Magic: The Gathering,GO TEAM MS!

[hasdgfas]

Monored doesn't really use its sideboard right now, so it wouldn't be that hard to swap out all the cards that get hosed by Leyline of Sanctity. There's lots of playable alternatives to directly targetting like Ghitu Lavamage, Guttersnipe, Risk Factor.

Risk Factor targets.

Also, I'm very confused by "mono-red doesn't use its sideboard". It does a ton of sideboarding in every matchup.

[popsofctown]

I am disappointed to learn Risk Factor doesn't honor Browbeat the way I want it to.

Mono red really does not do much with it's sideboard. Mono red players physically exchange a lot of cards from the deckbox for cards in the maindeck, yes, but the new cards that come in are not that much different from the ones that came out.
Lava Coil is really good against Green and Tybalt has a really meaningful text line, then aside from those 7 slots you could put 8 red cards that threaten your opponent's life total without targeting your opponent in your sideboard if you wanted to. Looking at some sideboards that's already what those 8 red cards tend to be, aside from if people are ever casting the backside of Fight with Fire.

There's some variants of mono-red the stay very very small, generally aren't running Chandra or Rekindling Phoenix in the 75, are cutting 1-2 mountains from the standard amount. Those ones admittedly would have a really hard time dealing with a Leyline of Sanctity. I don't really like playing that flavor of it anyway though.

[DeathNote]

I reached top 500 in mythic arena playing this



Very good against all the steal decks and taking turns decks. Now I'm just having to grind through esper heros.

[Inferno390]

I just got into Magic Arena.
First pack I cracked was Kefnet.

[popsofctown]

That's a cool deck DeathNote

[popsofctown]

I'm spending a lot of time trying to figure out what post M20 red does to account for Cerulean Drake, but I can't decide. There's Chamber Sentry, Kraul Harpooner on a warrior/green splash, or maybe Fungal Infection on a black splash. Or maybe you should just ignore it and stay fast and red and lean and mean.

[popsofctown]

Super boring core set. I miss Magic Origins.

[Inferno390]

Boring?
I think this is the most pumped I’ve been for a set all year!

[popsofctown]

I like limited a lot, and this set is a snore at common and uncommon. There's somewhat more interesting things going on at higher rarities.

[Inferno390]

Alright
I have a challenge for all you brewers out there.

So I’ve been cracking packs on MTGA and trying to work out some spicy brews that could be somewhat competitive. Nothing that will compete with the Tier one Standard decks, but something that is both really fun to play and could net me a fair amount of wins before the season is over and rotation hits.
And I’m really getting into This Red-White Krenko deck. Basically, play creatures, pump them with Enchantments and Spells, and swing. The star of course is Krenko, who can churn out Goblins like crazy with this strategy. It’s really fun to play and I’m getting a few wins here and there in the lowest rank of Constructed.
My question is, how far can we push this deck?
So my challenge to you is to brew with Krenko, see what you come up with, and share. I don’t care if it’s red-white. I just want to see where this card can go.

Here’s some notes on what I’ve found so far:
-Sure Strike is really good for protecting Krenko on the attack.
-Tenth District Legionnaire is a great alt win condition for the deck.
-Inspiring Commander is a huge combo with this deck as it allows you to draw cards and gain life off of every Krenko attack.

[popsofctown]

Krenko is already used in Boros feather decks, which are ~ tier 1.5.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2000677#paper

How far you can push probably is a function of how similar to the Boros feather decks you go.

If you go 4 Krenko and 2 Feather instead of 4 Feather 2 Krenko you get to shift the mana base redder and run fewer duals so that's a little bit of upside. You could get the deck to where Militia Bugler is good, that could be good.

[McMenno]

hmmm... should you replace the sheltering lights there with gods willings?

[popsofctown]

When the card becomes legal in 10 days almost certainly

[Inferno390]

I would almost consider switching some amount of the Defiant Strikes for Sure Strikes. I think the First Strike is pretty key and gets more value for Krenko for just the one mana. Maybe 3 Sure to 2 Defiant?
Run one more Samut’s Sprint and one less Reckless Rage?
Definitely switch to the 4 Krenko’s for this build.
I’m not sure I like Aurelia or Warboss for what I’m trying to do here. It’s definitely not supposed to be “Aggro out the opponent with huge attacks” as much as a Red-White Krenko tokens strategy. I think you run another Feather for 3 and then some sort or removal? Lightning Strike perhaps?
I also think you run one or two less Arcanist in this build just because it’s not as Feather-centric. The card is great and combos with Feather, but agains, it’s not what a I think I want the deck to be doing. I think you cut one for Response//Resurgence and then maybe slot another one in the sideboard for that other Warboss.
Not quite sure what to do with the side board yet. And I’m not totally sold on these changes either, so we’ll have to see where it goes. It does leave some interesting brewing potential though that I want to start exploring.

[popsofctown]

Every single card you want to cut provides card advantage.

Maybe you'll need to run experimental frenzy to regain all that card advantage.

[InflatablePie]

got back into Arena a few weeks ago, currently jamming RDW (testing 3cmc Chandra and Burning Prophet, they've been pretty good) and whipped up this Dimir Control for Bo1 ladder cuz I was gettin tired of Mono-Red:

Spoiler: list

1 Lasav, the Multifarious
2 Thief of Sanity
2 Nightveil Predator
1 Hostage Taker
2 Doom Whisperer

1 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
1 Narset, Parter of Veils
1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General

4 Thought Erasure
2 Duress

2 Cast Down
2 Moment of Craving
1 Murder
1 Vraska's Contempt
1 Enter The God-Eternals

1 Cry of the Carnarium
1 Ritual of Soot

1 Negate
1 Disdainful Stroke
3 Sinister Sabotage

2 Discovery // Dispersal
2 Chemister's Insight

1 The Eldest Reborn

9 Island
6 Swamp
2 Dimir Guildgate
4 Dismal Backwater
2 Watery Grave
1 Drowned Catacomb

the deck could use work tbh (3rd Thief of Sanity, maybe a 2nd Enter the God-Eternals, ~2 Kefnet... lands...), but I'm down to 2 mythic WCs and 1 of the others and wanna save future ones til the meta settles so it's basically a pile of what I had in my collection

seems like a decent start but if anyone has suggestions lmk - so far Narset's been mediocre and I should probs craft a 2nd CotCarnarium over going 1/1 with Ritual of Soot. also a 2nd Vraska's Contempt but I have much higher priorities for rare WCs (ie lands, PWs) and they rotate this fall sooooo

[Inferno390]

Well guys, I’m at the prerealease and jamming with 2 mythic planeswalkers!

[Inferno390]

Well guys, I went 3-2, won 4 packs, and got a bunch of fun cards to mess with (including all three Chandras!).

[popsofctown]

got back into Arena a few weeks ago, currently jamming RDW (testing 3cmc Chandra and Burning Prophet, they've been pretty good) and whipped up this Dimir Control for Bo1 ladder cuz I was gettin tired of Mono-Red:

Spoiler: list

1 Lasav, the Multifarious
2 Thief of Sanity
2 Nightveil Predator
1 Hostage Taker
2 Doom Whisperer

1 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
1 Narset, Parter of Veils
1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General

4 Thought Erasure
2 Duress

2 Cast Down
2 Moment of Craving
1 Murder
1 Vraska's Contempt
1 Enter The God-Eternals

1 Cry of the Carnarium
1 Ritual of Soot

1 Negate
1 Disdainful Stroke
3 Sinister Sabotage

2 Discovery // Dispersal
2 Chemister's Insight

1 The Eldest Reborn

9 Island
6 Swamp
2 Dimir Guildgate
4 Dismal Backwater
2 Watery Grave
1 Drowned Catacomb

the deck could use work tbh (3rd Thief of Sanity, maybe a 2nd Enter the God-Eternals, ~2 Kefnet... lands...), but I'm down to 2 mythic WCs and 1 of the others and wanna save future ones til the meta settles so it's basically a pile of what I had in my collection

seems like a decent start but if anyone has suggestions lmk - so far Narset's been mediocre and I should probs craft a 2nd CotCarnarium over going 1/1 with Ritual of Soot. also a 2nd Vraska's Contempt but I have much higher priorities for rare WCs (ie lands, PWs) and they rotate this fall sooooo

If you can crack some packs I imagine that Disfigure plays close to strictly better Moment of Craving.
Nightveil Predator and 15 basic lands can't be right. The probability your mana doesn't hit UUBB is surely high enough that it's not better than some other 4 drop in your collection. It's already questionable to be utilizing a hexproof creature in a deck that doesn't invalidate the opponent's spot removal.
Blink of an Eye? Ravenous Chupacabra? Maybe you have a rando Karn 1.0? Or just putting in more permission/instant speed draw in the slot is probably plenty good enough.

[InflatablePie]

Spoiler: changes so far

-1 Ritual of Soot
-1 Murder
-2 Duress
-1 Disdainful Stroke
-1 Sinister Sabotage

-1 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
-1 Hostage Taker
-1 Lasav, the Multifarious

Murder and Disdainful Stroke didn't feel right in the deck, and Sinister Sabotage has been strangely lackluster. Two MB Duress is probably fine, but I opted for other cards instead. Which also makes Davriel less good. Dropped Lasav cuz cute but slow, and Hostage Taker I've never really cast and doesn't feel important. Ritual of Soot is probably okay but I decided to add another CotCarnarium over it.

+1 Cry of the Carnarium
+1 Blink of an Eye
+1 Negate
+2 Quench
+1 Noxious Grasp
+2 Tomebound Lich
+1 Watery Grave

single Blink of an Eye has been useful, same with the second Negate. Quench gives me more early-game pressure and has been useful (despite only running two) and there's enough targets for one maindeck Noxious Grasp. Tomebound Lich is interesting - don't know if it's what the deck wants to be doing but provides card selection and a 1/3 body is nice, and fits well in the curve especially since I haven't crafted more Thieves of Sanity yet. then another Watery Grave.

@pops: I legit forgot Disfigure was in M20, I'll make that change eventually. for now at least the 2 life is relevant sometimes.

in a two-color deck I've never had a problem casting Nightveil Predator, but I'll still fiddle with the manabase. following this article still allows me to drop an Island for a Swamp and still be alright for 1UU on 3, and so with 25 lands I've gone to 12 Duals (4 Gates/4 Dismal/3 Shock/1 Check), 7 Island, 6 Swamp.

nightveil's also done some serious work tbh - blocker against RDW they can't touch, pressures Planeswalkers, deathtouch is relevant against Gruul, flying against Mono-Blue... Doom Whisperer has been way worse (but instant speed Surveil 2 when it inevitably dies helps a little) but my deck feels light on lategame threats otherwise.

[popsofctown]

I have to begrudgingly admit it works well against mono red while being a game piece in other MUs. It requires me to think about a different format than the one I plan to play, though, in Bo3 I think decks with blue mana are only going to need to make the most minor of concessions to mono red after the release of Cerulean Drake.

[InflatablePie]

yeah I'm not seein much RDW lately. unless I'm queueing with RDW in which case I see it constantly but also, bring it on. RDW mirror matches are my favorites, had some spicy tech for that matchup back in THS RTR days

I also need to play more Bo3 once I have a better collection going

anyway

may eventually pivot to Grixis/Bolas control given I pulled 4x Steam Vents back when I last played, and they're releasing new starter decks with shocks at some point for my 4th Grave. depends on pulls and if I can budget for gems next month (trying to stay mostly f2p) and if I care about losing value on 3-4 mythic WCs for Baby Bolas. at least it won't be bad in Historic...?

but most of the deck doesn't rotate and going Thought Erasure into Bedevil into Bolas into Bolas seems sweet.

also wanna jam 3cmc Chandra in Grixis, because you can run big Chandra and maybe Sarkhan for an alt wincon (for more red PWs for her first 0) flashing back Bedevil/Thought Erasure is sweet and did I mention her Ele-0 combos with Liliana Dreadhorde's passive?

[popsofctown]

I'm pretty skeptical of that. The one thing even worse than Dies to Removal is Dies to Combat. Chandra dies to combat without getting an opportunity to generate at least 1 card worth of value, unlike Davriel, Narset, Tef3ri, and baby Vivien.
She guarantees a card of value if you play her as a 5 drop but then why not cast Nicol Bolas, Dragon God and have 5 loyalty instead of 2?

[Inferno390]

This deck has managed to take me all the way to silver rank 2! Thoughts on changes?

[popsofctown]

Acquire Steam Ventses, obviously.
4x Lightning Strike will be better than 2+2 Strike and Coil
The curve looks rough for your odd-numbered turns but I don't know what the best includes are for that.