Ok, please bear with me as this is my first time... I made these to playtest with, and wanted them to stand out. The artwork is the standard art from the cards, just zoomed in to fill the cards. I really want a higher resolution image for Hordeling Outburst, as it's 72dpi, but it doesn't look too bad for now...
I hope that I have followed all the rules, and I apologise profusely if I've missed something!
While playing in a sealed deck this weekend, I decided to go Sultai and built a deck around Abomination of Gudul, Necropolis Fiend, Kheru Dreadmaw and Kheru Bloodsucker. It beat all comers, going 10-0 in 5 rounds, beating a deck with Sidisi and one with Sarkhan in. So, I decided to build it up to a standard size deck, made a few tweaks, and wanted some feedback. I pulled both the Fiend and the Dreadmaw, wanting to focus solely on the drain life aspect of the deck.
Any and all comments welcome, including sideboard suggestions.
After playing against the Sidisi deck, I quite liked the idea of the Rakshasa Vizier which was also in there, so tried to come up with a deck for him too. It's kind of a dump and pump idea, largely based around cards I own (hence no Sidisi!). Again, comments welcomed.
While we have a good discussion going on the deathtouch/arcbond idea that I came up with, I'm going to be playing a slight variant on a Boss Sligh deck at FNM for a while, which our resident budget guru (Nev) gave comments and feedback on. It seems to run fairly well against a friend's Jeskai aggro/midrange deck, but my concern with it is the lack of sideboard.
The deck plays Hordeling Outburst to pump the Denizen and provide an outlet for returning the Phoenixes. The reasoning behind the 1-of cards is simple - I only own one of them! I am working on getting Stokes, maybe a couple of Crater's Claws and more Titan's Strengths. However, I'm concerned with potential matchups against miror decks and also cards that deal 1 to all creatures, or would -1/-1 all my creatures, wiping the board and rendering a large chunk of them useless.
The way I see the sideboard is one of three options.
1. Play the traditional Sligh sideboard and just hope I get things out quicker.
2. Play a sideboard that changes the style of the deck. I read somewhere about a tactic that does this. For example, game 1, Sligh beats down the opponent. Opponent sides in cards to deal with small, quick creatures, and instead I convert the deck
a) Go to a mid-range red, adding cards such as Arrow Storm, bigger creatures, curving the deck to CMC of 4 or even 5 (with a couple of extra land too)
b) Sideboard a completely different colour!
3. Go to FNM first (without a sideboard) and see what types of decks are there, then report back and tailor the sideboard to what's out there, rather than making a sideboard to prepare for decks I won't even face!
The biggest problem I see here is that in order for arcbond to work, you would need them to block or attack into your deathtouch creatures. If they have deathtouch, they probably are already hesitant to block or attack.
Outpost Siege on Dragons, target Heir of the Wilds gives a wipe plus damage, and leaves Heir standing. Either that or drop an Arc Lightning, target the deathtouch creature with 1 point, and the other 2 to the other player...
So, discussion at work today turned to Arcbond, now that I am playing a fairly quick Boss Sligh type deck (thanks Nev!). We started talking about how fun it would be putting it on a deathtouch creature and having it as a board wipe. What do people think about this goal as a feasible deck, especially with budget? Realistically we thought that it would have to be either RG (Arcbond, Heir of the Wild, wipe the board, drop Atarka and delve for a Become Immense), or BG (Arcbond, Typhoid Rats and much more with deathtouch, wipe then dash with Kolaghan and a Temur Battle Rage).
We argued both ways - with RB Kolaghan is cheaper to cast than Atarka, and black has more deathtouch. Crux of Fate would also be a good addition, potentially. However, RG gives more to pump, double strike, and ramp. BUT, regardless of colour combination, we became concerned that a deck like this would be too slow to get going, is very targeted, and easily boarded against.
Sounds good - based on this and your comments in my other thread, I think I've got a Boss Sligh type deck together. I'll playtest it this week and hope things go well!
OK, so based on Nev's comments on my other thread, I'm trying to go mono-red aggro. However, all the deck lists that I see seem to have 4 Goblin Rabblemasters, but I can't afford those right now. What card (or cards) would people recommend as suitable, budget (<$5) alternatives that would fulfil a similar role?
Nev, thanks... That's a lot more detail that in your first post, and has given me some points to think on. I also managed to find some threads with mono-red Sligh decks that you contributed to, so I'll go check those out...
Let me re-think it based on these comments, and I'll try to make up a new deck (and post as a new thread, just so it's not confusing!).
I really want to get those dragons in there though, but aggro is my preferred style of play, and they just seem too slow! Although the Lightning Streaker plays well as a Lava Axe... But then if I want a big 5 cmc damage card, I guess that Arrow Storm after an attack is exactly the same, in essence.
Oh, as for budget - everything I have in the original deck list I own. I could probably swing another $20-25 on this deck right now.
Thanks for the comments... Now for some comebacks, and try to explain myself!
First of all, it's not 3 colours. It's mainly red, with a touch of black. Plan behind that is for options to maybe use Kolaghan or Noxious Dragon. I guess Mardu wasn't the best choice of description, but I figured it was a good word to use with the dash and raid stuff.
CIPT lands - I guess that seeing as it's not a tri-colour deck, I could lose the Nomad Outposts. A CIPT land on turn one isn't actually a big deal, as playing a dashed Mardu Scout instead of a hard-cast Shadowspear is preferable anyway in terms of damage.
I looked up Boss Sligh, and the general consensus was that it's not too competitive in Standard right now with all the life gain stuff. What are your opinions on that? Do you know of any links to budget Boss Sligh decks? Also, bear in mind that this deck was built using cards I already own, in order to keep costs down...
I'ev just got back in to the game, and am trying to get together a deck that will be fairly competitive, but don't want to go out and spend a mint on each card... After hitting the FRF prerelease last weekend, I've got an idea or two to get a Mardu deck together. I like the idea of quick creatures, rushing to their doom, doing damage but not really caring if they die. Just to give you an idea of my mentality, I have been playing a non-standard legal red deck that wins in 3-4 turns consistently.
Anyway, the deck list below is based on cards in my collection currently, and the key component is that I want to be able to keep it on a (student) budget. Any comments and changes are welcome, but please don't suggest additions like Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker or Goblin Rabblemaster as I simply can't afford them. I should also point out that I'm only familiar with KTK and FRF cards (plus a few M15 cards that I've acquired), so if there's any Theros block ones that would fit here, feel free to suggest them!
Not sure whether to swap out Wild Slash for Collateral Damage, and maybe Lightning Shrieker with Flamerush Rider. I was tempted by Mardu Strike Leader too, but without buffs, the tokens are kind of pointless other than roadblocks...
I'm also working on a Temur ramp-type deck, but I'll post that later!
I hope that I have followed all the rules, and I apologise profusely if I've missed something!
EDIT: Forgot the third one!
Any and all comments welcome, including sideboard suggestions.
4 Kheru Bloodsucker
3 Palace Siege
Bloodsucker food
3 Sidisi's Pet
4 Monastery Flock
4 Archers' Parapet
2 Abomination of Gudul
2 Sultai Flayer (double life gain)
3 Ruthless Ripper
2 Embodiment of Spring
4 Disowned Ancestor (also food)
1 Master of the Feast
A bit of control
2 Icefeather Aven
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Dismal Backwater
2 Jungle Hollow
2 Thornwood Falls
11 Swamp
4 Island
3 Forest
After playing against the Sidisi deck, I quite liked the idea of the Rakshasa Vizier which was also in there, so tried to come up with a deck for him too. It's kind of a dump and pump idea, largely based around cards I own (hence no Sidisi!). Again, comments welcomed.
3 Rakshasa Vizier
4 Tuskguard Captain
4 Satyr Wayfinder
2 Torrent Elemental
Mill enchantments
2 Sultai Ascendancy
2 Nyx Weaver
3 Scout the Borders
3 Sultai Charm
3 Commune with the Gods
4 Become Immense
Control
4 Rakshasa's Disdain
4 Stubborn Denial
2 Thornwood Falls
2 Jungle Hollow
1 Dismal Backwater
8 Forest
6 Island
3 Swamp
1 Titan's Strength
4 Wild Slash
4 Foundry Street Denizen
4 Collateral Damage
1 Monastery Swiftspear
3 War-Name Aspirant
2 Borderland Marauder
2 Lightning Strike
3 Valley Dasher
4 Hordeling Outburst
3 Flamewake Phoenix
The deck plays Hordeling Outburst to pump the Denizen and provide an outlet for returning the Phoenixes. The reasoning behind the 1-of cards is simple - I only own one of them! I am working on getting Stokes, maybe a couple of Crater's Claws and more Titan's Strengths. However, I'm concerned with potential matchups against miror decks and also cards that deal 1 to all creatures, or would -1/-1 all my creatures, wiping the board and rendering a large chunk of them useless.
The way I see the sideboard is one of three options.
1. Play the traditional Sligh sideboard and just hope I get things out quicker.
2. Play a sideboard that changes the style of the deck. I read somewhere about a tactic that does this. For example, game 1, Sligh beats down the opponent. Opponent sides in cards to deal with small, quick creatures, and instead I convert the deck
a) Go to a mid-range red, adding cards such as Arrow Storm, bigger creatures, curving the deck to CMC of 4 or even 5 (with a couple of extra land too)
b) Sideboard a completely different colour!
3. Go to FNM first (without a sideboard) and see what types of decks are there, then report back and tailor the sideboard to what's out there, rather than making a sideboard to prepare for decks I won't even face!
Outpost Siege on Dragons, target Heir of the Wilds gives a wipe plus damage, and leaves Heir standing. Either that or drop an Arc Lightning, target the deathtouch creature with 1 point, and the other 2 to the other player...
We argued both ways - with RB Kolaghan is cheaper to cast than Atarka, and black has more deathtouch. Crux of Fate would also be a good addition, potentially. However, RG gives more to pump, double strike, and ramp. BUT, regardless of colour combination, we became concerned that a deck like this would be too slow to get going, is very targeted, and easily boarded against.
Any feedback/opinions on how to improve?
Let me re-think it based on these comments, and I'll try to make up a new deck (and post as a new thread, just so it's not confusing!).
I really want to get those dragons in there though, but aggro is my preferred style of play, and they just seem too slow! Although the Lightning Streaker plays well as a Lava Axe... But then if I want a big 5 cmc damage card, I guess that Arrow Storm after an attack is exactly the same, in essence.
Oh, as for budget - everything I have in the original deck list I own. I could probably swing another $20-25 on this deck right now.
Much appreciated!
First of all, it's not 3 colours. It's mainly red, with a touch of black. Plan behind that is for options to maybe use Kolaghan or Noxious Dragon. I guess Mardu wasn't the best choice of description, but I figured it was a good word to use with the dash and raid stuff.
CIPT lands - I guess that seeing as it's not a tri-colour deck, I could lose the Nomad Outposts. A CIPT land on turn one isn't actually a big deal, as playing a dashed Mardu Scout instead of a hard-cast Shadowspear is preferable anyway in terms of damage.
I looked up Boss Sligh, and the general consensus was that it's not too competitive in Standard right now with all the life gain stuff. What are your opinions on that? Do you know of any links to budget Boss Sligh decks? Also, bear in mind that this deck was built using cards I already own, in order to keep costs down...
I'ev just got back in to the game, and am trying to get together a deck that will be fairly competitive, but don't want to go out and spend a mint on each card... After hitting the FRF prerelease last weekend, I've got an idea or two to get a Mardu deck together. I like the idea of quick creatures, rushing to their doom, doing damage but not really caring if they die. Just to give you an idea of my mentality, I have been playing a non-standard legal red deck that wins in 3-4 turns consistently.
Anyway, the deck list below is based on cards in my collection currently, and the key component is that I want to be able to keep it on a (student) budget. Any comments and changes are welcome, but please don't suggest additions like Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker or Goblin Rabblemaster as I simply can't afford them. I should also point out that I'm only familiar with KTK and FRF cards (plus a few M15 cards that I've acquired), so if there's any Theros block ones that would fit here, feel free to suggest them!
3 Wild Slash
3 Borderland Marauder
3 War-Name Aspirant
3 Mardu Scout
2 Flamewake Phoenix
2 Gore Swine
2 Hooded Assassin
3 Arc Lightning
3 Goblin Heelcutter
2 Arrow Storm
2 Lightning Shrieker
1 Shockmaw Dragon
4 Nomad Outpost
4 Bloodfell Caves
11 Mountain
4 Swamp
Not sure whether to swap out Wild Slash for Collateral Damage, and maybe Lightning Shrieker with Flamerush Rider. I was tempted by Mardu Strike Leader too, but without buffs, the tokens are kind of pointless other than roadblocks...
I'm also working on a Temur ramp-type deck, but I'll post that later!