The card pool team has recently completed the Gruul (Red/Green) Warriors deck and was tested in the local tournaments last weekend. I was before excited to be the first to pilot the deck but was unable to because of the busy schedule. Still, I provided most of the components from the recent RNA set and Ace got some of the Red pieces from the spare cards of the Mono Red Aggro deck. The current decklist looks like this one below.

24 LANDS
1 Forest
2 Gruul Guildgate
9 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
4 Unclaimed Territory

27 CREATURES
2 Dire Fleet Daredevil
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
2 Kraul Harpooner
4 Rekindling Phoenix
1 Siege-Gang Commander
2 Skarrgan Hellkite
4 Zhur-Taa Goblin

9 INSTANTS and SORC.
2 Collision / Colossus
2 Lava Coil
2 Lightning Strike
3 Shock

I think there was a splash for Black to open access to Status/Statue, which is a great combo for the Goblin Chainwhirler to do a one-sided creature sweep.

Anywho, I will try to pilot this deck by this week so as to refresh my senses of playing an aggro deck and I am hoping for efficient draws this time.

Here is one deck that got me really interested when I browsed the articles at the Channel Fireball website. This unique archetype take on a tribal aggro deck was brewed by Frank Karsten and he piloted it at the recent Mythic Championships in Cleveland. Here below is the decklist:

Lands
4 x Blood Crypt
4 x Dragonskull Summit
3 x Overgrown Tomb
4 x Rootbound Crag
4 x Stomping Ground
4 x Unclaimed Territory
2 x Mountain

Creatures
4 x Pelt Collector
3 x Gutterbones
4 x Growth-Chamber Guardian
3 x Rix Maadi Reveler
2 x Kraul Harpooner
4 x Goblin Chainwhirler
4 x Gruul Spellbreaker
4 x Rekindling Phoenix

Spells
2 x Lightning Strike
1 x Find // Finality
1 x Collision // Colossus
3 x Status // Statue

Sideboard
4 x Lava Coil
2 x Cindervines
2 x Duress
2 x Angrath, the Flame-Chained
1 x Kraul Harpooner
1 x Fiery Cannonade
1 x Shivan Fire
1 x Find // Finality
1 x Collision // Colossus

For the full article from Mr. Karsten, click here.

One of the interesting decks that I spotted while watching the Mythic Championships live coverage last weekend was the one piloted by the Pro Player Joe Soh. He made a Mardu rendition of the Vampires deck from Ixalan. Given that there were enough shocklands to fix the mana color, also seeing the potential of Judith which made it in the list. I saw in one game on the featured match area that he was at the all-in attack versus Mono Blue Tempo deck with Judith, Vampires tokens and other weenie Vampires. Unfortunately, it was not enough to kill off the opponent. Two turns later, he died to unanswered flyers of the Blue player. That round win would’ve gotten him a Top 8 slot.

Anyhow, I am sharing the decklist below which I plan to build soon once we get back our Godless Shrines and with a few twists of course.

Maindeck
4 Unclaimed Territory
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Godless Shrine
2 Plains
2 Blood Crypt
1 Swamp

4 Venerated Loxodon
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva
4 Legion Lieutenant
4 Dusk Legion Zealot
4 Vicious Conquistador
4 Skymarcher Aspirant
4 Duskborne Skymarcher
2 Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle

3 Conclave Tribunal
4 Legion’s Landing
1 Unbreakable Formation
1 Cast Down

Sideboard
2 Cast Down
1 Swamp
4 Duress
3 Lyra Dawnbringer
3 Champion of Dusk
1 Mortify
1 Ixalan’s Binding

I am still looking to improve my Rakdos Aggro deck, even dwelling to the option of having a third color in the build. Going for that mindset, I am planning to convert the deck to a Jund version and we are starting with a Google search for a reference list. MTG Top 8 usually provides and the one deck they got for this archetype is the one that finished in the Top 8 of a MTGO Competitive Standard League last January 24th. Here below is the deck list:

Maindeck
25 LANDS
4 Blood Crypt
1 Cinder Barrens
4 Dragonskull Summit
7 Mountain
1 Rakdos Guildgate
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground

22 CREATURES
2 Captain Lannery Storm
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Rekindling Phoenix
4 Rix Maadi Reveler
4 Runaway Steam-Kin
4 Skarrgan Hellkite

13 INSTANTS and SORC.
1 Carnival / Carnage
3 Find / Finality
4 Lava Coil
2 Shock
3 Status / Statue

SIDEBOARD
1 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
4 Duress
3 Legion Warboss
1 Shivan Fire
1 Swamp
2 The Eldest Reborn
3 Treasure Map

Source: http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=21010&d=339391&f=ST

The strategy of taking extra turns for a Standard deck can be a chore, especially if there are not enough card components to back it up. With the release of Ravnica Allegiance, that is not the case. The newest set provided enough artillery including mana fixing with shock lands to build an efficient deck. The card highlights of the build are Wilderness Reclamation and Growth Spiral. Thus, the deck name Nexus Reclamation. Here below is a decklist, provided by MTGO username spiralprince.

24 LANDS
1 Arch of Orazca
4 Breeding Pool
3 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
1 Island
4 Sunpetal Grove
3 Temple Garden

27 INSTANTS and SORC.
3 Chemister’s Insight
4 Depose / Deploy
4 Growth Spiral
4 Nexus of Fate
4 Opt
4 Revitalize
4 Root Snare

9 OTHER SPELLS
3 Search for Azcanta
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
4 Wilderness Reclamation

SIDEBOARD
2 Crushing Canopy
4 Hydroid Krasis
3 Knight of Autumn
2 Lyra Dawnbringer
4 Negate

For today’s Standard deck feature, I am presenting to you the recent control archetype that has gained popularity in the latest metagame of the format. We all know that Golgari added Blue for the Hydroid Krasis late game plan. In effect, control decks rose in terms of usage in order to combat these type of midrange decks. With the release of Azorious and Orzhov, it was inevitable to go into the Esper-colors route. Here below is one decklist from the SCG Team Open in Baltimore, piloted by the Pro player Seth Manfield.

Lands
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
4 Isolated Chapel
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave

Creatures
1 Chromium, the Mutable

Spells
4 Absorb
2 Cast Down
4 Kaya’s Wrath
1 Moment of Craving
3 Mortify
1 Negate
2 Precognitive Perception
1 Syncopate
4 Thought Erasure
3 Vraska’s Contempt

Planeswalkers
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Search for Azcanta
4 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Sideboard
1 Cast Down
1 Cry of the Carnarium
2 Duress
1 Field of Ruin
1 Invoke the Divine
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
2 Moment of Craving
2 Negate
4 Thief of Sanity

Source: http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=21065&d=339918&f=ST

There is a recent article at the Magic: the Gathering mothership website wherein Luis Scott-Vargas discussed the top Ravnica Allegiance Standard decks. One of which is the Mardu Aristocrats deck in which the reference list was that of username Jakedurshimer on MTGO that went on a 5-0 record. He mentioned the game plan of token generation from sources like Elenda, the Dusk Rose and Hero of Precinct One and getting the value with the pump from Judith. There are also similar creature choices to that of the Rakdos Aggro deck I previously posted such as Gutterbones and Footlight Fiend.

Here below is the decklist:

Creature (30)
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva
3 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
4 Footlight Fiend
4 Gutterbones
4 Hero of Precinct One
3 Midnight Reaper
4 Pitiless Pontiff
4 Priest of Forgotten Gods

Sorcery (3)
3 Carnival // Carnage

Instant (2)
2 Mortify

Enchantment (1)
1 Theater of Horrors
Land (24)
4 Blood Crypt
4 Clifftop Retreat
1 Dragonskull Summit
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Sacred Foundry
3 Swamp

Sideboard (15)
1 Midnight Reaper
1 Theater of Horrors
2 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
4 Drill Bit
2 Ethereal Absolution
3 Lava Coil
2 Plaguecrafter

I have recently talked with my teammate and friend Oliver regarding his take on the build of the Rakdos Aggro deck for Ravnica Allegiance Standard. He started building the list on his MTG Arena account while doing the dailies and observing each card components’ performance. He indicated that in order for Judith to be effective, the deck must curve low on creatures with at twelve one drops and six to eight two-drops. We have considered Gutterbones to be included in the one-drop pile but we will try to consider also the other options, especially for the Fireblade Artist to be efficient in dealing damage. His deck list suggestion is as follows:

4 Fanatical Firebrand
4 Fireblade Artist
4 Footlight Fiend
4 Goblin Instigator
4 Gutterbones
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva
4 Spawn of Mayhem

4 Theater of Horrors
1 Bedevil
3 Lightning Strike
2 Skewer the Critics

4 Bloodcrypt
4 Dragonskull Summit
7 Mountain
7 Swamp

I have mentioned before to create a Black Red or Rakdos deck build once the complete Ravnica Allegiance Spoiler is up. It was released Friday last week but unfortunately I was on travel that time until the weekend so I was able to just sort it out today. Upon checking the spoiler lineup for Rakdos, we have found some notables that can be included in the deck. Here are a few: Gutterbones, Judith, the Scourge Diva, Spawn of Mayhem, Bedevil, Fireblade Artist, Rix Maadi Reveler, Skewer the Critics.

Out of the long list, we have to sort which one would fit in the creature mana curve so as to maintain the aggressiveness as much as possible. Good thing is that we have our reference from the Reddit thread wherein they have discussed the different approaches of the build. From the discussion, I have decided to bring out one build and update it a bit with some personal card choices.

Here is the decklist below for version 1 of Rakdos Aggro.

Creatures
4 Gutterbones
4 Diregraf Ghoul
4 Judith, the Scourge Diva
4 Spawn of Mayhem
4 Viashino Pyromancer
3 Hackrobat
3 Legion Warboss

Spells
3 Bedevil
2 Shock
4 Lightning Strike
3 Skewer the Critics

Lands
4 Blood Crypt
4 Dragonskull summit
7 Swamp
7 Mountain