The benefits of having land come into play untapped even though you lose a life is much better than a tapped land without losing a life.

This is an aggro deck, so you need speed. You don’t usually care about losing life because you’re dealing more damage than you’re losing life.

Speed is the key so you want to maximize your chances of going turn one lynx or guide and then turn two geopede or kiln fiend. You can’t have those starts on a regular basis if you have a bunch of tapped lands.

Think of it this way. If you’re trying to kill someone quickly, turn two guide and then turn three geopede is a lot worse then turn one guide and turn two geopede.

Cards like Steppe Lynx, Plated Geopede, and Searing Blaze.

Same question for mono red decks like RDW that have Arid Mesa and Scalding Tarn — why not just Mountains?

Insult my ignorance if you must – I don’t care, as long as you answer this noob question!

SIDEBOARD
2 Goblin Ruinblasters (against manlands)
2 Eldrazi monument (against DOJ decks)
2 Ricochet traps (against counterspells and orings)
2 Leyline of Punishment (against life gain)
1 Prophetic Prism (spreading seas)
2 Earthquakes (allies and weenies)
2 Vines of the vastwoood (heavy removal)
2 Back to Nature (heavy enchantments/spreading seas)

4 Kiln Fiends

4 Chandra’s Spitfire

4 Bloodbraid Elves

3 Goblin Guides

3 Nest Invaders

4 Spawning Breath

4 Brood Birthing

2 Lightning Bolts

2 Vines of the Vastwood

4 Raid Bombardments

2 Beastmasters Ascension

4 Rootbound Crags

3 Arid Mesas

4 Khalni Gardens

2 Smoldering Steppes

5 Mountains

2 Forests

2 Raging Ravines

1 Terramorphic

1 Tectonic Edge

2 Goblin Ruinblasters (against manlands)

2 Eldrazi monument (against DOJ decks)

4 Ricochet traps (against counterspells and orings)

3 Leyline of Punishment (against life gain)

2 Prophetic Prism (spreading seas)

2 Earthquakes (allies and weenies)

Here are my principles:

Celestial Purge comes in against red decks, black decks, and Jund.

Path to Exile is good against Baneslayer and other powerful expensive creatures. If they only have a couple of these creatures, then you don’t need to bring in all four Paths.

Manabarbs for control and Turboland.

Oblivion Ring for decks with a lot of planewalkers like Super Friends (UWR) and Blue/White. Also, you could bring it in against threatening equipment and artifacts like Howling Mine.

Earthquake is great against green decks with a lot of ground creatures with low toughness like Naya and Monument Token decks.

Refraction Trap is good against other red decks. It might also work against removal heavy Jund (4 Bolts, 4 Bit Blasts). Not sure. I haven’t tested it.

For cards to cut, I wouldn’t cut any creatures because they are a permanent source of damage. Burst Lightning and Staggershock are probably your usual cuts. They are the worst spells in my opinion. Cut Emerge Unscathed against decks without a lot of removal like Mythic.

Hope that helps.

So, based on these principles, what would your sb plans look like?