So, I Heard You Like Red...

[RaidaTheBlade]

Do you like the color Red?
Do you play for fun?
Do you want to not win that often, but have a hell of a time doing so?

Well then do I have a deck for you!


All joking aside, this is my very thematic Mono-Red Legendaries deck. It's doesn't win all the time, but it is a LOT of fun to play if you're a fan of red like me.

[deck]
Commander (1)
1x Ashling the Pilgrim

Creatures (27)
1x Adamaro, First to Desire
1x Akroma, Angel of Fury
1x Brass Squire
1x Feldon of the Third Path
1x Godo, Bandit Warlord
1x Heartless Hidetsugu
1x Homura, Human Ascendant
1x Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
1x Jeska, Warrior Adept
1x Kamahl, Pit Fighter
1x Karn, Silver Golem
1x Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1x Krenko, Mob Boss
1x Kumano, Master Yamabushi
1x Lovisa Coldeyes
1x Magus of the Moon
1x Maraxus of Keld
1x Marton Stromgald
1x Purphoros, God of the Forge
1x Rakka Mar
1x Ryusei, the Falling Star
1x Squee, Goblin Nabob
1x Stigma Lasher
1x Tahngarth, Talruum Hero
1x Tuktuk the Explorer
1x Urabrask the Hidden
1x Zo-Zu the Punisher

Artifacts (23)
1x Akroma's Memorial
1x Argentum Armor
1x Champion's Helm
1x Darksteel Plate
1x Deathrender
1x Extraplanar Lens
1x General's Kabuto
1x Helm of Kaldra
1x Heroes' Podium
1x Loxodon Warhammer
1x Moonsilver Spear
1x Nim Deathmantle
1x Scythe of the Wretched
1x Shield of Kaldra
1x Sol Ring
1x Staff of Nin
1x Strata Scythe
1x Sword of Kaldra
1x Sword of Vengeance
1x Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang
1x Tenza, Godo's Maul
1x That Which Was Taken
1x Whispersilk Cloak
Planeswalker (2)
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
1x Koth of the Hammer

Enchantments (9)
1x Blood Moon
1x Braid of Fire
1x Burning Earth
1x Citadel of Pain
1x Leyline of Punishment
1x Price of Glory
1x Stranglehold
1x Sulfuric Vortex
1x War's Toll

Sorcery (1)
1x Ruination

Lands (37)
1x Homeward Path
32x Mountain
1x Rogue's Passage
1x Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1x Thawing Glaciers
1x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
[/deck]




The deck has four main pieces: (Besides the overall legendary theme)
1) Legendary Creatures. All of your favorite red legends from throughout the games history are right here waiting for you. The choices are a mix of quality and flavor, though the two overlap in many places.
2) Support Artifacts. Several powerful artifacts that help out the deck and its creatures. Several of these are legendary in their own right, as that is the overall theme of the deck.
3) Equipment. Some of the best and most flavorful equipment I could put hands on. I'm honestly on a budget, so I'm missing classics like the Swords Of ___ and ___, or batterskull, but the ones chosen are still pretty dang awesome. A lot of these are also legendary, to fit the theme of the deck.
4) Punishment. Well, we ARE a red deck, and besides, who likes those pesky control/blue players anyway? So this section is filled with lots of lovely cards designed to mess with our control-oriented opponents.

There's also some small number of nonlegendary creatures who are in there for utility, and a few other such utility cards in the deck.




Another fun thing about the theme, is that there are plenty of very thematic cards not currently included in the list. This allows for the theme to stay intact while you modify it for personal taste and metagame.
Some of my favorite choices that aren't currently in are:
Fumiko the Lowblood - Not my personal speed, but can be fun.
Skyfire Kirin - It's flying and looks cool. Not super useful without more arcane/spirits
Rorix Bladewing - Big Stompy Flier. Also a dragon.
Bosh, Iron Golem - The deck has several expensive artifacts for him to throw. Issue is that we LIKE the artifacts.
Balthor the Stout - I love this little guy. He just doesn't have enough targets in the deck.
Diaochan, Artful Beauty - Creature removal in red. Only issue is that it tends to kill one of our creatures in return.
Starke of Rath - Same deal as Diaochan. I like him a little better though.
Eron the Relentless - Has regenerate. In red. God bless homelands.
Chandler - Good if pesky Deretti decks are popular in your meta
Joven - Chandler's best buddy, and compliments him nicely.
Manabarbs - Yay punishment!
Boil - Islands are so overrated anyway.
Boiling Seas - Second verse, same as the first.
Mana Web - Your turn or mine. Pick one. A bit repetitive with war's toll. Sucks to draw both.
Grappling Hook - Double strike and can call out its target. Good but expensive on the mana
Mountain Stronghold - For when you need to be that guy. I like it, but it doesn't tap for mana, and not really able to find a non-land slot for it yet.




So yeah... It's a really fun and flavorful deck, and I love it

[Stardust]

All of your favorite red legends from throughout the games history are right here waiting for you.

My favourite red legend is Kiki-Jiki, thank you very much.

Is there a reason why you're not playing Gauntlet of Power or Caged Sun? I personally like them a whole lot more than Extraplanar Lens, but that might be a difference in meta - if I ever controlled a Lens, someone would blow it up immediately just for the joy of getting the 2 for 1.

One of the more busted things Ashling can do for you is gain a couple hundred life when she explodes. Have you considered Basilisk Collar (or Batterskull, but I see you mentioned that as being too expensive)? Collar is also great on Hidetsugu, Jaya, Jeska, Kamahl, Kumano and Ryusei. It should definitely have a place in this deck.

[RaidaTheBlade]

Kiki doesn't really fit amazingly well here, sadly ;-;

I did consider them, but extraplanar was added in a slightly earlier version of the deck, when getting to 5 or 6 mana was not nearly as reliable. With this version (I added 2 extra lands) gauntlet or caged may end up being better. If I were to use one of them, it'd be caged most likely. The reason I haven't swapped yet, is that I really like having the doubled mana as early as possible, since it helps the deck's top-heavy-ness a lot.

Basilisk collar was included in the card pool when I was first building the deck, but got cut because there wasn't room. It's a great card, but the deck is very big on flavor, and it sadly doesn't feel that epic. It is one of the equipment in my little notepad document that functions as a shortlist for things.

I will say that Batterskull and Sword of Feast and Famine are also on my shortlist to add. Those are the two equipment that I feel fit really well, and still feel very epic.


On another note, I forgot to mention that Ashling is a begrudging commander. I use her because it means that I always having something to play turn 2, and she gives me a reliable mana-sink if I have braid or extra mana. Not married to her though e.e




Anyway, I wouldn't be opposed to adding the collar, I just don't think I like it more than anything I currently have. Anything you would cut?

[Stardust]

You've got a few weak artifacts, stuff that's not bad exactly, but that usually doesn't make the cut for me. I'd be looking to replace Deathrender, General's Kabuto, Moonsilver Spear, That Which Was Taken and Whispersilk Cloak. The Cloak, for example, is probably just worse than Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots since I feel like you don't really have any particularly big guys who need to swing in.

[RaidaTheBlade]

The spear and the kabuto are in for flavor, not gonna really take those out. Deathrender I can see, though I wanted to give it a chance. Still haven't seen it in a game yet, sadly. That which was taken is a legendary, and again was in for flavor and the ability to make things indestructible.

Cloak vs greaves vs boots is a thought I've gone through a lot, and I did settle on cloak because of the unblockable. The creatures can actually get really big, and my meta tends to have blockers. That said swiftfoot boots is the one I'd replace it with if I did, because of hexproof vs shroud.



I'm not above cutting deathrender or that which was taken, but deathrender I want to give a fair shot since its good in theory, and that which was taken is just very thematic so I'm somewhat loathe to cut it and water down the theme, which is what this deck is mostly about