[Primer] Devotion Red

[RaidaTheBlade]

i actualy dont think you ever want to have more than 2 hammers in your deck, even vs control. cause they rarely get destroyed, and multiples do you nothing.

also you should play another 1-drop or rakdos shred-freak intead of forstburn weird in my oppinion.

I definitely can see your point on the hammers, though my using three is manly due to wanting a good draw percentage on my late game threat, since i has no Chandras e.e

As far as the weirds, the only one drop really worth playing would be the satyr, and i've just had him hurt me way too much. I just honestly prefer weird because it plays well with fanatic, and can be both a mana sink beater and a rally good blocker...
Maybe shredfreak, but hes only really really useful in the control
matchup, where the weird does a lot of work as well, while the weird can still be really useful as a blocker when forced to control down a faster aggro.

At least, those are my thoughts on it... Like ive said many a time, im no expert, just a seminoob trying to do his best e.e

[dpaine88]

Hahah too funny Khaos about the States deck. I thought I did give you credit for it, as I totally copied the deck.

That was legit my 2nd week back at magic since Onslaught block. Beginners luck.

[Khaospawn]

Hahah too funny Khaos about the States deck. I thought I did give you credit for it, as I totally copied the deck.

That was legit my 2nd week back at magic since Onslaught block. Beginners luck.

And you did give me credit.

But I still think I was stupid for me to even toss it out there. I dunno. You played it like a champ. It did make me feel good that a list I'd tossed out there did really well. I guess at the time I just wanted to be that guy that was like, "Hey, well, I was the one that had that together first!"

That's the dumb ego talking.

Collective brainstorming and competitive playtesting should be devoid of ego. It's not about "who is/was right," or even "[i:
v35s11wp]who made the best deck at the time[/i]." It's about tossing ideas and lists and molding, sculpting, and tinkering. Winning and losing. Looking for flaws. Weaknesses. And discovering weakness and inadequacies in our own styles. Part of losing during playtesting is discovering more about yourself - what drives you to make the same bad plays over and over? What is it about certain cards that make you choose them? Why are certain match-ups hard for you, and some not? Are you trying to recreate last season's "Lightning in a Bottle Standard deck" or are you actually nurturing an original idea? Are you using strong cards or just pet favorites? All of these are used to mold you into a better player for the new season.

Bottom line, it should never be about ego. I wanted to feed my ego at the time by asking for credit. Just because I made the sword, doesn't mean I actually slayed the dragon.

Well, looks like I rambled, didn't I? Stupid ego...

[DarthStabber]

Why are we even talking about credit in the first place? I had a decklist very similar to what we are all bitching about before I started talking about it on mtgs (which led me here after clicking the link Z's sig). It's not like it was an inobvious deck from the get go. Run good shit with lots of red mana symbols and fanatic, woo.

[LaZerBurn]

Ok, so given that Fanatic becomes crappy when all your men and, not forgetting Ash Zealot, women die I've been testing this on MTGO. I'm calling it Less Devoted

[deck]21 Mountain
4 Mutavault
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
1 Hammer Of Purphoros

S/B
4 Mizzium Mortars
3 Act Of Treason
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Hammer Of Purphoros
2 Flames Of The Firebrand
3 Skullcrack
[/deck]

The deck runs well and lets me play everything I like - fast 1 drops, Phoenix's, Chandra, Hammers and Dragons It may need an extra Mountain depending how badly T3 Reckoner matters and the S/B is a WIP and may need Smelt against Whip.
Feedback is most welcome

Closing thought - why is Chandra not a Pyromistress?

[Khaospawn]

Why are we even talking about credit in the first place? I had a decklist very similar to what we are all bitching about before I started talking about it on mtgs (which led me here after clicking the link Z's sig). It's not like it was an inobvious deck from the get go. Run good shit with lots of red mana symbols and fanatic, woo.

Have you not read the last 2 pages?

Nobody likes you, Booster!


(A No-Prize goes to anybody that knows that quote.)

[Khaospawn]

thought - why is Chandra not a Pyromistress?

Because when she last left Koth, she was but the PyroLearner. Now she is the Pyromaster.

[RaidaTheBlade]

Erggh, I'm quickly realizing just how hopeless the situation looks for any sort of placings with this deck if I don't have chandra and/or stormbreath >.>

Looks like ashiok and elspeth will have to say good bye from my edh, and then maybe some other stuff to try and get a chandra or 2 e.e Ergh. I hate it when that's the case... I don't even know if I can get the 2 chandras, let alone the stormbreaths for handling g/w e.e

Any ideas o great titans of red? I am in need of your wise words of wisdom

[Khaospawn]

Erggh, I'm quickly realizing just how hopeless the situation looks for any sort of placings with this deck if I don't have chandra and/or stormbreath >.>

Looks like ashiok and elspeth will have to say good bye from my edh, and then maybe some other stuff to try and get a chandra or 2 e.e Ergh. I hate it when that's the case... I don't even know if I can get the 2 chandras, let alone the stormbreaths for handling g/w e.e

Any ideas o great titans of red? I am in need of your wise words of wisdom

I honestly believe this is the best deck available to anybody on a budget:

[deck]
Creatures 28
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Rakdos Shred-Freak
4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Fanatic of
Mogis

Burn 10
2 Shock
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike

Land 22
22 Mountain

Sideboard
4 Skullcrack
3 Mizzium Mortars
4 Frostburn Weird
2 Hammer of Purphoros
2 Act of Treason[/deck]

And yes, it is perfectly capable of beating some of the top decks right now.


Money and brains are what drive Pyro Red. This deck, however, wins with a hook to the gut. Very little thinking, not a lot of money, and a huge jolt of force to the opponent.

[DarthStabber]

I

Why are we even talking about credit in the first place? I had a decklist very similar to what we are all bitching about before I started talking about it on mtgs (which led me here after clicking the link Z's sig). It's not like it was an inobvious deck from the get go. Run good shit with lots of red mana symbols and fanatic, woo.

Have you not read the last 2 pages?

Nobody likes you, Booster!


(A No-Prize goes to anybody that knows that quote.)[/quote:
24k3qpej]
You get an anti-prize for the reference, though for some reason I want to play a turbo-fog deck.

[Lightning_Dolt]

@ Strife: Purphorous is terrible for the same reason Nykthos is terrible. It is too easy to disrupt your devotion. The reason Mogis is good, is that you get a little or a lot, but never nothing. With the other devotion cards, a clever opponent can make sure you get nothing. Other than that the deck looks ok, but I don't like FFS without BTE.

@ KS: It's possible I've just been unlucky, but he gets mortared when I leave him up, and shocked if I dump mana into him. Furthermore, I haven't had much extra mana. This dedck is hungry if you curve out. I'm going to try three dragons because I cracked three, it works better with the other numbers in my SB and there is plenty of U/W at my LGS (at least three, I think).

@ Gigex: No shred freaks might be correct. It definately is the lowest quality card in the deck.

@wrathberry: Devotion gets worse against removal heavy midrange, but it can opperate. You'll have to play it
the way you play against control. You probably want to side Mogis out even.

@ Zooligan: Dragons & Chandra should give us a good strategy VS Esper. Apply as much pressure as you can early, then grind them out going late. I expect epic tales of Monstrous Dragons.

@ Yarpus. The 10 anti control cards are not just for control. They are all useful vs other decks too.

@ Shardoon: Why Member Swallower?

@ Lazerburn: Without Fanatic, the deck doesn't make sense. It is our build around.

[NerdBoyWonder]

@ Strife: Purphoros is terrible for the same reason Nykthos is terrible. It is too easy to disrupt your devotion. The reason Mogis is good, is that you get a little or a lot, but never nothing. With the other devotion cards, a clever opponent can make sure you get nothing. Other than that the deck looks ok, but I don't like FFS without BTE.

Just got around to the same conclusion about Nykthos. Devotion count goes down in a single turn with a wrath. Assuming even in devotion builds the go to utility land is still mutavault?

[neenja88]

regarding adding mutavult to the stock list with reckoners (keep in mind this is with the Devotion Red lists not Pyro, or Sligh):
I like game 1 to be as consistent and synergistic as possible. I feel like when I play vs. decks that reckoner is good against, I don't miss mutavaults at all. When I play vs. decks that reckoner is miserable against (uw/ control, esper), then I wish I had the mutavault.

What I did was simple, I mainboard the reckoners g1 and vs. decks where it's miserable, I put in the mutavaults from my sideboard.

In todays tournament, I went 4-0 and ended in first place. I feel like mainboard game 1 the Devotion Red lists has a really good overall synergy (almost as good as Aristocrats) so you want to hit your curve like a Reckoner into Fanatic . In game 2, the opponent realizes this and puts in the hate for your plan, at this point you can sideboard in bombs (chandra), removal (mortars), or
whatever else you want without respecting the synergy between your other cards.

[Lightning_Dolt]

Pretty sure we need to see a list

Sounds like a good idea though.

[Zooligan]

@ Strife: Purphoros is terrible for the same reason Nykthos is terrible. It is too easy to disrupt your devotion. The reason Mogis is good, is that you get a little or a lot, but never nothing. With the other devotion cards, a clever opponent can make sure you get nothing.

Purph isn't exactly nothing with devotion < 5. He's still an indestructible enchantment that gives all your subsequent creatures an ETB 2-pinger, it allows you to pump whatever board you are able to develop, and it acts as resiliant devotion for FoM.

Not saying he's good, or even playable, just that he's not nothing. Maybe he's ok in a DevRed list until you can win some games and acquire some Dragons??

[Lightning_Dolt]

@ Strife: Purphoros is terrible for the same reason Nykthos is terrible. It is too easy to disrupt your devotion. The reason Mogis is good, is that you get a little or a lot, but never nothing. With the other devotion cards, a clever opponent can make sure you get nothing.

Purph isn't exactly nothing with devotion < 5. He's still an indestructible enchantment that gives all your subsequent creatures an ETB 2-pinger, it allows you to pump whatever board you are able to develop, and it acts as resiliant devotion for FoM.

Not saying he's good, or even playable, just
that he's not nothing. Maybe he's ok in a DevRed list until you can win some games and acquire some Dragons??

Or trade the purphoros for a dragon if you still can.

[Zooligan]

Maybe 2 Purph for 1 Dragon now ($19.00 vs. $36.00 TCG mid)

[rcwraspy]

I didn't read pages 3 or 4, so shame on me if this was covered, but has anybody thought of using Legion Loyalist from the side? I think this lets you get at least one attack through a Young Pyromancer deck, a Master of Waves deck, or an Advent of the Wurm deck. I've tested it a bit and I've found that a lot of Advent players will be near death and will hold up Advent mana for your attack step. What a surprise when Loyalist lands in 1st main and then swing for lethal

I was thinking it could be a 1:1 swap with Satyr from the board for strategies that clog the board and use tokens. I really don't like the idea of trading a Satyr with a token and losing a life point for it. Loylist coming in Satyr's place turns that frown upside down.

EDIT: Here's a deck list I'm thinking of taking to states. My concerns
right now are the board and whether 1 Hammer should become the 21st Mountain.

[deck]
Creatures - 23
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Fanatic of Mogis

Spells - 10
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
2 Shock

Artifacts - 2
2 Hammer of Purphoros

Planeswalkers - 3
3 Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands - 22
20 Mountain
2 Mutavault

Sideboard - 15
4 Legion Loyalist
4 Skullcrack
3 Burning Earth
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Flames of the Firebrand
[/deck]

I also like Mutavault here. I know this thread has discussed removing it because of devotion and needing to play your Reckoner, but in the last season we discussed ad nauseam how Reckoner is fine on 20 sources. I'm running 20 Mountain. I don't necessarily need Mutavault when things are going well, but I like having it after a board wipe.

My sideboard isn't packing any threaten effects. I can't tell if that's bad, but with our CA and draw fixing in Chandra and Magma Jet, our reach
with burn and Chandra and Fanatic, our evasiveness with Phoenix and Mutavault, and our creature burn, I'm not sure how necessary it is.

[Shardoon]

@ Shardoon: Why Member Swallower?

I like member swallower similarly to the slot we used Hound of Griselbrand. Comes into the mirror, and against monowhite because it destroys anything they bring, and outclasses most of the stuff Naya uses. With 25 land after the side-in, you can use monstrosity to get the reach you need on a clogged board.

Maybe I'm wrong.

[Lightning_Dolt]

@ Shardoon: Why Member Swallower?

I like member swallower similarly to the slot we used Hound of Griselbrand. Comes into the mirror, and against monowhite because it destroys anything they bring, and outclasses most of the stuff Naya uses. With 25 land after the side-in, you can use monstrosity to get the reach you need on a clogged board.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Worth testing.

@ RcWraspy A bunch of us tested Loyalist as anti-Elspeth tech and found that there were better options like [card]Flames of the Firebrand[
/card], Electrickery and Seismic Stomp.

[F.I.A]

Purphoros's online price has been dropping drastically. As much as I like him as a potential EDH commander, most of the time he's just a Warstorm Surge with an expensive pumper to worth the mana cost. Unless you have more resilient red permanents around (A hammer or two works), it's hard to keep him online as a creature, even for red.

[Khaospawn]

Purphoros sucks in Standard.

There, I said it.

[F.I.A]

His hammer is golden, though.

[NerdBoyWonder]

Purphoros sucks in Standard.

There, I said it.

Agreed. Too slow and he will never be a creature when you want him to be. Now if he was in last Standard when I had my YP$ based Dega Tokens deck it would have been awesome.

[Raynbag]

His hammer is golden, though.

It's also pretty sweet rules wise.

[Shardoon]

His hammer is golden, though.

It's also pretty sweet rules wise.

Like what rules?

[rcwraspy]

@ RcWraspy A bunch of us tested Loyalist as anti-Elspeth tech and found that there were better options like Flames of the Firebrand, Electrickery and Seismic Stomp.

Thanks Johnny. Could you let me know where that discussion was? I'd like to read it. Just thinking about it, I start with this comparison:

1. Flames and Electrickery can clear what's on the board that turn. Then Elspeth creates 3 more next turn if they're still alive. These 2 cards also have 0 impact on other token strategies out there, like Advent of the Wurm and Voice of Resurgence tokens.

2. Seismic Stomp is also a 1-time use and does no damage anywhere. If you're not
using it to win on the spot, it seems actively bad.

3. Electrickery is dead in the U/W/x deck except for their 1-of or 2-of Elspeth

4. Loyalist's affect can be used multiple times until it eats a removal spell or is blocked by something non-token with toughness >1, which is generally a positive since it's pound-for-pound weaker than our other threats.

5. If they have no non-token blockers, Loyalist is ticking another damage off their life total, furthering our overall goal.

[Raynbag]

His hammer is golden, though.

It's also pretty sweet rules wise.

Like what rules?

Silly Goblin *pats head*

[InflatablePie]

I was considering switching to Devotion Red for Game Day if my current UR deck plans don't work out. And then Chandra jumped by $10 overnight. Dargons are cheaper but not by much. ;_; The budget version still looks good, though. I'll run that if my store hasn't run out of Phoenixes (or I can order online from a fast-shipping store after FNM).

I noticed in running some practice hands that Shred-Freak is kinda bad sometimes. It adds two devotion and can get in on a clear board, but it feels bad when topdecked against a 1/x or x/3 and lack of first strike means it can't trade with x/2s or do things like burn after FS damage to kill something big. Basically I always wish they were Ash Zealots. The only other option I've seen is Goblin Shortcutter, but he sucks as a turn 2 play compared to RSF. I guess there's Striker, but typically you only need (or in my experience, only get) the falter ability for one turn, so I'd
rather have it come down the turn I need it and not worry about removal. Devotion Red has enough trouble with getting their setups interrupted as is. <_<

Anyhow, would a 2:2 split of these guys work? Usually you can shape your hand depending on which one you get in the opener, as RDW is pretty flexible like that.

In a hand like this:
Mountain, Mountain, Mountain, Satyr, Goblin, Jet, Reckoner
... you would want to play Satyr into Jet into Reckoner and save the falter effect to push damage through, even able to falter+Jet if another land is drawn. Whereas if you had this:
Mountain, Mountain, Mountain, Satyr, Shred-Freak, Jet, Reckoner
... you would usually want to go Satyr into Shred-Freak, probably into Reckoner, saving the Jet to dig for your Fanatic and zapping for ~7.

Obviously it depends on the opponent and board state and subsequent draws etc. but you get the idea. Also, I don't always want to draw multiples of either of these guys in one game, so that helps.

[Zooligan]

I like having an extra 4 2-damage haste creatures. I think turn 1 Satyr/Cackler/Denizen -> turn 2 Zealot/RSF swing 4 is really critical to get the party started. Follow up with Phoenix swing 6 (if RSF stays around) to put them at 10 life on turn 3 is really where I want to be. I feel like it's a psychological boon for me and a kick-n-the-pants for him to be half dead on 3.

[DarthStabber]

RSF is in because he's the only thing even close to ashly, and you would run 12 ashlys if you could (now I am thinking about disney's Recess). If you put reckoner in the board you can 4x ashly, 4x freak, and 4x fisty main deck, which is where I seem to be in the minority. Everyone else started at fanatic and worked down, I started with the rest of the deck and realized fanatic fit the top of the curve (tested with purph in tht slot and found just how slow he is).

[Wrathberry2]

Why are we even talking about credit in the first place? I had a decklist very similar to what we are all bitching about before I started talking about it on mtgs (which led me here after clicking the link Z's sig). It's not like it was an inobvious deck from the get go. Run good shit with lots of red mana symbols and fanatic, woo.

Have you not read the last 2 pages?

Nobody likes you, Booster!


(A No-Prize goes to anybody that knows that quote.)[/quote:
1yzslal2]

"jingle all the way" xD. funny that i just saw a review of this movie by nostalgia critique

Ok, so given that Fanatic becomes crappy when all your men and, not forgetting Ash Zealot, women die I've been testing this on MTGO. I'm calling it Less Devoted

<style>.decktbl {border:3px outset #00A3DD; border-radius:2px;} #dk5 td{width:225px;vertical-align:top;border:1px solid #00A3DD; padding:15px;} #dk5 th{text-align:left; color:white; background:#00A3DD; border:3px outset #00A3DD; padding:5px 15px;}</style><table class="decktbl" id="dk5"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2">Deck</th></tr><tr><td>21 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Mountain">Mountain</a>
4 <a href="http:/
/deckbox.org/mtg/Mutavault">Mutavault</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Firedrinker Satyr">Firedrinker Satyr</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Rakdos Cackler">Rakdos Cackler</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Ash Zealot">Ash Zealot</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Boros Reckoner">Boros Reckoner</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Chandra's Phoenix">Chandra's Phoenix</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Stormbreath Dragon">Stormbreath Dragon</a>
2 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Chandra, Pyromaster">Chandra, Pyromaster</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Magma Jet">Magma Jet</a>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Lightning Strike">Lightning Strike</a>
1 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Hammer Of Purphoros">Hammer Of Purphoros</a>

</td><
td><b>S/B</b>
4 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Mizzium Mortars">Mizzium Mortars</a>
3 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Act Of Treason">Act Of Treason</a>
1 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Chandra, Pyromaster">Chandra, Pyromaster</a>
1 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Hammer Of Purphoros">Hammer Of Purphoros</a>
2 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Flames Of The Firebrand">Flames Of The Firebrand</a>
3 <a href="http://deckbox.org/mtg/Skullcrack">Skullcrack</a>
</td></tr></tbody></table>

The deck runs well and lets me play everything I like - fast 1 drops, Phoenix's, Chandra, Hammers and Dragons It may need an extra Mountain depending how badly T3 Reckoner matters and the S/B is a WIP and may need Smelt against Whip. Feedback is most welcome

Closing thought - why is Chandra not a Pyromistress?

i am actualy running something pretty similar. just with 3 dragons, 1 more chandra and reckoners are only in sideboard. but the deckplan is the same. but since you dont have fanatic anymore, its not devotion red anymore, since devotion does not matter anymore if you dont play fanatic.

[Shardoon]

I noticed in running some practice hands that Shred-Freak is kinda bad sometimes. It adds two devotion and can get in on a clear board, but it feels bad when topdecked against a 1/x or x/3 and lack of first strike means it can't trade with x/2s or do things like burn after FS damage to kill something big. Basically I always wish they were Ash Zealots. The only other option I've seen is Goblin Shortcutter, but he sucks as a turn 2 play compared to RSF. I guess there's Striker, but typically you only need (or in my experience, only get) the falter ability for one turn, so I'd rather have it come down the turn I need it and not worry about removal. Devotion Red has enough trouble with getting their setups interrupted as is. <_<

Anyhow, would a 2:2
split of these guys work? Usually you can shape your hand depending on which one you get in the opener, as RDW is pretty flexible like that.

Obviously it depends on the opponent and board state and subsequent draws etc. but you get the idea. Also, I don't always want to draw multiples of either of these guys in one game, so that helps.

Shred-Freak is fine, but you have to know how to side him out against different machups. Against Midrange decks he and the Firedrinker are sided out for better threats + burn. Against Control and in the mirror, he stays in the 60.

Goblin Shortcutter is really no better than the Shred-Freak in a battlefield with more than one blocker.

In a battlefield with 2 enemy blockers, my Firedrinker, and Cackler and Shred-Freak present the same potential damage as a Firedrinker, Cackler & Shortcutter do.

Also, Shred-Freak doesn't die to Doomblade

[rcwraspy]

Tested a decent amount with my list posted above and found it's just not dense enough with threats. Like has been discussed previously in this thread, it was an odd mix of Devotion Red and Pyro Red without the YPs. If I'm devotion red, I'm fast aggro topping out with a big blast to the face in Mogis. Here's a new incarnation:

[deck]
Creature (32)
4x Rakdos Cackler
4x Firedrinker Satyr
2x Foundry Street Denizen
4x Ash Zealot
4x Rakdos Shred-Freak
2x Gore-House Chainwalker
4x Chandra's Phoenix
4x Boros Reckoner
4x Fanatic of Mogis
Instant (6)
1x Dynacharge
4x Lightning Strike
1x Magma Jet
Land (22)
22x Mountain
Sideboard (15)
2x Act of Treason
3x Burning Earth
2x Chandra, Pyromaster
1x Hammer of Purphoros
1x Mutavault
3x Shock
3x Skullcrack
[/deck]

There's a severe lack of Mizzium Mortars in the board in this build. I'm not positive how I'll overcome some of the bigger things in the
format like Advent of the Wurm and Blood Baron, but that's why I have Lightning Strike instead of Shock in the main. I'm ok trading a burn and a creature to get rid of one of those since I'm running 32 creatures to begin with. And if they're blocking Ash Zealot, it's probably just a 1:1 anyway because of burn before first strike. For that reason I was actually looking at Splatter Thug instead of Phoenix. It doesn't have haste and it ticks down 1 on the devotion, but is a 3/3 first strike. I'm not spell-heavy enough to consistently recur Phoenix, though she's in there for the 2/2 flying haste more than anything else.

1x Dynacharge is basically the 5th Fanatic, I think. 1x Magma Jet just because, and it's an awesome card. On the few occasions I'll see it, it's a strictly better shock because it will let me get rid of a Foundry Street on top when I'm empty handed or something similar.

[Aodh]

What are the win rates against aggro/midrange/control? I know it depends on your and their build, but anyone have a general answer?

[DarthStabber]

Control should be your bitch
mid-range is trouble but you should have the edge preboard
aggro is a coinflip.

[rcwraspy]

aggro is a coinflip.

Usually a die-roll where I'm from. In other words - whoever's on the play. This changes depending on quantities of burn in each deck and how aggressively each player mulligans.

[DarthStabber]

So on a lark i'm playtesting reckoner in the main with pitfight. It's not good, but it's hilarious. I'm not going to play it competitively, but pitfighting reckoner vs. advent of the wurm token is a funny lava axe finisher.

[LP, of the Fires]

Aggro's only really a coinflip if neither player knows what they're doing and are just swinging out at each other.

[DarthStabber]

Aggro's only really a coinflip if neither player knows what they're doing and are just swinging out at each other.

You were right when you picked the title condescentron. It also still is a coinflip if both players know what they are doing (my usual assumption since if only one player knows what they are doing that player is probably going to win regardless). It's not so much the die roll for who goes first, but more what they are packing main and side, and who has more tools to deal with the other.