Riddle & Javelin

skilless · Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Posts: 39

Here's a deck idea I've been toying with the last few days:

4 Desert
3 Ghitu Encampment
3 Mutavault
13 Mountain
4 Riddle of Lightning
4 Sulfur Elemental
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
4 Braid of Fire
4 Rift Bolt
4 Fiery Temper
4 Bogardan Hellkite
4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
4 Sulfurous Blast

Just play braids turn two and watch the fun unfold. Just curious if anyone had some suggestions on what to add or remove.

The main problem I've run into with this deck is that sulfurous blast doesn't sweep the board as well as it used to. Too many 4 toughness creatures running around these days. Any suggestions on that would be chipper.

mTk-Away · Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 72

You might want to add that R/B or R/G storage land (in addition to Mutavault) to waste extra mana from Braids, if needed.

Maybe Dead/Gone or Word of Seizing (in SB?) against the big guys.

Also, Riddle of Lightning is just begging for you to play Gargadon (good with Seize, too!).

Vedrfolner · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 1194

I think that Rift Bolt should be replaced with something else, more specifically an instant.

Sudden Shock
Shock
Beacon of Destruction
Release the Ants?

2 Beacon of Destruction
2 Shard Volley perhaps?

Also as already mentioned, Greater Gargadon + Threaten/Word of Seizing would help you deal with the biggies.

4 Braid of Fire
4 Greater Gargadon
4 Bogardan Hellkite

3 Word of Seizing
2 Riddle of Lightning
2 Beacon of Destruction
1 Molten Disaster
4 Sulfurous Blast
4 Flame Javelin
4 Fiery Temper
4 Incinerate

4 Desert
2 Ghitu Encampment
3 Mutavault
4 Spinerock Knoll
11 Mountain

bagina · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 84

lash out
greater gargadon
charge lands

bagina · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 84

and spinerock knoll

CalebD · Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 24

I thought the deck had potential, so I threw together a list and tested. Here are some thoughts.

1-While mutavault is nice in that it soaks up all extra mana, it doesn't actually do much for the deck. While bogardan has evasion, muta wont swing as often as you like it to.

2-The charge lands are sick.

3-Braid of fire is an excellent way to ramp up mana, kudos on the idea. On the other hand, I like backup and consistency, so I added 4 lotus blooms to make dropping early bogardan's more consistent.

4-Riddle really is key in this deck, even if it only sets up a second riddle of lightning or sulfurous blast the scry is still essential in keeping the gas flowing.

5-Gargadon is random, and will rarely do anything if drawn. Don't use it. Word of Seizing may or may not have a "big" target, and if it does then it probably has pro red and word is pointless anyway.

My current list:

// Lands
11 [SHM] Mountain (4)
4 [TSP] Fungal Reaches
4 [LRW] Spinerock Knoll
3 [TSP] Molten Slagheap

// Creatures
4 [TSP] Bogardan Hellkite

// Spells
3 [TSP] Sudden Shock
3 [10E] Shock
4 [10E] Beacon of Destruction
4 [FUT] Riddle of Lightning
4 [10E] Incinerate
4 [TSP] Sulfurous Blast
4 [SHM] Flame Javelin
4 [TSP] Lotus Bloom
4 [CS] Braid of Fire

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Lash Out
SB: 3 [10E] Pyroclasm -There's probably something better.
SB: 4 [TSB] Desert
SB: 4 [PLC] Sulfur Elemental

skilless · Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Posts: 39

Thanks for the help guys. I'll try testing a few different builds for a while and post back a finalish deck list.

I disagree that the man lands don't do much. I've ripped through a few control decks with them so far. On the other hand Spinerock is great in this deck and so are the charge lands so I'm not sure which direction I'll go with the mana base.

I'll try out a build with the gargs, but they seem like a poor mid/late game draw even if they do help deal with the fatties. Playing storage lands makes it a little better since I'll probably be able to hardcast it but I prefer cards that have an impact as soon as they hit play. I think I may use dead/gone instead.

This deck absolutely needs 4 copies of riddle since I built the deck around it =) Also it's comes with a side of awesome sauce.

CalebD · Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 24

I mostly tested against the aggro control decks that are so rampant. I would think chargelands might help against control too, but I wouldn't know because I haven't tried it.

Dead/Gone is a much better fit for the deck than shock, I wish I'd thought of it. Good call.

ducttape4you · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 4

How's pyrohemia sound?

I always liked Rakdos-Pit Dragon back in the day when I played a deck similiar to this. Perhaps Dragon Whelp?

bagina · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 84

this is my current build

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
12 [TSP] Mountain (4)
4 [LOR] Spinerock Knoll
4 [TSP] Fungal Reaches
4 [TSP] Molten Slagheap

// Creatures
4 [PLC] Sulfur Elemental
4 [TSP] Bogardan Hellkite
4 [TSP] Greater Gargadon

// Spells
4 [CS] Braid of Fire
4 [TSP] Sulfurous Blast
4 [SHM] Flame Javelin
4 [PLC] Dead/Gone
4 [FUT] Riddle of Lightning
3 [TSP] Word of Seizing
2 [10E] Beacon of Destruction

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [SHM] Everlasting Torment
SB: 4 [10E] Dragon's Claw
SB: 4 [SHM] Vexing Shusher
SB: 3 [10E] Pyroclasm

bagina · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 84

there is no magus of teh moon because that kills my manaburn outs. firebreathing and dragon whelp would be ok additions but the storage lands usually do the trick. abt 98% of the time.

R3wind · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 865

I am not really sure that anyone else noticed that Word of Seizing is a pretty much unstoppable anti-hate/anti-combo card. When you combine it with Greater Gargadon it can kill even enchantments. You still have to wait for the other player to pass priority. When they do you are free to remove the offending card from the board. So it does not really work vs Revelark combo. I am pretty sure that it would stop Project 420.5n combo. Don't forget that Split Second is pretty much a nightmare for aggro-control/control players.

bagina · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 84

thats some trick, saccing an enchantment to garg.

esp. considering teh card read "sac a creature, artifact, or land"

Wink

R3wind · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 865

I thought so also. Shocked