[Standard] RWU Landfall

[Alex]

A few nights ago, I set myself a challenge. For the upcoming Standard PTQs (for PT Amsterdam), I want to build a deck that is as competitive as I can make it, but doesn't use a single mythic rare in the entire 75 cards.

I also want to build something that's a bit different to the current Standard field and has a few bullets in its revolver with which to attack the current Standard environment.

So, here we go: RWU Landfall!

Lands

2 Marsh Flats
4 Mountain
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
5 Island
5 Plains

Creatures

4 Sea Gate Oracle
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Plated Geopede
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Steppe Lynx
4 Emeria Angel

Spells

4 Negate
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
3 Oblivion Ring

There are two themes here. The most obvious is landfall, and the reason for all the fetchlands is to help abuse landfall as much as possible.

The other theme is sort of "haterator", trying to attack other decks in the environment. O-Ring is there for planeswalkers and other pesky permanents, Path gets rid of annoying creatures, and Bolt is the same good all-purpose burn. Negate is in because Standard is full of planeswalkers, although it's also good against other spells.

Nothing in the deck costs more than 4cc, and the only double mana is on Emeria Angel and the singleton Goblin Bushwhacker (it's never just a vanilla 1/1 for 1!).

My favourite card in the deck is Sea Gate Oracle. This new-school Court Hussar can set up another landfall-fuelled attack, filter your draws and just block for 3 if necessary.

Sideboard options could be cards like Sleep (against Turboland), Runeflare Trap (anti-UW), Unstable Footing (or another burn spell, against other red decks), Dragon's Claw (again, other red decks), Day of Judgement (if you think you'll need a board sweeper) and Spreading Seas (against Jund). I haven't included a pre-made sideboard because those are always meta-dependent.

The deck is actually quite cheap to make if you don't include the fetchlands, but I think fetches are a solid investment in Magic. They're always useful for some deck or other, and will "travel" from one format to another.

This isn't a final version by any means (is any deck ever really "final"?) and needs more testing, but if you have any comments or just think I'm out of my mind, please share!

[browncoat]

Where is goblin guide? Having an obscenely solid one-drop with haste is not bad. I think it could be better than hellspark elemental though having not tested the deck am not sure. You could also take more out of boros bushwacker's book by adding ranger of eos to always tutor out the bushwacker alongside the awesome guides.

Another card that could be good is devastating summons as you really don't need too many lands, you just care about playing them.

Otherwise the deck looks pretty fun, I may work towards playing a similar list once I get some fetchlands.

[@dtlerch]

Hi

I'm not sure I like the inclusion of Blue here. Wall of Omens does almost what SGO does but on color, although obviously Blue adds to the effectiveness of Scalding Tarn. Whether or not either is worth including remains to be seen. I do like some number of Negate though.

Why not Green instead though? Explore looks interesting, Oracle of Mul Daya could be a beating, and you gain access to mana dorks. I've been sketching out some builds that have Ranger of Eos (Naya), but it's hard to fit so many 4-drops and Oracle seems awesome.

Hellspark Elemental seems a little out of place, and I hate that card now with Wall of Omens and SGO so prevalent.

Good luck!

[Ferridge]

I would agree with Browncoat and say put some goblin guides in it. Maybe replace the hell sparks, or perhaps have a split and use 2 of each.

Im not saying you will, but at a NQ i had someone try and ruinflare trap me after a a treasure hunt for 5 land. The first Judge went in favour of allowing the trap to trigger, but the head judge checked and ruled that it would not trigger, as getting cards from treasure hunt is not drawing.

[Disturbedone0777]

I like the deck idea. I could see myself actually going for building this just to play it since the cards are easy enough to get together. I could see that this deck would benefit from a few adventuring gear since you are abusing landfall so ridiculously. I don't know what I would sub out for it though as your balance almost won't allow for it. The hatred is obviously for the meta, so while I might not opt to playing 4 negates normally, I can see why it's not a horrible idea now.

[yankeedave]

I think your land mana is off, I am afraid, I think your basic lands want to be more like 3 Island, 5 Mountains, and 5 Plains, as you aren't that heavily in blue and you have lots of fetches to help that out.

[Alex]

Thanks for the comments so far (and hi dtlerch)!

I'm also going off Hellspark Elemental more and more, although Goblin Guide is a good option. I dunno, I'll have to test more.

@browncoat: I'm definitely going to test Ranger of Eos. It didn't seem that great with only one 1cc creature to tutor up, but with one more it might work well. I could replace the singleton Bushwhacker with a singleton Ranger as a way to randomly refill.

@yankeedave: Yeah the mana is all over the place. Still tinkering with that, although I'll try your suggestion.

@dtlerch Green could very well be an option, and yes Oracle of Mul-Daya would be crazy (e.g. play 2 fetches, sac, sac, rawr!). I'd probably lose Negate, though, and possibly some sideboard options, too. It might be another deck, RWG Landfall, and definitely something to try!

OK, I'll test a bit with Goblin Guide replacing Hellspark Elemental, yankeedave's mana suggestions and a singleton Ranger of Eos replacing Goblin Bushwhacker. Should be interesting!

[goblinroughrider]

Alex, why not use Deprive over Negate. If you are going for the landfall trigger returning a land to your hand will be no problem. Halimar Depths can even out your draw also, hit a Deprive, return Halimar Depths, next turn play Depths again. Just a idea.