very good list, @raystack. i wish i had a 4th bridge and a 4th chalice. budget constraints don't let me have those. :/ i've been flipping between this and the "skred" lists that are over on the other thread. curious about the lack of hangarbacks and your inclusion of arc trail tho. i would think those would fit really well. would like to see a detailed matchup report if possible
Goblin Rabblemaster is outrageously effective, wasabizod. If you're looking for a creature that can ramp up in effectiveness as the turn count ticks up, he's your dude. When I cast him on T1, I'm able to lean back in the chair and let the expletives fly. I've recently updated the Official Primer page after coming to the following realization: You don't have to win to win. Against linear decks, a shutdown is the win. Against Tron/Eldrazi/Scapeshift/Combo, then you need to actually deliver a deathblow. So, that' how Hammer's Slammer is crafted. We don't do 'win-more'. Hard Truth: when you're considering options, consider: if these cards are driving home the win, you've generally won already. Non-stop online testing has groomed out the following 75, and it's a long way from where this archetype started.
The rest of the 60 simply facilitate the implementation of these cards - as they are needed. Operationremie, Hangarback Walker has never been appealing to me...just a mediocre card that can sometimes fill a void. But, it doesn't create it's own destiny. It's not a card that makes an opponent take pause. I strive for spells that make opponents uncomfortable. 'Lights Out...Return to your Cell'.
I've been testing versions of this on MTGO and hopefully will get a chance to on paper soon. I really like the inclusion of Mizzium Mortars. How do you feel with 6 sweepers in the deck? Do you tend to aim slagstorm at the opponent?
Hammer's Slammer is an Eldrazi Menace Assassin. Please forgive the language below with the whole 'one' is...and 'one is. Maybe I'm just a really big Matrix fan.
When one doesn't need instant kill, and one can't use 1-CMC spells (due to playing 4 Chalice of the Void), one must look to 2-CMC spells. The options are Arc Trail, Rift Bolt, Ratchet Bomb, and Mizzium Mortars. The decision will be predicated against deck design:
-- One has (4) Slagstorm which is a supreme utility card when one is playing ramping low toughness creature cards like Goblin Rabblemaster and Pia and Kiran Nalaar, then one has to choose sweepers that are adaptable. Indeed, Slagstorm is often turned into an 2-way Lightning Bolt at the cost of 3 life. It can be redirected to Planeswalkers, and it can be front loaded with a Goblin Rabblemaster on the backside. I love this card. Lastly, it can be a finisher on a Chandra, Pyromaster ultimate.
-- After selecting (4) Slagstorm and facing the hard truth that there are a cornucop-myriad-butt-ton of 3-CMC spells in one's own deck, then it's important to have a 2-CMC option. Go with something that can knock out a Loxodon Smiter, Spellskite, Courser of Kruphix, Restoration Angel, Tarmogoyf, Thought-Knot Seer, Germ Token on a Batterskull....all things that a bolt can not effectively address.
-- Recognize that a Blood Moon/Ensnaring Bridge Deck will see a slow and inevitable wave of threats spill onto the board from the opponent's side. 1-for-1 removal is great on turn 2, but pretty awful after turn 4. Overload on Mizzium Mortars will clear so much of what most people run....it'll clean up what the Slagstorm can't do. When one plays (29) mana sources, that overload cost isn't that far away.
The hardest part about running this deck is patience. I realize I am not going to knock out the opponent (typically) in the first several turns. Sidenote: I did take a 2nd win against G/r Tron in a tourney when I dropped Goblin Rabblemaster on the Play off of two simian spirit guides and a mutavault - turned into a Turn 3 Win. Anyway, it's mostly a slow kill, and that seems so counter-intuitive for red, right? But, as a prison deck, the only thing that other colors have over red, ostensibly, is counterspells. But, guess what, if you're running Ensnaring Bridge, you can not hold counter spells, or you'll get run over by tokens, infect, affinity and more. So, really? Really, this mono-colored deck has all the answers it needs to 'lock 'em up and throw away the key'.
Ha! Or, that is what I would loooooove to believe. Truthfully, if you're facing an opponent with a narrow win condition, the three lock pieces are rock star. If it's diversified. Well, let's just say, that the single worst match up for this deck is Abzan. It's the New Birthing Pod deck: Chord of Calling, Eternal Witness, and Collected Company are the new 'Arggggh'.
Agree - I think we have a Phenomenal Advantage against Eldrazi decks, with only the Blue/Red version mustering up some blowback to our shutdown. This just happens to be a fortuitous circumstance that'll benefit us for a few months.
So, how is the Mono-Red Prison doing out there? Is Hammer a competitive offering? Absoluuuutely. My online play has been extremely favorable, and my paper tourney record has been 8-4-2: 2-0-1 (intentional draw) 1-1-1 (draw was due to time) 2-2 3-1
Against Abzan decks which operate like the new Birthing Pod 2.0 style, I made a critical realization: I can't lock them out forever. Like facing combo or control, I need to go on the attack. The 5-Star game winner? Kargan Dragonlord. After I put a chalice on 1, they have absolutely no way of dealing with this inflatable menace. None. I can quickly get him to 8/8 firebreathing trample while slowing their progressions. I earlier stated that Abzan is my worst matchup....it has gotten a lot better now that I swap out my Ensnaring Bridge for more creatures and disruption.
As for more generalized matchups, the deck's ability to generate a very quick answer to an opponent's primary threat is its hallmark strength. We're sporting around 7+ accelerators and 12-18 total hose cards: moons, chalices, bridges, and spellskite. The win can come quickly or develop slowly with an opponent anxiously eyeing a 50-minute round clock, and running through the odds of pulling the right maindeck answer cards to our lockdown.
The deck offered by Octopusman's buddy (would love to hear your take on its design) takes that alternative middling ground with (2) distinct additions that were cornerstones in the Bloody Humans deck designed by Pete: Prophetic Flamespeaker and Swords: Swords of War and Peace. Bloody Humans did not runEnsnaring Bridge as a 4-of in main deck, but you do. How has this seeming non-synergistic approach paid off for you? We definitely know that the bridge is a hedged bet, and marvelously positioned in today's meta.
I will say that the flamespeaker needs help to be effective. Either put a sword on him or play instant damage like Magma Jet to help him get through. Without a creature kill, the opponent's board will generally grow to a place where a 1/3 doublestrike/firststrike will not break through (it only takes a single creature with 3 toughness to lock him out), and he is inhabiting a very busy 3-cmc slot. It was tough to let him go, but I just liked Kargan a little more - despite his obvious conflict with bridge.
Other Thought: Land Choices - Is 20 enough? With 8 colorless lands, are you getting red reliably? /// I love some of your sideboard choices which were shrewdly chosen against the backdrop of Chalice of the Void: No Relic of Progenitus forced Tormod's Crypt and No Pithing Needle forced Phyrexian Revoker. I also adopted your choice of Dismember and put that into my build - thx for the idea!
Cards that I'm still throwing against the wall to see if they'll stick: Mizzium Mortars vs. Arc Trail -- Pretty close in utility Trading Post -- Unless you've played it, the power of this card is often underappreciated Chandra, Flamecaller -- I recently replaced her with Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker and believe him to be a more versatile 'bring in' from the SB Solemn Simulacrum -- Underwhelming, but I like how he can 'replace' the cost of a ritual by bringing in a land to the board
Moving to modern, you primarily lose Fiery Confluence (which is truly amazing) and the Sol lands. This both slows us down initially and prevents us from being able to sweep more easily and flexibly. Plus, I've lived the dream and ultimated Chandra into Fiery Confluence more times than I can count and it's beyond ruthless.
As I've been thinking about how to bring this into modern, it feels like the bridge/chalice/moon strategy is really effective for locking people out, but it will struggle in closing out the game fast enough. I've been testing Fanatic of Mogis with the Splinter Twin/Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker engine, which often wins in two turns. Fanatic is large enough it cannot be abrupt decayed, and ideally chalice blocks it from a bolt or path, though burn decks can shoot it with a helix or Searing Blaze. However, there are times when Fantatic doesn't hit for much, which makes me feel like I'd rather lean more on Jaya Ballard and the redundancy of this deck. If we increase most things to 3-ofs and integrate burn spells (even exquisite firecraft perhaps), we can leverage our planeswalkers and allow for the people on the ground to shoot things over the bridge.
Wasabizod - I dig your chops, nice write-up. Your Legacy deck is crazy fast: Sol Ring lands make all the difference...and, that points to the line in the sand for us: how fast can we be? How much are we willing to give up in card economy for the sake of racing ahead by a turn or two? For instance, I used to run (4) Gemstone Caverns. I used to run Pyretic Ritual as well as Desperate Ritual. I used to run Serum Powder in the interest of finding the perfect opening hand. Turns 1-2 were gangbusters, but like MaverickZero points out, there is a lull before our turn 4 motherjammers hit the board. You're asking for a way to deliver the win shortly after dropping a lock-piece? As I see it, these are the supposed 'internal conflicts' that you are referencing, Wasibizod.
To be perfectly honest, I don't see the deck as asymmetrical. I believe it is streamlined and delivers a clock, or at least a strong enough lock to overcome most opponents while the clock slowly ambles towards victory.
Hammer's Slammer is a unique mousetrap. Not because it's employing the triple-trouble, power suite of locks, but because it's a prison deck that is red. That hasn't reaaaaalllly been seen before. So, it's credibility gets called into question right away. It feels like it must be conflicted. Maybe some identity issues, like when Cadillac decided to launch a mid-size car, Catera, and expected us all to recognize that lilliputian as the flagship of American luxury.
Jaya Ballard, Task Mage is one of your ideas. She is the 61st card in my deck - all day. If she can live, then a bolt-machine is a pretty steadfast option. She keeps us under a bridge. Her other modes are wholly viable. But, she is a legend, so I don't know if I'd play (3). Then again, like smallpox, you can just toss multiples to itself. In that deck brainstorm, you also mention Exquisite Firecraft. I guess I'd first ask how often you'd go to the face with that spell, and how important the 'uncounterability clause' becomes a priority. If we reconcile that we aren't a burn deck (outside of creature control), then there are better options. BUT, I can appreciate that what you are trying to do in this 1st listed deck is bring out a burn deck in the shell of control...very cool. Almost like Cursed Scroll in the original Pox decks...if only scroll was legal.
To review that 1st list, you've got the power lock suite: Bridge/Moon/Chalice. Then, Lots of Bolts and Jaya Bolt Engine. If I were to tweek the deck, I'd actually reduce the Koth and Chandra count for alt-win conditions. I think I like the idea of Kargan Dragonlord making an appearance. I had two paper tourney games with him where I cast him, then attack for 19-21 total damage in the span of two turns. When it comes to mana accelators, which this deck is swimming in, if you happen to come up with 6 mana on the turn you cast him, you start with a 4/4 flier: not bad. On the next turn - your first attack - you are attacking with a 10/8 flying, trample creature: unreal. Your 2nd attack, with firebreathing pump is a 14/8 flying trample creature: silly goose strong. It's not uncommon nor unbelievable. It's obscene. 24 damage in 2 Turns When you don't land a bridge, Kargan will offer defense or speed bump or deliver a win from out of the blue.
In the 2nd deck, you mention Fanatic of Mogis as one such idea. I wouldn't say he has curb appeal, and Splinter Twin is banned, so you're looking at Kiki-Jiki, Mirrorbreaker to bring home the bacon on a rather spell heavy deck that doesn't exploit a lot of red mana intensive permanents. Yeah, this one might be a non-starter, my man. Going back to the 1st deck - It is almost like Keranos, God of Storms would feel at home there: card advantage and neverending bolts until the finish line is reached....damned blue!
FNM:
Round 1: 2-0 vs. Mardu
Round 2: 2-0 vs. Grixis
Round 3: 2-0 vs. Elves
Round 4: 2-0 vs. Coco-Chord-Resto-Kiki
11 Players - 1st Place.
The emerging archetype of today's Mono-Red Prison is absolutely Hulk Smash, and I am honestly baffled that more folks aren't contributing to the thread. I've been playing Magic for 22 years, tried any manner of outlier decks, failed more than I've succeeded in searching for the Holy Grail, and know when I'm on to something in a given meta within a format. I would play this deck at a premier tournament. No question. It's true that the prevalence of outlier decks at premier events is a miserable 2%, but I prefer to win with tomorrow's deck, not yesterdays'.
The lock pieces are adaptable to so many decks out there, and the transitional sideboard to offensse, by sideboarding out the bridge, turns this deck into a war machine against combo/control. I'd say the 'lightbulb moment' is knowing when to give up on the defense of ensnaring bridge and/or blood moon/chalice of the void, and bring to bear the outrageous firepower of (4) Goblin Rabblemaster and (4) Kargan Dragonlord and (1) Avaricious Dragon -- Just 1. I used to try to buck the tide against decks like abzan by continuing the bridge approach. Now? Now, I feel like we can adapt brilliantly to any opponent (not least of which is Eldrazi).
Round 2: Grixis // Chandra, Pyromaster was an allstar by assisting with a very large Goblin Rabble Rabble to swing through for massive hits. In fact, in game 2 I went for it on Turn 1 = Mutavault, Simian Spirit Guide, and Goblin Rabblemaster. Risky. But, he delivered a turn 3 win. You'll note that the rabblemaster was not in either of the original decks. Just consider how a 3-cmc gives you a hasty ping and a follow up attack of a 4/2 and (2) 1/1s...with my Mutavault, he was actually a 5/2. So, on Turn 2, I swung in for 9 damage. Just Brutal.
Round 3: Elves // I had a turn 1 Chalice of the Void on 1 in both games. No, Actually, I had a turn one Blood Moon in the 2nd game, and stymied him - who knew they used so many non-basic lands?
Round 4: Kiki-Coco // Normally, I would consider this to be my worst matchup. I've adjusted. Kargan after a chalice on 1 will deliver you the win - They have no creature kill except Path to Exile. While they durdle about with Walls and Birds and Nobles, you can crash through with enormous beat. HUGE.
PAPER TOURNEY RECORD: 12-4-2 with losses to Kiki-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Grixis Midrange, and U/R Eldrazi:
Nice write up.
I'm with you on this. Nice to see that the deck can hold its own against Eldrazi. It will probably still be favorable in the format after the banning(s).
Perhaps people just don't have some of these cards? The cards used (aside from maybe Blood Moon and Ensnaring Bridge) are all pretty niche to this deck.
Love to see the evolution of the deck and perhaps more people playing it is a good thing. Catch them off guard and get some good placings in tournaments with eyes on them and I assure you we'll see more of this. I would love to watch the mirror.
FNM:
Round 1: 2-1 vs. Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord (our toughest matchup)
Round 2: 2-0 vs. B/R Eldrazi (absolutely annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger)
Round 3: 0-2 vs. Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune
Round 4: 2-1 vs. U/W Control - Elspeth
15 Players - 3rd Place.
Round 1: Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord // Blood Moons and an eventual Kargan Dragonlord bust through. The games were all close, and I'm not going to pretend to feel confident in this matchup. The removal of slagstorm and timely arc trail offered enough X-for-1 advantage that I squeaked through. Chandra pings and unblockable creations were key too. What is nice is that this deck doesn't run a lot of creatures with high power, so I could keep pressing with Goblin attacks that wouldn't die.
Round 2: B/R Eldrazi // Brutality. Absolute annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. He did get me with 2 early discard spells in game 2, but I dropped a Gemstone Caverns on his turn 1 and dropped a topdecked moon on my 2nd turn, and a later bridge proved to be the death knell for eldrazi.
Round 3: Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune // I was overly aggressive in both games. I tried to close out wins with Kargan Dragonlord. I got the dragon up to 8/8 both times. He never could kill it, and complained about my ability to fly for the damage. That deck of his is all walls and birds get trampled by my ultimate dragon. In game 1, I questioned on whether to slagstorm against a board of viscera sceer, liliana, heretical healer, bird of paradise, and a wall of roots, or pump the dragon. Well, he Chord of Calling on the end of my turn and then Chord of Calling on his turn to win. Shoosh!
Game 2, he goes Spike Feeder into a Chord of Calling for Archangel of Thune: Game. Again, I was too aggressive. I could have arc trail the feeder and held back three mana for my Pia and Kiran Nalaar, but I felt I could close out the win with a large dragon. Mostly, since he had a Burrenton, Forge-Tender that would force the 2-for-1 and lost turn of attack. Honestly, that's very noobish of me to not perceive the archangel threat - happens.
Round 4: U/W control // It was a game of luring out the counterspells as best as possible, and landing the blood moon threats. He got ahead of me in game 1. In game 2, I slipped out a Chalice on his 1st turn Colonnade and then a Magus of the Moon for the near lock. Game 3 was about Kargan Dragonlord and some grindy small beats under the cherry moon.
PAPER TOURNEY RECORD: 15-5-2 with losses to Podless-Melira-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Grixis Midrange, and U/R Eldrazi:
FNM:
Round 1: 2-1 vs. Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord (our toughest matchup)
Round 2: 2-0 vs. B/R Eldrazi (absolutely annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger)
Round 3: 0-2 vs. Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune
Round 4: 2-1 vs. U/W Control - Elspeth
15 Players - 3rd Place.
Round 1: Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord // Blood Moons and an eventual Kargan Dragonlord bust through. The games were all close, and I'm not going to pretend to feel confident in this matchup. The removal of slagstorm and timely arc trail offered enough X-for-1 advantage that I squeaked through. Chandra pings and unblockable creations were key too. What is nice is that this deck doesn't run a lot of creatures with high power, so I could keep pressing with Goblin attacks that wouldn't die.
Round 2: B/R Eldrazi // Brutality. Absolute annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. He did get me with 2 early discard spells in game 2, but I dropped a Gemstone Caverns on his turn 1 and dropped a topdecked moon on my 2nd turn, and a later bridge proved to be the death knell for eldrazi.
Round 3: Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune // I was overly aggressive in both games. I tried to close out wins with Kargan Dragonlord. I got the dragon up to 8/8 both times. He never could kill it, and complained about my ability to fly for the damage. That deck of his is all walls and birds get trampled by my ultimate dragon. In game 1, I questioned on whether to slagstorm against a board of viscera sceer, liliana, heretical healer, bird of paradise, and a wall of roots, or pump the dragon. Well, he Chord of Calling on the end of my turn and then Chord of Calling on his turn to win. Shoosh!
Game 2, he goes Spike Feeder into a Chord of Calling for Archangel of Thune: Game. Again, I was too aggressive. I could have arc trail the feeder and held back three mana for my Pia and Kiran Nalaar, but I felt I could close out the win with a large dragon. Mostly, since he had a Burrenton, Forge-Tender that would force the 2-for-1 and lost turn of attack. Honestly, that's very noobish of me to not perceive the archangel threat - happens.
Round 4: U/W control // It was a game of luring out the counterspells as best as possible, and landing the blood moon threats. He got ahead of me in game 1. In game 2, I slipped out a Chalice on his 1st turn Colonnade and then a Magus of the Moon for the near lock. Game 3 was about Kargan Dragonlord and some grindy small beats under the cherry moon.
PAPER TOURNEY RECORD: 15-5-2 with losses to Podless-Melira-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Grixis Midrange, and U/R Eldrazi:
Desperate Ritual does have the 'splice' option, and it has shown up in multiples of deck lists more than Pyretic, so I didn't give it that much thought. I have to ask,
"What is the advantage of splice?"
I often don't use it, because I fear that I'll be countered by something like a spell snare and lose 4 mana instead of slow rolling both spells. You make a good point about tribal when it comes to Tarmogoofy as well, Caligoletto.
Sin Prodder looks boss. Still, I see him getting more play in a deck that has Eidolon of the Rhetoric or at least a more consistent form of damage delivery. Hammer's Slammer can deliver monster beats from nowhere (I did another T1 Goblin Rabblemaster off of SSG and Ritual on a Mutavault this weekend), and, it can build up an army behind an ensnaring bridge. In comparison, the prodder just isn't bridge friendly and definitely allows for an opponent to sculpt your hand. Bad thing when you're running a prison deck. Looks like a pass, like you guessed, octopusman.
Desperate Ritual does have the 'splice' option, and it has shown up in multiples of deck lists more than Pyretic, so I didn't give it that much thought. I have to ask,
"What is the advantage of splice?"
I often don't use it, because I fear that I'll be countered by something like a spell snare and lose 4 mana instead of slow rolling both spells. You make a good point about tribal when it comes to Tarmogoofy as well, Caligoletto.
Sin Prodder looks boss. Still, I see him getting more play in a deck that has Eidolon of the Rhetoric or at least a more consistent form of damage delivery. Hammer's Slammer can deliver monster beats from nowhere (I did another T1 Goblin Rabblemaster off of SSG and Ritual on a Mutavault this weekend), and, it can build up an army behind an ensnaring bridge. In comparison, the prodder just isn't bridge friendly and definitely allows for an opponent to sculpt your hand. Bad thing when you're running a prison deck. Looks like a pass, like you guessed, octopusman.
Except they aren't really sculpting your hand at all. You still get your regular draw and whatever they choose to let you keep has no bearing on the next card. If anything, it can give you cards or do damage to them from behind a bridge if they get rid of stuff.
@Caligoletto: I haven't seen any delirium red cards so far...
Octopusman - In Cockatrice and Paper Tourneys, I've never spliced. I don't understand the advantage.
As for the build on sweepers/damage, I am reevaluating Bonfire of the Damned. It's currently taking the place of a third Slagstorm. We often go into the late game which increases the chances that this card is 'drawn' as opposed to being in our 'opening hand' in any given game. Slagstorm is pretty terrific as a shared bolt to faces (control/combo) when you don't care about life, and of course it can sweep a board, ala Pyroclasm or Anger of the Gods. BUT, we do play creatures that easily fall to such spells. So, the sweep can suck donkey for us.
Generally, I would insist on some sort of top deck manipulation to make bonfire viable. When you're playing a long game lockdown approach, it doesn't really matter that its drawn or in your opening hand - particularly when you consider that we play (7)+ mana accelerators.
So, it can turn into a superior top deck which lays flat an opponents growing horde as well as put an opponent into a the backend of a flameball. With the ease of a 1=cmc in a pinch, it can lay us up behind an earlier laid bridge as well.
So, this is how 'splice' turns out to be superior. Essentially, you don't cast the card, you simply reveal it and then put it back into your hand. Though not often, it can advantageous. Also, 'arcane' is not a type that affects Tarmogoyf's count.
I've been busy in the lab executing non-stop testing trials on Mono-Red Prison. We have some improvements.
Removal: I was using (2) Arc Trail with adequate success. One of my least favorite matchups is Abzan and Affinity. The 2-for-1 could be cool on turn 2. Thereafter, it was often lackluster. I took them out and put in a single Bonfire of the Damned. Bonfire is a house with a huge back porch. You have to sit back and consider the deck types out there and the weenie horde standoffs that can occur. Or, the opponent is building critical mass of combo-creatures. Lastly, with 7 mana accelerators, I can shoot big gun. Love this addition.
Lockdown: As it stands, we have Chalice of the Void, Ensnaring Bridge, Blood Moon, Magus of the Moon, and Spellskite as shutout hose cards in the main deck. There was a backdoor that kept creaking open with a lotta of different decks: Enter the Battlefield effects. It's most noticeable in green/white constructions(reclamation sage, eternal witness, restoration angel, kitchen finks, kiki-jiki, mirror breaker, but there is also snapcaster mage and merfolk. The idea of a main deck Torpor Orb seems entirely too narrow, right? Not in my experience. That thing will single-handedly cause a scoop...out of the blue! I want to go up to (2), but don't know what to cut.
Drawing Power: It's been discussed: the lull. We have control, but we're not driving home the win. Red doesn't have a whole lot when it comes to tutors/dig/draw engines. So, I looked to higher cmc options that also offer damage. Damage + Draw = Woohoo. Avaricious Dragon has drawn some criticism, but as a 1-of, the dude rocks. He is Chandra, Pyromaster or Outpost Siege, but he's also a 4/4 flier. You cast him at the end of your drawing hand, and this deck constantly spills out what it draws. We don't 'hold up' mana for responses. In fact there are only (3) instants in my whole deck and they are all rituals.
Planeswalkers: Goodbye Chandra, Pyromaster. Without any real good damage dealers coming off of her ultimate, she wasn't cutting it. The addition of Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker is superb. He can knock out fatty with a 4 point bolt. He comes in at 5 loyalty and flips in just 2 turns. The emblem will guarantee redundant lock pieces and an accelerated search for the win-con. Koth of the Hammer got an increase to 2. Skred goes for a playset on this guy. With 8 bolts in their decks, they can pretty well protect him. Our archetype is a little different. It's part aggro and part lockdown and it can hold on for a late answer for the win.
Raystack! It's your resident opponent (The Elves player you Chalice'd in your report!) from that store you play at. You've mentioned the thread a couple of times, so I thought I'd stop by, and address your report, section by section.
Removal: Bonfire is big game, and a finisher that doesn't hose your own Rabblemaster game, so call me a fan of the 1-of. However, count me surprised that since sticky Abzan decks are one of your worst matchups that you wouldn't run more Anger of the Gods, and more of them in the main. Your downfall has been against Chord decks, so forcing them to completely rebuild instead of being able to Eternal Witness (now usually a 3-of in -stock- lists!) a combo piece seems more valuable to me then having Slagstorm's dual modes for game 1.
Lockdown: I like your lockdown suite, and Orb is a house against Snapcaster Mage decks as well. Would you ever consider a Phyrexian Revoker to name troublesome cards? (Viscera Seer, Qasali Pridemage, Spike Feeder, Snapcaster Mage, Colonnade, Ezuri, the list goes on?)
Drawing Power: My personal peeve with a lot of prison decks, providing pressure after you've got your lock. You saw me draw cards for 5 steps and rip into Chord-for-Pridemage, play a donkey Chord-for-RecSage with your Orb still on the field, and then get an Abrupt Decay onto the Orb a couple of turns later. The only prison deck that I see circumvent this rule is Lantern because they have control of their opponent's draw step. I think the only way to circumvent this is to have cards that win by themselves, which is a solution you subscribe to yourself (see: Rabblemaster, Koth, Kargan) More often than not, I've seen those Goblin tokens sit idly by and not be able to do a whole ton. Perhaps more of Chandra's Parents/Thopter Engineer along with Ghirapur Aether Grid (tap them Bridges and Chalices) is your way to win without attacking?
Planeswalkers: Give Sarkhan a try, but I think Chandra, Flamecaller is certainly worth a look in order to have even more Grafted Skullcaps that can control the board.
Thanks for popping by, Epithet. Dig the avatar - fellow Arabian Nights card! Abu Ja'far...summon Leper. Like an aquarium fish beneath rowboats, so fantastical.
Good feedback. I read it a few times. The easiest way to respond is according to the cards you mentioned.
***Bonfire of the Damned. Deeeeeaaaaaaamnnnn! Every time I put this card on the shelf, I wish it was just a top draw away. The issue with bonfire, and Slagstorm for that matter, is 'reach'. I'm a lockdown deck, but I can be aggro. Either way, I'll eventually have to deliver 20 or force the scoop. Where in the world does this put the role of something like these two cards? They certainly aren't enough to deliver the win - even if they are all drawn. They are terrific with board control. That's where it's at. I do not play lightning bolt. I play bridge. Ensnaring bridge needs help and these guys are there. More simply: utility.
***Slagstorm: Ding-Ding-Ding Ding-Ding-Ding. In this corner, Slagstorm! In the opposing corner, Anger of the Gods, Pyroclasm, Flamebreak, and Volcanic Fallout. First, Anger: The go-to spell. It's been revered and fawned over since its printing. Playtest buddies love it. I never have. Now is no exception. Despite the fear of (3) Eternal Witness, Epithet, the real juice in G/W/x combo decks is delivered via Collected Company and Chord of Calling. Anger's ability to actually remove a swept creature is critical for (2) creatures: Qasali Pridemage and Spike feeder. And, guess what? Both of those creatures will respond to the Anger and sidestep their exile.
My answer? Multiple Torpor Orbs and Grafdigger's Cage and Tormod's Crypt. Lastly, I have tested running Hammer's Slammer with (3) Anger instead of (3) Slagstorm [plus I ask myself, as I play, would I prefer this slag to anger?]. The narrowness of Anger is...Angering. Either I want Slags ability to hit the face or its ability to hit a planeswalker (especially Liliana of the Veil or Ajani Vengeant). Finally, it's not uncommon for me to be on the bridge plan with a Magus of the Moon or growing horde of Rabblemaster tokens when I draw an Anger. Shishkabob! Can't play this, and don't wanna leave myself open to a Linger Souls or Infect attack.
***Phyrexian Revoker: Interesting-Interesting. Where? Maindeck or Sideboard? I think it's a little narrow for maindeck...maybe, but maybe not? If it's sideboard, that's a crowded field, and I'd probably go with the less vulnerable pithing needle instead. And, I haaaaaate pithing needle as a sideboard card. I am totally lost on people's affection for this card in the sideboard. It's a throwaway crutch card. Bottom Line: If you're bringing it in to affect a few threats, like Tron, then it'll get sidestepped. If you're bringing it in against a specific threat, then you're banking on your opponent's particularly targeted card to be drawn so that you have an answer already on the board....what if the named card is never drawn? I'd rather further my own win-con, or come up with a more broad application of lockdown. Exception to the Rule: I often speak hyperbolically and in absolute terms. But, I can see Pithing Needle (or revoker) get considered for play against (2) very specific cards that I don't have very reliable answers for: Oblivion Stone and Spike Feeder. Against Tron, I will blood moon them which sets them waaaaay back on firing off their Karn or Ugin. But! An Oblivion Stone is way easy to execute, and that will give them the win. Against G/W combo, I can stop almost all of their shenanigans with a Torpor Orb, but it won't stop the Archangel of Thune combo with Feeder.
***Goblin Rabblemaster: I've tried trimming him to 3, and I've tried removing him. He's a 4-of or 0-of. Like Pia and Kiran Nalaar, he comes in with extra dudes and extra firepower. Parents are a stiff 1-of due to cost and the presence of Torpor Orb [which I actually maindeck run TWO of in my local metas]. But, I can see some of your thoughts influencing his inclusion.
***Chandra, Flamecaller: She is in the sideboard, and she comes in on occasion. 6-cmc is tough, and a bridge defier. Still, her abilities all kick ass. It's possible. As for Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker: on the play, I did a Turn 1 casting of this titan in a tournament last night. The opponent scooped shortly thereafter (I knew he wasn't playing path to exile).
I'm not much for tourney reports, OperationRemie - but, I'll say that Goblin Rabblemaster has won me 2 paper-tournament games outright when dropped on T1. Similarly, Ensnaring Bridge has summarily shut down decks like nobody's business If I had to classify the hallmark, signature cornerstones of this deck, it's (5) cards:
Chalice of the Void
Ensnaring Bridge
Blood Moon / Magus of the Moon
Spellskite
Goblin Rabblemaster
The rest of the 60 simply facilitate the implementation of these cards - as they are needed. Operationremie, Hangarback Walker has never been appealing to me...just a mediocre card that can sometimes fill a void. But, it doesn't create it's own destiny. It's not a card that makes an opponent take pause. I strive for spells that make opponents uncomfortable. 'Lights Out...Return to your Cell'.
Creatures (11)
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Spellskite
Accelerators (7)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
3 Slagstorm
2 Arc Trail
Planeswalkers (3)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Koth of the Hammer
Artifacts (8)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
3 Mutavault
1 Gemstone Caverns
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Shattering Spree
2 Pyroclasm
1 Molten Rain
1 Torpor Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Spellskite
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Sarkhan Dragonspeaker
1 Koth of the Hammer
EDIT: This deck is seeing ongoing edits as testing continues to create evolutions.
When one doesn't need instant kill, and one can't use 1-CMC spells (due to playing 4 Chalice of the Void), one must look to 2-CMC spells. The options are Arc Trail, Rift Bolt, Ratchet Bomb, and Mizzium Mortars. The decision will be predicated against deck design:
-- One has (4) Slagstorm which is a supreme utility card when one is playing ramping low toughness creature cards like Goblin Rabblemaster and Pia and Kiran Nalaar, then one has to choose sweepers that are adaptable. Indeed, Slagstorm is often turned into an 2-way Lightning Bolt at the cost of 3 life. It can be redirected to Planeswalkers, and it can be front loaded with a Goblin Rabblemaster on the backside. I love this card. Lastly, it can be a finisher on a Chandra, Pyromaster ultimate.
-- After selecting (4) Slagstorm and facing the hard truth that there are a cornucop-myriad-butt-ton of 3-CMC spells in one's own deck, then it's important to have a 2-CMC option. Go with something that can knock out a Loxodon Smiter, Spellskite, Courser of Kruphix, Restoration Angel, Tarmogoyf, Thought-Knot Seer, Germ Token on a Batterskull....all things that a bolt can not effectively address.
-- Recognize that a Blood Moon/Ensnaring Bridge Deck will see a slow and inevitable wave of threats spill onto the board from the opponent's side. 1-for-1 removal is great on turn 2, but pretty awful after turn 4. Overload on Mizzium Mortars will clear so much of what most people run....it'll clean up what the Slagstorm can't do. When one plays (29) mana sources, that overload cost isn't that far away.
The hardest part about running this deck is patience. I realize I am not going to knock out the opponent (typically) in the first several turns. Sidenote: I did take a 2nd win against G/r Tron in a tourney when I dropped Goblin Rabblemaster on the Play off of two simian spirit guides and a mutavault - turned into a Turn 3 Win. Anyway, it's mostly a slow kill, and that seems so counter-intuitive for red, right? But, as a prison deck, the only thing that other colors have over red, ostensibly, is counterspells. But, guess what, if you're running Ensnaring Bridge, you can not hold counter spells, or you'll get run over by tokens, infect, affinity and more. So, really? Really, this mono-colored deck has all the answers it needs to 'lock 'em up and throw away the key'.
Ha! Or, that is what I would loooooove to believe. Truthfully, if you're facing an opponent with a narrow win condition, the three lock pieces are rock star. If it's diversified. Well, let's just say, that the single worst match up for this deck is Abzan. It's the New Birthing Pod deck: Chord of Calling, Eternal Witness, and Collected Company are the new 'Arggggh'.
Looks like it is shaping up!
Creature
4x Goblin Rabblemaster
2x Magus of the Moon
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Simian Spirit Guide
2x Spellskite
Planeswalker
2x Chandra, Pyromaster
3x Koth of the Hammer
Enchantment
4x Blood Moon
4x Chalice of the Void
4x Ensnaring Bridge
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
2x Sword of War and Peace
Land
4x Ghost Quarter
12x Mountain
4x Mutavault
Instant
4x Desperate Ritual
2x Dismember
3x Phyrexian Revoker
2x Roast
3x Shattering Spree
2x Tormod's Crypt
3x Trinisphere
So, how is the Mono-Red Prison doing out there? Is Hammer a competitive offering? Absoluuuutely. My online play has been extremely favorable, and my paper tourney record has been 8-4-2:
2-0-1 (intentional draw)
1-1-1 (draw was due to time)
2-2
3-1
CURRENT DECK
Creatures (11)
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Spellskite
Accelerators (7)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
3 Slagstorm
2 Arc Trail
Planeswalkers (3)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Koth of the Hammer
Artifacts (8)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
3 Mutavault
1 Gemstone Caverns
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Shattering Spree
2 Pyroclasm
1 Molten Rain
1 Torpor Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Spellskite
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Sarkhan Dragonspeaker
1 Koth of the Hammer
Against Tron, all (3) pieces of the Power Lock Suite came into play: Chalice of the Void: They play (20) 1-drop spells, Blood Moons (equals multiple timewalks against them) and Ensnaring Bridge for when they finally drop a wurmcoil engine. My Turn 1 Goblin Rabblemaster off of Mutavault and simian spirit guides delivered a Turn 3 kill. Favored against Tron? Seems so...
Against Abzan decks which operate like the new Birthing Pod 2.0 style, I made a critical realization: I can't lock them out forever. Like facing combo or control, I need to go on the attack. The 5-Star game winner? Kargan Dragonlord. After I put a chalice on 1, they have absolutely no way of dealing with this inflatable menace. None. I can quickly get him to 8/8 firebreathing trample while slowing their progressions. I earlier stated that Abzan is my worst matchup....it has gotten a lot better now that I swap out my Ensnaring Bridge for more creatures and disruption.
As for more generalized matchups, the deck's ability to generate a very quick answer to an opponent's primary threat is its hallmark strength. We're sporting around 7+ accelerators and 12-18 total hose cards: moons, chalices, bridges, and spellskite. The win can come quickly or develop slowly with an opponent anxiously eyeing a 50-minute round clock, and running through the odds of pulling the right maindeck answer cards to our lockdown.
The deck offered by Octopusman's buddy (would love to hear your take on its design) takes that alternative middling ground with (2) distinct additions that were cornerstones in the Bloody Humans deck designed by Pete: Prophetic Flamespeaker and Swords: Swords of War and Peace. Bloody Humans did not run Ensnaring Bridge as a 4-of in main deck, but you do. How has this seeming non-synergistic approach paid off for you? We definitely know that the bridge is a hedged bet, and marvelously positioned in today's meta.
I will say that the flamespeaker needs help to be effective. Either put a sword on him or play instant damage like Magma Jet to help him get through. Without a creature kill, the opponent's board will generally grow to a place where a 1/3 doublestrike/firststrike will not break through (it only takes a single creature with 3 toughness to lock him out), and he is inhabiting a very busy 3-cmc slot. It was tough to let him go, but I just liked Kargan a little more - despite his obvious conflict with bridge.
Other Thought: Land Choices - Is 20 enough? With 8 colorless lands, are you getting red reliably? /// I love some of your sideboard choices which were shrewdly chosen against the backdrop of Chalice of the Void: No Relic of Progenitus forced Tormod's Crypt and No Pithing Needle forced Phyrexian Revoker. I also adopted your choice of Dismember and put that into my build - thx for the idea!
Cards that I'm still throwing against the wall to see if they'll stick:
Mizzium Mortars vs. Arc Trail -- Pretty close in utility
Trading Post -- Unless you've played it, the power of this card is often underappreciated
Chandra, Flamecaller -- I recently replaced her with Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker and believe him to be a more versatile 'bring in' from the SB
Solemn Simulacrum -- Underwhelming, but I like how he can 'replace' the cost of a ritual by bringing in a land to the board
I play something very similar in Legacy and have been trying to figure out how to port over the deck with a stronger finish. Here's the legacy list:
4x Ancient Tomb
4x City of Traitors
10x Mountain
4x Chalice of the Void
4x Blood Moon
4x Chrome Mox
4x Ensnaring Bridge
4x Magus of the Moon
4x Simian Spirit Guide
4x Magma Jet
2x Sudden Shock
4x Fiery Confluence
2x Chandra, Pyromaster
4x Koth of the Hammer
2x Boil
2x Dismember
3x Faerie Macabre
2x Null Rod
3x Tormod's Crypt
3x Trinisphere
Moving to modern, you primarily lose Fiery Confluence (which is truly amazing) and the Sol lands. This both slows us down initially and prevents us from being able to sweep more easily and flexibly. Plus, I've lived the dream and ultimated Chandra into Fiery Confluence more times than I can count and it's beyond ruthless.
As I've been thinking about how to bring this into modern, it feels like the bridge/chalice/moon strategy is really effective for locking people out, but it will struggle in closing out the game fast enough. I've been testing Fanatic of Mogis with the Splinter Twin/Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker engine, which often wins in two turns. Fanatic is large enough it cannot be abrupt decayed, and ideally chalice blocks it from a bolt or path, though burn decks can shoot it with a helix or Searing Blaze. However, there are times when Fantatic doesn't hit for much, which makes me feel like I'd rather lean more on Jaya Ballard and the redundancy of this deck. If we increase most things to 3-ofs and integrate burn spells (even exquisite firecraft perhaps), we can leverage our planeswalkers and allow for the people on the ground to shoot things over the bridge.
My thought of what that could look like:
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Blood Moon
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Magma Jet
4 Exquisite Firecraft
3 Koth of the Hammer
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
3 Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
2 Magus of the Moon
or even:
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Blood Moon
4 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Magma Jet
2 Exquisite Firecraft
3 Splinter Twin
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Fanatic of Mogis
2 Magus of the Moon
This could be a terrible line of reasoning, but I'd love your feedback on this.
To be perfectly honest, I don't see the deck as asymmetrical. I believe it is streamlined and delivers a clock, or at least a strong enough lock to overcome most opponents while the clock slowly ambles towards victory.
Hammer's Slammer is a unique mousetrap. Not because it's employing the triple-trouble, power suite of locks, but because it's a prison deck that is red. That hasn't reaaaaalllly been seen before. So, it's credibility gets called into question right away. It feels like it must be conflicted. Maybe some identity issues, like when Cadillac decided to launch a mid-size car, Catera, and expected us all to recognize that lilliputian as the flagship of American luxury.
Jaya Ballard, Task Mage is one of your ideas. She is the 61st card in my deck - all day. If she can live, then a bolt-machine is a pretty steadfast option. She keeps us under a bridge. Her other modes are wholly viable. But, she is a legend, so I don't know if I'd play (3). Then again, like smallpox, you can just toss multiples to itself. In that deck brainstorm, you also mention Exquisite Firecraft. I guess I'd first ask how often you'd go to the face with that spell, and how important the 'uncounterability clause' becomes a priority. If we reconcile that we aren't a burn deck (outside of creature control), then there are better options. BUT, I can appreciate that what you are trying to do in this 1st listed deck is bring out a burn deck in the shell of control...very cool. Almost like Cursed Scroll in the original Pox decks...if only scroll was legal.
To review that 1st list, you've got the power lock suite: Bridge/Moon/Chalice. Then, Lots of Bolts and Jaya Bolt Engine. If I were to tweek the deck, I'd actually reduce the Koth and Chandra count for alt-win conditions. I think I like the idea of Kargan Dragonlord making an appearance. I had two paper tourney games with him where I cast him, then attack for 19-21 total damage in the span of two turns. When it comes to mana accelators, which this deck is swimming in, if you happen to come up with 6 mana on the turn you cast him, you start with a 4/4 flier: not bad. On the next turn - your first attack - you are attacking with a 10/8 flying, trample creature: unreal. Your 2nd attack, with firebreathing pump is a 14/8 flying trample creature: silly goose strong. It's not uncommon nor unbelievable. It's obscene. 24 damage in 2 Turns When you don't land a bridge, Kargan will offer defense or speed bump or deliver a win from out of the blue.
In the 2nd deck, you mention Fanatic of Mogis as one such idea. I wouldn't say he has curb appeal, and Splinter Twin is banned, so you're looking at Kiki-Jiki, Mirrorbreaker to bring home the bacon on a rather spell heavy deck that doesn't exploit a lot of red mana intensive permanents. Yeah, this one might be a non-starter, my man. Going back to the 1st deck - It is almost like Keranos, God of Storms would feel at home there: card advantage and neverending bolts until the finish line is reached....damned blue!
Round 1: 2-0 vs. Mardu
Round 2: 2-0 vs. Grixis
Round 3: 2-0 vs. Elves
Round 4: 2-0 vs. Coco-Chord-Resto-Kiki
11 Players - 1st Place.
The emerging archetype of today's Mono-Red Prison is absolutely Hulk Smash, and I am honestly baffled that more folks aren't contributing to the thread. I've been playing Magic for 22 years, tried any manner of outlier decks, failed more than I've succeeded in searching for the Holy Grail, and know when I'm on to something in a given meta within a format. I would play this deck at a premier tournament. No question. It's true that the prevalence of outlier decks at premier events is a miserable 2%, but I prefer to win with tomorrow's deck, not yesterdays'.
The lock pieces are adaptable to so many decks out there, and the transitional sideboard to offensse, by sideboarding out the bridge, turns this deck into a war machine against combo/control. I'd say the 'lightbulb moment' is knowing when to give up on the defense of ensnaring bridge and/or blood moon/chalice of the void, and bring to bear the outrageous firepower of (4) Goblin Rabblemaster and (4) Kargan Dragonlord and (1) Avaricious Dragon -- Just 1. I used to try to buck the tide against decks like abzan by continuing the bridge approach. Now? Now, I feel like we can adapt brilliantly to any opponent (not least of which is Eldrazi).
Round 1: Mardu // Blood Moons and an eventual Pia and Kiran Nalaar bust through. He was doing some damage with Lingering Souls, and I had to resort to a double Slagstorm to knock off a Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet - close call when that bastage gets rolling.
Round 2: Grixis // Chandra, Pyromaster was an allstar by assisting with a very large Goblin Rabble Rabble to swing through for massive hits. In fact, in game 2 I went for it on Turn 1 = Mutavault, Simian Spirit Guide, and Goblin Rabblemaster. Risky. But, he delivered a turn 3 win. You'll note that the rabblemaster was not in either of the original decks. Just consider how a 3-cmc gives you a hasty ping and a follow up attack of a 4/2 and (2) 1/1s...with my Mutavault, he was actually a 5/2. So, on Turn 2, I swung in for 9 damage. Just Brutal.
Round 3: Elves // I had a turn 1 Chalice of the Void on 1 in both games. No, Actually, I had a turn one Blood Moon in the 2nd game, and stymied him - who knew they used so many non-basic lands?
Round 4: Kiki-Coco // Normally, I would consider this to be my worst matchup. I've adjusted. Kargan after a chalice on 1 will deliver you the win - They have no creature kill except Path to Exile. While they durdle about with Walls and Birds and Nobles, you can crash through with enormous beat. HUGE.
PAPER TOURNEY RECORD: 12-4-2 with losses to Kiki-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Grixis Midrange, and U/R Eldrazi:
Creatures (12)
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Kargan Dragonlord
2 Spellskite
Accelerators (7)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
3 Slagstorm
2 Arc Trail
Planeswalker (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
Artifacts (8)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
3 Mutavault
1 Gemstone Caverns
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Shattering Spree
2 Pyroclasm
1 Torpor Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Molten Rain
1 Avaricious Dragon
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Koth of the Hammer
I'm with you on this. Nice to see that the deck can hold its own against Eldrazi. It will probably still be favorable in the format after the banning(s).
Perhaps people just don't have some of these cards? The cards used (aside from maybe Blood Moon and Ensnaring Bridge) are all pretty niche to this deck.
Love to see the evolution of the deck and perhaps more people playing it is a good thing. Catch them off guard and get some good placings in tournaments with eyes on them and I assure you we'll see more of this. I would love to watch the mirror.
Round 1: 2-1 vs. Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord (our toughest matchup)
Round 2: 2-0 vs. B/R Eldrazi (absolutely annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger)
Round 3: 0-2 vs. Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune
Round 4: 2-1 vs. U/W Control - Elspeth
15 Players - 3rd Place.
Round 1: Coco-Resto-Kiki-Chord // Blood Moons and an eventual Kargan Dragonlord bust through. The games were all close, and I'm not going to pretend to feel confident in this matchup. The removal of slagstorm and timely arc trail offered enough X-for-1 advantage that I squeaked through. Chandra pings and unblockable creations were key too. What is nice is that this deck doesn't run a lot of creatures with high power, so I could keep pressing with Goblin attacks that wouldn't die.
Round 2: B/R Eldrazi // Brutality. Absolute annihilation - all he had for an answer was a long wait for Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. He did get me with 2 early discard spells in game 2, but I dropped a Gemstone Caverns on his turn 1 and dropped a topdecked moon on my 2nd turn, and a later bridge proved to be the death knell for eldrazi.
Round 3: Podless-Melira-Chord-Thune // I was overly aggressive in both games. I tried to close out wins with Kargan Dragonlord. I got the dragon up to 8/8 both times. He never could kill it, and complained about my ability to fly for the damage. That deck of his is all walls and birds get trampled by my ultimate dragon. In game 1, I questioned on whether to slagstorm against a board of viscera sceer, liliana, heretical healer, bird of paradise, and a wall of roots, or pump the dragon. Well, he Chord of Calling on the end of my turn and then Chord of Calling on his turn to win. Shoosh!
Game 2, he goes Spike Feeder into a Chord of Calling for Archangel of Thune: Game. Again, I was too aggressive. I could have arc trail the feeder and held back three mana for my Pia and Kiran Nalaar, but I felt I could close out the win with a large dragon. Mostly, since he had a Burrenton, Forge-Tender that would force the 2-for-1 and lost turn of attack. Honestly, that's very noobish of me to not perceive the archangel threat - happens.
Round 4: U/W control // It was a game of luring out the counterspells as best as possible, and landing the blood moon threats. He got ahead of me in game 1. In game 2, I slipped out a Chalice on his 1st turn Colonnade and then a Magus of the Moon for the near lock. Game 3 was about Kargan Dragonlord and some grindy small beats under the cherry moon.
PAPER TOURNEY RECORD: 15-5-2 with losses to Podless-Melira-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Kiki-Chord, Grixis Midrange, and U/R Eldrazi:
DECK LIST
Creatures (12)
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Kargan Dragonlord
2 Spellskite
Accelerators (7)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
3 Slagstorm
2 Arc Trail
Planeswalker (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
Artifacts (8)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
3 Mutavault
1 Gemstone Caverns
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Shattering Spree
2 Pyroclasm
1 Torpor Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Roast
1 Avaricious Dragon
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Koth of the Hammer
Thank you for the report! Love reading these and the insights. Some good lessons learned from Round 3.
Desperate Ritual does have the 'splice' option, and it has shown up in multiples of deck lists more than Pyretic, so I didn't give it that much thought. I have to ask,
"What is the advantage of splice?"
I often don't use it, because I fear that I'll be countered by something like a spell snare and lose 4 mana instead of slow rolling both spells. You make a good point about tribal when it comes to Tarmogoofy as well, Caligoletto.
Sin Prodder looks boss. Still, I see him getting more play in a deck that has Eidolon of the Rhetoric or at least a more consistent form of damage delivery. Hammer's Slammer can deliver monster beats from nowhere (I did another T1 Goblin Rabblemaster off of SSG and Ritual on a Mutavault this weekend), and, it can build up an army behind an ensnaring bridge. In comparison, the prodder just isn't bridge friendly and definitely allows for an opponent to sculpt your hand. Bad thing when you're running a prison deck. Looks like a pass, like you guessed, octopusman.
Except they aren't really sculpting your hand at all. You still get your regular draw and whatever they choose to let you keep has no bearing on the next card. If anything, it can give you cards or do damage to them from behind a bridge if they get rid of stuff.
Octopusman - In Cockatrice and Paper Tourneys, I've never spliced. I don't understand the advantage.
As for the build on sweepers/damage, I am reevaluating Bonfire of the Damned. It's currently taking the place of a third Slagstorm. We often go into the late game which increases the chances that this card is 'drawn' as opposed to being in our 'opening hand' in any given game. Slagstorm is pretty terrific as a shared bolt to faces (control/combo) when you don't care about life, and of course it can sweep a board, ala Pyroclasm or Anger of the Gods. BUT, we do play creatures that easily fall to such spells. So, the sweep can suck donkey for us.
Generally, I would insist on some sort of top deck manipulation to make bonfire viable. When you're playing a long game lockdown approach, it doesn't really matter that its drawn or in your opening hand - particularly when you consider that we play (7)+ mana accelerators.
So, it can turn into a superior top deck which lays flat an opponents growing horde as well as put an opponent into a the backend of a flameball. With the ease of a 1=cmc in a pinch, it can lay us up behind an earlier laid bridge as well.
Thoughts?
So, this is how 'splice' turns out to be superior. Essentially, you don't cast the card, you simply reveal it and then put it back into your hand. Though not often, it can advantageous. Also, 'arcane' is not a type that affects Tarmogoyf's count.
I've been busy in the lab executing non-stop testing trials on Mono-Red Prison. We have some improvements.
Removal: I was using (2) Arc Trail with adequate success. One of my least favorite matchups is Abzan and Affinity. The 2-for-1 could be cool on turn 2. Thereafter, it was often lackluster. I took them out and put in a single Bonfire of the Damned. Bonfire is a house with a huge back porch. You have to sit back and consider the deck types out there and the weenie horde standoffs that can occur. Or, the opponent is building critical mass of combo-creatures. Lastly, with 7 mana accelerators, I can shoot big gun. Love this addition.
Lockdown: As it stands, we have Chalice of the Void, Ensnaring Bridge, Blood Moon, Magus of the Moon, and Spellskite as shutout hose cards in the main deck. There was a backdoor that kept creaking open with a lotta of different decks: Enter the Battlefield effects. It's most noticeable in green/white constructions(reclamation sage, eternal witness, restoration angel, kitchen finks, kiki-jiki, mirror breaker, but there is also snapcaster mage and merfolk. The idea of a main deck Torpor Orb seems entirely too narrow, right? Not in my experience. That thing will single-handedly cause a scoop...out of the blue! I want to go up to (2), but don't know what to cut.
Drawing Power: It's been discussed: the lull. We have control, but we're not driving home the win. Red doesn't have a whole lot when it comes to tutors/dig/draw engines. So, I looked to higher cmc options that also offer damage. Damage + Draw = Woohoo. Avaricious Dragon has drawn some criticism, but as a 1-of, the dude rocks. He is Chandra, Pyromaster or Outpost Siege, but he's also a 4/4 flier. You cast him at the end of your drawing hand, and this deck constantly spills out what it draws. We don't 'hold up' mana for responses. In fact there are only (3) instants in my whole deck and they are all rituals.
Planeswalkers: Goodbye Chandra, Pyromaster. Without any real good damage dealers coming off of her ultimate, she wasn't cutting it. The addition of Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker is superb. He can knock out fatty with a 4 point bolt. He comes in at 5 loyalty and flips in just 2 turns. The emblem will guarantee redundant lock pieces and an accelerated search for the win-con. Koth of the Hammer got an increase to 2. Skred goes for a playset on this guy. With 8 bolts in their decks, they can pretty well protect him. Our archetype is a little different. It's part aggro and part lockdown and it can hold on for a late answer for the win.
Creatures (11)
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Avaricious Dragon
1 Spellskite
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Accelerators (7)
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Desperate Ritual
Enchantments (4)
4 Blood Moon
3 Slagstorm
1 Bonfire of the Damned
Planeswalker (3)
2 Koth of the Hammer
1 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Artifacts (9)
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Torpor Orb
Lands (22)
18 Mountains
3 Mutavault
1 Gemstone Caverns
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Shattering Spree
2 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Pyroclasm
1 Torpor Orb
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
Removal: Bonfire is big game, and a finisher that doesn't hose your own Rabblemaster game, so call me a fan of the 1-of. However, count me surprised that since sticky Abzan decks are one of your worst matchups that you wouldn't run more Anger of the Gods, and more of them in the main. Your downfall has been against Chord decks, so forcing them to completely rebuild instead of being able to Eternal Witness (now usually a 3-of in -stock- lists!) a combo piece seems more valuable to me then having Slagstorm's dual modes for game 1.
Lockdown: I like your lockdown suite, and Orb is a house against Snapcaster Mage decks as well. Would you ever consider a Phyrexian Revoker to name troublesome cards? (Viscera Seer, Qasali Pridemage, Spike Feeder, Snapcaster Mage, Colonnade, Ezuri, the list goes on?)
Drawing Power: My personal peeve with a lot of prison decks, providing pressure after you've got your lock. You saw me draw cards for 5 steps and rip into Chord-for-Pridemage, play a donkey Chord-for-RecSage with your Orb still on the field, and then get an Abrupt Decay onto the Orb a couple of turns later. The only prison deck that I see circumvent this rule is Lantern because they have control of their opponent's draw step. I think the only way to circumvent this is to have cards that win by themselves, which is a solution you subscribe to yourself (see: Rabblemaster, Koth, Kargan) More often than not, I've seen those Goblin tokens sit idly by and not be able to do a whole ton. Perhaps more of Chandra's Parents/Thopter Engineer along with Ghirapur Aether Grid (tap them Bridges and Chalices) is your way to win without attacking?
Planeswalkers: Give Sarkhan a try, but I think Chandra, Flamecaller is certainly worth a look in order to have even more Grafted Skullcaps that can control the board.
Good feedback. I read it a few times. The easiest way to respond is according to the cards you mentioned.
***Bonfire of the Damned. Deeeeeaaaaaaamnnnn! Every time I put this card on the shelf, I wish it was just a top draw away. The issue with bonfire, and Slagstorm for that matter, is 'reach'. I'm a lockdown deck, but I can be aggro. Either way, I'll eventually have to deliver 20 or force the scoop. Where in the world does this put the role of something like these two cards? They certainly aren't enough to deliver the win - even if they are all drawn. They are terrific with board control. That's where it's at. I do not play lightning bolt. I play bridge. Ensnaring bridge needs help and these guys are there. More simply: utility.
***Slagstorm: Ding-Ding-Ding Ding-Ding-Ding. In this corner, Slagstorm! In the opposing corner, Anger of the Gods, Pyroclasm, Flamebreak, and Volcanic Fallout. First, Anger: The go-to spell. It's been revered and fawned over since its printing. Playtest buddies love it. I never have. Now is no exception. Despite the fear of (3) Eternal Witness, Epithet, the real juice in G/W/x combo decks is delivered via Collected Company and Chord of Calling. Anger's ability to actually remove a swept creature is critical for (2) creatures: Qasali Pridemage and Spike feeder. And, guess what? Both of those creatures will respond to the Anger and sidestep their exile.
My answer? Multiple Torpor Orbs and Grafdigger's Cage and Tormod's Crypt. Lastly, I have tested running Hammer's Slammer with (3) Anger instead of (3) Slagstorm [plus I ask myself, as I play, would I prefer this slag to anger?]. The narrowness of Anger is...Angering. Either I want Slags ability to hit the face or its ability to hit a planeswalker (especially Liliana of the Veil or Ajani Vengeant). Finally, it's not uncommon for me to be on the bridge plan with a Magus of the Moon or growing horde of Rabblemaster tokens when I draw an Anger. Shishkabob! Can't play this, and don't wanna leave myself open to a Linger Souls or Infect attack.
***Phyrexian Revoker: Interesting-Interesting. Where? Maindeck or Sideboard? I think it's a little narrow for maindeck...maybe, but maybe not? If it's sideboard, that's a crowded field, and I'd probably go with the less vulnerable pithing needle instead. And, I haaaaaate pithing needle as a sideboard card. I am totally lost on people's affection for this card in the sideboard. It's a throwaway crutch card. Bottom Line: If you're bringing it in to affect a few threats, like Tron, then it'll get sidestepped. If you're bringing it in against a specific threat, then you're banking on your opponent's particularly targeted card to be drawn so that you have an answer already on the board....what if the named card is never drawn? I'd rather further my own win-con, or come up with a more broad application of lockdown.
Exception to the Rule: I often speak hyperbolically and in absolute terms. But, I can see Pithing Needle (or revoker) get considered for play against (2) very specific cards that I don't have very reliable answers for: Oblivion Stone and Spike Feeder. Against Tron, I will blood moon them which sets them waaaaay back on firing off their Karn or Ugin. But! An Oblivion Stone is way easy to execute, and that will give them the win. Against G/W combo, I can stop almost all of their shenanigans with a Torpor Orb, but it won't stop the Archangel of Thune combo with Feeder.
***Goblin Rabblemaster: I've tried trimming him to 3, and I've tried removing him. He's a 4-of or 0-of. Like Pia and Kiran Nalaar, he comes in with extra dudes and extra firepower. Parents are a stiff 1-of due to cost and the presence of Torpor Orb [which I actually maindeck run TWO of in my local metas]. But, I can see some of your thoughts influencing his inclusion.
***Chandra, Flamecaller: She is in the sideboard, and she comes in on occasion. 6-cmc is tough, and a bridge defier. Still, her abilities all kick ass. It's possible. As for Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker: on the play, I did a Turn 1 casting of this titan in a tournament last night. The opponent scooped shortly thereafter (I knew he wasn't playing path to exile).