by Thiago Saporito

Need a last minute list and sideboarding guide from one of MTGO's brightest minds?  Read this!

Hello Mana Deprived readers, this is going to be a quick article on what I would play at States.

I think the general metagame will consist of the following:

Some kind of Blue/White Control
Mono Green Eldrazi Ramp
Dredge-uh-Vine
Red Green Valakut
New “Affinity” decks

So one of my suggestions is Mono Red Aggro. I played Pro Tour San Juan with this deck and the format for that tournament was Block Constructed.  I believe we can definitely build on top of what I had. I will show you guys what I played at San Juan and the change that I applied.

Thiago Saporito, 18 points Pro Tour-San Juan, Block Constructed

Main Deck
4  Arid Mesa
9  Mountain
4  Scalding Tarn
4  Smoldering Spires
3  Teetering Peaks
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24 lands

4  Goblin Bushwhacker
4  Goblin Guide
4  Kargan Dragonlord
3  Kiln Fiend
4  Plated Geopede
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19 creatures

4  Burst Lightning
4  Devastating Summons
4  Flame Slash
3  Searing Blaze
2  Staggershock
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17 spells

Sideboard
4  Goblin Ruinblaster
2  Lodestone Golem
3  Mark of Mutiny
3  Tuktuk the Explorer
3  Unstable Footing
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15 sideboard cards

Some comments about this list, Flame Slash was a main deck card because of Wall of Omens and Overgrown Battlement, and was also used to open the way for Kiln Fiend attacks in other matchups, but that idea was really bad, since Kiln Fiend is unfortunately a horrible card.

So there are the changes:

Maindeck:
-4 Burst Lightning
-3 Kiln Fiend
-4 Flame Slash
-2 Staggershock
-4 Smoldering Spire
+1 Teetering Peaks
+3 Mountain
+4 Koth of the hammer
+4 Ember Hauler
+1 Searing Blaze

Sideboard:
-3 Tuktuk the Explorer
-2 Lodestone Golem
-3 Unstable Footing
-4 Goblin Ruinblaster
+3 Combust
+3 Tuktuk Scrapper
+2 Maniac Vandal
+4 Leyline of Punishment  

Final List:

4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
12 Mountain
4 Teetering Peaks

4 Plated Geopede
4 Goblin Bushwalker
4 Goblin Guide
4 Kargan Dragonlord
4 Ember Hauler

4 Devastating Summons
4 Koth of the hammer
4 Searing Blaze
4 Lightning Bolt

Sideboard:
3 Tuktuk Scrapper
3 Combust
2 Manic Vandal
4 Leyline of Punishment
3 Mark of Mutiny

Against Blue White Control 40% x 60 %

This is probablythe worst matchup. They have Wall of Omens, Condemn, Journey to Nowhere for Kargan, and the list I playtested against had Gideon Jura, so I had no chance to win, my only way to find a path to victory was with Koth of the Hammer ultimate or with the combo of Devastating Summons + Bushwacker (which is awful when you know your opponent has Gideon Jura on his deck) when they were left tapped out after playing a Jace or something. 

Sideboard:
+4 Leyline of Punishment
+3 Combust
+3 Mark of Mutiny
-4 Devastatin Summons
-4 Goblin Bushwalker
-2 Searing Blaze

After sideboard, they have Flashfreeze and Celestial Purge. The matchup is still very difficult, but when they don't have Celestial Purge and I start the game off with a Leyline of Punishment, the matchup gets a lot easier because Kor Firewalkers and BaneslayerAngels become less of a problem. 

Against Dredge-uh-Vine  70% x 30%

This matchup is probably the easiest one, you must burn their Birds and Fauna Shaman while attacking with your creatures.  Quite straightforward.

Sideboard:
No changes.

I know they play with 4 Obstinate Baloth on sideboard, but I would not put 4 Leylines for that, and if they don’t draw 2 or more Baloths, the matchup is obviously still very easy.
 

Against Valakut 60% x 40%

This matchup I thought was very easy, but if they start killing your guys with Lightning Bolt and casting Primeval Titan on turn 4, they definitely have a good shot at wnning.
 

Sideboard:
+3 Mark of Mutiny
-3 Searing Blaze

With my sideboard, I can now steal the turn 4 Titan and deal 11 damage with a Mark of Mutiny.

Against Mono Green Eldrazi Ramp 55% x 45%

This matchup I thought was easy too.  It plays out very similarly to the Valakut matchup. If they have Titan on turn 4, they will probably win, but it is even more difficult than Valakut because they have Walls in their main deck.

Sideboard:
+3 Mark of Mutiny
-3 Ember Hauler

Post-sideboard, this is where Mark of Munity is once again my MVP, stealing either a Titan or an Eldrazi creature for massive amounts of damage.

Against WW Affinity 55% x 45%

This is a weird matchup, if they start the game very aggressively, I might lose. However, if they give me time and allow me to cast my burns spells their key creatures, the matchup is very easy.

Sideboard:

+3 Tuktuk Scrapper
+2 Manic Vandal
+3 Combust
-4 Goblin Bushwalker
-4 Devastating Summons

The matchup after sideboard gets better for us. If I draw something to destroy their artifacts, I can stop their early rush and control the game with burn spells.

So if you are lost on this new Standard, I would recommend this deck.

Thanks for reading,

bolov0

Kar Yung Tom

Kar Yung Tom (KYT) is the Digital Content Manager for Face to Face Games. He oversees the F2FTour.com and Magic F2F websites. He is also the lead host of the First Strike podcast.