There a lack of removal(only Priest if it survives can be really strong for removal, plaguecrafter is not so bad and Judith makes great things against small creatures but except that it's difficult)
We have 7 ways(the 7 new cards from War) to gain life against monoR. It's really important because without that the Match Up against monoR is simply too harsh.
Against Control we have Tithe Taker+Gutterbones+Reaper+Sorin and ways to punish wrath such as Judith+Celebrant but the problem is Cry of the Carnarium so we have to turn around it or hope that our opponent doesn't have it in hand.
Love this archetype. Been playing it since WAR came out on Arena and I've gotten the deck together to bring to my LGS. I managed to win one tournament and come in 3rd in another, still tweaking along the way and stuff.
Some cards that I've tried running but have cut for various reasons are Hero of Precinct One, Hunted Witness, Mayhem Devil, Midnight Reaper, Spark Harvest, and Bolas's Citadel. This list right now, I think, is performing the best in general against most decks. Main gameplan with this list is all-in aggro while using Priest of Forgotten Gods as a card advantage engine. With Judith and/or Footlight Fiend out you can almost always activate Priest and kill multiple things on their side of the board by pinging down their smaller creatures so they have to sacrifice their bigger ones. Or you can just go straight to the face with the damage and end the game outright, especially with Heartfire.
I have also been tinkering around with Orzhov as a more midrange list with Seraph of the Scales, Midnight Reaper, and Oketra - I like that list a lot too but I think Mardu has been performing better in general. This Mardu list, if left unanswered, ends the game by turn 5 pretty much every time, and has the ability to grind a bit later into the game with card advantage and explosive plays from Priest, Sorin, and Bontu.
This deck is particularly really good against Mono Red and other aggro decks, and plays well against midrange decks as well. Against mono red and other aggro, we can match their aggression while getting an advantage through lifegain and trading off our creatures and getting more out of the trades than they do. Against midrange, the deck can either go under it with early aggression and get enough of a lead that they'll have a hard time coming back and then we can hopefully close out the game with a Heartfire or Bontu. Otherwise, the deck can deal with midgame threats decently, especially if Priest of Forgotten Gods sticks. Control is a lot harder for this deck though.
I tried Orzhov, Rakdos and Mardu but despite that, i was not enough strong.
But now, with War of the Spark and the addition of Cruel Celebrant+Sorin, i think the deck has the potentiel to become a good tier 2.
Here is my actual list :
3 Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord (WAR) 217
2 Dragonskull Summit (XLN) 252
4 Godless Shrine (RNA) 248
4 Priest of Forgotten Gods (RNA) 83
1 Plains (GRN) 260
4 Tithe Taker (RNA) 27
4 Cruel Celebrant (WAR) 188
3 Swamp (GRN) 262
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva (RNA) 185
4 Sacred Foundry (GRN) 254
4 Footlight Fiend (RNA) 216
2 Plaguecrafter (GRN) 82
4 Midnight Reaper (GRN) 77
1 Pilfering Imp (GRN) 81
4 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245
4 Isolated Chapel (DAR) 241
4 Gutterbones (RNA) 76
There a lack of removal(only Priest if it survives can be really strong for removal, plaguecrafter is not so bad and Judith makes great things against small creatures but except that it's difficult)
We have 7 ways(the 7 new cards from War) to gain life against monoR. It's really important because without that the Match Up against monoR is simply too harsh.
Against Control we have Tithe Taker+Gutterbones+Reaper+Sorin and ways to punish wrath such as Judith+Celebrant but the problem is Cry of the Carnarium so we have to turn around it or hope that our opponent doesn't have it in hand.
What do you think about my list?
Do you have any advices/suggestions?
Here's my current list:
4 Footlight Fiend
4 Gutterbones
2 Grim Initiate
4 Dreadhorde Butcher
4 Priest of Forgotten Gods
4 Cruel Celebrant
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva
4 Plaguecrafter
2 God-Eternal Bontu
3 Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord
3 Heartfire
Lands
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Blood Crypt
4 Godless Shrine
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Swamp
3 Tibalt, Rakish Instigator
2 Kaya's Wrath
4 Tithe Taker
3 Tocatli Honor Guard
3 Orzhov Enforcer
Some cards that I've tried running but have cut for various reasons are Hero of Precinct One, Hunted Witness, Mayhem Devil, Midnight Reaper, Spark Harvest, and Bolas's Citadel. This list right now, I think, is performing the best in general against most decks. Main gameplan with this list is all-in aggro while using Priest of Forgotten Gods as a card advantage engine. With Judith and/or Footlight Fiend out you can almost always activate Priest and kill multiple things on their side of the board by pinging down their smaller creatures so they have to sacrifice their bigger ones. Or you can just go straight to the face with the damage and end the game outright, especially with Heartfire.
I have also been tinkering around with Orzhov as a more midrange list with Seraph of the Scales, Midnight Reaper, and Oketra - I like that list a lot too but I think Mardu has been performing better in general. This Mardu list, if left unanswered, ends the game by turn 5 pretty much every time, and has the ability to grind a bit later into the game with card advantage and explosive plays from Priest, Sorin, and Bontu.
This deck is particularly really good against Mono Red and other aggro decks, and plays well against midrange decks as well. Against mono red and other aggro, we can match their aggression while getting an advantage through lifegain and trading off our creatures and getting more out of the trades than they do. Against midrange, the deck can either go under it with early aggression and get enough of a lead that they'll have a hard time coming back and then we can hopefully close out the game with a Heartfire or Bontu. Otherwise, the deck can deal with midgame threats decently, especially if Priest of Forgotten Gods sticks. Control is a lot harder for this deck though.