Introduction
This deck is part of the Pauper Decks, which are made from only common cards. The great thing about Pauper is the majority of the cards are cheap to buy, and are still strong as there are quite a lot of good common cards over Magic's history.
Key Strategy
The "Gruul Aggro" deck is designed to be fast and relentless, capitalizing on aggressive creatures and efficient burn spells to quickly overwhelm opponents. The deck leverages synergies between discard outlets and madness cards to maintain pressure and outpace opponents. The primary goal is to flood the board with creatures and back them up with direct damage, keeping the opponent on the defensive until you can secure victory.
Key Cards and Their Roles:
Burning-Tree Emissary: This is one of the most explosive cards in the deck. Burning-Tree Emissary allows you to flood the board by generating two mana upon entering the battlefield, enabling you to cast additional spells or creatures immediately. It pairs particularly well with other aggressive one- or two-drop creatures, helping you establish board presence quickly.
Wild Mongrel: Wild Mongrel is a versatile creature that not only grows stronger with each card you discard but also has the potential to enable your madness synergies. Discarding a card like Fiery Temper or Basking Rootwalla to Wild Mongrel gives you a free or discounted spell while simultaneously pumping the Mongrel.
Basking Rootwalla: This card is a perfect fit for the deck's discard theme. With madness, Basking Rootwalla can be played for free when discarded, and its pump ability makes it a significant threat in combat, especially in the early turns.
Voldaren Epicure: Voldaren Epicure adds value by dealing damage directly to your opponent and creating a Blood token, which can be used to filter cards or enable madness. It’s a great early play that fits perfectly into the deck's strategy of keeping the pressure on while setting up future plays.
Faithless Looting: This card is essential for filtering through your deck and finding the key pieces you need. Faithless Looting not only lets you dig deeper but also enables your madness cards by discarding them at a minimal cost.
Fiery Temper: A classic madness card, Fiery Temper can be cast for just one red mana when discarded, making it an efficient removal spell or direct damage to the opponent. It works well with the discard outlets in the deck, like Wild Mongrel and Faithless Looting.
Kird Ape: Kird Ape is an aggressive one-drop that benefits from the deck's dual-color mana base. With a Forest in play, Kird Ape becomes a 2/3, making it a formidable early-game threat that can trade favorably with other creatures or push through damage.
Lightning Bolt: The quintessential red burn spell, Lightning Bolt is versatile enough to remove blockers, deal damage directly to the opponent, or finish off planeswalkers. Its efficiency makes it a staple in any aggressive red deck.
Lightning Axe: Lightning Axe is a powerful removal spell that can handle larger creatures while also enabling your madness cards. Discarding a Fiery Temper or Basking Rootwalla to Lightning Axe provides tremendous value and tempo, clearing the way for your creatures to attack.
Underworld Rage-Hound: This creature is a persistent threat, coming back from the graveyard with escape and gaining a bonus when attacking. Underworld Rage-Hound fits the aggressive nature of the deck and provides late-game pressure if the game drags on.
Gameplay Strategy:
In the early game, focus on establishing board presence with aggressive creatures like Kird Ape, Burning-Tree Emissary, and Wild Mongrel. Use Faithless Looting to filter your hand, setting up madness plays with Fiery Temper and Basking Rootwalla. Your goal is to apply constant pressure, forcing your opponent to respond to your threats.
As you progress into the mid-game, continue to leverage your discard outlets to maximize the value of your madness cards. Wild Mongrel and Lightning Axe can turn your discarded cards into powerful plays, while Voldaren Epicure provides chip damage and card filtering with its Blood tokens. Keep your opponent on the back foot with efficient removal spells like Lightning Bolt and Fiery Temper.
In matchups where your opponent stabilizes or tries to go wide with creatures, use End the Festivities to clear out small blockers and continue your assault. If the game goes longer, Underworld Rage-Hound can provide a recurring threat, while Skophos Reaver and Fodder Tosser offer additional ways to pressure your opponent.
In summary, this deck aims to end games quickly through a combination of aggressive creatures and efficient burn spells, with the added benefit of madness synergies to maintain momentum and ensure that you’re never out of options.
Key Cards
Cards to look for in the opening hand