Izzet Drakes
Feb 4, 2019 11:57:13 GMT
Post by TheLivingCME on Feb 4, 2019 11:57:13 GMT
So, here is the first deck for this section!
I decided to share with you a deck that made me able to effortlessly climb the ladder in the past months: Izzet Drakes!
Even though this deck kinda lost some popularity with the introduction of Ravnica Allegiance, I still believe it is quite strong and totally capable of winning you matches.
So, without further ado, here's the list!
Izzet Drakes
Creatures (10)
Enigma Drake x4
Crackling Drake x4
Niv-Mizzet, Parun x2
Spells (27)
Dive Down x3
Opt x4
Shock x4
Spell Pierce x3
Chart a Course x4
Discovery/Dispersal x4
Lava Coil x4
Beacon Bolt x1
Enchantments (2)
Search for Azcanta x2
Lands (21)
Island x6
Mountain x6
Steam Vents x4
Sulfur Falls x4
Watery Grave x1
Sideboard (15)
Maximize Velocity x2
Shivan Fire x2
Disdainful Stroke x2
Fiery Cannonade x3
Beacon Bolt x1
Murmuring Mystic x2
Banefire x1
Selective Snare x1
Entrancing Melody x1
The deck strategy is quite simple: you are digging through your deck with your draw spells, pumping your drakes while doing so, for then dropping a big flyer to attack the opponent and killing him in a few combat phases.
This plan is of course corroborated by some cheap removal and some protection for your creatures.
Now, let's break down the cards a bit.
Enigma Drake/Crackling Drake: Your main win condition. Big fat */4 flyers which will beat your opponent to a pulp.
Opt/Chart a Course/Discovery: These are the draw spells that enable your strategy. Opt can be cast on turn 1 at instant speed in the end of your opponent's turn and allows you to dig through your deck and setting your draw very cheaply; Chart a Course can both giving you net card advantage or pumping more spells into your graveyard; Discovery is a combination of both cards on steroids.
Remember to always choose the right draw spell for each situation, and to cast it at the right times (Chart a Course before or after the combat phase).
Dispersal: You will cast the second half of Discovery very rarely, but it still can function as nice removal in dire situations. Remember to dig for your Watery Grave if you think you will need to use Dispersal at a certain point in the game.
Shock/Lava Coil/Beacon Bolt: Your objective is to pump your drakes fast and go face, but removing a troublesome creature from the battlefield can always be a need. Shock takes care of most weenies and can go face when needed, Lava Coil is generic removal for a good part of the creature pool in the meta, and Beacon Bolt is a godsend against fatties for clutch plays.
Dive Down/Spell Pierce: These are the protection spells for your creatures. ALWAYS remember to keep one blue mana open when you have your drakes on the battlefield, because you WILL need to block some kind of removal. Yes, this means that playing your creatures on curve is a risky play and should be avoided when possible.
Search for Azcanta: This enchantment is needed for filtering through your deck, while pumping your drakes. It is not essential, but still very useful. In most cases, you don't want to flip it because the filtering ability is much more useful; the only scenarios when you want to flip this, is when you have solidly established your board and just want to dig more for protection.
Niv-Mizzet, Parun: Your alternate win condition. If you can get him to stick to the board for a couple of turns, it's usually game, with the amount of spell casting and draw you're doing. Rule of thumb: if you think your opponent could be holding a Seal Away or Settle the Wreckage, do not attack with Niv.
I think the mana base for this one is pretty self-explanatory. The use of a Dimir, or Izzet, shock land, or check land, is completely subject to personal preference, and can even be avoided if you have no interest in casting Dispersal. Just be careful to dig for the colors you want.
The sideboard of the deck is just some utility spells that you may find useful from game to game: Maximize Velocity can take your opponent by surprise, Shivan Fire is additional firepower against weenies, Disdainful Stroke is an efficient counter against control decks, Fiery Cannonade is additional hate against aggro strategies, the additional copy of Beacon Bolt is useful against fatty-heavy decks, Murrmuring Mystic is an alternate win condition against grindier decks, Banefire is an alternate win condition against control decks, Selective Snare is a nice play against tribal decks, and Entrancing Melody is good when your opponent is playing something you want to steal.
And I think that's enough bros. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the deck, or any suggestions for improvements.
MAJULAH BP!
I decided to share with you a deck that made me able to effortlessly climb the ladder in the past months: Izzet Drakes!
Even though this deck kinda lost some popularity with the introduction of Ravnica Allegiance, I still believe it is quite strong and totally capable of winning you matches.
So, without further ado, here's the list!
Izzet Drakes
Creatures (10)
Enigma Drake x4
Crackling Drake x4
Niv-Mizzet, Parun x2
Spells (27)
Dive Down x3
Opt x4
Shock x4
Spell Pierce x3
Chart a Course x4
Discovery/Dispersal x4
Lava Coil x4
Beacon Bolt x1
Enchantments (2)
Search for Azcanta x2
Lands (21)
Island x6
Mountain x6
Steam Vents x4
Sulfur Falls x4
Watery Grave x1
Sideboard (15)
Maximize Velocity x2
Shivan Fire x2
Disdainful Stroke x2
Fiery Cannonade x3
Beacon Bolt x1
Murmuring Mystic x2
Banefire x1
Selective Snare x1
Entrancing Melody x1
The deck strategy is quite simple: you are digging through your deck with your draw spells, pumping your drakes while doing so, for then dropping a big flyer to attack the opponent and killing him in a few combat phases.
This plan is of course corroborated by some cheap removal and some protection for your creatures.
Now, let's break down the cards a bit.
Enigma Drake/Crackling Drake: Your main win condition. Big fat */4 flyers which will beat your opponent to a pulp.
Opt/Chart a Course/Discovery: These are the draw spells that enable your strategy. Opt can be cast on turn 1 at instant speed in the end of your opponent's turn and allows you to dig through your deck and setting your draw very cheaply; Chart a Course can both giving you net card advantage or pumping more spells into your graveyard; Discovery is a combination of both cards on steroids.
Remember to always choose the right draw spell for each situation, and to cast it at the right times (Chart a Course before or after the combat phase).
Dispersal: You will cast the second half of Discovery very rarely, but it still can function as nice removal in dire situations. Remember to dig for your Watery Grave if you think you will need to use Dispersal at a certain point in the game.
Shock/Lava Coil/Beacon Bolt: Your objective is to pump your drakes fast and go face, but removing a troublesome creature from the battlefield can always be a need. Shock takes care of most weenies and can go face when needed, Lava Coil is generic removal for a good part of the creature pool in the meta, and Beacon Bolt is a godsend against fatties for clutch plays.
Dive Down/Spell Pierce: These are the protection spells for your creatures. ALWAYS remember to keep one blue mana open when you have your drakes on the battlefield, because you WILL need to block some kind of removal. Yes, this means that playing your creatures on curve is a risky play and should be avoided when possible.
Search for Azcanta: This enchantment is needed for filtering through your deck, while pumping your drakes. It is not essential, but still very useful. In most cases, you don't want to flip it because the filtering ability is much more useful; the only scenarios when you want to flip this, is when you have solidly established your board and just want to dig more for protection.
Niv-Mizzet, Parun: Your alternate win condition. If you can get him to stick to the board for a couple of turns, it's usually game, with the amount of spell casting and draw you're doing. Rule of thumb: if you think your opponent could be holding a Seal Away or Settle the Wreckage, do not attack with Niv.
I think the mana base for this one is pretty self-explanatory. The use of a Dimir, or Izzet, shock land, or check land, is completely subject to personal preference, and can even be avoided if you have no interest in casting Dispersal. Just be careful to dig for the colors you want.
The sideboard of the deck is just some utility spells that you may find useful from game to game: Maximize Velocity can take your opponent by surprise, Shivan Fire is additional firepower against weenies, Disdainful Stroke is an efficient counter against control decks, Fiery Cannonade is additional hate against aggro strategies, the additional copy of Beacon Bolt is useful against fatty-heavy decks, Murrmuring Mystic is an alternate win condition against grindier decks, Banefire is an alternate win condition against control decks, Selective Snare is a nice play against tribal decks, and Entrancing Melody is good when your opponent is playing something you want to steal.
And I think that's enough bros. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the deck, or any suggestions for improvements.
MAJULAH BP!