Mono red elemental beatdown! The basic idea here is to pump up some elementals and then get even more value out of them before they get sac'ed at the end step.
I have 16 hard-hitting elementals in , Hellspark Elemental, Ball Lightning, and Blistering Firecat. While not strictly speaking a creature spell, Elemental Appeal has the same basic effect as another set of firecats, so I'm including it in my critter count.
Smokebraider is also a critter, for the mana-banking as well as board presence and chump-blocking as needed,
I have 8 cards that give a substantial buff, in , Blood Frenzy, Blood Lust, and Teetering Peaks. The last one is cool because if you didn't already drop a land, hey, it's a "free" buff that also a land next turn!
...As far as my buff cards, yeah, +4's are great, but I've been thinking about getting something cheaper and more evenly rounded, like Brute Force or Titan's Strength...both are excellent for a single , and Brute Force would let my 7/1 double-striking elemental not die to a single lousy Shock!
...Right now I'm down to a single playset of Assault Strobe, because after much playtesting, I find that it gives the most value for a single .
I also have 8 mana ramp cards, since I like to go big on critters when I can, because hell, why not? Seething Song is great for helping play a buff AND a double strike. I'm also running Rite of Flame. This is a neat card: the first one is merely good; the second one is a red Dark Ritual, the third is even better, and the fourth is another Seething Song. I always have to be careful with ramp, however, since they help accelerate the problem of burning through my hand too quickly. But screw it, sometimes you just want to push through a double strike ball lightning, and so what if it costs three cards! Three mana and three cards for 12 damage? Hell yeah! My opponent must Burn!
Dream scenario? Cast a Seething Song, run Blistering Firecat with Blood Lust and Assault Strobe, finishing up with a Fling. It would take six mana to start, but holy shit how cool would it be to blow out your opponent with 33 damage? I would also settle for lesser versions of that same scenario. :)
This section is for cards that I've taken out as the deck evolves, although I may put them back in as situations require:
Arc Runner, Smokebraider, Generator Servant, War Elemental, Fling
