Grixis Fires Control

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hoser2
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Post by hoser2 » 4 years ago

Wanting to play Nicol Bolas, but knowing that the mana had been bad and rotation made it worse, I stumbled across this Reddit thread. This deck was inspired by an early tournament showing by Mogwai. More recently, I found this Reddit thread.
I played the bo1 list in the first thread to a combined 14-6 record (across three accounts) in the Arena win every card event, with about half the losses as straight punts, so I think it's not terrible.

If you like to get behind before playing powerful spells to catch up, this could be fun. Jeskai Fires Superfriends has more tournament results, so that would be a safer version to try.

I've built the bo3 version in paper, but not played it yet. It's basically the same mainboard that the Reddit post suggests, except for the manabase, which seemed insufficiently black.

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hoser2
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Post by hoser2 » 4 years ago

Having finally acquired the paper cards, I am ready to start jamming this tomorrow. Researching the subject on Reddit, I find three different lists. I plan to do some Arena testing tonight to come up with a final list for running out tomorrow. The obvious presenting issues seem to be Fae of Wishes, how many Interplanar Beacon and Bedeck vs Angrath's Rampage vs Tyrant's Scorn.

Last: WolvenKain proposes this list using Fae of Wishes. The following is sideboarding information taken from a thread response:
Elderspell, Planewide, Command and Casualties I think don't need explanations:

Mass Manipulation let me take a Questing Beast (together with something else) several times, completely shutting down a winning enemy Ramp. I really like that card.

Chandra is really good for a board sweep against many creatures + a threat on board, or even for killing an annoying big threat while I put mine on battlefield. And that +2 is always strong.

Liliana is for when I can't use Chandra (elementals from Nissa and RDW are a big trouble for the Inferno Lady), and for setting up a draw engine. Plus it can kill indestructible creatures (white weenie anyone?)

Planar Cleansing can be really, really strong for a hard reset against a Ramp, destroying enemy creatures, foods, Oko and Nissa all together. I can sacrifice my Fires on board if that means I don't lose the game the next turn. Oh, and it shut downs every hard-artifact deck and Aristocats too. However, maybe 2 Planar Cleansing are too much, and I am thinking about cutting 1 for a single copy of Unmoored Ego.

Kaya's Wrath and Time Wipe can have different uses: Kaya's is a panic button against aggro if I still didn't find the 5th land (it happened, and I prefer to be always ready), while Time Wipe can be really good for taking back on hand a tanking Fae without discarding 2 cards.

Lastly, Ugin is the best all-around answer for everything, especially against enchantment or to disrupt enemy Fires. 2 or 3 times I used Ugin to destroy a Realm Prisoned Nicol Bolas; Nicol Bolas used Ugin's power to free a Prisoned Chandra or to destroy enemy Fires, following with an avalanche effect. Really fun.

And really, I don't think I need other side cards, because in my opinion all the main deck is already really versatile against almost every meta deck (even unfavorable matchups like Simic Flash can be more affordable with Bedeck / Bedazzle at instant speed).



Ten days ago, dusktilhon proposed these bo1/bo3 lists also featuring Fae of Wishes.


In late September, NessOnett8 proposed this list that doesn't use Fae of Wishes.

Edit: and then just today DrkZeraga posted about this that they took to top 200!

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hoser2
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Post by hoser2 » 4 years ago

I forget how much longer bo3 matches take on Arena. I modified dusktilhon's bo3 list as follows and took it through 5 matches; 2 in the traditional ranked queue and 3 in the meta event. I really didn't get much information, unfortunately as I won all five matches relatively easily and I think I would have done so with any of these lists. Obviously, I was lucky, but being ranked at Silver tier 2 meant that the competition was not the most intense.
I played:
  • Izzet Double Draw with Faerie Vandal and the Royal Scions. In this match, Instant speed removal would have really helped.
  • Esper Control that flooded hard in Game 2
  • Bant Field that got stuck on 3 mana G1 and quit before G2
  • Esper Stax
  • Boros Knights which played Deafening Silence out of the board, which was annoying

Edit: Finished the event by splitting a pair of matches with Temur food to go 4-1.

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hoser2
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Post by hoser2 » 4 years ago

Here is what seems like a solid Reddit post by Acarecan.

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Ryder
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Post by Ryder » 4 years ago

This deck is probably the home of Wishclaw Talisman. Finds fires. Or Bolas. They find removal. You find another Fires. Or Bolas, or whatever. You win.

I'd try to cut Narsets and some other answers and fit it in.

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hoser2
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Post by hoser2 » 4 years ago

Makes sense, but it isn't a natural home for 3feri. 3feri and Wishclaw fit really well together, which is why I think Wishclaw it fits so well in Esper Stax. Now a 4 color Fires deck with Interplanar Beacon? Fires would allow playing all the amazing cards you could wish for. I'm feeling really tempted, but that's a different thread.

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