The deck is simple, cheap boros rush with instant and sorcery synergy and Zada as wincon. It is important that all these spells target a single creature you control to trigger Zada. This deck has weakness to removal but is fast enough to not usually be a hindrance. The sheer number of draw spells makes it rather consistent and so many instances gives it flexibility since you can buff creatures after attacking. In online play your opponent will usually learn how flexible the deck really is right as you deal lethal.

Combo

Ancestor's Aid + Fists of Flame + Zada, Hedron Grinder

As long as you have a few creatures out you can chain draw spells, using Ancestor's Aid to ramp out enough treasure tokens. I often find this deck giving consistent fast wins. Chaining draw effects with fists of flame will often get you several 50+ power creatures w/ trample and first strike on turn 5. Gird for Battle may seem like the weak link but really pays off when using Dreadhorde Arcanist and/or Illuminator Virtuoso since it can target one or two creatures. Getting a single +1/+1 counter on Dreadhorde Arcanist allows the combo to pop off on turn 4 provided you have Ancestor's Aid in your graveyard and a draw spell in hand.

Sample Game #1

Turn 1. Monastary Swiftspear attack 1 damage

Turn 2. Dreadhorde Arcanist attack 1 damage

Turn 3. Gird for Battle and Ancestor's Aid attack recasting Gird for Battle for 10 damage total.

Turn 4. Zada, Hedron Grinder; Gods Willing on Zada, attack w/ all and recast Ancestor's Aid on Zada for 3 treasure tokens, cast Ancestral Anger for 3 card draw, cast Fists of Flame for 3 more card draw. Attack can now hit for 26 unblockable trample damage and still have 4-5 cards in hand and plenty graveyard spells to recast w/ arcanist next turn.

Turn 5. If opponent is still alive after potential 38 damage you can easily deal 100+ damage on turn 5 by repeating the steps from turn 4, saving your Fists of Flame for last.

Creature Analysis

This deck started as an attempt to make a boros aggro deck around Zada but without using either Feather, the Redeemed or Tenth District Legionnaire. With that said, Legionnaire would make a great addition to this deck but I did not want another 2 mana creature and did not feel that Dreadhorde Arcanist or Illuminator Virtuoso should be removed since they synergize so well with Zada. Virtuoso's Connive ability will trigger on a copied spell but Legionnaire's counter and scry abilities will not.

Favored Hoplite is a weak link since his ability also does not trigger from copied spells. Potential replacements are

Fireblade Charger because attacking with a 20/3 creature who flings on death is great

Fervent Champion for the haste and first strike

Phoenix Chick for flying

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Created with Highcharts 9.3.3Card costs (outer) Land mana (inner)
Created with Highcharts 9.3.3CreatureCreatureLandLandInstantInstantSorcerySorcery
Created with Highcharts 9.3.3Converted mana costMana-curve28.2%28.2%10.3%10.3%20.5%20.5%33.3%33.3%7.7%7.7%0123405101520

96% Casual

Competitive