The Sunfist Brigade
Standard
SCORE: 161 | 260 COMMENTS | 53240 VIEWS | IN 123 FOLDERS Top 8: 04/12
5-4 at TCGPlayer 5K Orlando (72nd of 331 players) —March 20, 2013
I took the Legion for a spin at the Orlando 5K, here's how it went!
Match 1: UWR Flash, W 2-0
Both games were very close. Game two was especially close, as I won at 2 life when he was at 3. I'm surprised that I keep managing to win this matchup despite how bad it seems for me.
Match 2: Esper Spirits, W 2-1
I win game one too quickly to know what he's playing, so I sideboard in for Esper Control. Instead, my Skullcracks are rendered useless as he bashes me over the head with an army of spirits. Game three is much better for me once I put my Nearheath Pilgrims back in.
Match 3: Jund Aggro, L 0-2
I played against Nicholas Werner, the person who ended up making the finals of the event. Burning-Tree Emissary into Mogg Flunkies is actually an awesome play, one that completely blows me out before I can ever get going. No Nearheath Pilgrims really hurt me here.
Match 4: Naya Humans, W 2-1
If I got a Nearheath Pilgrim out, I won, and if I didn't I lost. Thankfully, I got one out in two games.
Match 5: Naya Humans, W 2-1
Same story. Nearheath Pilgrim + Silverblade Paladin + Rally the Peasants puts aggro to sleep fast.
Match 6: Prime Speaker Bant, L 1-2
I won game one with a moderately fast hand. He managed to stabilize a little but I was able to end it before he could come back. I got crushed by massive creatures in the next two games, Angel of Serenity being the worst of them.
Match 7: Esper Control, W 2-1
I lost game one after getting mana screwed. I got him to 1 life quickly in game two, where he stayed for a long time until I drew the Skullcrack after throwing creature after creature at him to empty his hand. Game three was very fast for me.
Match 8: Jund Aggro, L 1-2
I lost game one, got out a Nearheath Pilgrim in game two (so I won), and made an atrocious misplay in game three that cost me the game and the match.
Match 9: Lucky Charms, L 0-2
This is the UWR Flash deck centered around Boros Reckoner, using him with Azorius Charm/Moment of Heroism and Boros Charm
to gain infinite life and Blasphemous Act to finish any opponent at 13 or less life. This deck absolutely stomps aggro, which it did to me.
Overall, The Sunfist Brigade performed well, although I still lament my poor draws and my round 8 misplay that kept me from having a shot at top 32 or higher. The deck is still quite potent, though perhaps not as much so as Naya or Jund Aggro. I still think that this Boros and Mono-green Aggro are perhaps the next best aggressive decks after those two, and would highly advocate this list for any local tournaments, especially FNMs.
I say do it. I had two planned for the sideboard but never managed to pull them or trade for them so I made do with what I had.
February 3, 2013 1:53 p.m.
If everyone in the world starts playing Boros then you might want to sideboard Stromkirk Noble because its unblockable by humans and can quickly get big.
February 3, 2013 1:56 p.m.
I think the better card for the mirror is Volcanic Strength . It is helpful against mono-red as well and puts a clock on them much faster than Stromkirk Noble . It also lets me circumvent Boros Reckoner , which straight-up laughs in Noble's face.
February 3, 2013 2:07 p.m.
duhduhdillon says... #7
What do you think of adding Thundermaw Hellkite and dropping Spark Trooper ?
February 3, 2013 4:18 p.m.
That is good but out of my price range. He works exceptionally well with Boros Charm because the double strike mode is actually relevant as it deals more than the burn mode with him.
February 3, 2013 4:26 p.m.
Question for everyone: Gift of Orzhova or Volcanic Strength for the sideboard?
Gift is stronger overall and will be relevant in every matchup, but Volcanic Strength costs less and makes a tough matchup go easily in my favor. Thoughts?
February 3, 2013 11:15 p.m.
Well disregarding kill spells since they'll always 2-for-1 you, Volcanic Strength does get most of your team out of Searing Spear range.
February 4, 2013 12:15 a.m.
I think I'm going to try out Gift of Orzhova for a bit and then if it bites the dust against mono-red it'll be back to Volcanic Strength . I'm not really worried about kill spells since that slot is strictly for mono-red.
Madcap Skills is better in the dedicated all in double strike deck.
February 4, 2013 1:01 a.m.
BorosLegion4125 says... #12
I know you want to keep the human theme but your should try playtesting Legion Loyalist it has won me games.
February 4, 2013 2:50 p.m.
YOU ARE MISSING THE BEST WHITE BATTALION!!! Odric, Master Tactician !!!!!!
February 6, 2013 9:36 p.m.
TrumpetsforKings says... #15
Why not Murder Investigation on your Champion of the Parish . If someone kills your high powered creature, you get it's power = to 1/1 soldier tokens
February 7, 2013 9:13 a.m.
I think that's a better idea in a token deck that can get amazing value out of a big Geist-Honored Monk or Wayfaring Temple . In this deck, auras need to be extremely aggressive to earn a spot in the deck, which is why Volcanic Strength has a spot in the sideboard.
February 7, 2013 9:18 a.m.
BorosLegion4125 says... #17
Have you ever considered Fervor in place of Lightning Mauler ????
February 7, 2013 1:34 p.m.
Lightning Mauler: + 2/1 itself + human - is easier to remove
Fervor: + harder to remove - it does nothing the turn you drop it (if you drop it on turn 3) and not much after turn 3 (Hellrider for example already IS a haste creature and the plan is to win on turn 4-5)
February 7, 2013 1:52 p.m.
No, because it costs 3 mana and doesn't hit for 2. I already have 10 spells at 3 mana, which is already quite high for an aggressive deck. I can't raise my average CMC any higher or I will often have no plays in the first two turns. I also need as many damage sources as I can get; having one more creature means more damage earlier in the game.
Additionally, Blind Obedience is a real card and makes Fervor useless. A deck that could make good use of Fervor is something more like midrange that runs things like Firemane Angel and other evasive, synergistic creatures at the 4-5CMC slot. For example, a hasted Sigarda, Host of Herons will put an opponent to sleep very quickly as she is now an unremovable Thundermaw Hellkite .
February 7, 2013 1:53 p.m.
Firemane Avenger *, rather. I do miss Firemane Angel , though.
February 7, 2013 1:58 p.m.
TrumpetsforKings says... #22
Sideboard Aurelia, the Warleader because the Battalion effect of Boros Elite would make it a 5/5 in the 2nd combat phase.
February 7, 2013 2:35 p.m.
I certainly wouldn't need her out of the sideboard but being a one-of in place of Gideon, Champion of Justice might win a few games.
On the other hand, I have a Gideon and I don't have an Aurelia, so...
February 7, 2013 3:05 p.m.
Legion Loyalist is awesome. If you're not running humans then he needs to be included as he has a relevant Battalion effect AND easily triggers Battalion by having haste and costing one.
duhduhdillon says... #1
What do you think of blind obedience for agro? Think I'm going to run a similar version. I'd drop a boros charm and the planewalker and run two.
February 3, 2013 1:40 p.m.