With the release of Amonkhet we are seeing a lot of amazing cards that are now available to play in Standard. With the banning of Felidar Guardian killing one of the decks that have been dominating the format, the format is wide open for new deck archetypes. And this little deck may be the ticket!
The deck is built around a very aggressive all-in attack style where you drop threats immediately that can get huge right away depending on how many prowess and/or discard triggers you can throw in a turn. The creatures have great quality for their mana cost and are dangerous threats that can and will get in for damage on your opponent.
But the real key to victory is knowing when to "Go Off" with your cards. The deck is filled with burn and card advantage plays that all trigger most of your creatures in different ways.
At the center of the deck is the Soul-Scar Mage. For 1 red mana you get to put into play a 1/2 creature with prowess. It is already a good card for just that. But then you add it's amazing ability and this card is over the top. While it is in play it changes how damage is dealt by you to enemy creatures by replacing instances of damage with -1/-1 counters. This is awesome as it even kills indestructible creatures. Creatures with regeneration will die as well. Very strong and basically free on a quality creature you would play anyways.
Then to support the deck's abilities to play many spells in the same turn it is filled with the Trial + Cartouche synergy cards in red. And a number of draw cards to refill your hand and improve your spell count for prowess.
Round this out with quality burn spells that have discard or madness triggers and you get one mean little red engine of destructive power! Here is the Card Breakdown:
The Creatures:
Bloodrage Brawler: This card is actually at the top of your curve for creatures at 2 mana. But this card is amazing in a madness/discard deck environment. It is a 4/3 for 2 that makes you discard as you play it. Many of your cards are either madness-triggered or a madness card. Very strong follower to your 1 drops.
Flameblade Adept: 2 of your one drops have menace. And this one grows depending on how may discard or cycle triggers happen in a turn. Remember, with all the burn in your deck there is a reasonable chance that this guy will just be sending damage into your opponent. But just in case, your enemy needs a lot of blockers to stop your creatures thanks to the menace keyword.
Insolent Neonate: Another one drop that can let you discard a madness card when you need it. Also, if you get it late game it is always relevant because it will let you get a draw off of it and trigger for madness.
Soul-Scar Mage: This card is great. It's prowess means cast anything and it is a 2/3. Keep casting and it just keeps getting bigger. On top of that, it now lets your burn spells kill things they would not normally kill. Or lets you drop the threat of creatures you may not be able to just burn out. Just a great all-around 1 drop to lead the red assault on your opponents.
The Other Spells:
Cartouche of Zeal: At the core of this deck is the synergy package of the Cartouche/Trial series from Amonkhet. This particular cartouche will keep a targeted creature from blocking along with buffing and hasting your own creature. All for just 1 mana is great. The it's associated trial is a 3 mana lightning bolt that will return to your hand whenever you cast a cartouche. So in mid-game the cartouches will be there to keep returning your Trial of Zeal to hand. It's like doubling the number of burns in your hand. Cast the damage trial then follow it with a cartouche play and return the trial to your hand.
Consuming Fervor: The other aura in the deck. This card is a functional re-print of a very old card that saw extensive tournament play. That card was Unstable Mutation. It first made waves being cast on 1/1 flyers that would get bounced before they died from the -1 counters. Just to do it all again. And this deck does the same thing for the same cost but in red this time around. For 1 mana this card adds 6 pts of damage before it has a negative impact on the enchanted creature. That is a very efficient way to kill off your opponent. Dropped on a 1/1 it will let that creature do 10 pts before it dies to the -1/-1 counters. Very strong in an aggro deck packing burn to remove blockers.
Trial of Zeal: The other half of the synergy in the cartouche/trial set. It is a 3 mana Lightning Bolt that returns to hand whenever you cast your Cartouche of Zeal. Remember this, because this means you can cast this more than once per turn depending on whether you have a cartouche in play. It is mana-costly but can be a lot of damage delivered in one turn.
Fiery Temper: As efficient a burn card you can get if you get the madness trigger. And still deals 3 pts in any direction for 3 mana which is not bad.
Lightning Axe: Another burn card with a discard cost. So this and the one before it will trigger your Soul-Scar Mage along with your Flameblade Adept and deliver damage while they do it.
Shock: Instant speed damage when you need it. Shock is a go to staple for burn and it finds a place in this deck as well. Good to use for removal and save in your hand for when your attacks count.
Cathartic Reunion: Draw power with a discard as part of the cost. This can trigger your Flameblade Adept or Soul-Scar Mage while getting you three deep into your library. There to give you more gas after you empty your hand.
Tormenting Voice: Just like the card before it. Except a smaller discard cost with a smaller draw power. Same function to get more cards in hand while raising your discard and prowess counts. Between these cards and the low curve of the deck you can put out quite a few cards in a turn or 2.
The Sideboard:
By Force: The meta keeps changing but there are still decks out there that need artifacts as part of their plan. And this deck ruins that for them. Being able to destroy 2 artifacts for only 3 mana is amazing versus an artifact-dependent deck.
Galvanic Bombardment: If the sorcery speed burn is too slow against the deck you face. Or you just need more removal for a weenie or aggro deck then this card is it. Adds instant speed scale-able removal when you need it.
Incendiary Flow: Swap these in for creatures that keep returning from the yard via recursion. Sometimes exile is a better answer and the flows handle that nicely.
Insult / Injury: Sometimes you need to push through just that much more damage. And the ability to double your damage from any source for a turn will do it. Do not forget the Aftermath ability when you calculate what you need to kill your opponent.
Lightning Axe: An additional copy if you face a deck with bodies big enough to warrant bringing it in.
Thermo-Alchemist: For when you get in a situation where your beaters cannot get in to do damage. Then this guy is your go to answer. Just tapping it to do direct damage to the dome. Remember, since you can untap it when you play a spell, use it before casting anything. This increases your activations in any given turn.
Trial of Zeal: For adding a little bit more leg to your aggro/burn strategy when you need it. Bringing this in will add more uses to your Cartouches.
That is it for the deck. Add in some mountains and watch it burn everything out of it's way. Please leave any comments here.
