When I modify this deck, I assess how effective the cards will be that I want to add compared to the cards that I wish to replace. As you can see, I removed Xenagos, The Reveler to add Dictate of the Twin Gods . Now why did I do this?

First of all, Xenagos is arguably the weakest card in the deck. I'd been wishing to take him out but there was honestly nothing else that could replace a green/red planeswalker and be just as effective. He brought a few things to the table - a possible ramp, if he wasn't killed next turn which is starting to become inevitable in the current meta, or he generated a 2/2 with haste, which was useful at times. The thing is, whenever I drew him in a game, I always wished I didn't. He has no interaction with the rest of the deck, the only thing helping me is that he can generate chump tokens.

Dictate of the Twin Gods actually interacts with this deck quite well. As it has flash, I can keep it in my hand until I have the capacity to swing for game ONLY because I have that card in hand, which has become quite often. There are pros, and there are cons to this card, I'll list the cons first. First of all, it helps the other guy, if I play it wrong, or play into a trap. Secondly, against aggro decks it is probably a dead card in hand. But that's okay, I'm only running 2, and I can slaughter the aggro decks in games 2 and 3 by siding Ratchet Bomb , Anger of the Gods and my last Mizzium Mortars . There will always be dead cards in your deck against certain deck types, so just because it will be less effective against a certain deck doesn't mean that it should be taken out. However, the pros are fantastic. First off: 2 devotion. Also, it activates Purphoros. It doubles damage. If Boros Reckoner blocks or fights something, it QUADRUPLES damage. And best of all, I can play it at instant speed.

So xenagos gives me chump tokens and possible ramp, and dictate gives me double damage at the time of my choosing, devotion, quadruple damage off a boros reckoner, and turns on gods. Simply due to the interactions of Dictate between Gods, Boros Reckoner and Fanatic of Mogis , I would choose Dictate over Xenagos any day.

Now I hope I don't change my mind or I'll eat my words.

Well said

Might be great for your local meta, but this would get completely slaughtered where I play at. Also, how is it a T1 deck just because you went undefeated at your local FNM? Do you know what a tier 1 deck is?

jwells has a point. The FNM's I go to or got used to were ones that involved at least 3 pro players and a whole list of great magic players usually 65+ people. Dictate may work where you are but against tier 1 decks WITH tier 1 pilots it will struggle with that card.

Cableguy I feel like you're throwing the card under the bus just because it's not a valuable card or pro players don't think it's good there always has to be someone to make something good in a certain deck aka Nightveil Specter it wasn't used before theros, honestly I can see the card being a card that you flash in on your turn after declaring blockers or during a Boros Reckoner block to just win the game. Sure it's 5 mana but it's a devotion deck, obviously you haven't played against those deck as the can generate a crazy amount of devotion.

It is good for beginner level mono red shenanigans. I just dont feel it is strong right now if it will ever be. Typically red/x decks only stick to 1 type of 5 drop and that right now is Stormbreath Dragon the other best card tied for play is Gray Merchant of Asphodel . If you were gonna include dictate I would so so as a sideboard card and replace Satyr Firedancer .

The reason why Nightveil Specter started seeing play is for a completely different reason. Gods became a thing and he gave 3 devotion to thassa and almost single-handedly turned her on and changed the pace of the game (this was during pro tour). There more effective and efficient ways to win the game than playing a 5 drop enchantment that doubles damage, its no different than playing a Fire Servant with flash, and nobody ever played that card outside of limited.

You have nothing other than Mizzium Mortars and other Burning-Trees to cast off of Burning-Tree mana. Try replacing Frostburn Weird with either Gore-House Chainwalker or Firefist Striker for faster opening hands and less 2/2 bears in your opening hand.

Frankly id prefer to use burning tree for mana fixing the domri or xens. Dont forget that. Frostburn weird is not something you should replace, its devotion and the ability to buff itself cant be underestimated. Also, youre falling into the trap of assuming the returned mana MUST be used. Take away that mana and its still a 2/2 for 2 dev. Thats on curve. If you can chain it, thats a bonus.

If you plan to keep Dictate add Fated Conflagration this way on turn 5 you can Dictate eot, and Fated Conflagration your reckoner on your turn for 20.

if youre playing dictate youre better off building a combo around reckoner or burn like: dictate out then fated retribution on reckoner for 10 hit opponent for 20.

Can you do us a favor and refresh the comments and put them into an update?

I had this build going at first but then I realized that I probably don't need xenoGod after all I just wanted to stay red white and add-in boros charm for the reckoner combo infinite damage. This is a great list just could be a little better if you just drop green altogether I think you could get the combo easier going red white. Maybe shave off two stormbreath dragons and xenogod and add Boros charm and go with the two Boros guildgates and 6 mountains so your running 4x temple 4x foundry 2x guildgate and 3 nykthos and the rest mountain. It seems that mortars is still really good as you can target reckoner for 4 dealing it 8 doubling to 16 to opponent as well as overloading for 8 damage as long as opponent doesn't have reckoner. My thought is to still sideboard chained to the rocks for those situations.

Nevermind what I said about stormbreath Dragon if you drop green you'd be dropping Domri so he could be your boros charms. Maybe just play a couple lightning strike or even blind obedience would be cool to slow em down.

Why is this deck not crushing the grand prix, pro tours and the like boggles me.

This deck is nuts

It can just needs a good pilot

It has one

ooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One thing I have to say about the whole thing with Dictate is that it actually helps you that people aren't expecting you to run it. If you're swinging at someone with 5 mana open, their first thought is probably not "oh you're going to flash in Dictate". Most people might only make that mistake once, but from what I'm gathering, once is enough for you to win.

Looks really cool! +1

Coolest deck I've seen in a while! Definitely an awesome utilization of devotion. I wish you good luck at future FNMs! +1

I'm liking the changes! This deck has definitely got the gears in my head turning...

Dude in an SCG open, a deck almost exactly like this except with out Dictate of the Twin Gods just top sixteened

One thing I think MAY be a positive change, would be to have a 1-drop instead of the Frostburn Weird -- for several reasons. First, it allows you to get rolling a turn earlier.. and most of the 1-drops that would be good have 2 power (thus also setting up a pretty serious 4 damage on turn 2 when Ash Zealot comes in). Second, there just kinda seems to be an unbalanced amount of 2 drops -- what with the Zealots and BTE both already being 4-of's. Not to mention all of the other 2-cost stuff in the deck.

I would probably most heartily recommend Firedrinker Satyr -- since I absolutely love that card. Rakdos Cackler / Foundry Street Denizen / Legion Loyalist are some other possibilities.

Aside from that, I feel like you should maaaaaybe make room for Madcap Skills and/or Thunderous Might somewhere in the deck. They could both be SO powerful here. And lastly, back to the 2-drop department.... have you considered Eidolon of the Great Revel at all?

Anyway, just my 2 cents -- and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Ive talked to him about Eidolon of the Great Revel already and it really doesn't fit this deck, especially with the amount of 2-3 drops. He'll just rape his own lifetotal. Its a brilliant card as long as your peak is 4 mana. You can see clearly his 2 drop focus. It WOULD be worth considering adding 4 one drops, if he was trying to run an offensive board.

When Ive played against him he runs the deck as a midrange deck with fairly minimal early aggro. Any deck that runs Boros Reckoner can afford to sit back a little and control the board. Frostburn Weird supplements this.

I originally was all for 1 drops as well, but those you've listed, and all the others I considered really don't do enough to actually be worth replacing anything already there.