Red Deck Wins

Red Deck Wins. You have all heard it. Figure on turn one, Hellspark on turn two, and Ram-Gang on turn three. Fast and deadly is what flashes to mind. And that there is the appeal of the deck on others. This deck type is truly powerful, but are all RDW's the same? Is there only one real build for this deck? No there isn't RDW gives you many options when you build. Some choose more burn over creatures, while others prefer the hordes of creatures.

Deck Tech: Red Deck Wins

Lands
17x Mountain
4x Firelit Thicket
1x Karplusan Forest

Creatures
4x Figures of Destiny
2x Mogg Fanatic
4x Hellspark Elemental
2x Stigma Lasher
4x Boggart Ram-Gang
4x Hell's Thunder
3x Balefire Liege

Instants
4x Lash Out
4x Incinerate
4x Flame Javelin

Sorcery
3x Firespout

Sideboard
3x Volcanic Fallout
3x Fulminator Mage
2x Stigma Lasher
4x Magma Spray
3x Naturalize

These decks have a generic build. Many that I have seen run Ashenmoor Gouger. The Gouger's 4 toughness use to be nice because the threat of Firespout. But in today's games, Firespout is no longer a big danger. Since the release of Conflux, many players have switched over to playing volcanic fallout over the Firespout. Why you ask? Simply put because it is instant speed. Oh yeah, and its uncounterable. So, why am I still playing Firespout then? I have been asked that many times. I feel that since the rotation to using Volcanic Fallout, people have started using more 3 thoughness creatures again thinking "they won't die anymore". So, I am taking advantage of this thinking. And thus far it has worked.

One of the key features in this deck is Balefire Liege. Do you see why? Not only does it pump me creatures, they also allow me to Lightning Bolt my opponent in the face for every spell I play!! Now this is something that I can be happy about.

Wait a minute! Your not running Guttural Responce in the sideboard, why? As far as I'm concerned Faeries is now a dead deck type. Volcanic Fallout hits them hard and they don't get back up.

Why not Spark Elemental? Spark Elemental is good, but why only get one use out of it. I don't mind paying the additional mana to play the Hellspark and have the ability to play him again later. The Hellspark kind of acts like two creatures in a sense.

Until next time Planeswalkers, this is Deppe, passing the turn.

FNM

It is Friday once again and that means its time for FNM (Friday Night Magic).

For the past few weeks, I have been playing the "Walking the Planes" deck. This deck demonstrated that it could control about any match. "Any" match which is about everything but RDW (Red Deck Wins). RDW showed me that even though I can control their creature based, I am still very weak again Flame Javelin and the other instant speed burn. I learned that I need more counter in my sideboard to deal with these threats. Since I have made the changes to the sideboard, I have not played against RDW. Great way to test these changes out right?

Last week, I played a white aggro deck that I just threw together when I was bored one night. This deck has major card advantage because most of the spells you play give you more creatures.

Deck Tech: White Aggro

Lands
20x Plains
3x Rustic Clachan

Creatures
4x Kitchen Finks
4x Cloadgoat Ranger
4x Goldmeadow Stalwart
4x Wizened Cenn
4x Knight of Meadowgrain
2x Reveilark

Spells
4x Path to Exile
4x Spectral Procession
3x Oblivion Ring
4x Lapse of Certainty

Planeswalkers
1x Ajani Goldmane

Sideboard
4x Story Circle
4x BurrentonForge-Tender
4x Celestial Purge
3x Cauldron Haze

As you can see the sideboard is heavily anti-red. It might be a be mcuh some would say, but most of the side board has other uses as well. Story Circle is very versitile card in the sideboard. I have used this to stop RDW in there tracks and to horde of a legion of elves. Celestial Purge takes care of the little pests called Bitterblossom and Demigod of Revenge. Cauldron Haze is my anti-Wrath of God fix.

Is this deck finished? Nope. I would however like to throw in a few Glorious Anthems to replace Ajani Goldmane. Yes, giving my creatures +1/+1 counters and vigilance until end of turn is nice, but Glorious Anthem is a turn sooner. Turn one Goldmeadow Stalwart, turn two Wizened Cenn, turn three Glorious Anthem, and swing for 7 damage is nice.

This week, I am again using this White Aggro build.

Until next post planeswalkers, this is Deppe, passing the turn.

Planeswalking with the Planeswalkers

Hello and welcome to Walking the Planes.

Today's Deck Tech: Walking the Planes

Lands
4x Reflecting Pool
3x Vivid Grave
2x Vivid Meadow
3x Vivid Creek
1x Brushland
2x Adarkar Waste
2x Yavimaya Coast
1x Shivan Reef
2x Mystic Gate
1x Sunken Ruins
1x Twilight Mire
2x Flooded Grove
1x Cascade Bluffs

Planeswalkers
3x Garruk Wildspeaker
3x Chandra Nalaar
2x Ajani Vengeant
2x Jace Beleren
1x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker

Artifacts
2x Icy Manipulator
1x Rings of Brighthearth

Creatures
1x Realm Razor

Spells
1x Mind Spring
2x Cryptic Command
1x Oona's Grace
3x Wrath of God
2x Hallowed Burial
1x Primal Command
4x Bant Charm
2x Esper Charm

Enchantments
4x Fertile Ground

Side Board
4x Dream Fracture
3x Hindering Light
3x Cumber Stone
3x Memory Plunder
2x Esper Charm