MTG Salvation

I was looking at some cards to build an aggro deck using b/w, but I didn't want to use too many theros block cards due to it rotating out in 1 month.

I was left with surprisingly a lot of options, but being a MTG novice still, I'm not entirely sure when I'm crossing from aggro into that controlish range.

Then we have the options of cards like Duress (since Thoughtseize is rotating out) and I start to wonder a bit.

Give me your opinions please.

The OP lists a combo with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - isn't that card banned in standard when BFZ releases?

Quote from Jay13x »

Are you referring to Chandra's origin story?

When her spark ignited.

Your booster box assembled deck will never beat any deck worth $107.

Nor will it beat budget decks of $50-60.

Like Sarkhan killed all his troops?

Quote from JacetheMindFoo »

Quote from MrM0nd4y »

Why is the basis of everything your saying about "Oh well Magic is selling better now than ever"? That doesnt make anything Wizards is doing is RIGHT. People buying Magic does not mean that the game is GOOD FOR YOU. Lots of people buy Nikes and McDonalds, since these companies make lots of money, they must be good for you right?

I'm not sure where you're trying to go with this. How can Magic be good or bad for you unless you're letting it control your life?

The point I was getting at was games that are "good" tend to be popular. Magic is becoming more and more popular, implying that people find it "good."

Wizards making a ton of money does not benefit you either, unless your not telling me that you work for Wizards of something.

You are correct, and this point is entirely irrelevant to anything I was saying.

I dont appreciate you intentionally starting an argument.

I don't appreciate you insulting everyone who has recently started playing the game by somehow implying that you're superior to them. Before you ask, I've been playing since Onslaught (not as long as some, but longer than many). By talking about how the new game is "dumbed down" and the mentality of "baby the world and everyone is entitled to winning" implies that you consider yourself superior to them. It's extremely arrogant and quite frankly rather rude.

I would appreciate some mature and adult conversation and if your a child, please get your parents to work on your manors, thanks.

Your parents should teach you to spell first, m80.

Ignoring this insult to my character, I would suggest that you sit back and consider why you hate the new players in Magic or the direction that Magic is going in general. Your words imply that you think it's because you're better than them.

Also, I love how you completely ignored all of my other criticisms of your rant. Maybe you should take a look at those.

Are you completely unaware of how games affect people? Games subconsciously teach people ideas and shape their brains. You are probably unaware of how Magic affects you. This has nothing to do with a game "controlling" your life. Magic is a form of media, no different than anything that you see on TV or what you pull up on the internet. Media shapes peoples personalities and thoughts. This is just plain science. Its also pretty ignorant to think that Magic or any game in general has had no impact on your life. Sadly, that ignorance is what is making WoTC more money, since there are people like you who dont question things and just mindlessly dump money into it since you have the mentality of "well other people are doing it so it must be good! Its a good game, so it must become popular, so it must be good!". Yeah man, the KKK is so awesome and popular, it must be good for me!

And I could care less about the "criticisms" of your rant. None of your ideas really change how I feel about MTG. I been playing this game too long to know when something is right or wrong. Also, your arguments are the same poor arguments I keep hearing from people who have no idea what they want out of their existence, people who dont seek their own interests, or people who are just too captured in fandom to really understand reality. This uneducated thinking is exactly what is turning me very away from MTG since it seems to be more of a reoccuring feature.

Tinfoil hat much?

I bought the Elf deck but I keep losing against my friend.

He bought the Red/Black deck and all his burn removes my elves.

I lost 4 out of 4 games.

One was in my favor then he took control of my 6/6 spider that had +2/+2 flying.

I got good cards though in my boosters;

1 Dragons of Tarkir booster
2 Origins
1 Fate Reforged

Decent pulls seem to be (according to SCG);

Abbot of Keral Keep
Foil Sun Yun
Jeskai Infiltrator
Anafenza, Kin of Tree Spirit
Graveblade Marauder

All in all I am happyish.

Hey, so I used to play MTG pretty religiously last year. I still have some really powerful decks and cards left untouched, Rabblemasters, Caryatids, Thoughtseize, fetchlands etc.

But why I eventually got out of MTG is because it became a big money sink vs me and my friends. I eventually spent more money on it than I wanted to and once my friends quit I had no one to play with - I quit too.

Now we all have the urge to start again since there's a lot of new cards out with Origins, Dragons and Fate - we don't know anything about these blocks yet.

As such, we all decided we are limited to one intro deck and 3 boosters (mixing allowed) of any of these three sets.

I come here to ask which one you would recommend and which boosters to go with it?

I had a quick look at the Elf deck looks interesting from Origins.

I used to play aggro exclusively before quitting, I loved Mono Black and Rabble Red.

I quit Magic recently, because all my friends moved on from it, it is a highly social game and as such I do not see myself playing it without my friends.

Sadly, I spent 10x as much money as they did lol so it burns a little, but oh well, all my cards are still high value.

So I'll quit until they are into it again, maybe the next set or block...


Would you quit in this situation? I literally have no 'friends' at FNM, only people I recognize...

I started playing Magic in September 2014. At first every FNM I went to I was stomped by players with grossly stronger decks.

My 2 friends and my girlfriend started playing at the same time as me.

Out of the 4 of us I have spent the most money on MTG by far. I have enough cards to actually build some of the competitive decks on this forum, where as my friends - they barely have 1/5th of the cards to even make one.

I've went to about 7 FNM's and I have come to the realization that there is no room for casuals at FNM.

-Expensive decks are rampant, the same guys that come 1st, 2nd and 3rd/4th are all running decks that cost $200++ (more than my one friend has even spent on magic).
The fact is that playsets of cards like Battlefield Forge, Mana Confluence and Fetchlands simply aren't viable for a casual player.
I've personally played against great players of MTG, that simply cannot afford to win because of a lack of money. I played against a kid with a green/black enchantment deck and it was great, I'd never played against such a deck, but he was sorely missing things like Master of the Feast.

Some people's sideboards cost more than casual players decks, have an Elspeth+Sorin in your sideboard? GG 55$


It is as such that I realize something as 'casual' as FNM isn't really casual at all.

I have even won a small local FNM, playing against some my friends. I have spent the most money on magic of all my friends. Coincidence - I don't think so. Even though I sideboarded very effectively, chances are I still would have won regardless due to simply having cards like Hero's Downfall/Rabblemaster/Purphoros/Bloodstained Mires etc etc


As such I found my friends preferring to stay at home and play MTG instead of at FNM where they can be more competitive - no one likes to lose all the time because of money vs skill.

If I cast a Defiant Strike on a Battlewise-Hopelite, do I first scry 1, or do I first draw a card?

Well I didn't know this deck was any good, so I just wanted advice, I honestly didn't even know it'd fit in the competitive section I just wanted a somewhat budgety deck (hence the absence of mana confluence/thoughtseize and only 2x battlefield forge).

And wanted some info on it.

It seems by the responses though that this deck has real potential, sadly I couldn't take it to FNM/SNM yet.

I've played a few games against my friends who admittedly are more casual than me.

A few things I've noted;
-Crackling Doom is a beast. It's Instant, it's practically unavoidable and the 2 damage is icing. I've let my friends buff up their Hero of Iroas many times only to burn him at the last second with Crackling Doom. Same story with cards like Sagu Mauler/Hydra Broodmaster/Polukranos. I feel like the 3x Hero's Downfall is redundant in my sideboard with Crackling Doom mainboard. Although they are still different enough to coexist.
-21 Lands is not enough. I want to run 22, because I don't want to cut any cards, but I feel like cutting a one drop for an extra land and running 23.
-Late game drawing a Bloodsoaked/Tormented Hero happens very often so I don't feel too bad about having only 3 of one.
-Butcher of the Horde is a beast, I've come back from games where I am at 2 life and my opponents are at 16~.
-I've had to explain attack/declare attack phases quite often due to the nature of sacking with Butcher...
-Seeker of the Way has not been as good as I've wanted him to be, I like his utility, but I would prefer running Monastery Swiftspear, if only she were a Warrior, because Haste has been relevant in every single game I've dropped Seeker.
-Mardu Ascendancy is alright, but 4x is not a requirement unless you're facing Anger of the Gods or Drown in Sorrow.
-Rabblemaster isn't as powerful as he was in my Rabble Red deck, I guess it's because of the absence of Trumpet Blast/Hordeling Outburst and Foundry-Street Denizen. So I feel like a 3 of for Rabbledaddy isn't too bad either.

Quote from JoshB8116 »

It looks pretty good to me.

I'm running a very similar list myself. I've opted for Boon of Erebos over Titan's Strength, since it allows your to keep your creature, rather than just trade. I'm usually more than happy to trade 2 life for the ability to keep another creature on board, especially when Seeker of the Way is on the battlefield to just gain that life right back.

I'm also running Stoke the Flames over Lightning Strike. It synergises particuarly well with Goblin Rabblemaster, and is decent alongside Mardu Ascendancy. I have found myself wanting a Lightning Strike in some situations, but 4 damage is so much better than 3 right now.

I think Crackling Doom needs to be a 4 of, the card is absolutely ridiculous. And I don't think you need the full 4 Cutcher of the Horde. Other than that, I think it looks good. I think super aggressive Mardu decks are actually really well positioned right now, and it's surprising me that they're not really seeing any play.

Thanks for the detailed reply!

I actually have 4x Stoke the Flames cause I was playing Mono Red Aggro. I was worried about Stokes mana cost but I guess it's fine then.


Why no 4x Butcher though? I thought you'd want him every game and we don't really have drawing cards like Sign in Blood and Dragon Mantle?

4x Cackling Doom it is then, since we need removal. I have a lot of removal in my side board too, so it's probably redundant to run all that removal. Wasn't sure what to sideboard though tbh.

So Boon of Erebos is great? Can I use it to save a creature that I sacked with Butcher? If so 10/10 way better than titan strength.

Added deck tags. Here's a guide on how to use the /decktag function. -- Lugger

Butcher of the Horde
Soldier of the Pantheon