[Primer] RW Artifact Control aka "Boros Kitty"

[zemanjaski]

I like Celestial Purge and Electrickery vs. hexproof; but COP: Green is probably more elegant.

[hamfactorial]

With all the card drawing we have access to (and land-fetching with Mycosynth), it's reasonable to hit land drops for the first 4-5 turns. Since the early game is important, I've been interested in having Searing Blaze somewhere in the maindeck. In the mirror (sup Gorilla Shaman), and with heavy use of Atog, I get knocked off of Metalcraft and my Galvanic Blasts are just Shock.

Losing Metalcraft definitely lost me a mirror match where I had a hand full of Galvanic Blasts vs. a field of 2/3s after we got through the Gorilla Shaman land destruction midgame war.

I play this deck tapout style, so having to main-phase it doesn't cause me any discomfort. We can generate landfall with Glint Hawk, Kor Skyfisher, Sanctum Gargoyle and
Mycosynth Wellspring.

[zemanjaski]

I think we must play quite differently, I don't feel I need as much removal?

[hamfactorial]

Better lucky than good, I suppose. If I could have just drawn the damn cards I needed this morning, I wouldn't be worrying about Galvanic Blast.

[DarthStabber]

You could just run chain lightning instead of galvanic blast. It's not as synergistic, but it's reliable.

[hamfactorial]

[deck=Boros Kitty: Chopped and Screwed]
Creatures:14
4 Glint Hawk
4 Kor Skyfisher
3 Atog
3 Sanctum Gargoyle

Lands:20
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
4 Forgotten Cave
6 Mountain
2 Plains

Artifacts:14
4 Prophetic Prism
4 Ichor Wellspring
3 Origin Spellbomb
3 Mycosynth Wellspring

Enchantments:4
4 Journey to Nowhere

Instants and Sorceries:8
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Galvanic Blast

Sideboard:15
4 Pyroblast
3 Gorilla Shaman
3 Circle of Protection: Green
3 Circle of Protection: Red
2 Electrickery[/deck]

Forgotten Cave has been an interesting addition and a surprisingly good experiment. Sometimes I have to play it T1 and I feel dumb, but in the mid-game I cycle it quite often and draw into fresh gas. Z likes Faithless Looting, but I have terrible luck with it. Either I don't play it right (likely) or I've just been unlucky. Forgotten Cave gives me a cantrip effect without taking up a spell slot,
and it's a tapland (replacing Boros Guildgate) at the very worst.

I saw Origin Spellbomb and overlooked it, because a 1/1 golem token isn't exciting. But then I read it again and realized that it creates an artifact creature token. No more losing metalcraft, and it gives Atog 2 pumps. It also cantrips if I have [mana]W[/mana] up, which is some good value.

With 14 maindeck non-creature artifacts, Metalcraft is more reliable now, so the Galvanic Blasts are back in.

6 Mountain / 2 Plains might be too light for white mana.

2013-12-04 Testing -

1-0 vs. MBC
1-0 vs. UR DelverFiend
1-0 vs. Mono-Green Stompy (COP: Green is the bomb)

[Jack]

How does everyone sideboard with this deck? Sometimes, I can see appropriate cuts (usually Lightning Bolts for more effective removal), but sometimes I just find myself cutting a lot of 4th copies of cards. Do we ever side out certain creatures?

[hamfactorial]

I'm usually taking out some quantity of Mycosynth Wellspring, Origin Spellbomb or the 3rd Atog, especially if I'm on the draw against an aggressive deck.

VS. MBC
No need to sideboard, though I've sometimes brought 2 Electrickery in for a Spellbomb or Mycosynth when I see lots of x/1s.

VS. GW Hexproof
+2 Electrickery
+3 COP: Green
-4 Lightning Bolt
-1 Prophetic Prism

I leave the JtN in because they run Aura Gnarlid which is difficult to burn out in the late game.

VS. Delver/UR Cyclops
+4 Pyroblast
-1 Atog
-3 Origin Spellbomb

VS. Burn
-4 Journey to Nowhere
+3 Circle of Protection: Red
+1 Electrickery

Mull aggressively for COP, they can't win through one.

VS. Mirror
+3 Gorilla Shaman
+1 COP: Red
-4 Glint Hawk

The Hawks suck in the mirror. Atog is a beater here, and as long as you prioritize getting out basics before artifact lands, you can avoid Gorilla Shaman
blowouts.

You can also bring in Electrickery if they're running Kuldotha Rebirth from the stock list.

VS. Affinity
+3 Gorilla Shaman
+3 COP: Red
-4 Lightning Bolt
-2 Prophetic Prism

Most of their dudes have 4 toughness, so bolt sucks. They often win by sacrificing their lands and Flinging an Atog, so COP: Red is your friend.

VS. Stompy
+3 COP: Green
-3 Prophetic Prism

Atog helps a lot here and Prism is the worst artifact to sac to him.

[zemanjaski]

Updated the primer with a bunch of content.

[hamfactorial]

[deck]Borosfactorial[/deck]

Welp, I went and screwed the deck up until it plays in a style that I'm comfortable with. I prefer more aggressive strategies, and this lets me put a clock on without durdling around as much. It can still play the "bounce artifacts until everyone is asleep" game, but it has some more aggressive cards to actually help me win the game after I've dealt with the board.

Darksteel
Pendant has been great for me, contributing to Metalcraft and letting me scry 1 every turn to get rid of dead late-game draws.

Porcelain Legionnaire is a flexible creature that adds to Metalcraft, can be cast with any combination of land, can be bounced with Glint Hawk, and gladly offers himself up to Atog (after first strike damage, of course) if needed. It also lets me trade with the best hexproof bogle opener (T1 hexproof guy, T2 Abundant Growth Ethereal Armor to make a 3/3 first striker) while I'm on the draw. There's very little in Pauper that can attack into a 3 power first striker.

I put Relic of Progenitus in the sideboard to deal with a really irritating mono-black Zombies deck that I keep facing in the morning. I think we share a timezone. Feel free to drop these if you aren't facing any graveyard recursion decks, they're a very small portion of the real Pauper metagame. I'd put the 4th Pyroblast in, and probably a 3rd
Electrickery.

[Zooligan]

Updated list from The Pauper Gauntlet Season 2:

[deck=Vaultboyhunter's Boros Kitty Pauper Gauntlet 2]Creatures (12)
4 Glint Hawk
4 Kor Skyfisher
4 Squadron Hawk

Instants (9)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Galvanic Blast
1 Electrostatic Bolt

Artifacts (13)
4 Ichor Wellspring
4 Prophetic Prism
3 Origin Spellbomb
2 Bonesplitter

Sorceries (3)
3 Kuldotha Rebirth

Enchantments (3)
3 Journey to Nowhere

Lands (20)
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
4 Kabria Crossroads
4 Plains
4 Mountains
Sideboard (15)
3 Gorilla Shaman
3 Pyroblast
2 Children of Korlis
2 Electrostatic Bolt
3 Circle of Protection: Green
2 Obsidian Acolyte[/deck]

Vaultboy's extensive SB plan:

Mono Black Control

I feel that this is the deck has the smallest amount of answers available in the format. I also think between being a great control deck with cards like Chittering Rats, Unearth and swingy cards like Gray Merchant of Asphodel and untargeted removal like Geth's Verdict makes the deck very resilient to early game damage, and hard to reach critical mass of creatures against. I think this will proably be the most troublesome match up for Boros Kitty in the field. Just getting to 5, dropping a Gary, and erasing all the hard work Boros Kitty has put in is a little soul crushing.

Out: 3 Origin Spellbomb, 2 Bonesplitter, 1Journey to Nowhere
The Spellbomb is a little too weak in the match up. Bonesplitter will often end up with nothing to carry it, and the Journey being a sorcery speed effect it just ends up being put on top of your library to a will timed rat.

In: 2 Obsidian Acolyte, 2 Children of Korlis, 2 Electrostatic Bolt
The Acolyte and Children are the anti-black package in the deck. With both you never play them on an empty board. You always play the Acolyte with mana up to give other creatures protection. Playing both after Rebirthing with at least one White mana up is probably the best way to go. The Children are a good answer to Grey Merchant, and the Acolyte gets you around spot removal. The Bolt is instant speed way to keep devotion counts low, it burns Rats, Bats, and all the odd ball x/1 and x/2 creatures that Black gets at common.


Delver/Mono Blue Control

Fast and controlling. this deck is every bit as strong as you think it is. The good part is Boros Kitty is strong against Delver due to it having a much longer Grindy nature.

Out: 2 Bonesplitter, 3 Journey to Nowhere
Your creatures are actually good enough to get around Delvers creatures so you don't need to pump them with the Splitter. Journey is a step too slow at sorcery speed, and having a Journey bounced going into attacks is a kick in the butt.

In: 3 Pyroblast, 2 Electrostatic Shock
Pyroblast is no surprise I would think. It's the best answer you have to Counterspell. Remember of course that the Delver player from Turn Two on to the end of game wants to counter counter counter. The two E Shocks come in to give more instant speed creature kill as you can kill everything from Delver to Spire Golem with it. Cast everything you can on your opponents turn, you want to tax their mana as much as you can.


Affinity

All in Aggro. Free spells. Combo with Atog and Disciple. This is always a Tough Matchup.

Out 2 Bonesplitter, 3 Origin Spellbomb, 3 Ichor Wellspring
Splitter is not going to help you race. Spellbomb is too slow. Wellspring is too durdley in the face of pure aggression.

In: 3 Pyroblast, 2 Electrostatic Shock, 3 Gorilla Shaman
You must Pyroblast every Thoughtcast and or Perilous Research you can. If you can get Affinity out of Gas you are halfway to winning. E shock can burn all the artifact creatures, it can help keep your opponent off Disciple, and make them Sac artifacts to Atog at bad times for them. The Mox Monkeys are in to remove anything and everything that has 0 cost. Artifact lands are its main target. Keeping them from Metalcraft is great. The Monkey is an allstar for sure.


Tron

Big mana, big beats. The most Common are the RUG builds. Mono red is a Rouge Vs, which you should have an easier time to race.

Out: 3 Origin Spellbomb, 1 Electrostatic Bolt, 2 Ichor Wellspring
Again too slow for the Spellbomb, the Bolt has less attractive targets, and the Wellspring is to do nothing in the matchup.

In: 3 Pyroblast, 3 Circle of Protection:Green
The Pyroblast should be held to blast Mulldrifters, and Sea Gate Oracle, keeping Tron off extra cards is a great way to win. COP Green to shut down Marauder/Aurochs beats. Straight forward sideboard plan. Control the draw, shut down half of the other decks offence and beat down with effective creatures.


Hexproof/Slivers/Elves

Green Based Aggro. Not top tier by any means. Hexproof is strong against targeted removal, but weak against COPs, and flying beats.

Out: 3 Origin Spellbomb or VS Hexproof 3 Journey to Nowhere
In: 3 Circle of Protection:Green

Again straight forward. Stick a COP and you have shut down so much of what they can do, that they auto scoop a bunch. Flying Creatures with Bonesplitters really help in this match up. Not much you have to do.


Burn

Flames to the face.

Out: 2 Ichor Wellspring
In: 2 Children of Korlis

You already have the main deck Crossroads to eek out small amount of life gain, and that's really the Burn decks worst fear. The Children can give you a little swing if you need it.


White Weenie

Little Dudes coming at you with high velocity.

Out: 2 Ichor Wellspring
In: 2 Electrostatic Bolt

A larger removal suite. The Bolts can take out everything in the deck, and give you just a little more reach. Again the grindy nature of Boros Kitty should be a great help in the matchup.


Familiar

Esper using Familiars to reduce cost and combo out. Not as good as when Cloudpost was in the format. One of the few combo light decks in the format.

Out: 3 Origin Spellbomb, 2 Bonesplitter
In: 3 Pyroblast, 2 Electrostatic Bolt

Blast is to disrupt Ghostly Flicker and Mnemonic Wall the other two Bolts can help with Familiars and Mulldrifters, and the worst of the worst Cloud of Faeries Kill on sight. By any means necessary.


Mirror

Epic Battle awaits you.

Out: 2 Ichor Wellspring, 3 Origin Spellbomb
In: 3 Gorilla Shaman, 2 Electrostatic Bolts

Shamans help slow Metalcraft, and the Bolts add extra removal. In a deck with fairly low threat density just removing 2-3 creatures it can really help. Expect either a short game you are in control of, or long grindy game.


Dimir Control

Slow Black Blue control with discard and counters. No a common deck in the format. Grindy should win out long term

Out: 3 Journey to Nowhere
In: 3 Pyroblast

There is not much you need to do. Instant speed removal is better than sorcery speed, and taxing their mana by casting spells on their turn is the best thing you can do.


Izzet control

A mirrior to Dimir Control but with more Burn.

Out: 3 Journey to Nowhere, 2 Bonesplitter
In: 3 Pyroblast, 2 Children of Korlis

Keep them off counters and swing back some life lost with a few Children if you can. This is also a sideboard that would be fine if you run into Eyecandy/Delver Fiend. Against Fiend you will also want to cut 2 Origin Spellbombs and bring in 2 Electrostatic Bolts


So ends the sideboard plan. The main deck is typically very strong against rogue durdly decks. Against blue counter based control Spellbombs Wellsprings or Journey are good cuts to bring in Pyroblasts. The format isn't as Rouge as it once was though, you find you are playing against established decks more often than not, and the most established decks are included in the primer.