This does make a lot of sense to me. Can't answer it immediately? 1R for 6 damage is an investment I would make many times. Still, it is very all-in; maybe unecessarily so?
I'm very excited to test it though.
I know it would absolutely destroy my current reanimator deck. I play both R/G sligh and reanimator, and the only way I can beat my own r/g deck is with an early loxodon smiter, and putting me one turn behind on blocking would cripple be extensively.
Rx players will often side out Rakdos Cacklers when on the draw because they're lousy at defense. Is this a sound policy? What do you side in for the Cacklers? Reckless Waifs?
-Scott-
Flames of the firebrand were very common for me to bring in the the place of GHC or Cacklers last season. I'd expect the same. Assuming you're gonna be on the draw, you want to get ahead on 2 for 1s or better with Flames.
Anyone see saitos latest list? He runs 4x madcap skills in the sb over waif. I think with bte this isn't that crazy. Waif was certainly a odd choice always in such an explosive deck. Also with regards to adding a land to the list, personally I would drop a reckoner before a hellrider unless the statistics prove otherwise I want hellrider in my hand when I put down my 4th land.
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Interesting...I don't know that i like Mad-Cap skills because I'm super scarred of getting 2-1ed. But it seems worth trying for sure. I can imagine it being a very dirty turn 2 play on a noble or something. But i think i prefer Rancor.
Come on, you're australian as well, you should get sarcasm!
Anyone with SCG Premium read Todd Anderson's latest article about gruul aggro? I let my premium expire because...well the articles are mostly terrible. Still, if someone can send me an executive summary, would appreciate.
He copy pasted Saito's list. The one with the 20lands and the BTEs and changed the sideboard. When the article was first posted he only mentioned Saito in one vague sentence and had his name on the decklist. A bunch of people called him out on it, he changed it, and then commented back on peoples stuff telling them how they couldn't read. etc etc.
Basically- he compared the current list to some obscure list he won a tournament with once, and then showed Saito's list and described how it played.
If your meta isn't infested with Restoration Angel, it suggests you're playing yu-gi-oh or some other cardboard game, excluding mtg.
Local Shops are very different than SCG Opens. I played at one game store while traveling that was all aggro decks and didnt see a resto angel all night.
It does happen, albeit unlikely. I'm well aware of Resto Angels prevalence in the format.
Why specifically do you need those cards? What big creature is causing you problems? Just trying to understand, I want this deck to work
Loxodon Smiter and Resto Angel. With Smiter being a larger issue then Angel.
I'm specifically talking about Sideboard (the need for GCR or Mizzium) not main.
It could of course just be that my meta is very heavy with those two creatures.
I've found with R/G testing that you /need/ access to mortars or Ghor-Clan Rampager. And I don't like rampager in this deck (sadly) not to mention it seems like an awkward sideboard card.
I think its safe to say the Waifs in the board are a wash. Try 2 Ground Seal 2 Mizzium Mortars instead. Its been working very well for me so far. Having Burning Tree Emissary into Ground Seal Draw a card is amazing against reanimator its almost like a tempo gain when Ground Seal is normally a wash in our aggro decks.
The mortars can also be cast off of BTE. Which is always good.
I LOVE the Volcanic Strengths. Just replacing rancors with them seems good in the correct matchups.
Took this for a spin at Monday Night standard. Took 1st/2nd with an ID to wrap it up. Going 3-0-1. Initial thoughts are that I want a 4th Reckoner in the main and that Huntmaster is likely far better than Hound in the sideboard.
Let me know what you all think, curious to see with other R/G decks you guys are playing.
Going to play mono-red next week to test it out. I don't think this deck is necessarily better than monoR atm.
Round 1:
Against Red/Green aggro (more midrangey with thragtusk)
Games 1 and 3 he drew nothing, but in game 2 we had a close match until he landed Tree of Redemption? (the 0/13 life total swapper) He won that match on the back of life gain and a giant blocker.
Round 2:
Against Burn at The Stake combo
Classic go first and win. I don't really have any disruption. Only thing of note here was that i blood rushed twice in one turn for kill out of nowhere. He definitely thought he had another turn to combo off.
Round 3:
Human Reanimator Combo (With huntmaster for infinite lifegain/tokens)
This was an awesome match. Games 1 and 2 were very close. He comboed game 1 to gain infinite life and i scooped. And game 2 I killed him the turn before he could.
Now, game 3 was where skullcrack shined bright. i passed turn with 4 guys in play and a hellrider and skullcrack in hand. (He was at 8 with 2 Angel's and multiple huntmasters in play.) Now, I assumed he could either gain infinite life and make infinte tokens this turn, or flip both huntmasters on his turn to try and clear my board. Thanks to skullcrack I know i have this game won. So it doesn't matter, but he does pass turn so i skullcrack him in the end step and get 5 hellrider triggers for the win.
Round 4:
The ID round.
We IDed before but played to test anyway.
Matcup: Naya Midrange.
The matchup seems absolutely terrible. Centaur Healer into Huntmaster into Thragtusk into Hellkite into Hellkite killed me game 1. And game 2 a bonfire cleared my board as he played multiple huntmasters and flipped them back and forth at will.
Overall: The deck feels good, i think i'm going to place 2 Huntmasters in the board instead of Hounds of Griselbrand. And I want to go to 4 Reckoners maindeck. Will likely cut a pillar or Searing Spear from the main for the 4th Reckoner.
I'm very excited to test it though.
I know it would absolutely destroy my current reanimator deck. I play both R/G sligh and reanimator, and the only way I can beat my own r/g deck is with an early loxodon smiter, and putting me one turn behind on blocking would cripple be extensively.
Yes, Boar is awesome and theres a very good reason why its 1 of 2 green cards in Saito's list.
Flames of the firebrand were very common for me to bring in the the place of GHC or Cacklers last season. I'd expect the same. Assuming you're gonna be on the draw, you want to get ahead on 2 for 1s or better with Flames.
Fair enough. I can understand that substitution.
I don't have any room in my sideboard for it though.
That and Garruk Relentless.
Interesting...I don't know that i like Mad-Cap skills because I'm super scarred of getting 2-1ed. But it seems worth trying for sure. I can imagine it being a very dirty turn 2 play on a noble or something. But i think i prefer Rancor.
He copy pasted Saito's list. The one with the 20lands and the BTEs and changed the sideboard. When the article was first posted he only mentioned Saito in one vague sentence and had his name on the decklist. A bunch of people called him out on it, he changed it, and then commented back on peoples stuff telling them how they couldn't read. etc etc.
Basically- he compared the current list to some obscure list he won a tournament with once, and then showed Saito's list and described how it played.
Local Shops are very different than SCG Opens. I played at one game store while traveling that was all aggro decks and didnt see a resto angel all night.
It does happen, albeit unlikely. I'm well aware of Resto Angels prevalence in the format.
Loxodon Smiter and Resto Angel. With Smiter being a larger issue then Angel.
I'm specifically talking about Sideboard (the need for GCR or Mizzium) not main.
It could of course just be that my meta is very heavy with those two creatures.
The mortars can also be cast off of BTE. Which is always good.
I LOVE the Volcanic Strengths. Just replacing rancors with them seems good in the correct matchups.
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Ash Zealot
4 Flinthoof Boar
3 Boros Reckoner
3 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Hellrider
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
3 Rancor
3 Searing Spear
Land
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Stomping Grounds
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Temple Garden
10 Mountain
2 Ground Seal
3 Skullcrack
2 Hound of Griselbrand
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Triumph Of Ferocity
Let me know what you all think, curious to see with other R/G decks you guys are playing.
Going to play mono-red next week to test it out. I don't think this deck is necessarily better than monoR atm.
3-0-1 overall. I played the following list:
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Ash Zealot
4 Flinthoof Boar
3 Boros Reckoner
3 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Hellrider
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
3 Rancor
3 Searing Spear
Land
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Stomping Grounds
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Temple Garden
10 Mountain
2 Ground Seal
3 Skullcrack
2 Hound of Griselbrand
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Triumph Of Ferocity
Round 1:
Against Red/Green aggro (more midrangey with thragtusk)
Games 1 and 3 he drew nothing, but in game 2 we had a close match until he landed Tree of Redemption? (the 0/13 life total swapper) He won that match on the back of life gain and a giant blocker.
Round 2:
Against Burn at The Stake combo
Classic go first and win. I don't really have any disruption. Only thing of note here was that i blood rushed twice in one turn for kill out of nowhere. He definitely thought he had another turn to combo off.
Round 3:
Human Reanimator Combo (With huntmaster for infinite lifegain/tokens)
This was an awesome match. Games 1 and 2 were very close. He comboed game 1 to gain infinite life and i scooped. And game 2 I killed him the turn before he could.
Now, game 3 was where skullcrack shined bright. i passed turn with 4 guys in play and a hellrider and skullcrack in hand. (He was at 8 with 2 Angel's and multiple huntmasters in play.) Now, I assumed he could either gain infinite life and make infinte tokens this turn, or flip both huntmasters on his turn to try and clear my board. Thanks to skullcrack I know i have this game won. So it doesn't matter, but he does pass turn so i skullcrack him in the end step and get 5 hellrider triggers for the win.
Round 4:
The ID round.
We IDed before but played to test anyway.
Matcup: Naya Midrange.
The matchup seems absolutely terrible. Centaur Healer into Huntmaster into Thragtusk into Hellkite into Hellkite killed me game 1. And game 2 a bonfire cleared my board as he played multiple huntmasters and flipped them back and forth at will.
Overall: The deck feels good, i think i'm going to place 2 Huntmasters in the board instead of Hounds of Griselbrand. And I want to go to 4 Reckoners maindeck. Will likely cut a pillar or Searing Spear from the main for the 4th Reckoner.
Let me know what you all think!
Overall a very good read, thanks for this!
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Ash Zealot
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Borderland Ranger
4 Hellrider
2 Wolfir Silverheart
3 Rancor
3 Searing Spear
Land
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Stomping Grounds
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Temple Garden
1 Forest
10 Mountain
Ghor-Clan Rampager is the absolute nuts. Likely the second best new card after Reckoner. Boros Wreckoner is absolutely absurd.