This deck is the ultimate definition of fun, at least for me. Temur/RUG is one of my favorite color combinations and KTK has added a lot of goodies to the standard mix. This deck has held its own consistently against every decklist out there right now. I've beaten UB Control, Abzan Midrange, Jeskai Wins, Jeskai Combo, Mono Red Aggro, Green Devotion, UR Ensoul, Sultai Delve, you name it.
So without any further adieu, here's my take on Temur Midrange, my Dirty RUG.
THE MONSTERS
Savage Knuckleblade - This guy is the definition of value on a card. For a single red mana you can have a Turn Three 4/4 with haste. He has evasion. He has pump. What more could you want on a card? With mana open, he can easily deal with cards like
Siege Rhino
and
Polukranos, World Eater
in combat. He can get around removal such as Hero's Downfall, Silence the Believers, and
Stoke the Flames
. For all of this value, he has a CMC of 3.
Dropping him Turn 2 gets around cards like Dissolve, and having a low cost gets around Disdainful Stroke, and presents IMMEDIATE on-board threat. Already your opponent is on a 5-turn clock if this guy sticks around to deal damage.
Oh yeah, he procs Ferocious
Courser of Kruphix - This girl is a must-have 4-of in any Midrange deck running Green. I shouldn't have to tell you how good she is, but I will anyway. She's got card advantage, she's got life gain, and she's got one big butt. The synergy with fetchlands is insane and she's durable enough to survive cards like Anger of the Gods and Bile Blight. Well worth the pricetag.
Elvish Mystic + Rattleclaw Mystic - Mana dorks, you can't go wrong with them. The biggest discussion I get into with people is replacing either of these fellows with Sylvan Caryatid. I'm not going to do this. Sure, Caryatid is a blocker and has evasion, but these two have value in their own right that I put slightly higher than Caryatid in my deck.
First of all, Elvish Mystic is always my ideal Turn 1 play. I've seen plenty of people drop him with the bigger baddies that have come out and solely run a 4-of Sylvan Caryatid for their mana dorks, but I can't agree with it, and I've beaten them. Elvish Mystic can potentially get you almost any card in your deck on the field Turn 2. If you drop a
Yavimaya Coast
Turn 1, play Mystic, and drop a mountain or untapped red source turn 2, you can get out all your big guys. Savage Knuckleblade, Courser of Kruphix, a morphed
Sagu Mauler
or Rattleclaw Mystic, you have mana open for
Temur Charm
, the possibilities are extraordinary for a Turn 2 play.
Of course, that's the IDEAL play, and obviously doesn't always happen. No matter what though, having three mana available turn 2 is an undeniable advantage.
The second reason I value these two dorks higher than a Caryatid is actually quite simple. They can ATTACK. Very rarely do I play this deck on the defensive, and if I have a 1/1 and a 2/1 or 2/2 on the field turn 2 you best believe I'm going to start attacking immediately. I can have four Sylvan Caryatid on my board all day, but that doesn't pose any immediate threat to my opponent's life total, whereas even a single mystic offers infinitely more threat by having the simple ability of being ABLE to attack.
The biggest reason I have for preferring Rattleclaw Mystic is the morph ability. It has two major advantages. First of all, and the most valuable, is a 6 mana turn 4. Being able to hard cast a
Sagu Mauler
, end step a Surrak Dragonclaw, throw down double Savage Knuckleblades, or any number of the combinations I have going for me with that amount of mana is insane. Try dealing with a turn 4
Sagu Mauler
. Protip: You can't.
The second advantage of the morph of a Rattleclaw comes into effect most often in Game 2 or later. If you drop down a morphed Rattleclaw your opponent is conflicted with what it could be. A morphed
Sagu Mauler
, or Rattleclaw Mystic. I personally will take them blowing a removal on a morphed Mystic any day of the week. You'd be surprised how handy this can be.
Sagu Mauler
- This beast of a card is one of my favorite in the deck to slam on the table. He's a trampling, hexproof, 6/6 for 6 mana, or 5 mana if you morph him, and absolute game finisher. He only really dies to
Perilous Vault
, which is only run in UB Control, and then End Hostilities, which is at best a sideboard card for Abzan (rarely Jeskai). Having this dude on the table is pretty much game over once he resolves or flips.
I'll write the rest in later
