Arena Open: Day One (May 2023) | Rakdos Aggro "Scourge of the Realm"
0Thought I'd try my first ever Arena Open! It boils down to a choice between Rakdos for the rares and strong early game, or Sultai for ramp, fixing and value.
note: spending the gold must be the better deal here eg. 2.5 premier drafts worth of gold versus 3.3 premier drafts worth of gems.
0:00 Intro
0:55 Rares Roundup
5:48 Sorting Playables
19:38 Finalised Deck
23:33 Match one vs verven
35:02 Match two vs Zuluranger
54:21 Match three vs vlachotei
58:12 Match four vs Zabivaka
1:04:45 Match five vs dhedjeshdi
1:19:11 Match six vs Emirang
1:31:24 Final Thoughts
Result: 3W 3L. We go 50-50 on the first run - it's a start. Bit of a comedown after last week's good results in draft. Lingering thoughts about playing Realmbreaker and/or going Sultai with this pool. I thought aggressive Rakdos might be unexpected and disruptive enough to take on the greedier decks.
Spotted a miss in game 2 - When I swing with Rankle and Torbrann, I should send the dreadship too - then he is forced to block, and I can trigger the sacrifice clause, trading dreadship for a 6/6. Possibly enough to get me the win - he needs two blockers back to stop my menace beast, so perhaps his attack has to flip invasion of fiora for marchesa instead of going face and finding the cosmic hunger for Torbrann. Then I have the combat trick to finish.
Deck
1 Marauding Dreadship (MOM) 153
8 Swamp (SIR) 285
1 Ichor Drinker (MOM) 111
8 Mountain (SIR) 288
1 Khenra Spellspear (MOM) 151
1 Tenured Oilcaster (MOM) 126
1 Pyretic Prankster (MOM) 157
2 Volcanic Spite (MOM) 170
1 Burning Sun's Fury (MOM) 133
1 Hangar Scrounger (MOM) 142
2 Scrappy Bruiser (MOM) 162
1 Shatter the Source (MOM) 164
1 Judith, the Scourge Diva (MUL) 110
1 Rankle and Torbran (MOM) 252
1 Mirrodin Avenged (MOM) 118
1 Aetherblade Agent (MOM) 88
1 Collective Nightmare (MOM) 95
1 Flitting Guerrilla (MOM) 105
1 Vanquish the Weak (MOM) 129
1 Breach the Multiverse (MOM) 94
1 Gloomfang Mauler (MOM) 108
2 Nezumi Informant (MOM) 120
1 Karsus Depthguard (MOM) 150
Sideboard
3 Placid Rottentail (MOM) 199
1 Seed of Hope (MOM) 204
1 Omen Hawker (MOM) 70
1 Kor Halberd (MOM) 27
1 Surge of Salvation (MOM) 41
2 Ephara's Dispersal (MOM) 55
1 Cut Short (MOM) 10
1 Infected Defector (MOM) 18
2 Portent Tracker (MOM) 201
1 Disturbing Conversion (MOM) 54
1 Invasion of Pyrulea (MOM) 240
1 Seraph of New Capenna (MOM) 36
1 Phyrexian Censor (MOM) 31
1 Tymaret, Chosen from Death (MUL) 83
1 Thornwood Falls (MOM) 274
2 Blighted Burgeoning (MOM) 177
2 Angelic Intervention (MOM) 5
1 Overgrown Pest (MOM) 197
2 Halo-Charged Skaab (MOM) 60
2 Golden-Scale Aeronaut (MOM) 15
1 Kami of Whispered Hopes (MOM) 196
2 Invasion of Vryn (MOM) 64
1 Glistening Dawn (MOM) 187
1 Yargle, Glutton of Urborg (MUL) 84
1 Jungle Hollow (MOM) 270
1 Bola Slinger (MOM) 8
1 Order of the Mirror (MOM) 72
1 Ramosian Greatsword (MOM) 159
1 Invasion of Xerex (MOM) 242
1 Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree (MOM) 263
1 Inga Rune-Eyes (MUL) 75
1 Serpent-Blade Assailant (MOM) 205
1 Iridescent Blademaster (MOM) 195
1 Trailblazing Historian (MOM) 168
1 Kithkin Billyrider (MOM) 24
1 Streetwise Negotiator (MOM) 207
1 Reyav, Master Smith (MUL) 122
1 Dismal Backwater (MOM) 269
1 Saiba Cryptomancer (MOM) 76
2 Temporal Cleansing (MOM) 80
1 Skyclave Aerialist (MOM) 78
1 Sculpted Perfection (MOM) 253
1 Marshal of Zhalfir (MOM) 246
1 Invasion of Tolvada (MOM) 241
1 Wrenn's Resolve (MOM) 173
1 Stasis Field (MOM) 79
1 Alabaster Host Intercessor (MOM) 3
1 Kitesail (MOM) 261
1 Corruption of Towashi (MOM) 53
1 Botanical Brawler (MOM) 220
1 Change the Equation (MOM) 50
1 Invasion of Segovia (MOM) 63
1 Valduk, Keeper of the Flame (MUL) 89