Playing GWu Control Vs. Mono Red Burn (Standard Format)

March 1, 2008 | Posted by Dee

I’ve been testing this Magic: The Gathering deck, Green-White-Blue Control, in the Standard metagame. I changed the sideboard because I was losing to aggro decks. Here is the new sideboard:

2 Cloudthresher
3 Detritivore
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Condemn
4 Mwonvuli Acid-moss
3 Eyes Of The Wisent

I took out 2 Riftsweeper and 1 Crovax, Ascendant Hero and added 2 Oblivion Ring and 1 Condemn.

Here is a match from today where I played against Mono Red Burn.

Game 1

He won the toss and kept his first 7. I kept this hand:

Snow-Covered Plains
Snow-Covered Plains
Snow-Covered Forest
Arctic Flats
Mouth of Ronom
Coalition Relic
Wrath of God

I should’ve mulliganed because my hand was super slow. No second turn play and my only third turn play was a mana source.

I drew more slow cards – another Wrath of God, another Coalition Relic, and Harmonize. He sent burn to my face. He got one attack in with Countryside Crusher. I Wrathed the Crusher, but my other Wrath didn’t help against Mutavault.

The Mutavault hit me twice before I Condemned it. However, by then, he killed me with a flurry of burn spells. All in all, he played Incinerate, Rift Bolt, Shock, Shard Volley, and Sudden Shock. I was burnt toast.

Game 2

I sideboarded like this:

+2 Oblivion Ring
+1 Condemn
+1 Teferi’s Moat
-2 Harmonize
-1 Austere Command
-1 Cloudthresher

I started with these 7:

Snow-Covered Forest
Highland Weald
Condemn
Into the North
Coalition Relic
Oblivion Ring
Wrath of God

He had Mutavault and Keldon Marauders early, but I had Condemn for his Mutavault. I got lucky and drew Akroma, Angel of Wrath and another Coalition Relic. The extra Relic allowed me to play Akroma on the 5th turn.

5th turn Akroma is really bad for the red mage. I won pretty easily after that.

5th Turn Akroma Beatings

Game 3

He mulliganed to 6 and I kept this hand:

Snow-Covered Plains
Mouth of Ronom
Condemn
Coalition Relic
Wrath of God
Primal Command
Aeon Chronicler

He didn’t have a fast start. I played Primal Command on the 4th turn. I gain 7 life and fetched Akroma.

I had Condemn for his Sulfur Elemental, Oblivion Ring for his Magus of the Moon, and Wrath for his second Magus of the Moon. After that, I played Akroma and he conceded.

Filed Under Standard 

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