Inspired by Intellect. Made by Madness.
FOREWORD:
With the release of Nyx a couple weeks ago, it marks the last set (besides M15) before my cherished block of Ravnica cycles out, but it couldn't have come at a better time. Izzet is my beloved guild and this also happens to be my best standard deck to date. It features cards from every set that features blue/red combos (meaning all of the standard sets minus Gatecrash, so 6/7 currently legal), but I digress. Let me show you how it works!
- THE TEAM:
Guttersnipe - In my opinion, this is one of the greatest 3 drop red cards in standard. Whether you're coming at your opponent with some aggressive burn spells or playing defense while you work through your deck, this beautiful (not really) little guy will basically pinch your opponent to death.
Young Pyromancer - Just as Gutter was the best 3-drop, this is (in my opinion) the best 2 drop red. Set up dudes to block for Ral or Jace or launch an epic assault of elemental tokens onto your opponent.
Spellheart Chimera - This card is probably my favorite of the Theros block besides maybe Keranos himself. Nivix Cyclops used to be the number one cannon for R/U, but with a permanent boost to strength for each instant/sorcery in the grave and with flying and trample (for only a 3 drop I might add) Spellheart quickly took his place. Establish an early game blocker or swing in late game for an insane amount of damage after your spell ammo is used up, and best of all he can benefit greatly from aggressive or conservative play styles. Repeat after me: I love my flying goat.
Keranos, God of Storms - Since the release of Theros I've been waiting to use the R/U god without knowing what he does; thank Niv he's a badass. This card just gels so well with the deck's strategy. You have to reveal your draw but if it's a land you just draw an additional card and if it's anything else he deals 3 damage to a creature or player. Not to mention, his devotion is really not that high as him and a Spellheart alone already provide a 4 to a needed devotion of 7.
Ral Zarek
- Nice classic guild planeswalker. Use his +1 to keep your mana free for more low drops or tap your opponents creatures to get in a nice swing. His -2 is a very applicable 3 damage to a creature or player. His -7 is pretty good if you can get it off but I tend not to rely on it because I have had it come up 5 tails (0 extra turns) but it can be the final nail in a late game coffin. Utilize him for creature removal and mana control and he will amp up your deck nicely.
Jace, Architect of Thought - There's a reason many people hate playing against Jace; he's just so useful! His +1 can slow down battalion/haste and token decks and his -2 gives you at least one clutch-potential card to a max of 2. His -8 can end games if you get him high enough as you can essentially take Keranos or AEtherling out of your deck as well as your opponents wind condition if they haven't drawn it. Great card.
AEtherling - Speaking of the devil, here's your late game field general ladies and gentlemen! As long as he's not countered initially, he essentially is impossible to remove permanently because of his 1 tap blue exile effect. To make him even more powerful you can make him unblockable for a blue and then you can either pump his strength or toughness to act as DPS or tank depending on the game conditions. Late game he can wreck opponents while you shut them down with your counters.
Thassa, God of the Sea - Last, but certainly not least, is our beautiful Thassa. You more than likely won't get the devotion to make her a creature as there tends to not be many blue permanents in this deck, but you don't really need her to be anything other than an enchantment. For 3 mana you get to scry every upkeep and for 2 mana you can make your guys unblockable. Just far too applicable to pass up.
- THE MACHINE (General Strategy)
Essentially this deck can be summed up as a counter burn deck. This deck is built to shift in the moment and change focus based on what you are playing and what they choose to throw at you that turn.
Early Game:
Starting off, you are just gonna keep it simple. Swan Song and Shock become your best friends in the first two turns. I usually recommend with dropping an island first turn so you can swan song any early non creature spells and then burn the resulting bird with Shock. Young Pyromancer is another great early tool since it gets a lot of early swingers/late blockers. My main goal I've found most effective is to always shoot for Guttersnipe on turn 3 because two or even one of these can end games in a few turns. I highly recommend Syncopates in the early game as it can be a two-drop counter and then the card is exiled; luckily they can be late game counters as well. USE YOUR OPPONENT'S END STEP EFFECTIVELY!!! That is the key to this deck. Go untapped so you can counter if need be, and if they don't cast anything then burn them for 2 or 3 with Shock or Lightning Strike just before your turn. Also, by utilizing Magma Jet you can set up your next draw to do some serious work.
Mid-Early Game:
This one's pretty straight forward. Divination to give you card advantage and Thassa, God of the Sea to get a nice scry going. Utilize Dissolve and Spellheart Chimera during this stage as well to keep your opponent on their tows.
Mid Game:
Here's where you want to start setting up your factory of pain. Try and get a Guttersnipe out by this point and then pair him with a Spellheart Chimera or one of your planeswalkers Jace, Architect of Thought and
Ral Zarek
. Usually if you don't win early game then your next opportunity to win comes mainly late game, so during this phase play conservatively. Keep their board cleared with Dissolve and low cost damage spells (during this phase I'd really recommend using Mizzium Mortars for it's 2 drop cost, the 6 is late game). If you can, get off Keranos but that's mainly the next phase.
Mid-Late Game:
Time to finish charging the cannon and get ready to fire. Make sure you have a Keranos, God of Storms set up and ready to take your opponent down. He should give you very nice card advantage with his land draw, and his 3 damage for anything else can keep small and big creatures alike from hurting you as well as burning your opponent if you so desire. As soon as you have your Zeus cosplayer it's time to move onto late game.
Late Game:
Three cards define if you win or not at this point: Mizzium Mortars AEtherling and Cyclonic Rift. Any of these can mean game over even if your opponent hasn't been touched yet. Mizzium Mortars for 6 mana to cost the overload will clear out most creatures from your opponents field, and to add icing to the cake it moves around hexproof. For 7 mana you can go one step beyond and utilize one of the most effective blue cards, overloaded Cyclonic Rift. The fact that this removes everything that's not yours, including gods, makes you nearly unstoppable. Once their gone, swing with a buffed up Spellheart Chimera, a Young Pyromancer token army, or a devoted Keranos, God of Storms. You also have the suave AEtherling to act as a field general and keep your opponent from making that clutch play. At this point you should utilize
Ral Zarek
and Jace, Architect of Thought's final abilities and make yourself overpowered. This is also a perfect time to get off your Epic Experiment and blow them to pieces by tapping out and playing that many spells (granted luck is in your favor). Late game this deck can destroy just about any deck except for maybe heavy control and super life gain decks, but that's what your sideboard is for.
Sideboard:
The side board basically acts as a slider to adjust for whether your playing against a creature deck or a control deck. Anger of the Gods is essentially an overloaded Mizzium Mortars for 3 (but it hits your dudes so watch out]] and the card
Nullify
can be quite effective when dealing with bestow creature decks. Cards like
Gainsay
and Negate swap the deck to fight control decks (most controls run blue, hence
Gainsay
). An extra Shock and Lightning Strike are provided for more aggro damage as well as an extra Syncopate and 2 extra Cyclonic Rifts to add more control. Skullcrack is simply a life-gain counter to cards like Sphinx's Revelation and Ajani, Mentor of Heroes. Fated Infatuation is mainly a wildcard I want to try and utilize, but it can be easily swapped out.
And there you have it! The closest thing I have, and may ever have, to a masterpiece. I'm hoping this will be a very competitive standard deck until M15, and after Ravnica cycles this will be a great Modern deck potentially. Enjoy and feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments!
