MTG Salvation

Yeah I agree, I don't think enchantment removal is that necessary right now. Splashing a third colour is not worth it if it only for a sideboard splash.

@elconquistador1985


Do you think it is worth playing a real 3 colour deck to be slightly more explosive at the cost of a more painful manabase? Or is RW still optimal because it is less painful?

I really like the idea of playing Bump & Boros Charm but when I just looked up colour requirements playing three colours has a real cost. Like you said 10 fetches minimum and the likelihood of fetch+shocking twice per match to reliably cast spells.

That’s why I think mardu is where it’s at. Access to the most efficient burn spells and best sb cards (other than drev but almost no one plays white leylines). Bump in the night and boros charm are the best non-mono red burn spells

Thanks for the input.

I am tempted by crypt only because it is free so I can still play spell on turn 2.

I agree with elcon about Boros charm. I prefer the 4 damage to 3. I rarely, if ever target creatures with helix. And when I do they are games I am probably already losing.

As for the fastlands, the singleton inspiring vantage is only in there because I don’t have the 4th cliffs yet. Totally agree that mardu wants r/b fastlands.

I just put this list together. Not entirely sold on the SB yet. Maybe Crypts should be RIP. What do you all think?


4 Goblin Guide
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Bump in the Night
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Shard Volley
4 Boros Charm
4 Searing Blaze
4 Rift Bolt
4 Skewer the Critics
1 Arid Mesa
3 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Inspiring Vantage
2 Mountain
2 Sacred Foundry
4 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Path to Exile
3 Searing Blood
3 Skullcrack
2 Smash to Smithereens
1 Exquisite Firecraft

Yeah I am also intrigued by Mardu. I think the more painful manabase might be worth it for being slightly faster and maxing out on one drops. Bump in the the night is a great card.

@Popcornpasta The list looks great. The only change I would make is to cut the damnation for another Anger/Spellbomb/Surgical. Damnation is pretty clunky and your graveyard hate package seems a little light.

Went 2-2 the other day. 2-0 against Affinity, 2-1 against Burn (Kambal and CB were obviously great), 0-2 against Eldrazi and Taxes (this must be a really bad matchup for us, our removal lines up poorly and they tax our spells with Thalia), 0-2 against Elves, got totally run over both games. Hazoret mainboard felt pretty good.

Risk Factor is not great in Mardu. It usually ends up being a three mana burn spell and we do not have a fast enough clock to capitalize on it. Opponents are almost never going to let us draw. Also, what do we cut to run a 3 cmc card?

I think Purphoros is just a worse Hazoret. I also would not cut bolt. If you wanted to add another push I would remove a higher cmc card, potentially a k-command but even that seems sketchy.

I think Mardu Pyro will continue to be quite powerful in paper. In local metas people simply do not change decks very often. Cards are expensive and new decks take time to learn. It is also very possible that the deck gets a boost in the next Ravnica set with the Radkos guild. Mardu Pyro will be fine. It was and will continue to be a deck that struggles when it needs a fast clock in a particular game. The best part of the deck (as with most midrange) is the fact that there are very few (Tron) matchups where a good pilot can't snag a win.

Also, I have to agree with Jeff Hoogland, when building Mardu you have to maximize the free-win/prison potential, i.e., play Blood Moon mainboard, play Ensnaring Bridge and Leylines in the sideboard, maybe even Stony Silence.

I know people have mentioned JTMS in the sideboard for control/grindy matchups but has anybody tested Teferi? Too slow?

Also, has anybody watched Magic_aids u/w spirit video where he plays 4 x spectral procession? Seems like it has some potential.