So I've done really well (16/2/2 in the last month in DCI events) in my local metagame with this deck, it having a solid matchup against Jeskai tempo and the faster and more aggressive Abzan decks. The threats are efficient and each tend to require different types of removal to deal with them. Additionally, removal being as expensive as it is in Standard having counter magic to deal with that and/or powerful threats can be a massive tempo swing. Holding up
Boon Satyr
+ Lightning Strike +
Temur Charm
all at once is truly amazing feeling.
One thing I've answered a lot about this list is why I'm running Evolving Wilds instead of Wooded Foothills and the answer is two-fold...damage and Island. The Island comment is likely self explanatory but, games often can come down to 2-3 points of life, and losing additional life for usually minor gain tends to not be impressive, with mana creatures and proper sequencing you're rarely having tempo loses on hitting 3-drops and usually 4-drops, which is why I'm so heavy on that three slot. It lets me take it easy with my mana and lowers my curve, making it easy to be the aggressor and establish the pace of the game, and few cards dictate game pace better than a Savage Knuckleblade.
I'm not running Polukranos, World Eater because, for the most part, I've got ground-pounding covered.
Ashcloud Phoenix
suits my purposes better at 4 mana, usually and Stormbreath Dragon is the best game-ender in the deck not close.
I'm considering cutting 1
Boon Satyr
and 1 Goblin Rabblemaster to be able to include some more interaction like additional Lightning Strikes,
Crater's Claws
or maindeck Stubborn Denial (because it's pretty much the best card in the sideboard besides
Hunt the Hunter
). But I need to test with that a bit more. Additionally I'm considering removing the Magma Sprays from the Sideboard and adding in additional Disdainful Strokes in their place.
Sideboarding can be a little complicated, but here's the basic idea, in game one you have a variety of threats that in one way or another progress you primary gameplan or smashy-smashy. In sideboarded games you board out of threats that they have multiple powerful removal spells for (not all of the copies, usually) and add in tempo elements allowing you to have protection for the threats that do resolve. Game one is more aggressive while games 2 and 3 tend to be more decided by well placed counter-magic. The opponent likely boards in cards to deal with threats you're taking out anyway, most of which are non-creature spells, so even if they become relevant you can still counter them. And if they don't come up you increased the percentage or dead cards from your opponent's deck.
Here's a quick sideboard guide for reference, but some matchups are more feel based depending on what you see in game one:
Against Jeskai Tempo:Remove- 1 Elvish Mystic, 1 Rattleclaw Mystic, 2
Heir of the Wilds
, 2
Boon Satyr
, 2
Goblin Rablemaster
Include- 3 Stubborn Denial, 2 Magma Spray, 1 Lightning Strike, 1 Disdainful Stroke, 1
Gainsay
If you suspect you're facing a more controlling variation (with Banishing Lights and/or
Suspension Field
s) you can substitute Magma Sprays for Destructive Revelrys.
Kay cards in the matchup are Stormbreath Dragon, Savage Knuckleblade and
Ashcloud Phoenix
. The ability for Goblin Rabblemaster to steal games when unanswered is usually a powerful tool as well in game two. The key for game two is to have access to your powerful threats, but to make their creature removal that much worse. You cut on 2 toughness creatures because of
Magma Jet
and you make interaction from the opponent more difficult.
Gainsay
is usually saved for high impact
Jeskai Charm
casts or Dig Through Times cast when both players are running lower on resources. This matchup often becomes a topdeck battle (especially in game one) if you don't win with an early threat, but a resolved Stormbreath Dragon can be difficult to deal with if you forced them to use
Stoke the Flames
on your earlier threats or if you have Stubborn Denial held up. If you're in a long event, this is the matchup you want to be playing against all day, from the most popular Standard decks. It's heavily favored for you, although it's absolutely lose-able game one, and after board it gets even better. The Jeskai decks tends to be more heavily draw dependent and if they try to burn you from 20 usually they'll just be overrun by your threats, while using removal on all your threats, letting you play the beatdown, usually means both players end up with healthy life and empty hands, which is when Stormbreath Dragon can take over games with ease.
Against Abzan Aggro:Remove- 1
Temur Charm
, 1
Icefeather Aven
, 4
Boon Satyr
, 1 Rattleclaw Mystic, 1 Elvish MysticInclude - 1 Lightning Strike, 1 Harness by Force, 2
Hunt the Hunter
, 1 Disdainful Stroke, 3 Stubborn Denial
The main idea against the aggro version of the deck is to board into tempo elements, cheap removal and counter magic, and Harness by Force, a single spell game changer, to protect your primary threats and remove theirs. This is the only matchup that the one-of Icefeather Aven comes out, as you very rarely want them to rebuy their [[Seige Rhinos and the 2/2 body, even flying, tends to be less than hugely relevant.
The key cards are Goblin Rabblemaster, Stormbreath Dragon, and
Ashcloud Phoenix
. Having creatures that their one-for-one removal has trouble with (double creatures or protection) is hugely good in this matchup, regardless of their deck speed, but especially when the first turns are dictated by both sides establishing a board presence.
Once again in the sideboard you remove 2 mana creatures and multiple 2-toughness threats to lessen the impact of spells like Drown in Sorrow that are likely to come in after sideboarding.
When the Abzan deck is slower you substitute the Lightning Strike and Harness by Force for keeping in the
Temur Charm
and Temur Ascendancy (your threats will always resvole and you have so many that trigger this that one-for-one removal usually cannot keep up). Your matchup is better the more aggressive they try to be, but overall I think it's a positive one.
