Wanted to get Back to Basics.
Perhaps been designing too many Johnny decks, lately.
I wanted to make something simple, basic, easy to understand, to the point, and easily played. So, came up with this little deck.
I say it is safe to say that you can win many games with this Formula:
Turn 1. Play 1/1 haste creature. Attack.
Turn 2. Play 2/2 haste creature. Attack with all..
Turn 3. Play more 1/1 or 2/2 haste creatures. Attack with all. damage.
Turn 4. Play 4/2 haste creature. Attack with all. .
Turn 5. Finish them off with Furnace of Rath/Fireblast/Lightning Bolts.
The decks plays so very easily.
Won't win you ever game, but it will when you games fairly often :)
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Play test this a few times, people. I am aiming for this:
Turn 1. 1 damage.
Turn 2. 3 damage
Turn 3. 6 damage
Turn 4. 9 damage (19 damage overall)
Turn 5. 12-28 damage
Comments welcome.
Positive or Negative.
So...very, very basic.
1) Play Haste Creatures every turn!
2) Attack every turn.
3) Play burn spells sparingly.
4) Get out Furnace of Rath, asap.
5) Win with Hero of Oxid Ridge or Fireblast.
Example:
Turn 1. Goblin Guide or Legion Loyalist. Attack
Turn 2. Ash Zealot or Slith Firewalker. Attack with both.
Turn 3. Goblin Guide/Legion Loyalist and Ash Zealot/Firewalker. Attack with all.
Turn 4. Hero of Oxid Ridge or Furnace of Rath/Fireblast. Attack with all.
Turn 5. Burn spells. Attack with all.
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Again...can't get more easy to understand. Consistent, quick, constant damage.
Breakdown of cards:
Goblin Guide:
2/2 haste for 1 red mana. Very quick, consistent damage. 2 damage every single turn, starting on Turn 1.
Ash Zealot:
2/2 first strike/haste for 2 red mana. Again, consistent damage. Also serves as graveyard hate.
Hero of Oxid Ridge:
4/2 haste for 4 red mana. It is my first Win Condition!! His Battle Cry ability and his ability to shut down defense of 1 blockers, rocks. Again, what can I say, very consistent damage.
Legion Loyalist:
1/1 haste creature for 1 red mana. His ability, like Hero, is what makes him great. If you attack with Loyalist and 2 (or more) creatures, they all get first strike and trample! First strike AND trample? Sounding like a broken record...but consistent, is the word.
Slith Firewalker:
1/1 haste creature. Every time he deals combat damage, he gets +1/+1. Seems underwhelming, at first, compared to something like Loyalist or Goblin Guide. But he can quickly become a 2/2 or 3/3 or 4/4, if something isn't done about him.
Furnace of Rath:
God how much I love this card. Sure, for 1 more mana you can get a card that works only on your opponent...but blah...Rath is quicker. And if played right, your opponent dies the turn you play it, anyways. Look at the Furnace of Rath/Fireblast combo. 8 damage, for 4 mana, and using 2 cards. Haste creatures love Furnace of Rath!
Fireblast:
Probably my favorite red card in Magic. It stinks of burn! It is my second Win Condition, also. You NEVER pay the 6 mana to play it. But always sack the two mountains, as the alternate casting cost, AFTER playing something with the two mountains. Example. Play Lighting Bolt. Play Lava Spike. Then sack the two tapped mountains to Fireblast. Outcome is 10 damage.
Lightning Bolt/Lava Spike:
Those are my direct damage cards. For killing those pesky creatures or to do that extra 3 damage to my opponent. With Furnace of Rath in play, they do 6 damage, for 1 red mana, to your opponent. Nice.
Browbeat:
This is what keeps burn cards in your hand. With speed and a low mana curve, you will run out of cards in your hand very quickly...and your game/plan will fizzle out. To prevent that, play Browbeat. What is that you say, your opponent will ALWAYS choose to just take 5 damage and prevent you from drawing? You play Browbeat the Next turn after you play Furnace of Rath! There is no way they will take 10 damage, they will let you draw your 3 cards. Hopefully one of them being Fireblast for the win.
Ghitu Encampment:
Only non-basic land. Keeping it simple here. No land destruction cards. The Ghitu can turn into a 2/1 creature with first strike. That is an excellent blocker! Or, can be used to activate Legion Loyalist OR to get +1/+0 via Hero of Oxid Ridge OR get "does double damage" with Furnace of Rath. Basically, with Loyalist, Hero, and Furnace of Rath in play, you can attack with Ghitu Encampment and he will be swinging for 3 damage, and he will have first strike/trample/double damage. 6 damage, from a land, not too shabby. And, yep, you guessed it, Consistent damage.