I don't like this deck... Just Shock to Lord of the Unreal , and then Forked Bolt s to Illusions... If an opponent play burn spells, you can't win. I don't understand the 80 score.

you say that, but have you done it? Everybody knows aggro is weak against burn, but I straight STOMPED an Uber Burn deck at FMN with my deck:tempered-douche-infect 4-0 currently.

This deck works faster, has more protection to things like that and nice buffs. Have you not seen a turn 3 hexproof clone of the Lord of the unreal by using Phantasmal Image? Play test, I get it most of the time turn 3.

Once that happens you are 3/3, add a G/A and now he is 4/4 hex proof, nothing global is going to take him down easily. If you are saying this deck is jank because of a few color exclusive possibilities you might want to actually go out there and play a proxy.

New burn is going to be good, but let this deck go to turn 4 unchecked and I'm not sure I'd like to be the guy with red cards in my hand.

I, personally, run a Grand Architect deck at my local FNM, and I got to say that the deck is extremely inconsistent in real life play. Needs more draw engines or a way to find the Architect in the deck. I'm running Augury Owl , Preordain , See Beyond to look through my deck for that damned Architect, yet I've only have had a T3 Wurmcoil Engine or Steel Hellkite about 3 times. So, definitely you need to address the lack of consistency. I like the idea of illusions but as several people have pointed out really Lightning Bolt or Shock to the Lord of the Unreal really blow as your illusions dwindle especially in my meta with my brother running RDW and others running Valakut. Someone mentioned Birthing Pod ; I'll try playtesting that idea.

I just pre-orderd lord and phantasmal image for cheap, should be getting them within the week.

Aside from the m12 cards (which wont be hard to find) I'm ready to go on my version as soon as the pre order arrives. I proxy played this deck against some friends and it was retarded how fast and brutal it can get. Turn 3 thopter, battlesphere, coil or kite? Turn 4 emperion.

Clone, anything big for cheap...Hilarity ensued every other game.

I appreciate your comment, but everything you pointed out is pretty obvious.

Saying "dies to removal" is just stupid. By that logic Cawblade must have sucked as well because you could doom blade Stoneforge. All 1 drops and a fair amount of 2 and 3 drops would die to shock. If you take out a key component out of any deck it will suffer.

Yes illusions are easy targets to burn, but guess what? Every deck has it's strengths and weaknesses. I didn't ask for an 80 score, but if it does get that high a score it's strengths probably outweigh it's weaknesses, or people like the idea.

I currently ran the proxy with ponder and preordain while its still in, Owls might take the place of something too...until they cycle out.

Dragons might take a back seat for the owls

Lord of the Unreal is still vulnerable to burn as it doesn't give itself hexproof even after copying it with Phantasmal Image as Lord of the Unreal only gives illusions hexproof unless I'm missing something.........

Yes, but a Phantasmal Image copying Lord of the Unreal certainly does grant itself hexproof...

If you copy a Lord with a Phantasmal Image, you have a lord that is "an illusion in addition to it's other types.". Lord gives illusions you control hexproof, not other illusions, so it would pump itself and protect itself.

Ohh ok! Lol didn't see that there lol. But I can also Shock the Lord of the Unreal as Phantasmal Image is cast leaving Phantasmal Image with no hexproof to copy.......

@ LeafsucksI'm also using Phyrexian Metamorph (which I see you removed) to make a copy of a copied lord of the unreal as back up.

For another level of possible protection. I'm glad you put the Thopter in there, Its much better than people give it credit for. It and Battlesphere forced out make bad things happen to other players.

Also don't forget, Phantasmal image can copy something shroud on the field for the same protection :D

@ 996: The same could be said if I wanted to use doom blade or GftT on a creature you wanted to copy in a different deck :P

This deck can still work without a lord, not everyone packs a ton of burn, same with removal. If you open with 1 removal and you use it on my lord, then good luck dealing with my actuall illusions.

There isn't much more I can do to protect my illusions other then add more counterspells, but that would take away from my aggro or ponderd, which will not happen.

Well in my meta, its more controll-based so it's hard for me even to get my architect out without a bolt or mana leak meeting me in the face....so if it works for you, by all means go for it. I just haven't had my luck with this type of deck T.T

The thing about this deck that make it so nice is the amount of viable threats.

Does one waste a bolt on a G/A or do they go for the lord of the unreal? There are 2 win cons with this deck so the other player has to choose their poison.

Plus once bolt cycles out G/A will be a little bit safer

nice deck. now im into making a good illusion deck. I like the new thopper, really is necessary. Why dont you try running some Cancel or Mana Leak 's? could be useful if you get unlucky.

+1 I am glad i didn't have to type all the cards in myself. @996097 Once he has "chosen" to come into play as something, even if you destroy the original, the copy still comes into play. I am looking for the actual ruling, but if someone else would be so kind to post it, thanks.

OK, it's good deck, but no against burn.

Please comment on this deck:

http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/red-burn-please-comment/vote/up/

When will people realize that there will always be a deck that can beat the deck you are playing/building. Even Caw-Blade had a weakness. it may have been its' mirror, but it was still its' weakness. This deck is amazing. and even if you are stacking burns, like many have mentioned before, you will be choosing what to kill. Provided you choose the Lord of the Unreal , yes the illusions are at risk. That next instance Grand Architect taps 3-4 blue creatures and bam now you have a Wurmcoil Engine , Myr Battlesphere , Steel Hellkite , or even a Thopter Assembly to deal with. Option 2: you can choose the GA and then the illusions start to push harder. The deck is great, Not everything is perfect, but this one is coming closer with every comment, edit, and test. Good job Leafs_suck! Already +1'd

Remember me? I'm in the comments somewhere. I made an Illusion deck and I wanted to share it with you. It's nothing revolutionary, but I told you I'd build one. :p

Sight Shortage

Why all the Negates? They don't do anything to protect your illusions, short of stopping a Day of Judgement. Mana Leaks seem much more practical early game to me. It's not a hard counter, but at least it can counter creatures.

The reason for the Negate s is for just the situation that you mentioned, countering a Day of Judgment . Most creatures aren't really going to pose a real threat, so the counterspell chosen reflects the real weakness of the deck, and that is some sort of global spell.

Of course, a late-game counter such as Stoic Rebuttal or Cancel would be helpful, allowing the player to pick off particularly scary creatures, such as a Grave Titan or another Wurmcoil Engine .

Fair enough, a Day of Judgment or card:Life's Finale could shut this deck down quite effectively. But as you said, the larger late-game creatures of other decks (particularly titans and wurmcoils) could still be problematic. I prefer Mana Leak simply because of the versatility, but it does suffer quite a bit late game. I suppose to an extent this just comes down to personal preference.

I'm not a fan of Thopter Assembly because it's a bit slow, especially without Mimic Vat s. A Battlesphere gives at least the immediate satisfaction of having the 1/1s. All the same, nice deck. +1

You might be fine with 22 lands but whenever I playtest your deck I end up needing to draw one and not getting it. I'm thinking the land count needs to be bumped up to 24.

I think the one Steel Hellkite should be switched to the sideboard and the one Blightsteel Colossus should be taken out completely.

But overall I like this deck idea. You should also be congratulated for finding a good use for Xenograft , lol.

Okay, I started reading a lot of the comments and so far it's "OH! RDW kicks the crap out of this deck!" Well, here's my response as a pre-M12 Grand Architect player.

Yes, Losing your Architect (or Lord of the Unreal) is a low blow. But it's very much recoverable. Even without the Illusions and excessive amount of targets for GA, you still get out your Wurmcoil Engine or Steel Hellkite just fine. Keep in mind, you don't HAVE to have a GA on the battlefield to cast them. Once one comes out (and if you're playing DRW, you'll want a Wurmcoil Engine for the Lifelink) it's still pretty much GG.

What everyone is saying is true. This deck can be prone to inconsistency. Since when is any deck not susceptible to this? If RDW is hitting every kill spell and using it on your U mana Bears... well isn't that a darn good trade. For one mana, you stopped 3 damage to your face and bought a turn closer to hard casting a Wurmcoil Engine. And if their using all of their spells on your GA, LotU and Bears, what do they have left?

All I'm going to say for now.TL;DRIf they use every burn spell to kill little stuff, you're winning!