Baptism by Fire: Phoenixes

Modern Discard Midrange Mono-Red Reanimator Theme/Gimmick Tribal

Burhan

Instant (6)

• 2x Abrade
• 4x Lightning Bolt

Sorcery (8)

• 2x Banefire
• 2x Blasphemous Act
• 4x Burning Inquiry

Artifact (4)

• 2x Basilisk Collar
• 2x Door of Destinies

Creature (20)

• 2x Akoum Firebird
• 2x Ashcloud Phoenix
• 4x Chandra's Phoenix
• 4x Everquill Phoenix
• 4x Flamewake Phoenix
• 4x Kuldotha Phoenix

Land (22)

• 4x Darksteel Citadel
• 18x Mountain

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Sideboard

Sorcery (2)

• 2x Pyroclasm

Artifact (6)

• 2x Damping Sphere
• 2x Silent Gravestone
• 2x Stormrider Rig

Creature (4)

• 4x Bloodrage Brawler

Land (2)

• 2x Ghost Quarter

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I have always loved the artwork of phoenix cards and this has led me to create yet another whacky tribal deck.

This deck is a reanimator deck that is meant to be played in a semicompetitive environment, be it at your local FNM or with your friends. The general strategy of this deck is to clear the board the first few turns with burns (Abrade/Lightning Bolt) and then start playing phoenixes by turn 3. Cards such as Burning Inquiry lets you dig deeper into your deck whilst disrupting your opponents their hands. Midgame you build up board presence and finish off your oppenent(s) with recurring threats.

Strengths and weaknesses

One of the weaknesses of this deck is the early game. Having no 1-mana or 2-mana phoenix drops in MTG and needing specific conditions to trigger the reanimation of our phoenixes (Flamewake Phoenix= 4 power / Kuldotha Phoenix = metalcraft) slows our phoenix strategy down to mid-game/late-game. To compensate for this lack of speed in the early phase of the game we will rely on burns such as (Lightning Bolt) and (Abrade).

Graveyard hate. Effects that exile cards from our graveyard cripple us severely. But fred not, our answer in these match ups is a switcheroo of artifacts (Silent Gravestone). Besides graveyard hate, reach is a roadblock in our game-plan. Especially beefy spiders or even worse: a spider tribal deck Spider Safari.

The strength of this deck is that we rarely run out of juice because our fiery birds keep returning. Cards such as Burning Inquiry seldomly hurts us but does mess with our opponents. The fact that a vast majority of our creatures have flying and haste is also a major strength for most match set-ups. Furthermore, non-exile removal spells or board wipes don't harm our game plan. During mid-game and especially end-game the chances to draw and/or cast Door of Destinies is very conceivable, this gives our phoenixes more reach stats wise. Another strength of this deck is that you can also rely on an aggressive strategy and just mindlessly burn and assault your opponent with fiery raptors, artifacts such as Basilisk Collar really synergize with this tactic.

General Strategy

You either renounce controlling the board and go rampant with burns and hasty fiery birds, or go for the long game. The long game strategy requires way more strategy planning. In the early-game, keep your opponents creature at bay with burns or disrupt their hand with a good ol' Burning Inquiry. By turn 3 start casting your 3 mana phoenixes and swing for damage. From turn 4 onwards, keep pushing with flying damage and burns. Cast artifacts when able such as Basilisk Collar. Continue beleaguering your opponent with sticky minions and burns during the mid game phase. If your phoenixes somehow can't assail your opponent, hope for a Door of Destinies and make them grow by casting your birds over and over.

Combos and synergy

The card Burning Inquiry synergize well with nearly all phoenixes. Preferrably you discard Kuldotha Phoenix as it is way too clunky in your starting hand and is phoenix you rely on during the mid game/end game.

Flamewake Phoenixes is best buddies with Ashcloud Phoenix and Kuldotha Phoenix.

Chandra's Phoenix and any of the burn spells.

If left unchecked during mid game and end game, Door of Destinies enables phoenixes to equal or even outmatch the stats of dragons by keep casting your fiery birds.

Any artifact and Kuldotha Phoenix obviously.

Modern is filled with fetch lands (especially now with the price drop of the guild fetch lands), people cracking clues, vehicle activations, most energy sinks, planeswalkers, any artifact decks, Aether Vial. If you encounter this use your sideboard card Harsh Mentor.

Basilisk Collar and Ashcloud Phoenix. You will gain lots of life if you morph this bird and kill everything that isn't indestructible.

Card choices

I chose Ashcloud Phoenix because it has 4 power and the opponent needs to cast 2 removal spells to absolutely remove it. Plus, while its morph cost is quite high, it does damage every player. I would include Rekindling Phoenix as it is way better but it is just ridiculously expensive.

Basilisk Collar fits the curve nicely and enables metalcraft and lifegain.

Harsh Mentor gives us value in every phase of the game, be it early game as a blocker/attacker or mid and late game as a control card. Only use this card if your opponent has lots of cards that trigger his anger issues.

Ghost Quarter to get rid of non-basic lands.

Artifacts are always a nice inclusion in a deck and Kuldotha Phoenix synergizes with these artifacts.

Feedback and suggestions are appreciated.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 24 - 2 Rares 8 - 12 Uncommons 6 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	3.11
Tokens	Feather, Morph 2/2 C