlefield, you will have to decide how aggressively you want to try to get 6 creatures in the graveyard and combo. Factors to consider when making this decision include the answers the opponent may be playing, the mana they are representing, the pressure you are under, the match up, and the quality of your hand. Obviously, most of the risk of aggressively trying to combo is alleviated if the opponent is tapped out or you have a second Gate to the Afterlife in hand.
When you do have a God-Pharaoh's Gift on the field, it's important to know how the combo works. Gift generates a trigger that does not target, and if your opponent exiles your graveyard with the trigger on the stack, you can let their effect resolve and then mill yourself or sacrifice a creature with the trigger still on the stack. Your best option to reanimate is usually Combat Celebrant, since you can exert it while attacking to get an additional combat step, which gives the Gift an additional trigger. If you have 2 Celebrants and 1 other creature in the grave, Gift lets you attack for at least 16 over 3 combat steps. Exerting Celebrant untaps every other creature, including exerted Celebrants (2 do not go infinite) and buys you more mills with Minister of Inquiries and more attack triggers with Warkite Marauder. Your second best option to reanimate is usually Champion of Wits, since it draws 4 cards and lets you discard 2 (including things you'd rather were in the grave, like Celebrants and other Champions). Siege-Gang Commander and Warkite Marauder are also good to reanimate. Sometimes, you cannot immediately win with Gift so you should try to set up a second gate for the next turn by reanimating Champion or Trophy Mage.
This deck is mana hungry. To reach the late game with this deck, you need lands. That means that discarding creatures and holding lands with looting is often correct because you both fuel Gate to the Afterlife and will eventually reach 7 mana. At 7 mana, you can hard cast Gate, play and activate Siege-Gang Commander, and eternalize Champion of Wits. At 8 mana, you can double activate Ballista, activate Ipnu Rivulet and then play and crack Gate to the Afterlife, or cast a 3 mana spell and a Siege-Gang Commander. You typically lead with eternalizing Champion of Wits, as it is your best immediate reward and it also baits Disallows which can counter the activation of a Gate to the Afterlife. If the opponent does Disallow your activation of Champion, they have 1 less card that could hold you back from comboing with Gift or Gate. If it resolves, you get to draw more cards and get a 4/4 for your trouble.
Other options for the side include Spell Pierce, which helps protect a fast combo, Chandra's Defeat, which almost always removes a powerful creature or planeswalker and trades up on mana, and Hour of Devastation, which will wipe even boards with Steel-Leef Champions, multiple planeswalkers, or Hazoret.
UW Control
Bait out or play around Disallow and Settle the Wreckage. Seize the opportunity when they tap out to resolve another threat. Lean on eternalizing Champion of Wits as a late game only answered by Disallow.
Play In:
+3 Negate, +2 Squee, the Immortal, +2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Play Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -1 Walking Ballista, -4 Combat Celebrant
Draw In:
+3 Negate, +2 Blink of an Eye, +2 Squee, the Immortal, +2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation, +2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Draw Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -1 Warkite Marauder, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, -4 Combat Celebrant, -2 Rowdy Crew
WB Aggro
Block and fuel the grave. Kill Toolcraft Exemplar with the trigger on the stack. When they tap out for something big, combo-kill them.
Play In:
+2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance, +2 Glorybringer
Play Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
Draw In:
+2 Blink of an Eye, +2 Sweltering Suns, +2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
Draw Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, -2 Rowdy Crew
R Aggro
Probably this deck's worst matchup, it combines a fast clock with good hate. Block as much as possible, play for an early combo. Leave some mill unused so you can refill the grave after Scavenger Grounds shows up. Don't let too many X/1s clog your battlefield at once or you will die to Goblin Chainwhirler. Be wary of main deck and sideboarded Abrade.
Play In:
+2 Sweltering Suns, +2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance, +2 Glorybringer
Play Out:
-3 Warkite Marauder, -3 Champion of Wits
Draw In:
+2 Sweltering Suns, +2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation, +2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance, +2 Glorybringer
Draw Out:
-1 Fanatical Firebrand, -3 Warkite Marauder, -4 Champion of Wits
G Aggro
Try to stay alive as long as possible, try to avoid letting them play Ghalta, Primal Hunger. If they tap out, combo-kill them. Be wary of Naturalize, Thrashing Brontodon, and Deathgorge Scavenger.
Play In:
+2 Blink of an Eye, +2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance, +2 Glorybringer
Play Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, -2 Rowdy Crew
Draw In:
+2 Blink of an Eye, +2 Sweltering Suns, +2 Padeem, Consul of Innovation, +2 Glorybringer
Draw Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, -2 Champion of Wits, -2 Rowdy Crew
UB Midrange/Control
Put them under pressure. Wreak havoc with Warkite Marauder.
Draw and Play In:
+3 Negate, +2 Squee, the Immortal
Draw and Play Out:
-2 Fanatical Firebrand, -2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, -1 Rowdy Crew
This has been a brief introduction to the UR GPG archetype. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have or discuss the deck further. Thanks for your time.
I thought about Battlefield Scavenger. The reverse looting does seem awesome for the deck, and it has some neat combos with Combat Celebrant. But in the end, I couldn't bring myself to put a 2/2 for 2 in the deck. Maybe it's better than I think. Have you tried it out?