Would love advice, especially with finicky sideboard.
With the advent of FTR and the popularity of U/B Control, R/W Aggro, and Abzan, I have decided that it's time to revisit this list. The reason that I stopped playing this list in the first place was that I just kept getting out classed by the Sidisi Whip decks. Now that they've fallen out of favor, I'm moving back into my favorite color combination.
I took this list to the FTR Gameday (minus the Dictate of Heliod in lieu of one more Seeker of the Way) and went 5-0. In top 8, I lost to R/W aggro because I could stick threat that could power through his chumps (and also because of seriously wrong side-boarding).
Below I've listed the deck and the reasons for each of the cards
Creatures:
4x Butcher of the Horde is the biggest threat in the deck. Constantly, drawing one of these signaled the end of the game for my opponents. The interaction between Butcher and Flamewake Phoenix is incredibly valuable and hasting in 5 in the air is brutal especially with the lifelink.
4x Goblin Rabblemaster is a dominant threat in Standard that must be dealt with. Additionally, he provides a token for haste for Butcher of the Horde on turn 4. If I'm on the draw during game 2, I'll generally side him out for more removal or high end threats.
3x Stormbreath Dragon continues to impress as the late game finisher. Immune to the wide array of white removal (Abzan Charm, Utter End, Valorous Stance, Chained to the Rocks, Banishing Light) makes this card stand above Wingmate Roc and Sarkhan as the 5-drop finisher. There are only 3 other instant speed removal spells that are commonly played that can deal with him (Murderous Cut, Hero's Downfall, and Stoke the Flames).
3x Seeker of the Way is probably the best two-drop in Standard right now, right next to Sylvan Caryatid. Nine times out of ten, the occasional lifegain is relevant especially against this deck's hardest match up [Red-White Aggro]. He soaks up removal from control match ups and is a threat all on his own.
2x Flamewake pheonix is another hasty, recurrent threat that combos beautifully with Butcher of the Horde. Attacking for seven evasion on Turn 5 is brutal in this deck. I believe that 2 copies of this are where I want to be however, I could easily see an argument to put more in the deck.
1x Soulfire Grand Master The one-of Soulfire Grand Master overperformed. I'm happy with her as a two drop or as a late game drop to recur either Crackling Doom, Murderous Cut or Lightning Strike.
Planeswalkers
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor pumps the team and gives everyone lifelink for 2 turns! That's broken with the rest of the deck. It's extremely rare that I'm not Psyched about drawing Sorin. I have seriously considered putting in a third copy as I originally had with this deck but I can't find what to cut.
Instants and Sorceries
4x Crackling Doom The narrowly-second best piece of removal in the format (right behind Hero's Downfall), Crackling Doom has proven again and again how versatile it is to the format. Stormbreath Dragon? No problem. Monstrous Fleecemane Lion? No problem. Silumgar, the Drifting Death? No problem at all! I love this card and if it wasn't for it and Butcher, I would probably be playing R/W aggro.
4x Lightning Strike is a consistent, flexible spell for killing pesky two or three drops, weakening bigger targets or just burning an opponent out. Valorous Stance is giving this card a run for its money as I'm finding that I'd like to protect Butcher more and more. Perhaps more of a sideboard choice as Lighting Strike is just so versatile.
3x Chained to the Rocks is a one-mana kill for almost all of the creature threats. The deck is built to have 10 Mountains available and that's generally more than enough to chain something. The other big bonus for this card is that it's easy to sideboard.
1x Murderous Cut is often a one mana answer to anything, particularly Stormbreath Dragon. Sometimes it gets awkward but most of the time it's just killing whatever I want dead.
4x Hordeling Outburst is the most important card in the deck. Great against aggro and control, this card does it all. Makes tokens that can sacrifice for Butcher, creates blowouts with Goblin Rabblemaster and Dictate of Heliod and simply does everything that I want it to do. Seriously, no joke, this is the single best card for this deck.
1x Dictate of Heliod is pure spice. This card produces the biggest blow outs out of any of the cards in the deck. If I cast this game one, I'm generally siding it out game two no matter what. Making all of my Goblins 3/3s at instant speed is practically unbeatable especially if cast in response to removal. I'll be testing with this card for the time being but I'm hoping that it proves its worth.
