-----The Path of Aggression: Mono-Red Aggro in Standard-----

Sligh, the legendary deck that revolutionized Magic, hasn't seen play in Standard for quite some time. What happened to it? Why did it die out? It certainly wasn't for lack of trying to resurrect it.

There are a few reasons why Sligh (and I don't mean RDW) hasn't been played in Type 2. The main reason is that times have changed and decks have changed with them. Gone are the days of competitive decks built around crappy manacurves. To put it simply, Sligh is no longer unique. Not only that, but most aggro decks around are running on better manacurves.

The second reason is that there is a fundamental flaw in the original Sligh deck basis. Something is missing from it.

The third, and final reason that I will list, is that no one wants to change the original Sligh basis. People are so in love with the concept of playing a couple of cheap threats, using Orcish Artillery to control the board, and then slowly, but surely, killing the opponent, that the idea of turning Sligh decks away from that concept is unthinkable.

Those are the main reasons Sligh has been dormant in Standard for so long. People have been trying to resurrect it with no real thought on how it will interact with the rest of the format. Of those three, there is only one which I can attempt to correct. And after almost two years of testing, I think I've done it...

What is the flaw in the original Sligh basis?

The main problem in the basis lies within the basic deck composition of the traditional Sligh deck. For reference purposes, this was the rough blueprint for a Sligh deck:
8-12 1-mana creatures
6-10 2-mana creatures
4-8 3-mana creatures
2-4 4-mana creatures
8-12 efficient burn and utility spells
22-23 lands

What? Doesn't look like any other Sligh deck basis you've seen in another article before? Jay Schneider himself didn't follow those manacurves, so to me, they can't possibly be accurate.

Now then, what's the flaw in the deck's blueprints? Let's all note that even after Sligh became played more, and more, the basis never once got an official update. How is it possible that a prototype deck basis could be perfect? That's like saying that the first computer ever made was perfect, and required no upgrading. It's just utterly ridiculous. The flaw in the deck basis isn't related to what it already says, it has to do with what it doesn't say.

There are a few things to cover, so to make it easier on both me, and you, my readers, I've split the original deck basis into segments for review.
**1-mana Creatures:8-12**
The man update this section needs is to state what specifically goes into this slot. Gone are the days where vanilla 1/1s for could even pretend to be playable. There are two types of creatures needed in this slot: utility and beatdown. Utility creatures are either able to generate card advantage, hard or virtual, or provide some form of reach. Some examples of utility creatures are: Mogg Fanatic,Scorched Rusalka, and Frenzied Goblin. Beatdown creatures either have a higher power than casting cost, or have the potential to deal more damage in the same amount of time as a utility creature. Some examples of beatdown creatures in the 1-drop slot are: Jackal Pup, Goblin Cohort, and Akki Avalanchers. Ideally, you'd want an even split of at least 4 of each kind for the 1-mana slot unless the cardpool or environment didn't allow it.

**2-mana Creatures:6-10**
There isn't really much to say about this slot. Preferrably, you'd want 2-power creatures with a decent ability, or two since the Guildmages came out, but hell, even cards like Goblin Raider can work in this slot.

**3-mana Creatures:4-8**
This is the slot where the flaws start showing up. At the time of Sligh's creation, opposing decks were slow enough that creatures like Orcish Artillery were able to take control of the game in time. Now, aggro decks, which Orcish Artilleries are supposed to shine against, are too fast, too efficient, and able to bring you down to a low enough life total before you can start abusing Orcish Artillery's card advantage engine. So then, what does fit in this slot? It took me so long to figure it out it's embarassing. Haste. Beatdown creatures with haste, like Ball Lightning, Viashino Sandstalker, and Oxidda Golem. OR, utility creatures with haste, like Vulshok Sorcerer. If it doesn't have haste, and it's not a meta-hoser, don't use it.

**4-mana Creatures:2-4**
This slot requires the same update as the 3-mana Creature slot. Haste is essential to make the creature playable. This slot should be dedicated to beatdown-oriented creatures like: Lava Hounds, and Giant Solifuge.

**Efficient Burn and Utility Spells:8-12**
I don't feel there's anything really drastic to add to this slot "definition" besides: only use cards that cost four or less (and even four's a stretch).

**Lands:22-23**
...You didn't honestly think I'd be able to find a flaw in something so straight-forward, did you?

And finally, there is one last thing that isn't explained very much in the original Sligh basis: card efficiency. It put a lot of stress on mana efficiency but barely even mentioned card efficiency beyond: don't play cards that rely on other cards to have an effect. Card efficiency can be complicated to explain so I'll use a very basic example to show what it is...

Shock vs. Char.
It's pretty easy to see which one is more mana efficient, Shock, and yet, Char, by common opinion is the best burn spell in Standard. Why? Because it's twice as card efficient. Char does 4 damage for 3 mana, 1 card, and 2 life while Shock does only 2 damage for 1 mana, and 1 card. But that makes them even, each one has one aspect that makes it more efficient than the other. How can Char be considered the better card? Simple. There is also a third comparison, one which isn't always applicable. How do the cards interact with the current environment? Currently, many aggro decks are packing creatures with 3 or 4 toughness, especially Zoo. Char is able to deal with these creatures at no card disadvantage, Shock is not. This is the deciding factor in this comparison.

And that is the heart of card efficiency: how much impact you can get out of one card. It would take 2 Shocks to do what 1 Char could do, which makes Shock less card efficient.


After the update, the Sligh deck basis should look something like this:
4-8 1-mana, utility Creatures
4-8 1-mana, beatdown Creatures
6-14 2-mana creatures
0-8 3-mana, beatdown Creatures with haste
0-8 3-mana, utility Creatures with haste
0-4 4-mana, beatdown Creatures with haste
8-16 Efficient burn and Utility Spells
22-23 Lands
*1-mana creature count is not to exceed 12.
**3-mana creature count is not to exceed 8.

Looking at the above deck layout, it doesn't look so much like Sligh anymore. Which is why I'd like to propose a new name for Mono-Red Aggro... Wilkins Red!!... Just kidding. Honestly, I think the deck should be called Chaos, just for the irony. Red is the color of chaos, and yet, Red decks are among the most consistent around.

So, before going straight to the Chaos decklist, I think it's a good idea to review the Standard cardpool. Below is a list of the Red cards I feel are playable in aggro, and my evaluation of each of them.

**1-mana Creatures**
Frenzied Goblin: He's a solid 1/1 for with an amazing ability in the late-game. His triggered ability has a huge impact on the ground war, and forces your opponent to have at least two blockers available to prevent you from swinging in unhindered.

Scorched Rusalka: Another solid utility creature with a good ability. Not only does she provide reach in the late-game, she also helps negate the effects of popular cards like: Lightning Helix, Faith's Fetters, and Umezawa's Jitte. Helix and Fetters especially, since you can sacrifice the target in response to the spell and stop the card's life gain.

Frostling: The "new" Mogg Fanatic. This little Spirit truly shines against first turn accelerators like Birds of Paradise. Other than that, he's helpful against Hand in Hand, and can have some impact against Zoo.

Goblin Cohort: The best beatdown creature 1-drop right now. He's a 2/2 for with a drawback that rarely affects the game. However, due to the recent rise of W/X Control decks, I feel that he's become a bit subpar, since he's an almost useless topdeck post-Wrath.

**2-mana Creatures**
Gruul Guildmage: A 2/2 for , with the Red ability to Shock an opponent, and the Green ability to Kodama's Might a fellow creature. A very solid 2-drop. Definitely a four-of.

Rakdos Guildmage: The second best Red Guildmage, in my opinion. He has the ability to call up reinforcements, either to attack or block, if need be, and if you have access to Black mana, the ability to kill opposing creatures as well.

Boros Guildmage: She's solid, but I feel she's somewhat lacking. Late-game, both the Gruul Guildmage and Rakdos Guildmage have the ability to get a little extra use out of your spare mana, even when they're all alone on the board. Boros Guildmage can only offer minor enhancements to the creatures you might topdeck.

Hearth Kami: Another good 2-mana creature that I feel is outclassed by the Gruul and Rakdos Guildmages. Unless Umezawa's Jitte is rampant in your meta, I would suggest against using this guy over the other 2-drops.

**3-mana Creatures**
Viashino Sandstalker: This is the only 3-drop that I feel is worth using in the maindeck. He's got four power, haste, and the ability to dodge all sorcery-speed removal. However, having multiple copies in your hand is just a bit too redundant. I'd say to use 3 copies in the maindeck at the most.

Zo-Zu the Punisher: This guy looks excellent on paper, but when you actually play with him, he doesn't do much. However, he does have the power to quite a bit of damage against decks like Heartbeat without even attacking. Really, Zo-Zu is a meta choice, but I highly doubt that he'll be as useful as you expect him to be.

**4-mana Creatures**
Giant Solifuge: He's got 4-power, haste, trample, and most importantly of all, untargetability. He's got everything it takes to excel in this environment. I'd use at least 3 in the maindeck, if not 4.

**Efficient Burn and Utility Spells**
Shock: The basic burn spell in Standard. Most people, and I agree, feel that Seal of Fire is better, but redundancy is (usually) good. Including a couple somewhere in the maindeck or sideboard in addition to Seal of Fire is probably a good idea.

Seal of Fire: This just got reprinted in Dissension, and instantly replaced Shock in nearly every Red deck. This card is excellent. Auto four-of. Beware of people cheating around with Pithing Needle, though.

Volcanic Hammer: A solid burn spell, even if it is sorcery speed. Good for killing three toughness creatures efficiently.

Char: The most effective burn spell currently. Most aggro decks' creatures top out at four toughness now. This should be an auto four-of in every Red deck that can afford its mana cost.

Shattering Spree, Shatter, and Smash: In this environment, these cards are sideboard at best. Hearth Kami is almost strictly better now.

Pithing Needle: The all-around answer card. Use this to shut down cards like Story Circle and Umezawa's Jitte. This should be a four-of in the sideboard if you can afford them.

Parallectric Feedback: This card can single-handedly win you the game against Heartbeat decks (especially if they don't see it coming). If they're heavily played in your meta, consider using two of these in your maindeck and two in the sideboard.

Blood Moon: A major hoser enchantment. Since it's really a hit or miss in terms of effectiveness, I'd say this card should be in the sideboard at best.

Ignorant Bliss: This deck scoops to mass discard effects like Persecute. Keeping a couple of these in the sideboard just in case Black Discard gets big is a good idea.

Flames of the Blood Hand: It's mana efficient, player-targeted burn that stops lifegain for a turn. It's certainly playable, but with most of the format being aggro decks, and with Rusalka doing a fine job of dealing with Helix and Fetters anyway, I'd say it's sideboard at best, if at all. Plus, what aggro deck wants to have to hold three mana open?


And now, for a decklist, I present...

Chaos
Critters - 23 4 Frostling 4 Frenzied Goblin 4 Rakdos Guildmage 4 Gruul Guildmage 3 Viashino Sandstalker 4 Giant Solifuge Burn Spells - 14 2 Shock 4 Char 4 Volcanic Hammer 4 Seal of Fire	Lands - 23 4 Blood Crypt 4 Stomping Ground 15 Mountain	Sideboard - 15 3 Rathi Dragon 2 Shock 3 Yamabushi's Flame 4 Pithing Needle 3 Jade Statue

A few general play tips...
1. In the beginning turns of the game, try to kill first turn accelerators before they get a chance to use them. This is why there are four Frostlings, four Seal of Fires, and two Shocks in the maindeck. Yes, you slow yourself down a bit, but you're slowing them down more, and it's possible that they kept a mana light hand and were depending on that accelerator to carry them out of it.
2. Use burn to kill blockers, not attackers, unless you are in danger of dying. Your goal is not to spend all your resources trying to keep yourself alive like a control deck. Your goal is to kill the other person as quickly as possible.
3. Against control decks, use all spare mana to burn them to the face. Don't hold back like you would against an aggro deck.
4. The sideboard is built to transform the deck into an aggro-control deck in order to face aggro decks like Zoo and Hand in Hand. You will be siding in the normally terrible Rathi Dragon and Jade Statue against them quite a bit, so get used to it.

****Matchup Information****

v.s. Zoo: Game 1 can be hard if they get a fast start. Otherwise, try to race them. Most Zoo players aren't used to being on the defensive, even against other aggro decks. Take advantage of that. Most of the time, the inexperienced Zoo player will hold back at all the wrong times and go all out at the wrong times as well, opening himself to an alpha-strike ftw. Post-sideboard, you're going to adopt a different strategy to fight them. Side in three Rathi Dragons and three Yamabushi's Flame. If you have the choice, choose to draw. From the beginning of the game, try to force a war of attrition. Pretty much all of your burn will be able to go 1-for-1 against them. Once they've run out of resources, drop a Rathi Dragon or Giant Solifuge and ride it to victory. This is the main reason to choose to draw: you need that little bit of extra card advantage to outlast your opponent.

v.s. Hand in Hand: Game 1 is nearly impossible to win if they're running Descendant of Kiyomaro and/or Paladin en-Vec... If they don't, then it's just like facing a lesser Zoo deck. Just burn away their Dark Confidant and race them. Post-sideboard, adopt the same strategy used against Zoo, except side in 3 Jade Statues as well, to deal with Paladin en-Vec. Shock should also be sided in as well if you choose to use a couple extra copies in the sideboard.

v.s. Heartbeat: Just race them, simple as that. This whole game rests on whose faster. Post-sideboard, if you have them, side in as many Parallectric Feedbacks as you have. Go on the play if you can and kill them. A very easy deck to play against. Not much to say really.

v.s. W/X Control: It should be obvious who's the beatdown in this matchup. Just try to kill them before they stabilize. If they're running Dovescape, you must kill them either before they play it, or the turn after they play it. If you fail, you'll lose, it's inevitable. Post-sideboard, side in Parallectric Feedback to use if their win condition costs or more. Not much more advice I can give.

v.s. U/R Magnivore: This matchup is pretty straight-forward. Just beat them down while they attempt to disrupt your mana-base. This is one of the reasons this deck is running 23 lands. Once Magnivore hits the board, the game becomes a race that you should win. Magnivore is a dead blocker if you have Frenzied Goblin. If they cast Wildfire, you might be in a bad position. If you've already dealt sufficient damage with creatures, you can probably win with burn before they stabilize again. If you haven't, you'll probably lose to a huge Magnivore. Post-sideboard, they'll probably pack in Pyroclasms. So, side in 3 Rathi Dragon, and all the burn you have floating around in the sideboard. If you can get a Rathi Dragon down before they cast Wildfire, you should win easily. If you can't, well, that's what all the extra burn is for.

These are the decks in the environment that I feel define it. While you may find some random decks around like Simic Aggro-Control, most likely, you will be playing some form of the above five decks.


And that concludes my article. In a few weeks, once the meta has settled down a bit, I will write a follow-up article, featuring, at the very least, an updated sideboard and matchup report.