Topic: [Modern][Opinions] Mono Red Aggro?

Hello, ^__^.

I'm new to this site and would love an second opinion on my deck as well as experienced guidance to optimize and improve it.
I'm playing this deck with a two small groups of friends and it already holds it ground fairly well. I'd say an win loss ratio of 1:1. However, a few of my friends are studying winning tournament decks and are starting to build far cheaper knock off versions of them. So, I'm worried I'm going to start losing really badly.

1) What level of play is this expecting to see?  Are you going to play casually just for fun or are you taking it to competitive FNMs?  Are your FNMs full of top level players rocking tier 1 decks, or is it more of a bunch of home brews?

I have no intention of playing super seriously and entering tournaments. My friends decks are all worth ~$30 - $120. A few of them do select online shopping. I wanna try that.
They are mostly playing angel healing decks and overwhelm decks. They get out large 10+/10+ type creatures quickly. [Forgive improper use of terminology please.]

2) Do you have a format restriction/preference?

As a group we've restricted ourselves to Modern and are ignoring the ban list. [Any cheep combos guys? :3]
I would prefer if at all possible to remain mono red.

2) What are the win conditions of the deck?  Or, in other words, how do you envision the deck winning games?

I envision myself winning two ways.

Main approach: Rushing my opponent with cheep instant, sorcery and creature damage.
Secondary condition: Reaching the 10 infect counter and wining the game automatically. [Focused around my colossus]

3) If you were to imagine an ideal 4-5 turns, how do you envision them playing out?

I suppose a fair mix of land and cheep creatures for the first turn, sorceries and instants or the next few the engine that will cheat summon the colossus.

4) What sort of budget do you have for improving the deck?  It's easy to suggest that you add $400 worth of cards, but if you're only looking to spend $20 to make improvements then suggesting 4x Snapcaster Mage isn't useful information.

I'm looking to invest (try to stick close to this guy)$50 - $100 into this deck to make it a well rounded and very effective deck not just an intentional counter to my friend's decks.

http://deckbox.org/sets/447913
Here is my deck:

25 Mountain
1 Barrage of Expendables
4 Goblin Arsonist
4 Pillar of Flame
1 Rakdos Cackler
1 Shock
1 Curse of the Pierced Heart
4 Gore-House Chainwalker
4 Krenko's Command
4 Mogg Flunkies
4 Searing Spear
1 Sudden Shock
1 Young Pyromancer
2 Arms Dealer
4 Brimstone Volley
4 Flames of the Firebrand
1 Chandra, the Firebrand
1 Etched Oracle
1 Hellrider
1 Krenko, Mob Boss
1 Quicksilver Amulet
1 Pyromancer's Gauntlet
2 Thunderous Wrath
1 Blightsteel Colossus

Total: 74

TL;DR: My deck is pretty remedial and needs a tune up, for less than $100

Last edited by TheChosenOne (2013-08-08 05:27:43)

Re: [Modern][Opinions] Mono Red Aggro?

firs of I would reduce the number f cards in the deck to 60 cards. as well as include more playsets of cards to make the deck run better here is the modern red agro deck that I run and my friends run as well.

20 lands
12 mountains
4 arid mesa
4 scalding tarn

16 creatures
4 vexing devils
4 goblin guide
4 grim lavamancer

24 spells
4 lightning bolt
4 rift bolt
4 lava spike
4 pillar of flame
4 shard volley

sideboard
4 skulcrack
2 relic of progenitus
2 volcanic fallout
4 forked bolt
3 searing blaze


now about the only that differs my deck from the one that many of my friends use is what burn spells we mainboard vs sideboard. we all use the same decklist though so in the end all tha really is different is our game one.
hope this helps.

Re: [Modern][Opinions] Mono Red Aggro?

If you're just playing with your friends that I think that going to a deck with lots of 4x cards that are straight burn is going to lead to some boring games after a while.  If you want to simply tighten up what you have now, I would cut down to:

22 Mountain

4 Goblin Arsonist
4 Gore-House Chainwalker
4 Krenko's Command
3 Mogg Flunkies
1 Young Pyromancer
2 Arms Dealer
1 Hellrider
1 Krenko, Mob Boss

2 Pillar of Flame
4 Searing Spear
1 Sudden Shock
4 Brimstone Volley
4 Flames of the Firebrand
1 Pyromancer's Gauntlet
1 Barrage of Expendables
1 Chandra, the Firebrand

Some of the cards that I removed are great in some circumstances, but mostly they will be lackluster, such as Quicksilver Amulet (not very impressive putting small Goblins into play) and Blightsteel Colossus (often uncastable).  Others simply were cut because there are better options already within your deck.  Sorcery speed direct damage is often awkward, so I would cut it when you can.

To improve the deck I would add:

3 Goblin Grenade
1 Krenko, Mob Boss
1 Hellrider
2 Sulfuric Vortex
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mogg War Marshal

and cut:

3 Mogg Flunkies
1 Pyromancer's Gauntlet
1 Barrage of Expendables
2 Pillar of Flame
4 Searing Spear
4 Gore-House Chainwalker

You'll mostly end up with a goblin deck with a few unusual cards to add a little variety to the game.  At that point you could also consider adding some Goblin Cheiftan or some other Goblin lords.