Mardu Midrange

[BiuBiu]

MARDU MIDRANGE

http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/rc/2014/cardart_sjcdmdonzk.jpg

Building around Butcher of the Horde resulted in a pretty strong Mardu Midrange deck:

The Deck


// Creatures (14)
4 Butcher of the Horde
4 Dark Confidant
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Grim Lavamancer
// Instants (12)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
2 Terminate
2 Kolaghan's Command
// Sorceries (10)
4 Lingering Souls
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
// Lands (24)
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Arid Mesa
3 Bloodstained Mire
4 Marsh Flats
2 Blood Crypt
1 Godless Shrine
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Clifftop Retreat
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Mountain


Synergies:
- Dark Confidant maintains supply to activate Young Pyromancer
- Lingering Souls triggers Young Pyromancer twice, resulting in an army of tokens.
- Kolaghan's Command is very useful to bring back the small guys, adds to the discard and burn.
- Butcher of the Horde becomes very strong with the token swarm and gains back life lost from Dark Confidant. It's an extremely scary finisher.

- Grim Lavamancer is sort of a flexible slot, honorable mentions for alternatives are:
- Lightning Helix
- Liliana of the Veil
also imaginable for example:
- Pack Rat
- Soulfire Grand Master
- Bitterblossom
- Monastery Mentor
- Tidehollow Sculler

- Lavaclaw Reaches: one of them could also be Vault of the Archangel

Mardu colors offer fantastic sideboard choices according to your meta.

The deck is pretty strong and fun to play. In comparison to Jund and Junk, the loss of Tarmogoyf, Scavenging Ooze and Abrupt Decay are hurting the most. So why not play those? This is just a totally different deck, it's a home-made brew compared to a long term tier 1 deck, but you will be suprised how strong it can be. It really has a lot of potential, plus you can play Lingering Souls and Lightning Bolt plus discard. You have the choices to go wide with the tokens or to go big with the demons. Also, smashing face with a hasty lifegain Butcher-Demon, which no one expects to see can be highly rewarding.

Your opinions, criticism and suggestions are highly appreciated - Let's discuss!
What do you think?

[Mr. Safety]

I've done this a little bit with a very similar decklist. Its posted in the "alter boys" thread.

[CaptainTwiddle]

I'm kind of down on Dark Confidant at the moment. The life loss can be real, especially with Butcher of the Horde. Granted, I like that you can sacrifice Confidant to the Butcher, if needs be. That said, I think that Abbot of Keral Keep deserves some consideration here. I've been trying him in a lower curve Mardu "Dead Guy Ale" list to good results. You have a lot of good 1 mana options available (Lightning Bolt, Path to Exile, Inquisition of Kozilek, and Thoughtseize), which makes Abbot on turn 3 a pretty solid play.

[Bignasty197]

I've been derping around with something similar to this but with Monastery Mentors instead of Pyromancers and Sorin/Ajani instead of Butcher of the Horde. Ajani is probably getting cut soon because he isn't pulling his weight so I might throw in 2 Young Pyromancer or try out Butcher instead. I also run 2-3 Relics main deck. When Relic is good, its really good. When it isn't good, at least you draw a card. But that's still pretty good anyway. Pretty sure this is what I run although I don't have my stuff with me:

4 Dark Confidant
4 Monastery Mentor
4 Path to Exile
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Lightning Helix
2 Kolaghan's Command
2 Thoughtseize
2 Ajani Vengeant
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Terminate

23 Lands; including Vault of the Archangel and Tectonic Edge

The side board is why I like this deck so much though. You get to run some cool stuff for most matchups. I run stuff like Kataki, Wear/Tear, Slaughter Games, Fulminator Mage, Kor Firewalker, Deflecting Palm, Crackling Doom and Zealous Persecution. Anyways, this deck is a blast to play and I thought I would throw my pile in for discussion.

[Mr. Safety]

My perspective on modern is that the pws are a bit on the slow side. Hasty 10 point life swings from butcher is intense. I also include a full set of helix to offset bobs and the only pw I play is a single ajani vengeant. I top out at only 4 four-drops (3/1 split of butcher/ajani) to minimize lifeloss.

Preboard I can race burn by offsetting their burn with helix/butcher. Postboard I can bring in kor firewalker. Lingering souls is naturally good against jund, along with pyromancer tokens. Affinity has a hard time beating souls alongside 11 cheap removals and discard that swaps for stony silence/wear-tear out of the board. Twin likewise has a hard time getting past 6 targeted discards backed up with removal and pressure (but still a tough matchup, which is why I play Mardu Charm. Kills exarch and has a duress effect. Oh and it makes 3 tokens at instant speed with yp.)

I decline to use the r/b scars land in favor of a full set of reaches. I'm also trying a one-of shambling vent from bfz.

What I like about your list is how compact it is. The curve is good with a broad attack. Relic is hot, but I c ould never find room. I am trying 1/1 jotun grunt/rest in peace in my board. Grunt seems great against angler/tasigur/snapcaster decks while still applying pressure. Decent synergy with kolaghans command too as a recurring grave hate/threat.

How have the sorins panned out? They seem amazing while ahead and ok when behind. I am considering a Chandra pyromaster in my board instead of my usual anger of the gods slot.

My biggest curiosity is mentor over yp. It seems strong but comes a turn later. Sorry for being all over the place with this post, but I'm officially switching over to this deck now that my standby uwr control is essentially unplayable currently.