Sorcery (19)
Instant (10)
Enchantment (4)
Sideboard
Artifact (6)
Enchantment (5)
Sorcery (4)
What constitutes the ideal burn deck?
Article
- The Essential Idea
- Elemental Appeal
- Speed
- Sideboard
- Suggested Swaps
- Feedback
- Latest Update
Table of Contents
Perfezione di Burni
Exploration of Mono-Red Burn
Solomon's Final Revision
The Essential Idea:
To date, I've spent a significant amount of time mulling over possible concepts (some thought up, others published online) for an adequate Burn deck. Eventually, I decided to assemble a deck based on the 'Fast Burn' strategy seen so often online, only this time with an alternate take on the common approach.
This deck aims to accumulate the necessary quest counters for Quest for Pure Flame early on using low-cost spells such as Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Spike in preparation for enhancing multiple copies of Fireblast and Elemental Appeal mid-game.
Small drops like Thunderous Wrath, Lightning Bolt, Lava Spike, Chain Lightning, and Flame Rift work collectively in the beginning to amass quest counters for multiple copies of Quest for Pure Flame. As more and more completed versions of the enchantment populate the field, the pressure builds exponentially in your opponent; for him, defeat hovers just around the corner.
Multiple copies of Quest for Pure Flame stack together to multiply the effects of Fireblast and Elemental Appeal enormously. With each additional enchantment doubling the total damage of the last, the seemingly measly damage wrought by the above burn spells transform into devastating infernos.
While Quest of Pure Flame renders your Elemental Appeal all the more devastating, Slagstorm helps ensure that nothing stands in the way of its agenda, while doubling as a shut down to any weenie rush strategies. If all else fails, you can resort to burning your opponent with this spell, adding another counter to Quest of Pure Flame.
In case you run out of cards, multiple copies of Reforge the Soul keep your hand replenished, and potentially force your opponent to kiss his/her trump cards goodbye. If you're lucky, you can even cast it for just two mana.
Elemental Appeal:
As I'm sure most know by now, this card lies indispensable as part of the core strategy of this deck. Exchanging four mana for seven damage never proved more satisfying; Elemental Appeal provides the additional option of doubling your output for only five more mana, making it superior (for this deck's intents and purposes) to Blistering Firecat.
When paired with the doubling effect of Quest for Pure Flame, the effects of the card become more and more devastating. Given that there are multiple copies of the former card in the deck, Elemental Appeal could serve as your opponent's one way ticket to heaven. If played at the proper time, this creature can close the gap and bring you a victory on your fourth or fifth turn. In the words of bakofried, "Do people like Blistering Firecat? Yes. Do people like options? Yes. Good card." I am pleased with the Gatherer's community rating of this card, as its abilities significantly advance the concept of this deck.
For a deck that seeks to destroy its opponent quickly, brutally, and intimidatingly, Elemental Appeal demonstrates itself as an awesomely powerful card that is a must-have in anyone's Magic shopping list.
Speed:
I haven't playtested the deck enough to be able to accurately assess its speed. However, as it appears now, the game approaches victory after about five turns of gameplay.
Sideboard:
Part of the sideboard is dedicated to establishing basic defense, should you need it while using the deck. Cards like Shattering Spree and Apocalypse defend you against pesky artifacts, enchantments, and blitzkrieg Elemental creatures (like the notorious Ball Lightning + Berserk combo). Apocalypse functions additionally as a battlefield reset; when playing against a slower paced deck, this deals a devastating blow against the opponent.
Smoke prevents aggro strategies from overwhelming you with creatures, while Cursed Totem prevents them from utilizing most forms of mana acceleration, slowing the opponent's rush process significantly. The artifact additionally stops the worst of your adversary's arsenal, like Intrepid Hero, Immaculate Magistrate, Grim Lavamancer, or Lord of the Undead from ruining your day.
As with most legacy sideboards, a little bit of graveyard hate proves necessary to guarantee this deck its maximum chance of success. Including one copy each of Leyline of the Void, Grafdigger's Cage, and Tormod's Crypt as opposed to three copies of any one spell prevents an opponent's Pithing Needle from stopping you in your tracks.
Life Gain comprises one of the most dangerous threats to this deck. With Everlasting Torment, however, your worries vanish. No longer will opponents overwhelm you with ridiculous amounts of life. Additionally, all your burn spells gain the "Wither" perk, allowing you to maim the power of enemy creatures directly with your Lightning Bolts and Chain Lightnings.
Finally, in case your game takes on a long, drawn-out turn, Thran Foundry allows you to remain ahead, recycling all of your used burn spells back into your library. It functions additionally as a form of graveyard hate, forcing your opponent to empty his yard back into his library.
Suggested Swaps:
Tormod's Crypt == Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Thunderous Wrath, Lava Spike, Goblin Guide, Vexing Devil, Quest for Pure Flame, or some combination thereof
Shattering Spree == Thunderous Wrath, Lava Spike, Chain Lightning, Flame Rift, Quest for Pure Flame, Slagstorm, or some combination thereof
Thran Foundry == Thunderous Wrath, Flame Rift, Vexing Devil, Goblin Guide, Reforge the Soul, or some combination thereof
Apocalypse == Slagstorm, Thunderous Wrath, Reforge the Soul, or some combination thereof
Cursed Totem == Flame Rift, Chain Lightning, Lightning Bolt, Lava Spike, Thunderous Wrath, or some combination thereof
Smoke == Vexing Devil, Goblin Guide, Slagstorm, Quest for Pure Flame, Flame Rift, Thunderous Wrath, or some combination thereof
Everlasting Torment == Slagstorm, Thunderous Wrath, Flame Rift, Reforge the Soul, Goblin Guide, or some combination thereof
Relic of Progenitus == Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Thunderous Wrath, Lava Spike, Goblin Guide, Vexing Devil, Quest for Pure Flame, or some combination thereof
Nihil Spellbomb == Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Thunderous Wrath, Lava Spike, Goblin Guide, Vexing Devil, Quest for Pure Flame, or some combination thereof
Feedback:
I can see plenty of potential weaknesses in this deck.
As I am still relatively new to Magic the Gathering, I would indeed greatly appreciate any suggestions and/or constructive criticism that you may have to offer.
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Revision 1 See all
(10 years ago)
| +1 | Grafdigger's Cage | side |
| +1 | Leyline of the Void | side |
| -1 | Relic of Progenitus | side |
| Top Ranked |
|
| Date added | 11 years |
| Last updated | 6 years |
| Legality | This deck is Legacy legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 14 - 10 Rares 18 - 5 Uncommons 6 - 0 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 2.58 |
| Tokens | Elemental 7/1 R |
| Folders | Public, Favoritos, fav, stuffs, Decks to remember, Really Impressive Builds, Cool, Legacy, Perfecting Burn (Mono-Red), decks to try |
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