MTGNexus

Hey,
I have never had a good relationship with red mana.

But I want to change that today. I do not like normal red aggro decks, so I am looking for something different. I also don't want to do something I have seen a lot, so no Daretti.

Here are some generals I have picked out. I am looking for comments on these generals - have you played it or against it, how would you feel playing against it, etc.

Adamaro, First to Desire: Ok, I think I might make this one aggro in the end - make everyone draw extra cards and hope I can kill people before they can stabilize.

Feldon of the Third Path: Reanimator. Never seen this as a reanimator deck and I think it could be very fun.

Starke of Rath: Love this card, but I think it pushes towards not so fun playstyles... any experience with this card?

Of those three, Feldon is by far most viable. Other two are gimmicky at best really.

I've played a number of mono-red commanders and #1 with a bullet for me is zirilan of the claw. He can play aggressively or toolboxy, even a bit controlly with some of the dragons that sport removal. I've got a primer on mtgsalvation, I haven't migrated it here yet though.

Jaya balard is the way to go, great control general, also randomly hates blue I don't know how to link else I would.

Feldon is an excellent general. One of the members of my regular playgroup has a Feldon deck and I'm always happy to see it because it's fair, powerful, and can make for some truly ridiculous board states.

Go with a token pooping deck and run purphoros.

Grenzo, Havoc Raiser is my current commander, and his deck is forced combat curving into chaos. Having two modes to play with makes this guy pretty flexible, and his CMC is hard to beat. Win or lose, you'll almost always be a presence, and that's good enough for me.

Of the three mentioned, I would lean towards Feldon of the Third Path - he allows for the most interesting play patterns and playing with big stompy things. Also generates mana and card advantage depending on your creature choices, which is always valuable, and not a thing that many red commanders can do.

I haven't encountered Adamaro, First to Desire or Starke of Rath as a commander. I do run Starke in my Samut deck, where he is a respectable source of removal (especially if you're running ways to untap him or otherwise make him more asymmetric).

Ultimately though, depends on what you're looking for. I'll throw out Zada, Hedron Grinder as another spicy option.

I really like that new Torbran guy. I saw a dude playing him as almost Chandra tribal with all kinds of ping-1 effects and it was really good. Turning electrickery into a one sided almost-sweeper, stuff like that.

pokken wrote: ↑

4 years ago

I really like that new Torbran guy. I saw a dude playing him as almost Chandra tribal with all kinds of ping-1 effects and it was really good. Turning electrickery into a one sided almost-sweeper, stuff like that.

I also like Torbran, it is the kind of card that goes well with things like Arcbond. I will be putting him in a Zurgo Helmsmasher deck one day.

As a general, I feel like I would want some intricate series of interactions to get him to one shot the board.

Not sure if Torbran, Thane of Red Fell counts as aggro, since I won many games without attacking once. If you focus on red's punishment cards such as Manabarb, Spell Shock, Citadel of Pain, and Burning Earth, you're pretty much playing a "control deck" by limiting opponent's life points.

i play 2 red commander decks 1 is a krenko, mob boss deck and the other one is a red dragon deck with urabrask the hidden as my commander

krenko does put out a lot of goblins and is insane in a red goblin deck with Purphoros, God of the Forge and with urabrask the hidden everything you put on the battlefield has haste + creature's your opponents controle come in play tapped

https://www.mtgsalvation.com/decks/12099-general-krenko
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/decks/7648 ... ragon-deck

I'd like to advocate for Captain Lannery Storm. She costs 2r and generates an artifact. If you're not going to weld it, you can use it to ramp. Since there's a built-in artifact theme, you can safely inlcude Feldon in the 99. Her pump ability also encourages aggro, if you want it.

I'm all for Kari Zev. She gives you a very aggressive commander with evasion, is super cheap, is not the obvious target for removal, and gives you some play with tokens. She's like the hybrid cousin of Porphoros and Torbran. Plus, her name is super fun to say.

Lots of good suggestions here, but I'm surprised no ones suggested Ilharg, the Raze-Boar or Etali, Primal Storm. That's good, clean fun right there.

MeowZeDung wrote: ↑

4 years ago

Lots of good suggestions here, but I'm surprised no ones suggested Ilharg, the Raze-Boar or Etali, Primal Storm. That's good, clean fun right there.

Too much mana and relies on getting an attack in a colour that traditionally isn't good at ramping. Lack of haste is another mitigating factour on such a high mana threat.

3drinks wrote: ↑

4 years ago

MeowZeDung wrote: ↑

4 years ago

Lots of good suggestions here, but I'm surprised no ones suggested Ilharg, the Raze-Boar or Etali, Primal Storm. That's good, clean fun right there.

Too much mana and relies on getting an attack in a colour that traditionally isn't good at ramping. Lack of haste is another mitigating factour on such a high mana threat.

Yup, they'll never be super competitive for those reasons, but there are lots of mana rocks, cost reducers, and haste enablers to make then serviceable and fun.

Adamaro will get better the bigger your opponent's hands are. Of course, you don't want them playing too many cards, so that is primarily a stax plan (mass land destruction, etc. ). Might not make folks too happy with you.

Feldon is certainly good, but predictable. Grave hate will eat him alive, same as most re animator decks.

I actually like starke of rath. He encourages political play in a color not usually known for it. Bonus points for fetching up a homeward path with him on the battlefield. Removal in the command zone is usually a very good thing.

Two minored decks I have had the most fun with was a purphuros goblin tribal,and Chandra tribal.
Chandra is not super powerful hut so much fun to just flood the board with PWs. As for purphoros. Being able to keep popping out goblins to keep doing 2 damage atopnof attacking is fast and deadly.

Of those I think Feldon with a looting fatties away theme feels very viable and fun.

Plus you get to play zealous conscripts the way garfield intended (untapping your own stuff and giving it haste).

Of those you've selected, I'd say that Feldon seems the most fun to me, and one that I would consider experimenting with. I've played Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient and found him quite fun, and he can be up to some similar shenanigans.

If you're looking for fun, might I also recommend that no matter who you might choose as a Commander, consider a worthwhile inclusion in Bludgeon Brawl. It is often quite hilarious.

MeowZeDung wrote: ↑

4 years ago

Lots of good suggestions here, but I'm surprised no ones suggested Ilharg, the Raze-Boar or Etali, Primal Storm. That's good, clean fun right there.

I'll second this, and add Neheb the Eternal to the mix. All three of these can really do some fun degenerate stuff. Torbran is pretty popular now, but for good reason, so he should also get another vote.

No love for zo-zu the punisher? mana denial, ankh of mishra, all those other fun effects?

I had a nice one a while back, it curved out at cmc4 with ruination. aggressive, low to the ground, blood moon, wheels,and fun.

I can imagine feldon reanimator would be good tho. maybe i should give that a shot at some point.

schweinefett wrote: ↑

4 years ago

No love for zo-zu the punisher? mana denial, ankh of mishra, all those other fun effects?

I had a nice one a while back, it curved out at cmc4 with ruination. aggressive, low to the ground, blood moon, wheels,and fun.

You're just describing my Kari Zev as mentioned above.