Boss Sligh and the Future
Standard forum
Posted on Jan. 10, 2015, 2:16 p.m. by golffore297
So Boss Sligh/Mono-Red Aggro has been a decent deck for some time now, but against a field of Siege Rhino and Whip of Erebos, has been forced to take a back seat to let other decks take over the meta. However two cards in Fate Reforged have really piqued my interest as how to possibly push the deck over the edge:
Break Through the Line-This card didn't get its own spoiler and may have slipped under the radar for many people, but this card is exactly what this deck needed. Many people have been using Hammerhand for this same effect and for the small bonus that it provides. But Break is so much better. Precombat hit your Rabblemaster before he gets any bonuses paired with early Hordeling Outbursts. T2 Break -> T3 Hordeling Outburst -> T4 Goblin Rabblemaster with Break activation means Rabble is swinging for 6 unblockable damage w/ an additional 4 coming from Goblins, not to mention possibly a turn 1 Frenzied Goblin or Foundry Street Denizen, who also works well with the Break. This card provides a late game mana sink, a way to get in those last point of damage.
Outpost Siege-Now I know what you're thinking. "Golf! A 4 mana card in a Boss Sligh deck! Ridiculous!" I know, I get it, it is higher on the curve than most of these decks really want to run. At first glance I would agree, 4 mana is a lot for these decks. But this card covers both ends of what this deck is really weak to, which is Card Advantage and Board Wipes. We all know that cards like Blie Blight targeting Goblin tokens or a simple Drown in Sorrow or Anger of the Gods destroying your whole field. If the field wipe comes before turn 4, then name Khans, and start rebuilding the board with advantage, and if its after turn 4, then name Dragons, by which point their life total will be low enough that doing such may just kill them. Obviously this would not be more than a 1 or 2 of in the deck, but I feel it will be worth testing in the deck in the future.
Just a few thoughts I was having that may really improve the deck in the new Standard meta. With Jeskai and Abzan looking like they'll still be the dominate the meta, this just seems to be a way to make this deck a little more resilient. Another card that caught my attention was Collateral Damage, which may provide another way to get through the last points of damage, and a bolt is a bolt and you'll always have creatures laying around that will be willing sacrifices. Thoughts?
Femme_Fatale says... #3
Collateral Damage might see play in token builds. Swing with a token, they block it, you sack it to Collateral Damage.
January 10, 2015 4:38 p.m.
golffore297 says... #4
Here's a sample list I came up with for a post-rotation build with the ideas stated in post: Sample Post-Rot Boss Sligh. It essential drops Hammerhand for 3 Break Through the Line and 1 Outpost Siege. I know it seems like it may be a little too slow, but it also provides great advantage beside that in my opinion. It's going to be better if the game runs a little long, which is where this deck struggles the most. If the Sligh deck doesn't win on turn 4 or 5, it will simply lose. I just think Break Through the Line is better than Hammerhand, because it's not a dead draw if your opponent has more than one good blocker.
January 11, 2015 1:23 a.m.
Sligh decks are not really an option right now. There is to much lifegain going on in the format. And with Fate spoilers there will be even more lifegain to go around for the decks that play white.
I think there is a base for a solid R/G beatdown deck that goes a little lower to the ground then the midrange decks and uses pumps + double strike to kill of the enemy. Temur Battle Rage is bonkers and one of the biggest draws to this type of strategy.
There is also a bease for a R/W aggro deck with some heroics, prowess and pump/burn to round it all out. The new monks and
Sadly the all red sligh deck is just to lacking right now. There are just not enough synergi cards or a good way to stop lifegain like Skullcrack in the format.
January 11, 2015 7:42 a.m.
I tossed this R/G deck together in 5mins just now and I think it's a good way to start if your looking for something thats fast(relativly) and can just win from nowhere.
January 11, 2015 8:27 a.m.
What do you folks think about Mardu Scout? I'm gonna run this list: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/dumb-expensive-dual-lands-ruining-my-good-time/ this FNM to see how it goes. I was playing vs my friends mono black deck with this list, and post sideboard, it was amazing to steal away her Master of the Feast with Harness by Force, then give it double strike with Temur Battle Rage and hit for ten, ending the game. I do worry about Mardu Scout sometimes being a dead card in my hand, for his 2 cmc, and not having creatures to sac to Collateral Damage but we'll see how it goes vs other decks at FNM. I might switch to mono-white with Wingmate Rocs at the top of my curve.
January 21, 2015 4:23 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #8
Mono white isn't really viable CLAMS, you can't do anything against Stormbreath Dragon and have a general weakness against flyers if you don't build the deck right. I play mono-white myself, and any deck with flyers kills me. You need to answer them right away, and that means having a massive removal package which takes away from most of the important aspects of the deck. It also doesn't fare well against Azorius control, which is probably the best deck now.
January 21, 2015 5:26 p.m.
golffore297 says... #9
Mardu Scout, from what I've heard is a great card, but probably not in a Boss Sligh deck. His best potential is reached in a Mono-Red Devotion Deck alongside his buddies Fanatic of Mogis and Purphoros, God of the Forge.
almerican says... #2
I think while Break Through the Line could be good, it is also just bad. Instead of playing two more one drops or pump spells you are giving a turn up. Ive seen many games where Boss Sligh struggles with mana so this could be bad for that reason as well.
Mana is also the reason I say that Outpost Siege isnt good enough. That being said, it could be a SB card for the anti-drown.
I think out of the three, Collateral Damage has the best chance to see play. It seems like a good card to push through that last damage, as you said. Although something closer to Goblin Grenade would have been better (4 damage!), I think it will see play.
January 10, 2015 4:27 p.m.