Ruby Storm

[Mr. Safety]

Thanks for feedback. Nice to get feedback from people with some games under your belts.

Wasteland scenario is always a factor for sol land decks. I suppose 4 sol lands is enough and hopefully with probes on average you can play around wasteland.

With ssg its quite nice even if you run out a sol land rock into daze... And then pay via ssg. (even into wasteland).

It's funny bc I started the deck with 8rocks,then we cut down to 4 for a whole... Then 6....maybe 7 is correct. I'm running 2 Gamble in my build as a pseudo rock when needed.

I think the power level of Gamble is much more productive than having more rocks. The speed is there (turn 2-4 combo, on average), the resiliency is there (Past in Flames FTW), so the consistency part is really the focus. Gamble is able to play a much bigger role, for less mana, than Helm of Awakening (if you're simply comparing the two.)

Maybe both is correct, but the reoccurring problem with the deck is fitting in everything to make it function. Hazoret's Undying Fury is a fairly easy decision to make, simply because multiples get worse when casting them (1-2 has become sort-of the consensus.) The rituals are basically locked in as far as quantity of them, the mix just changes (mostly between SSG/Desperate Ritual.) The rock count seems like the last really big decision to make (barring any other new cards getting printed.) Sidboard is a metagame call, but the wishboard stays within 1-2 cards of each other in every build.

I was watching a bunch of videos on YouTube of Belcher, and I think we're simply a turn slower but more consistent version of belcher. Once our goblins are dealt with we aren't dead either, because Past in Flames is huge in the mid-late game for stealing wins. I've also been watching a lot of TES videos, a storm version that leans on Empty the Warrens to a much greater extent than ANT (and it's another Burning Wish deck like Belcher.) We're at about the same level of speed, just a little less consistent. We're banking on critical mass of storm producers/raw draw spells while they are banking on cantrips feeding the correct rituals/LEDs to feed a guaranteed Infernal Tutor/Burning Wish win. I highly suggest watching videos of all three of those decks; it puts Ruby Storm into perspective on how it works compared to those decks, and those other 3 give valuable insight on how to fight common matchups.

[mistercakes]

good points, but i think analysis is missing a few points.

belcher is belcher because it has a high % of turn 1 kills. the goblin plan is how it wins prob around 60+% of the games, but there's enough belcher kills to really put it in its own class.
TES is primarily an ad nauseam deck, and a lot less of a goblins deck. it does get there with goblins quite a lot, but i think there's more tendrils kills than goblins.

after getting excited again about using hazoret's, i've goldfished and played some matches on modo. after flipping 4 mountains with 2 in play...i'm tired of the singleton hazoret's.

here's the list i'm running. the only card i'm questioning is the 2nd gamble, which could become an empty the warrens.

2 ancient tomb
2 city of traitors
11 mountain
4 lotus petal
4 ruby medallion
2 helm of awakening
2 simian spirit guide
1 desperate ritual
4 rite of flame
4 manamorphose
4 seething song
4 gitaxian probe
4 burning wish
4 act on impulse
3 past in flames
3 reforge the soul
2 gamble

sb:

1 tendrils of agony
1 grapeshot
1 empty the warrens
1 past in flames
1 cave-in
1 reforge the soul
1 by force
2 abrade
3 defense grid
1 tormod's crypt

other than the 1 gamble slot, i'm probably keeping the other 59 together. (sb pretty flexible)

[DeliriumFit]

One thing I'll say in Hazoret's favour is that there are games where it can act as a late game personal Reforge the Soul. These games against a delver deck where they used all their stuff to stop you, and have a lone delver 3'ing you per turn, and your just in top deck mode. Hazoret's can be a top deck that instantly gets you back in the game. Also nice that it can operate without the graveyard in case someone went to the graveyard hate plan to stop PiF.

I dont know, maybe I just enjoy the card too much.

[mistercakes]

i agree completely. it is also the most fun card in the deck. i have my foil playset and non-foil. i go back and forth all the time. for now i'll go without it.

i haven't sat and playtested vs a good player (thorough amount of matches) to fine tune the numbers on everything. all i have right now is a ton of league play and 1 local tourney that i played over a month ago.

it's super possible my build is wrong!

[BR3N7]

Been playing this for fun for a bit and I really enjoy it for a "for fun" deck with upside.

In my testing I hated Defense Grid since and the Hope of Ghirapur but I have liked Pyroblast and even Thoughtseize as a 1 of in the board better.

Also I tried Gamble but IDK it always felt either great or terrible. I also didn't act on impulse but it grew on me and never want more than 2. I also feel I want more Empty in the main to just go to that if going off isn't a thing like in Belcher. I played TES for a long time and I feel his is between that and Belcher.

This is what I kind of ended on but keep trying things out.

4 Ancient Tomb
11 Mountain
4 Burning Wish
2 Act on Impulse
2 Hazoret's Undying Fury
3 Reforge the Soul
3 Past in Flames
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Empty the Warrens
4 Ruby Medallion
2 Helm of Awakening
4 Lotus Petal
3 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Seething Song
4 Manamorphose
4 Rite of Flame
2 Desperate Ritual

2 Scab-Clan Berserker
3 Pyroblast or 2PB/1 Thoughtseize and 2 Badlands in main. Yes not mono red but like in TES being able to Wish for a discard spell is very very good especially game 1.
1 Meltdown
1 Pyroclasm
1 Cave-in
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Past in Flames
1 Grapeshot
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Tendrills of Agony
1 Hazoret's Undying Fury (might cut for something else cause I RARELY tutor for this like RARELY and maybe another Empty is better or something random)
1 Rending Volley

[solnox]

How do you guys beat Grixis Delver/Control?

The matchup feels insanely difficult with their combination of Counterspells, Hand Disruption and clock.

I'm something awful like 0-8 vs the swarms of delver online

[mistercakes]

it's definitely one of the harder matchups. game 1's can be won more easily with an empty the warrens heavy maindeck build. otherwise you will need to land a rock and at least 2-3 threats. volcanic fallout also isn't the worst card against matchups like that. angler is obviously still a problem, but the rest is handled by it.

abrade helps too. also you could consider the 4th reforge the wheel if it's really heavy delver. this way you can miracle yourself out of situations. magma jet is better in that build as well.

[Mr. Safety]

good points, but i think analysis is missing a few points.

belcher is belcher because it has a high % of turn 1 kills. the goblin plan is how it wins prob around 60+% of the games, but there's enough belcher kills to really put it in its own class.
TES is primarily an ad nauseam deck, and a lot less of a goblins deck. it does get there with goblins quite a lot, but i think there's more tendrils kills than goblins.

Great post.

How do you feel about the 1-of Thoughtsieze in the sideboard mentioned above(or it could be Cabal Therapy, honestly, especially with 4x maindeck GitProbes)? I think it's pretty sexy, but it would definitely need some black-producing lands in the maindeck or always drawing Manamorphose. Maybe not a risk we want, but I like that it can be flashed back as well for free for a goblin token (a trick other storm decks do often I think.)

I'm also sad if HUF becomes obsolete in the deck, because it was the card that I feel put this idea on the map in the first place. Fun aside, I think it was a way to get a critical mass of payoff storm engine spells (tagging along with RtS and PiF.) I understand the results, the deck is really a Past in Flames deck at heart more than anything else. I just want it to work so badly, lol. Mind's Desire is bonafide broken, so it was so cool to see this card see print.

[BR3N7]

Great post.

How do you feel about the 1-of Thoughtsieze in the sideboard mentioned above(or it could be Cabal Therapy, honestly, especially with 4x maindeck GitProbes)? I think it's pretty sexy, but it would definitely need some black-producing lands in the maindeck or always drawing Manamorphose. Maybe not a risk we want, but I like that it can be flashed back as well for free for a goblin token (a trick other storm decks do often I think.)

I'm also sad if HUF becomes obsolete in the deck, because it was the card that I feel put this idea on the map in the first place. Fun aside, I think it was a way to get a critical mass of payoff storm engine spells (tagging along with RtS and PiF.) I understand the results, the deck is really a Past in Flames deck at heart more than anything else. I just want it to work so badly, lol. Mind's Desire is bonafide broken, so it was so cool to see this card see print.

I tried Cabal first since it was the best in TES but its a hit and miss and I didn't like that. I want a answer to anything. Playing the 2 Badlands and 1-2 Red Fetches never felt bad or cost me a game, if anything I was happy they used Wasteland on my Badlands and let me keep the Tomb the one time it happened.. The 1 Thoughtseize seems just right. If I ran 4 probes and 3 Empty in the main I would say Therapy could possibly be better.

HUF is great at what it does. 2 seems to be just right. I wanted to run 4 SOOOOO bad and I had to accept reality it was to many.

Yes Grixis delver is the matchup thats making me think this deck is terrible but this is why I want more empty in the main and looking to go up to even 3. Pyroblast also is great here and why I prefer it as killing Delver is sometimes a fine play.

Fun idea I tested was putting 4 chalice in the board (non probe version) and even Blood Moon for some MU's since no one would see it coming and could steal games.

[mistercakes]

so i think the discard is an okay idea, but the manabase is already fragile. cabal therapy seems like it would be better than thoughtseize, with the probe and tombs the lifeloss would be pretty rough.

i think it's best if you want to just stop counterspells to run empty the warrens.

vieko and i have tested blood moon and i did test chalice early on (especially in builds that didn't run rite of flame and probe). blood moon does steal games, prob just check out your meta and if you can steal a lot of matches outside of grixis it might be worth it. (eldrazi, elves, lands. etc)

[Mr. Safety]

I tried Cabal first since it was the best in TES but its a hit and miss and I didn't like that. I want a answer to anything. Playing the 2 Badlands and 1-2 Red Fetches never felt bad or cost me a game, if anything I was happy they used Wasteland on my Badlands and let me keep the Tomb the one time it happened.. The 1 Thoughtseize seems just right. If I ran 4 probes and 3 Empty in the main I would say Therapy could possibly be better.

HUF is great at what it does. 2 seems to be just right. I wanted to run 4 SOOOOO bad and I had to accept reality it was to many.

Yes Grixis delver is the matchup thats making me think this deck is terrible but this is why I want more empty in the main and looking to go up to even 3. Pyroblast also is great here and why I prefer it as killing Delver is sometimes a fine play.

Fun idea I tested was putting 4 chalice in the board (non probe version) and even Blood Moon for some MU's since no one would see it coming and could steal games.

I am also on 2x HUF, Pyroblast sideboard, and 3x Empty the Warrens maindeck, have been almost since the beginning. I'm really high on Act on Impulse right now, it's an absurd card to flip with Hazoret's Undying Fury (imagine Mind's Desire into Ancestral Recall, woo hoo!)

However, I'm not sold on the Thoughtseize sideboard. I think the brute force approach with Warrens will be better g1 against Grixis decks and post-board it's still fantastic, even against grave-hate.

Hoping to test out my Inferno Titans tomorrow night...see if they really are the real deal or wasted space.

Turn 1 Inferno Titan against elves, mmm, feels so good against my skin...

EDIT: If we sideboard Thoughtseize, and the high mana cost spells are mostly Wish targets, do we go back to 2008 and sideboard Dark Confidant?

[mistercakes]

just played 3 matches on modo and won all. (was casual room, but they seemed competent).

like my last list, but cut 1 land for the 3rd helm of awakening. was doing more consideration after the post a few days ago by Ronco. I still favor Ruby so I am running 4 Ruby, but I think in a deck that relies a lot of Act on Impulse, it's important to get it to 1cc.

10 mtn and 4 sol land.

(also to note, elves is already favorable. make sure you have enough matchups where inferno titan will help.)

[Mr. Safety]

just played 3 matches on modo and won all. (was casual room, but they seemed competent).

like my last list, but cut 1 land for the 3rd helm of awakening. was doing more consideration after the post a few days ago by Ronco. I still favor Ruby so I am running 4 Ruby, but I think in a deck that relies a lot of Act on Impulse, it's important to get it to 1cc.

10 mtn and 4 sol land.

(also to note, elves is already favorable. make sure you have enough matchups where inferno titan will help.)

I didn't know elves was favorable...haven't played the matchup yet. That was one of the bigger reasons for it because it wipes the board every turn. I guess pressuring Jace is good, but I don't think I've ever seen a t1-2 Jace.

[solnox]

Elves have nothing game 1 outside of racing you

Postboard, they have surgicals, seize/therapy, ruric thar

overall still an easy matchup

[Shaman]

just played 3 matches on modo and won all. (was casual room, but they seemed competent).

like my last list, but cut 1 land for the 3rd helm of awakening. was doing more consideration after the post a few days ago by Ronco. I still favor Ruby so I am running 4 Ruby, but I think in a deck that relies a lot of Act on Impulse, it's important to get it to 1cc.

10 mtn and 4 sol land.

(also to note, elves is already favorable. make sure you have enough matchups where inferno titan will help.)

If you play 3 helms and go down to 14 lands, I guess the lonely desperate ritual can be switched to the 3rd SGG to maximize the chances to play your rock on T1. SGG helps getting paying daze sometimes.
My testing confirms Gamble is the nuts: I play 2 and I am not playing less in the near future.

[solnox]

Ran 2-1 a few days ago in a paper tournament beating elves and Miracles and losing to Tezzerator with MB Leyline which was brutal.

going to be running back my list this time with 2x gamble and cutting the Chandra, Torch of Defiance.

[mistercakes]

yea i am a little reluctant to run so few initial red sources (10 mtn, 2 ssg, 4 petal) but will require more testing. i really like how desperate ritual can enable turn 1 wins.

turn 1 desperate -> ruby/helm -> manamorphose -> seething song -> do something stupid.

[Mr. Safety]

yea i am a little reluctant to run so few initial red sources (10 mtn, 2 ssg, 4 petal) but will require more testing. i really like how desperate ritual can enable turn 1 wins.

turn 1 desperate -> ruby/helm -> manamorphose -> seething song -> do something stupid.

I've been on 1 Desperate Ritual for a while, and I find it to be worth its slot but I'm not sure how many more than 1. I'm back on the plan of playing a full set of SSG because of the need for mana post-Reforge the Soul.

Quick question for everyone: I haven't *once* Wish-ed for Reforge the Soul, ever. I see where it could be great, but I almost always go for Tendrils if I can kill them now, or Past in Flames to further the chain (and kill them now, lol.) I'm wondering if the RtS could be dropped from the wishboard for something more relevant in the side. You guys wishing for RtS very often?

[mistercakes]

That tends to come up more in the matchups where counterspells aren't involved. Really helps with the storm matchup too. It can also help a lot vs the decks that are packing hard grave hate like leyline or rest in peace.

I'd say if you don't find yourself wishing for it, try to figure out if you ever could have for games that didn't get there. If it doesn't come up enough for you then I would say move it to main board or just drop.

[Shaman]

I have just played some games with:

1 desperate ritual
1 simian spirit guide
3 helms of awakening
10 mountains
1 crystal vein
4 ancient tomb

The rest as mistercakes'.
I felt very good with 7 rocks.
Mana felt great.

What is annoying with SSG is they cannot be discarded for mana when exiled with act on impulse. I guess I am changing my mind on them.

Question: how does defense grid works under helm?