Started giggling today when I read up about a bunch of kids bragging about their 24 damage on turn 4 and how they had the fastest deck ever.

wonder if its a copy of your deck with minor modification -.-''

I don't know, it just seems like there has to be some way to change around the creature base a bit with this deck to make it more consistent. In just playtesting this a bunch, I still HATE seeing a Boros Reckoner in my hand, as I'm just thinking "My opponent will boardwipe on turn 4 (or even 3 sometimes), this Reckoner is useless to me."

I'm not saying that the Reckoner is the only problem with this (or even that this deck has a lot of problems), but it just seems to me, that with the speed that this deck NEEDS to play at, Reckoner is just too slow. You say that your deck can outpace any other aggro decks (and I agree), but that is the type of deck that (in my opinion) you have Reckoner in here for. If you're playing against a midrange or lategame deck, and you get to the point that Reckoner can help you, you've already lost probably 75% of the time.

It just seems to me that that 3-drop could be used for something much faster and more reliable. Even replacing him with some other 1 or 2-drop might be a good idea, Ghor-Clan Rampager maybe? Possibly even bringing Thalia, Guardian of Thraben into mainboard. (You may have better ideas, I am just horrible at thinking of other things that might be better). I feel like a broken record, but it seems like the answer to some of the matchups is just "be faster" not "slow the board down and hope I can burn you to death". I understand that in the meta at your store, there is a lot of aggro, but in that case, why not just try to make the deck even a bit faster, that way you just outpace the other aggro decks, and against later-game decks, you just beat them before they can get anything going (esper control is still bad for you, but Reckoner doesn't really help in that matchup much, anyway).

Please, don't take this as me saying that this deck doesn't work, I absolutely LOVE this deck, I just want this to be the best deck in standard, and I think it can be, with just a little bit of fine tuning.

Thanks for the comment, Jayenn,

Honestly, i'm happy when people point out the flaws in a deck, and back it up with evidence. I'm getting tired of people saying "That card sucks, why do you use it? Its so bad, you probably lose because of it." and leave it at that.

It is true, that Boros Reckoner does not help with the speed in this deck. He would probably be a better sideboard card to bring in is most situations. However, through playing this deck for months it became a norm to bring in something to stop other aggro decks every single time game two. To me, Boros Reckoner is always the best answer, so i decided to chuck him in the mainboard.

The main problem with this deck is that once the game has reached the middle, I either run out of steam, or just flat out die... or maybe getthe lucky burn spells in for the win... otherwise its just game over. Now... this is against decks that have the damage-less boardwipes like Terminus or Supreme Verdict. If they run Bonfire of the Damned, or Mizzium Mortars, I can actually use that to my advantage with Boros Reckoner. If i play against another midrange deck with fat creatures... Boros Reckoner is the perfect tool for offense and defense.

If i have him in my hand, I do not usually play him until i need him, or if i have nothing else to do, otherwise, i'm dropping my humans for the fastest win possible. So, for me, he is a situational card, like a burn spell, that i save for the right opportunity.

You are right, however, that if i had a different card, like Ghor-Clan Rampager, my hand, i have a better opportunity to win faster. Its just that I've grown accustomed to Boros Reckoner, and i've learned how to use him in this deck.

There are not that many substitutes for Boros Reckoner at this point... i'd say the only one being Ghor-Clan Rampager. But thats something for you to decide. Frontline Medic is not a great substitute. Hellrider would probably be decent. Otherwise... it is up to you.

Vos_Is_Boss I'm on the fence about Boros Reckoner. I ran a slightly subpar version of this deck and had so-so results (2-2 on the night) (I was late and threw it together, basically I screwed up and had 4 Cavern of Souls and 1 Kessig Wolf Run which screwed up the consistency for having the right land in my opening hand plus I only had 3x Lightning Mauler at the time so I had to substitute with a Legion Loyalist). Anyway that aside, I first played two Bant midrange decks with hella ramp. The first match I steam-rolled with god hands, and did get Boros Reckoner out, only to have it immediately Detention Sphere. In the 2nd match, I got smashed in 2 games. Despite having a great hand he was able to Detention Sphere my mayor on turn 2, eat my champion with Garruk Relentless  ^Flip and was then able to pump out wolves faster then my 2nd mayor. In game 2 I had to mulligan to 4 and it was ugly. I lost my third match in 3 to a guy playing a pseudo-version of this deck, but without Lightning Mauler. Instead he had Rakdos Cackler and Brimstone Volley. I felt like I should have stomped him but I lost the 2nd match to a Brimstone Volley to the face after i blocked an attacker and the 3rd match when I had 3xCavern of Souls and no way to cast Boros Reckoner or use the Boros Charm in my hand (grrr!). That was frustrating. There were too many times where either I had no one drop or no lands that wouldn't come in tapped.

Anyway, despite my mana problems and lack-luster performance I think it would pay to swap out Boros Reckoner to the sideboard (to bring in against other aggro decks, I think Blind Obedience fits here too). I feel like this deck needs to have the hasty creatures and am thinking of going to 4x Silverblade Paladin and then either Hellrider, Spark Trooper, or Ghor-Clan Rampager at 2x. Ghor-Clan Rampager bloodrush ability with the possibility of doublestrike from the silverblade is something I've thought about a lot. Legion Loyalist is another way to go.

Also I need a sideboard that will help against the @#$% Bant midrange ramp decks that are driving me nuts.

Yeah, things will happen. I've had my fair share of bad games. However, of all the games I've played, my win % is at about 85% which i think is pretty good, all things considered.

If you don't like the Boros Reckoner in this build, i really suggest trying out either Ghor-Clan Rampager or Giant Growth in it's place. Or maybe even add a 4th Thatcher Revolt and 2 Hellrider.

Ha!!! I knew I'd get you to endorse Hellrider eventually! LOL.

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Doesn't mean that I WILL RUN IT XO

it's ok, you can change your mind and tell me you meant to say Spark Trooper.

;-)

ITS A SOLDIER

WOULD BE MORE VIABLE

MAN

Changed to it.

Trying it out.

Someday.

I am going to switch out the Boros Reckoners for Ghor-Clan Rampagers tonight for FNM, just to see what happens (possibly adding Reckoners to sideboard, haven't decided yet). Or do you think it would be better to put in Spark Trooper?

The biggest fear that I have with putting in a 4-drop is the fact that if I have the 4 mana to play it by turn 4, that almost always means that my turns 1-3 were subpar, just because that means that (assuming you played first) at least 5 out of your 10 cards in hand were either land or not useful until turn 4. Yes, sometimes the other 5 cards will have been very good, and may have played out perfectly, but the odds of that happening every time you would have that 4-drop in your hand are very slim. For an aggro deck that is only playing 1 creature a turn, that may be fine, but generally, your goal is to empty your hand and get as many creatures out as quickly as possible with this deck.

And by the way, I understand that your meta is different than my meta is. Almost everyone that regularly win at my store play "destroy"-based boardwipes and spells, while you may just be used to playing against heavy burn, I'm basing almost all my comments on my local meta. It seems like, at my store, the best way to win is just to beat them before they get their first boardwipe or Thragtusk out, as they usually don't have that much before then.

Then you should most definitely substitute my Boros Reckoners for Ghor-Clan Rampager.

I'm opting for Spark Trooper potential, because most of my store is RDW. I can usually out-race them, and if i cannot, i had Boros Reckoner as a finisher.

However, a card like Spark Trooper could turn an iffy hand into a powerful finisher. Especially if I end up with the mana, and a turn 3 Silverblade Paladin.

Wow, amazing deck idea! However, I have two questions:

1. What is the purpose of using Thatcher Revolt ? Okay, it triggers the Champion of the Parish and gives you 2/2 tokens with Mayor of Avabruck  ^Flip , but so does Gather the Townsfolk . What do I overlook?

2. What do you do against a second turn Blind Obedience ? Do you just sideboard Spark Trooper out, probably against Boros Reckoner ?

Turn 2 in this deck has a lot of 2 CMC. Thatcher Revolt slots in well at Turn 3 and the key is that they have haste. But you're correct that blind obedience would badly hurt both thatcher revolt and spark trooper.

Hey laccol,

I'll do my best to answer those questions.

1) Thatcher Revolt , in this deck, is by far the most powerful finisher that can be used in standard. There are two differences from Gather the Townsfolk . The first is that it gives you 3 humans instead of 2. The second is that they have haste. Haste is the key factor here. You want to win NOW with this deck, because it does struggle late game if you cant finish them off early. (turn 3 is the fastest it can go off)

With Thatcher Revolt you need to be careful when to use it, and when to save it. Unlike Gather the Townsfolk where you'd probably just play it as soon as you can. While 2 permanent creatures can be good, have the 3 guys with haste provides a surprise attack that nobody is really ready for. It puts a winnable situation into a guaranteed win situation.

Having 3 2/2 haste humans (or more, depending on how many Mayor of Avabruck  ^Flip s you have) is a lot of damage. 3 mana for 6 damage (or more) should not be ignored. Not to mention it makes your Champion of the Parish incredibly strong. Effectively out of the range of almost any aggro deck (RDW can no longer burn this guy efficiently) It puts an even larger threat factor into your opponents mind when they think that little 1/1 will be a 4/4 from one spell. (and of course... it will be much stronger because the deck is always playing other humans)

That 3'd human does a lot, and at instant speed, its all about the surprise. Opponents like to think that they only have to deal with what is on the board. Haste, in general, is the most powerful ability an aggro deck can have. This is why i strongly urge the use of Thatcher Revolt in any deck with Champion of the Parish , or battalion-like abilities.

2) Strangely enough, Blind Obedience is the perfect counter to Thatcher Revolt and most hasty creatures. My local store doesnt run Blind Obedience that much, fortunately. However, if i did see it the first game, or knew it was coming out game 2, i would bring in Boros Reckoner in place of Spark Trooper , i would probably take out the Thatcher Revolt s for Thalia, Guardian of Thraben , and probably utilize War Priest of Thune or Ray of Revelation as well.

@ laccol i use a naya human deck to and your over looking the haste of Thatcher Revolt and the fact that its 3 tokens not 2 lol which gets decks like this closer to a turn 3 win

Let me put it into a better summary

1) Haste. 3 guys.

2) I hope they don't get it. Otherwise i'll have to use my War Priest of Thune

Thank you very much for your answers! As far as I see using Thatcher Revolt just depends on the meta - I played Naya Blitz last week and was faced with a Blind Obedience in two of four games. So I just shouldn't use Thatcher Revolt , Spark Trooper and Lightning Mauler together in my meta at the moment :).

what you SHOULD do is prepare for enchantment removal in your sideboard if possible.

im curious as to why you use Spark Trooper ? its great as a turn 4 win but its short of a turn 3 win because he is 4 mana lol is'nt there a better alternative im using Foundry Street Denizen myself i know he isn't fancy at all but he is a 1 drop i and he gets ups from my other red creatures and is great to have out before a thatcher revolt so he seems worth being in the deck the playtests have went pretty good so far and im considering more alternatives like Flinthoof Boar because i hate using 3 drops or higher cause it's like i already gave up on a turn 3 win lol i had a hard time convincing myself to sideboard Frontline Medic just cause he dosent have haste lol but he can be a life saver so i did and Silverblade Paladin is the only creature ive seen thats 3 mana or higher thats worth being in this kind of deck for the purpose of a turn 3 win in my oppinion i havent seen anything else that gets close to that goal

but honeypeanuts300 while a turn 3 win is a goal it doesn't need to be the only win condition. A turn 4 bomb like Spark Trooper is a finisher and even if it doesn't the life gain might be enough to give you one more round to get that last point of damage dealt.

It can also punch through opponent's creatures if they try to stop me.

Not to mention... I'll wager 90% of the time if i can pair him with a Silverblade Paladin successfully that i'll win the game.

and BOOM goes the dynamite!

ya i already know all of that haste trample lifelink thats all great i already said it was a great turn 4 win lol im just saying im trying to find turn 3 wins so do you think theres an alternative for it that can help win by turn 3 idc about winning the game i can lose all day i dont care lol i wanna win big and fast by turn 3 and make people go holy shit lol only i care about making my deck as fast as possible and trying to win by turn 3 lol thats the whole point of how im trying to make my deck lol i wasnt asking for reasons why Spark Trooper is good for a turn 4 kill i already know it is i was asking if you had suggestions for alternatives to Spark Trooper that can help win the game by turn 3