Personally I think that Flame-Wreathed Phoenix and Flesh//Blood should be replaced for removal like Magma Jet . You don't really benefit much from Phoenix's effect and Blood is rather one-dimensional. Maybe try out the new Bolt of Keranos (recently spoiled as of this comment)? Perhaps even Fated Conflagration in either the side or main for large monster removal or Planeswalker removal?

What I am getting at is you need a bit more field control, it's really worth missing a +1 on Domri if you get a card next turn to control the field.

Magma Jet seems to be a card that is great in some decks and pointless in others. I've found it was only useful for the scry in this build. Shock deals with little pesky guys like Mutavault , Banisher Priest and that new red archetype more efficiently. It allows me to turn 1 Elvish Mystic and then turn 2 Sylvan Caryatid or Scavenging Ooze + Shock their Pack Rat or w/e.

Fated Conflagration is a card I like but only for mono-red. I don't consistently hit 3 red mana in this deck. Usually I can trample over creatures and kill planeswalkers with Ghor-Clan Rampager . Blood serves the same purpose and becomes a threat to finish a game. I was reluctant to run it at first but after I did the results were amazing.

Control and Gruul should never be used in the same sentence without smash, destroy, crush, or something like that lol. This decks plan is play fatties fast and run over the opponent, most of the time not caring much about what the opponent has out. It puts the pressure on them to remove threat after threat, so I need as many of them in the deck as possible and ways to find+play them. Overwhelming board presence with the potential for home run hit.

Looks like Chris VanMeter has similar ideas on BNG G/R Monster decks as I do. Couple different mainboard card numbers and different sideboards for different metas. I have been playtesting with proxies, played around 25 games with most against powerhouse MBD. Fanatic of Xenagos is awesome but I felt I wanted that extra Scavenging Ooze he talks about and am running a 2/3 split, might go 2/4 and cut another card. The Flame-Wreathed Phoenix has worked well so far, hope to see it in more situations so I can evaluate better.

We have similar play styles and seem to like the same decks, needless to say I value his opinion.

Found this while browsing today: SCG Article

Garruk, caller of beasts?

What about Garruk, Caller of Beasts ?

How do you feel about some Burning-Tree Emissary s and Fanatic of Mogis ? Rubblebelt Raiders and Hammer of Purphoros might be a thing, 2 cards that I think are currently very undervalued

Burning-Tree Emissary is a card I constantly look at adding to the deck. The Scavenging Ooze fits better though I think because it can grow and is great vs red and white aggro. If Xenagod leads me to more devotion they will be a shoe- in.

Fanatic of Mogis and Hammer of Purphoros are good cards but go in a red devotion deck. This deck isn't a devotion deck and I think they'd be out of place. What would you take out for them?

Trying +1x Fanatic of Xenagos & 1x Ghor-Clan Rampager -2x Blood .

Seems like it'd work better upping the creature count but I'm not sure. Blood allows for some flexibility and huge amounts of damage. There have been times where I hold it in my hand and never play it though.

In the sideboard you might want to consider Unravel the Aether over Destructive Revelry to take care of Thassa, God of the Sea . The MUD matchup can be tough and getting rid of thassa really swings the game more in your favor.

I definitely am weighing Unravel the Aether and Destructive Revelry . I don't like the idea of shuffling Detention Sphere back into control decks as they really mess me up and the damage from revelry is nice. Against MUD I side in Mistcutter Hydra and Plummet . If more gods see play then it definitely gets more appealing. I think it's a meta call.

I prefer Unravel the Aether over Destructive Revelry but they both have their perks I suppose. I built a deck similar to this if you would like to check it out! I have to say though, I would rather have Fanatic of Xenagos swinging in for extra damage than have the Courser of Kruphix showing my opponent my draws. Let me know what you think about mine in comparison to yours! http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/xenagod-1/

Love the name +1

This is why I run like 20x Hero's Downfall

What do you sideboard against each of those matchups? I have a hard time deciding what to take out...I've got a deck that's almost exactly like yours -2 Domri. Cant find anyone willing to trade any. I guess I'll have to ebay some unfortunately. I play +2 Garuks instead.

Yeah I plan on putting them in the deck description. Got them on a piece of paper in my deck box.

That's interesting that in 9 rounds you didn't face MBD once. What would you have sideboarded in against it? What MU do you sideboard in Garruk and Chandra? and Arbor Colossus? Congrats on your win! I've got an IQ coming up this Saturday and I'm not sure what deck I will play yet.

Sideboarding is in the deck description now.

Sometimes you get good match ups. Esper was rampant and they seemed to be beating black up and pushing down the tables with the other Monster decks. I think there was a B/W deck in the top 8 but I'm not sure. Lists aren't up on SCG yet.

+1 ! Thanks for the sideboard help. And congrats on the 1st place finish!

Played an IQ today and came in 12th going 4-2 in the swiss rounds. Was very unhappy with the 3rd Flesh / Blood . Never saw Xenagos, God of Revels out of the sideboard in the two games I sided him in. I'll do a write up soon.

Rasta_Viking29 says... #16

1 Bant Control. 2-1

2 MUD 2-0

3 red aggro 2-0

4 B/W 0-2

5 ID Into top 8

QF Bant Control 2-0

SF B/W Midrange 0-2

3rd place