Minotaurs

I have seen ideas about Modern Minotaurs thrown around other forums as a possible deck, but there certainly is a debate as to its viability. Most seem to settle on the idea that some iterration of B/R might be the way to go. This is a list that was discussed over at MTG Salvation (my apologies as I don't know how to make the cards hyperlinked where they show the pictures. Maybe somebody can teach me):


Lantern's DeckMagic (credit goes to this guy. This is not my list)
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Arid Mesa
2 Marsh Flats
4 Blood Crypt
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Mountain
1 Swamp
2 Mutavault

4 Deathbellow Raider
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Rageblood Shaman
3 Ragemonger
4 Fanatic of Mogis
2 Kragma Warcaller

2 Thoughtseize
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Pyroclasm
4 Lightning Bolt
4 AEther Vial

I know they tend to deal more with modern but I have found the folks over here at The Source to add new and different spins to the Modern format so I wanted to see what everyone here thought about making this deck competitive.

It seems like it wants to be aggro but is a bit slow so maybe aggro control might be a better route. Perhaps splash white (even though 3 colors may be pushing it) for path, O ring, or something else to slow down the rest of the field? I also thing there is a Black minotaur enchantment that might help, but I can't recall off hand.

Anyhow, I'd like to see if any of the master brewers out there can come up with something. It is easy to be a problem finder, but much more valuable to be a solution finder. And believe me, when I think of Twin, Goyf, burn, etc. I can see problems with this deck, but are there any answers? After all, isn't all Magic about a series of questions and answers?

Thanks for any help in advance and I hope to get a playable 75 somewhere out of this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spellchucker

Lantern's DeckMagic (credit goes to this guy. This is not my list)
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Arid Mesa
2 Marsh Flats
4 Blood Crypt
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Mountain
1 Swamp
2 Mutavault

4 Deathbellow Raider
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Rageblood Shaman
3 Ragemonger
4 Fanatic of Mogis
2 Kragma Warcaller

2 Thoughtseize
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Pyroclasm
4 Lightning Bolt
4 AEther Vial

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The tag is [cards] [ / cards].

Quote:

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Anyhow, I'd like to see if any of the master brewers out there can come up with something. It is easy to be a problem finder, but much more valuable to be a solution finder. And believe me, when I think of Twin, Goyf, burn, etc. I can see problems with this deck, but are there any answers? After all, isn't all Magic about a series of questions and answers?

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The more valuable question is probably "why would tribal be better than non-tribal?" For Merfolk they have enough cards with synergy together and enough lords to justify it. Also, their lords cost two instead of 3. Having sub-par cards by themselves to only be good when you have a lot of them coming together is a losing strategy, it's a magical Christmasland scenario.

If your answer is because it's fun, that's fine, but we have to live with the results of it not being competitive.

As for the list, Aether Vial is going to be super awkward when your minotaurs go up to 5 but don't stay around there. There isn't a good number to leave it at in topdeck mode and it takes too many turns to get to a certain cost from a different cost.

You need good disruption if you ever want to win games, and since you can already go heavy red, Blood Moon seems like a great addition to randomly take games away from people. Hand hate might slow people down enough, along with burn, but it's not like we're really going to be that aggressive with 2/3s for 2 or 3 mana.

I don't think there are enough competitively costed minotaurs to make it work, but I'd start with that.

Thanks for the reply! It really helps to have input. I think you made some really good points about aether vial, the minotaur tribe, and disruption package. I'm going to do my best to constructively take your input and see what I can do. All this being said, I am a bit of a newbie so grant me some grace, but help me learn if you have something to teach. Anyhow, here's my thoughts

1. Aether Vial: Your right-It's good for some decks, but not here.

2. Creatures: I also agree that much of the tribe is lackluster and kinda forced together at this point in time. BUT, what if I keep Boros Reckoner, Rageblood shaman, and maybe Fanatic of Mogis. This give us enough minotaurs to get some synergy, have some productive effect, keep the tribe theme, and they are cheaper than some of the slots in the previous list. Plus, they are all red so we can go straight up red and use your recommended Blood Moon to full effect. NOTE: I know we'd need some 1 and 2 drops, but do those have to be Minotaurs? For instance, I saw some Faerie decks that had 8-12 faeries other creatures in the mix so I don't think we'd totally lose the tribal context. Thoughts? Suggestions?

3. Disruption: Now that we are a bit cheaper and all in red, can we access more burn and aggressive red cards. 2/3s aren't too awesome but this team has some good effects and the rageblood shaman gets us a +1 +1 (they also live through pyroclasm coming in from the side board).

Additional Thoughts:

Creatures- Sigel Pest? Grim Lavamancer? Eidolon of the Great Revel? I don't mean these necessary together, but just as some ideas to get the ball rolling.
Planeswalker- Would a Chandra Nalaar or Chandra Ablaze help or create confusion.
Colors: Mono red seems interesting, but what about adding white and going stoneforge mystic/ swords package?

Again, many thanks for looking this over and your help has allowed me to completely look at this tribe from outside the box. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Tribal stuff has a few things going for it, Cavern of Souls kind of boosts your deck if you're just playing a single tribe, and we're not in Legacy where stuff like Engineered Plague specifically dissuades you from it (not that that's played anymore anyway).

Faeries had Spellstutter sprite along with good on their own cards, so it was tribal but didn't really need lords to do well. It was basically a control deck with only flash creatures, some of which happened to feed off each other. Minotaurs doesn't really do that.

Okay I have a bit more time now than when I posted last, and haven't had a creative magic project in a while. I think we're stuck with going one of two things if we want to do "themes."

Theme 1: Guys with pointy horns (aggro):
4x Firedrinker Satyr
2x Satyr Firedancer
4x Boros Reckoner
4x Eidolon of the Great Revel
4x Fanatic of Mogis

4x Lightning Bolt
4x Searing Blaze
4x Skred
4x Blood Moon

4x Koth of the Hammer

16x Snow-covered Mountain
2x Tectonic Edge
4x Cavern of Souls


With possibly some Simian Spirit Guides thrown in there.

Interesting. I think this is a bit of a different flavor that is actually better than the original list list. What is theme #2 that you mention?

How about Magma Jet? Seems like efficient burn with the scry bonus.
Phyrexian Revoker might be interesting as well.

There is also a Midrangeish mono red deck that did well a while ago

4 Boros Reckoner
4 Demigod of Revenge
Creatures [8]

4 Koth of the Hammer
Planeswalkers [4]

3 Anger of the Gods
4 Blood Moon
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
1 Pyroclasm
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Skred
3 Volcanic Fallout
Spells [24]

2 Scrying Sheets
22 Snow-Covered Mountain
Lands [24]

It has a bit of a resemblance to your original deck with the Boros Reckoners and the Pyroclasm-style spells and probably is much more competitive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spellchucker

Interesting. I think this is a bit of a different flavor that is actually better than the original list list. What is theme #2 that you mention?

How about Magma Jet? Seems like efficient burn with the scry bonus.
Phyrexian Revoker might be interesting as well.

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Ah, I was originally going to post the 2nd idea as a more skred based control that looks somewhat similar to what kombatkiwi posted. But then it only was playing 4-8 minotaurs and I scrapped the idea.

Something with Fanatic of Mogis + Boros Reckoner and mono red. Skred + Koth + Chandra, Pyromaster. With enough burn to try to control until you get big Mogis's off. Blood Moons mandatory, of course.

Reviving this thread with this Chalice-propped shitpile:

4 Didgeridoo
4 Chrome Mox
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Unsettled Mariner
1 Masked Vandal
2 Moraug, Fury of Akoum
2 Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion
4 Sethron, Hurloon General
2 Boros Battleshaper
4 Simian Spirit Guide
1 Kragma Warcaller
4 Blood Sun
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Unclaimed Territory
4 Mountain
2 Lotus Field
2 Deathbellow War Cry


Sideboard
4 Trinisphere
3 Sorcerous Spyglass
1 Kragma Warcaller
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Fiery Confluence

It's basically Dragon Stompy with less lockpieces and a game-ending spell (Deathbellow War Cry fetches Kragma, Sethron and two other minotaurs for a hasty lethal attack. It can even win through a bridge or a moat by fetching a Vandal and another Sethron to feed it). Unsettled Mariner gives you some game against Storm and disrupts removal. You will never know how many games are won due to the lockpiece or the dumb oxen but it can't hurt to try.

You're in the modern section, I think it's probably a good idea to try and find the Minotaurs thread for Legacy. If there isn't one currently it's a good idea to start one.

EDIT: Found it, here you go:

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/s...(AKA-Toot-toot!)