Welcome back for another “This week in Magic.” Origins has finally hit the shelves and people are probably scrambling to get their playsets so they can start playing the new Standard. Wait! What is the new Standard? Do you have any idea what to play yet? No one really knows. Right now, people are packing four copies of a card they thought looked cool during the previews, shrugging their shoulders and heading straight into battle. Do they have any idea if their plan will work? Probably not.

This week, we’re going to play it safe. We’re going to play a deck that will always work week one of a new set. Can you guess what deck that is? Of course! Mono Red! It’s almost as if this color was destined to be the week one color while everyone else tries to figure out what they’re going to do.

What is it about this deck that makes it a great choice for week one? Easy, this deck is simple. When I say “simple,” I’m referring to it’s construction. Mono Red always tends to be a straight-forward build. However, like many decks, it can prove to be a different scene when trying to play it. Over time, your opponents will figure it out the game plan. It’s your job, if you choose to continue playing the deck, to adapt to the changes.

Let’s take a look at a sample deck list:

Mono Red Origins
4x Foundry Street Denizen
4x Goblin Piledriver
4x Goblin Rabblemaster

4x Wild Slash
4x Lightning Strike
4x Exquisite Firecraft
4x Stoke the Flames
4x Hordeling Outburst
4x Dragon Fodder
4x Call of the Full Moon

20x Mountain

Look at this terrible pile. I cannot wait to see the look on my opponent’s face when I beat them with a deck like this. Of course, I know I have to get there first. When I do, I’ll make sure to take a photo when it happens. Let me explain what we’re trying to accomplish here.

Foundry Street Denizen is a really silly creature. Combine it with a spell like Hordeling Outburst, and things get out of hand really fast. It has amazing synergy as well with Goblin Piledriver and Goblin Rabblemaster. Speaking of which, these two go hand-in-hand as well. All three pretty much form the Holy Trinity for you religious folk out there; for everyone else, think of it as the “Flying ‘V’” from “The Mighty Ducks.” As long as this pack lives, you’ve got a real good shot of making your opponent cry.

With our spells, we’re trying to be blunt. We curve out at one, two, three, and four mana burn spells; two of which can deal four damage each. Exquisite Firecraft is the newest addition here, and it’s a welcomed sight. I feel with the current setup, achieving Spell Mastery should not be a problem, thus meaning that Exquisite Firecraft should be an uncounterable spell a majority of the time you’re casting it.

Okay, I’m sure you’ve been wondering about the next card I’m going to talk about. In the past couple of years, there have been a number of Red enchantments that, when enchanting a creature, sends a punch to your opponent’s gut. I feel this is one of those spells. Just like Volcanic Strength, Goblin War Paint, and Hammerhand, Call of the Full Moon is going to end games really fast, especially if you attach it to any of the non-token goblins that we’re playing with in the deck. This card allows the creatures we have to do the one thing they will have trouble with – getting through those darn chump blockers.

Let’s face it, there is no point to having a really big creature if a little 1/1 can block it all day. That’s where Call of the Full Moon comes into play. First of all, it’s a cheap spell. Assuming you’ve played a turn one Denizen, on turn two, you’ll be swinging with a 4/3 trampler who can get as big as a 7/3 with trample if you’re able to cast a Hordeling Outburst the following turn. Call of the Full Moon also really shines during the later parts of the match, but hopefully you’ll have won by then.

Unlike the previous enchantments that I mentioned, there is a downside to Call of the Full Moon. During each upkeep, it checks to see if any player cast more than two spells in one turn. If they did, you’re forced to sacrifice it. There are a few scenarios where I can see this happening, and in all of them you’ve already swung with your creature.

Now I’m sure by now you may have noticed that I’ve left a few creatures off of the list. I felt that this was a good start for now, and that we could collectively build further down the line. Honorable mentions go out to Monastery Swiftspear, Zurgo, and the newest version of Chandra. All three would do well in the deck, but may change the dynamics. You could also go creatureless and leave it up to the tokens to do your dirty work.

Well that’s it for this week. Let me know what you think of the deck, good or bad, in the comments below. Also, if you manage to give the deck a shot, I’d love to know what you thought. What changes would you make? Until next week…

About the author

Simeon is now the Community Manager for Battleground Games & Hobbies. If you have any questions or inquiries, then you can reach him at Sims@battlegroundgames.com. He is also an avid gamer who loves to play board games and video games. He graduated college with a degree in Political Science, and now serves the public by writing about games. You can check that out here. Don’t forget to “like” him on Facebook as well. It’ll update you on all of his newest content. Best of all, you can follow Simeon on Twitter (@SimeonCortezano) for some real time hilarity. Thanks for reading!

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