Sideboard


Sligh is a deck design by Jay Schneider, piloted to fame by Paul Sligh in 1996.

If you take a look at the Original Playlist ( http://web.archive.org/web/19991104031352/http://thedojo.net/history/sligh2.html ), you'll notice some weird card choices: this is in part due to a rule requiring players to feature in their decks at least 5 cards from each of the then current expansions. Not ideal. And yet, the inclusion of suboptimal creatures in the deck is also tied to a different reason: this deck was conceived according to the concept of 'mana curve' ...and actually introduced it to the whole Magic community.

Considering how novel the concept of this deck was in 1996, it goes without saying that there were no Sligh decks in the '93-'94 environment. As far as I know, even in current Old School format, Sligh is not a common deck type. (But check out this list: https://www.wak-wak.se/9394decks/sligh )

And yet it can make for a relatively budget, clever and fun packed deck in this format. Not competitive, I don't think. But fun.

My list is basically a modified version of a deck by MUSIC CITY OLD SCHOOL MTG:

https://musiccityoldschoolmtg.wordpress.com/2017/11/10/cheapguy-red/

The main difference is that the deck I took inspiration from is built according to the CE rules, whereas I follow the Swedish/Ravenna ones. This basically means: NO Fallen Empires, Strip Mine limited to ONE. (Edit: the deck has now been modified to be legal in the X-point format)

While these may look like minor details, they matter a lot. In Old School land control is rather important: a single Maze of Ith can stop a Ball Lightning cold and it generally slows your beatdown to the point of irrelevance. Hence the inclusion of two Blood Moon (which go great with Goblins of the Flarg ) and the single Stone Rain.

The Goblin Grenades are lovely, besides being excellent against fatties (a problem for this deck), so their exclusion hurts a bit. To compensate for this, you have to use your Lightning Bolts and Chain Lightnings wisely: a good trick is to shoot a fattie when the defending player uses it to block an attacking Ironclaw Orcs; even better, you can combine your Bolts' and Orcish Artillery's firepower to do a whopping 5 damage to any creature. The good thing about Orcish Artillery is that it is repeatable burn, which translates to card advantage. This is relevant, in so far as red decks usually die at topdeck.

A path to victory is dropping an early Ankh of Mishra and complementing it with the occasional land denial card. It chips life points off your opponent very nicely. Also, keep in mind that you can play this deck with 3-4 lands.

More often than not, you'll be playing goblins since turn one and keep playing and attacking with them for as long as you can, trading creatures if your opponent blocks. You'd occasionally sneak a few more points of damage with a random Ball Lightning and will try to remove fatties from the equation.

We don't like fatties for two reasons:

1) they turn the clock in your opponent's favour;

2) they block without dying, generating (board) card advantage for your opponent;

Don't be afraid to lose lifepoints to Orcish Artillery a few times, if it means neutralising any attempt to build up a defence (or an attack) for your opponent. Depending on what deck you're playing against, those points of self-inflicted damage might be the only ones you receive during the game.

However, if you've managed to take your opponent to around 10 life, you can afford to just save your Bolts for the win. In this regard, Dragon Whelp and Fireball work nicely as finishers.

Other card choices: Chaos Orb is your silver bullet: remove a fattie, an enchantment, a nasty land. You name it.

(By the way, I don't really own a Chaos Orb: I usually use Chaos Confetti in its place, which is hilarious and fits the spirit of the format ...I mean has anyone seen how many sharpie-modified cards are in those decklists around the web?)

In some environments you could use an additional Shatter.

Besides mountainwalking Goblins of the Flarg this deck features 4 fyling Goblin Balloon Brigade: not too shabby. A repeated ping every turn matters.

I'm not doing a sidebord as I am planning not to using it with my friends.

I think that's all. Have fun!

Suggestions

Updates Add

I have modified this list to be legal in the X-point format. This means: still one strip mine, but Fallen Empires is now allowed. This also means: no proxies. Given that, I had to remove a few cards I don't own, like Chaos Orb. For now I am light on Fallen Empires' cards, but that might change. I also added a sideboard ;)

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99% Casual

Competitive

Date added 1 year
Last updated 8 months
Legality

This deck is not Oldschool 93/94 legal.

Rarity (main - side)

8 - 4 Rares

14 - 3 Uncommons

22 - 8 Commons

Cards 60
Avg. CMC 1.68
Folders Old School 93/94
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