MTG Salvation

If you're afraid of aggro, why not run some sweepers? I know anything that does 3 damage will kill your kami, but if you need some aggro stoppers, you need to put in sweepers. Temple Bell could do it. It may be 1 more mana, but you control when the draw happens and it can't be stopped by aggro.

Quote from weltkrieg

You missed skinshifter as well. Admittedly, you can pay one mana and make him invulnerable to it, but the ability for a sweeper to hit 16 creatures in your deck seems subpar at best, even if you would like for one of them to die. Frankly, I'd like that particular one to die by taking out one of my opponents critters.

Why would you not pay the extra green to save skinshifter? Plus, there's only two of them so you wouldn't be dropping them turn 2 every game, making having enough lands to pay for both of them less of a problem. Viridian Emmisary wants to die from slagstorm. After turn 4/5, BoP wont matter as much. I agree that you dont want to kill most of your creatures (which is why I agree with taking out grim lavamancer), but with a lot of aggro in the meta (tempered/RDW/Goblins), slagstorm is a nice main deck inclusion.

Quote from weltkrieg

Sadly, one of the best cards in your deck is little more than a 1/1 for R here. Why do you have grim lavamancer in a deck that can't do much to support him? You have precious few ways of getting cards in your graveyard unless I'm missing something.

You have a deck full of creatures. Why slagstorm? For the one you're usually planning on targeting, wouldn't incinerate, burst lightning, or searing blaze be better here?

The cards that die to Slagstorm:
BoP
Viridian Emmisary
Grim Lavamancer
Acidic Slime

The first two don't really matter because by the time you hit slagstorm, you wont need BoP and you want to kill off the emmisary. Grim Lavamancer I can see not wanting to die, but I can see the general lack of power of him in this deck as well. Acidic Slime also serves his purpose when he EtB, so that doesn't matter.

As for the deck, it looks pretty good already, but I would personally take out the lavamancers, probably for more burn.

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm glad to hear standards in a good spot because I kept away from standard because of it's bad shape. I'm still undecided as to what to build, but I have a week nonetheless. The "surprise!" style decks seem fun though, but probably not consistant. I have a lure towards Pyro but if I'm playing for the long haul I shouldn't play something that rotates out soon.

Thank you for the help guys, I really appreciate it.


EDIT: One more question, what are some good Sideboard choices against Splinter Twin? I exactly don't know what to do against it (generally, not specifically in any deck). Do I remove the enchantment when he activates it, or do I clear the board of all exarch's, or what?

I'm getting back into magic after a break for a few years (I haven't really played any standard after Lorwyn). I've done some drafts but I haven't had a standard deck in a while.

I'm going to GenCon next tuesday and I plan on building a deck there (I have enough money to buy everything on the spot, so that's not an issue). I just don't know much about standard anymore.

So here's my questions:

1. What is the metagame like? The Decks to beat?

2. What beats the top decks out there?

3. What deck should I build? Before I quit I played a lot of aggro, but I do love to play control and some combo. I'm just looking for a deck that's fun to play, but can win against top decks.

I know it's pretty vague, but I thought it was a decent start. Any help from you guys would be amazing. Thanks for the help!

I would cut the Phoenixes and RSZ for more controll-ish cards. Slagstorm could be useful in here. Contagion Clasp or Contagion Engine would do well in here too.

Dread Statuary is your way to fight Koth.

Your creatures seem a bit weak, to be honest. Not enough burn for Kiln Fiend, Commando will barely get through, and Aether adept seems meager at best.

-4 Kiln Fiend
-4 Neurok Commando
-4 Aether Adept

+4 Goblin Guide (no reason not to run it, gets in for early damage)
+3 Into the Roil
+2 Frost Titan/Sphinx of Jwar Isle/Some other heavy finisher that's hard to deal with
+3 Jace Beleren or Jace, the Mind Sculptor (whichever one you prefer/can afford)

Deprive doesn't seem very good, as it sets you back. If you really want a hard counter, just use Cancel or Stoic Rebuttle. Also, you may need sweepers based on your meta.

-3 Deprive
-4 Searing Blaze (It's hard to reach both double blue and double red early game)
-4 Forked Bolt

+3 Slagstorm
+4 Burst Lightning
+2 Jace's Ingenuity
+2 Cancel

That's just some of my thoughts. Another couple cards to think about are Pyroclasm and Preordain.

Also, remember I'm not telling you to make these changes to make your deck 100% better or anything, it's just my thoughts. I hope I helped!

Angelf, I disagree with taking out the battlements. The beautiful part of them is that they can bring in a turn three Thrun, while surviving Slagstorm in the process. The emissary and Ranger just die to slagstorm. Although I could see why you'd want to kill emissary, but it's still not as good as a 0/4 on the board.

At first I actually questioned Slagstorm, but I think it fits quite nicely in this deck, better than I thought. What's the pyroclasm for? Kudoltha red, for the sweep a turn earlier? Otherwiser SS can deal with anything else that pyroclasm would deal with AND kill planeswalkers.

Have you thought about Lead the Stampede? Seems like a good choice to fill up your hand in case you run out of gas.

Xover, never post again. Your count is too leet to post again

But on a serious note, has there been thought about Jace's Ingenuity? Instant speed draw seems nice.

Nalaar is much stronger. While Ablaze needs to be built around, and even then is subpar in the deck it's built around (Could be replaced with Pyromancer's Ascension and is better), Nalaar goes in a lot of cool stuff and is actually useful. Plus the ability to do a lot of damage to a problematic creature once it hits the board is very useful.

Quote from mtg_girl

Hells ya. GW infect yeehaw I love the wierdo decks. You definitely need some Inkmoths up in that grill. Maybe some Tempered Steels up in that grill. Maybe some less Unnatural Predations up in that grill f'realz because it's inconsistent. Phyrexian Juggernaut is the gay f'realz. Burn it. Seriously, take your lighter and Revoke Existence it because everyone's Ridin' Janky with Doom Blade up in their grill. And if not that then Condemn or some crap. So you'll play it for six mana and they will timewalk you. Inkmoths! Inkmoths + Tempered still is strong up in that grill. The grill is strong with this one. Luke, I am your grill. What does grill even mean? I heard an African-American man say it at the bank.

I laughed pretty damn hard.

For the deck, the white infect creatures you have are pretty subpar.

In my opinion,
-3 Priests of Norn
-2 Tine Shrike
-6 Plains
+6 Forest
+1 Phyrexian Juggernaut
+2 Corpse Prowler
+2 Core Prowler

What are some good sites I can do goldfishing for decks I want to test but don't have the cards for it yet? I don't know any


Thanks guys

Sadams and Damaja, don't post if you're not going to give constructive criticism. Yes, the deck has weaknesses, and yes some spells will kill it easily. He probably knows that. So, we should improve on it so it's more resilient, no?

Sorry for the rant. But I think you need some removal. Doom Blade or Grasp of Darkness comes to mind. I'd remove the Oracles for removal, because IF they have memoricide and see even one RR, they'll get rid of 'em all. Plus, the removal will help against early aggro.