Mardu Aggro In Standard

Jeremy Dezani



Mardu Aggro For Standard

If you want to play Standard but like me, you don’t want to be on the UW flash or Black/Green Delirium plan, I’m here to tell you there is another option. Here I have designed for you an aggressive deck that can do well against the two main decks of the current metagame. It used to be Mardu Vehicles.

Originally the deck was played during PT Kaladesh by team Lee Shi Tian, Tomoharu Saito. They kept on playing it afterwards as well in the MOCS and following GPs. The deck evolved a lot and my version is quite different now. I don’t think you can call it Mardu Vehicles anymore because I am only playing 4 《Smuggler's Copter》, but no 《Cultivator's Caravan》 or 《Veteran Motorist》. Also the deck is not running any blue cards anymore because of the lack of Aetherworks decks, and the beatdown plan should be enough to fight it if you happen to play against it.

I played the deck in GP Warsaw and I got a 9/0 record day one and finished 45th at the end of the tournament. The list was not perfect but here is what I think is the best 75 cards possible for this metagame.


Jeremy Dezani – Mardu Aggro

4《Mountain》
3《Plains》
4《Concealed Courtyard》
4《Inspiring Vantage》
4《Aether Hub》
2《Smoldering Marsh》
1《Shambling Vent》

-Land(22)-

2《Thalia, Heretic Cathar》
4《Inventor's Apprentice》
4《Scrapheap Scrounger》
4《Thraben Inspector》
4《Toolcraft Exemplar》
2《Pia Nalaar》

-Creature(20)-
1《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》
4《Gideon, Ally of Zendikar》
4《Smuggler's Copter》
4《Unlicensed Disintegration》
4《Harnessed Lightning》
1《Declaration in Stone》

-Spell(18)-
2《Skysovereign, Consul Flagship》
2《Declaration in Stone》
4《Galvanic Bombardment》
2《Fragmentize》
3《Transgress the Mind》
2《Collective Effort》

-Sideboard(15)-
hareruya


Black is only there for 《Scrapheap Scrounger》 and 《Unlicensed Disintegration》.

Scrounger is the best 2 drop in the format after 《Smuggler's Copter》 for your deck. It gives you 4 additional artifacts to help your one drops get bigger and can come back from the graveyard after early trades. 3/2 bodies are great, and you can easily go turn one 《Toolcraft Exemplar》 into a turn 2 《Scrapheap Scrounger》, giving you two 3/2 bodies round 2.



Unlicensed DisintegrationStasis SnareDeclaration in StoneMurder



《Unlicensed Disintegration》 is the best removal in standard, especially in an aggressive strategy. It is so much better than 《Stasis Snare》 that can be disenchanted or 《Declaration in Stone》 which is sorcery speed and gives them a clue. It deals very well with Avacyn with its instant speed. The conditions however are playing red, black and artifacts (otherwise it’s just a 《Murder》), so it’s not that easy to play, which is why the card doesn’t see as much play as it should.

《Thalia, Heretic Cathar》 is the best you can do the turn before they would drop 《Ishkanah, Grafwidow》 (key card of the matchup). It is really annoying and your opponent has to change his plan because of it. Because of the 12 one drops and 《Smuggler's Copter》, Thalia also has a fair chance of surviving 《Grasp of Darkness》.

Vs. U/W Flash



Out

Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Thalia, Heretic Cathar Inventor's Apprentice

In

Collective Effort Collective Effort Skysovereign, Consul Flagship Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
Fragmentize Fragmentize


《Gideon, Ally of Zendikar》: bad card in the matchup for both decks, especially on the draw

《Thalia, Heretic Cathar》: less useful against UW than GB delirium, also the worst card in your deck against 《Reflector Mage》. You keep one because sometimes it is annoying for Gisela or Avacyn.

《Inventor's Apprentice》: the matchup is less aggro versus control post board and a 2/3 body is not the best against 《Reflector Mage》 and 《Spell Queller》.



Gisela, the Broken BladeArchangel AvacynLinvala, the PreserverStasis Snare



《Collective Effort》 is just insane in this match-up. You can deal with 《Gisela, the Broken Blade》, 《Archangel Avacyn》 or 《Linvala, the Preserver》, destroy 《Stasis Snare》 to get back a 《Smuggler's Copter》 or 《Scrapheap Scrounger》 and boost your board. Everything for only three mana.

《Fragmentize》 is here to deal with 《Smuggler's Copter》 and 《Stasis Snare》.

《Skysovereign, Consul Flagship》is the best answer to 《Gisela, the Broken Blade》 which replaces 《Gideon, Ally of Zendikar》 in the UW flash matchup.

Vs. B/G Delirium



Out

Harnessed Lightning Harnessed Lightning

In

Declaration in Stone Declaration in Stone


《Harnessed Lightning》 is very good against 《Grim Flayer》 before delirium happens, but afterwards BG is playing only large toughness creatures, so you have to draw 《Aether Hub》 in addition, in order to have enough energy to spend. Sometimes you also need this energy to fix your own mana, which makes it a bit awkward.

《Declaration in Stone》 is a better answer to 4+ toughness bodies like 《Grim Flayer》 with delirium, 《Mindwrack Demon》 or 《Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet》. It also deals pretty well with 《Ishkanah, Grafwidow》 tokens, not to mention the occasional multiple copies of a the same creature present on the battlefield.

– In addition: 《Toolcraft Exemplar》 can easily die to 《Liliana, the Last Hope》, so you can also side some out for 2 copies of 《Transgress the Mind》, but then you still don’t have the late game and losing some early plays makes all the other cards in your deck worse overall. I side them out on the draw but would recommend keeping them in on the play.

Vs. Zombie Decks



Out

Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration
Chandra, Torch of Defiance Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

In

Declaration in Stone Declaration in Stone Galvanic Bombardment Galvanic Bombardment
Galvanic Bombardment Galvanic Bombardment


《Unlicensed Disintegration》 is just too expensive for the matchup.

《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》 and 《Gideon, Ally of Zendikar》 are alright in the matchup because you become the removal/control player, but you don’t want to play too many 4 drops.

《Declaration in Stone》 can remove from the game and deal with multiple copies of the same creature, two great things against zombies.

《Galvanic Bombardment》 can deal with 《Cryptbreaker》 in time, which is crucial against zombies. The second one can kill anything at instant speed.

Vs. RW Vehicles



Out

Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration

In

Fragmentize Fragmentize Skysovereign, Consul Flagship Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
Galvanic Bombardment Galvanic Bombardment Galvanic Bombardment Galvanic Bombardment


《Unlicensed Disintegration》 is too expensive in the matchup.

《Gideon, Ally of Zendikar》 is too expensive and rarely useful the turn he comes into play.

《Fragmentize》 deals with vehicles in a very cost efficient manner, allowing you to keep on developing your proactive plan at the same time.

《Skysovereign, Consul Flagship》 dodges 《Fragmentize》 and 《Declaration in Stone》, it removes a creature upon arrival and can do that every turn, much better than Gideon as your top of the curve.

《Galvanic Bombardment》 is cheap removal similar to 《Fragmentize》 in that you are able to play your own creatures while dealing with your opponent’s threats.

Vs Marvel



Out

Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration Unlicensed Disintegration
Harnessed Lightning Harnessed Lightning Harnessed Lightning Harnessed Lightning

In

Declaration in Stone Fragmentize Fragmentize Transgress the Mind
Transgress the Mind Transgress the Mind Collective Effort Collective Effort


《Unlicensed Disintegration》 & 《Harnessed Lightning》 have little or no impact on the marvel deck.

《Declaration in Stone》 can remove 《Emrakul, the Promised End》 or 《Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger》.

《Fragmentize》 and 《Transgress the Mind》 are your disruptive options against 《Aetherworks Marvel》.

《Collective Effort》 can boost your entire team like a Gideon emblem, and it is still better than 《Unlicensed Disintegration》 here.

The deck is definitely less stable than a BG delirium and you will mulligan quite a bit more with it. But the power level is high enough for it to be competitive, which is really rare in this format. I hope you will join me in the ranks of the non UW / BG players with this deck.

Thank you for reading,

Jeremy DEZANI

Cards found in the Article


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