FIRST PLAYTEST (23/02/2023)
At first glance, the mana-curve is way too high at 3.48 average CMC:
OUT:
Angrath's Marauders card's effect on spot with strategy, but way too high
Past in Flames Don't see the day where I'll be happy to draw it and would actually be useful
Farideh's Fireball Costs too much to cast
Seething Song Not required in this deck
Pyromancer's Goggles Costs too much to cast
Decree of Annihilation Costs too much to cast, accidentally didn't order it anyways
Chandra, Pyrogenius costs too much to cast versus benefits
Defiler of Instinct costs to much versus ratio of instant/sorcery and only single targets
Wild Guess not as good as endless atlas that's repeatable
Knight Paladin to smoothen the curve
Solemn Simulacrum to smoothen the curve, not as good as in a multi-colored deck
Tormenting Voice better options
Thrill of Possibility better options
Dagger Caster removed to lower the curve and accelerate early board presence
Faithless Looting better options for card draw
Faithless Salvaging better options for card draw
IN:
Cathartic Pyre for added card draw.
Pyrohemia don't know why I didn't auto-include in first draft.
Sawblade Scamp decent early board presence on-theme
Electrostatic Field decent early board presence on-theme
Descent into Avernus more of a strategic enabler
Risk Factor decent card draw right on theme
Faithless Salvaging decent card draw
Vindictive Flamestoker mid/late game option for card draw
Blighted Gorge no real downside to running it. Still high basic mountain count for Valakut.
War Room extra draw options mid/late game
Breaking Point can't have a mono-red boardwipe more on theme than this one
Hazoret's Monument Decent support and card draw
Magmatic Insight lower-curve card ''draw''
Blisterspit Gremlin lower-curve card and early board presence
Impact Tremors On-Theme
Roiling Vortex On-Theme
Result: Average CMC down to 3.0
SECOND PLAYTEST (26/02/2023)
OUT:
Immolation Shaman not consistent enough
Price of Progress deadwight in hand until mid/late game
Red Dragon needs more consistent burn damage than single use
Earthquake Too much ''scorched earth'' and hinders the board presence I am developping most of time
Molten Disaster Too much ''scorched earth'' and hinders the board presence I am developping most of time
Rolling Earthquake Too much ''scorched earth'' and hinders the board presence I am developping most of time
Breath of Darigaaz Too much ''scorched earth'' and hinders the board presence I am developping most of time
IN:
Rampaging Ferocidon to replace Immolation Shaman
Valakut Exploration consistent 2 damage (with solphim) to every opponent everyturn
Drakuseth, Maw of Flames to replace Red Dragon
Electrickery can reduce enemy board presence only
Zo-Zu the Punisher repetitive burn option and board presence
Mind Stone Mana Rock with option to draw card mid/late game
Blood Moon I had one laying around, and it'll probably slow down opponents
THIRD PLAYTEST (26/03/2023)
I ran several goldfish playtest evaluationg several parameters of each test to unravel some tendencies of the deck. Results in parentheses:
Removed the two underperformers for 2 basic mountains to help improve my missed land drops stats and lower curve. In all games, I would have rather had 2 straight mountains instead of those two cards in hand.
1. Removed Blood Moon in favor of Gibbering Fiend
2. Removed Fanatic of Mogis in favor of Cemetery Gatekeeper for lower curve and Mogis was underperformer
3. Removed card:1x Blasphemous Act (SCD) in favor of Jaya's Immolating Inferno to have more flexible options
4. Removed Valakut Exploration in favor of Mazemind Tome because valakut exploration would probably be 0 or 1 damage because low ramp deck and needed card draw
5. Removed Hazoret's Monument in favor of Arcane Signet because more efficient
5. Removed Lightning Bolt & Lightning Strike in favor of Sunset Pyramid & Investigator's Journal for more repeteable net card draw
In the end...too many to list. Ended up going back to a more ''scorched earth'' option to reduce curve, allow scaling (X spells) considering that Solphim will pretty much always survive the ''deals X to every creature'' if he has his indestructible counter on him.
