I got bored, started to write down Kuroda Boros Primer (even while Zem deserves more to be one writing it... I mean, I'm probably not gonna be able to play it due to price tag of cards involved). Here's the taste of sweet poison.
Kuroda Boros Primer
INTRODUCTION
Let's start a bit of history. Once upon a time, there was a PTQ with Block Constructed tournament in Kobe. Block Constructed is often neglected as a format, but it wasn't usual Block Constructed. Old Mirrodin was probably one of the most complete and synergistic blocks ever printed. Decklist played during that time in Standard often involved mostly cards from Mirrodin, so even while card pool was not that deep - it created many powerhouse decks like variety of affinity decks, Tooth and Nail and what mostly interests us at the moment - Kuroda Red.
Kuroda Red is still considered to be the most
ideal Big Red deck in the history. Even while you read a writup about this part of colour pie done by Wizards, they often mention it as amazing deck. Take a look at the old decklist, shall we?
[deck]Creatures:
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Arc-Slogger
Other Spells:
4 Electrostatic Bolt
4 Shrapnel Blast
4 Barbed Lightning
4 Damping Matrix
4 Pulse of the Forge
4 Fireball
4 Detonate
Lands:
16 Mountain
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
Sideboard:
4 Molten Rain
4 Echoing Ruin
2 Talisman of Indulgence
2 Talisman of Impulse
3 Furnace Dragon[/deck]
There are very few cards that could really use an replacement due to limitation of card pool - Fireball is pretty low in terms of power-level. Besides of that, we're talking about real beauty. Deck doesn't sport that many winning conditions in theory - there are only 8 creatures and half of them are Solemn Simulacra. But between Arc-Sloggers who are fatties that can block stuff all day (the biggest, playable creature in Mirrodin block was
actually Molder Slug!), Blinkmoth Nexuses and all the burn spells - it was fairly easy to get your opponent to 0 life.
This deck was one hell of a nasty beast. We all know that already as Kuroda easily won the whole PTQ and was remembered as "the Big Red guy". But why we are talking about that?
As an idea of Big Red never dies.
RTR-M14-THE gave us access to very interesting card pool that looks very familiar to what Kuroda played. Red is not the worst colour of the pie. It actually got some really fine tools. Access to easy splashes and powerfull, duo-coloured Scrylands can be turned into something we might call neo Kuroda deck.
Boros offers us the best tools at the moment. Scrylands, Warleader's Helix, Chained to the Rocks, Wear // Tear. That is why I will mostly focus on that splash during my writeup.
Decklist I will show in a moment should not be considered as final list of an actual deck. It serves mostly for discussion, and as a shell that can be expanded with your deckbuilding
skills, knowledge and passion you have for Red colour.
[deck]NeoKuroda Boros
Creatures (8):
4 Ember Swallower
4 Stormbreath Dragon
Planeswalkers (4):
4 Chandra, Pyromaster
Other Spells (22):
4 Chained to the Rocks
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
4 Mizzium Mortars
4 Warleader's Helix
2 Anger of the Gods
Lands (26):
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Mutavault
14 Mountain
Sideboard (14):
4 Peak Eruption
4 Burning Earth
4 Assemble the Legion
2 Anger of the Gods[/deck]
So, this is the new face of Big Red for current Standard. Now I will do my best to talk about all the Strenghts and Weaknesses of the build and together with you - I'll do my best to make mr. Kuroda proud of us.
SPECIFIC CARD CHOICES
Creatures
[card]Ember Swallower:[/card] also known as (m)Ember Swallower. Even while he doesn't look impressive - he's the workhorse of the whole decklist. His huge body (especially when compared to
other Red and White creatures) makes him a brick wall against any kind of Aggro and Midrange - he's one of the very few creatures in the format that can effectively block Loxodon Smiter/Blood Baron of Vizkopya and tell the tale about that after. He also survives any, currently playable burn spell - even Mizzium Mortars and Warleader's Helix. Last but not least - he can still crash in for 4.
His Monstrosity makes most of discussions about him turn into wrong direction. Even while the ability on it's own is pretty cute and has some synergy with the rest of deck - we are playing him mostly because of his unusual size.
[card]Stormbreath Dragon:[/card] it's currently the biggest, playable Red creature. Even while his power-level is significantly lower than the one of Thundermaw Hellkite, this card still poses a threat to many decks. He has Haste and Evasion, his protection from White makes him immune to lots of removal (Chained to the Rocks, Detention Sphere, Azorius Charm, Warleader's
Helix, Angel of Serenity) and if you have excessive mana - one day you will even make him Monstrous and deal tons of damage.
Planeswalkers
[card]Chandra, Pyromaster:[/card] card is so good it's played in Eternal formats - so why shouldn't we use her as well. Her +1 is not the hottest thing in the world, but can win games. Opponent has that last, annoying blocker? Ping for 1, make him unable to block. Easy. What breaks Chandra is her capability of generating Card Advantage. Her 0 ability allows you to draw 2 cards per turn. And you know what happens when you let Red deck full of good beaters and burn draw 2 cards per turn? Madness. Her ultimate even while doesn't look impressive - can win prolonged games. Even while deck was not designed to rely on it too often: with a bit of luck you can find Warleader's Helix and cast it 3 times to have that 12 damage/12 lifegain.
Burn/Removal Spells
[card]Chained to the Rocks:[/card:
2vb0jc5o] for most of spoiler time, very underestimated card. 1CMC Journey to Nowhere with requirement of having an actual Mountain on the field. It has as many upsides as downsides. It's unconditional removal as long as we're able to cast it. You see some scary creature? Poof, gone. It can be indestructible or have 99 toughness - you just don't care about it. So what's the problem? If enchantment-hate becomes prevalent, it'll slowly get worse and worse. I doubt we will actually ever cross the critical mass of enchantments to consider siding in enchantment removal against us as "good idea" - but hey, everything can happen. It also requires both White mana and Mountain/Sacred Foundry, but nobody who tested the card ever mentioned it's an issue. And pfff, it dies to Peak Eruption.
[card]Lightning Strike:[/card] classic 2CMC 3-damage burn. Great as removal (there's still plenty of targets with 3 toughness) and for burning someone's face. Planeswalkers these days have a bit
more Loyality than they used to be - but it also can be used to reduce the time of stay for cards like Xenagos or Ashiok on the field.
[card]Magma Jet:[/card] another card that sees a lot of play even in Eternal formats. It deals 2 damage which is usually relevant against aggro decks (against Control, just aim at your opponent and say "BANG") but what's mostly important - it fixes your draws thanks to Scry 2. Scry is powerfull mechanic, and while playing 26-lands deck, it's gonna be often used to filter all the lands you need or don't need. Consider siding MJ out when playing against control though, as it's low-impact burn spell.
[card]Mizzium Mortars:[/card] removal/sweeper, all in one. It was proved many times, but scalable cards are usually awesome. This bad boy is no exception from that. You can use it during early game as removal. It hits lots of relevant targets. Smiters, Blood Barons, Archangels of Thune, Stormbreath Dragons. Or make that T1
Firedrinker Satyr feel like a terrible idea by hitting both him and his owner for 4. Ouch.
After hitting your 6th land drop, Mizzium Mortars become a sweeper. One-sided sweeper. That's all we need to say to sell you that card.
[card]Anger of the Gods:[/card] new card straight from Theros. "New"
Slagstorm. You pay 3 mana, you deal 3 damage to every creature on the field. That's your main line of defense against most of Aggro and Midrange decks. Trading 3-for-1 is really, really backbreaking for decks without capability of generating CA. As long as they just play their whole hand (#BasedBTE) during turns 2-3, you sweep everything. What also matters is fact that it exiles creatures it puts into GY. It starts to become relevant whenever you face Chandra's Phoenix, Scavenging Ooze or Dreg Mangler. What's another advantage of the card? Due to toughness of creatures we play - it's one sided (unless there's Boros Reckoner somewhere...).
[b:
2vb0jc5o]Lands[/b]
Temple of Triumph
This card is just bonkers. Together with Magma Jet it gives you huge library control. Red decks allowed to control their library are strong and happy decks. Just try to squeeze it during turns when you don't do much. I like it as T1 play (I have literally no T1 plays) or T3 (leaving mana for Strike/Jet/Mortar).
Mutavault
Another strong reprint. The best manland ever printed comes back to kick some asses. Our deck has pretty big issue of working on small amount of threats. Mutavault solves that problem by providing us decent beater who dodges all kind of sorcery-speed removal. Sweep the board, pay (1), go for 2 damage. Simple as that.
