For someone who hates red as much as I do, I sure am playing it a lot recently. Two weeks ago, I wrote about how Goblins was the deck to beat in Legacy. Then the following weekend, I four-way split a Black Lotus tournament with the red army. This past weekend, Goblins and I were at it again, as I was able to win four (!) Unlimited Underground Seas with the exact same decklist.
If you’re looking to attack in Legacy, don’t do it with fishies. Don’t do it with Vengevine and Basking Rootwalla. Do it with Goblins!
Creatures (30)
- 4 Goblin Matron
- 4 Goblin Lackey
- 4 Goblin Warchief
- 1 Goblin Sharpshooter
- 3 Goblin Piledriver
- 4 Gempalm Incinerator
- 2 Siege-Gang Commander
- 4 Goblin Ringleader
- 4 Mogg War Marshal
Lands (19)
Spells (11)
Sideboard
Enough about Legacy! Now onto the real stuff!
As many of you know, States is right around the corner. States is easily my favorite tournament of the year. I get to play some competitive Magic without there being too much on the line. As the 2008 Indiana State Champion, I know what it’s like to be the boss of a state, and let me tell you, it felt amazing for all 365 days. So, to get you to boss status, we need to take a little walk down memory lane.
Imagine, if you will, that it’s 2008. You’re in sunny Chicago, Illinois, and just got finished watching the finals of US Nationals. You’re amazed at just how easily Michael Jacob has run through the Top 8 to become the United States Champion. You then see MJ walking towards you. He knows you’re one of his biggest fans and decides to give you his Nationals winning decklist:
Creatures (24)
- 4 Magus of the Scroll
- 4 Blood Knight
- 4 Magus of the Moon
- 4 Ashenmoor Gouger
- 4 Demigod of Revenge
- 4 Figure of Destiny
Lands (24)
Spells (12)
Sideboard
This red decklist is very different from the red decklists that we’ve seen over the past year. The red decks that we’re used to are very much all-in blitz decks that had a little bit of play, but were fairly straightforward and didn’t have much of an end game. Michael Jacob red deck from 2008 was a red deck that had a good early game, a good mid game, and a good late game.
Now, we can only do so much with the cards that we’re given within our metagame. With how the previous metagame shaped up, red decks had to be built with Hellspark Elemental, Hell’s Thunder, and Quenchable Fire in order to win matches. You couldn’t build a deck like MJ’s because the cards weren’t there, and because the metagame more than likely wouldn’t have allowed it. (Thanks Jund!)
Now that we’re in a completely different metagame, and red has some new cards to work with, I think building a red deck like MJ’s is the right direction. I think the wrong direction is to be playing with cards like Zektar Shrine Expedition, Elemental Appeal, Goblin Bushwhacker + Devastating Summons, and other things of that nature. I don’t believe you need to be an all-in red deck any longer. And the reason I believe that is twofold:
1.) The metagame is much different
The metagame being different has a huge effect on how to build your deck. We all know that. Well right now, the metagame is comprised of three decks: R/G Valakut, Mono-Green Eldrazi Ramp, and U/W Control. There are other decks of course, but for the time being, those are the decks to beat.
People playing the three big decks are building their decks to beat a red deck that blitzes their opponents before they can get set up. Once they’re able to handle the initial rush, the game ends because the red deck doesn’t have much of a mid game or late game. What if I told you I have a red deck with a good early game, a good mid game, and a good late game?
Is that something you might be interested in? I thought you might be:
Creatures (20)
Planeswalkers (4)
Lands (25)
Spells (11)
Sideboard
Card explanations? Don’t worry because I’ve got lots of those.
4 Goblin Guide
– This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Goblin Guide is still the best one-drop in the format (barely above Joraga Treespeaker might I add), and a red deck that’s attacking shouldn’t leave home without it.
4 Spikeshot Elder
– Now this one may come as a surprise. This is the other one-drop the red decks needed.
On its surface, it looks rather innocent, but in a long game, Spikeshot Elder is great to have around. The combo with Teetering Peaks is obvious, but the great thing about Spikeshot Elder is that it’s a respectable one-drop, much in the same vein as Magus of the Scroll. It isn’t going to win the game on its own, but it has plenty of opportunities to be relevant over the course of a game. Whether it’s shooting down a Khalni Garden token (so you don’t have to waste a relevant burn spell), gunning down one of the many one-toughness Elves in the format, or going to the dome at the end of a turn when you have extra mana, Spikeshot Elder does a lot more than just attack for one and gives this red deck another set of one-drops.
4 Kargan Dragonlord
– This guy has always been on the fringe of greatness, but its time to shine has finally come. Kargan Dragonlord is a very tough threat to deal with, and it has only gotten better with the printing of Koth of the Hammer. Koth of the Hammer has made the leveling up of this card extremely affordable, and the first time you pump mana into it with the new red planeswalker, you’ll truly understand just how much better Kargan Dragonlord has become.
4 Plated Geopede
– Attacking for five on turn 3 is never a bad thing. Due to Jund leaving the format, there’s less removal in the format. And with less removal in the format, Plated Geopede is a very happy Insect. The biggest selling point of Plated Geopede — as if attacking for five on turn 3 wasn’t enough — is that it’s able to ram through Wall of Omens and Overgrown Battlement with relative ease.
4 Molten-Tail Masticore
– People are actually still on the fence about this card? Really? Do you have any idea how much four damage is? Four is kind of a magic number in this metagame. Four damage kills Overgrown Battlement, Wall of Omens, Obstinate Baloth, and, oddly enough, Molten-Tail Masticore. Not only does this thing gun down creatures, but it guns down players, too? And it regenerates in combat and through Day of Judgment? Where exactly is the downside to this card?
When I showed people this decklist, the first question they asked me is, “Isn’t four Molten-Tail Masticores too many?”
My responses have been:
“In what matchup don’t you want to draw one?”
“What’s better to follow up a dead Molten-Tail Masticore with than another Molten-Tail Masticore?”
“You know if this doesn’t die, they do, right?”
Razormane Masticore was a much different creature that was suited better for control decks, but never really found a home. Molten-Tail Masticore is a creature that was built for creature decks.
Remember how Patrick Chapin was trying to get Bloodbraid Elf into, well,
everything
?
Molten-Tail Masticore is colorless. It can go into everything!
4 Koth of the Hammer
– The hype is real. The way that Koth plays in this deck is very different from the blitz red decks people have been jamming him into. Here are a few scenarios:
1) If we’re applying significant pressure — let’s say a turn 1 Goblin Guide and a turn 2 Plated Geopede because that isn’t out of the realm of possibility — then the ability to make an attacking 4/4 is going to be a whole lot for any deck to handle, not to mention that you’re building his loyalty while attacking with that 4/4. And I think we can all agree that if you’re able to achieve that emblem, the game is over.
2) As you can see, my decklist has a lot of four-drops (some have said too many). Normally I’d agree with those naysayers, but Koth of the Hammer breaks the rules on the amount of four-drops you can have in your deck due to his second ability. I don’t consider playing Koth of the Hammer + Molten-Tail Masticore to be a very fair turn 4. Do you?
3) Have you ever activated Molten-Tail Masticore twice in one turn due to Koth of the Hammer? I have. It’s about as broken as you think.
4) Koth of the Hammer + Kargan Dragonlord = A very pissed off Dragon rider.
5) One thing this red deck does that others don’t do quite as well is play defense. With twenty creatures and a healthy amount of burn spells, this is a deck that can actually defend Koth of the Hammer well, until he’s able to hit his ultimate. Clearly we wouldn’t like to be playing defense, but it’s nice to know that if the situation presents itself, we’re able to adjust accordingly.
4 Flame Slash
– You know of all that stuff that Molten-Tail Masticore kills. Flame Slash happens to kill those same cards at the cost of one red mana instead of four. Comparing Flame Slash to Skred is a little unfair, because Skred reads: Tap a Mountain, kill a creature. Flame Slash reads: Tap a Mountain, kill most creatures.
The big reason Flame Slash is here is due to its efficiency. One red mana to handle Wall of Omens, Overgrown Battlement, Obstinate Baloth, Fauna Shaman, or Molten-Tail Masticore is ridiculously efficient. The other big reason Flame Slash is here is because when it isn’t gunning down creatures on its own, it’s tag-teaming with another burn spell (or Spikeshot Elder, or Molten-Tail Masticore) to gun down a Baneslayer Angel or Primeval Titan. It isn’t quite Skred, but what is?
4 Lightning Bolt
– Moving right along…
3 Burst Lightning
– This is the only slot in the deck I’m not sold on and is still in flux. I’ve tried Searing Blaze here, but haven’t been too pleased. I’ve since gone back to Burst Lightning for a few reasons:
1) Flame Slash + Burst Lightning trades with a Baneslayer Angel or Primeval Titan for two mana instead of the three mana that Flame Slash + Searing Blaze requires (not to mention the landfall trigger).
2) A turn 1 burn spell to handle Fauna Shaman or a mana Elf is very relevant.
3) Burst Lightning is a flexible burn spell, and I enjoy the flexibility that it provides.
I don’t think Searing Blaze is a bad card by any means. It might even be a perfect sideboard card for this deck in the future, but I don’t like it right now at all.
15 Mountains
– The fact that I’m playing Mountains is obvious. Fifteen may seem like a lot, but I want to ensure that Koth of the Hammer is awesome 100% of the time. Also, with Plated Geopede and so many mana intensive cards in my deck, I want to ensure that I hit my land drops as often as possible.
4 Arid Mesa/4 Scalding Tarn
– Hello there, Plated Geopede. I hope these keep you happy!
2 Teetering Peaks
– The combo with Spikeshot Elder is cute, but I think this deck lends itself to be able to play two non-basics. I think this is the best of the non-basics available to a red deck, not only because of Spikeshot Elder, but because of Mark of Mutiny on Primeval Titan.
4 Mark of Mutiny
– This is exclusively for the ramp matchups. The targets available are all absurd, and it gives you a sense of inevitability. Whether the ramp decks like it or not, they’re going to have to cast a giant threat to win the game, and as long as it isn’t Avenger of Zendikar, the creature you’re taking is going to deliver the opponent a giant punch in the face. There isn’t much a ramp deck can do about Mark of Mutiny. With how much pressure we’re applying with Goblin Guide, Plated Geopede, Koth of the Hammer, and Kargan Dragonlord, they’re going to have to make a move sometime. And when they do, we shall punish the hell out of them.
Don’t forget about the kiddie combo of taking a Primeval Titan and searching up two Teetering Peaks for eleven points of fun!
4 Brittle Effigy
– Molten-Tail Masticore does a great job of dealing with Kor Firewalker, but a little extra help could be used. Enter Brittle Effigy. Not only does this handle Kor Firewalker, but it also kills Wurmcoil Engine, Baneslayer Angel, and Sun Titan. And it can’t be Flashfreezed. How awesome is that?!
4 Cunning Sparkmage
– Sometimes you have to keep the Elves in check. Having this and Spikeshot Elder going is comical to watch.
3 Devastating Summons
– This is the best way to beat a Mono-Red mirror. Mono-Red mirrors are typically battles of attrition. Burn spells are flying left and right to keep the creatures in check, and eventually someone starts to draw poorly, and the game ends. Well, once all the burn spells have been slung, how do two 5/5s for one mana sound? It sounds great to me!
For me, this is the only way to build a red deck right now. You have a great early game thanks to Goblin Guide and Plated Geopede, a great mid game due to Koth of the Hammer and Molten-Tail Masticore, and a great late game due to Kargan Dragonlord going ultimate, Molten-Tail Masticore throwing four points of damage around, and the natural reach that a red deck provides.
I really can’t see a reason to play anything else. And that’s weird coming from me because I really dislike playing the color red.
Who knows? Maybe red is my new white!
Good luck at States, everyone. More than anything else: go out there and have fun.
Before I go, I’d like to promote my new website that has just gone live. If you’re into sports, I, Joe Gagliardi, and Adam Bernstein have started
our own sports blog. You can read our opinions and listen to our podcasts at
www.viewfromthepine.com.
Feel free to stop by, and let us know how we’re doing!
Until next week!
Cedric Phillips
[email protected]