Thanks for the update. I am likely heading in this direction, and two things concern me:
1 - White for Seeker on T2.
B) Courser of Kruphix
Hey teamDFL,
Answers:
1) The mana base has been working for me. There are 14 cards that can give me white mana by turn 2 or 3. I am trying out the Temple of Triumph over Mana Confluence, just to have that ability to scry once in a while. I'm not 100% sold on it yet, but it's helped me every single time I did get the option to look and plan ahead. T2 Seeker isn't my normal play, usually I want to see turns 1 and 2 do this:
Turn 1 Bloodsoaked Champion
Turn 2 Monastery Swiftspear (I really like it when I can cast two one drops turn 2)
Turn 3 (This is usually when I have my white readily available) I'm either casting a burn spell, dropping Mardu Ascendancy, or Baiting my opponent to remove one of my creatures by dropping Seeker of the Way or casting Goblin Rabblemaster
I'm still learning to Pilot the deck, there is the occasional hand where the tap lands just shoot you in the foot and you're forced to lose your tempo early (the times I've lost was due to this, so Mana Confluence might really have to go in).
B) Courser of Kruphix, I played against this card last night. Each time I was able to make Prowess a big factor. Prowess + Burn = nice combat tricks, and it made my opponent think twice about blocking (In short I removed him really fast )in game 2. The 2nd time I played against Courser of Kruphix, I was able to play a turn 4, Stoke the Flames, and dealt with him that way both times. Courser is the reason I dropped War-Name Aspirant. As much as I like the artwork on that card, she just couldn't shine in my deck. She was under-performing and didn't offer much more than the 3/2 for 2 which wound up dying really fast.
So, I did some Play testing today. Played Jeskai, and a 5 color Sidisi, WHip, hybrid. The deck did extremely well, which makes me more confident that it's going in the right direction.
The Bloodsoaked Champion actually did it's job, as I found myself using his raid ability a few times.
This was Vs Jeskai
Turns went like this: (Not detailed, it happened really fast)
Turn 1, Champion
Turns 2, Swiftspear, attacked with Champion and Swiftspear, (3 damage)
He cast Something and took 1 damage from Pain Land (16)
Turn 3, Played Crackling Doom, triggered Prowess, hit for 6 (life total was 10)
Turn 4, Swiftspear, cast Mardu Ascendancy, Trigger Prowess, (now at 1)
He scooped.
Other games went pretty much in my favor, and in a few The Butcher was REALLY good.
I need to play test more, and will run this deck Next Saturday (Not this one, but the 20th) I'll update on how I do. Consensus at my gaming shop was that it was extremely fast and was very good. It needs a lot more play testing, and I need to focus my sideboard more.
Yeah Tasouken, The Firedrinker has been murdering me instead on my opponent. The damage from the Pain Lands and him was pretty harsh, I think your suggestions would really help out. I'll try this and see how it does. Surprisingly the Monastery swiftspear is actually really good in this deck (My opinion). I didn't think she'd be that good but...crackling doom, + her mean she stays around and gets the +1 +1 every time I cast a burn spell.
So Out:
-4 Firedrinker Satry
in
+4 Foundry Street Denizen
As for the War Name Aspirant...over the Akroan Hoplite...I can see the syngery this can have with Mardu Ascendancy and Goblin Rabblemaster. Have you tried it out?
I put this deck together strictly for fun. So far it's fun to play and I like the synergies. It's definitely more casual play but if I were to try and make this a decently competitive budget deck what recommendations would you all have?
Total Cost: 25 Bucks! I'd love to make this one better, Maybe adding Bloodsoaked Champion and some actual removal would do this deck some good.
Thanks in advance
I have Glare of Heresy and I'll sideboard that. Mana Confluence, sounds it'll keep the tempo fast and keep me playing things consistently.
Did you test the deck TeamDFL? How'd it do, good match ups and bad match ups?
My Meta Game is pretty varied, I'll post the results and see how it goes! I just wish I had more time to play test it against more decks, but work is tight this time of year and Christmas time is about spending rather than saving
So here is my updated Standard Deck . It's still getting there and I still feel like there are tweaks which can be made to fulfill it's potential. It can kill be turn 4 but that that requires a certain set of events to occur.
Mana base has been improved, and I have included Planeswalker Removal in my sideboard. I have yet to bring this Friday Night Magic but I'm aiming at playing it this coming Saturday, advice, critique and recommendations are welcome. Thanks!
Questions for you all: Seeker of the Way over War-Name Aspirant? Or Monastery Swiftspear? I'd rather Splash White, and keep it Red/Black/White in that order, adding Seeker wouldn't be bad, but...my 2 Slot Creature or another 1 Slot is where I'm still undecided.
Sideboard:
Can Utter End be a good substitute for Hero's Downfall?
The concept of Khans is TRi color though, and from what I'm seeing it's what sets this block apart. Hence, the need for mana sources that can fill that role. The swift spear looks good, I'd have to play test the card, it hasn't been used in the mardu decks I've looked up.
My sideboard hasn't been finished yet, however I do see the need to Include, Hero's Downfall, Banishing Light and I have even considered running a sidebaord that would morph the deck into Mardu control/ Midrange if necessary. The flavor of an aggro deck is to go in guns blazing and if you haven't won by round 4-6 then chances are the deck isn't going to win in the long run. I always think back to the days of Jackal Pup and Lava Hounds (I'm not graying yet but I do remember weatherlight lol) , hence I was looking at using my life points as a resource. However, I'm appreciative of the insight, and I will play test everything recommended.
Seeker of the Way might be a card that I could also benefit from mainboarding, seeing as I need some more life gain to off set the damage done to me via pain lands. Would this help you think?
Also as for a sideboard I've sketched this so far:
This is still rough, and the idea is to be able to sideboard in removal and play a midrange/Control variant it necessary. Still this changes my deck dynamic so I guess what needs to looked at is which version of Mardu is more consistent to play. Aggro/Midrange or Control. I won't be heading to Friday Night Magic until I have this solved...
I was about to main board them, but the 1st game war-name aspirant pressure was something I wanted to see. Game 2-3 might feel more like I'm playing Mardu Midrange rather then the aggro version I had wanted to present. The fact that I can sideboard in cards like Thoughtseize and my own removal spells goes to show how a deck can show case two sides of it's playing ability.
If I swap out the War-Name Aspirants then in R2 it'll run 16 Spells, (good dose of removal). However I might need to include some more finishers , maybe an extra Sarkhan or Brimaz or a few Stormbreath Dragon. Having talked to a few players at my local game store in Austin they did say the Control version wasn't as overwhelming to play against, but the aggro variant felt like it piled on more pressure. I'm still putting together the sideboard though, and it's not been an easy process.
Hello, I'm new to the forum but I have lurked long enough!
After taking a long break from MTG (9 years now) I've decided to come out of retirement and hit up my first Friday night magic event in a long time. I have been putting together a Mardu aggro deck. I've only been able to play test it at home for now but it seems to play okay. My Side Board is still in the works but the deck's core revolves around having an efficient mana curve to pile the pressure on. I did try to pace it so that a turn 4 Butcher will be consistent. It has a few win conditions, and I think the synergy in the deck beginning to take off. It still needs work, but here goes:
Hey teamDFL,
Answers:
1) The mana base has been working for me. There are 14 cards that can give me white mana by turn 2 or 3. I am trying out the Temple of Triumph over Mana Confluence, just to have that ability to scry once in a while. I'm not 100% sold on it yet, but it's helped me every single time I did get the option to look and plan ahead. T2 Seeker isn't my normal play, usually I want to see turns 1 and 2 do this:
Turn 1 Bloodsoaked Champion
Turn 2 Monastery Swiftspear (I really like it when I can cast two one drops turn 2)
Turn 3 (This is usually when I have my white readily available) I'm either casting a burn spell, dropping Mardu Ascendancy, or Baiting my opponent to remove one of my creatures by dropping Seeker of the Way or casting Goblin Rabblemaster
I'm still learning to Pilot the deck, there is the occasional hand where the tap lands just shoot you in the foot and you're forced to lose your tempo early (the times I've lost was due to this, so Mana Confluence might really have to go in).
B) Courser of Kruphix, I played against this card last night. Each time I was able to make Prowess a big factor. Prowess + Burn = nice combat tricks, and it made my opponent think twice about blocking (In short I removed him really fast )in game 2. The 2nd time I played against Courser of Kruphix, I was able to play a turn 4, Stoke the Flames, and dealt with him that way both times. Courser is the reason I dropped War-Name Aspirant. As much as I like the artwork on that card, she just couldn't shine in my deck. She was under-performing and didn't offer much more than the 3/2 for 2 which wound up dying really fast.
The Bloodsoaked Champion actually did it's job, as I found myself using his raid ability a few times.
This was Vs Jeskai
Turns went like this: (Not detailed, it happened really fast)
Turn 1, Champion
Turns 2, Swiftspear, attacked with Champion and Swiftspear, (3 damage)
He cast Something and took 1 damage from Pain Land (16)
Turn 3, Played Crackling Doom, triggered Prowess, hit for 6 (life total was 10)
Turn 4, Swiftspear, cast Mardu Ascendancy, Trigger Prowess, (now at 1)
He scooped.
Other games went pretty much in my favor, and in a few The Butcher was REALLY good.
I need to play test more, and will run this deck Next Saturday (Not this one, but the 20th) I'll update on how I do. Consensus at my gaming shop was that it was extremely fast and was very good. It needs a lot more play testing, and I need to focus my sideboard more.
Updated deck list will be edited now.
So Out:
-4 Firedrinker Satry
in
+4 Foundry Street Denizen
As for the War Name Aspirant...over the Akroan Hoplite...I can see the syngery this can have with Mardu Ascendancy and Goblin Rabblemaster. Have you tried it out?
So Foundry over Swiftspear?
Thanks for the reply.
I put this deck together strictly for fun. So far it's fun to play and I like the synergies. It's definitely more casual play but if I were to try and make this a decently competitive budget deck what recommendations would you all have?
Here is it, Budget Warriors
Creatures 24
4 Tormented Hero
4 Seeker of the Way
4 Chief of the Edge
4 Chief of the Scale
2 Sightless Brawler
2 Timely Hordemate
2 Bellowing Saddlebrute
2 Zurgo Helmsmasher
Enchantments 7
2 Raiders' Spoils
1 Eternal Thirst
1 Dictate of Heliod
2 Molting Snakeskin
1 Brave the Sands
2 Rush of Battle
Instants 2
2 Take up Arms
Artifacts 1
1 Spear of Heliod
Land 24
4 Wind-Scarred Crag
4 Scoured Barrens
4 Bloodfell Saves
6 Plains
4 Swamp
2 Mountain
4 Mardu Charm
4 Despise
2 Murderous Cut
2 Throttle
2 Obelisk of Urd
1 Zurgo Helmsmasher
Total Cost: 25 Bucks! I'd love to make this one better, Maybe adding Bloodsoaked Champion and some actual removal would do this deck some good.
Thanks in advance
Did you test the deck TeamDFL? How'd it do, good match ups and bad match ups?
My Meta Game is pretty varied, I'll post the results and see how it goes! I just wish I had more time to play test it against more decks, but work is tight this time of year and Christmas time is about spending rather than saving
Mana base has been improved, and I have included Planeswalker Removal in my sideboard. I have yet to bring this Friday Night Magic but I'm aiming at playing it this coming Saturday, advice, critique and recommendations are welcome. Thanks!
4 Battlefield Forge
2 Caves of Koilos
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Nomad Outpost
4 Temple of Triumph
2 Temple of Malice
2 Swamp
2 Mountain
Creatures 20
4 Bloodsoaked Champion
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Seeker of the Way
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Butcher of the Horde
4 Crackling Doom
3 Lightning Strike
3 Magma Jet
Sorceries:
4 Thoughtseize
Planeswalker 2
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
4 Bile Blight
4 Utter End
2 Banishing Light
3 Erase
2 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Sideboard is still in development.
Questions for you all:
Seeker of the Way over War-Name Aspirant? Or Monastery Swiftspear? I'd rather Splash White, and keep it Red/Black/White in that order, adding Seeker wouldn't be bad, but...my 2 Slot Creature or another 1 Slot is where I'm still undecided.
Sideboard:
Can Utter End be a good substitute for Hero's Downfall?
My sideboard hasn't been finished yet, however I do see the need to Include, Hero's Downfall, Banishing Light and I have even considered running a sidebaord that would morph the deck into Mardu control/ Midrange if necessary. The flavor of an aggro deck is to go in guns blazing and if you haven't won by round 4-6 then chances are the deck isn't going to win in the long run. I always think back to the days of Jackal Pup and Lava Hounds (I'm not graying yet but I do remember weatherlight lol) , hence I was looking at using my life points as a resource. However, I'm appreciative of the insight, and I will play test everything recommended.
Seeker of the Way might be a card that I could also benefit from mainboarding, seeing as I need some more life gain to off set the damage done to me via pain lands. Would this help you think?
Also as for a sideboard I've sketched this so far:
4 Thoughtseize
4 Hero's Downfall
1 Crackling Doom
2 Banishing Light
1 Stoke the Flames
1 Sarkhan, The Dragonspeaker
2 Stormbreath Dragon
This is still rough, and the idea is to be able to sideboard in removal and play a midrange/Control variant it necessary. Still this changes my deck dynamic so I guess what needs to looked at is which version of Mardu is more consistent to play. Aggro/Midrange or Control. I won't be heading to Friday Night Magic until I have this solved...
If I swap out the War-Name Aspirants then in R2 it'll run 16 Spells, (good dose of removal). However I might need to include some more finishers , maybe an extra Sarkhan or Brimaz or a few Stormbreath Dragon. Having talked to a few players at my local game store in Austin they did say the Control version wasn't as overwhelming to play against, but the aggro variant felt like it piled on more pressure. I'm still putting together the sideboard though, and it's not been an easy process.
After taking a long break from MTG (9 years now) I've decided to come out of retirement and hit up my first Friday night magic event in a long time. I have been putting together a Mardu aggro deck. I've only been able to play test it at home for now but it seems to play okay. My Side Board is still in the works but the deck's core revolves around having an efficient mana curve to pile the pressure on. I did try to pace it so that a turn 4 Butcher will be consistent. It has a few win conditions, and I think the synergy in the deck beginning to take off. It still needs work, but here goes:
4 Bloodsoaked Champion
4 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 War-Name Aspirant
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Butcher of the Horde
Enchantments: (2)
2 Mardu Ascendancy
3 Lightning Strike
3 Crackling Doom
3 Mardu Charm
3 Stoke the Flames
Planeswalkers: (3)
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
1 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
4 Caves of Koilos
4 Battlefield Forge
4 Nomad Outpost
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Mana Confluence
3 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Swamp
Any tips/Advice is appreciated! Thanks.
Racer
Edited for deck tags. Check this thread for info on how to use these. -Lugger