Mardu has been declining in popularity quite a bit recently. I thought I'd throw together a proper midrange list to help remind people that Mardu is in fact a thing, and it is in fact pretty good. I won DoT gameday with this list, and have been dominating local FNMs with it. Never one to rest on my laurels, I'm looking for feedback to make it even more oppressive.
I will list my card choices/reasons and a few of my sample matchups:
3x Duress: I was running Thoughtseize in this spot, until I realized that I usually didn't take creatures anyway as my creatures are usually much better than theirs, and the two damage was troublesome in the red deck matchups. Duress does everything that Thoughtseize was doing for me, but much better. Every deck (even the GR ones) have non-creature spells that are troublesome for me, and this rips them right out of there!
4x Seeker of the Way: My only form of early game aggression. Often swings for 3 on turn three on a clear field, blocks tokens like a champ, all around all star.
4x Lightning Strike: Cheap removal, and reach for when I'm racing my opponent. There are lots of options for 1/2 mana removal in my colors, but I like this one because I feel it is the most versatile.
4x Goblin Rabblemaster: A three drop that MUST be answered. Sure, it'll probably die to removal, but since three is only the beginning of my real threats, I'm fine with rabbles biting the dust to clear the way for my bigger threats.
4x Crackling Doom: Three drop removal can sometimes be iffy, but not when it kills hexproof dragons, and heroic creatures stacked to the ceiling. This spell is the real reason I'm in these colors. It's simply too good.
2x Kolaghan's Command: This is a recent addition. They were in the sideboard for a long time until I realized how good this spell actually is. Three out of four modes are super useful (you don't see many artifacts in standard, though). Every time you cast it, it's a 2-for-1. Worse case, it's blightning light at instant speed. Best case, kill their blocker and replay that Rabblemaster they killed earlier. Great card!
4x Butcher of the Horder: Synergizes with Rabbles. Hits hard, can block favorably with almost anything except stormbreath and simulgar. The lifelink is great for winning races with red decks. Overall, a solid four drop.
4x Thunderbreak Regent: For awhile, I underestimated this card. Give's removal based decks headaches, especially in multiples. Solid P/T for cost, especially with flying and relevant ability.
2x Ashcloud Phoenix: A very recursive threat that will give control decks nightmares if you play it with enough mana to morph it. Plays defense surprisingly well, especially late game.
2x Stormbreath Dragon: Hasty dragon with pro white and a somewhat relevant ability. Sign me up! Hopefully, I don't have to tell you why Stormbreath Dragon is good.
2x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker: Was just the other two Stormys for awhile, but I like diversification of threats, and this helps me bring crux of fates out of the sideboard even against other dragon centric decks. Also, being removal and having a pretty good ultimate for long, grindy games is pretty solid. I'm enjoying the 2/2 split here.
1x Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury: AKA, the one that people always have to read. I run a lot of dragons. Dash her in with a couple of other dragons on the field, and crash in for lethal. I only run one because I never want multiples, but when she does hit, she hits hard.
2x Hero's Downfall: I will usually save these for Elspeths, who can be pretty troublesome for this deck, also Ashioks.
2x Erase: Between Seiges, Ascendencies, and Coursers, there are more than enough relevant targets to keep these around.
2x Anger of the Gods: Red decks and tokens run rampant, these help keep them in their place.
2x Crux of Fate: An often one sided boardwipe against Abzan. Also, just more mass removal for long games.
1x Liliana Vess: Comes in against control. Helps keeps them off their card advantage, or at least is another must answer threat.
2x Chandra, Pyromaster: Psuedo card advantage. Token killer, block disabler.
3x Surge of Righteousness: Hate against the red decks that are everywhere. Can also kill Rhinos, Mantises, Knuckleblades and pretty much any multicolored threat. Usually takes out Foundry Street Denizens.
1x Radiant Purge: Catch all for Ascendencies and multicolored threats.
U/W or U/W/r heroic: Probably my best matchup. My removal is plenty, and they fold to a well timed crackling doom. Unless I draw terribly, or they just draw the nuts, I'm extremely favored in this matchup.
Mono-R Aggro: Easily my worst matchup. They simply drop threats faster than I can answer them. I've adjusted my SB to help the matchup, but it's still pretty rough. If I can make it to turn 5 or so, my odds of winning go up drastically.
Esper Dragon Control: I'm super excited than U/B control has shifted to this. My crackling dooms answer their dragons, and I can generate threats faster than they can usually answer them. These games will go long, but I feel I actually do have a slight edge in this matchup.
G/R Dragons: This one's pretty rough. Their threats are actually bigger than my own, and they can put them out faster than I can. Luckily, if it comes down to a top deck war, I'm in a good place.
Token Decks (any flavor): This can be tough, but is far from unwinnable for me. I pack a lot of answers post board, and if I stick one or two threats, it's very hard for them to attack favorably. I'll usually drop game one to them, but come back for games two and three.
Temur Aggro: They are a little faster, but I go a lot bigger. They'll usually get me down to ten or so life, but I'll stabilize and come back with my much bigger threats.
Abzan Midrange: This one is about as 50/50 as it gets. It pretty much comes down to who draws more relevant threats and answers.
Jeskai Aggro: Luckily has fallen out of favor. Plays out very similarly to the mono-red matchup. Long games, I'm favored, short games are certainly in their favor.
Sidisi Whip: Hornet Queen is the bane of my existence! This one is tough, their lifelink and recursive threats make my removal that much less good. Post board I do gain some traction, but it is still a very hard matchup for me.
