[Primer] R/g Gruul Sligh

[Kazekirimaru]

I kind of dislike how Burning-Tree Emissary only chains into itself, spear, or mauler in that list. Same issue RDW had running her.

[rcwraspy]

I've been playing the Gruul list since GTC and BTE came out. Taking out Ash Zealot is where the deck began - I'm glad to see the decision coming back. It's just not exactly what the deck wants, although of course it's a good card.

Like you I've experimented with Zealot in and out of the deck. My favorite is with 2 or 3 copies in the SB.

[Link]

Finally got some time to breathe.
[deck]GRUUL SMASH[/deck]

States Write-up:
I took out the gruul guild gate because I had cut ash zealots. I was thinking of a singleton to throw in there.... I thought of Armed//Dangerous, but I had no rancors. I put mortars on my decklist. The more I thought of it, the dumber it soudned. I don't want to overload it to blow out games, I never want it to go that late. I didn't want it as removal, it was sorcery speed and I should be going around shit with
Strikers and through them with GCR anyway. I wanted a brutally fast deck. I hastily slammed down $12 (because no one would trade) at the singles shop for a temple garden as tehy were collecting decklists.

First couple of rounds Temple garden was my fourth land that I slammed down for a hellrider for the win. I'm very glad I decided to go up to 21 and to add more land in the final slot than a weird spell that didn't mesh with the deck.

Round 1 vs. Bant Pants
G1: I just beat him down while he was trying to find the right colors. Played to our strengths and their weakness.

SB:
-4 Spears (bad)
-4 Cacklers
+4 Pillars
+2 Ellecktrickery
+2 Skullcrack

Was on the draw. Took out spears because I figured all his shit was hexproof.... then he drops a centaur healer from his SB G2. I felt pretty dumb. I had 2 open mana with a fuckin skullcrack in hand, he drops rancor on centaur healer and goes "resolves?" I felt really stupid. My hatred for skullcrack began.

+4
Spears
+4 Cacklers
-4 GCR (selesnya chamrs I think)

don't remember what I took out tbh.

G3: No land hand, mull to 6. No land. Mull to 5... Firefist striker, and boar, 2 land. Keep. my deck is very forgiving, I draw a LM when I haste out my boar. Topdeck a BTE after that. Draw a hellrider after that. Just flat out race him. He didn't have two green sources to both simic charm AND fog. I had a skullcrack for his fog, but he was dead from either triggers or just damage.

Moral: Just race these fuckers. Skullcracks can blow them out, but it doesn't stop them from straight up just KILLING you, lifegain be damned. It also helps against fog, but fog doesn't hurt your board precense or stop hellrider triggers. Plus there's nothing good to side out for cracks, since you definitely want pillars and Elecktrickery for their dorks and Voices.

Round 2 vs... Bant Pants
G1: Lost it. He had the nuts and played them, what can I do? Unflinching on a IS with spectral flight, and I was
on the draw.

-?? (honestly SBing was really hard because I was deadset on not diluting my deck. I think I took out GCR, maybe even 2 reckoners)
+4 Pillars
+2 elecktrickery
G2: He drops a voice to stop me, I end up spearing and elecktrickerying the token. 2-1? So what. My noble got through and was a huge threat, 2-1myself be damned.

G3: He snap keeps, I'm worried. My hand was 2 spears and a striker and land.... I mull. 6 was a 1 lander... Mull to 5 again (deja vu?)

Turns out he kept a 3 dork hand with rancor. Not surre what the hell he expected. I pillar'd a dork then the dork with rancor, and just beat him down while he complained about not getting good draws. He put unflinching on something, and I had skullcrack AGAIN ni my hand, but I didnt cast it AGAIN and still won.

Moral: Fate has decreed skullcrack to be a bad card. It wasn't needed in the MU I had it for, TWICE. More elecktrieries for their dorks and IStalkers is appropriate.

Round 3 vs. Jund
Now I was
playing a guy I knew from my LGS, who played me with aristocrats last time. Didn't know what he was on, saw the stomping, the blood crypt, then the farseek. I knew what he was on and that I was going to beat him down. I just overwhelmed him G1, he dropped a huntmaster, I firefist striker'd the wolf. He drops another hunty, but I've got spears and "answers for days" as he put it.

Love my deck so much.

G2:
-4 Nobles (I could force him to have the slips or I could just make them dead in his hand)
+4 VS

Just beat him down again. I honestly think Jund's difficulty vs. R/g is based entirely on how many thragtusks they can draw and ramp into to play.... He had 0.

Round 4: Vs Esper
G1: GAME LOSS. Whoops. I thought I had 15 mins, like a scrub, found out the hard way you have to be at the table when the round starts. When to take a piss.

G2: Rolled dice, lost the dice roll. WELLLL I found out later that I shouldv'e gone first automatically. I bet this guy knew
that too, fucker.

His bad karma bit him in the ass when he mulled to 5. I devote this mull to karma AND to the fact that I threw down my gruul token, gruul deckbox. Bet he was fuckin scared of keeping iffy hands and mulled himself to shit. He azo charm'd to draw when I was bashing his face in. He hadn no black and I kept a hand of 2 nobles 1 mountain. Drew another mountain. With no black all he could do was far them, but they kept coming back stronger.

SB:
-4 Boros Reckoner (I rather have a spear than him, I used to take out spears vs. Esper but have learned the importance of reach ala Z's teachings. Reckoner won't get it for more than 3 once vs. Esper, so he's a fat slow fucking spear in my mind)
+3 Domri
+1... uh I threw a Reckoner back in there I think. I considered skullcrack but figured that was silly? Maybe I did put in a crack.

Didn't see Domri, didn't need it. I came at him and he didn't have an Azo charm to slow me down. He plays jace at 12 life.... and fact or fictions him.
Flips 2 lands a think twice. I give him the land that won't give himd ouble blue for dissipaet I guess.

draw a hellrider. Swing for exactly lethal with three triggers and 3 3/3s.

BOOM. Entire Match took maybe 10mins.


Round 5 vs. R/b Zombies
She sat near me when I was beating down the Esper guy. She was intimidated. She said to the guy next to her "zomg R/g aggro! I can't screw up even once." I smirk, that's right. You might know what I'm playing, but that won't help you.

G1: Was a pretty intense game, but my friend had just got there to watch me so I was just chatting it up with him. She was all pressured and I was casual and relaxed. She leashes a cackler to stop my noble, I could've bloodrushed to get through it but I decided it wasn't worth it. Later on she thinks she can race with a messenger, I swing back for lethal by bloodrushing a rampager I had hardcast. She didn't see 9 damage coming I guess.

SB:
+4 Pillars obv!
+4 Volcanic Strength
nWhat to take out though?
-4 Cacklers
-4 Nobles

I just figured I'd overpower her this game.

G2: She does some questionable things. She had killing wave (which I had seen beacuse she stomped Bant pants with it) and sacc'd her entire board to it, I sacc'd my mauler I think and paid 3 life for my reckoner. She didn't even have a bloodartist out, so it was really just a questionable play. I think I won off the back of Volcanic strength on reckoner or something.



Round 6 vs. Jund
I posted this MU in the main forum already, because this guy was so cool. G1 I ran over him.

G2: This game was fun. I was green screwed, but I drew all 4 emissaries and they were the heroes. I fought through bonfires, decays, slips, putrefys. I slam down Cacklers. He miracles bonfire for 8... BOOM.

I hardcast two rampagers off two of the emissaries. First set gets ???'d and putrefyd

Second set is where its at. Im at 10 now, because of an earlier hard cast bonfire. He had dropped
huntmaster. between kessig and Hunt flip, he could've done 11 damage. My Emissaries blocks the wolf though, and I'd be at 1. So he kessigs for some amount and tragic slips my GCR.

Now I got 5 mountians, a VS, a hellrider, and a spear in hand. I forgot I had teh spear and almost scooped, instead I spear his huntmaster.

He lands a garruk. I get another mountain. Mountain walking hellrider COMIN THROUGH YO BEASTS!

Was great. With this win I locked in top 8.




Thoughts: Changes: Conclusion:

I really like where I'm at with this deck now. Its extremely proactive, has only spears and reckoners for defense because of the flexibility. No Pillars because they are dead in the worse match-ups IMO (azocharmflash.decs).

Moving forward I'm taking out the skullcracks and not looking back unless turbo fog stomps me.
-2 Skullcracks

I don't want to add TWO elecktrickeries, because its still a pretty reactive card and doesn't go upstairs.
I'm thinking either two pyreheart wolves/gruul Warchant for Junk rites (probably cut a VS or something though I love my VS for a third), or three legion loyalists if advent decks become more popular/troublesome than rites. I think tokens are going to become a bit more popular because of the Pro Tour DGM, so I'll probably throw in 2-3 loyalists.

And I'll be set. Gonna do more testing vs. Junk rites and Flash decks with SB plans. The more I think of it, the more I want pyreheart wolf back while he's still legal. He's better against RUG flash decks, and still not terrible against Advent either. Loyalists rapes lingering souls, but that's what elecktrickeries are for.

[Valdarith]

To be honest I'm really not a fan of Boros Reckoner in the main. Those need to be Pyreheart Wolves and I'm sure after your midrange matchups you'd agree.

I like Reckoner in the side to bring in as a compliment to Pyreheart Wolf in certain matchups, but I have found him to be very lackluster in the main, especially with decks packing mainboard heat to answer him.

[Link]

actually gonna cut a pillar... I think 3 pillars and 2 elecktricklery is enough for the mirror.

It was also dead against the guy in top 8 (match write up in the clan forum) with his centaur healers and lingering souls.

Pyreheart +3 WELCOME BACK WOLFY I MISSED YOU

[LP, of the Fires]

Haven't played with gruul enough for my opinion to be worth much, but I do like reckoner so far. In mono-red, pyrehear all day though since I'm just killing people with hellrider as I don't have the luxury of Rampaging people. That and modo's more or less spoken. Gruul is absolutely dominating the dailies.

I'm currently running a moderately slower list with more removal. -2 mauler and Firefist striker, +3 pillars +1 mortars. What can I say, I like removal and I think pillar is one of the best cards in the format.

[Valdarith]

Agreed on Pillar. I think three mainboard is the right number. It's great dealing with greedy opponents that kept hands with questionable mana just because they had a dork in hand, and it deals with the mirror sufficiently as well.

[Link]

To be honest I'm really not a fan of Boros Reckoner in the main. Those need to be Pyreheart Wolves and I'm sure after your midrange matchups you'd agree.

I like Reckoner in the side to bring in as a compliment to Pyreheart Wolf in certain matchups, but I have found him to be very lackluster in the main, especially with decks packing mainboard heat to answer him.

Aggro is still a considerable part of the meta. Firefist striker+ GCR has been enough for midrange MUs for me. Pyreheart in the side is just for EXTRA evasion vs. those things.

I used to feel the same as you, but reckoner is just more solid. Pyrehearts would be just too glass cannon in my opinion, and on his own he's weak compared to reckoner.

Like vs. R/b zombies,
reckoner is the guy I wanted to see.

Vs. all the Jund players, who do i want on the baord when they miracle a bonfire or Rolling temblor my board? Reckoner. Reckoner is the fat guardian that punishes people who want to burn my board away. He also gets in for 3 on his own, is hard as shit to block well, etc.

You know why people have answers in the MB for him? Because he's fuckign good. You MAKE them have their answers or they die. Just like you make them have ansers for striker who is flimsy or they die too. I don't see anyone scared with exile effects for pyreeheart wolf. And I know Naya blitz and mirror would much rather see me drop a wolf than reckoner.

Also I want 4 reckoners when I want him and only 3 wolves when I want wolves. Fitting 4 reckoners in the side would be hard as fuck, and I don't want only 3 in the 75.

I'm not saying pyreheart is bad, and he's definitely an effect that is in line with what R/g wants and its win con, but Reckoner is just the 3 drop I want against anyone to
close out a game. A lone wolf isn't to be feared (sadly), a lone reckoner can win you game right at that point where they want to stabilize.


@LP: Pillars takes care of a lot the format, but when its a dead card its REALLY dead. I started out as R/g though, so I can definitely understand wanting a more removal heavy list. I just don't think R/g needs it (and think R/g is pretty fucking terrible and playing the "control" side of the match-up anyway. Racing and smashing and putting THEM on the defensive is sweet).

Its just personal style in the end. Do you awnt more burn and flexibility? Or do you want to be more aggressive and have them answer YOU or die, with only reckoners and spears to fall back on if things go south? LM blocks for 2 damage just the same too if you need in a pinch, so the swap wasn't really that hard for me.

[LP, of the Fires]

I generally like most of your logic but against jund, I just always want pyreheart wolf more. They ALWAYS have the abrupt decay(granted I'm psychic and Jund players might as well play there hand face up against me). The only time Reckoner is better is when they have Oliva and that's why I play maindeck mortars.

I will say that you can't really play control in the mirror depending on how much haste they draw. Turns you spend not attacking lead to you losing LOTS of tempo that removal doesn't make up for. However, pillar lets you actually catch up when you're behind and is very punishing against so many decks. But yeah, when it's dead...it's dead as fuck. It's not like we lose to control though *shrugs*

[Link]

By "Control" I mean UWr Flash and the new Bant flash. Decks where you don't even get to draw a fucking card outside your opening hand because of azo charm snapcaster azo charm lol more azo charm. Those MUs are the worse, and while I'm not designing my maindeck around facing them, I'm just designing it around being as fast as possible (which happens to be the best way I've found and dealing with horseshit Flash decks, just stomp them before they can get their mana base off). I rather force them to block (or not block with firefist) with a threat that I'd otherwise pillar. Yeah I'm opening myself to being blown out by naya nut draws and mirror nut draws, but I don't feel thats worth designing around. I mean I have the actual experience now of literally losing every dice roll and still coming out on top in races. Reckoner is just a solid enough wall to stop aggro and shift it in my favor, and he's also better
then pillar on offense so thats why he stays, pillar doesn't, and I can't afford to MB Wolf =/

Pyreheart wolf has a slight edge over reckoner vs. Jund, yeah. But when they board in more removal for reckoner I'm gonna be boarding in wolf too (probably taking out creatures that die to bonfire for 1 like striker for wolf and VS)

[Kazekirimaru]

Awesome write-up; very informative. Many thanks! I'm really starting to want to run R/g now. I just need the land...

[Platypus]

Thanks for the write-up, Fate! I'm going to try the deck at the local Game Day on Saturday, but with the following SB:

[deck]
SB
3 Pyreheart Wolf
2 Electrickery
4 Pillar of Flame
3 Legion Loyalist
3 Volcanic Strength
[/deck]

If I can manage to borrow some Domris I might put those in somehow, but apart from that I want the Wolves and Loyalists to help push through tokens.

[Link]

Domri's actually the weakest part of the SB to be honest, he's just my first planeswalker...


I mean he DOES do worka gainst Esper and is a really good card against UWr. But those match-ups are pretty winnable anyway

I just don't have it in my heart to let him go.

Legion loyalist is definitely the right call for the Game Day meta IMO.

[Link]

Also reposting my SB plan here in case people ARENT part of clan awesome:

Aristocrats:
My friend that won states ran this, and his list didn't even feature lingering souls. They can be tricky if you don't know what version they are on, but Pillar of flame is the key card against this MU. Takes care of Traveler, High priest, Silverblade if they are running it, Cartel if you really care, blood artist, etc. Reckoner is another card to be afraid of, but firefist striker+GCR are your outs against him.

I think Gruul has a fairly good MU here though, and I'm not too afraid of them. IMO this deck can only get engines going and be tricky on the offensive. Force them to play D and they'll never have enough gas to stop you. Sac outlet+Tragic slip is nice and all, but they have to room to breathe to get that engine online. If you stop attacking for a single turn (aka if they land a reckoner with no
firefist/GCR just spear it if you have to, but don't stop attacking) they can take over the game with Sorin or Falkenrath at 4.

Jund:
Jund doesn't have cheesy white spells and lifegain. I like playing against jund. I like winning through miracled bonfires too. Don't be afraid of Volcanic Strength here. "but they can 2-1 with removal!" How much removal does jund run that can deal with a suited up GCR? A couple putrefys now? Have something die and slip?

The guy who won SCG Open Charlotte said Domri does some work here, but I've never boarded him in against red. Sure he might draw you some threats, but his ultimate will never happen. Pit fighting olivias and huntmasters can be nice, but what are you taking out for Domri? What threat that actually kills Jund are you removing?

Also I'm gonna be adding pyreheart wolves to the SB, and they'll come in against Jund. In their attempts to get ahead slowly pyreheart wolf just says "lolu" and makes their ramp
into thrag unappealing and their abrupt decays silly.

-Firefist striker (he's gonna get bonfired for 1 hardcast every time, and pyreheart wolf+VS replaces his effect)

I don't add in pillars because Jund doesn't run Arbor elf lately and spears are enough IMO for jund's small creature list. Olivias and huntmasters die well enough to them.

Another weakness of Jund is their 25+ land. If they go long with you and your deck is nothing but threats and 20 land, you're going to come on top. The only thing I'm afraid of in a Jund list is multiple thrags (aka lifegain) but pyreheart and VS deal with that. Liliana is never a problem then you're playing BTE chains and Garruk is way too slow. Jund actually doesn't have enough tempo or card draw, so they usually play at the same pace than us and we're just stronger and faster.

Esper:

Um. a Bye? Domri's make this MU even more of a joke. If they have slip into augur into azo charm into verdict they have it. But most times
they don't and they run a shitton of land too. I take out reckoners because Esper removal doesn't care and put in Domris. Try and save Domri to throw down after an Azorius charm for maximum fuck you and swings. He's a game winning threat that they have limited answers to, just d-sphere and rings.

You can also take out spears if you're not a fan of reach (I used to and just board in pure threats) and put in pyreheart if you saw resto angels and snaps G1. Pyrehearts survive verdicts and can be the difference between hellriding for 4 alone or for 7 post board wipe.

I don't think you want to be on the skullcrack plan. Skullcracks don't kill augurs in the way of your nobles. Unless they are desperate Revving for 2 or 3 and you crack them and get lethal next turn..... It doesn't really help. They'll pay the life for you to waste a card any day. Cracks really only shine against faithmender+thrag or trostani lifegain that's just too big to overcome.


Junk Rites
Pyreheart
is the king here. I had tested skullcrack for some success, but I think it was just confirmation bias. Yeah you can go under them and hold up mana for crack, crack a thragtusk and then there way to stabilize was just ripped from them with the 8 point life-swing. It was nice, and I learned to "love" skullcracks in testing, but in the field it was different. Figuring what to board out FOR cracks is the hard part. I was boarding out all my lil guys (1 drops) for pillars, elecktrickery, and ended up taking out spears for for cracks... Spears take out early blockers and let the game BE in our favor, whereas skullcrack is just an "uhoh" button in case they START to stabilize. I've also found unless you have a nut draw BTE hand (which you win with anyway) your hand hasn't been dumped by the time they ramp into Thrags.

-4 Noble on the draw, -4 cacklers too
+4 pillars +3 pyreheart +1/2 elcktrickery (can probably live with cutting a spear. Only kills centaur healers and you don't want to be
spearing their thragtusk. Burn is also less relevant against lifegain, burning their dorks and lingering souls is more important).

Don't have too much advice, because they stabilize so incredibly hard. One Tusk down with a rites anywhere on the field and its probably game unless you can swing for lethal. Again Pyreheart is how I was beating him back before I threw together the firefist striker list, and I imagine him+Wolf is going to be the key to constantly get in for damage. Also firefist striking instead of GCRing a thragtusk is good because then its not dead and they can't re-animate.

AoS? Is AoS. I don't run threatens but she's the only reason I would. And even then its not guaranteed a win unless they are at 6 and you have mark of mutinies. That's why its important to go as far under them as possible (and why I don't take out 1-drops on the play. I'd probably cut spears again and just overrun them with evasive threats. Not sure what I'd take out for Pillars which is good to have too. Its
really just a gross match-up that I SB for on the fly.)

Speaking of Threaten, I wasn't a fan. Its too much dilution and relying on their draw. I rather just have more creatures to bash them in/activate Battalion with pyreheart wolf. Yeah you fold to a T4/T5 angel, but who the fuck doesn't fold to nut draws again?


Vs. Mirror
Not going to lie, don't have much experience here. I've played countless naya blitz players and I just laugh and their inconsistencies. I've had one beat me back when I was really bad (instead of spearing a champion and ruining their tempo... I rancor'd my noble for 2 extra damage. Next turn he had a 4/4 champion and I looked dumb). I bring in pillars and elecktrickeries and generally just end up outracing them after I remove a few things since they've shocked once or twice or three times.

As for true mirrors, well I think you have more experience than me.
Tbh my friend that plays Mono Red has creamed me every time. Haven't played him since I
took out Rancors, but I still imagine that ash zealots, more burn, and frostburnweird would just take a dump on everything I even try to do. Good thing its not popular? >_>b

Conclusion:
Since the deck is so streamlined its really the key to figure what to take OUT rather than what to take in. I mean, I don't really need to tell you what cards are good against what cards, you know that. But think real hard about which of your threats is LEAST effective in a MU...and cut that card. For instance firefist striker is bad against flash decks, but everything else is good. So I'd board out him for pyreheart wolves, and put in Domri for a slow 1 drop on the draw (aka nobles).

[rcwraspy]

Thanks for the great write-ups, Fate.

RE: Reckoner vs. Pyreheart. I think it completely depends on the list. You're rocking 4x Firefist, so 4x Reckoner main and 3x Wolf SB sounds absolutely perfect. For those lists not running Firefist, it may be different.

[Link]

Pyreheart is definitely doing work again against rites in testing.

Loyalist is definitely better than wolf against advent (to be expected I guess)

Pyreheart being 3 mana is huge problem against the tempo cards, he was really hard to cast whereas loyalist forces them to race you/makes advent dead.

Dropped a Domri for the 4th pillar, because I was being greedy having less than 4 pillars...

Thoughts on droppign elecktrickeries for Loyalists?

I do like killing me some mana dorks though =/, it also gives us even easier mode blowouts against Naya blitz, and an extra card against bant hexproof dorks and IS.

Loyalist lets me dunk lingering souls in that MU as well

fffff

I really can't cut Domri all together, I just don't have it in me. Going down to 2 SB is hard enough

[rcwraspy]

You know, Domri's actually a bit of an oddball in this super aggro list.

I had a game in a $5k where my opponent said that if I hadn't drawn as many boars he would have won. Well, I was drawing all the boars because he kept Azo Charming them on top. I just had GRR to cast him, give him haste, and swing for 3 every turn.

That's a corner case because Boar is one of our larger creatures, but it taught me not to be too afraid of Azo Charm. Domri absolutely laughs at Azo Charm, but Domri can't attack. And we bring him in against a deck that isn't attacking us very much, which means he isn't "stalling" because they swing at him rather than us. An argument can definitely be made that Domri slows us down and dilutes our threat density, regardless of matchup.

He's seeing results though.

[Link]

the problem is the bant and rug flash decks are aggressive enough to deal with domri pretty easily, so he just kinda sits there and maybe draws some cards

Loyalist is more in line with what the deck wants and also deals with:
Advent
Lingering Souls
Voice of Resurgence Tokens
Thrag Tokens
Huntmaster Tokens
Snapcasters (they can't use them to block when you have First strike and trample)

[deck="Seriousmode Sideboard]
4 Volcanic Strength
4 Pillar of Flame
3 Pyreheart Wolf
2 Elecktrickery
2 Legion Loyalist[/deck]

That's where this deck SHOULD be at now but I'm going to test the UWr match-up without domri to see how bad it is (and even then fi they are on the reckoner->hellkite/aurelia-> GosT plan Domri isn't that appealing)

If I have to shelf domri for the Gruul Midrange deck (featuring Vorapedes and Silverhearts) I might bite the bullet.

He's seeiing results but I don't know how those
guys are bringing him in/if it all. If its against Esper he's a free win but he doesn't do enough in the MUs I'm actually worried about (Flash decks, Junk Rites, etc.)

I mean remember when I first played bant flash? I resolved Domri on time after an azo charm, had a full hand of threats because of domri, STILL died because I just was so far behind tempo I got beat down by resto angels.

So he really only does work against creature light control lists, UWr and Esper, because he gives us a different angle that they can't answer easily. Are those lists popular enough in the meta-game to warrant 3 SB slots? Over a card that crushes advent (which is DEFINITELY seeing play) and voice?

Can't say I think so

[Link]

did I mention legion loyalist also makes rancor the freakin nuts again <_________<

[Valdarith]

I'm actually mirroring you and going to two Domri in the side. I just felt like three was too many for a card I bring in for a total of two matchups.

Still not convinced that Ash Zealot shouldn't be in the deck when Rancor is, but if I were to maindeck both the Firefist Strikers and the Pyreheart Wolves I can see going without her. In that regard, this would be my list:

[deck]
Creatures (36)
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Rakdos Cackler
3 Foundry Street Denizen
2 Legion Loyalist
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Firefist Striker
4 Flinthoof Boar
3 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager

Spells (6)
3 Pillar of Flame
3 Rancor

Lands (18)
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
9 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
1 Pillar of Flame
2 Electrickery
2 Mizzium Mortars
3 Volcanic Strength
2 Traitorous Blood
3 Boros Reckoner
2 Domri Rade
[/deck]

The more I think about it, the more I realize this
list allows us to run more green sources now that we have no Ash Zealots. We could conceivably go to two nonred green sources here to give us 10 green sources.

[lorddax]

You cut Zealot bro, don't hold onto cards that aren't doing anything for you! Plus you can always pop him back in force in once Savage Summoning and Into the Wild are legal. I believe he can be quite bonkers with those cards.

[rcwraspy]

I've been playing this deck since its inception and Domri has never been in my 75.

My side usually has some numbers of:

Reckoner or Wolf depending on the 60
Volcanic Strength, 2 or 3 copies
Traitorous Blood, usually 2 copies
2 Pillar - I usually have 4 spear / 2 pillar MB
2x Mizzium Mortars
2 or 3 x Flames of the Firebrand

And I've toyed with Electrickery instead of FotF - it seems especially strong right now.

[Valdarith]

Well let's think for a minute. We're brining in Domri in exactly two matchups: Rites and UWR/Esper control. Against Rites, should we not just load up on Pillar, Electrickery, and TBlood instead and just try to race? If this is the case, the only reason we have Domri now is for UWR/Esper control. There really isn't anything in our sideboard besides Domri to deal with them, so if we were to take Domri out I'd want something that is effective in that matchup.

[Link]

going under them is usually just a fine strategy. UWr Control decks usually are bad against everything but aggro, so they are more UWr midrange these days, so Domri's no good there either.

You could run 3 ash zealots in the side for a solid creature who's great against snapcaster decks if you really wanted too >______>b

-3 Pillar
+3 Ash Zealot

SB plan complete go to town (I'd cut mizzium mortars completely and -2 Domri for +3/4 Zealots because you don't overload it in and firefist striker and wolf already do its job much better)

[rcwraspy]

going under them is usually just a fine strategy. UWr Control decks usually are bad against everything but aggro, so they are more UWr midrange these days, so Domri's no good there either.

You could run 3 ash zealots in the side for a solid creature who's great against snapcaster decks if you really wanted too >______>b

-3 Pillar
+3 Ash Zealot

SB plan complete go to town (I'd cut mizzium mortars completely and -2 Domri for +3/4 Zealots because you don't overload it in and firefist striker and wolf already do its job much better)

And now you're at my deck from 3 months ago when people laughed at me for putting zealots in the SB

[Link]

Youre just way too ahead of me Raspy

But seriously, what card do i want in my SB that doesn't dilute my plan, isn't weak alone, and as a BONUS shits on Lingering souls and Bant decks?

Ash fucking zealot.

Advent of the wurm isn't the problem really. Rewind+Advent and huge tempo swings are the problem. Aka Loyalist ISN"T the answer because the wurm token isn't the problem, its the snapcaster horseshit.

Zealot takes care of that.

Lingering souls is a problem, but they don't always see it. And good luck using Loyalist as a card to get through centaur healers, faithmender, and thrag. Zealot beats lingering when they come down, and she's not bad herself.

gonna try this out
-4 LMaulers Maindeck (might regret this, I really liked hasting him with striker at 4 mana and hasting a 1 drop at 3 but sometimes he was just too
underwhelming and weak).

+1 Hellrider, +2 rancors +1 land.


SB:
[deck]
4 Pillar
4 Volcanic Strength
4 Ash Zealot
3 Pyreheart Wolf[/deck]

this keeps the sb plan real simple for me. Against rites? Take out all 1 drops on draw, +4 pillar +4 ash zealot. -3 GCR (they generally WANT you to kill their creatures so they can play them again.) +3 Pyreheart.

I'll work from here, see how much I miss LM and how much I like being able to curve into 4 more consistently with more hellriders per game.

I figure my list is pretty stacked and LM is the worst creature, more hellriders is def good, hitting 4 lands on curve also on me plenty of games, and rancor gives me a bit more gas.

LM makes striker better though, so I might as well cut them freakin both for zealots and then we're back where we started T___T

I just really am underwhelmed by loyalist and elecktrikeries at times, and ash seems def more solid.

testing testing testing!

[LP, of the Fires]

Early stages of testing, list:

[deck]Creatures(32):

4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Burning Tree Emissary
2 Lightning Mauler
2 Firefist Striker
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
3 Hellrider

Spells(8):

4 Searing Spear
3 Pillar of Flame
1 Mizzium Mortars

Lands(21):

11 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
2 Temple Gardern

Sideboard:
2 Pyreheart Wolf
2 Skullcrack
2 Electrickery
4 Volcanic Strength
2 Mizzium Mortars
1 Pillar of Flame
2 Traitorous Instinct[/deck]

The sideboard is just a bunch of cards that fit in the archetype. Definitely tweaking the number as there's a lot of overlap. Pyreheart and Instinct for instance do the exact same thing and that's probably just a wasted slot and I'm thinking 1 electrickery might be enough as the 5th pillar. Cutting those and I guess a V-Strength lets me play 4 Ash in the board which sounds awesome as otherwise I
have no board strat for Flash decks.

I'm taking gruul to a PTQ Saturday and my first tourney playing with this deck is going to be the preceding FNM so I've got lots of work cut out for me. I will say though that completely axing LM seems bad. It IS the worst card in almost every deck that it's in, but it remains a necessary evil and sometimes people misplay against it(killing it's bound partner for instance).

[rcwraspy]

Youre just way too ahead of me Raspy

But seriously, what card do i want in my SB that doesn't dilute my plan, isn't weak alone, and as a BONUS shits on Lingering souls and Bant decks?

Ash fucking zealot.

Advent of the wurm isn't the problem really. Rewind+Advent and huge tempo swings are the problem. Aka Loyalist ISN"T the answer because the wurm token isn't the problem, its the snapcaster horseshit.

Zealot takes care of that.

Lingering souls is a problem, but they don't always see it. And good luck using Loyalist as a card to get through centaur healers, faithmender, and thrag. Zealot beats lingering when they come down, and she's not bad herself.

gonna try this out
-
4 LMaulers Maindeck (might regret this, I really liked hasting him with striker at 4 mana and hasting a 1 drop at 3 but sometimes he was just too underwhelming and weak).

+1 Hellrider, +2 rancors +1 land.


SB:
[deck]
4 Pillar
4 Volcanic Strength
4 Ash Zealot
3 Pyreheart Wolf[/deck]

this keeps the sb plan real simple for me. Against rites? Take out all 1 drops on draw, +4 pillar +4 ash zealot. -3 GCR (they generally WANT you to kill their creatures so they can play them again.) +3 Pyreheart.

I'll work from here, see how much I miss LM and how much I like being able to curve into 4 more consistently with more hellriders per game.

I figure my list is pretty stacked and LM is the worst creature, more hellriders is def good, hitting 4 lands on curve also on me plenty of games, and rancor gives me a bit more gas.

LM makes striker better though, so I might as well cut them freakin both for zealots and then we're back where we started T___T

I just really am underwhelmed by loyalist and
elecktrikeries at times, and ash seems def more solid.

testing testing testing!

I like that, but definitely try to find room for a threaten effect. Nothing feels better against Rites than stealing one of the 2 big dudes they have on board and swinging with the team, making them unable to block anything due to firefist or pyreheart.

And it's not EXACTLY where my list was a few months ago. I hadn't discovered Firefist Striker yet, which has really put this deck over the top.

[Link]

yeah I'm probably going to end up not cutting LM and just using my original deck with pyrehearts in the SB and an extra elecktrickery for ONE skullcrack (figure I'll have one for a single out against fog decks, but all you need is that one ;P)

This is also because my gf is taking dos rakis and will need the ash zealots anyway.

[Link]

overloading two elecktrickeries to kill a GosT and IS with Ethereal armor was very, very satisfying.

I can get behind this non-Gruul card

[rcwraspy]

Just think of it as a mighty roar that harms all enemies within a specific radius.

[Link]

<_<

I was thinking of it more as a pixie Navi type character that appears to help me against the most bullshit of decks

[rcwraspy]

that works too

[LP, of the Fires]

More testing done. Skullcrack isn't great versus much, but it's the perfect card against UWr and Esper. Against thragtusk decks...meh.

[Platypus]

So, I went 3-1 at the FNM yesterday with this:

[deck]Lands (21)
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Temple Garden
11 Mountain

Creatures (35)
4 Stromkirk Noble
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Flinthoof Boar
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Firefist Striker
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Hellrider
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager

Spells (8)
4 Searing Spear

Sideboard
3 Legion Loyalist
4 Pillar of Flame
3 Volcanic Strength
3 Pyreheart Wolf
2 Electrickery [/deck]

Didn't take much notes, but my matchups were against pretty much all various homebrews. At least it felt like that, didn't recognize any established decks among them. I can't really remember most of my sideboarding either, except that I probably sideboarded wrong in my last match (the one I lost). I should have kept a faster deck.

Anyway, some thoughts on the deck. It felt really solid. I didn't have to mulligan much during my
matches, many hands felt really keepable. I should have mulliganed down to 5 in my last game (the one for 1 place), but I chickened out and kept a hand with too few threats. Most of my mulligans were 0-1 land hands, but I don't feel like going up to 22 lands either with this deck. I would have liked a fourth Volcanic Strength in my last match, and I didn't use the Loyalists (although I saw a few decks that they would have helped a lot against). Same about the Electrickeries, didn't see them when I sided them in or I didn't need them. Some threaten effects could have been useful in some of the matches, but I managed without them.

I would try this sideboard with this in mind:

[deck]SB
4 Ash Zealot
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Volcanic Strength
3 Pyreheart Wolf[/deck]

I might be wrong about leaving out the Electrickeries. I would definitely have used Ash Zealots more than Legion Loyalists. Loyalists would have worked against some of the decks at the FNM, but Ash Zealot would have gone in more often
to get a speedier deck.

[Link]

Game Day Report:

I ended up leaving out Ash Zealots and 2 Domris from the SB... I read the field wrong. It looked like it was a lot of aggro (3 gruul players, 1 naya blitz, so it kinda was). Went with this SB:

[deck]
1 Domri Rade
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Volcanic Strength
3 Elecktrickery
3 Pyreheart Wolf[/deck]

turns out there was just as many esper players as aggro, a bant control player, and I got matched up Round 1 vs:

The dreaded America Control
G1: Lost dice roll, speared and snapcastered his way up to stabilizing with assemble the legion. Verdicts my reckoner and then just beats me down... No Ash zealost to put in, no Domri, uh oh.

-4 Firefist striker (over extend my hand? ew)
+3 Pyreheart
+1 Domri Rade

G2: My hand tears him up, Double Emissary into Boar after a cackler, its game.

G3: Long and grindy and I don't have a fast hand. He sphinx's for
5.... draws 4 lands and a sphinx! He does it again to stop lethal, but he taps out. His first card was a terminus... whoops. I lucksacked this one big time, this match-up is hard as shit and without zealots to punish OR my Domris.... Yeah I just lucksacked.


Round 2 vs: Naya Blitz
Uh oh. He wins the die roll. But I BARELY win, we both go to 2 and the end of his turn (I underestimated his damage, then he comes out with like a Turn 6 Champion, BTE+LM combo, gets me to 2 and I put my reckoner in front of something. He was making 3/3 wolf tokens with mayor which worried me, but I made the right call pocketing the spear for his face. Like I said we both go to 2 (he was at 5, reckoner redirects him to 2) and I untap and spear.

-4 Firefist
-4 Rakdos Cacklers
-2 Lightning Maulers
-1 Hellrider (yes really)

+11 burn+VS wombocombo.

G2: he was on the play again and beat me, pretty sure. Didn't show him any SB cards

G3: No 1 drop.. ew.. Don't want to mull though. My T2 is
BTE+Volcanic strength. I draw into another VS and bloodrush it for game easy, he had a spear in hand. No Pacficisms or fiend hunters.


Round 3: WBr Reanimator
Don't remember much about this match, won G1 somehow.

Side in VS, Elecktrickery, Wolves. Not sure what I took out tbh. Maybe lightnign maulers (die to souls), and maybe a 1 drop thats slow?

G2 He reanimates griselbrand on t4. T5 faithless looting, discard Angel of Serenity and unburial rites, flashback rites, lolgg. I coulda won thourgh griselbrand with hellrider+firefist striker even through the lifelink, but holy shit. "ANGELS AND DEMONS OP"

G3: Wow. grindy game with this deck. He fiathless loots an early AoS out, but no rites. He loots again, flashbacks looting TWICE (where ash zealot) but NO rites all game. I even had to spear a reckoner of his who killed my cackler to drop a noble. It was a long road up. Elecktricker did work here against lingering souls though... (I drew 2, which let my noble get
big enough). Ash Zealot would've been very nice here.


Rest of the report later

[dpaine88]

Gruul is the shiiiit. Just got back from my local TCG 5k and made my way to 12th place at 7-2, so close!!.

Played nearly the exact Steve Kaufman list with 4 pillar and no pyrewild shaman.

Played 3 Gruul mirrors, 2 blitz, 2 rites, 1 bant control, 1 bant hexproof. Slipped to 1-1 after game loss from deck list screwup. Lost the mirror here.

Also lost to Bant Hexproof in an incredibly close game 3.

Deck is wayyyyy more consistent than Naya Blitz. I think I would add a 2nd temple garden as sometime I didn't have green mana but was sitting on Ghor-Clans.

Firefist striker is also awesome.

Bant Hexproof and Unflinching Courage is a bitch, certainly adding Naturalize to the sideboard as its the only trump and we can easily race if they dont have lifelink.

[Link]

don't add naturalize to the sideboard, trust me.

You have two colors and they have three, you should always be more consistent naturally (no pun intended). If they see the lifegain every game its unfortunate, but they need to see the lifegain AND have someone hexproof to put it on AND the right colors to do it. Don't dilute your deck and just race them, if its so popular and problematic, skullcrack is good as a blowout card (and anti-blowout if they have a fog in their SB which they do)

[LP, of the Fires]

6-2 at the San Diego PTQ today with above list and slightly different board. Went with 3 friends and met a female from our LGS who showed up for playing/judging. I had the best placing of my team and was in contention for the longest. I was playing for top 8 through round 7 where I got my second loss, but 18 points was worth 18 packs so I played last round for the product. Here's the board I used.

[deck]Sideboard:

3 Volcanic Strength
2 Elecktrickery
1 Pillar of Flame
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Ash Zealout
2 Traitorous Blooc
3 Skull Crack[/deck]

In the future, I'd go -1 skullcrack, -2 blood, +1 VS, +2 Domri. On to matches.

Round 1 I get seated at table one and I'm feeling confidant I'm gonna stay there all day. Opponent wins die roll and leads with hinterland harbor so I put him on bantchantments. I have a mildly aggressive start, my opponent has a slow start and plays creatures...with no Auras. Fending ace and
Avacyn's pilgrim are dorky without Ghost Pants. I pillared a couple manadorks and bloodrushed over a fencing ace ftw. Game 2 he has some unflinching stalkers, game 3, I have cackler, BTE, BTE, Boar, Boar all ready to attack on turn 3 and he plays feeling of dread on 2 boars. That's when I knew I was 1-0.

+2 elecktrickery
+1 Mizzium Mortars
+1 Pillar
+2 Skullcrack

-Strikers, hellriders, and a spear on the draw, bring in less stuff and keep hellriders on the play.

Round 2, judges make an announcement to check your points and sure enough, they had me down as 0 points and paired down. I inform head judge, he fixes my points but tells me match pairings will stay the same. I'm annoyed thinking of how bad my breakers will be. Onto the actual match, during shuffling, I saw blasphemous act on the bottom of my opponents deck while he was riffling, but it ended up not affecting my opening keep. I had a decently aggressive draw, but he had to many tokens. Eventually, we have a pseudo clogged boardstate
while he has falkenrath and cartel, then acts and wraths my side. Game 2, I nut drew and killed him turn 4 while he played no spells. Game 3 was very close, but he ended up taking 9 total damage from ash zealout triggers. The interesting point in the match came when I was on 9 life. I attacked into his tokens, he chumped 2 and his board was 2 spirits tapped 5/2 FA. I had pillar in hand and was thinking of holding it if I draw another pillar next turn which would be lethal. I tank though because I know I lose to obzedat or sorin emblem off the top. I decide to pillar his spirit. Open topdecks sorin. He's low enough on life that he can't attack, so I wittle away his board till a draw a ghor-clan.

Board plan:
+2 Ash Zealot
+1 Elecktrickery
+3 Volcanic Strength

-2 Firefist Striker
various numbers of mauler, spear, mortars and hellrider

Round 3, I get paired against an esper control deck without sphinx's revelations(budget reasons) and I get crushed 0-2...yup. I was just owned by azorius charms
devour fleshes, and snapcaster mages until he landed obzedat. After this loss, I was kind of tilted, but not regretting the pass on Domri as Ash zealout definitely won my second round and I felt comfortable with the UWr matchup which was the only control deck I expected to face. I resolved to run the table for the rest of the tourney.

-3 Pillar
-1 mortars
-1 Spear

+3 skullcrack
+2 Ash Zealout

Round 4, I get paired against jund. He only played 3 golgari lands, putrefy and ground seal before dying game one. Game 2, he had removal for days but no creatures. The last boros reckoner got there. There are no bad threats, only bad answers...like his mizzium mortars with him at 3 life.

-3 Pillar
-2 Striker

+2 Mortars
+1 Volcanic Strenght
+2 Skullcrack

Round 5 I sit down and get racist I guess. My opponent looked like an Asian guy who played agro decks. I kept accordingly. It was a mirror match. We both are operating comfortably on three lands and it was a fairly typical mirror. Unfortunately
for my opponent, I play maindeck mizzum mortars meaning I had more better removal. Game 2, I think I drew more pillars of flame then him and eventually got there with double ghor-clan for the win. We talked after the match about how this is the sickest, most satisfying deck in the format and played a bunch of matches where he just crushed me, mostly on the draw I might add. To be fair, in games "for fun" I won't mulligan half the time because I'm lazy and don't want to shuffle.

Don't remember how I boarded, probably just VS, Pillar, and Mortars for X/1's and stromkirks.

Round 6, unfortunately, I was the only one of my team of 5 still in the running for top 8 as everyone else had two losses. Guess I gotta do it for my team. Get paired against junk rites. Game one I see my opponent has 2 top 8 ptq pins and some GP stuff pins on his playmat. Since he's X/1 entering round 6, I give him the credit for being decent. I kill him turn 4 on the play seeing temple garden, sunpetal grove, and
cavern(naming shapeshifter). I'm unsure of what he's playing, though I know the cavern shapeshifter was just a bluff. Game 2 on the draw, I keep this one-lander on a mull to 6:

2x Rakdos Cackler
Burning-Tree Emissary
Flinthoof Boar
Pillar of Flame
Mountain.

I normally don't keep one-land hands, but I felt this was solid since he kept a sketch hand game 1 and he's in mana dork colors. His first play is a turn 2 mulch flipping triple thragtusk and restoration angel. His follow-up is fiend hunter on a cackler. From there, I attack for two for several turns still stuck on one, but he's stuck on land as well and doesn't block because it turns out 2 rak cacks would be a savage clock and he smells pillar. Somewhere in there I resolve a noble which grows. eventually, I swing with a 3/3 noble and cackler with his board being 3 lands, fiend hunter and a freshly played pilgrim. He takes this time to block saying he just needed four lands and doesn't care if I get cackler back. Postcombat I pillar the
pilgrim. Pass. Untap, lingering souls, pass. I draw stomping ground. My options are burning tree spear, burning-tree board, or shock myself, attack, bloodrush. I went with option three since if he didn't block it was lethal and even if he did, I put him in burn range for spear next turn which he has zero actual outs to unless he blocks perfectly. Opponent figures out I have rampager...but doesn't block perfectly. He knew his outs where null though and scooped on his drawestep.

Board Strat:

-1 ???
-2 Striker
+2 Mortars
+1 pillar

Didn't know what he was playing when I boarded so I decided I wanted to kill smiters and voices.

Round 7 was potentially a win an in depending on how breakers went so I was overly anxious. The anxiousness got to me as I get the mirror match on the draw and misplay horribly game one. My opponent has a board state of pyreheart wolf, BTE, and boar. He declares attack and for some reason I say sure. I only have one defender so I can't block and just spear boar. Response,
ghor-clan. Long story short, lost that match, tilted and lost game 2 on a mull to six. Wanted to keep this seven so badly:

3x BTE
Flinthoof Boar
Ghor-Clan
something
Temple Garden.

My other card was likely a one-drop or otherwise I don't consider keeping. If that is a mountain instead, I probably go for it. Top cards where rak cack followed by rootbound. G2 was interesting until my opponent played VS on noble and I had no answer. Drew zero removal game 2. We chatted for a bit afterwards and I congratulated him on top 8'ing but he told me he had the worst breakers and with 2 undefeateds and 7 x/1's he would likely finish 9th if everyone tried drawing into top 8. Dreamcrushed, I did the only thing possible, went to Albertsons and got potatoe wedges, M&M cookies, and cheezits. Had to play the last round as 18 points got 18 packs as opposed to the 3 of 15th-17th points and that's the perfect number of packs for six person team draft. Sit down feeling bad for my last opponent as they had no
chance vs my saltiness and I wasn't leaving without those 18 packs.

Round 8 starts with me winning the die roll. It's gruul versus blitz. Game 1, I attrition him out and let ghor-clan do it's thing. Round 2, was more of the same. I drew all my boars which are great in the agro mirrors since they're x/3's and mugg up the board. Eventually, I play hellrider, and swing to trade of most of the board and put him at 3/4ish. My deck has so many more live draws then his and I'm salty so I'm letting my deck win for me. Over the next several turns, I draw a ghor-clan and play it will he's forced to trade and take trample damage with his dorky guys. Eventually, second hardcast ghor-clan was big enough to win.

So, 6/2 18th place, not terrible if very disappointing when you consider I punted round 7 spearing that boar. The deck was great all day. I didn't have many degenerate draws, but I had enough and usually double rakdos cackler was aggressive enough to let my draw into a game winning combination of
spells. The sideboard was fine, only cards I didn't use where traitorous bloods. I'm thinking I want domri's over bloods going forward, but I wasn't in the appropriate positions to want them in any of my matches and they're still great when they're good. I'm interested in testing the creature heavier versions of the deck, but even though I always board it out, I'm loving the pillars and the mortars. Wish I could have played against more jund and wish I had practiced more for the mirror, but it is what it is. Hope ya'll enjoyed this.

[Kazekirimaru]

Thank you for the write-up, LP. Congrats on the packs.