My guild is calling.

I love the passion and ferocity of Gruul. Dirty, mangy, and bloodthirsty, the Gruul Clans embody the naturally emotional and impulsive nature of humanity. In Magic, Gruul and its heralded colors have built a reputation of overpowering those weaker then themselves through the use of brute force.

Speaking of brute force, do you know what one of my favorite cards from Dragon’s Maze is?

Although this innocuous common might drift past many players who peruse the set, Rubblebelt Maaka reprises one of the more powerful non-damage combat tricks red has ever had. Planar Chaos brought us the planeshifted Brute Force, a warped Giant Growth that offered red a unique toughness-boosting trick that allowed the creature to more easily survive combat. Red is quite familiar with the standard "+X/+0" fare, but Brute Force adds another dimension to red. This is a huge step up from similar offerings in Gatecrash, such as Skinbrand Goblin (a veritable joke now) and Slaughterhorn (while it’s good, it’s green and doesn’t give you that crucial point of toughness). What’s the best way to use red’s new power?

With Pro Tour Dragon’s Maze behind us, Return to Ravnica Block Constructed has enjoyed its fifteen minutes of fame. Pro players tirelessly prepared their powerful aggressive strategies as well as sturdy control options outside the spotlight weeks before Dragon’s Maze hit the shelves. Now that we’ve seen it play out, I want to explore that format a little bit. Even if you don’t play Block Constructed, whether online or at local shops, it’s still good practice to look into it. Writers and pros alike agree that Block Constructed decks often portend the archetypes for the following autumn’s Standard, and it’s proven to be true on many occasions. When Theros hops in, don’t you want to be ready?

In my recent transition to Magic Online, I have jumped into this format feet first, and I’d forgotten how much I loved Block Constructed. Cards that are too weak for Standard see significant play in Block, and it’s a great way to learn Constructed Magic, too, as metagames, archetypes, and sideboarding plans are easier to identify and apply.

When I jumped in, the format’s best and most consistent aggro deck was Mono-Red Aggro, which plays eight playsets of red staples like Ash Zealot, Boros Reckoner, Legion Loyalist, and Gore-House Chainwalker (an actual card in Block.) It was the entry-level haymaker. After playing in a couple Daily Events, I was not at all pleased with it and found it terribly easy for most every deck (except Mono-Red Aggro) to play around. As I looked at what the deck was trying to do, I wanted to explore another color. Rubblebelt Maaka and other bloodrush cards could make the aggro decks faster and more tempo oriented, so incorporating them was very important.

After some tweaking, I wanted to give it a go in a Daily Event. Here’s the list mere moments before it fired.

Gruulrush

Matt Higgs

Test deck on 05-26-2013

Return to Ravnica Block

Creatures (35)

Lands (20)

Spells (5)

Sideboard

The deck performed like a champ, and it presented a solid 3-1 finish.

Round 1 (Jund Control): 2-1
Round 2 (Mono-Red Aggro): 2-0
Round 3 (Golgari Aggro): 2-1
Round 4 (USA Assemble the Legion): 0-2

It obviously struggled with the slower matchups, and I expected that. This deck was still in the experimental stages; now that it’s a bit more proven, I want to invest in two or three Domri Rade, a card this deck desperately needs. Being able to empty my hand of creatures, topdeck two bloodrush creatures, and freely bash is this deck’s dream, as is fighting your Boros Reckoner and their Consuming Aberration. Unlike the Mono-Red Aggro decks that are currently enjoying popularity, this deck has game against larger creature decks. It can attack into Boros Reckoners, Loxodon Smiters, Advent of the Wurm tokens, and Lotleth Trolls comfortably, and it’s easy to bluff bloodrush.

I’d like to also take a moment to discuss one of the biggest surprises of Dragon’s Maze: Gruul War Chant. For this deck, this card is a Sorin emblem on crack. Giving each creature a manaless, immediate +1/+0 and the two-headed blocking effect is absolutely awesome. Against control, it makes each of your creatures a little bit tougher on an empty board, and it interacts favorably with Boros Reckoner. More of your creatures go unblocked, making bloodrush that much better. This twenty-land deck occasionally has trouble resolving it, but when it’s out there you will very often be able to close out a game that very turn. Play around with this card, folks; it does a ton of work.

Secondly, I want to highlight one of the most consistent, powerful, and unstoppable aggro decks in Standard: Bant Hexproof. What was originally a fringe States winner from September has become a formidable force, popping up at Opens, Classics, PTQs, and the occasional pro table since its inception. The draws can be explosive; turn 2 Geist of Saint Traft off Avacyn’s Pilgrim, turn 3 load him up with Auras and swing is the quickest way to win most any game.

The deck is full of great tools: Rancor, Spectral Flight, Invisible Stalker, Geist of Saint Traft of course, and…all the stuff that rotates in September. Right now there is a critical mass of great stuff to make this archetype work. Though some of it will last, a lot won’t, and for those who have really enjoyed this archetype, they’ll be anxious to keep it alive.

One of the best tools for the deck, Ethereal Armor, will survive rotation and is definitely awesome enough to keep us firmly in white, but that’s where the similarities for my idea and the classic Bant list end.

We need to start with good strong creatures that hold Auras well and resist death like a champ. During this search, I found this servile common.

Hexproof has been reeled in a lot since Geist of Saint Traft started ripping up tournaments over a year ago. It’s one of those mechanics you love on your side and hate on their side, so now that it’s in decline we need a simple and reliable way to protect our Aura-laden targets. Dutiful Thrull, a glorified Drudge Skeletons, will do just fine. Rubblebelt Maaka still makes a great combat trick on an unblocked Aura mule, and Boros Charm also came to mind as a multipurpose tool to not only defend your crew but also as a way to push one of your attackers way over the top. I’ve found my colors, then, so let’s fill in the rest!

Bauras

Matt Higgs

Test deck on 05-26-2013

Return to Ravnica Block

Creatures (21)

Lands (22)

Spells (17)

Sideboard

Creatures

One-Drops

Dutiful Thrull and Rakdos Cackler make up our efficient targets to start bashing. Dutiful Thrull has built in protection, while Cackler is efficient and easy-to-cast. He doesn’t need much help to be a bruiser. A Madcap Skills makes him effectively a 5/2 unblockable creature for the first couple turns. Leaving open a black mana is easy in a deck with cheap plays and sufficient land, so Dutiful Thrull can safely get in the red zone.

Two-Drops

Fencing Ace, a remnant of the Standard version, holds enchantments like a pro, too. Giving the Ace even a small boost is enough to deal serious damage to an unprepared opponent. Fencing Ace is pretty fragile, but the payoff is well worth the risk. Precinct Captain is a great tempo card. Every time the Captain connects, you give yourself a ~~blocker~~ 1/1 Soldier token to do battle, so you’ll be prepared for the backswing. Even if the Captain would normally be outclassed, an enchantment will help it break on through to the other side. Break on through…break on through…

Truefire Paladin, a great Limited card and mana sink, is a very challenging creature to answer on an empty board. Enchantments or not, the Paladin can attack and defend with the best of them, and bluffing your mana on either end is enough to ensure a favorable combat. Truefire Paladin basically comes built-in with enchantments, and in those tough board states it might be just the card you need.

Higher Drops

Boros Reckoner is super strong, folks. It is one of the more difficult creatures to deal with in combat, and it doesn’t get easier in Block Constructed. If your opponent doesn’t have black or blue spells, they cannot interact favorably with it. I think they made Boros Reckoner a Minotaur so he could literally "bull"-y around the other creatures on the field. Slapping a Madcap Skills on the Wizard makes him so terrible to block in combat, and it’s still an excellent blocker to help you stabilize.

I included one copy of Hellhole Flailer. The Flailer is very efficient, and it interacts well with getting power boosts. Madcap Skills plus its built-in Fling will spell certain death to any planeswalker or player you aim it at. I have two Rubblebelt Maakas to add some additional instant damage; late game they can be cast as reasonable creatures and enchantment targets. Creatures are so good these days that it’s a wonder that non Supreme Verdict control decks can even compete.

Spells

This list plays twelve Auras in the maindeck, with a full set each of Ethereal Armor and Madcap Skills, both of which have already thoroughly proved themselves in Constructed and Limited respectively. In addition, Defiant Glee, an Unholy Strength with an evasive upside, and Gift of Orzhova also appear. Defiant Glee has been surprisingly powerful in playtesting, and the trample is often very relevant, especially on Fencing Ace. Gift of Orzhova should often be the last spell you cast in a given game, as it will allow your souped up Soldier to come careening over your opponent’s wall. It’s a fine defensive play, too, but it’s meant to be a finisher.

In addition to the Auras, a playset of Boros Charms and a single Blind Obedience wrap up the spell list. This is an aggressive deck, and Boros Charm is on the perfect price point to provide the tempo you need, whether it’s protecting your investment or dealing too much damage for your opponent to answer in time. Although I’d considered backing down the count, I always regret doing so. Blind Obedience adds to Ethereal Armor’s enchantment count while providing a steady source of attrition-based damage for a deck with cheap spells and a topdeck intensive game plan. They are generally worse in multiples, but Blind Obedience can make Madcap Skills particularly awkward, too, so maybe there is room for another.

Return to Ravnica land bases are usually fairly simple affairs with few utility lands of note. Usually the debate is around Guildgate count, which aggressive decks tend to keep low for consistency’s sake. Admittedly, the mana is fairly challenging in this deck, and I’m not sure the counts are right (except for the shocklands—there’s basically no reason an aggro deck doesn’t play a set of each.)

Sideboard

One card probably stands out to you at first glance when reviewing the sideboard.

Yes, this 14th pick Gatecrash common is actually the nuts in this deck. If you think about it and/or you play Block Constructed, protection from multicolored protects the enchanted creature from so many things. Selesnya Charm, Putrefy, Abrupt Decay, Azorius Charm, Dreadbore, any Golgari Zombie, Warped Physique, Aurelia’s Fury, and even Boros Reckoner can’t touch its target. When removal or multicolored creatures prove to be a problem, bring these in and be amazed.

The rest of the cards go along with the enchantment theme. Arrest is a hard answer, and as long as decks don’t play enchantment answers, this will lock them down as good as any removal spell. Sin Collector is just the perfect card against the midrange and control decks of the format. Handling their bounce or removal spell early lets you resolve your enchantments more safely, as players against your deck will often bet the house on killing your one huge target with the one kill spell in their opener. It can be suited up, too, making it much better than any other targeted discard option (of which there are few in the block anyway).

Underworld Connections is a lifesaver in the long game when you must draw quickly to keep up with your opponent’s card advantage. It fits right on curve, too, meaning you won’t have to go out of your way to make it work. Mizzium Mortars is the stock removal spell in the format, and the ability to eradicate up to a medium-sized army is welcome in any single-colored package. I added one Tajic, Blade of the Legion for one effect: indestructible. Arguably one of the safest targets against black and red decks, Tajic’s battalion will rarely be relevant or necessary. Putting enchantments on him turn after turn will get you to victory all by itself.

There’s definitely an argument for other color combinations working for this archetype; Naya offers Selesnya Charm, Voice of Resurgence, and more bloodrush options, while USA brings protection and draw power to an aggro shell. Maybe Bant with Simic Charm, Prime Speaker Zegana, and Master Biomancer has enough, too?

This deck is highly experimental, but if the format slows down enough, it has the potential to catch plenty of paced decks off guard. It’s an all-in kind of deck, so it’s not for the faint of heart. On that note, the deck has some glaring weaknesses, such as sacrifice effects (brutal with a low creature count) and bounce effects. Esper decks will often provide a tough matchup, and as that archetype enjoys some popularity in the format, the time may not have come for this deck to shine. Keep it in mind and be ready to explore those options as M14 and Theros tag in.

Although these decks may not be as flashy or innovative as some of the others you’ve read about here, I still think that exploring these kinds of decks is a great exercise. Block Constructed is a great way to practice your deckbuilding and metagaming skills, so even if your shop doesn’t do it, I’d recommend playing a night of RTR Block with your friends some Saturday night; I promise that it will make you better deckbuilders and players alike. If you do, keep these decks in mind as templates, and never be afraid to experiment. Sometimes, it just might work.

Join me next week for a return to Standard. Until then, don’t forget to untap!

– Matt

Captain Shapiro on Magic Online