Makes sense. Sorry the description looked long so I didn't to read it.

mrmango,
No worries!

Beautiful deck! I like this list, looks really solid, +1! Would you mind if I try the deck out? Also, have you checked out the awesome spoilers for Aether Revolt? I think cards like Lightning Runner, Greenbelt Rampager, Scrapper Champion, Highspire Infusion, and Consulate Turret would probably be nice in this deck. What are your thoughts?

21,
Thanks tons for the kudos, and PLEASE feel free to use it! Just please let us all know how it goes!

The sideboard of course changes a lot ... lately I've been facing a TON of Marvel decks, so I've added another Appetite for the Unnatural and also some Clip Wings to the sideboard.

I'm very excited about AER, but I haven't done any serious brewing with it. I usually only play a deck for a single season, but this one has been SO fun for me, I'm seriously considering keeping it going. But there are so many two-drops in the deck, I'm worried it's not going to be viable in a world with Fatal Push. So right now the plan is to play something like this for AER Game Day, using whatever goodies I crack in Pre-release events. And then see where the meta goes ...

In the meantime, Greenbelt Rampager and Highspire Infusion would be great for sure. Scrapper Champion has possibilities, but if I did that I think I'd go with a broader +1/+1 counter theme, maybe including stuff like Earthen Arms and Lifecrafters Gift. I hadn't seen Consulate Turret, but that could be good. Invigorated Rampage is another good option too. And Lifecrafters Bestiary has potential.

I'm not sure about Lightning Runner in this build. It looks like an awesome card, but I've avoided 5-drops in the deck (though I had 2x Verdurous Gearhulk in sideboard for a while). But it's definitely worth considering, especially if the meta moves more towards Midrange!

Cards not yet on T/O Show

Thanks again, and draw well!

I feel like "Heroic Intervention" may impact the meta a lot, since it allows you to protect your stuff (I feel like hexproof is kinda important for this deck), but it's also a very strong way for the marvel decks to protect themselves...

What are your thoughts?

Heroic Intervention

Chandrian,
Please take all this with healthy skepticism, but here's my $0.02:

I suspect Heroic Intervention will be HUGE for Marvel and big for Superfiends, but won't see much play in Creature-based decks. Here's why ...

• It's great against Fumigate, but they're rare and easily played around.
• It doesn't do anything vs. Yahenni's Expertise, which I think will see much more play than Fumigate ever did.
• It's great against Radiant Flames and Kozilek's Return though, both of which are increasingly common.
• For this deck in particular, Blossoming Defense is much better, because (1) the Pump effect is very relevant and (2) I only have to hold up one mana for it. Would it be nice to have more? Maybe ... but I was running a a Temur sideboard Blue for long time and though I looked at Turn Aside every single time I tweaked the 'board, it never made the cut, so probably not.
• IMO, Selfless Spirit is better than Intervention in any deck that can play it, because (1) it's stapled to a 2/1 with Flying and (2) doesn't require folks to hold any mana up.
• Planeswalkers probably want this card, to protect against Anguished Unmaking and Ruinous Path. And Gideon, Ally of Zendikar really wants this card, to prevent against Stasis Snare when he's a Creature.

Show

TRIPLE BAN IN STANDARD

Emrakul, the Promised End, Smuggler's Copter and Reflector Mage!

This will hugely affect Standard and I'd like to know your opinion on it. I mean the strongest decks have been nerfed, so there may be an opening for this deck to the top!

Check out my R/G pummeled deck and give me some feedback. I'm looking for ways to improve it.

I only have 1 hour for FNM! Let's make it quick!

Standard* The_Grape

SCORE: 8 | 7 COMMENTS | 989 VIEWS | IN 3 FOLDERS

Also, there is an instant that is: 1 mountain, give target creature +2/+1 and trample until end of turn. I feel that it would be better than Brute Strength. Sorry, but the name doesn't come to mind.

The_Grape,
I had checked out and upvoted your deck a while back, but didn't really have any comments to add. Sorry.

You're probably thinking of Rush of Adrenaline. I've found the extra +1 Power boost from Brute Strength makes a ton of difference when Pummeler is going off. Though for AER Standard, I'd recommend Invigorated Rampage over both.

Good luck with your deck.

Chandrian,
Some thoughts (win-losses are from the period 12/20-1/8) ...

On the bans:

• Not sure about losing Emrakul, the Promised End. I'm 3-3 vs. Marvel and that will probably get worse since IMO Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger is actually harder to deal with (Clip Wings was just great against her). I'm 0-3 vs. BG Delirium though, so that's a good thing.
• This deck is very happy about losing Smuggler's Copter. I'm 4-3 vs. Mardu Vehicles, 2-5 vs. UW Flash, and 0-5 vs. RW Vehicles. Plus, the loss of Copter makes Arlinn Kord  ^Flip much better, and I just love that card :-)
• The deck is also happy about losing Reflector Mage ... the double-hit on UW Flash is really going to hurt them.

On the upcoming meta:

• This deck is not going to appreciate Fatal Push at all, because it has so many two-drops.
• Even though Bx Control will be getting stronger, it's always been a good matchup for the deck (I'm 3-0 vs. Mardu control, 3-1 vs. Esper Control, and 6-3 vs UB Control).
• I'm VERY worried about the Saheeli/Guardian combo. I'm currently 1-2 vs. Jeskai Control, and it's going to be stronger. Shifting more removal (e.g., Shock for Saheeli) to the maindeck is probably the answer, but that will of course weaken the rest of the deck ...
• I've no idea if the Servo decks or +1/+1 Counter decks are going to be successful, but go-wide decks have always been a challenge.

Bottom line: I've no idea if the deck is going to be viable or not for AER Standard, but I plan to play it (with tweaks of course) at least through Game Day.

Thank you for your help. I am definitely going to get some Invigorated Rampage's as they are obviously a direct upgrade from both adrenaline and strength.

Thanks for sideboard help! Here is my more budget version: Pummel to Death.

I like the deck and got a similar idea off the mana source. However, in my deck, I think my pump is a little stronger and recommend that you check it out to upgrade the deck. I prefer Built to Smash and Rush of Adrenaline over something like Brute Strength because they are cheaper and allow you to combo off earlier. Also, I recommend taking out at a few copies of Harnessed Lightning and a copy of Larger Than Life for 3 or 4 copies of Highspire Infusion. In playtesting this card has been amazing because it provides both pump and energy at instant speed. Since you often don't use Harnessed Lightning for removal anyway I think that Highspire Infusion is better (though you should definitely keep a minimum of two Harnessed Lightnings in the main, probably the rest in sideboard). Along with a few other changes, like taking out Servant of the Conduit for some elephants to help make you more aggressive and a little less reliant on drawing Electrostatic Pummeler. If you want to see more I recommend that you check out my deck. I hoped my long explanation helped :)

Finally catching up on comments ...

The_Grape,
You're very welcome. I hope the Invigorated Rampage worked awesomely for you!

MisterMystic,
You're very welcome as well!

MarduMarauder,
You might have missed this in the deck description: GREAT CARDS I'M NOT USING AND WHY: I know Built to Smash is a Pummeler staple, but I've been stuck with one in my hand way too often, wishing it could pump up a Creature on defense or wishing it could grant Trample to a non-Artifact Creature.

I like Rush of Adrenaline in a lot of decks, but I found the extra point of Power from Brute Strength made a TON of difference in this one. However, that was back in LKD Standard, so I'm glad to hear Rush is working for you in AER Standard. On Harnessed Lightning, I frankly can't even imagine running the deck without 4x options for removal. But again, I'm glad if it's working for you. And finally, in case it wasn't obvious, I retired this deck back in January. I can certainly imagine Highspire Infusion and Greenbelt Rampager would be good though.

All,
Good luck (and good skill) with your builds!

Have you considered Verdurous Gearhulk ? Would work well in buffing up the hydra, or just make the gearhulk bigger.

SpyGuy007,
Yeah, I ran 1x Verdurous Gearhulk mainboard and 2x in the sideboard for a little while, then I moved to 2x in the sideboard, then to 0x. Lots of folks liked the card a LOT, but I found he slowed the deck more than I wanted.

Btw, Gearhulk has a brief mention in the Strategy and Card Choices section, under GREAT CARDS I'M NOT USING AND WHY: Cultivator of Blades is a great five-drop, enabling a +3/+3 for the whole team on Turn 6. But Verdurous Gearhulk enables +4/+4 on a single attacker on Turn 5, which is just better for this deck. And I'm not running it either.

I frankly have no idea if it'd be any good in the deck now, in AER Standard.

Thanks though!

All,
Thought this was extremely cool: Josh Newell's Pummeler deck took 1st place at SCG Classic Dallas last weekend!