BR Aggro Takes Down Multiple Grand Prixs

Rakdos Aggro is one of the new decks to beat after it has taken down two Grand Prixs.

 

Rakdos Aggro appears to be the new Flavor of the Month. I didn’t expect the deck to win two weeks in a row but here we are.

Jon Bolding won Grand Prix Charleston with a BR Aggro deck two weeks ago. His list was pretty innovative and he took the deck in a new direction. He slowed the deck down and gave it more of a late game presence. Hellrider and Thundermaw Hellkite put the deck over the top. He also played Knight of Infamy and said it was the best card in his deck.

Also, Tyler Lytle just won Grand Prix San Antonio with a few modifications to Jon Bolding’s list.

Here’s Tyler Lytle’s list:

 

The deck is awesome because it can win early and go under Thragtusk but it also has a mid to late game plan to finish off opponents. Centaur Healer and Thragtusk are cards that are meant to stop aggro in the format but RB Aggro isn’t threatened by them much. Falkenrath Aristocrat can fly over Thragtusk and is difficult to remove. She gives you a plan against Supreme Verdict and also serves as a sac outlet to finish someone off with Geralf’s Messengers. Hellrider gives you a similar effect at the 4 drop slot, a hasty creature that does a lot of damage. Hellrider is an awesome addition to the deck and Tyler said he also wants to cut a Thundermaw Hellkite for the fourth Hellrider.

Thundermaw Hellkite is another creature that gives the deck an excellent late game plan. It’s a giant hasty dragon that requires an immediate answer or it ends games swiftly. It flies over Thragtusk, like Falkenrath Aristocrat. It also wins combat with Restoration Angel and it can kill Lingering Souls tokens to prevent them from chump blocking.

 

 

Knight of Infamy was said to be the best card in the deck by both Lytle and Bolding. The exalted is huge because it lets you punch through Augur of Bolas and other annoying early blockers. The pro-white lets you get past Restoration Angel and matches up well against humans. You can attack without fear of an Azorius Charm which makes it hard for UW Flash and Bant Control to stop your early aggression. Knight of Infamy also attacks past Loxodon Smiter which can be huge. Exalted usually makes combat very favorable for you. For example, with Knight in play, Gravecrawlers can now attack into Thragtusk and Centaur Healer and you can just recast them post combat. One trick that many don’t know is that Knight of Infamy is a Human and can put a +1/+1 counter on Falkenrath Aristocrat.

Pillar of Flame fell off the map for awhile, but people are beginning to play it again with the rise of other Zombies decks. Also, GW Aggro and GW Humans decks are beginning to see more play. Pillar of Flame excels against GW because it can kill Arbor Elf, Avacyn’s Pilgrim, Champion of the Parish. Silverblade Paladin, and Ulvenwald Tracker. Searing Spear is just a cheap burn spell that lets you kill early blockers or dome your opponent to finish the game. Victim of Night is a solid removal spell because it kills 4 toughness creatures like Loxodon Smiter and Restoration Angel that Searing Spear can’t. The 4 Cavern of Souls really punish decks heavy on counterspells like UW Flash.

Sideboarding

Bonfire of the Damned is good against decks with mana dorks like Craterhoof Reanimator and GW Aggro as well as decks that play Lingering Souls. Appetite for Brains is an excellent card against Bant Control and Reanimator as it deals with Craterhoof Behemoth, Terminus, Supreme Verdict, Thragtusk, Restoration Angel, Unburial Rites, and Angel of Serenity. Against control decks you can also bring in Underworld Connections to keep up with their massive card advantage from Sphinx’s Revelation. Vampire Nighthawk shines against GW Aggro decks and is decent in the mirror. Zealous Conscripts can steal cards like Thragtusk where you can attack for 5 then sac it to Aristocrat to get a 3/3 token.

 

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