Ruby Storm

thanks for the feedback.

i think getting some more data with your decklist would be nice. it's really close to the decklist i ran at my local a few weeks back. we both ran only 4 ruby, i have 4 chandra, you are running 3, both had 16 lands etc.

generally when i lose with this deck it comes down to a few things.

1. not enough mana to start going off
2. not enough business to get through multiple counterspells
3. whiffs off of hazoret's
4. unable to deal w/ some amount of hate

the biggest issue is the consistency of the deck. sometimes hazoret's lucks out and other times it does nothing.

because of that you want to really maximize the number of hits you can get. it can be approached two ways:

1. run 4 because even if you draw multiple, hopefully you hit mana at the worst and can cast the next one.
2. run 3 and 1 in sb. you want to avoid flipping one where it will be a dead card. you also have it as a wish target.
3. run fewer than 3 because it's unreliable.

I think that vieko and I have mutually arrived to the same conclusion. It's just not reliable enough to go in on it every time. Act on Impulse and Empty the Warrens are quite a bit safer, and if a Ruby medallion is in play you are generally much better off.

Hazoret's is quite a bit stronger if you can get to 6 mana and don't have a ruby/helm in play. In that case it's probably the strongest card in the deck. That's where the main argument for 3/4 maindeck Hazoret's sits with me.

Sometimes this deck just backfires on you, which is fine. It's important to note that you will have some bad runs with Hazoret's if you choose to go that way.

That can happen with anything that isn't a direct tutor effect. Today I played in a league match on modo and cast Reforge the Soul into another Reforge and nothing else.

Then I cast the next Reforge and hit 5 mana sources and 2 Chandra. Neither of which found me any business. (needed a wish or a past in flames).

If you're okay with that then Hazoret's is version for you. Highest risk, but mega payoff. I always struggle where I'm comfortable with this list.

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Originally Posted by mistercakes

Highest risk, but mega payoff.

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This sounds like something Jefferey would do ;)

And what would be the version "opposite" to it, the one that try to reduce variance for a lower risk?

I'm a fan of Red Tide as it plays like High Tide IMO

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Originally Posted by Memories of the Time

And what would be the version "opposite" to it, the one that try to reduce variance for a lower risk?

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Strangely enough probably run more gambles to stabilize missing pieces and work as a way to find past in flames as an engine

For the maindeck I've had success with this

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

It's still not perfect, and those 2 Empty the Warrens slots can be a number of different things. The Simian Spirit Guide / desperate ritual numbers can also be tweaked. Lastly if you don't mind losing to mana screw from time to time you can go down to 14 lands (cutting a sol land) for another ritual/ssg effect. (if the list is heavy on ssg, then in favor Chandra over empty.

Chandra also can flip into probe or petal with no mana open, which is usually better than 2 damage.

Magma jet is another option, as it can filter a little bit and is pretty good when it only costs R.

I have tried gamble and it's good. To run a gamble here I'd likely cut a past in flames.

Anyway, this is what I've tweaked to over many matches in magic online after losing to the variance of the hazoret's builds.

If you still want to find room for a hazoret's or two here, then I would cut either a past in flames or a Reforge.

Reforge does have similar variance.

I think one with hazoret's would end up like this

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

*4 tomb is fine here, it's just that with 4 probe and 4 tomb you might kill yourself. (i've taken 12 damage in 1 turn from just probes, b/c of PiF)

Act on Impulse is the brainstorm of the deck, although many times it plays like ancestral recall.

I got a chance to goldfish this a bunch this weekend, and here is my list (performing nicely!) I'm back up to 4 Simian Spirit Guides...and I am testing Crystal Vein instead of Ancient Tomb. Why? I lost a bunch of games to burn, games I shouldn't have lost, due to Ancient Tomb (Fireblast is a card, and I helped it win by casting a Reforge the Soul so they could refill.) In games it has been ok to lose the land; this kind of eliminates the Wasteland problem, lol, because it doesn't stick around! I use it as a 'ritual' the turn I go off or I use it t1 to land a Medallion. This was also what led me to going back to 4x SSG: I need the initial red source of mana to start the chain. It's possible that some mix of Ancient Tomb/Crystal Vein is correct (or even City of Traitors, but I don't see a functional difference on the combo turn between that and Vein.)

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

Sideboard
1x Past in Flames
1x Tendrils of Agony
1x Reforge the Soul
1x Empty the Warrens
1x Goblin War Strike
1x Grapeshot
1x Pyroclasm
1x By Force
2x Inferno Titan
4x Pyroblast
1x Rending Volley

Played roughly 10 games against Burn and Junk. Wins were mostly Tendrils wins (I had 1 win on turn 1 with natural storm, PiF and Burning Wish in hand) followed by Empty the Warrens, and one t4-5 Grapeshot win with a storm count of 25 (could have been 30+ easy...) I really want to squeeze in Past in Flames #3 maindeck, but I am unsure where to cut. Empty the Warrens down to 2 copies seems like the most natural place. I haven't had a problem with drawing into Burning Wish or Empty the Warrens, but maybe that's because I have 7 copies. Going down to 6 might cause some problems, but I think having access to Past in Flames is much more important.

I also fizzled a few games where I got greedy with too little mana available. The biggest cause of fizzling is not having a Medallion in play during the combo turn, so far in my experience. With Medallion it feels like the sky is the limit. Without it, the storm chains get much tighter. So generally speaking I find that going for a quick Warrens is the way to go with a no-Medallion draw. With Medallion it pays to wait maybe one turn, just for a little more gas and maybe 3 lands in play. Act on Impulse gets insane with Medallion in play, but its sketchy when costing the full 3. Same with Hazoret's Undying Fury. Casting it for 5 is sweet, considering the mana reduction = more mana available after it resolves. I did pull HUF while resolving HUF twice, but I still think 2 copies is the way to go. I don't think I would ever choose HUF over RtS if I was BW-ing for more gas. Drawing 7 is just better than a random 3-4 free spells (I usually get at least 1 land in the mix.)

Junk games were fine. I played through 2 Thoughtsieze and a Hymn to Tourach and still won one game. The only games I lost were to Thoughtsieze>Hymn to Tourach>Liliana, with Deathrite Shaman actively eating my graveyard. Lost 1 game out of 5, the rest were Tendrils or EtW wins. I like the resiliency to discard. Go go Past in Flames! Post-board games were EtW or Tendrils wins sans-PiF.

Important note: I learned very quickly that discarding a Burning Wish when resolving Reforge the Soul is ok. If BW gets played it gets exiled, so Past in Flames doesn't allow for a re-play. If PiF is the plan, in the graveyard is just as good as in-hand. I am writing this because I was torn in some situations where I could cast Reforge the Soul OR Burning Wish, but not both and still have 4 mana left over for EtW (no Medallion in play, 5 mana floating.) Storm count was only at 2, so BW into EtW would have only gotten 8 goblins (meh.) I went for RtS, discarding Burning Wish...and ripped Past in Flames plus plenty of gas. This is why I want the 3rd Past in Flames, it sets up for much more reliable wins with RtS.

EDIT: Act on Impulse is indeed Ancestral Recall, lol. I love that it allows until end of turn. HUF, to my knowledge, only allows the cards to be played immediately while HUF is resolving (if I am interpreting it correctly.) They are still cast, so storm count goes up, but you don't have until eot to play the stuff (if I did it would be even better!)

good post here. i think that CoT/Tomb/Vein all have their merits. The biggest downside of vein is playing a turn 1 rock. CoT also can struggle if played turn 1...tomb is optimal but life loss is not negligible.

hazoret's spells need to be cast immediately upon the resolution of hazoret's reveal. in modo you click the order in which you want them to go on the stack (last clicked will be first to resolve)

one thing to note about discard Wish with a reforge is that wish can get surgical'd when you cast your first spell after reforge has resolved.

also you mention that with ruby the sky is the limit....so why not try to run more than 4? i am currently on 6.

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Originally Posted by mistercakes

good post here. i think that CoT/Tomb/Vein all have their merits. The biggest downside of vein is playing a turn 1 rock. CoT also can struggle if played turn 1...tomb is optimal but life loss is not negligible.

hazoret's spells need to be cast immediately upon the resolution of hazoret's reveal. in modo you click the order in which you want them to go on the stack (last clicked will be first to resolve)

one thing to note about discard Wish with a reforge is that wish can get surgical'd when you cast your first spell after reforge has resolved.

also you mention that with ruby the sky is the limit....so why not try to run more than 4? i am currently on 6.

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Yes, the Helm of Awakening discussion. I knew this was coming, and of course right after I feel like the list has settled!

I think in the matchups that are hardest (tempo, control) Helm literally does nothing to help opponents. Brainstorm, DRS, Spell Pierce, Force of Will, Thoughtseize, Daze...these are either free already or cost only one specifically colored mana to cast. A Jace/Liliana a turn earlier doesn't do too much damage, honestly. Against some decks, a turn 1 Helm could literally make us lose the game unless we're going off (Stompy/Moon/Chalice decks, including Eldrazi, Death & Taxes, Storm, Sneak & Show.) Some matchups it will only help us, others it fucks us sideways. I'm torn...and I don't know how to squeeze it in! As I said, the list has settled for me considerably. I think part of my waffling came from the lousy AI program that Magic Workstation uses. I have had significantly better, and yet more random, with paper cards sleeved up.

Someone on discord asked me if I had tried running 1 rof in the sb.

I had a list earlier in the thread with 4 haz and 2 rof, 13 lands and 4 Helm. I cut 2 Helm, changed sorcery to 3/3, put 2 more mountains in and here's that list.

// 60 Maindeck
// 12 Artifact
4 Ruby Medallion
2 Helm of Awakening
4 Lotus Petal

// 4 Creature
4 Simian Spirit Guide

// 12 Instant
4 Manamorphose
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Seething Song

// 13 Land
11 Mountain
4 Ancient Tomb

// 19 Sorcery
4 Burning Wish
3 Past in Flames
3 Reforge the Soul
3 Act on Impulse
3 Hazoret's Undying Fury
3 Rite of Flame

Sb is a bit dated. (was from before I used tendrils)

// 15 Sideboard
// 4 Enchantment
SB: 4 Blood Moon

// Artifact
SB: 4 Defense Grid

// 7 Sorcery
SB: 1 Past in Flames
SB: 1 Reforge the Soul
SB: 1 Empty the Warrens
SB: 2 Grapeshot
SB: 1 Fiery Confluence
SB: 1 Rite of Flame

I think if you're fetching a ritual from the board, it needs to net a bunch of mana.

Inner Fire
Mana Seism

Those are the only cards that I can think of that would conditionally give you more mana after paying 3 to get/play it. Even if you are fetching the 2nd Rite of Flame, you are only breaking even (gaining 1 mana with Medallion/Helm out.)

How do we feel about Mana Flare on the combo turn? It would need 3 lands to really be worth the trouble, I think. I wish there was a redundant one-sided Medallion effect, lol. They've reprinted a ton of functional reprints, why no these?

mana seism isn't so bad if you wish for it the turn before you combo. that's usually what the sb rite of flame was for when i was experimenting for those builds. the other option is when you flip a wish with hazoret's, but need some more mana to continue comboing. (in that case, seism is also going to be just as good, although you will lose a R for likely 1-3 colorless mana. good spot on that.

i think it's possible the reason they didn't make functional reprints of these is because they are pretty unfair cards. it did have its moment with sapphire medallion many years ago for all the old 1x players who are on this thread. (RU Trix) was a deck.

I think if the chain fizzles I'd rather just Wish for Past in Flames, which can usually win next turn. That card is nuts.

I was also thinking of doing something that was akin to the Wildfire idea, something backbreaking that could buy extra turns (or simply put the opponent out of the game.)Wildfire is sweet, maybe one of these:

Apocalypse
Burn at the Stake
Boom//Bust
Destructive Force
Jokulhaups
Obliterate
Last Chance


Burning Wish for Last Chance seems really sexy, lol.

Also, how did you settle on 'Ruby Storm' for a name?

It's the card you always want to see. Is it not?

It also makes the deck viable.

edit: was thinking about fast versions of this deck, like how i originally conceived it. it might be worth exploring again as all my old versions contained 4 helm and 4 ruby, and it might be okay just to play 6.

4 ruby medallion
2 helm of awakening
3 desperate ritual
4 simian spirit guide
4 lotus petal
4 seething song
4 manamorphose

4 rite of flame
3 past in flames
2 gamble
4 burning wish
2 hazoret's undying fury
2 reforge the soul
4 act on impulse

10 mountain
4 sol lands

i could be wrong....maybe 2 past in flames and 3 of either hazoret's or reforge the soul here.

sb is more of the same. just make sure the steady wish targets are still there and then there's about 6-9 flex spots after that.

Someone got there! 5-0 by mtgo user Rampart! Is he in this thread?

Edit: oops I see he is just a few posts up. Congrats!

thanks @rampart!

finally on the map!

reeeeeeport :P and any changes to the 75?

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Originally Posted by mistercakes

thanks @rampart!

Finally on the map!

Reeeeeeport :p and any changes to the 75?

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congrats rampant!

Lots of changes to the 75. Putting my daughter down. I will right something up a little later tonight for those that are interested

edit: looking at it, its not a lot of changes but feels like a lot

Congrats :)

It was only a matter of time this happened

short report

TES 2-1 win the roll
Game 1 – turn one reforge screws him a little bit, and I PIF kill on turn two
Game 2 – He makes a bunch of goblins and I am one mana short on the final turn for the kill
Game 3 – I make a berserker which pushes his life low, but he makes a bunch of goblins and bounces my berserker, I draw out of it with a small grapeshot for the kill

High Tide 2-0 I win the roll
Game 1 – I have more threats then he has counter spells and attrition him out
Game 2 – more of the same, I am more threat dense and opp has to use 3 fow to keep him dying but it didn’t matter. PIF is really good.

Elves 2-0 I lose the roll
Game 1 – he drops an elf turn one, I play a ruby, he does something not important and I grapeshot him for 20 plus, could have been 50
Game 2 – he plays an elf. I play a mountain and a pair of petal, he plays arbor and attacks me. I cast wish for gamble to set up and pass. He plays a glimpse and floods the boards with dudes but can’t do anything relevant. I go off and cave in his board, generate 50 goblins and grapeshot him for 30 plus

RUG Delver 2-1 I win the roll
Game 1 - I play helm turn one, he plays ponder, I grape shot him for 40 on my turn
Game 2 – he play delver, I play around daze and play a ruby, he flips and hits me, I start to go off and walk right into a stifle on grapeshot, not a leathal grapeshot, but just one that suppresses his dudes. I played poorly there and it was my game to win. He bolts me and spell pierces my next play which is a reforge, then I get bolted to death
Game 3 – we play draw go for a little bit until my turn five where he has a goose and just deployed a delver. I start to combo but a will timed FOW slows me down enough where I can only grapeshot for 15, I kill him next turn.

UWR Delver 2-1 – lost the roll I think. Its the realmongoosehours guys. You can watch there video on twitch. It’s the first match
https://www.twitch.tv/realmongoosehours - Link for the landing – in past broadcasts under
[legacy} secret stream tell no one bout this BIG ZOO || !pile for list || flashpointesports.gg • 22 hours ago

They gets some things wrong about the game 1, where I start to combo off, I basically had it the whole time, but they don’t realize it. game 2 and 3 are pretty true to form.

About the list.
I would basically make the following changes:
Plus 1 gamble, minus 1 fury

Gamble almost always over performed me, it was basically a one mana demonic tutor and helped fixed draws where I need a rock. I not sure I even want fury anymore, it’s really sweet design space but I don’t know if I need the additional payoff card. I think a second Desperate Ritual or fourth probe might be better.

Out of the sideboard I would remove the gamble and put in a second empty or a tendrils if you prefer. I really just want a 19 card sideboard and I really want a second empty in the board for post board games so I can still have access to wish for it game 2 and 3.

I think I just got lucky but the deck is really powerful. Also like Ruby Storm