Dies to Removal

Shock is insane with the creature suite.

Yeah, those guys had the nut draw, but I had the patience.

You want at least two Shocks. 0 is definitely not correct as long as you are running Searing Blood and Ash Zealot and also want a better GR matchup. Killing t1 Mystic is crucial.

I really missed my third shock tonight...

I have actually come back to really liking Shock, I think I just needed to use it better.

Shock's cost makes it versatile, in that it can be a stand alone spell or can cheaply increase the potency of another. I think 3 is the perfect number.

Agree.

So maybe someone else thought of this but it just dawned on me -- wear/tear kills courser.

They mentioned that in the video.

Still not worth it IMO

So maybe someone else thought of this but it just dawned on me -- wear/tear kills courser.

Or Boon Satyr or Herald of Torment. Those and Courser are probably the most played enchantment creatures. It's also relevant against hexproof, though it's just a slight edge in a really horrid matchup that you'll rarely face.

I hadn't even considered the fact it could nab the enchantment creatures -- the only other ones that are relevant are herald of torment, spirit of the labyrinth, hopeful eidolon, eidolon of countless battles, boon satyr, and nighthowler. I've played against all of those -- IDK if that makes the card more worth it, but the fact it kills courser has made me reconsider, especially since whip is giving me such a problem lately. The relevant enchantments are dsphere, underworld connections, and BO -- relevant artifacts are the god's weapons. I don't know if its worth it still, but if whip continues to be a staple in b/w, killing courser might make me reconsider its value. IDK -- thoughts?

...and Satyr Firedancer.

Don't think it's worth the sideboard slots though.

One other nice thing about Shock is hitting your own Phoenix in response to a Dsphere. I can imagine scenarios where you wouldn't just run Phoenix out on turn three to respect Syncopate and playing it on turn four instead. Shock being one mana is huge in those instances since you can get Phoenix back from Dissolve or Shock it in response to Sphere.

I think I've settled on the build I'm running at FNM tonight, but I wouldn't mind a sanity check on my sideboard plans:

[deck]
Creatures
4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Enchantments
3 Chained to the Rocks

Instants
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
4 Searing Blood
2 Shock
4 Skullcrack
4 Warleader's Helix

Lands
3 Boros Guildgate
9 Mountain
3 Mutavault
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Temple of Triumph

Sideboard
2 Blind Obedience
1 Chained to the Rocks
4 Firedrinker Satyr
3 Mizzium Mortars
2 Spark Trooper
3 Viashino Firstblade
[/deck]
Sideboarding:
Rw – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 2 Spark Trooper in // 4 Ash Zealot, 1 Skullcrack out
Rx Devotion – 2 Blind Obedience, 3 Mizzium Mortars, 2 Spark Trooper
in // 3 Ash Zealot, 4 Skullcrack out (no lifegain makes me prioritize taking out Skullcrack over Zealot)
RG Monsters – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 3 Mizzium Mortars, 2 Spark Trooper in // 4 Ash Zealot, 4 Skullcrack out

UWx Control – 4 Firedrinker Satyr, 3 Mizzium Mortars, 3 Viashino Firstblade in // 3 Chained to the Rocks, 1 Magma Jet, 4 Searing Blood, 2 Shock out (possibly removing a Mortars and replacing the Jet if I don't see one of the 4-toughness mythics game 2)

B Control – 1 Chained to the Rocks, 3 Viashino Firstblade in // 2 Magma Jet, 2 Shock out
BW Midrange – 2 Blind Obedience, 3 Mizzium Mortars, 3 Viashino Firstblade in // 2 Magma Jet, 4 Searing Blood, 2 Shock out (Blind Obedience being better against Whip and Obzedat than Chained is, and Mortars for Baron)

U Devotion – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 3 Mizzium Mortars in // 2 Ash Zealot,
4 Skullcrack out

I think this is pretty close to the way everybody's running it, I just want to get it down and make sure I've thought it through properly.

I love Shock and will continue to play 3. Plus, I use the shiny Psychatog shocks. My fave.

Sideboarding:
Rw – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 2 Spark Trooper in // 4 Ash Zealot, 1 Skullcrack out

I'm thinking we would want to keep the Ash Zealot in the mirror. Isn't AZ good against Sparky because of first strike? I might be missing something though, so let me know if this doesn't sound right.

Sideboarding:
Rw – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 2 Spark Trooper in // 4 Ash Zealot, 1 Skullcrack out

I'm thinking we would want to keep the Ash Zealot in the mirror. Isn't AZ good against Sparky because of first strike? I might be missing something though, so let me know if this doesn't sound right.

I'm boarding ash zealot out in the mirror, they're easy targets for searing blood, I also don't board spark trooper in, this deck wants to cast spells on the opponents end of turn, so it's unlikely for your opponent to tap
out during his turn, allowing you to cast a trooper and not have it immediately killed.

Realistically, I wouldn't even board spark trooper for the mirror. It's just WAY too much work getting it to connect vs. a competent opponent. Additionally, Boarding out Ash seems reasonable to mitigate the effectiveness of searing blood which is clearly a beating.

+2 BO, +1 Chained = -3 Ash Zealot. That's what I would do.

Sideboarding:
Rw – 2 Blind Obedience, 1 Chained to the Rocks, 2 Spark Trooper in // 4 Ash Zealot, 1 Skullcrack out

Are you talking about Rw Aggro (creature-heavy) or Rw Burn (the mirror)?

Rw Aggro: +2 Blind Obedience, +1 Chain, -3 Skullcrack

Ash Zealot is good against their creatures, and Skullcrack's only real purpose is to prevent the lifegain from their own Warleader's Helices.

Rw Burn: +2 Blind Obedience, +1 Chain, +1 Mizzium Mortars (for the lack of better sideboard options), -4 Ash Zealot

Ash Zealot is just another target for Searing Blood in this match-up.

Thanks, everyone.

Realistically, I wouldn't even board spark trooper for the mirror. It's just WAY too much work getting it to connect vs. a competent opponent. Additionally, Boarding out Ash seems reasonable to mitigate the effectiveness of searing blood which is clearly a beating.

This is probably correct. Switching to pika's plan: zealots out, 2 BO/1 Chain/1 Mortars in.

Are you talking about Rw Aggro (creature-heavy) or Rw Burn (the mirror)?

Rw Aggro: +2 Blind Obedience, +1 Chain, -3 Skullcrack

I was talking about the mirror, I haven't seen much Rw aggro. Though now I'm wondering what people do against Wx aggro...

I've seen a little Wx Aggro at my LGS. I would think -2 Skullcrack, +2 BO.

I've seen a little Wx Aggro at my LGS. I would think -2 Skullcrack, +2 BO.

If your not playing SFD and they are running Brimaz, you might want to add - 2 Skullcrack and +2 Mizzium Mortars. You just have to watch out for Fiendslayer Paladin. Then you might want to consider the skullcracks to back up the Chained to the Rocks.

Blind Obedience for all those haste guys White Weenie runs right?

just spent the 60 tix required to finish out the list on MODO. Already had the Mutas, Zealots, Phoenixes, and most of the burn package so I figured why not.

Value-town here I come! (it's not a simple deck though, so maybe not)

him: thoughtseize
me: warleader's helix targeting demon
me: searing blood targeting demon, kill demon, you take 3, hand empty

dem feels.

OH MY GOD
Just played a mirror g1 of a DE.
Game 3 he used peak eruption on me in like turn 8, in respone i use WILD RICOCHET, change target to one of his mountains on which he had chained my phoenix, and destroyed another mountain of his.
SO MUCH VALUE.

I'm telling you. 1 of Wild Ricochet too strong. I ricocheted an opponent's helix last night. There were many roffles to be had.

I love the name "Shoryuken" for this deck!!!

This is my games data MTGO from this week with Rw BURN, I play 2 DE and some practice games, but last 2 days I'm sick and didn't play at all. It's few games, and I play almost against RG, and there were always close games.

Matchup - win / Lose
RG Monsters - 5 /1
Esper control - 2/1
UW control - 1/0
Monoblack Control - 1/1
GW agroo - 1/0
Monored agroo - 2/0
Monoblack agroo - 0/1
Reanimator - 2/0
Rakdos agroo - 1/0
RG devotion - 1/0
Jund Monsters - 1/0
Bant control - 1/0
Rw BURN - 0/1 (lose to GOD-l1k3 in one DE, I think it's someone from this forum. This game I auto lose by Mulligan to 5 when I miss click a great 7 cards hand.)

The other match's
were against irrelevant decks. After today's FNM I will post the results from Saturday and today's FNM.

Great job amcfvieira.

OH MY GOD
Just played a mirror g1 of a DE.
Game 3 he used peak eruption on me in like turn 8, in respone i use WILD RICOCHET, change target to one of his mountains on which he had chained my phoenix, and destroyed another mountain of his.
SO MUCH VALUE.

THIS IS SPARTA!

OH MY GOD
Just played a mirror g1 of a DE.
Game 3 he used peak eruption on me in like turn 8, in respone i use WILD RICOCHET, change target to one of his mountains on which he had chained my phoenix, and destroyed another mountain of his.
SO MUCH VALUE.

THIS IS SPARTA!

Because we play a burn deck it should be Sparkta!

Btw if you guys are annoyed with Hexproof, you could fit a Glare of Heresy in the SB. Sure it's a reactive card, but it does the job well exiling Detention Sphere, Paladin, Archangel, Elspeth in the control matchup, while it provides us an out to Unflinching Courage.

We used it last season in our RW aggro lists and generally liked it.

I run 3x Temple of Silence instead of mutavault but acknowledge that it's strictly worse (possibly fatally so) vs. control. I do have more white sources though, yay me.

Amc- you are 5-1 vs GR? Whats your secret!

My FNM record is 1-3.. too bad... but I take more experience and I think, that deck is fine for me.

Quick report... sorry for my lame english.

Round 1: Mono U
Game 1: I had 3 lander, Ash Zealot and some burn. Keep... But then... I had 8 lands and 7 spells during game and when he have 5 lives, oponent kills me.
Game 2: Similar hand ... I don't draw chains for his master... He was at 3 lives when kills me. During this game I had 6 lands and 8 spells... bad luck I think...

Sideboard: - 4 AZ, -3 Skullcrack, +1 Chained, +2 Mortars, +2 BO, +2 Troopers
0-1

Round 2: Green splashing black for removal.
Game 1: He stars with Experiment One, followed second and Mystic, turn tree he play Kalonian Tuskers followed with Polukranos next turn. I can't stop his pressure.
Game 2: Very good hand and good progress. Blind Obedience was amazing and I kill him easily.
Game 3: He stars slowly I kill his mana dorks, but Polukranos
swings at T4. I chained him, but EOT he respond with Abrupt Decay. I push him to 6, but I had only 3 lands, shock, strike and warleaders in hand... He have mana open for Polukranos Monstrosity... I can kill my opopnent with 4th land in two rounds, but I drew another helix... when I draw 4th land, i was too late...

Sideboard: - 4 AZ, -3 Skullcrack, +1 Chained, +2 Mortars, +2 BO, +2 Troopers
0-2

Round 3: Mirror
Game 1: very close game, I did mistake while making scry 2 from magma jet. I see Strike and Skullcrack, so I keep strike on the top and skullcrack under strike. I drew Strike and pass turn, he plays helix EOT... damm... that changes race in his favor.
Game 2: it was close game too. But have little bit better draw...

Sideboard: - 3 AZ, +1 Chained, +2 BO.

I think that side out AZ is good choise, this criple his seering blood.
0-3

Round 4: UB Mill
Game 1: he play 0/7 wall and 0/6 flying wall, which I chained to the rocks. He use few counters, but stay at 3 land and I easyly win.
nGame 2: I had 2 land, 3 boros charms and magma jet opener after muligan to 6... So I kill him very quicky.

Sideboard: - 3 AZ, + 1 Chained, + 2 BO
1-3

I think, that mainboard is ok with 3 gates, 3 mutas, 3 chained. I did not meet MBC, so I can't use Wear / Tear from SB for Whip. I cast Blind Obedience only once, but its performance is amazing. I love it so much.. I bought third copy... In mirror I will side all AZs out and side in new copy of BO...

Spent a few hours in tournament practice room with the list today to really get it under my fingers. I have it sleeved in paper too but don't have many matches with it yet, so want to get a feel for the different lines first. This is a really fun deck, and I actually enjoy the fact that it fairly harshly punishes you for incorrect lines or misplays. I think my favorite sequence so far:

I'm at 4 mana, he's at something like 8. Esper Control. I have 2 Skullcracks in hand and a Phoenix in the yard, and he's at 9 life.
me: Skullcrack
him: tapout for Sphinx's for 5
me: Skullcrack
He goes to 3, gets 5 cards, but is tapped out. I get my Phoenix back and play it the next turn and put him to 1.

His turn he fires off a Sphinx for 2, leaving 3 mana open. He found the D-Sphere and put it on my bird.

I'm hellbent with him at 3, but I'm drawing into 4 copies of Boros Charm, 3 copies of Warleader's Helix, 2
Skullcracks, and 3 Lightning Strikes (other having been used).

My top deck?

MFing VIASHINO FIRSTBLADE. He concedes with the ETB trigger on the stack.

2-1 tonight. Loving the deck more and more as I get better at processing the lines.

Round 1 vs Esper
Game 1: land AZ t2 and go to town. I jet to sculpt and pressure as he plays lots of land. Along the way he disolves a Strike and finally Downfall's AZ, but I close out with helix to drop him to 4, a jet that gets syncopated and finally close out with a disolved helix into lethal charm.
Out: 3 Shock 2 CtR 4 Blood In: 4 FDS 3 VFB 2 ST
Game 2: Open with FDS into Vault to his Elixir. Jet eats a Dispel so I drop another FDS and pressure. He keeps playing lands and I go for a CP that gets dissolved, and he downfalls a FDS but I follow up with a VFB and keep swinging. I drop him down to 7 when he elixirs with with 8 on board, I connect then charm for the win
1-0

Feel very
confident about the control matchup and don't really have any qualms about this match besides making sure to force the Jace -2 in my favor

Round 2 vs Dega
Game 1: I lose pretty handily to Reckoner into SBD as I get dropped from 20 to 17 to 10 to dead as I cant find an efficent answer in time.
Out: 4 AZ 4 Crack In: 2 BO 2 MM 2 CtR 2 ST (Not sure if this was correct)
Game 2: Gate into Foundry into MJ responding to Duress. Im able to stick CP followed by another next turn and ride them. He drops a Whip into Helix in SBD to try and stablize at 8 but I swing and burn out with LS+MJ
Game 3: He mulls and isn't happy and I open with Foundry Mountain MJ as he drops Lifebane to record my hand and I drop Vault+CP next turn. He sequeneces well to use Descecration Demon to yank my helix and Jet with another one to eat Mortar and Shock which he follows up with a 3rd
Desecration. He pokes with lifebane when he can. I attempt to find BlOb as he drops Obzedat, which lets him stabilize at 12 and Demon+Lifebane+Obz with me at 3 on his EOT with 5 mana and a CP in the Yard and a vault on board. I wish I could remeber what I had left in my hand but I could only make 11 damage and died to his untap.
1-1
Don't know if triple desecration demon was winnable or if I boarded correctly, I felt this was close but somethign was just slightly off.

Round 3 vs Mirror
Game 1: Mull to 5 open Foundry, Mountain MJ Mountain CP which gets chained. We trade burn and skullcracks. I find a second skullcrack and hold it, presure him from 10 to 6(he helix's me to 7 as I crack in response) to 3 to 1, casting everything I draw during his EOT. He find a LS and a Shock on his draws to drop me to 2. He attempts to shock, I counter with charm, he counters with helix, and I pop a LS for lethal.
[i:
1pss8ro5]Out: 4 AZ 2 CtR IN 2 BlOb 2 ST 3 VFB[/i]
Game 2: A suprise Eruption thows me off and the followup Chains on my CP puts me on the backfoot. He stabilizes at 14 and whitltles me down to 5 before burning me out.
Out: 4 Blood 1 Shock In 4 AZ
Game 3: I land a Zealot which gets in then eats a Jet that he had to shock to play. We trade burn and I manage to stay 2 points ahead, and go to time with me at 11 and hes at 11. Im on 4 lands hes on 6. Im turn 0 and draw MJ, he casts LS to drop me to 7. I cast MJ EOT turn 1 to drop him to 9, I draw a LS which I play EOT turn 3 to drop him to 6. I draw helix on turn 4 which causes me to not play the ST I've been holding as hes holding up 6 mana, I pass. Turn 5 he makes no play and passes priority EOT, I tap out for Helix for lethal. He shows his final 3 of blood, chain, something.
2-1

We discuss the deck, and decide to swap a mountain for his 3 gate as he was already at 3
vaults from budget. Pulling SFD for Eruption was probably a good choice for our meta as there is probably 50-60% running mountains. He may be able to give more notes on this match as hopefully hes fixing his username so he can post (Think Kait yelled at him for its length throwing the forum formatting off ). Ideally, we'll be able to get together with the other lurker in our area to meet up for testing finally!


Played a bunch of testing matches vs American Control and Minotaur Tribal before hand. Tribal can really make use of their X/3 bodies and can jump very quickly out of range if they can resolve an enabler. The matchup is still very winnable if you can answer each minotaur as it comes in as they dont really get going until they've landed 2. BlOb is helpful in this matchup and MM are clutch, pulling blood is probably best here along with crack for 2 more Chained and Sparky. 2/6 vs this deck's speed and synergy.

nAmerican Control gets tricky as I dont think you can bring FDS with their access to damage removal. They have access to counter magic as well so sequencing needs to be very tight and they can bring in more counter magic from the board. VFB and Sparky are what I was bringing in and pulling Blood out and shock out, but not sure if that is correct. Went 2/6 vs AMerican control as I played around with what to actually board.

Went 4-0 and won my third straight FNM with the deck. People are starting to cringe when pairings are announced. A lot more W/WB Weenie/Enchantment showing up, which is a rough matchup but not unwinnable.

Amc- you are 5-1 vs GR? Whats your secret!

Im above 50% now too, I think just playing HEAPS let's you find the slightly better lines that make a big difference.

Final list I am taking to the GPT after some games tonight:

[deck]4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix

2 Chain to the Rocks

4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
4 Searing Blood
3 Shock
4 Skullcrack
4 Warleader's Helix

3 Boros Guildgate
9 Mountain
4 Mutavault
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Temple of Triumph

Sideboard
2 Blind Obedience
2 Chain to the Rocks
4 Firedrinker Satyr
2 Mizzium Mortars
3 Viashino Firstblade
2 Spark Trooper[/deck]

Went 2-1 tonight at FNM taking out R/b aggro deck that I built for a friend, U/W control my testing buddy is taking, and losing to a black aggro deck with a one of whip that shut me out of the game.

Satyr Firedancer did put a game back into my control tonight against the B/r aggro deck but overall I felt that he was not needed. With the way the boarding works you would remove too much burn for certain match ups and overall forces you to commit to certain lines you
might not want to take in order to maximize his power.

Whip is the only thing I am not wanting to run into at the GPT because it hoses us horribly. In the black aggro deck I had control of the game then he landed the whip and the lifegain was too much and he managed to bring back dead creatures to just push him back over. We may need to look at just a single Wear//Tear in the board somewhere.

Final list I am taking to the GPT after some games tonight:

[deck]4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix

2 Chain to the Rocks

4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
4 Searing Blood
3 Shock
4 Skullcrack
4 Warleader's Helix

3 Boros Guildgate
9 Mountain
4 Mutavault
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Temple of Triumph

Sideboard
2 Blind Obedience
2 Chain to the Rocks
4 Firedrinker Satyr
2 Mizzium Mortars
3 Viashino Firstblade
2 Spark Trooper[/deck]

Went 2-1 tonight at FNM taking out R/b aggro deck that I built for a friend, U/W control my testing buddy is taking, and losing to a black aggro deck with a one of whip that shut me out of the game.

Satyr Firedancer did put a game back into my control tonight against the B/r aggro deck but overall I
felt that he was not needed. With the way the boarding works you would remove too much burn for certain match ups and overall forces you to commit to certain lines you might not want to take in order to maximize his power.

Whip is the only thing I am not wanting to run into at the GPT because it hoses us horribly. In the black aggro deck I had control of the game then he landed the whip and the lifegain was too much and he managed to bring back dead creatures to just push him back over. We may need to look at just a single Wear//Tear in the board somewhere.

This is my prefered 75 right now too.