Papa Thor, I have had fun with a pre-rotation Goblins deck on Arena and hope it gets better with Guilds, but those Path to Mettle and Swiftblade Vindicator are just waiting for someone to figure out a sweet Boros aggro deck.
It appears I intuited the Harsh Mentor SB option for Temur Energy, although it appears Javier ran Aethersphere Harvester vs. Skysovereign (my place holder) for 3/5 flyer with life gain, my list wasn't too far off. It looks like there wasn't too much innovation at Worlds, what 3-4 deck archetypes? Which means I will see more control decks Tuesday night for Standard at my LGS. I like the idea of Kari Zev in the side to steal and cast a freebie may be a corner turner. Definitely going to drop Ferocidon in as I had mused before.
I found my Scavenger Grounds last night so it is in the deck. Harsh Mentor was thrown in because I couldn't find (again found them last night) my Chandra's Defeats, and in case of any decks doing durdling things but I did not side them in. The Skysovereign, Consul Flagship is a placeholder for a fourth Chandra I am waiting on (its in the mail). My thought was I could use Ahn-crop Crasher to crew and fly over if the ground gets gummed up if anyone was going wide, or on any dino plan.
Match 2 was another brew r/u artifacts with Reckless Fireweaver, he got me game one dropping 3 Fireweavers in a row while I could not draw direct damage. I trounced him games 2-3.
Match 3 was against Temur Energy on the Scarab God plan. I got this one 2-0, although the second game he got a Scarab God out and I dropped tandem Ahn-crop Crashers to clamp down every other turn. He went to make a Zombie and Scavenger Grounds did its job.
Match 4 was u/w Approach. Again 2-0. Game 1 I rolled over him. After sideboard he had accessed counter magic and I ran out bait for the first 4 turns before dropping a Chandra and riding her to an emblem while doing 2 points a turn. Emblem, spell, sacrifice a Desert and it was over.
My list was not ideal as I couldn't find (although I have them amongst my cards) my second Scavenger Ground,my 2 Chandra's Defeats, and I am lacking a forth Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
Prerelease was awesome, got a couple of things for the deck, but I pulled an invention and got an offer of 2 sealed boxes of Kaladesh this Friday, that should help get some goodies.
I was glad to see the Battlements, providing Haste to a Borderland Murderer is great, to a Hanweir Garrison it is awesome! I needed to adjust to sequencing my mana correctly, the hand lands, Glades, and basic mana do require thoughtful play. I only had that one time where I mulliganed down to 4 and had one land and it was a Battlements. I noticed most pilots play two, but getting one out on time is crucial to the mid-game swing. The Bushwhacker is too the early game what Haste on a Hanweir Garrison at the right time and to start those tokens coming down is too the mid. The threat of the Meld lurks in the opponents mind if he is familiar with the land, a couple of my opponents were paying attention and asked when it could Meld. Melding and getting those Eldrazi Horrors tokens feels really good.
Match 1 vs Mono Red: 2-1 Very similar decks except I have the Commands and Collective Defiance. Game one was quick as I was on curve and the Hanweir Garrison closed out the show. Game 2 He was able to sneak an Impetuous Devils in to finish in a tight race. Game 3 was double Hanweir Garrison with a concession.
Match 2 vs Fevered Visions: 2-0 This deck was piloted by Donald Mason one the better players in our area, he had feature match at the GP last weekend against Jarvis Yu. I had to play thoughtfully and when he dropped the Visions I was able to play out my one drops avoiding any damage. Game 2 he had a slow hand on mana and I could draw what seemed to be only creatures. I had dropped a Lightning Berserker with a Surged Bushwhacker and got him down. Tried a Collective Defiance which got countered, then dropped a Village Messeger with double Bushwhackers for lethal.
Match 3 vs Bant CoCo: 0-2 Originally the pairing had me facing Victor who was on G/R Emrakul Ramp, but someone had dropped and they had dropped the wrong player and I got re-paired. Game 1 got him to 5 on 4 mana and he came back when I flooded. Game 2 was a mulligan down to 4 with 1 Hanweir Battlement and mana screw. The pilot knew it was messed up and was gracious even though I was hot, but I shook his hand and told him its cool, just variance.
Match 4 vs Bant Spirits: 1-1 Game one was pretty tight and went about 20 mins due to Pulse of Murasa, game two went longer with him able to get his Reflector mages and Rattlechains going while I couldn’t find any burn, just Puls of Murasa twice. Game 3 went to turns, I had him low but he wouldn’t concede.
It was fun I got to meld the Garrison/Battlements once vs Bant Spirits but Relector Mage sent it back to my hands. I will try some tweaks and play it again this Tuesday.
I played Thursday Night Magic at my LGS and had 3 rounds of play and finished 4th. I played JonInWherever's list with a couple of tweaks. Here is what I played:
Match 1 vs Bant CoCo: 1-2 Lost the dice toss game 1 and was stuck on 2 lands too long. Game 2 on the play I rolled over him too fast with the nut draw. Game 3 Again stuck on 2 lands too long and couldn't come back. Opponent asked how many lands I was running and I told him and he said sorry about the variance.
Match 2 vs Grixis Control: 2-1 Again lost the dice toss and stuck on 2 lands...sheesh! Game 2 on the play and a good curve out for game over. Game 3 was a battle but Collective Defiance pulls out the win.
Match 3 vs Abzan Ingest brew: Lost the dice roll again, stuck on 2 and then flood. Game 2 on the play and Thermo-Burn does the job. Game 3 I get the Hanweir Garrison/Township on the draw with 2 mountains and a Borderland Murderer and Incendary Flow and Thermo Alchemist. I drop the Murderer to test the waters and it gets Ultimate Price, Draw another Garrison and drop the first which gets Silkwrapped. He drops Eldrazi Displacer which I Flow into Exile. I get Another Garrison down for Tokens Galore but only draw 1 more Mountain before I finish him.
I think I may go back to my Burning Fever list from last week.
Would a 3-3 split on Firecraft/Defiance be better? I like Defiance's versatility but Firecraft's better at closing the game or eliminating a Planeswalker. That may just be my personal preference.
That may be a good plan actionandy, with the prevalence of Burning Visions decks out there the spell mastery may be relevant.
What do you use Twin Bolt in a sideboard against? I've been using Savage Alliance to deal with 1 toughness creatures. It's a little more expensive, but more versatile.
it's there for:
1. Spirit decks
2. players who cast Secure the Wastes end of turn then sac creatures to Westvale Abbey, which is a popular strategy here.
3. Mirror match? nah, i'm the only RDW player here.
What is the order of priority with the opponents Secure the Wastes and your Twin Bolt?
Attune with Aether
Rogue Refiner
Rampaging Ferocidon
Ramunap Ruins
UH, I thought Ramunap Ruins was appropriately costed, WTH?
With the 4C Energy decks gaining popularity with Hostage Taker and The Scarab God, what are the thoughts on handling this? I am thinking of a one of Rampaging Ferocidon as well. Settle the Wreckage is a really good card and a pain in the butt.
4 Ahn-Crop Crasher
4 Earthshaker Khenra
4 Soul-Scar Mage
4 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
14 Mountain
4 Ramunap Ruins
1 Scavenger Grounds
1 Grasping Dunes
4 Sunscorched Desert
Sideboard
Match 1 was against a Mardu Brew abusing Settle the WreckageIxalan's Binding Sanguine Sacrament Approach of the Second SunCrested Sunmare Sunbird's Invocation. This was a seriously killer brew and the only match I lost 1-2. Game one I was stuck on 1 red mana forever. Game 3 he got double Sunbird while I flooded.
Match 2 was another brew r/u artifacts with Reckless Fireweaver, he got me game one dropping 3 Fireweavers in a row while I could not draw direct damage. I trounced him games 2-3.
Match 3 was against Temur Energy on the Scarab God plan. I got this one 2-0, although the second game he got a Scarab God out and I dropped tandem Ahn-crop Crashers to clamp down every other turn. He went to make a Zombie and Scavenger Grounds did its job.
Match 4 was u/w Approach. Again 2-0. Game 1 I rolled over him. After sideboard he had accessed counter magic and I ran out bait for the first 4 turns before dropping a Chandra and riding her to an emblem while doing 2 points a turn. Emblem, spell, sacrifice a Desert and it was over.
My list was not ideal as I couldn't find (although I have them amongst my cards) my second Scavenger Ground,my 2 Chandra's Defeats, and I am lacking a forth Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
4 Cinder Glade
10 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
3 Hanweir Battlements
3 Zurgo Bellstriker
3 Borderland Marauder
3 Village Messenger
3 Lightning Berserker
4 Hanweir Garrison
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
2 Exquisite Firecraft
4 Atarka's Command
4 Galvanic Bombardment
4 Incendiary Flow
2 Tears of Valakut
3 Rending Volley
2 Exquisite Firecraft
4 Impetuous Devils
2 Clip Wings
3 Pulse of Murasa
Match 1 vs Mono Red: 2-1 Very similar decks except I have the Commands and Collective Defiance. Game one was quick as I was on curve and the Hanweir Garrison closed out the show. Game 2 He was able to sneak an Impetuous Devils in to finish in a tight race. Game 3 was double Hanweir Garrison with a concession.
Match 2 vs Fevered Visions: 2-0 This deck was piloted by Donald Mason one the better players in our area, he had feature match at the GP last weekend against Jarvis Yu. I had to play thoughtfully and when he dropped the Visions I was able to play out my one drops avoiding any damage. Game 2 he had a slow hand on mana and I could draw what seemed to be only creatures. I had dropped a Lightning Berserker with a Surged Bushwhacker and got him down. Tried a Collective Defiance which got countered, then dropped a Village Messeger with double Bushwhackers for lethal.
Match 3 vs Bant CoCo: 0-2 Originally the pairing had me facing Victor who was on G/R Emrakul Ramp, but someone had dropped and they had dropped the wrong player and I got re-paired. Game 1 got him to 5 on 4 mana and he came back when I flooded. Game 2 was a mulligan down to 4 with 1 Hanweir Battlement and mana screw. The pilot knew it was messed up and was gracious even though I was hot, but I shook his hand and told him its cool, just variance.
Match 4 vs Bant Spirits: 1-1 Game one was pretty tight and went about 20 mins due to Pulse of Murasa, game two went longer with him able to get his Reflector mages and Rattlechains going while I couldn’t find any burn, just Puls of Murasa twice. Game 3 went to turns, I had him low but he wouldn’t concede.
It was fun I got to meld the Garrison/Battlements once vs Bant Spirits but Relector Mage sent it back to my hands. I will try some tweaks and play it again this Tuesday.
2 Hanweir Battlements
18 Mountain
Creatures
3 Lightning Berserker
3 Zurgo Bellstriker
4 Falkenrath Gorger
4 Borderland Marauder
4 Thermo-Alchemist
4 Hanweir Garrison
4 Galvanic Bombardment
4 Incendiary Flow
4 Collective Defiance
4 Exquisite Firecraft
1 Molten Vortex
4 Impetuous Devils
2 Roast
2 Twin Bolt
3 Rending Volley
3 Weaver of Lightning
Match 1 vs Bant CoCo: 1-2 Lost the dice toss game 1 and was stuck on 2 lands too long. Game 2 on the play I rolled over him too fast with the nut draw. Game 3 Again stuck on 2 lands too long and couldn't come back. Opponent asked how many lands I was running and I told him and he said sorry about the variance.
Match 2 vs Grixis Control: 2-1 Again lost the dice toss and stuck on 2 lands...sheesh! Game 2 on the play and a good curve out for game over. Game 3 was a battle but Collective Defiance pulls out the win.
Match 3 vs Abzan Ingest brew: Lost the dice roll again, stuck on 2 and then flood. Game 2 on the play and Thermo-Burn does the job. Game 3 I get the Hanweir Garrison/Township on the draw with 2 mountains and a Borderland Murderer and Incendary Flow and Thermo Alchemist. I drop the Murderer to test the waters and it gets Ultimate Price, Draw another Garrison and drop the first which gets Silkwrapped. He drops Eldrazi Displacer which I Flow into Exile. I get Another Garrison down for Tokens Galore but only draw 1 more Mountain before I finish him.
I think I may go back to my Burning Fever list from last week.
That may be a good plan actionandy, with the prevalence of Burning Visions decks out there the spell mastery may be relevant.
4 Game Trail
10 Mountain
3 Forest
2 Hanweir Battlements
2 Zurgo Bellstriker
2 Lightning Berserker
4 Gnarlwood Dryad
3 Borderland Marauder
4 Noose Constrictor
3 Hanweir Garrison
3 Bedlam Reveler
4 Fiery Temper
2 Lightning Axe
4 Collective Defiance
2 Exquisite Firecraft
3 Pulse of Murasa
2 Tears of Valakut
2 Rending Volley
2 Exquisite Firecraft
4 Impetuous Devils
2 Clip Wings
SB is not set in stone, but the build is looks good in theory. Any thoughts or suggestions?
What is the order of priority with the opponents Secure the Wastes and your Twin Bolt?