If I remove the Bonfires, do you suggest that I try and race against a GoST? GoST is a very easy problem if I can drop an Ash Zealot, but once that thing gets Spectral Flighted, more often then not I'm doomed. I mean, obviously I have times where I can block with Falkenrath, but UW Aggro is usually holding some sort of contain or bounce for it.
I'll definitely try the Zealous Conscripts switch for the Thundermaw Hellkite. What about Hellrider in for the Hound? I've had some amazing interactions with him before, but opted for the Hound. Yet, there are reasons why I took him out clearly...
As for the mana base, I personally dislike the gates because they come in tapped. I actually used to run 3 guild gates but would often find myself not being able to play something that turn because of the tapped land. I'll look into a 4th Caverns.
Thanks dpaine! Any other suggestions are welcomed!
I would not count bonfire as a reliable way to kill a GoST, between Ash Zealot and KoI and just having a board presence is usually more than enough. I haven't had Geist problems is a while
I have been running 2 mortars in my SB since they handle both smiter and centaur healer very well and late game, can be winning board wipes (without the inconsistency of Bonfire)
I completely agree with you about UP in that killing a T4 Craterhoof at instant speed is amazing, however I have had UP stranded in my hand wishing it was the last couple of burn points many times as well.
Also, I share you sentiments regarding hellkite. Sure he is a complete beating but our entire deck is a beating...
So I went down to my LGS last night with a buddy to do some friendly playtesting with him and everyone else there.
I played 20+ games throughout the night and didn't lose a single game! Granted these were all Game 1 since we didn't bother with sideboarding. Still, I thought the deck did amazing!
I played against only 3 decks, probably 6-7 times each deck.
Bant Control - Just too fast and consistent against this deck. He rarely drew his sweepers and he was dead very quick each time.
Jund Midrange - Man, this just isn't a very good deck recently. I consistently won through double thragtusk. With Hellrider , it was just too fast for Jund to stabilize since he couldn't block Aristocrat.
4-Color Reanimator- Again, just too fast and resiliant. I was swinging for huge chunks of damage. The only hope he had was turn 4 Angel of Serenity but the Ulitmate Price answered that. Lingering souls was a ***** without Flames however.
The deck runs so smooth and fast without a 5-drop, its wonderful. There is a perfect mix of both speed and top-end power yet still retaining it's consistency.
Hellrider didn't really work when I threw them into the deck with Stonewright and Vampire Nighthawk. It was too slow, their life was too high for his effect to be very helpful.
So I decided to swap out Stonewright and Nighthawk for Rakdos Cackler and Hellhole Flailer, both more aggresive versions of the 1 and 3-drop spots. Hellrider interacts perfectly with these guys.
Flailer works great. Often going T3-Flailer, T4- Hellrider T5- Sac flailer won me the game right there. Regardless, his 4 power was brutal when followed up by my 7 hasted 4-drops.
The Hellrider was also really nice even if I kept him alive by not attacking with him, that extra damage for each of my guys for 2 turns in a row was huge.
I'm kinda debating between Ultimate Price and Brimstone Volley. I did all my testing last night with Ultimate Price.
Granted, I only played against 3 decks, I feel very very good about this deck right now.
I have to agree with everything you said here, I am also debating between Ultimate price vs volley in the MD; UP is so nice for Resto Angel specifically but volley is just has such great reach and we are an aggro deck after all.
Not sure since my gut tells me to run Volley MD since it will never be a dead card by attacking through angel is huge...
Running a very similar creature base, just cackler over SW but I have been on the fench with that one for a while
I really think 25 lands is a bit extreme and I feel that the deck may be too color hungry for Hellion crucible
I have been playing the same removal suite just +1 Pillar
I have really liked the deck however I really do feel having 10 4 and 5 drops, have been thinking about moving hellkites to the SB and maybe going down to 2 hellriders or 3 aristocrats (although I do really enjoy seeing them)
I am also thinking about knocking down to 3 KoI main board since they are either MVP or a 2/1 with a relevant exalted trigger for 1 turn
My concern with this type of build it that going to utilizing the likes of shred-freak makes us less able to play the grindy games and are more allin to the early game wins.
I am really interested by the fact that most, if not all, the top placing RB decks have been running both Hellrider and Aristocrat.
Not sure if this is a sign that we should be running Hellrider and shifting our curve down, running Hellrider ontop of Aristocrat and Thundermaw or if Hellrider isn't that awesome and it is just coincidence.
The top 4 deck, I am not really sure how 4 Hellrider and 3 Aristocrat and 2 Thundermaw all work together, especially on only 23 land. It has the same amount of 1 and 2 drops as most of us. 8 1-drops and 8 2-drops. It just replaces Knight of Infamy for Lightning Mauler which seems really odd since most of the guys have haste anyhow and Pro White is so relavent at the moment. This deck is also NEARLY Mono-red, except for the Aristocrat. None of the SB is black either. Mark of Mutany seems like a odd choice maindeck..
The top 5-8 deck it makes more sense to me in. It has the 3 extra 2-drops in it. Also the Shred-Freak having haste is really nice and allows the deck to win on like the 4th turn possibly. This deck also only has 2 HHF and 3 FA's and no Hellkite so it has a very small curve. This deck is a lot more like the decks most of us are running because it really is Rakdos with plenty of black in the MD and SB.
My thoughts exactly, the top 4 deck seems like a pile that drew well and the top 5-8 deck is more what I would be interested in playing.
I'm not sure on the 2 HHF, but I am interested about the 0 hellkites. I freaking LOVE hellkite and he beats so much face right now however, is he really the right choice for the deck right now? I am unsure as he lacks synergy that the rest of our deck shares
Also I really like the 3 KoI since he is really MVP against W decks but mostly dead weight otherwise
I have tried the versions with 2 Hellrider and to be honest he often hits the board by himself and just hits for 4, at least in my experience but I am willing to retest/reconsider
However I completely agree with you on Hellhole flailer and 23 Lands
I would not count bonfire as a reliable way to kill a GoST, between Ash Zealot and KoI and just having a board presence is usually more than enough. I haven't had Geist problems is a while
I have been running 2 mortars in my SB since they handle both smiter and centaur healer very well and late game, can be winning board wipes (without the inconsistency of Bonfire)
I completely agree with you about UP in that killing a T4 Craterhoof at instant speed is amazing, however I have had UP stranded in my hand wishing it was the last couple of burn points many times as well.
Also, I share you sentiments regarding hellkite. Sure he is a complete beating but our entire deck is a beating...
I have to agree with everything you said here, I am also debating between Ultimate price vs volley in the MD; UP is so nice for Resto Angel specifically but volley is just has such great reach and we are an aggro deck after all.
Not sure since my gut tells me to run Volley MD since it will never be a dead card by attacking through angel is huge...
Throwing 3 hellkites and 24th land in the board
You guys been bringing in the Hellkites vs everything non-aggro?
I will be testing as well and we can discuss our findings,
keep up posted =D
Running a very similar creature base, just cackler over SW but I have been on the fench with that one for a while
I really think 25 lands is a bit extreme and I feel that the deck may be too color hungry for Hellion crucible
I have been playing the same removal suite just +1 Pillar
I have really liked the deck however I really do feel having 10 4 and 5 drops, have been thinking about moving hellkites to the SB and maybe going down to 2 hellriders or 3 aristocrats (although I do really enjoy seeing them)
I am also thinking about knocking down to 3 KoI main board since they are either MVP or a 2/1 with a relevant exalted trigger for 1 turn
I feel the same way and I have began thinking about the pros vs cons of the exclusives of a Black-Zombie base and the Red Base
Black - Zombies
-Geralf's messenger
-Victim of Knight
-Gravecrawler and Ghoul aka"Stupid Zombies"
Red
-Ash Zealot
-Stromkirk Noble
-Stonewright
Looking at the GP San Antonio results it's looking like BR is really real and it may be time to switch our base color
My concern with this type of build it that going to utilizing the likes of shred-freak makes us less able to play the grindy games and are more allin to the early game wins.
Not sure if this is true or not, just a thought
I have been thinking 2 Bonfire over Flames, since all you really lose is the 3 mana searing spear mode but gain game winning top decks
Not sure if this is a sign that we should be running Hellrider and shifting our curve down, running Hellrider ontop of Aristocrat and Thundermaw or if Hellrider isn't that awesome and it is just coincidence.
I am intrigued
My thoughts exactly, the top 4 deck seems like a pile that drew well and the top 5-8 deck is more what I would be interested in playing.
I'm not sure on the 2 HHF, but I am interested about the 0 hellkites. I freaking LOVE hellkite and he beats so much face right now however, is he really the right choice for the deck right now? I am unsure as he lacks synergy that the rest of our deck shares
Also I really like the 3 KoI since he is really MVP against W decks but mostly dead weight otherwise
However I completely agree with you on Hellhole flailer and 23 Lands
The first decks seems so odd, why do you think these were successful while you were not?
EDIT: Answered above, you're too fast for me Dpaine haha