N00b Alert - Revised Edition 1st ever Deck? Ideas/Help?

ok, first things first. playing 4 color decks is very difficult to do without a way to produce multiple colors at the same time (dual lands or artifacts that can produce more than 1 color). Looking at your land numbers and spell cost, you have 2 Islands and 1 Forest. With only 3 spells for green (Channel and Fastbond) and 1 forest in the deck, Channel will never be able to be played. I would pull all 3 cards. You also have 2 blue spells (Counterspell and Control Magic) with 2 Islands in the deck. The rarity of you playing both islands AND a blue spell is very rare in this combination. I would pull those 4 as well.

Now you are down to 77 cards. Let's consolidate your Red and Black.

You have chosen 29 Red Spells and 15 Black spells. Also 4 Artifacts. 48 Spells for 26 lands.

Your black spells are useful and can mess with an opponent. Only one I would think about is paralyze. It is best played early game to be most effective. Mid game against HUGE creatures would be a slight deterrence but not much. That is probably the only black card I would remove. That will take you down to 14 Black cards.

Of the 6 artifacts, Winter Orb slows down a game REALLY bad. I like it. Sol Ring is always useful. Fountain of Youth is an old favorite of mine. Glasses of Urza is the only one I would think about pulling AFTER you get more comfortable with the game and have seen a LOT of other cards. This one will let you see another players hand so you can learn OTHER PEOPLE's cards and might get more ideas about it. Juggernaut is a powerhouse even though you must attack with it every turn. Obsianus Golem is a little high for this deck at 6 mana cost. You won't get him out til mid to late game. This one I would pull.

Now to Red....

Red Elemental Blast are best for a sideboard until you KNOW an opponent is playing BLUE. If they are playing say White/Green... Those 2 cards are taking up space and will hurt you for not being able to be played.  Same with Flashfires. It only targets Plains. Better sideboard card than in a main deck. Tunnel is not going to be as effective as you would like it to be. That one should be pulled completely. I would also pull out 1 Hill Giant. For 4 cost, it is a 3/3. Slightly expensive in today's sets.

That will put you down to UNDER 70 cards.

If you do not get any dual lands, You will need 14 Mountains and 8 Swamps.

This will get you to 65 cards.

to do individual color count, I look at red vs black. you have about 24 red and 14 black. Minimum should be 12 to 7 in lands. That is 19. you also have 5 arts. those could be either. so 2 red (most of the deck) and 1 black to even it out.

mrturk,

thanks again. Seem's 2:1 per pool is what the gurus recommend too. I made a revised version following your recommendations. I suppose i should put more into my sidebar than the two you recommended moving to it..

Do people ever put a completely different color in their sidebar to react to what they discover playing friends?

I'm guessing there are a lot of rematches with some sidebar tweaks in casual gaming, but how does a sidebar help in a tournament.

wizard666,

thank you too. How does one identify whether or not the deck meets vintage rules, where are the vintage rules? I suppose i can find this answer myself and maybe on wizards.com.. this site, for example, states i have a complete vintage deck. Does that mean anything legality wise regarding the deck?