To give you an example of how bad my problem is, I read on Wikipedia about how hard and difficult it is for humanity to get the idea for an alphabet (like the Latin alphabet we use). This got me to think, well if it is so hard to create an alphabet, I wonder if any other intelligent life in the universe has created an alphabet that could easily represent different languages. Which led to the idea that once humanity makes contact with aliens, humans become the default linguists and diplomats of the universe since they introduce the first trans-language alphabet to the universe. And then by extension English becomes the universal language of the universe. And basically this is just the tip of the iceberg of my entire idea that was sparked by that one line that I read on Wikipedia, because then I got thinking that humans are unusually well programmed for language learning, retention, and making a wide-range of sounds and inclinations, meaning there is a strong possibility that we would be able to learn and speak most alien sound-based languages in some form or another. Another interesting fact is that the more languages one learns the easier it is to learn and retain another language.
But the problem is that I get one idea, get 10-20 pages into it and then find another idea that drags me in the opposite direction. Well that and it seems most of my ideas revolve around vampires (which is no surprise to anybody that knows me).
The best I ever did was I got about 100 pages into a finishing writing the novel before I got dragged into a different direction by another spark. Though it is so far along that I will come back to it eventually. Plus it is number two on my top 3 novel ideas, so I got motivation to finish it.
Right now I am like 50 pages into the novel I am writing, and I have committed myself to finishing it through thick and thin, no matter what else may ignite my spark.
Hmm... I wrote a lot for just a response.
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Clifftop Retreat
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Steam Vents
3 Mountain
3 Island
1 Plains
4 Skirk Prospector
4 Goblin Instigator
4 Goblin Warchief
4 Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle
3 Squee, the Immortal
2 Runaway Steam-kin
1 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
2 Desecrated Tomb
2 Mox Amber
Instants 3
3 Dive Down
Sorceries 8
3 Chart a Course
3 Discovery // Dispersal
2 Deafening Clarion
The basic idea is to get Teshar, Ancestor’s Apostle out on to the battlefield and have a Squee, the Immortal either in your hand, graveyard, or exile and have a Skirk Prospector in hand, graveyard, or the battlefield. From there, there are a couple of ways to win.
Dive Down is meant to protect Teshar. Deafening Clarion, while looking a little weird in a deck with a lot of small creatures, is meant to slow down aggro decks since most creatures in the deck don't care if they are in the graveyard. Mox Amber is mostly to give a free trigger of Teshar if needed. Chart a Course and Discovery // Dispersal are the card selection. Right now I am doing a 3/3 split, but I could see going 2 Chart a Course and 4 Discovery // Dispersal since many times surveiling a card into the graveyard is as good as drawing it.
12 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Dragonskull Summit
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Forest
1 Swamp
Creatures 29
4 Goblin Instigator
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Legion Warboss
3 Fanatical Firebrand
2 Goblin Banneret
2 Rigging Runner
2 Dark-Dweller Oracle
2 Goblin Cratermaker
2 Volley Veteran
2 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Squee, the Immortal
4 Status // Statue
2 Banefire
Artifacts 2
2 Vanquisher's Banner
3 Shivan Fire
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Lava Coil
2 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
2 Assassin's Trophy
1 Goblin Cratermaker
1 Fight with Fire
1 Banefire
1 Field of Ruin
It's built around the idea that a turn 4 Goblin Chainwhirler plus Status on the chainwhirler to wipe their board will be backbreaking against any creature deck. While Statue and Volley Veteran can take of any large single threat like Lyra Dawnbringer. From my testing it shows a lot of potential, at least against token and aggro decks since the combination of creatures like Chainwhirler and Legion Warboss plus some removal is something they don't seem to be able to deal with. Control decks are basically can you get a Legion Warboss or Vanquisher's Banner to stick. And this deck just roles over and dies to turbo-fog which is why Angrath, the Flame-Chained is in the sideboard for, but I haven't gotten around to seeing how it does yet.
The other big problem with the deck is the mana base. While not horrible, it does limit a lot of what the deck wants to do since the deck wants a lot of mountains while also wanting to cast Statue when needed.
So this is a deck that I am sort of playing around with that looks like it might have potential and be fun to play. The entire idea is to play the best cards of each color. To supplement this, it also includes a lot of artifacts and split cards to lower the variance due to not being able to assemble every color of mana. And also because I want an excuse to play Chamber Sentry and then claim I am playing Chambermaid Control.
Note that the following is a very rough draft, but on paper at least it seems to show some promise. Also probably need to optimize the mana base as well, but this is my very rough draft of it. No sideboard yet, first want to figure out the maindeck a bit more.
3 Sulfur Falls
2 Drowned Catacomb
2 Dragonskull Summit
2 Watery Grave
2 Steam Vents
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Temple Garden
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Plains
2 Island
2 Swamp
2 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Field of Ruin
4 Chamber Sentry
3 Gleaming Barrier
1 Chromium, the Mutable
Artifacts 5
3 Treasure Map
2 Chromatic Lantern
Instants 9
3 Ionize
2 Assassin's Trophy
1 Price of Fame
1 Cast Down
1 Essence Scatter
1 Negate
3 Deafening Clarion
1 Lava Coil
1 Vivid Revival
Split 4
2 Discovery // Dispersal
1 Invert // Invent
1 Response // Resurgence
Enchantment 1
1 Search for Azcanta
Planeswalkers 2
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
Card Thoughts
Chamber Sentry is the basis of the deck. It can be played early as a blocker and trade with an opponent's creature and then sit around in the graveyard until it needs to be regrown. Also has the ability to burn things as needed. Though with how cumbersome it is I see the card as a 5/5 for five that can be regrown, which is already good enough as a finisher. The burn is just potential upside.
Gleaming Barrier is a cheap, easy to cast blocker that ups the deck's artifact count. It also helps fix mana when it dies.
Karn, Scion of Urza like the cards mentioned before is an easy to cast card that can make large creatures or dig as needed.
Chromium, the Mutable for against control decks mostly since it is hard to kill and can't be countered. Can also be finisher if the ground get clogged.
Ionize is easier to cast in this deck than Sinister Sabotage. The burn is nice and can become relevant in grindy games. But Ionize is mostly here for ease of casting.
Deafening Clarion is the one sided sweeper in this deck to stop aggro. But even the lifelink portion can be useful as it can cause a huge swing in life totals after wiping out enemy blockers.
14 Mountain
4 Sulfur Falls
2 Island
2 Memorial to Genius
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Field of Ruin
Creatures 13
4 Glorybringer
3 Gleaming Barrier
2 Verix Bladewing
2 Goblin Chainwhirler
2 Demanding Dragon
3 Treasure Map
3 Dragon's Hoard
Instants 8
2 Negate
2 Magma Spray
2 Abrade
2 Spit Flame
Sorceries 3
3 Sweltering Suns
Planeswalkers 6
2 Sarkhan, Fireblood
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Banefire
2 Negate
1 Abrade
1 Spit Flame
1 Nezahal, Primal Tide
1 Crook of Condemnation
1 River's Rebuke
1 Deep Freeze
1 Sweltering Suns
1 Magma Spray
1 In Bolas's Clutches
1 Search for Azcanta
Match 1 vs. Turbo Fog
Game 1 I drew both of my Negates which was able to counter key spells (Nexus of Fate and Teferi, Hero of Dominaria) allowing me to win with my Glorybringers. Game 2 I got off to a fast start with Dragon's Hoard into Glorybringer into Demanding Dragon. I decided to attack to the face since most Turbo Fog players don't fog if they aren't in danger of dying or you aren't attacking their planeswalkers which is what happened. I then used Banefire to finish him off.
Match 2 vs. Elf Stompy
I actually started playing this deck because my friend built this annoying Elf Stompy deck and I needed to beat him. While he wasn't the pilot this time, it was his deck (which he was letting someone else borrow for the store championship). I just have too much removal for him to deal with and while the games went long I wasn't in any danger of dying. Glorybringers, Sweltering Suns, and reoccurring Spit Flames are just too much for the deck unless they draw all their Vivian Reids.
Match 3 - Draw into Top 4
Match 4 vs. Turbo Fog
Game 1 I got land and removal flooded, giving him enough time to win. Second game he had a fist full of fogs, but I was able to ultimate Chandra and I was able to burn him out. Game 3 was a really annoying game because I literally grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory. I In Bolas's Clutches his Teferi, Hero of Dominaria and got it to eight loyalty. I was really paranoid about a disallow countering it for some reason even though he hadn't shown one any game yet. Instead of ultimating right away and exiling cards I try to dig for a negate. I also had a Nezahal in hand and the mana to play it which when combined with Teferi's ult is an autowin against Turbo Fog. Instead I ult after drawing a bunch of cards and pass the turn and he draws a Nexus of Fate off the top of his deck I never get another turn. Again really frustrating because I had so many paths to victory but because I was so focused on a card he didn't have (and knew he shouldn't have had) I lost. Still got my deck box and promos, plus the showdown pack I got had a Carnage Tyrant and a foil Sai, Master Thopterist, so the only thing I missed out on was the store championship playmat.
In conclusion I was really happy with the deck and probably could've won it all if it wasn't for my big mistake. Especially since the person I would play against in the final was playing God-Pharoh's Gifts which is a good match-up for the deck.
Probably a bit Etymology is why it is showing a sword. Glaive comes either from Gladius, Latin for sword, or Cladivos, Celtic for Claymore, depending on who you ask. Glaive came to mean polearm from its use as sword in I want to say the 14th century. Though rare I have heard the term Glaive used to describe a Roman style sword because of this.
I see the comparisons a bit, but I don't think this plays like a solar flare deck. Too much control. Not enough threat. Solar Flare was closer to midrange than control.
Plus I just don't think the pieces are here for a true Solar Flare deck. The reanimation isn't good enough or fast enough since it starts at five. And I don't think there are good enough expensive targets to reanimate (really the best part about Chromium is the fact he can't be countered). Plus Gifts just does it better right now. If we get good stuff in Ravnica maybe, but at this point it is unknown.
I agree with a lot of what Aezuriel said. The one thing I would add is probably adding a Karn, Scion of Urza somewhere in the maindeck as a second non-Teferi win condition. One thing I've notice watching and playing against a lot of Teferi based decks, especially Nexus varieties, is that it can take so long to win if their opponent doesn't concede that if they lose game one they just aren't fast enough to win even game 2 before time is called. With the answers decks are playing today I never feel having just one non-Teferi win condition is enough.
7 Island
3 Forest
2 Mountain
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sheltered Thicket
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Field of Ruin
Planeswalkers 8
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Sarkhan, Fireblood
1 Nissa, Steward of Elements
4 Root Snare
4 Haze of Pollen
4 Anticipate
2 Supreme Will
1 Nexus of Fate
Sorceries 6
4 Karn's Temporal Sundering
2 Sweltering Suns
Enchantments 5
4 Gift of Paradise
1 Search for Azcanta
4 Negate
3 Pelakka Wurm
2 Syncopate
2 Naturalize
1 In Bolas's Clutches
1 Supreme Will
1 Sweltering Suns
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
I've been playing some form of a Turbo Fog/Taking Turns style deck since Dominaria came out. One of the things I really like about using red with Sarkhan, Fireblood and Chandra, Torch of Defiance over the white with Teferi, Hero of Dominaria is you don't need to chain Nexus of Fates together to win. You just need to protect them for a few turns and once you ultimate them the game is over pretty fast after that.
Having Sarkhan, Fireblood and Chandra, Torch of Defiance over Teferi, Hero of Dominaria also let's you play a playset of Karn's Temporal Sundering over a playset of Nexus of Fate, which I've found better against midrange and control decks since they usually only have one or two threats on the board, letting you basically get a second free turn sometimes.
One cool piece of sideboard tech I've found is Pelakka Wurm. I was having a lot of trouble with burn heavy decks like mono-red and Wizards, along with decks siding in Insult // Injury, since they could just ignore the fogs and burn/insult me out. Pelakka Wurm plus Gift of Paradise is just too much life gain for most burn heavy decks to handle and can let you survive an Insult // Injury. It also a great blocker/win condition. I've even brought it in against control, were it's actually been pretty decent, since they usually take out their creature removal or they just don't have enough Vraska's Contempts to handle all of the wurms and planeswalkers.
The only question I've been flip-flopping lately is whether the Chandra, Torch of Defiance in my sideboard should be a Nezahal, Primal Tide. I've been sticking to Chandra for now because Pelakka has been doing a more than decent Nezahal impression against control, but it's something I am keeping an eye on.
I do have 3 Banefire currently in the board for control. But you aren't winning with just one Banefire, while you can with one Sarkhan, Fireblood. I would strongly suggest at least trying it vs. control as it is a card that is hard to realize just how strong it is in the match-up until you get it down and watch it go to town.
After thinking about it some more I think the reason the one doublecast works in the deck is when it is good it is back breaking and when it is not you can rummage it away easily enough that it just doesn't stick in your hand. Still I am planning on seeing if I can think of anything else in that slot I would like better.
At first I was hesitant on syncopate over disallow as well, but I've found it to be a much better counter vs. any aggro, zombie, or scrapheap deck. Exiling a scrapheap scrounger on turn two is a huge loss since it get rid of their best form of card advantage. Even exiling a random creature hurts them since it means it is one less time they can recur scrapheap. Against pure control disallow is better, but nowhere near enough for me to think about swapping the two.
Here is the list I am currently using.
6 Mountain
5 Island
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Hinterland Harbor
3 Sheltered Thicket
2 Highland Lake
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Field of Ruin
Planeswalkers 7
3 Jaya Ballard
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Tezzeret, Artifice Master
1 Sarkhan, Fireblood
4 Syncopate
4 Anticipate
3 Abrade
2 Haze of Pollen
1 Nexus of Fate
Sorceries 10
4 Karn's Temporal Sundering
3 Sweltering Suns
2 Fight with Fire
1 Doublecast
Enchantments 3
2 In Bolas's Clutches
1 Search for Azcanta
4 Negate
3 Naturalize
3 Banefire
2 Magma Spray
2 Haze of Pollen
1 Nezahal, Primal Tide
A few notes.
18 Mountain
4 Zhalfirin Void
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Field of Ruin
Creatures 13
3 Gleaming Barrier
3 Glorybringer
3 Verix Bladewing
2 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
2 Demanding Dragon
3 Treasure Map
4 Dragon's Hoard
Instants 6
4 Abrade
2 Spit Flame
Sorceries 4
3 Sweltering Suns
1 Banefire
Planeswalkers 6
2 Sarkhan, Fireblood
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Lightning Mare
3 Magma Spray
3 Icy Manipulator
3 Banefire
2 Hour of Devastation
1 Demanding Dragon
This is the deck I've been building. It's still a work in progress (especially the sideboard), but I like the idea of playing a mono-colored midrange dragon deck that capitalizes on Dragon's slight artifact synergy. Plus I don't think there is much need to splash into green just for ramp when there is Dragon's Hoard and Sarkhan, Fireblood which ramp you to five/six mana on turn four respectively.
14 Mountain
4 Sulfur Falls
2 Unclaimed Territory
2 Memorial to Genius
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Field of Ruin
Creatures 13
3 Gleaming Barrier
3 Glorybringer
3 Verix Bladewing
2 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
2 Demanding Dragon
3 Treasure Map
4 Dragon's Hoard
Instants 6
4 Abrade
2 Spit Flame
Sorceries 4
3 Sweltering Suns
1 Banefire
Planeswalkers 6
2 Sarkhan, Fireblood
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Negate
3 Banefire
3 Magma Spray
2 Chromium, The Mutable
2 In Bolas's Clutches
1 Demanding Dragon
1 Tezzeret, Artifice Master
This is the second version of the deck I've been working on. It's the same main deck, but I think the sideboard is a lot better. But the manabase is worse and relies a lot more on treasures for mana and not card draw. Plus not being able to play a card like Zhalfirin Void is a big loss.
I guess my only question after watching this deck is there a reason there aren't one or two Urza's Ruinous Blast in the sideboard? I would think it would be better than the second Jaya's Immolating Inferno in the sideboard at least.
I actually played a second Goblin Chainwhirler maindeck this past week in place of a Filigree Familiar, but I've come to the conclusion that the deck needs only one or zero maindeck. It is a much better sideboard card. Seventeen mountains is not enough to cast it consistently turn three and it is only really good against some decks. Against around half the decks it is a 3/3 first striker for three, which is fine, but there are better maindeck cards for a red control deck.
Karn, Scion of Urza I've found has a similar issue to Goblin Chainwhirler. It is great in midrange decks which can apply a lot more pressure, but in my deck it's all about getting the right answers. Karn is card advantage, but delayed card selection. The opponent will never give me the card I want on the +1 ability. Meaning the card I want is a turn away. That has been my main issue when I play it. The other is that the deck just doesn't play enough artifacts to get really big constructs from him unless you keep up treasure chests, but you want to cash those in for mana or cards whenever you can. I mostly keep the one in for the long games where you are looking for pure card advantage.
Also Quicksmith Rebel is better than Walking Ballista if you have Voltaic Servant on the battlefield. Without that card I would playing Ballista hands down. I've tried both in the deck and Quicksmith Rebel is the better card in this deck. It's more mana efficient and deals more damage per turn.
Arch of Orazca is a card I really want to find room for, but I don't know where. I don't want to cut a mountain since it is already kind of mountain lite for a mono-colored deck, but I also don't think it is better than the non-mountain lands. I guess probably the best spot for it would be to move a Chainwhirler to the sideboard and throw in an Arch.
Desert was in my first version of this deck. The EtB tapped really hurts when you want to be using all your mana every turn. Also the cycling wasn't as useful since you almost always want to play a land since you need nine mana for Fight with Fire. I actually replaced them with Zhalfirin Void on a whim and was surprised how good they were.
Finally I did play against Ghalta green this Saturday. The match-up is horrendous. Their threats are too large to burn and they have maindeck artifact removal. I don't really know how to improve it other than hope you get a little lucky and draw lots of Icy Manipulator and Fight with Fire. On the bright side Ghalta Green was my only lost so I got second place (Ghalta Green got first).
Edit: I am looking to add a Glorybringer or two in the main or side, to help out a little bit against higher toughness creatures, but I can't really decide the cuts.
Introduction
I’ve been calling the deck Mono-Red Control but many of the people I’ve played against have been calling it the Historic Red deck (and one called it a pile of Red Junk, which is probably the best name for the deck honestly). Mono-Red Control may seem like an oxymoron, but Dominaria has given enough pieces to make the deck work. The game plan is to grind the game to a halt as you slowly build to the late game where any card you play will be more powerful than what your opponent can play. It does this by taking advantage of numerous interactions between artifacts and historic cards along with plenty of card selection and efficient burn.
Fair warning – This is an extremely grindy, high number of decisions per turn deck. It is not unusual to have to remember to do ten+ little things each turn. That doesn’t even take into account all the other micro decisions you have to make. I’ve played my fair share of grindy Ux Control and Rock decks in the past and I would rank this deck up with some of the most mentally taxing of them. On the other hand it is a very satisfying deck to play because of that.
Card Selection
Core Cards
Zhalfirin Void
Hands down the best card in the deck. It’s a card I’m almost never unhappy to see. It adds so much consistency to the deck and it can make somewhat iffy opening hands into auto-keeps. This is probably the most underrated card in standard at the moment. I feel like I could gush on this card all day, but it is a card that you really have to play with to believe how strong it actually is.
Fight with Fire
In the early to mid-game it is a powerful, efficient removal spell that can hit Lyra Dawnbringer and other high toughness creatures. Late game it turns into a one-sided wrath or out of nowhere finisher. It is the glue card that lets mono red control work.
Treasure Map
It is card selection that eventually gives you card advantage when it flips. Just as important as the ability to draw cards when it flips are the treasures themselves. The mana ramp is always great to play your powerful spells faster, and the treasures are useful in this deck by the very fact they are artifacts.
Voltaic Servant
You are playing so many artifacts that tap and artifact creatures that you get huge extra value anytime this card is on the board. With two things can start to get crazy as you can use some artifacts three times in a turn, such as scrying three times in a turn to flip treasure map or deal six damage with a Quicksmith Rebel artifact. Even on an empty board, a two mana 1/3 is a pretty good blocker that can buy you time against agreesive decks.
Quicksmith Rebel
This card does a lot of work in this deck as you can get a lot of uses from its ping effect thanks to Voltaic Servant. Against decks with a bunch of small creatures it can be absolutely back breaking if they can’t deal with the rebel right away. Even against control decks this is strong since it doesn’t need to attack, especially UW Control since so much of their removal like Seal Away and Settle the Wreckage require a creature to be tapped or attacking.
Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
He (It?) is the big finisher and one of the reason this deck can be so dangerous. It’s drawback usually doesn’t matter since you have so many ways to untap it making it practically a 7/7 trampler for four mana with vigilance. Most decks aren’t equipped to block a creature like that which means unless they have an answer right away Traxos can just win the game. Even better depending on your hand it is possible to deal a ton of damage out of nowhere after Quicksmith Rebeling Traxos and untapping it four or five times in one turn with historic spells and Voltaic Servants.
Etali, Primal Storm
There is a strong case to be made for this slot to be Chandra, Torch of Defiance. They are both card advantage engines that require to be answered right away. It really comes down do you want ramp and some more removal or do you want a 6/6 creature that gives you up to two free spells a turn. Right now I think Etali is better. Six toughness means she can attack into most board states. Most creatures played top out at five power. In addition the six power let’s her kill most creatures. Along with the fact Seal Away and Settle are very popular removal spells means you usually get at least one trigger for up to two free spells from her.
Removal
This deck doesn’t need the extra utility of going to the face of Shock. Instead since it is so grindy being able to permanently get rid of a creature like Scrap Trawler is preferred.
Abrade
In the same vein as Magma Spray this deck values the utility of being able to destroy artifacts more than being able to go to the face.
Icy Manipulator
Playing like its 1998. This card performs a bunch of different little roles and basically covers a bunch of things red decks normally have trouble dealing with. It takes care of indestructible creatures, Ghalta, can randomly mana screw an opponent by tapping down a land during their upkeep. In addition it is the decks best defense against Approach of the Second Sun as it can keep the deck off of the mana needed to cast it.
Jaya’s Immolating Inferno
Can be a one sided wrath or a finisher to end the game. Being a legendary sorcery hurts because of the casting drawback, but the deck is running a lot of legends and it can be back breaking enough to win a game outright.
Lands
The Dominaria Mountains look really nice in this deck especially if you are using silver sleeves. Otherwise I suggest using either Kamigawa or Mirage Mountains since those are my favorites artworkwise.
Field of Ruin
Good at taking care of pesky utility lands.
Inventors’ Fair
Can find you an artifact from your deck. Can gain you some incidental life. Also legendary which is a slight plus instead of a drawback in this deck.
Sequestered Stash
Especially good since in long games sometimes all of your copies of the artifact you need are in your graveyard. Also doesn’t require three artifacts to activate.
Other Cards
It isn’t a game stomping card, but it does a lot of little things the deck loves. It gives an artifact creature. It can pump artifact creatures and it can prevent blocking. Just as important it is a three mana legend which can allow for a turn four Jaya’s Immolating Inferno. Against aggro decks that can be enough to win games sometimes.
Filigree Familiar
It wins the award for being the cutest creature in the deck. Other than that it is a solid card. It gains 2 life, it is an artifact, it can trade with a two toughness creature, and when it dies you draw a card. All of which are good in this deck.
Verix Bladewing
This slot had a lot of competition in terms of Glorybringer and Rekindling Phoenix. It beat out the two because it costs four mana for a 4/4 flyer, is legendary, and it is pretty easy to kick in this deck. The two things the competition bring in extra removal and hard to deal with threat is something the deck always would like, but doesn’t need. Also because it is a dragon it can’t be Glorybringered and is one of the best creatures against Ramunap Red because of that.
Weatherlight
You are playing enough historic spells where you should usually get an extra card whenever it hits an opponent. It’s not as easy to efficiently crew because there aren’t a lot three power creatures in the deck, but as an evasive threat that gets you cards and is legendary it fits well in the deck as a one of.
Goblin Chainwhirler
You aren’t usually looking to play this on turn three in this deck, but it can be extremely strong against aggressive deck. It’s downside as being a 3/3 first striker for three that pings when it enters the battlefield is good enough to warrant its inclusion as a one of.
Karn, Scion of Urza
This is probably my least favorite card in the deck. It is never as good as I think it should be. And I always wish I drew something else. The deck has better card selection/advantage cards and better threats than its constructs. The only reason I haven’t replaced the last copy is that it is a good removal, over commitment magnet, while also being a serviceable source of card selection/draw and creatures.
Sideboard Only Cards
I like to bring it in against aggressive decks as a 2/1 first striker is a good blocker with the added bonus of being able to flashback an enemy removal/burn spell sometimes. I haven’t been too impressed with it against control.
Sweltering Suns
Good against aggressive decks and if you don’t want/need to cast it, it can always be cycled.
Urza’s Tome
Great in control mirrors as the games go long and you should have plenty of historic cards to exile from your graveyard.
Crook of Condemnation
For God-Pharaoh’s Gift decks. Better than Scavenger Grounds because it is an artifact.
Violent Impact
At first glance it looks like a card that shouldn’t be here, but it is a card I’ve been impressed with. Bring it in against Second Sun decks to keep them off Second Sun mana. It can destroy Torrential Gearhulk against UW Control. It can destroy any utility land, like Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin. At the very worst it can be cycled away. It is really the ability to be cycled that makes it worthy of the sideboard slot since it is never a completely dead draw.
Decklist
This is the deck I've been using after tweaking it for a while.
17 Mountain
4 Zhalfirin Void
1 Sequestered Stash
1 Inventors' Fair
1 Field of Ruin
Creatures
4 Voltaic Servant
3 Quicksmith Rebel
3 Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
2 Etali, Primal Storm
2 Filigree Familiar
2 Pia Nalaar
1 Goblin Chainwhirler
1 Verix Bladewing
3 Treasure Map
2 Icy Manipulator
1 Weatherlight
Instants
4 Abrade
3 Magma Spray
Sorceries
3 Fight with Fire
1 Jaya's Immolating Inferno
Planeswalkers
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Sweltering Suns
3 Crook of Condemnation
2 Violent Impact
2 Filigree Familiar
2 Icy Manipulator
1 Magma Spray
1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
1 Urza's Tome
Matchups
Approach of the Second Sun
Sideboard - Your best bet is post side boarding to bring in Icy Manipulators, Dire Fleet Daredevil, and Violent Impact for your Magma Sprays and two Abrades. Also a neat trick is if keep track of where their Approach is and they don’t have card draw you can steal it with Etali to give yourself more time.
UW Control
Sideboard - If they are playing Torrential Gearhulks bring in Violent Impacts, Urza’s Tome, and Icy Manipulator for Magma Spray and Filigree Familiar. If they are not then don’t bring in Violent Impacts and keep in the Filigree Familiars.
Ramunap Red
Sideboard – The key is to slim down as much as possible and stabilize at as high of a life total as possible. Take out Karn, Scion of Urza, a Traxos, Scourge of Kroog, Jaya’s Immolating Inferno, a Voltaic Servant, Weatherlight, and a Quicksmith Rebel for a Magma Spray, Dire Fleet Daredevil, Filigree Familiar, and two Sweltering Suns.
Mardu Vehicles
Sideboard – The key is to slim down as much as possible and stabilize at as high of a life total as possible. Take out Karn, Scion of Urza, a Traxos, Scourge of Kroog, Jaya’s Immolating Inferno, a Voltaic Servant, Weatherlight, and a Quicksmith Rebel for a Magma Spray, Dire Fleet Daredevil, one Violent Impact, and three Sweltering Suns.
Bogles
Sideboard – Take out Karn, Scion of Urza, Weatherlight, and Filigree Familiar for Magma Spray, one Icy Manipulator, and two Sweltering Suns. The gameplan is Voltron prevention or if they do Voltron to just tap it down.
Ghalta Green aka Mono Green Stompy
Sideboard - Replace Goblin Chainwhirler and Filigree Familiar for two Icy Manipulator. Also if you expect this match-up a lot throw a fourth Fight with Fire in the sideboard for a Sweltering Suns. Glorybringer is also an option. Then again if you are expecting to see it a lot you should probably just play a different deck.
Outside of a few other homebrews these are the decks I’ve gotten experience playing against (my meta is over a third some sort of Bogles deck). Because of that I don’t have experience some other match-ups like RG Monsters, Goblin God-Pharaoh’s Gift, and RB Vehicles. I’ll update if I play against them. If anyone plays Mono-Red Control against these decks (or other popular decks) I’ll try to update as well.
Final Thoughts
This deck is a fun and unique deck for people who enjoy playing grinding tedious decks. It might not ever be tier 1, but it is powerful and can win local standard events.
Saying that, it doesn’t play like most other control decks I’ve played and there is a big learning curve on it. Do not pick it up and expect to do well right away. The first time I played it I lost all of my matches, many to embarrassing mistakes. But each time I’ve played it I’ve learned from my mistakes and made mental notes about what to do. And because of that I’ve found myself doing better each time I’ve played it to the point that I got first place in the latest Standard event I played.