[Primer] Gruul Ragehammer (Old INN-RTR Standard)

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[img]http://www.wizards.com/magic/images/gui ... uul_01.jpg[/img]

"Roots, ruins, and room to fight. All the comforts of home." -Domri Rade

This is my first primer, so bear with me and take note that this primer is based on my opinion. Feel free to take issue and debate with whatever ideas I put forth here, that's what this thread and forum is for. I will try to support my choices as well as I can, and leave out any that are just "copied" from decks and I don't understand why they are being run.

What is Gruul Ragehammer?
Gruul Ragehammer is the R/g variant of the MonoR Sledgehammer builds and Rakhammer. The name Ragehammer is my own, so Gruul Sledgehammer or R/g Sledgehammer also apply to this archetype.

Why should I play this?
It seems counter-intuitive to play a Red deck that "slows"
things down. Isn't the point of playing red to be as fast as possible? Well there are weaknesses to that strategy, and in the current meta game there are hands and cards a Red sligh deck will just have to fold against. (E.g., Ramp into verdicts, multiple azoirus charms, generally just "good" hands). Red sligh is at its best when the opponent stumbles, Red sligh will run all over them. Sledgehammer is for when Sligh is hated out enough or if they don't stumble, Sledge variants have the gas and power to keep going through with our own "value" cards.


The Game Plan
This is what Gruul Ragehammer offers compared to other Sledge variants:

-Power
This deck can lay down huge intimating board states. The pump and trample from green+combined with the haste and First/Double strike of Red. It's nice being able to swing into 4 mana and not even care if a resto angel comes down. Because it will die. That's the heart of this deck. Just because you see
it coming doesn't mean you can stop it. Simple. Powerful.

-Control
Green offers death touch. You can have a great defense AND offense with Gruul. Have a death touch sit back while you trample through with some 8/8s, this ties in with intimidating board states. Red offers all the burn that can destroy whatever the opponent is trying to build up.

-Threat Inevitability
Almost every card needs to be a threat. This is so that no matter what the hand spread, no matter what you draw, every card contributes to the same goal of smashing, and winning.

-Rancor CA: What? You mean Domri. Yes, but not only. How many times playing MonoR have you found yourself suiciding your weenie into something and finishing it with a pillar or spearing something after firststrike damage with zealot to kill a threat? Rancor is the answer to this. Think of Rancor as an instant speed pillar that you can add to any creature, and if/when that creature dies, you get it BACK. THIS is what lets us
keep going vs. midrange decks and even control deck. Hell, I should name this section Rancor instead of CA, I'll do that. If you're playing this into 2-1 mana, you're doing it wrong. It also lets you FORCE your opponent. They didn't want to remove that Cackler with their removal, but now they have to because its swinging in like a beast.

-Domri Rade
Yes, we get our own planeswalker. Plural really, because Big Garruk can do wonders against control and little Garruk definitely lines up with the "control a board state" with his 0 and deathtouch wolves. MonoR has Tibalt which needs a really specific deck, and Rak has nothing.

The Creatures

1 Drops

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Arbor Elf: This is not a ramp deck. Don't be tempted by turn 2 Domri's or Wolfir Avengers. Ramp deals with tempo, but on his own Arbor Elf doesn't scare anybody. We need threats.

[card]Avacyn's Pilgrim[/card]: What did I just tell you?

Experiment One: Solid card that can
evolve over time and become difficult to remove. Can become a 3/3 on turn 2 with BTE+Boar, which is a definite threat. The ONLY thing we have to worry about here is the mana base. Playing both Ex. 1 AND Ash Zealot in the same deck is very ambitious mana wise.

Foundry Street Denizen: This guy has some potential in TurboGruul, but his 1 toughness really holds him back here. We can't afford to be playing cards that trade with mana dorks in our game plan.

Legion Loyalist: This is like above, he's too niche. Great enabler, great with Rancor, but on his own? Another /1 toughness.

Rakdos Cackler: Now here's a solid fighter. A 2/2 for 1, this guy is solid. An near auto-include in every deck that has red. He is mainboard potential for Ragehammer, wears rancor well, and is key in having speed pre-board. Post-board he might come out against midrange match-ups where we have bigger baddies to play.

Reckless Waif: Too many slots for not enough juice. Can
ruin BTE chains by making us not want to play them, and has a /2 backside. We want to avoid playing things that die to pillar post board unless they are REALLY worth it. Plus we have a decent game against control already and don't want to dedicate too much SB for it.


Stromkirk Noble: See Rakdos Cackler. Definitely important threat to have people sweating G1. Might be taken out Post-board as he can't swing past Augurs, Healers, or a lot of fatties on the draw.

Stonewright: This card has done a lot of work for a lot of people. In MonoR, Rakhammer, this guy is the go-to late game mana sink. The problem I have with him is his /1 toughness, AND the fact that we need to run some number of Temple Gardens if we want Reckoner. Temple Gardens don't tap for R, which can limit the amount of "sinking" this guy does. This is for sure a card up for debate and further testing.

Wasteland Viper: This guy might be an unsung hero. 1/2 can block Nobles before they
grow, can trade with a lot of fatties in standard. His Bloodrush may turn out to be significant as well in this build, as trample+Deathtouch interactions are great, also great and pushing through Reckoners by dealing 1 damage to them only.

2 Drops

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Ash Zealot: I hope I don't have to spend too much time on this card. First strike with Rancor? Enough said. If you're playing less than 4, it better be because you went the Experiment red route and not that you underestimate this card.

Burning-Tree Emissary: Don't underestimate the power of Gruul shamans. THIS is our form of ramp: accelerated pressure. The 2/2 body isn't always relevant, but dropping this and a Boar, dropping this and a Domri, dropping this and a hellrider... Acting as 4 extra green sources to fix our mana so we can keep very aggressive hands... The list goes on. This card is definitely a staple.

Firefist Striker: Suffers the same as Legion Loyalist and Foundy does. Great card...
with others. Belongs in Sligh, weak on his own.

Flinthoof Boar: The card no one heard about outside of limited before Stomping Ground. This guy signifies everything we want out of our build, he is Gruul to the core. 3/3 for 2? Yes please. HASTE 3/3 for 3? Staple.

Gore-house Chainwalker: Now here's a card. 3/2 ahead of its curve? However it doesn't hold a candle to our Flinthoof Boar, and there's rarely room for both in a list. Tough cut, but he can't stay.

Gyre Sage: This card I'm on the fence about. It adds zero pressure when it comes down, its just a vanilla 1/2 body. It demands removal or bad things happen,yes, but most times its just going to slow you down, not your opponent. It can get quite big with BTE+Boar->GCR, but that messes up your curve. This card is a bit too "rampy" for my tastes. If you want to play Increasing Savagery, there's a G/R thread made.

Lightning Mauler: BTE+LM is great, amazing. But without that?
This guys going nowhere. Enabling other cards is great, but I rather have every card be a powerful card on its own in this deck. Less reliance on synergy, more reliance on cards working independently.

Mogg Flunkies: More reliance on others. Body is nice, drawback is huge.

Skarrg Guildmage: Going to copypaste what I said in the R/g sligh thread. I think this guy is our stonewright. Stonewright requires two creatures to be effective, so you're extending your hand more than with guild mage by default. Skarrg is a threat by himself, he demands removal whereas Stonewright can often just demand you remove the soulbound creature and save on removal until you hit a board wipe. Stonewright turns 1 mana into 1 damage, very efficient, Skarrg turns 4 mana effecitvely into a 4/4 body, which is better on defense and is the same mana-to-damage ratio if only in increments of 4.

Giving your team Trample is just a bonus. Currently needs more testing as he has proven to only be better than
Stonewright against control, but in a different way. Guildmage can come down after a boardwipe and do work, while Stonewright helps you not overextend with just two creatures before it.

Wandering Wolf: Cute, but /1 and worthless without pump. Also costs green when we want to stay true to being R/x as much as possible.

3 drops

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Borderland Ranger: 2/2 for 3? That sounds awful considering our other cards. Yeah but this guy plays an important role. There's no greater pressure than curving out on time and before your opponent, and this guy makes it happen. I wouldn't run too many because he is only 2/2, but dropping him with a 4 drop you wouldn't other wise be able to cast is gravy. Also is the nuts when curving into hellrider.

Boros Reckoner: If there were ever a card that needed no help from other cards. This guy is power. Rancor hat him, trample with him, soulbound him to silverheart. Exponentially more powerful. Definitely a staple in some
number here. Only draw back is he's slow and most people have cards to deal with him in their 75 at this point.

Crocanura: Interesting... card. Most everything else will evolve it, its not tied down with Defender either. Might have some potential, but there are much better options in the current meta.

Hellraiser Goblin: Nothing like saying every threat you have is going to come swinging out the gates right? But he's a 2/2 and can allow your opponent to play around you easily when you're THAT predictable. Might get to see play after rotation with Raiders to improve our 4 drop.

Splatter Thug: Another card that needs to not be ignored. Definitely post rotation might have a spot. MORE first strike+trample shenagins? With a 3/3 body? Shouldn't be overlooked if our other 3-slot options go away.

Pyreheart Wolf: Great enabler for your team. On his own? At best swings for 3-4 with a rancor on him. Undying is very valuable against removal strategies,
but I don't know if he's quite strong enough on his own. Could be better than Borderland ranger as a utility creature, depending on if you want evasion or CA. Definitely much better with Hellrider strategies than Hounds.

Wolfir Avenger: Double GG cost is too harsh on this deck. This guy is for another deck altogether.

4 Drops

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Archwing Dragon: If you really need someone going over the top each turn immune to sorcery, there's this guy. Not much synergy with Rancor's or other threats (unless you can cast rancor every turn as well, as a pseudo 5-drop), might not be that bad if its a control heavy meta.

Bloodfury Giant: Ahead of the curve 5/4, comes with trample. He's slow and doesn't see a lot of play however. He might just not do enough the turn he comes down, and is not as resilient as other 4 drops (Falkenrath, Hound, etc.)

Ghor-Clan Rampager: A solid card. Bloodrush mode is a threat everyone should be afraid of by now.
His 4/4 body definitely makes the cut as well, trample is great too. A staple for this build, but 4 of might be too many.

Hellrider: This guy has to fight with Hound of Griselbrand for a spot in my opinion. Which one is more worth it? Hellrider has haste, and if you have guys out can close a game. There's no question hellrider is better against durdling control decks. Also great with Borderland Ranger as I said earlier. His inclusion might be a meta-call, because against mid-range he'll often die in combat when you tap out to play him.

Hound of Griselbrand: Undying is key against board wipes and MUs that try to get ahead by 2-1ing you. Can go toe to toe with anything mid range has to offer, and comes back stronger. With Rancor? Unstoppable. With GCR? Well I like to think of that as our Thrag+Resto combo, except 16 to the face is a LOT more fun that "I gain 5 bro" Has to fight with hellrider for a slot, but would definitely include if against Loxodon's and Thrags
every night.

Huntmaster of the Fells: This guy... is value. Not power, not speed, just value. I don't know if he makes the cut here. Do I want to spend my 4th turn gaining life and having another 2/2 dude? Isn't that what BTE chains are for? Do I want to spend my 5th turn doing nothing so I can flip this guy?

I don't think he's aggressive enough. I don't think he has enough rage in his heart to make the cut.

Rubblebelt Raiders: I. Love. This. Card. A card that gets stronger with every swing? A hellrider that becomes MORE threatening? This card is the common ground between Hound and Hellrider...but she has no haste and no undying. Pretty huge drawbacks. Keep a lookout for this card after INN rotates.

5 drops

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Kessig Cagebreakers: This card has started seeing some play recently. It definitely can destroy a control-player who has been answering you 1-1 all the way up to this point, but he is very slow. Getting him to swing without haste
is a very lofty proposition.

Thundermaw Hellkite: HELLKITE. Auto-include right? This guy is great on his own, and no one will every deny that. Serious clock that soars over board stalls and wipes lingering souls. One of the two five-drops I'd play in this build.

Wolfir Silverheart: The other contender. This guy is power, at its strongest. Drop a Rampager hard cast, soul bound it next turn for an 8/8 trampler? What this guy has OVER TMH: Defense. If you can swing with the bound Zealot, Rampager, HOUND OF GRISELBRAND, you can start tearing up their defense. But this guy stops a counter-attack, whereas TMH does not. How many times have you had to play a TMH and leave him back to block? Ouch. I think this guy is better against midrange, with TMH a nightmare for control as always.

Zealous Conscripts: On the fence about this one. Can steal planeswalkers and everything in between. A 3/3 body though is weak. Stealing something then Domri -2ing it is golden, but is it
worth it?

Burn Spells+Clan Defiance

Taken word for word from Zemanjaski

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X Cost Burn
Clan Defiance: This is Gruul style burn. Can create double as a blowout with Boros Reckoner to the face as a mana sink finisher, and also as 3-1 removal. Might be a bit too "midrange" for use in our decks however.

T1 Cost Burn
Electrickery: Brand new from RTR, this is quite a nice spell against decks with a lot of mana dorks or tokens. More of a sideboard card because it cannot burn the opponent out and will be dead against a lot of decks.
Geistflame: Always popular with Burning Vengeance players, Geistflame is one of the hardest working spells around. Unfortunately, it is better suited to decks with more mana and more time to use it - it just isnt high impact enough to warrant a spot in an aggressive deck. Could be considered for sideboard play, or maybe even as a singleton maindeck, although
electrickery is possibly better.
Mugging: Our new 'shock' from GTC. Does not go upstairs. This is a problem.
Pillar of Flame: Normally Shock is not playable, but now is not a normal time. The zombie scourge is rife in the format, and Pillar of Flame is the very best card we have against that deck. Play 4, either in your maindeck or split with your sideboard. Also has upside against decks running Moorland Haunt.

Summary: Red decks should avoid running low impact burn spells. The idea is always to play high impact spells so that we can kill them with as few cards as possible (reduces the time for them to go bigger than us, increases our consistency, minimises dead draws). However, with Zombies being so popular at the moment, the common widsom is that a full four Pillar of Flame is necessary. Consider Electrickery as a sideboard card if tokens or mana dork decks are popular where you play.

2 Cost Burn
Mizzium Mortars
: While Mizzium Mortars is receiving a lot of rave reviews, do remember it is often a slow Flame Slash. Whether the card make the sideboard will depend entirely on what the critical number is in the format - are most creatures x/3 or smaller? If there are a lot of x/4s running around (such as Loxodon Smiter, Restoration Angel) then Mizzium Mortars will be worth some sideboard slots. Right now, with GW and UW being so popular, Mortars is very likely a solid maindeck choice.
Searing Spear: While terrible in any other deck, this sort of effect is the bread and butter of a red aggressive deck. When you need to top deck a win, this is the card you always want to be drawing. Play the full four.
Skull Crack: One of a handful of anti-lifegain cards we were given in GTC. Actively good against Thragtusk and Sphinx's Revelation decks, very likely worth some number of sideboard slots just to combat those decks. Not good enough to maindeck because it isnt actually removal.
Thunderbolt: Quite a difficult card to evaluate in a vacuum. Last season saw the format dominated by Insectile Aberration and Restoration Angel, and Thunderbolt was an incredibly good maindeck card. This season we're not sure what will rise to the top, but at least the card is never dead. If not a maindeck card, then definitely a good sideboard option.

Summary: Every red deck shoul start with a full set of Searing Spear. Beyond that, make choice depending on what is popular in the metagame.

3 Cost Burn
Annhiliating Fire: A mix between Searing Spear and Pillar of Flame. The question for this card is, do you need an extra few copies of either of those cards? If not, look elsewhere. Annhiliating Fire is just too efficient for consideration unless you really need (slightly worse) additional versions of either of those spells.
Brimstone Volley: While a powerhouse early on in the format, as defensive measures
have improved, it has become less and less reaslistic to burn out an opponent. Consequently, there has been a strong move towards more creature heavy decks that can produce more damage over time, and to make space, Brimstone Volley has largely dissappeared from competitive decks.
Fires of Undeath: A Limited All-Star, Fires is probaby a little too slow for a Rakdos deck. But if you are really set on making the grindiest possible BR deck, this could be a good fit.
Flames of the Firebrand: This seasons Arc Lightning, Arc Trail, Forked Bolt. Probably worth a couple copies in the maindeck and maybe a few more in the board. What you expect to face will largely inform how many copies you are after, and what the correct split is between main and board.

Summary: Much like with creatures, red is pretty light at the three spot. The only real decision is how many copies of Flames of the Firebrand you want in your 75, and how to split them between your
maindeck and sideboard.

Other Burn Spells
Bonfire of the Damned: Easily the best red card in the format, and maybe the best card in the entire format, Bonfire of the Damned is unfortunately just not that good in red decks The problem is that aggressive red decks run fewer lands, so the bonfire is inherently less powerful, and also more likely to get stuck in our hand. One thing to consider is that Bonfire is only going to be good when we draw it. If most our our games go a maximum of 6 turns, the card is more likely than not going to be bad (7 starting cards vs. 5 draw steps). At the same time, for the versions running more land, this is definitely a card worth considering, though be sure to look at Mizzium Mortars first.
[card]Devil's Play[/card]: For those time when you want to just kill your opponent out of nowhere, there is this. Devil's Play is very slow, but I have heard it of been successful as a 1-of in decks with more land - sometimes you can just kill them in two
turns with just this spell.
Thunderous Wrath: Much like Bonfire of the Damned, though the effect is even weaker. Does start to look attractive in a straight burn deck with ways to turn it on or discard it however.
Wrack with Madness: While it was amazing tech against last season's Phyrexian Obliterator, it really has no purpose in the current metagame.

Summary: Well, these cards are all over the place. The standouts are the two red miracles - Bonfire of the Damned and Thunderous Wrath. They're usually pretty unreliable in a red aggressive deck, but if you make some deck building concessions, you might be able to make them work.

Sideboard Plan

Options

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Domri Rade: Planeswalkers MB scream mid range to me, so I like this guy better in the side. Does work against Esper and UWr match-ups. The card advantage is just a bonus sometimes, the ultimate is a real win condition.

Flames of the Firebrand:
This is our option to 2-1 Sligh decks and to control them. Lots of relevant x/1 are run in sligh decks, this hits all of them+ a buddy or two.

Blasphemous Act: Another option against mirror matches and Naya Blitz. I am great fan of this card to control Naya blitz and clean them up after the wipe. Using BTE as a way to reduce the mana cost by 1 makes it playable very early (T3 play even), which clears Fiend Hunters out and gives us our creature back. Having Reckoner on board is just icing, having a Reckoner with Pacifism on board is double layered cake icing. Run as 2 of whenever Naya Blitz or aggro sligh is popular. Even has potential as a blowout against a junk rites that clogs the board with tokens and creatures.

Garruk, Relentless: Removal that dares to be finished off at 4 CMC. Could be useful against sligh decks as well. If he flips, the wolves can easily clog the board. Creature tutor for strong threats is never unwelcomed either.

[card]Grafdigger's Cage[/card] and [
card]Tomrod's Crypt[/card]: Graveyard hate. Can be nice against Rites decks by stopping that insane CA, probably dilutes threat count too much to use against UWr flash decks. We also have access to Ground Seal which at least replaces itself with green.

Gruul Charm: A first very overlooked card. This toolbox is starting to become appreciated. Gets through ground stalls, kills VNH lines, lingering soul lines, takes back olivia's prey, etc. I personally think its better for alpha strikes in as a finisher in Sligh, but it can easily be adapted

Kessig Wolf Run: A very powerful mana dump. Makes every creature you topdeck in a long game that much better. Works amazing with Ash Zealots and Hounds of Griselbrand. Don't want to dilute the mana base too much with Reckoners and Zealots, so I would be careful on the amount you include.

Mizzium Mortars: Good value, great overload if you can reach it. Kills just about anything you could want at sorcery speed.
Good if there are volcanic strengths floating around that get through your boros reckoners and Rancor'd zealots.

Plummet: Instant speed flier destruction. Takes care of Angels of Serenity that are popular, resto angels during combat, Olivias, etc. Very good option that we have in green, but its a bit narrow for an aggro deck.

Volcanic Strength: People champion against enchantments and getting 2-1'd. The only time you SHOULD get 2-1'd against removal spells you don't see coming is when you have to make a desperation play or lose. Other than that, timing is important. VS is important for R/g specifically because of: Boros Reckoner. We don't have Dreadbore to remove it, and using GCR to trample over it only works with Flinthoof Boars or when they don't have Firststrike mana (Ash zealot+GCR when they can't activiate First strike for instance.), so going around it with VS is nice. They tap out to "Stabilize" with a Reckoner, you drop VS and go around it. Being able
to be played off BTE is a huge bonus.

Zealous Conscripts+Traitorous Blood Threaten effects. Zealous probably being more useful in a midrange deck. Threaten+Domri is a fun combo, but it can't relied upon as a consistent combo without diluting our deck too much, so I wouldn't sideboard them in together. Against Junk Rites it can be the differnce between their tapout angel of serenity/thragtusk stabilizing them or losing.

Sample decklists

Tournament or Online Proven

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[deck=Zydec0_'s Gruul]1 Kessig Wolf Run
14 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground

4 Boros Reckoner
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Flinthoof Boar
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Hellrider
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Stromkirk Noble
2 Thundermaw Hellkite

2 Brimstone Volley
4 Searing Spear


2 Domri Rade

Sideboard
3 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Pyreheart Wolf
2 Zealous Conscripts
15 sideboard cards[/deck]

[
spoiler=User contributed][deck]Traditional Sledgehammer Splash Green[/deck]


[deck=Fate's Ragehammer]Creature (30)
4x Rakdos Cackler
4x Stromkirk Noble
4x Ash Zealot
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Flinthoof Boar
3x Pyreheart Wolf
4x Hellrider
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager

Land (22)
2x Kessig Wolf-Run
10x Mountain
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
1x Gruul Guildgate

Instant (4)
4x Searing Spear

Enchantment (4)
3x Rancor

Sideboard (15)
3x Hound of Griselbrand
3x Domri Rade
3x Pillar of Flame
4x Boros Reckoner
2x
Blasphemous Act

[/deck]

[deck=Pyreheart's Gruul Ragehammer 3.0] 4 Stromkirk Noble
3 Stonewright
4 Ash Zealot
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Ghor-clan Rampager
4 Hellrider
3 Hound of Griselbrand

4 Searing Spear
2 Brimstone Volley
2 Rancor

4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
12 Mountain
2 Temple Garden

Sideboard
2 Domri Rade
2 Garruk Relenless
4 Pillar of Flame
2 Traitorous Blood
2 Zealous Conscripts
2 Blasphemous Act
1 Gruul Guildgate
[/deck]



[/deck]

Testing it out with Sideboard #2[/quote]

[DECK=Platypus' Gruul]Lands (24)
11 Mountain
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Temple Garden
1 Kessig Wolf Run

Creatures (28)
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Ash Zealot
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Hellrider
3 Hound of Griselbrand
2 Wolfir Silverheart

Spells (8)
4 Searing Spear
4 Rancor

Sideboard
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
2 Gruul Charm
2 Zealous Conscripts
3 Volcanic Strength
2 Brimstone Volley
2 Flames of the Firebrand
[/
DECK][/spoiler]

Match-ups

Aggro Sligh

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Tough match-up if you don't have pillars. Naya Blitz can be extremely tough as well if a Frontline Medic sticks, save your spears for him and try to keep them under control. Blasphemous Act is also a great way to be able to recover from their nut draw. BTE-> BAct can give you a game changing wipe the turn they would have lethal (and also a turn before you could cast BAct normally).

Speaker Bant Midrange

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Hounds are king here as well. If they are on the value creature plan, ours should be able to punch through them before they resolve a meaningful speaker. Hounds, once again, are a hero.

Bant Control

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I wouldn't bother with Naturalize for D-rings. Just keep the threat of pain up and trample through their Tusks with Hound.

Esper

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Depending on your versions (cacklers as a 1-drop or BTE), speed is important. Trying out Skarrg Guildmage as pressure+Mana dump. Also to trample through
Tokens later on. Hound is again the best card in this match-up. Burn them dry of Azorius charms, drop hound and watch-em squirm. Domri Rade is definitely good tech here, given their limited card slots to deal with planeswalkers.

UWr Control

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Very hard match-up. There deck was built to beat aggro, and they do it well. Domri Rade is king against them though, I'd run 3 in the SB if I could for this match-up.

UWr Midrange

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Jund

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A decent match-up. Jund cannot deal with Hounds, period. I've also used GCR+VS to great effect, because 6 toughness is a lot for them to deal with and it can't be decayed. Don't over extend into a tragic slip, and all they have is dreadbore.

Junk Rites

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Currently experimenting with Zealous Conscripts and Hounds as the go-to for this match-up. Hounds kill everything they bring out with ease, and Zealous is to steal an Angel of Serenity if it resolves to try and get in the last points of damage.

Jury's
still out on GY hate. It deals with Unburial rites, which can be a HUGE problem when they play a thrag 3 times or an T4 AoS, yes. But it also decreases threat density, and most GY hate is removed with Abrupt decay anyway.

Definitely a tough match-up. You can also move to a Blasphemous Act plan with Reckoners in the 75 to "combo" them by using their lingering souls and massive board state against them.

Naya

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A good match-up for us in my experience. Trample through all their threats, First strike and pump are key here. Hound is golden as usual. Mortars aren't necessary in my experience, this build usually just kills their threats in combat. Reckoners can be a pain to deal with, just use your own reckoners and let the explosions happen. Or slide by with well timed Volcanic strength (on Boar or higher, because they run Mortarsx4 usually.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Thanks Fate!!


In SB dropped Thundermaw in favor of Zealous. Put a KWR in the SB, and dropped Cackler in favor of BTE. Plus a few minor tweaks. Long story short went 3-0 tonight and Zealous over performed in the first two rounds.

Here is what I ran:

[deck]Gruul Smash[/deck]

Heres the matchups:
Round 1 - 4-Color Simic Goodstuff (G/U/b/w) (2-0)
Basically a bant shell that had Vraska, Tamiyo, Unexpected Results, and Urban Evolutionm, and Elderscale Wurm.

Game 1 -
On play, Noble, into Boar, into Reckoner. He just durdled with Unexpected Results and Urban Evolution. Didn't have answers for the clock I set so he scooped. W

SB -4 Rancor -3 GCR +2 Brimstone +2 Domri +2 Zealous +1 KWR

Game 2 -
Noble into, Zealot, into Boar, then stuck at 3 lands. He was able to get down Tamiyo and Vraska to stabilize. Still at three lands was able to grind him to 5. He had played 2 Urban Evolutions by this time and was at 9 land, and dropped an Elderscale Wurm (his only creature at the time) to keep his life at 7. Next turn got the 4th land to put down hellrider but couldn't attack into the wurm. Next turn he attacked to drop me to 13, tap down hellrider and pass. Drew Zealous, then passed. He drops me to 6, passes. Then I drew a mountain for the fifth land, put down zealous and stole the wurm for the win. W

Round 2 - UWR Reckoner (2-1)

Game 1 - On draw, curved nicely but he had early answers to my threats got him down to 6 before the first
revelation and I scooped. L

SB -3 Rancor -4 GCR +2 Traitorous +2 Zealous +2 Domri +1 KWR

Game 2 - Noble, into Zealot, no turn three play, into Hound. He drops reckoner. Next turn I get zealous out to take the reckoner and swing through.
Got him down to 5 and finished off with two spears. W

No SB changes

Game 3 - Fought through two revelations for X=3 each. Made a major misplay. Just before the second revelation he was at 4 with no creatures on his side. I had a reckoner and 5 land. I drew zealous conscripts and just said take my own land. I should have taken his land so the revelation could only be casted for X=2, as he waited to cast it until after declare blockers step. After that he got back up to 6, killed my zealous, and got a reckoner of his own. I finished him off with a topdeck hellrider. W

Round 3 - 4C Midrange (G/R/w/b) (2-1)

Game 1 - Lost to Aurelia, the Warleader, as she had a Thragtusk, and beast token along her side. Swing for 22? gg. L

SB -4 Rancor -1 Spear +2 Zealous +2
Brimstone Volley +1 KWR

Game 2 - He flooded, I curved, pretty straight forward.

SB -4 Stromkirk Noble +2 Traitorous +2 Domri

Game 3 - Got him down to one with me having a BTE and Hound. He had reckoner and then dropped a Huntmaster to get back to 3 and get a chump blocker. Passes to me. I draw flinthoof play him and pass. He passes back to flip huntmaster, and pings BTE. I topdeck Brimstone for the win he shows me the resto he was holding onto as even blinking ravager cant save him. W

For this tournament, Zealous Conscripts and Brimstone were ALL-STARS. Zealous definately proved its worth over Thundermaw in this meta.

With all the topdecking I was forced to do, drawing a tap land would be devastating, so I don't think we can afford to run any number of gates at this time. I have been toying with the idea like Fate has to add it. I just can't bring myself to do it, and for the time being I will keep the KWR in the sb to avoid awkward lands in game 1.

I am feeling really good about this
build, as I feel I can win most of my matchups right now (at least in my meta). That is except for that redonk UG Delver list that won the PTQ I went to. Funny, he felt that Naya aggro and R/g Aggro were his worst matchups.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

I want to run a guild gate. I want that consistancy. But I can't get over the ETB tapped clause. How have you played around it. Or has it mattered so little that the one or two times it burns me on a topdeck out weighs being able to cast zealot turn two.

[Link]

Its mostly just a test gate mirrored off of Rakhammer builds that run multiple Guildgates to cast Knight of Infamy and Ash Zealot on curve.

Since I dropped cacklers, its usually best in my opening hand.

I try to have multiple lines of play even if I miss a land drop, so that I'm dependent on one, so I haven't been burned yet by a topdeck Gate. (I mean I've drawn in while in topdeck mode, but I was already flooded with a bunch of lands and Kessig so it just meant 1 less damage that turn.)

I wouldn't add more though, with BTE and temple gardens I'm hitting a cool 15 green sources for my rancors and boar.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Ok, I will try it tonight at FNM instead of the 1 KWR in the SB ill put the 1 Gruul Guildgate. Ill try to do another tournament report tonight aswell. Also tomorrow is an Arizona Magic Invitational tomorrow for standard. Should be 60-90 people, so any final tweaks from the report would be helpful.

I also really want Pyreheart Wolf in this list, too many opposing Reckoners out there right now. But what to drop. I don't like want just a singleton Wolf either. Only thing I can think of at the moment is a 2/2 Wolf Reckoner split. Any thoughts?

[Link]

I'm running 2/2 split right now just because I don't have a playset of Reckoners atm, and I've always been happy to see the wolf against midrange and rites decks. Optimally I'll have a full 4 reckoners somewhere in my 75 with 2 wolves in the SB or main depending on the meta.


Trying out Blasphemous act as another way to deal with blitz over flames of the firebrand, going to see which I prefer. Flames gets mayors and stuff easy, but champions that get out of control has been my biggest problem.

Also pacifism is tech I've seen a lot for Reckoner, Act takes care of that for huge CA (we'll just see if I can live long enough to cast it)

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

OK took the list to AMI qualifier. Changes were dropped Traitorous blood in SB and put in Ground Seal, also put in the guidgate SB for the KWR. Ground Seal did ok in a few matches. Since it replaces itself its a tempo loss I could deal with. Ended up in Top 4 with the list. Guy who won was playing the Green heavy version of the deck. So aggro was in a good place today. Will post matchups and SB changes after I rest. Long day of magic , and I want to go celebrate my first Top 4 AND Top 8.

[Link]

I don't know if I like Ground Seal over TBlood.

Tblood's have worked better for me against re-animator, where I just steal the crap they ramped into to beat them with. I found it better than wasting my T3,t4 etc. with stopping their unburial rites, it doesn't stop their normal Resto+Thrag gameplan and sometimes re-animator sides out that plan completely anyway.

TBlood is more consistent than Zealous Conscripts on 21 lands (because I don't want to side in KWR sometimes for Re-animator).


Also tried out Stonewright over KWR and lowering the curve.

What I didn't like:

Less KWR means Less lands means harder to play 6-4 drops post board (hellriders and hound package)
No trample
Died to board wipes
Useless when not paired


What I liked:
Was cheaper than KWR, which requires 3 mana just to activate it, more efficent dump.
More relevant early against centaur healers and midrangey decks for punching through
augurs and stuff
Has Pseudo haste with another creature



Overall I just found KWR to be better. The situations I wanted KWR in (against control) Stonewright was just dying to board wipes or being alone on the field vs. an augur or lingering souls. He helps not overextend the hand, but I find that going all-in or near all in with gruul is better against control and if you get wiped, hasting out threats with KWR late game is a better game plan.


Also KWR gives my Hounds trample when I don't have a rancor against midrange stuff, and even if I'm pumping it for less than stone-wright, the trample is well worth the cost usually (only need to pump wolf for 2-3 for maximum killing potential against standard toughness)

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Yeah, I am aware I got really lucky the 3 times I played ground seal; I chained it off of BTE and also was able to stop at least one spell. That is not how it usually happens and more often than not it is a tempo hoser, to me. The whole car ride to the store I was debating to myself about if to include or not. And when I got there and saw the one dude who I knew would be playing reanimator. (the same guy I lost to in the semis) I put the seals in and hoped for the best. In hind sight, I COULD HAVE USED those Traitorous bloods against him. It would have mattered only in the swiss matchup though, not in the top 4.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

I've been thinking over sideboard options. I really like Khaos' theory for his deck of transforming to go bigger. I think we could go true midrange with the sideboard with value creatures and planeswalkers. Something like?

[deck]Sideboard 1[/deck]

or

[deck]Sideboard 2[/deck]

I am leaning towards #2, any thoughts Fate?

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Also here's the decklist I am testing as of the moment. While I love Rancor, it has been underperforming. I found myself boarding it out a lot this past weekend. Plus multiples in hand are always awkward. I wanna drop 2 in favor of Domri, still keeping the slot devoted to "CA".

Heres the updated list:

[deck]Gruul Smash 2.0[/deck]

Testing it out with Sideboard #2

[Link]

Yeah I was thinking about cutting back on the rancors, to 3 or 2. I'll go to 3 first because I still really like it on my hound and ash zealots.

Let me know how main board Domri goes.


I tested out Blasphemous Act. THE NUTS against Naya blitz. There are awkward times where they get a nuts draw, and have lethal on the board with 3 creatures, you have 2, and you only have 3 mana. Its a dead card then BUT

With BTE+Blasphemous act you can cut the cost down to 3 and use it. Was insane. Also if they Fiend hunter your noble or reckoner ro something you get it back and its win time if they dumped their hand.

Definitely going to use it over flames, since flames can't kill 5/5 Champions (happens) and it at best a 2-1 on t3 whereas BAct can wipe and return fiend huntered things.

Also obviously great if combod with Reckoner

[Link]

Re-sideboards:

I like Zealous Conscripts over Hellkites. Against Rites its better to steal their thrag and beat them with it AND let your other guys swing in safely (zealots and stuff) rather than just have hellkite swing for 5 alone (which won't kill them cause they just landed a thrag). You can never outrace a thrag being blinked with resto angels and rites multiple times.... then they land Angel of Serenity and your hellkite is gone. Finishing them off >>> huge 5/5 threat.

Primal Hunter seems really greedy, Triple green? No way you're hitting that consistently with Zealot/Reckoners or with Kessig Wolf Runs. Relentless was something I wanted to try against Naya blitz because he's sweet removal and clogs the board, but I only own 1. Definitely would use him.

Try out Blasphemous Acts if you have them. If you can wipe their board, then Relentless whatever they drop after the board wipe that match is as good
as done (Relentless might be overkill, but tutoring so you can find hounds and stuff guarantees it more. Especially fi they start playing around Bact)


OR


I'd add more land to play the 4 drops more consistently. I'd use Sideboard #1 with these changes:

-2 Domri from MB, move them to side in place of Primal Hunters. Then I'd just add 2 lands flat out in the MB to go to 23 (24 post board for your 5 drops).

Then BActs for Flames if you like.

Domri is a great card... he's just better as tech IMO. Yeah he's great with Reckoners for more removal, yeah he's a CA/Win con engine, but G1 I generally want to smash into them as hard as possible and win. Domri usaully is the last card I'll play from my hand against some match-ups (like re-animator, mirror, etc.), and by then he does nothing when he comes down.

Post-board with slower games? Landing him early is a great way of ***ing controls game plan to stabilize.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Yeah, i was realizing as I was just testing that 3 green mana is very hard to come by with any consitency. I was using BAct but then I started to shy away from it. I just didn't think of it as I was re-doing the list. Def, gonna put them in for Flames. The reckoner combo is just icing. Im at 22 land and 23 post board. So, yeah I was/am being very greedy with the 5 drops. I really want Primal for the control matchup, I used him mainly for 1 beast and then to draw 3+ cards. I wasn't trying to cast him on curve, so at the times I needed to cast him I was able to, especially using BTE as a fixer for that elusive 3rd green. With sideboard #2 I was still keeping threaten effects with Traitorous Blood. While still getting the efficient beater in Hellkite. Threaten effects are one of our only way to deal with JRites, and the insanely huge creatures they drop.

So far Domri is not dissapointing at all. He can fight to clear the way,
or +1 for sometime card advantage. Even if he whiffs knowing my next card has been useful. For example it allowed me to attack when normally I would not have because I know that spear on top is lethal next turn. I can't deny that the way planeswalkers affect the board is very useful to our game plan. It forces my opponent to deal with him or fear his ultimate. I will gladly let an opponent attack Domri to clear the way for my attackers. He puts pressure on the opponent from another angle, and pressure is what we want. I will always side him out against reanimator, as he is usually a dead card against them. Just testing for the moment.

Going for the Game 1 "Just Smash" approach the, I guess the 2 slots could be better used for, say brimstone volley? Then Domri goes SB in place of Primal Hunter? SB would now be:

1 Gate
2 Zealous
2 Little Garruk
2 Domri
2 B Act
2 T Blood
4 Pillar

[Link]

That looks great, I'll update your list in the OP. BVolley for a finisher instead is a fine idea.

I'll try Domri out in different match-ups now, your "different angle" approach sold me.

[Sasky]

Does my list fit here? I'm looking for the right thread to post it for some feedback as I'm running it for the WMCQ. It's basically the same deck but with black for FANG-GIRL.

[deck]Dos Hammer[/deck]

Might just run your list too, as it looks sweet.

[Link]

Yours looks like a variant of the Jund Aggro list that's been floating around. Don't think there's a primer for it yet, you're welcome to hang out in here for discussion of higher curve aggro decks though.

[Sasky]

Come on man, don't be racist. Just cos he's a lil' black don' mean he ain't one of yo' kind.

[Link]

haha you can sit in the front of the bus, doesn't mean you get to be deck of the month though since you aint mah color.


Got some great games in tonight against competitive decks. Went 3-1, should've 4-0'd.


Match 1 vs. 4-Color Control Staticaster Peddler, Reckoners, etc.

Game 1 I got him to 6 on the draw, flooded out to 6-7 with him at 6 life. Couldn't draw more gas.

Took out Rancors, for Volcanic Strengths to go around his reckoners. Left in burn for his staticasters

G2 he played a staticaster which I speared then scooped. I had a fast hand, he had nothing.

I side in some Domris for a longer game I thought.

G3 was close. I had plenty of gas, and played a reckoner shocking myself to keep up first strike mana against his thragtusk.

He plays a Reckoner and passes.

Here's the misplay: I play BTE+Domri, Get a GCR off Domri. Think I'm set, swing with reckoner for 3, he doesnt block, goes down to
17.

His turn: Swing reckoner and thrag, I chump thrag. Take 3 from reckoner down to 13. He Blasphemous acts, gg... If I had played my 2nd reckoner INSTEAD of Domri he wouldn't have been able to Bact me for the win since I had 2 reckoners out.

Still kicking myself for that now... just didn't see it coming.


Match 2 vs. Junk Rites

G1 Was worried about this match-up since I saw it was what she was playing before I sat down. Kept a hand with 2 Cacklers and 1 noble, drew another noble. Was too fast, she played a mulch which missed and nothing else.

Figured since I was on the draw I'd try the Hound plan. Took out Nobles and a rancor for 3 Hounds+2 Kessig WR.
G2: Didn't see my SB, didn't need it. She had abrupt decay and a deathrite this time but it was too slow.


Match 3 vs. Esper Control

G1: He didn't have a verdict, just some slips and devour fleshes. It wasn't enough to stop Cacklers, BTEs, and Rampagers.

Took out Burn sided in Domri Rade, Hounds, KWR.

G2: This game was
longer. Except I had a Domri hand so I kept instantly. Slow hand was np, I threw down some threats and Azorius charmed him. +1 Domri? Thanks I'll take my noble back. Get Domri up to 7 counters, he starts swinging at him with augurs and lingering soul tokens to keep him under "control" I got a few other cards off Domri and it was too much CA. He had Blind obediance but it didn't matter.

So I finally -2 Domri to kill two tokens, and swing to bring him down to 5, with a Hellrider and Hound in hand. Rider gets UPriced, and I get greedy and tap out for a boar then a hound of griselbrand, he syncopates my hound for 1... ouch. I even had a land I could've shocked to pay that cost.

Now if he hits a board wipe I have nothing but Domri, but he was out of cards and didn't topdeck it.


Match 4 vs. Aristocrats:
This is an interesting match-up. Dega can't stop hounds though (well maybe oblivion rings, but he wasn't midrange).

G1: I get out some early aggro, but he has a tragic slip for my
noble and a UPrice for my second that gets bigger. He has two silverblade paladins too, I spear the first one, have nothing for the second. He soulbounds with Cartel, which takes out a bunch of my stuff (BTE and Cackler). A reckoner saves me by taking out the paladin+aristocrat, but he finds a dreadbore for it.

It comes down to a GCR with two rancors vs. his reckoner.

I swing in, he redirects the 3 to me tot ake me to 4 life, he's down to 3 life. We're both in topdeck mode

He's looking for boros charm/dreadbores/etc., doesn't find it we go to G2.

SB: Have honestly no idea how to SB against this deck. I took out rancors because he has so much removal, throw in hounds and a KWR. I think I took out a GCR too, don't remember.

G2: He slips my noble again and we go back and forth with some answers and reckoner. He blocks my Noble with a reckoner and I bloodrush it, he said it would've died EoT when the pump full off because it had 3 damage marked on it, but it didn't die because of the
counter (good to keep in mind). He UPrices that tough, and then I get a hound.

He can't deal with the hound, and I even draw a second one. Even if he hit his blasphemous act I was good with one hound a 3/3 and the other a 2/2 (he forgot hounds had undying, whoops.)


Thoughts:
The problem with doing well is there isn't much that I learned. I can't say I had a problem with any cards tonight (except topdecking a rancor when getting flooded out against the 4-color control player, definitely going to down to 3, maybe 2 if I'm still unhappy (still love it on hounds.)

Everything performed well, I did have cacklers and nobles in which helped in a lot of match-ups rather than having hounds MB. I think we do need to be a bit transformational because G1 is crucial in going fast

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

did you go cackler and bte? or just back to cackler? Im interested to see any deck changes. Nice write-up though. It only takes getting burned by the Bact/Reckoner combo once for me to pay close attention to creature count/mana count whenever there is an opposing reckoner on board. Taking a friday off of standard to draft tonight, but there is another round of tourneys next week so we shall see.

[Link]

I ran both. While this thread is dedicated to Gruul Hammer, I'm much more comfortable with a more flexible deck that goes from somewhat sligh mode to Sledgehammer mode instead of starting out that way.

Reasons: There are a lot of match-ups where you just need the speed, sacrificing that turn 1 play is more detrimental that it initially looks. The difference between playing a cackler T1 and swinging with him for 4, 6, Rancoring him, hellrider triggering him, etc. adds up to be noticeable when I didn't run him.

#2: The reason to play Sledgehammer in the first place is mostly to control mirror aggros better and go over the top when they run out of steam. I find that our game gets MUCH better post board against aggro and mirror to the point where I'm confident losing G1 to them even. Against Rites and decks where I need the speed, the post board isn't anywhere near a guaranteed win, so keeping it fast for G1 is important/
n
#3: Hounds in the SB is tech. I usually always play hound last when they are exhausted from resources and think they are about to stabilize, he comes down and is "LOLNOPE" and is a bomb. The problem with running him MB is he no longer becomes tech, he becomes predictable. They already know I'm running Hounds into G2, maybe instead of not having pillars to rely on more efficeint 2-1 for board wipes they will run pillars and save them for my hounds. Stomping them G1 with speed, then blowing them out with a Hound bomb has worked very well for me.

#4 I have a not so secret love for Tomoharu Saito, as he is the top Gruul player in the world. I love underdogs, we Gruul have the least guild members, what more is there to say? The MB is basically Tomoharu's 20-land version tweaked a bit, and the SB is less Hell-kite greedy and more reasonable (but with the same ideas going bigger ideas and the same love for Volcanic Strength).

The deck as it stood: (Due to not owning or being able to borrow more
reckoners):
[deck]Creature (29)
4x Ash Zealot
2x Boros Reckoner
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Flinthoof Boar
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
3x Hellrider
4x Rakdos Cackler
4x Stromkirk Noble

Land (21)
2x Gruul Guildgate
10x Mountain
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden

Instant (4)
4x Searing Spear

Sorcery (2)
2x Pillar of Flame

Enchantment (4)
4x Rancor

Sideboard (15)
2x Blasphemous Act
2x Domri Rade
3x Hound of Griselbrand
2x Kessig Wolf Run
1x Pillar of Flame
2x Traitorous Blood
3x Volcanic Strength[/deck]

Eventually I want to get at least one more Reckoner, -1 Rancor +1 Reckoner, and then play around with having 4 reckoners or having 4 GCR. Also will probably go to 2 temple gardens 1 guild gate, but I've been fine with it so far (even with a hand of 2 guild gates I was able to overcome the tempo loss with pure power. And there have been many games where if my guild gate were a mountain I'd have been color screwed)

[Link]

My newest idea is this:

Cut hellrider alltogether?

I've been recentlty unimpressed with him against anything not-control.

He forces us to tap out (can't bluff GCR or anything), he'll never be BRushed himself (always dies in combat), and usually only adds 3-4 damage for the card before dying.

He's nuts against control, but if we cut him we can add another card that is also good against control in the SB: Stonewright. It also let's us mainboard Hounds without being too topheavy and sacrificing speed.

Stonewright fits in more with our SMASH plan of impressive board states. Hellrider usually causes us to sacrifice board state for some damage, and in my recent testing its never enough to outrace junk rites life gain shenanigans (specifically Faithmender).

-3 Hellriders main, +1 GCR +2 Hounds.

SB:
-2 Hounds (1 stays in SB)
+2 Stonewright OR +1 Domri +1 VS (going to try both today see how good stonewright
is).


I think if we want to make hellrider good we have to play Pyreheart wolves in some number split with reckoners, because then it really amplifies damage done when they have to double block rider. But I don't know if I'm ready to go "weaker" (wolves do 1 damage hellriders are weak too comparitively) so trying stronger first.

Or hell I could just switch hellriders and hounds altogether, only bringing riders in against control and hounds great against other match-ups....

But stonewright +hound just sounds too sexy to give up

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

I agree with hellrider somewhat. I usually leave him in my hand until I know I am swinging for lethal or just to suicide him for 3-6 damage. If its between hound and rider in my hand I drop the hound on the board first almost always. More hounds less rider wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe 4 hounds/2 riders MB. Overall they have been very unimpressive, but they do ALWAYS eat removal so there's that. It seems counterproductive but maybe thundermaw instead of hellrider alltogether in the SB. We are dropping the haste bomb post-sweeper so we should be at 4-5 mana by then, with appropriate land count. Dunno. Getting back in to standard this week, after a week off, so Ill post updated list with any changes.

[Link]

hellrider is only good when you curve perfectly against rites, which is still giving me trouble.

more thoughts later

[Link]

I'm trying out the Green heavy version of this build, and I have to say I think it might be where Gruul Ragehammer wants to be at.


The premise of the build is ramp into boardwipes for huge advantage against aggro. Then having a much better late game board presence with Wolfir Silverhearts. Swinging with a hellrider and a bunch of dorks after a board wipe is insane. Silverheart Soulbound Hellriders and Rampagers are insane. There are also a lot more relevant cards spoiled for it so far than for Red (the Gruul champion, the mana dumb hydra with double strike, etc.)


I'm also trying out Skarrg Guild mage to make control match-ups better for the deck, and Rubblebelt Raiders (yeah I said it) against Junk rites over Hellriders.

I'd play Hounds but he doesn't evolve gyre sage and basically needs wolf run or silverheart to be awesome whereas raiders makes all your topdeck weak creatures a bit more relevant.


I havent given up on the Red heavy version either, I'm just waiting for Reckoners in the mail. I'll definitely be giving my list at least one more go before DGM.

The hardest part is figuring which one to take to Game day

[Link]

[deck]
Creatures (32)
3 Dryad Militant
4 Arbor Elf
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Gyre Sage
3 Strangleroot Geist
3 Wolfir Silverheart
3 Hellrider

Planeswalkers
2 Domri Rade

Lands (22)
7 Forest
5 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
2 Kessig Wolf Run

Sorcery
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Bonfire of the Damned

SB: 3 Pillar of Flame
SB: 3 Legion Loyalist
SB: 2 Zealous Conscripts
SB: 1 Garruk Relentless
SB: 2 Mizzium Mortars
SB: 3 Rubblebelt Raiders
SB: 2 Skarrg Guildmage
[/deck]

This is that deck btw. I basically full transform to take advantage of Junk rites limited removal to play Zealous Conscripts, Raiders, and Loyalists for huge game winning alphas out of nowhere.

Testing bonfires vs. mortars. I don't like bonfires unpredicatability, but its better than not having the hard RRR for overloaded mortars and always great when miracled (except on T2 or T3...)

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

I took it to another AMIQ this week end to an 11th (4-2 Overall). Heres the changes and matchups:

[deck] Gruul Ragehammer 3.0[/deck]

Notable changes are dropping Emissary. Didn't miss him much at all. Adding 3 Stonewright and the 4th Rider. I took out Kessig wolfrun and added a mountain for 'ol Kitten Mittens. The trample came just from Rancor and Bloodrushing so with stonewright I did not miss Kessig at all. He fits much better than Cackler in this non-transformational version of Hammer.

Round 1 Esper Control W (2-0)

He casted two o-rings and a BlOb the whole match. I was way to fast for the his deck. Or he kept really slow hands in both matches.

Round 2 Burn at the Stake Combo (R/W/u/g) W (2-0)
Human tokens are really bad against Stromkirk Noble. He was forced to race me both games and was not fast enough to do so.

Round 3 Naya Blitz L (0-2)
Lost die roll. Out-raced game one. G2 I had to mulligan to six kept a two-lander but never drew a third. I couldn't much an offense or defense going.. This matchup comes down to if they have a nut draw or not. He had it both times.

Round 4 Primespeaker Bant L (1-2)
Got him quickly game 1. Game 2 and 3 he was able to stall me out or I couldn't finish it and put it out of reach with az charm lifelink mode on multiple thrags. I made a misplay during Game 2 when I had him at six. I had four mana up with 2 spears in hand and some dudes. He had two thrags on board and gavony mana open plus one extra land. I played a dude got him to 3 and passed. He attacks activated
township and lifelinks with charm. I should have kept the spears open to do so in response to gavony activation and then I feel I could have finished it next turn or forced an azorius charm on one of my dudes instead.

Round 5 Naya Blitz W (2-1)
Game 1 I won on the back of Hound of Griselbrand and two bloodrushes. Game 2 Him on play with nut draw two spears was not enough to slow him down. Game 3 He mulled to 5, and couldn't stabliize while I curved out.

Round 6 Bant Hexproof W (2-1)
Game 1 and 2 were both races I won the first handily and the second was able to get him to 4 before he could put a rancor and ethereal armor on a geist with an abundant growth on board. He swings for 11. And is dead to hell rider activations next turn no matter what. I was able to be just one turn faster on the draw.

Deck feels really good to play. I am confident that any matchup I play is winable. It is powerful and able to battle into the early stages of the late-game. In sideboard domri and little Garruk give me
just enough gas to close out games I previously was unable to. Im sorry I didn't keep track of my sideboarding for the tourney. It was the side event to the PTQ that day. I played Boros Bullies in the PTQ and went 1-2, drop. I need alot more experience piloting that deck before I will be as confident as I am with this one.

All stars of the day were definitely Stonewright and Hound of Griselbrand. Even without threating trample they dont fuck around.

[Link]

how well did the BVolleys treat you?

I might have to try that list, looks pretty sick. I'd probably go with 3/4 rancors over Bvolley for MB hounds though but that's just me. SB looks solid too. Was Garruk mostly for mirror and Naya blitz or what other match-ups was he good in?

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Volleys mainly been used as a finisher I like extra reach it gives especially with reckoner. Ive noticed that players (when they are at 4-9 life) will chump block so I will redirect the one or two damage to them, and bam!, take 5 off of morbid and its game or game on next reckoner swing. It has been good because its "fringe" right now and people don't expect it. They are just thinking about spear damage.

Garruk was for naya (midrange and blitz) on the draw and mirror. For midrange, the deathtouch wolves or creature tutor are very relevant (usually nab a ghor-clan or hellrider) but I can only flip him with mana dorks. Hes also good at getting their big garruks. So its not always the correct option but i bring it in in favor of nobles usually, on the draw. I would love to run primal hunter, as he nets cards, but I like how splashable relentless is comparitvely.

[Link]

Standard night tonight, going to try BVolleys over pillars and we'll see what happens. I'd be leaning on BAct pretty hard for naya blitz match-ups, but the extra reach against Junk rites is what I really want right now.

[Link]

felt really good about this deck tonight, went 5-0. Definitely liked BVolley over rancors because rancors went back into my hand and were dead whereas bvolley was extra reach against control and finisher against rites.

[Pyreheart Bezerra]

Nice I went 4-1 tonight. Did you run stonewrights too. With them I do not miss KWR at all. Best moment of the night, was when I had a hound of griselbrand on the field with two gcr's in hand, pass turn. He plays fifth land and puts down assemble the legion onto an empty field and passes. Made my night to swing for the whole 20 in one attack.

[Platypus]

What your current decklist?

[Link]

[deck]Creature (30)
4x Rakdos Cackler
4x Stromkirk Noble
4x Ash Zealot
2x Boros Reckoner
4x Burning-Tree Emissary
4x Flinthoof Boar
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
2x Pyreheart Wolf
2x Hellrider


Land (20)
2x Gruul Guildgate
10x Mountain
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground

Instant (6)
4x Searing Spear
2x Brimstone Volley


Sorcery (2)
2x Pillar of Flame

Enchantment (2)
2x Rancor

Sideboard (15)
2x Blasphemous Act
2x Domri Rade
3x Hound of Griselbrand
1x Hellrider
1x Kessig Wolf Run
1x Pillar of Flame
2x Traitorous Blood
3x Volcanic Strength[/deck]

Helios' Reckoners still haven't come. Pyreheart wolf still a very good (hell maybe even better) substitute. Came in handy in the final match-up against G/r GruulHammer, where he landed a silverheart but couldn't block with it.

I keep WANTING to run Stonewrights and then I keep backing out.

I just can't find room for them. I could cut
cacklers or BTEs, but I'm just not comfortable enough yet. I'll playtest them more for next week though for sure. KWR wasn't even seen until a game against esper, but my hound had 2 rancors anyway and he scooped. I'd also rather have stonewrights than KWR against control, which is where they shine. I suppose they also shine against mirror and aggro by stabilizing with Stonewright+Ash zealot. But KWR is key in having more lands to play Hound on curve when I side in more 4 drops...

I even have a Japanese stonewright to match my chinese rancors >.>

BUT I bought my 3rd Domri with the store credits so there's even less room in my board T_T

Cacklers vs. Stonewright, the ultimate showdown this week. I can't replace BTEs because of their interaction with BAct and because they DO still fix mana for me often enough to be relevant. (there are still games where I only see 3 mountains, yeah)

[Link]

What your current decklist?

Updated the OP, I'm usually pretty good about it so you can check there under User-contributed.

I'm going to be trying out the extra Domri in place of KWR and a single Garruk Relentless in place of the third pillar.

[Link]

Bringing the third pillar back in.

I see a rise of G/r Aggro given latest results (like 7/16 of WMCQ in DC was G/r aggro), and pillars are great against gyre sage.decks by going under them.

Garruk was great against Blitz, but I'm already comfortable against that match-up either racing them with their inconsistency, or even pulling of the impossible and stopping their nut draw cold with BTE->BAct. Pillars to stop G/r at ever even starting a board precense (and rise of Stranglroote Geists in their lists) are more important.

Even considering going 3/3 split with spears and pillars MB... going to a friends house for a night of playtesting into game of thrones so we'll see.

[lorddax]

Wolfs out for new Warchant? Bumps cost by 1 but immediately effective and grabs a +1/0 buff.

[Link]

After a couple days of hard playtesting against my weakest match-up, Junk rites, and 2nd weakest, UWr Flash, I sat down and picked my build apart bit by bit. Why was it good? What makes it strong? What is its weakness and how can the SB shore those up?

Strength- Still punching through any threat. Still rancor, still GCR. Blockers are no problem for this build.
Weakness- Predictable win pattern. If we only attack head on, the enemy doesn't worry about flanks and fortifies their defense there.
Plan-Multiple win condition angles in the SB, can transform into BAct combo deck, planeswalker deck, Resillient Hound win con deck.

I am now ready to leave the "comfort" zone that was my sligh-ish build.

Using KDW once again as a basis, I'm dropping Reckoner. I was trying to "force" him to be good in the Rites match-up, with BAct. You can still do that in this build, but only on the draw.

The strength and
speed of Gruul is what I focused on. Cacklers are in. Stonewrights are not (Rancors serve his purpose and are better in that regard). Pyreheart wolf is definitely in. More hellriders are in because hellriders are good when you hit them on curve after Wolf.

Let's review the changes:

1 drops
Cackler-Strong. Gets in damage on his own without additional mana investment (over stonewright). With rancor can take out Smiters.
Noble-Grows itself, a threat that snowball and has great synergy with GCR

2 Drops
Ash Zealot-First strike, GY hate (often relevant against lingering souls, unburial rites nut draws, snapcasters, etc.) With rancor can carry a game
Flinthoof Boar- Never leave home without it. Our version of GHC from KDW, can have haste and has 3 toughness, better in every way.
BTE- tempo accelerator, mana fixer. Cut down to 3 because least impressive 2 drop against problem match-ups. Without LM you don't need to see that many of them.

3 Drop
Pyreheart Wolf- Just the
wolf. Reckoner is ok on his own, wolf gets everyone in. Wolf forces bad blocks. Wolf lets us 2-1 with bloodrush, wolf is undying.

4 Drop- Just hellrider. Trying out 3 right now as I'm reluctant to have 4-ofs of 3+ Cmc in the MB.
GCR- ok he's a 4 drop too technically. Coming down as a wall can be relevant in mirror matches as well, but his main function is the heart of this deck. GCR is Gruul, is this deck. Trample through their lines, make them afraid of this card. I always want to see this card in 2s. This is the reason to play this deck over KDW imo.

Burn package:
3 Pillars- We're taking out reckoner, we need to have a decent answer G1 against mirror. Pillar stops 1-2 drops cold and is important for tempo. Pillaring dorks is always satisfying
3 Searing Spears- Cut them down because having multiples didn't do much against rites. Might drop a rancor and go to 4, but I'm trying the 3/3'/3 split of noncreature spells out first. I want to see a spear everygame, and if I have 2 its not the worst,
but I don't consistently want to see 2 of them.

Rancor-I still think of it as burn on a stick, since it comes back. Instead of saccing your cackler into a smiter and finishing it with spear, they trade and you get rancor back. Is house with hounds.

Mana dump: Kessig Wolf-Run. 1 MB, 1 SB. No its not huge like in Jund and ramp decks, but even pumping for 2/3 in the final turn is crucial for those last points of damage. Turns flood into damage without costing a card. I've found it to be relevant, and with Hound its a serious win con.


Sideboard Plan:
Blasphemous Combo: This let's us hit from a different angle against decks. Its also our "Sledgehammer" transformation mode against other aggro decks. Instead of siding in Mortars and bonfires for board wipes like KDW, we use the Gruul's speciality in creature acceleration with BTE to hold out against Blitz and other decks. Also deals with volcanic strength:
Hounds: Still here, still great with rancor and KWR. Part
of the sledgehammer transformation to finish off mirror once they are spent.
Domri Rade: Yet another angle this deck can hit from. This is against control decks mainly, but I'm going to be testing him in the aggro mirror as extra removal as well if I can find room.


-Volcanic Strength: I had to remove something from the SB to make room for reckoners, and this was it. Leaning instead on BActs for mirrors and pyreheart wolf to take care of opposing reckoners, there just isn't room for another enchantment in the 75. VS against UWr Reckoner decks is also not as strong because they have azo charms and removal.

-TBlood, +ZC: ZC is just better in everyway if the mana base can support it. With an extra KWR in the side and 23 lands postboard, I found room for ZC. Also works much better with Wolf. I found that when I wanted to cast Tblood was on T5+ anyway, and casting ZC is just much better. Also versatile against Jund and Planeswalker decks.


This is what the list looks like now:
[deck] Ragehammer 2.0[/deck]

[Link]

Wolfs out for new Warchant? Bumps cost by 1 but immediately effective and grabs a +1/0 buff.

the war chant does look very promising. Might be able to fit reckoners back in MB and that wall post I just typed up might be only relevant for one week.

But I'm going to make this week count

[Thrillho]

Gruul War Chant either does nothing on its own for 5 mana or is a very expensive topdeck Pyreheart Wolf. It doesn't add pressure to your board. It doesn't block when you're down. It does for 5 mana what Pyreheart Wolf, an already suspect card IMO, does in 3.

The deck is already lagged on 5-drops (with some but not all builds even playing Hellkite), so adding another that a not unreasonable amount of the time is a stone blank doesn't seem like the card you want in your low-cc beatdown deck. Even in the Gyre Sage build, your creatures are huge and who cares if they block because their creatures are probably going to die.