Mono Red Aggro w Gleeful Demolition and Experimental Synthesizer
I’m throwing in the towel on mono red for the time being on this particular style deck. I’ve sent around a dozen Pioneer Leagues on MTGO playing various versions of this deck, even splashing green for Atarka's Command and atm my conclusion is RDW just very underpowered against the pioneer meta as of writing (and inconsistent). For those interested, it’s all been 3-2’s generally, and 2-3’s (the matchup spreadsheet is a WIP because im seriously cba about it, super lazy). Also, Sideboard is up to the Pilot. My current SB looks nothing like the one listed on this site.
Still, I like the deck enough that I’ve sleeved this deck up in paper because it’s honestly very fun. It’s a more involved take on more traditional Red Deck Win lists that are currently out there. I’ve updated the list to reflect what I’ve found to be most comfortable but it is far from refined (pretty sure I’m supposed to only have 3 copies of Shrapnel Blast and 4 Gleeful Demolition for a total of 7 artifact pay-off spells).
Explanation on cards that ended up making it after oh so many games of testing
Monastery Swiftspear 4 copies. Soul-Scar Mage 4 copies. These are just premier red threats and I am of the opinion that if you are running 16+ Non-creature spells, they’re almost always auto includes. Similar to Prowess decks, you’ll goldfish most opponents with 3 prowess creatures in play to easy win, and though we lack the Lightning Bolts to really explode opponents face, decks that fail to stabilize against these just lose.
Kumano Faces Kakkazan
4 copies. this card is just too good atm. It is a great enabler for Light Up the Stage and Skewer the Critics, makes your Phoenix Chick an evasive Goblin Guide, and makes it so your opponent cant just Bonecrusher Giant your prowess 2 for Value. I did find myself wanting to cut down on this card many times to make room for interaction, but this card also can just enable you to goldfish strong openers and is almost never a truly dead draw (although it most certainly can feel lackluster).
Voldaren Epicure 4 copies. The weakest but most important creature in this deck. I tested this card in various quantities in conjunction with Implement of Combustion and came to the conclusion that at least in pioneer, having the 1/1 body, a ping affect, and creating an artifact is too vital for consistency to cut. Blood tokens are great enablers for out payoff cards and dealing damage by coming into play os almost never irrelevant even in more drawn out games.
Phoenix Chick 2-4 Copies. frankly speaking is a hit/miss and probably can be exchanged for other creatures/instants/sorceries of your choice. I chose this purely for a consistent board threat since the lack of Lightning Bolts means we want to maximize creatures in our opening hands. Arguably one of the best creatures to receive that +1/+1 counter fron Kumano Faces Kakkazan
. The ability to also return to the battlefield from the graveyard is very relevant. Also one of the cards you cut postboard when you need interaction or it just does nothing into Supreme Phantoms.
Reckless Bushwhacker1-4 copies. something you’ll want because when the stars align, surging this out with your Gleeful Demolition is very potent. Even without goblins, this card is very good in spots where you happen to have 3+ creatures in play. From testing, you dont actually need to run a whole playset as I’ve been successful even wholly omitting it, but did miss it in hands that shaped out to be the perfect conditions for it.
Play with Fire 3-4 copies. I hate Shock, but atm, there are too many premier threats that need to be killed in pioneer. Being able to kill mana dorks and enablers is just too important due to our deck lacking Lightning Bolts and better card quality. The scry is relevant in niche situations and it still goldfishes well with prowess creatures so I wont complain too much.
Gleeful Demolition 3-4 copies. mileage varies quite a bit. It is generally always a good card due to being able to go wide, but lacks any real synergies aside from Reckless Bushwhacker. Still, it is only one mana, and targets Experimental Synthesizer and Implement of Combustion very well whilst applying pressure with the 1/1’s.
Shrapnel Blast 3-4 copies. kills Sheoldred, the Apocalypse and the like. Also hits face. Good card, kind of clunky if we lack artifacts. Gets blown out by Negate so time this card carefully.
Experimental Synthesizer 3-4 Copies. This card is crazy powerful as an enabler and as a temporary way to dig for gas as the game goes on. In particular, Very strong on turns 3+ as you’ll often play it to hit your 3rd land drop or extra spells whilst having mana to play any spell exiled. The 2/2 samurai occasionally comes up as useful against control and anyone thinking Cerulean Drake is good enough to brick our deck.
Implement of Combustion 1-4 Copies. Helps with artifact consistency, is a bad Spectacle Enabler (though functional). Replaces itself sort-of and can be good prowess fodder. Not much else to say.
Den of the Bugbear 4 copies. Lot’s of wins because of this card. Man lands are just too relevant in boardstalls and against control.
Ramunap Ruins 3-4 copies. Can be painful in sketchy opening hands. Shocking in late game sometimes matters and adds a bit more reach for the deck.
Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 1-2 copies. It’s legendary, and you’ll more often than not just play it as a land. 1/1’s are nice though.
As I said, this is just my list after testing. The maybeboard includes every card I have tested in various iterations of this deck. I playtested a list that 5-0’d a league as well. Link Here(did not like it personally, went 1-4 with it twice :(.
Obviously I don’t play optimally all the time, so Can’t say I didnt skew the deck’s performance with my play. That said, this deck is very fun to play. I’m currently exploring splashing another color to give the deck access to a wider. I’ll have to test atarka Red some more and I’m very interested in white as well. Any feedback, general comments, or question, just comment below and I’ll do me best to help.
