Gruul Aggro Post Born of the Gods

With the Release of Born of the Gods, I think Gruul Aggro got some new goodies worth playing. For the last 2 weeks, I was trying to build an Aggro Gruul deck. It will be my first tournaments here in Japan so I though an aggro deck might be a good way to practice Magic with the Japanese language level that I have.

Fanatic of Xenagos

Of all the Tribute cards released in Born of the Gods, I think this is one of the best. We all know how making your opponent choose for you is not a good effect. But the options for Fanatic of Xenegos are good either way for an aggro deck.

Searing Blood

I am really loving this card. Against other Red and aggro decks, this shines the most. But it is also very good against midrange strategies since as we put a lot of pressure in the battlefield, Searing Blood will make your opponent think twice before blocking.

Maximizing Burning-Tree Emmisary and Ghor-Clan Rampager

The deck was basically made to maximize the mana produced by Burning-Tree Emissary. With a full set of Gore-House Chainwalker and Firefist Striker as the other 2-drops, this deck will definitely clog the board on turn 2 to keep putting pressure on the opponent. Ghor-clan Rampager is there to give trample and reach. I could say that the trample is very important especially in racing games. You can also hard cast it as a 4/4 trampler, but I seldom use this option in the deck. For the burn package, although most people use Magma Jet, I chose to use the good old Shocks, Lightning Strikes for mana efficiency.

Gruul Aggro by Bryan Inno Wong

Lands: 4 Stomping Ground 4 Gruul Guildgate 11 Mountain 1 Forest Creatures: 4 Rakdos Cackler 4 Firedrinker Satyr 4 Burning-Tree Emissary 4 Gore-House Chainwalker 4 Firefist Striker 4 Fanatic of Xenagos 4 Ghor-Clan Rampager Instants: 4 Shock 4 Lightning Strike 4 Searing Blood

Sideboard: 2 Hammer of Purphoros 2 Mizzium Mortars 3 Destructive Revelry 3 Act of Treason 3 Skullcrack 2 Flames of the Firebrand

Matchup Results:

Gruul Aggro vs Boros Burn : (2-1)

Gruul Aggro vs GR Monsters : (3-3)

Gruul Aggro vs RG Devotion : (0-2)

Gruul Aggro vs Monoblack Devotion : (0-2)

Gruul Aggro vs Monowhite Aggro : (2-0)

Notes:
After 2 weeks of playing this deck, I think that this deck is really good in an Aggro meta. But since the current Meta is filled with Mono Black and RG midrange strategies, this deck may come up short against those decks. I am currently working on a Monored Devotion deck to put it in a position to combat midrange strategies. I will be posting the new decklist and how well it will go in the tournaments in my local shop.