Main thing to enable Buccaneer is to keep the Pirate Count high. The inclusion of Rigging Runner then further requires a bunch of other 1-drops to turn it on early.
This sounds like there will probably be a Frank Karsten CFB Magic Math article on the optimum number of pirates for Buccaneer... Next week maybe?
No Ferocidon? Also, do you think that Daring Buccaneer and Rigging Runner will be better choices than Firebrand and Soul-Scar? Or is this just an exercise in getting as low to the ground and pirate heavy as possible?
I was thinking of pulling Soul-Scar out of the current list for Firebrand, and running Daredevils where I have Harsh Mentors right now. I also think that a couple of Built to Smash could be good here, either as a creature removal or a surprise 3 damage. I've been running Harnessed Lightning over Abrade recently, mainly due to the lack of need for artifact removal at my local store. I've put two Abrade back in this list just in case, but could easily go back to 4 Harnessed Lightning, and use the spare card slot for a 4th Daredevil or 3rd Kari Zev, or even go to a 3/2 split of Firebrand/Rigging Runner or Soul-scar...
So, with the full spoiler out, are there any cards that stand out to people as additions to the RR lists? Mutiny seems an interesting sideboard card, and Blood Sun is, well, Blood Sun. Fanatical Firebrand could be an option for going back to a more 1-drop heavy list, but I don't think that Daring Buccaneer will make it in a "stock" RR list. Rekindling Phoenix could be good in control matches from the side, but competes with Chandra and Hazoret, so may not be worth running... yet.
So, I saw this online a couple of days ago, and gatheringmagic.com ran it as their deck of the day today. It has a few more creatures than a "normal" list, and a few less than the post above. It's certainly an interesting idea, using cards like Aetherborn and Hostage Taker to deal with creatures rather than not letting them resolve. May give it a run out for the last week with a couple of minor changes (I only have one Lili, for example).
Tried something a little different last night - my local store is predominantly Approach and Energy lists on Mondays, so decided to try Harnessed Lightning over Abrade (as I didn't think I needed the artifact destruction).It seemed to work out pretty well, and a couple of games against Temur I was able to drop one Lightning to take out an un-pumped Cub, net an Energy, then had a 4 damage spell to pull out against a Glorybringer. I also tried to speed up the deck a bit more by playing a couple more spells (14 total I think), including a couple of Built to Smash to work as either a Bolt or a removal spell. The one game I got land screwed, I managed to get the Temur opponent to 5 life, even though I had been stuck on 2 land since turn 2. It also makes the deck a little quicker against Approach decks, but does open you up to 2-for-1s if they are running black for Fatal Pushes.
Well, I can't believe it's been nearly a month since people posted on this thread. Have things really been that bad? Answer - no. There were two UB control lists that made it to day 2 of the World Magic Cup (in fact, only 2 UB Control lists in the entire tournament!), and one of them made it in to the Top 4!
As for me, I've taken to running the list without any Scarab Gods (shocking, I know!). Instead, I've been trying Metallurgic Summonings, and so far the results have been promising. I stumbled across a list that was named UB Xerox - it ran 4 Opt, 4 Hieroglyphic Illumination, 3 Censor, 3 Search for Azcanta, and 2 Chart a Course in order to turbo through the deck, find the win cons, and stabilise quicker. All the card draw means it runs only 22 land. However, I wanted to be a little more secure, and tweaked the numbers a little to go back up to 25 land. With the reduced land count, having spare mana to activate Scarab God didn't often happen, hence the Summonings. I'm still playing with card numbers, but last week's FNM I hit Temur Energy down for 2-0 easily. It could be a fluke, but it could also be promising. It's a little weak to aggro, so I'm trying Dynavolt Tower in the board, similar to the list from pre-AER that was run to some success. We'll see what happens tonight!
So, I've been having several games (including a few at GP Portland) where I was severely mana screwed or flooded, often with no Hazoret or Khenra to sink mana in to. Has anyone tried running a couple of Treasure Map, to scry and draw extras, much in the same way that the Desert Red decks are doing? What about Tormenting Voice?
Played a couple of trials at GP Portland today, with the list posted above. First one lost in Top 16 (all single elim) to Sultai Energy in three games, but was right down to the wire. Had him on 1, needed burn or Ramunap Ruins, and neither showed up in 3 turns. Second one got paired against a weird Grixis tokens deck (with Decoction Module) in the first round. Great hand g1, with two Ferocidon in hand, but never saw a third land. Game two I mulled to 5, kept four land and an Abrade, then proceeded to draw five consecutive lands. Ah well. Main event tomorrow, and playing all nine rounds regardless of results.
I'd probably say that Vance's Blasting Cannons are a good budget swap for Chandra. It provides card advantage, which is key, and (eventually) is a repeatable source of damage. Glorybringer isn't a replacement, and probably should be in your board anyway.
Actually, quick flick through my notes shows that I don't bring in TOD against BR... I keep in the Lightning Strikes in order to provide more removal for the race. Original post edited...
The boarding plan is based off the one used by Fournier at PT Ixalan. He wrote about it here. I just swapped Cannonade in where he had Pia Nalaar, and Chandra's Defeat where he had Magma Spray. I also broke out the aggro deck strategies a little, as obviously Defeat becomes worse against BR, and Martin Juza liked Chandra in that match up. The only one that is of my own planning is the Vampires, and that's based on one match last FNM...
Sideboard plans
(excuse the abbreviations, these are just copied and pasted from my notes)
Temur/4c
-3 Courier, -1 Mage, -1 Crasher, -1 Shock (maybe take out the Abrades if I go bigger with Glorybringers)
+2 Mentor, +2 Abrade, +2 Chandra’s Defeat (Maybe Glorybringer, TOD)
Sultai
-2 Courier (on the draw), -2 Mage (on the play), -2 Zev, -1 Crasher, -2 Ferocidon, -2 Spray, -1 Shock
+2 Mentor, +2 Abrade, +2 TOD, +2 GB, +2 Harvester
This is very similar to Daniel Fournier's 9-1 PT Ixalan list. I think the only difference I see in the main is 2 Crasher/3 Ferocidon where he had 1/4.
I'm thinking of running something close to that list as well, but have gone to 3 Shock and 2 Magma Spray in the main (may swap the numbers), which allows me to run 2 Defeat in the side where he didn't. One thing that I've noticed though, is the differing opinions on how to side against Temur/4c. I've seen some articles say to bring in Harvester, Glorybringer, Chandra, (and taking out Abrade), but others say to not try to "out-mid-range" them, and stay aggressive, bringing in Harsh Mentor, Chandra's Defeat, and extra Abrades. Which is a better plan?
Also, I get that Blazing Volley is one sided, but is it not worth trying Fiery Cannonade instead? It seems a little more versatile than Volley, becoming (among other things) a board wipe in the mirror.
Another interesting article made it on to CFB. This time its new Hall of Fame member Martin Juza with his deck list and board plan. The biggest thing that jumps out to me is his statements about how Harsh Mentor is not in his deck.
One thing I would like to stress is: Do not play Harsh Mentor. If this is your plan against Whirler Virtuoso or opposite Aethersphere Harvesters, then you are doing it wrong. While the ability might seem relevant in some games, the 2/2 body does absolutely nothing and it’s a horrible topdeck without any immediate impact on the game.
Is this a fair statement, given that all the other well performing lists had some number of Mentors in?
The opinion of the players at Worlds was to hold it until T4 or 5... you can't afford to let something sneak by you and not have a ready answer. I've had that happen where I put a Search down T2 against an unknown deck (T1 Aether Hub, so suspected energy but not sure), they played a T2 Cub. I never found a Push, and the Cub went almost all the way.
I was thinking of pulling Soul-Scar out of the current list for Firebrand, and running Daredevils where I have Harsh Mentors right now. I also think that a couple of Built to Smash could be good here, either as a creature removal or a surprise 3 damage. I've been running Harnessed Lightning over Abrade recently, mainly due to the lack of need for artifact removal at my local store. I've put two Abrade back in this list just in case, but could easily go back to 4 Harnessed Lightning, and use the spare card slot for a 4th Daredevil or 3rd Kari Zev, or even go to a 3/2 split of Firebrand/Rigging Runner or Soul-scar...
4 Ramunap Ruins
4 Sunscorched Desert
2 Arch of Orazca
13 Mountain
Creatures (23)
4 Bomat Courier
4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Earthshaker Khenra
3 Dire Fleet Daredevil
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
3 Rampaging Ferocidon
3 Hazoret the Fervent
2 Built to Smash
3 Shock
2 Abrade
3 Harnessed Lightning
4 Lightning Strike
Anything else?
3 Hostage Taker
3 The Scarab God
3 Torrential Gearhulk
4 Gifted Aetherborn
Planeswalkers (2)
2 Liliana, Death's Majesty
Instants (18)
2 Consign // Oblivion
2 Disallow
2 Negate
4 Fatal Push
4 Glimmer of Genius
4 Vraska's Contempt
2 Treasure Map
Lands (25)
5 Island
6 Swamp
2 Field of Ruin
4 Aether Hub
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Fetid Pools
1 Demon of Dark Schemes
2 Disallow
2 Duress
4 Essence Extraction
3 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
1 Jace's Defeat
2 Kitesail Freebooter
3 Torrential Gearhulk
2 The Scarab God
Spells (29)
4 Essence Scatter
4 Censor
1 Consign // Oblivion
2 Essence Extraction
4 Fatal Push
4 Disallow
2 Glimmer of Genius
2 Hieroglyphic Illumination
4 Vraska's Contempt
2 Search for Azcanta
4 Fetid Pools
4 Drowned Catacomb
6 Island
7 Swamp
2 Field of Ruin
3 Evolving Wilds
2 Essence Extraction
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
2 Gifted Aetherborn
2 Jace's Defeat
2 Bontu's Last Reckoning
3 Deadeye Tracker
3 Duress
As for me, I've taken to running the list without any Scarab Gods (shocking, I know!). Instead, I've been trying Metallurgic Summonings, and so far the results have been promising. I stumbled across a list that was named UB Xerox - it ran 4 Opt, 4 Hieroglyphic Illumination, 3 Censor, 3 Search for Azcanta, and 2 Chart a Course in order to turbo through the deck, find the win cons, and stabilise quicker. All the card draw means it runs only 22 land. However, I wanted to be a little more secure, and tweaked the numbers a little to go back up to 25 land. With the reduced land count, having spare mana to activate Scarab God didn't often happen, hence the Summonings. I'm still playing with card numbers, but last week's FNM I hit Temur Energy down for 2-0 easily. It could be a fluke, but it could also be promising. It's a little weak to aggro, so I'm trying Dynavolt Tower in the board, similar to the list from pre-AER that was run to some success. We'll see what happens tonight!
The boarding plan is based off the one used by Fournier at PT Ixalan. He wrote about it here. I just swapped Cannonade in where he had Pia Nalaar, and Chandra's Defeat where he had Magma Spray. I also broke out the aggro deck strategies a little, as obviously Defeat becomes worse against BR, and Martin Juza liked Chandra in that match up. The only one that is of my own planning is the Vampires, and that's based on one match last FNM...
1 Scavenger Grounds
4 Ramunap Ruins
4 Sunscorched Desert
15 Mountain
Creatures (25)
4 Bomat Courier
4 Soul-Scar Mage
4 Earthshaker Khenra
2 Harsh Mentor
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
1 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Rampaging Ferocidon
4 Hazoret the Fervent
2 Magma Spray
3 Shock
2 Abrade
4 Lightning Strike
2 Harsh Mentor
2 Abrade
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Fiery Cannonade
2 Glorybringer
2 Chandra's Defeat
3 Aethersphere Harvester
Sideboard plans
(excuse the abbreviations, these are just copied and pasted from my notes)
Temur/4c
-3 Courier, -1 Mage, -1 Crasher, -1 Shock (maybe take out the Abrades if I go bigger with Glorybringers)
+2 Mentor, +2 Abrade, +2 Chandra’s Defeat (Maybe Glorybringer, TOD)
Sultai
-2 Courier (on the draw), -2 Mage (on the play), -2 Zev, -1 Crasher, -2 Ferocidon, -2 Spray, -1 Shock
+2 Mentor, +2 Abrade, +2 TOD, +2 GB, +2 Harvester
Red/BR/Vehicles
-2 Mentor (-2 Kari Zev against vehicles), -1 Crasher, -4 Fero, -2 Strike (against RR)
+2 Mentor (against vehicles), +2 Abrade, +2 Cannonade, +2 Defeat (against RR), +3 Harvester
GPG
-1 Zev, -1 Crasher, -3 Shock, -1 Strike
+2 Abrade, +2 TOD, +2 GB
Control/Approach
-2 Spray, -2 Abrade
+2 TOD, +2 GB
Tokens
-2 Spray, -3 Shock, -2 Abrade, -2 Strike
+2 TOD, +2 Cannonade, +2 GB, +3 Harvester
Vampires
-2 Mentor, -1 Crasher, -2 Abrade, -2 Strike
+2 Cannonade, +2 GB, +3 Harvester
I'm thinking of running something close to that list as well, but have gone to 3 Shock and 2 Magma Spray in the main (may swap the numbers), which allows me to run 2 Defeat in the side where he didn't. One thing that I've noticed though, is the differing opinions on how to side against Temur/4c. I've seen some articles say to bring in Harvester, Glorybringer, Chandra, (and taking out Abrade), but others say to not try to "out-mid-range" them, and stay aggressive, bringing in Harsh Mentor, Chandra's Defeat, and extra Abrades. Which is a better plan?
Also, I get that Blazing Volley is one sided, but is it not worth trying Fiery Cannonade instead? It seems a little more versatile than Volley, becoming (among other things) a board wipe in the mirror.
Is this a fair statement, given that all the other well performing lists had some number of Mentors in?