swap the wolfir for a land, 21 isn't enough to reliably get your engine rolling and will mean you can't do anything after a wrath. Plenty of people will slip/pillar/spear your first turn dork too - you simply can't rely on bodies to stick around as mana producers.
And while I do love the dream of T2 sage into T3 emissary/ghor clan, you aren't actually ramping into anything. You're not playing thundermaw/mortars/armada wurm/big garruk - what exactly is gyre sage doing other than allowing you to dump even more of your hand into a wrath?
I think that Rest in Peace is a better option than Tormod's Crypt. Also, I agree that a lot of the ramp isn't going anywhere. Why not drop the Ghor-Clan Rampager and the Wolfir Silverheart and get some Thundermaw Hellkite or Thragtusk involved? I guess I'm just wondering what this deck is trying to do--it has the ramp of a stomper-aggro deck, but it ramps into a midrange deck that doesn't have enough midrange. So... yeah. Also, I don't think that the deck warrants 4 Domri Rade. I would say 2 at best, if any at all. More burn; more aggro--anything else can go there to speed things up, or at least put boots on the ground. Again, though, I'm not sure what the deck is heading towards.
My sideboard is a work in progress at the moment. Anyway, here's the idea of the deck:
This deck is designed to combine fast-acting aggro power with burn to compensate for control decks, and to wrap up the match with damage-to-the-dome. Where one fails, the other may succeed.
The Flinthoof Boar and Loxodon Smiter are there for early bodies and set up to pair with the Silverblade Paladin for early beats. Add a Rancor and you're smashing someone in the face for half their life total on turn 4. Boros Reckoner is in there because he's the best 3-drop anyone in RW could ask for.
To address problematic blockers, we have a fairly comprehensive burn package that ranges through the spectrum and covers all speeds. Pillar of Flame and Annihilating Fire deal with pesky gravediggers, and Searing Spear is great instant speed removal for most problematic creatures with flash or haste. Also, in my sideboard (for now, at least) I have 4 Oblivion Rings to handle anything that resists removal. And, of course, when push comes to shove, I can just burn them in the face with all of those spells.
Boros Charm is an all-around utility spell to deal burn to the opponent or protect my troops. Running as many Paladins as I do, I rarely use it for double strike. Aurelia's Fury acts double duty as a burn spell that can trim out multiple small creatures (like most mana dorks) and also roadblock and opponent from interrupting my round with any kinds of removal or tricks. Which, naturally, helps with all the face beating.
Finally, Aurelia, the Warleader is in there as a bomb to wrap things up if need be (assuming she comes up in the draw).
Sage's aren't there to ramp, they are actually just good beaters that grow to be 4/5 usually. And I've been thinking of going -1 Wolfir, -4 Pilgrim, + 1 Forest, +4 Experiment One.
Well, took out Aurelia, the Warleader after I realized that 6 mana is just too much mana. My meta has rather suddenly become extremely combo- and control-oriented, and I need to be done winning by the time I can cast Aurelia. Also, dumped the Annihilating Fires because the RR was asking too much of a mana base I already have problems with.
To that end, I added in 4x Farseek to settle out my mana. Also, added one copy of Ajani, Caller of the Pride as my luck-draw-bomb. Pulled him once in casual play and he let me slam the other guy with 16 damage. Needless to say, that was the end of the game.
Anyway, once I get this deck ironed out I'll run it through some FNMs and get the reports up in report thread.
Sage's aren't there to ramp, they are actually just good beaters that grow to be 4/5 usually. And I've been thinking of going -1 Wolfir, -4 Pilgrim, + 1 Forest, +4 Experiment One.
I'm very much on the fence about Experiment One. I think Stromkirk Noble would be a better option if you're looking for an aggressive one-drop. He gains counter more reliably and he matches up well against the many, many human-heavy decks out there now.
My 3 slot was waaaay too crowded, so I dumped the Silverblade Paladins. I've got the Boros Charms for my double strike needs, and the WW requirement for the Paladins was slowing me down.
The Avacyn's Pilgrims and the Arbor Elf are there to to offer ramp and bodies. A Rancor on an Elf is 3 damage in a pinch; 6 if I double strike; 14 if I get a bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampager on the board.
I'm not sure how this will run, and I know that Pilgrims and Arbor Elves can turn into late-game dead drops, but every body helps and I really need the mana bump to get things moving along quickly.
Honestly I just lucksacked all night, the deck is inconsistent as hell and the manabase is a nightmare. When everything works it's hilarious to play though.
Also Experiment One is merely OK in this deck, he is usually only a 2/2, but he is still a human for other synergies. I think this is still better than Stromkirk Noble because some hands depend on Cavern to cast everything.
I need some advice, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to my first FNM in awhile (a month?) and this is the deck I'm taking.
It's a fast-paced, Zoo build. The ideal scenario is a Loxodon Smiter, with Rancor, soul-bonded to a Silverblade Paladin. I can generate turn-four kills fairly reliably. Have a look:
The low mana count is augmented by the Farseek, which also smooths out my mana draws. At first I was worried it would slow me down, but it actually speeds me up quite a bit, putting me in position to win reliably on T4 instead of T5 or T6, which was my finish line before the high-octane. True, the fetching isn't traditional Zoo, but screw tradition if it means a W.
Obviously I didn't skimp on the burn portion of the Zoo build. Zoo is designed to smash face as quickly as possible with a combination of burn and creature presence, and I've got a lot of all that. Plus, the burn offers a nice supplement against other aggro decks by giving this build a modicum of control, and it helps against control since I can just dish out direct damage. The Spark Troopers serve as a sort of creature/burn hybrid--slide in for 6 damage and lifelink, and then *poof*.
My sideboard brings all the hate I could think to need, even extra utility-aggro with the Ghor-Clan Rampagers. I've got graveyard hate; I've got indirect removal against a variety of threats. I even brought some extra burn in case I needed it. Clan Defiance can dish out damage to everything on the board that has life, just in case I need the napalm.
Saw this main deck on the MTGO daily results page (4-0), thinking about giving it a try. One of the big differences I see is the choice to not run Frontline Medic.
My sideboard is a little different, looking for suggestions there as well.
hey everyone, in light of naya blitz's successes in nashville (3 of the top 5 finishes) and the fact that i finally got 3 temple gardens today to finish my sets, i decided to put together a deck that might be able to compete at a high levels and submit it here for review and suggestions
a few notes
- i really like frontline medic, especially because of the high number of mirror matchups in my meta.
- i am trying to acquire 3 more cavern of souls, and im looking for suggestions on what lands to pull for it. currently im thinking 1 sunpetal grove and 2 clifftop reatreats.
- what do you guys think of slayers' stronghold, and of kessig wolf-run as another combat trick
-rancor vs giant growth?
-what do you think of voice of resurgence as a playable card.
any other comments are much appreciated. im just excited to finally run this as ive been running r/w aggro
I need some advice, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to my first FNM in awhile (a month?) and this is the deck I'm taking.
It's a fast-paced, Zoo build. The ideal scenario is a Loxodon Smiter, with Rancor, soul-bonded to a Silverblade Paladin. I can generate turn-four kills fairly reliably. Have a look:
The low mana count is augmented by the Farseek, which also smooths out my mana draws. At first I was worried it would slow me down, but it actually speeds me up quite a bit, putting me in position to win reliably on T4 instead of T5 or T6, which was my finish line before the high-octane. True, the fetching isn't traditional Zoo, but screw tradition if it means a W.
Obviously I didn't skimp on the burn portion of the Zoo build. Zoo is designed to smash face as quickly as possible with a combination of burn and creature presence, and I've got a lot of all that. Plus, the burn offers a nice supplement against other aggro decks by giving this build a modicum of control, and it helps against control since I can just dish out direct damage. The Spark Troopers serve as a sort of creature/burn hybrid--slide in for 6 damage and lifelink, and then *poof*.
My sideboard brings all the hate I could think to need, even extra utility-aggro with the Ghor-Clan Rampagers. I've got graveyard hate; I've got indirect removal against a variety of threats. I even brought some extra burn in case I needed it. Clan Defiance can dish out damage to everything on the board that has life, just in case I need the napalm.
Thoughts?
your deck is pretty good, but there are a few changes i would make. lightning mauler may seem great, but hes four mana for a one toughness. anything that deals one or creatures a -1/-1 affect destroys him, blind obedience makes him useless. anything with first strike kills him in combat.
rest in peace is a good card, but consider the aritfact tormods crypt instead (spelling may be off) its 0 cost means it doesnt mess up your curve as much, and you can tap it in response to them trying to unburial rights something.
farseek is a good card, but again slows your down on a critical turn, consider using avacyns pilgrim instead as a t1 drop that fixes your mana, allowing you to t2 smiter.
fury and ajani are a little out of place here, and im really surprised you dont run burning-tree emissary, shes one of the best aggro cards in this format.
as for lands, your should really pull out the two of each basic land and replace them with two more of each shock land. those 2 points of damage shouldnt matter and you really cant afford to get mana screwed.
rancors good, but some people argue giant growth is better. id look into that.
more creatures. you really dont have enough big things to survive a few removal cards. i would at least make that a sideboard option.
consider a big finisher, some five drop that completely changes the game if its not dealt with immediately, ie thundermaw hellkite or garruk, primal hunter. against pardon the spelling
This is my first go at the Naya colours, I have converted from a straight control deck, to the Naya sphere of actions. So any guidance would be highly appreciated.
Remember to use proper deck tags.
When critiquing a deck, remember to make it clear which deck you are addressing, preferably by quoting the post with the decklist.
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
1 Mountain
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Gyre Sage
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
1 Wolfir Silverheart
3 Boros Charm
4 Domri Rade
2 Selesnya Charm
2 Gruul Charm
2 Mizzium Mortars
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Pillar of Flame
1 Purify the Grave
1 Ray of Revelation
2 Tormod's Crypt
Any suggestions or comments?
And while I do love the dream of T2 sage into T3 emissary/ghor clan, you aren't actually ramping into anything. You're not playing thundermaw/mortars/armada wurm/big garruk - what exactly is gyre sage doing other than allowing you to dump even more of your hand into a wrath?
I think that Rest in Peace is a better option than Tormod's Crypt. Also, I agree that a lot of the ramp isn't going anywhere. Why not drop the Ghor-Clan Rampager and the Wolfir Silverheart and get some Thundermaw Hellkite or Thragtusk involved? I guess I'm just wondering what this deck is trying to do--it has the ramp of a stomper-aggro deck, but it ramps into a midrange deck that doesn't have enough midrange. So... yeah. Also, I don't think that the deck warrants 4 Domri Rade. I would say 2 at best, if any at all. More burn; more aggro--anything else can go there to speed things up, or at least put boots on the ground. Again, though, I'm not sure what the deck is heading towards.
And speaking of decks--here's mine!
2x Aurelia, the Warleader
4x Boros Reckoner
4x Flinthoof Boar
4x Silverblade Paladin
4x Loxodon Smiter
Instants
2x Aurelia's Fury
3x Annihilating Fire
4x Boros Charm
4x Searing Spear
4x Rancor
Sorcery
3x Pillar of Flame
Land
3x Plains
3x Mountain
2x Forest
2x Slayers' Stronghold
2x Stomping Ground
2x Rootbound Crag
2x Temple Garden
2x Sunpetal Grove
2x Sacred Foundry
2x Clifftop Retreat
My sideboard is a work in progress at the moment. Anyway, here's the idea of the deck:
This deck is designed to combine fast-acting aggro power with burn to compensate for control decks, and to wrap up the match with damage-to-the-dome. Where one fails, the other may succeed.
The Flinthoof Boar and Loxodon Smiter are there for early bodies and set up to pair with the Silverblade Paladin for early beats. Add a Rancor and you're smashing someone in the face for half their life total on turn 4. Boros Reckoner is in there because he's the best 3-drop anyone in RW could ask for.
To address problematic blockers, we have a fairly comprehensive burn package that ranges through the spectrum and covers all speeds. Pillar of Flame and Annihilating Fire deal with pesky gravediggers, and Searing Spear is great instant speed removal for most problematic creatures with flash or haste. Also, in my sideboard (for now, at least) I have 4 Oblivion Rings to handle anything that resists removal. And, of course, when push comes to shove, I can just burn them in the face with all of those spells.
Boros Charm is an all-around utility spell to deal burn to the opponent or protect my troops. Running as many Paladins as I do, I rarely use it for double strike. Aurelia's Fury acts double duty as a burn spell that can trim out multiple small creatures (like most mana dorks) and also roadblock and opponent from interrupting my round with any kinds of removal or tricks. Which, naturally, helps with all the face beating.
Finally, Aurelia, the Warleader is in there as a bomb to wrap things up if need be (assuming she comes up in the draw).
How's it look?
To that end, I added in 4x Farseek to settle out my mana. Also, added one copy of Ajani, Caller of the Pride as my luck-draw-bomb. Pulled him once in casual play and he let me slam the other guy with 16 damage. Needless to say, that was the end of the game.
Anyway, once I get this deck ironed out I'll run it through some FNMs and get the reports up in report thread.
EDIT:
Also--
I'm very much on the fence about Experiment One. I think Stromkirk Noble would be a better option if you're looking for an aggressive one-drop. He gains counter more reliably and he matches up well against the many, many human-heavy decks out there now.
4x Boros Reckoner
4x Flinthoof Boar
3x Avacyn's Pilgrim
3x Arbor Elf
4x Loxodon Smiter
2x Ghor-Clan rampager
Instants
2x Aurelia's Fury
4x Boros Charm
4x Searing Spear
4x Rancor
Sorcery
3x Pillar of Flame
Planeswalker
1x Ajani, Caller of the Pride
Land
2x Plains
4x Mountain
2x Forest
2x Slayers' Stronghold
2x Stomping Ground
2x Rootbound Crag
2x Temple Garden
2x Sunpetal Grove
2x Sacred Foundry
2x Clifftop Retreat
My 3 slot was waaaay too crowded, so I dumped the Silverblade Paladins. I've got the Boros Charms for my double strike needs, and the WW requirement for the Paladins was slowing me down.
The Avacyn's Pilgrims and the Arbor Elf are there to to offer ramp and bodies. A Rancor on an Elf is 3 damage in a pinch; 6 if I double strike; 14 if I get a bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampager on the board.
I'm not sure how this will run, and I know that Pilgrims and Arbor Elves can turn into late-game dead drops, but every body helps and I really need the mana bump to get things moving along quickly.
4 Experiment One
4 Boros Elite
4 Rancor
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Lightning Mauler
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Mayor of Avabruck
4 Frontline Medic
1 Boros Charm
1 Domri Rade
3 Cavern of Souls
4 Temple Garden
4 Stomping Ground
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Mountain
2 Rootbound Crag
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Faith's Shield
1 Ranger's Guile
2 Boros Charm
2 Selesnya Charm
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Skullcrack
2 Volcanic Strength
2 Assemble the Legion
Honestly I just lucksacked all night, the deck is inconsistent as hell and the manabase is a nightmare. When everything works it's hilarious to play though.
Also Experiment One is merely OK in this deck, he is usually only a 2/2, but he is still a human for other synergies. I think this is still better than Stromkirk Noble because some hands depend on Cavern to cast everything.
Proud member of Fires Rf Salvation
Currently Playing:
BPack RatB
Modern:
WURRWU ControlRUW
Legacy:
UHigh TideU
UGTurbo EldraziGU
EDH:
RWURuhan Planeswalker ControlUWR
RGBProssh, Skyraider of KherBGR
It's a fast-paced, Zoo build. The ideal scenario is a Loxodon Smiter, with Rancor, soul-bonded to a Silverblade Paladin. I can generate turn-four kills fairly reliably. Have a look:
2x Plains
2x Mountain
2x Forest
2x Slayers' Stronghold
2x Rootbound Crag
2x Stomping Ground
2x Sunpetal Grove
2x Temple Garden
2x Sacred Foundry
2x Clifftop Retreat
Creatures (18)
4x Loxodon Smiter
4x Silverblade Paladin
4x Boros Reckoner
4x Flinthoof Boar
2x Spark Trooper
1x Ajani, Caller of the Pride
Sorcery (7)
3x Pillar of Flame
4x Farseek
Instant (10)
4x Boros Charm
4x Searing Spear
2x Aurelia's Fury
Enchantment (4)
4x Rancor
4x Clan Defiance
4x Oblivion Ring
3x Rest in Peace
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
The low mana count is augmented by the Farseek, which also smooths out my mana draws. At first I was worried it would slow me down, but it actually speeds me up quite a bit, putting me in position to win reliably on T4 instead of T5 or T6, which was my finish line before the high-octane. True, the fetching isn't traditional Zoo, but screw tradition if it means a W.
Obviously I didn't skimp on the burn portion of the Zoo build. Zoo is designed to smash face as quickly as possible with a combination of burn and creature presence, and I've got a lot of all that. Plus, the burn offers a nice supplement against other aggro decks by giving this build a modicum of control, and it helps against control since I can just dish out direct damage. The Spark Troopers serve as a sort of creature/burn hybrid--slide in for 6 damage and lifelink, and then *poof*.
My sideboard brings all the hate I could think to need, even extra utility-aggro with the Ghor-Clan Rampagers. I've got graveyard hate; I've got indirect removal against a variety of threats. I even brought some extra burn in case I needed it. Clan Defiance can dish out damage to everything on the board that has life, just in case I need the napalm.
Thoughts?
My sideboard is a little different, looking for suggestions there as well.
4x Experiment One
4x Boros Elite
4x Mayor of Avabruck
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Hamlet Captain
4x Flinthoof Boar
4x Lightning Mauler
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
2x Silverblade Paladin
2x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2x Sunpetal Grove
2x Rootbound Crag
4x Cavern of Souls
4x Stomping Ground
4x Sacred Foundry
4x Temple Garden
2x Fiend Hunter
2x Boros Charm
2x Gruul Charm
3x Pacifism
3x Searing Spear
2x Pillar of Flame
4x Cavern of Souls
4x Sacred Foundry
4x Temple Garden
4x Stomping Ground
2x Forest
1x Mountain
1x Plains
2x Gavony Township
4x Boros Elite
4x Experiment One
4x Champion of the Parish
2x Acacyn's Pilgrim
4x Burning Tree Emissary
4x Mayor of Avabruck
4x Flinthoof Boar
1x Ghor-Clan Rampager
1x Ruric-Thar, the Unbowed
4x Boros Charm
4x Selesnya Charm
2x Madcap Skills
The decision of play Madcap Skills and Ruric-That were mainly based because of the metagame. It needs some tweaking overall, but any suggestions?
with another axe to grind,
so put me on the battlefield where hardcore goes to die. -from "Lights Out" by Butch Walker
4 Boros Elite
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Champion of the Parish
4 Experiment One
4 Frontline Medic
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Mayor of Avabruck
1 Slayers' Stronghold
2 Clifftop Retreat
2 Rootbound Crag
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
3 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
1 Cavern of Souls
Spells
3 Giant Growth
4 Searing Spear
2 Fiend Hunter
2 Nearheath Pilgrim
3 Pacifism
3 Boros Charm
2 Gruul Charm
3 Volcanic Strength
a few notes
- i really like frontline medic, especially because of the high number of mirror matchups in my meta.
- i am trying to acquire 3 more cavern of souls, and im looking for suggestions on what lands to pull for it. currently im thinking 1 sunpetal grove and 2 clifftop reatreats.
- what do you guys think of slayers' stronghold, and of kessig wolf-run as another combat trick
-rancor vs giant growth?
-what do you think of voice of resurgence as a playable card.
any other comments are much appreciated. im just excited to finally run this as ive been running r/w aggro
your deck is pretty good, but there are a few changes i would make. lightning mauler may seem great, but hes four mana for a one toughness. anything that deals one or creatures a -1/-1 affect destroys him, blind obedience makes him useless. anything with first strike kills him in combat.
rest in peace is a good card, but consider the aritfact tormods crypt instead (spelling may be off) its 0 cost means it doesnt mess up your curve as much, and you can tap it in response to them trying to unburial rights something.
farseek is a good card, but again slows your down on a critical turn, consider using avacyns pilgrim instead as a t1 drop that fixes your mana, allowing you to t2 smiter.
fury and ajani are a little out of place here, and im really surprised you dont run burning-tree emissary, shes one of the best aggro cards in this format.
as for lands, your should really pull out the two of each basic land and replace them with two more of each shock land. those 2 points of damage shouldnt matter and you really cant afford to get mana screwed.
rancors good, but some people argue giant growth is better. id look into that.
more creatures. you really dont have enough big things to survive a few removal cards. i would at least make that a sideboard option.
consider a big finisher, some five drop that completely changes the game if its not dealt with immediately, ie thundermaw hellkite or garruk, primal hunter. against pardon the spelling
altogether a good deck.
2x Aurelia, the Warleader
3x Boros Reckoner
3x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Experiment One
3x Loxodon Smiter
2x Thragtusk
4x Voice of Resurgence
Instant (10)
2x Aurelia's Fury
3x Boros Charm
3x Searing Spear
2x Selesnya Charm
2x Clifftop Retreat
2x Forest
3x Rootbound Crag
4x Sacred Foundry
4x Stomping Ground
4x Sunpetal Grove
4x Temple Garden
Sorcery (4)
4x Farseek
Planeswalker (2)
2x Domri Rade
1x Boros Charm
1x Searing Spear
1x Selesnya Charm
4x Skullcrack
4x Skylasher
4x Wear / Tear
Tricolour Burn
aReGee Tron
UWR Control
Legacy
Old school Goblins