Phoenix Shenanigans
This deck is built around the idea of returning creatures from your graveyard to the battlefield for cheap! It plays very similar to a red deck wins deck, in the sense that you are always trying to keep up the pressure on your opponent. This is done, however, through the two main mechanics in this deck: discarding and returning your creatures to the battlefield.
Phoenix Tribal!
There's a mini phoenix tribal happening in the deck, with 12 phoenix cards that each synergize well with not only each other but the rest of the deck.
Everquill Phoenix
is your main phoenix card. You always want to mutate it, so you can get that feather that can bring back either itself or another phoenix. The mutate ability allows you to combine abilities with many of this deck's heavy hitters like
Reckless Wurm
in order to give a 4/4 heavy hitting flyer. However, where
Everquill Phoenix
is when
Rekindling Phoenix
is in your graveyard.
Everquill Phoenix
allows you to bring back any phoenix, so it allows you to feel safe bringing back
Rekindling Phoenix
.
Rekindling Phoenix
is a nearly unkillable card. It brings itself back through an elemental creature token at your next upkeep if it dies. Unfortunately, this means whenever you discard your phoenix
Rekindling Phoenix
, you can't get it back. Fortunately, you have
Everquill Phoenix
to pick up the slack.
Madness cards!
You always want one of these in your opening hand, especially if you have one of your discard engines. These are great because they are great turn 3 plays that keep up the pressure on your opponent.
Reckless Wurm
: The best card in the deck. This card can come out on turn 3 as a 4/4 with trample and if combined with a
Bloodrage Brawler
can hit for a lot of damage on turn 4. In general, it's another card that helps keep your opponent under pressure. With that type of pressure, the early game quickly turns into the endgame as you hit for a ton of damage while eliminating your opponent's creatures.
Stromkirk Occultist
: A great late game card. While it's 2 CMC madness cost can make it easy to play early on (especially if you want to keep the pressure up), it's ability is more of a late game hitter. The (essentially) extra draw ability makes it so you can keep cycling through your deck to get to those particular cards you need. This is feature especially important in the late game.
Discard cards!
You always want to play a discard card on turn two in order to set up your field later. So, I've put 8 two mana discard cards so you will almost always have one in your opening hand.
Bloodrage Brawler
: great turn 2 play. Allows you to discard either a madness card or
Rekindling Phoenix
for a 4/3 creature that really puts the pressure on your opponent.
Tormenting Voice
: another great turn two play. Allows you to go cycle through your deck, allowing you to grab or get to grabbing some of your other key cards. It's just a neat bonus that you get to discard one of your madness cards.
Good Card Synergizes!
Flameblade Adept
is a great 1 mana 1st turn play. It pairs well with a turn two discard, and the menace is another great way to get in small bits of damage on your opponent. As a 1/2, it can also block most basic creatures.
Flamewake Phoenix
is another great card. You can easily discard it as it can bring itself back for only 1 mana (amazing). Almost every creature (spare 7 of the 30) is a 4/4 or higher, so Flamewake's ferocious ability is almost always active. It's also a good turn 3 play if you don't have any other options because it helps keep up the pressure on the opponent. It gets in a lot of great easy chip damage.
Flayer of Hatebound: is a great late game card. If you've saved up some of your other madness cards, or maybe you have a
Flamewake Phoenix
in the grave, it can really hit your opponent for some real damage. It's a great counter if your opponent has stopped you from being able to attack as it gets in some great burn damage. It's undying ability is great on both offense and defense as it can take a hit and live.
Lightning Bolt
is a necessary card in this deck. It can act as both removal and burn, both things this deck needs. It can be great if you need to squeeze out the win or if you need to remove one of your opponents key cards.
