Tuning Jeskai Aggro for #SCGSTATES

This past Saturday, I piloted the following Jeskai list at Arizona SCG States this past weekend:

Creatures (19)
Soulfire Grand Master
Goblin Rabblemaster
Thunderbreak Regent
Stormbreath Dragon
Seeker of the Way

Spells (17)
Draconic Roar
Stoke the Flames
Hordeling Outburst
Wild Slash
Valorous Stance
Roast
Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (24)
Temple of Triumph
Battlefield Forge
Windscarred Crag
Mountain
Plains
Haven of the Spirit Dragon
Sideboard (15)
Mastery of the Unseen
Outpost Siege
Erase
Valorous Stance
Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Wild Slash
Hushwing Gryff
Chandra, Pyromaster
Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
Glare of Heresy

Wait what? Where’s the blue? As it turns out, this was the end result of tweaking my Jeskai Aggro list as a response to the SCG Syracuse metagame. The tuning meant cutting out an entire color, something I didn’t expect!

To start at the beginning: The Sunday before SCG States, I was pretty much locked onto Jeskai Aggro for SCG States. I played the deck for the past two Standard tournaments and play what you’re comfortable with right? After talking with Phimus/Jax/Jeff/myself look-a-like Gary Wong, who also liked Jeskai for the tournament, we both identified some weaknesses with our current Jeskai iterations and after a bunch of discussions and evaluating various decklists around the Internet, we cut the blue and I played the above list for the tournament, while Gary played basically the same but a slightly different sideboard.

So how did I do? After the audible, I found myself at 6-1, with my only loss being to the ~72/75 mirror match against Gary Wong (naturally we’d get paired against each other in Round 1), and assured a spot in the Top 8. Gary ended up finishing 22nd with the decklist. Not bad for a deck that probably only had 2 pilots in the entire room!

Rather than write a tournament report, I thought I’d post the chat log that showed our process of tuning a decklist for a competitive tournament. You can see how we identify portions of the Jeskai Aggro deck that we aren’t a big fan of, and how we consider various cards in the metagame and how to utilize them, attack them, or dodge them. Many of the changes we brainstormed (especially early on) weren’t even incorporated in our final list, but perhaps something can be learned from the thought process behind the suggested changes.

Our goal wasn’t to take an old archetype and bring it back to life, or brewing for the sake of brewing. Our goal was to win, and we’d play whatever decklist we felt was tuned for the metagame, even if it meant a decklist that we played very little before the tournament.

Warning, it is long. The chat log has been edited mostly for clarity and the notes in brackets ([NOTE:]) are notes added after-the-fact.

Sunday, April 5th, 11:10pm

Jason Abong
How do you think Jeskai Aggro is positioned with all of this GR Aggro?

Gary Wong
I think the deck is still fine, I just haven’t played against it to know what’s really good in the match. I believe Valorous Stance is important. Thunderbreak Regent is the most annoying for that since they make Mantis Rider worse.

Jason Abong
Ah yeah, damn. Well i think I’m gonna play Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker maindeck instead of the Stormbreaths so at least I have more outs to kill Thunderbreak Regent and Stormbreath Dragon

Gary Wong
Ok that’s perfectly reasonable, Valorous Stance can kill Thunderbreak and Stoke the Flames can kill Stormbreath Dragon, so it gives you more outs.

Tuesday, April 7th, 8:05pm

Jason Abong
Do you think there is any merit to not playing Goblin Rabblemaster in Jeskai? Maybe going a little bigger and playing Thunderbreak Regent instead? I feel like Rabblemaster dies too easily.

Gary Wong
That’s possible, you can also trade Rabblemaster for Brimaz?

Jason Abong
That might be better

Gary Wong
I haven’t had a chance to test this so I’m not sure. You could run Hordeling Outburst to make casting Stoke the Flames easier.

Jason Abong
Hmm. That sounds good too actually. It can also help fight monored by putting out a ton of blockers.

Gary Wong
Yea only issue is that we don’t have ramp. Hmm I dunno if we have room for Outpost Siege or not.

Jason Abong
Yeah, I’m not sure.

Gary Wong
I’ll see if I can make a rough draft

Jason Abong
Here is something:
Creatures
4 Seeker of the Way
4 Mantis Rider
Spells
3 Anticipate
3 Dig Through Time
4 Wild Slash
4 Lightning Strike
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Valorous Stance
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Sarkhan, Dragonspeaker
Lands – 24
Maybe -1 Anticipate, +1 Soulfire

Gary Wong
I think 2-3 Valorous Stance is correct, where are Thunderbreak Regent?

Jason Abong
Not sure where to put them

Gary Wong
Oh ok

Tuesday, April 7th, 8:28pm

Jason Abong
What about this?
Creatures
4 Seeker of the Way
4 Mantis Rider
2 Thunderbreak Regent
1 Soulfire Grand Master
Spells
2 Anticipate
3 Dig Through Time
3 Wild Slash
4 Lightning Strike
4 Stoke the Flames
3 Valorous Stance
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Sarkhan, Dragonspeaker

Gary Wong
I think I’d still run more Wild Slash than Lightning Strike for mana. We could also maybe change the numbers of Dig Through Times to Treasure Cruise for mana efficiency?

Jason Abong
Yeah we could. Also helps the mana a little since we are shifting to a lot of RR cards with Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker, Thunderbreak Regent, and Hordeling Outburst.

Gary Wong
Yea exactly

Jason Abong
I like the 4th Lightning Strike over the 4th Wild Slash, helps with racing, but also Hordeling Outburst helps deal with weenies by trading.

Gary Wong
Actually 4 Lightning Strike might be better. You may need it for Xenagos and Abzan Aggro

Jason Abong
Thoughts on SB?
Sideboard
3 Disdainful Stroke
2 Negate
1 Erase
1 Abzan Advantage
2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
2 Encase in Ice
1 Glare of Heresy
1 End Hostilities
1 Scouring Sands
1 Outpost Siege/Chandra, Pyromaster
Mostly geared towards the monored/GR aggro decks

Gary Wong
I think maindeck you are fine I’m trying to think if Encase in Ice is that good I rather play Roast but it doesn’t get fliers

Jason Abong
Encase gets Regent, Stormbreath, Atarka, as well as a ton of Abzan Aggro creatures too

Gary Wong
Let me look at the Top 8 and to get a better idea
Problem is that it is sorcery and is removable

Jason Abong
Do you think people will board in enchantment removal vs this deck?

Gary Wong
The GW command?

Jason Abong
Ahh yeah, true

Gary Wong
People play that maindeck. That is why I thought about Siege but I dunno if as well positioned anymore

Jason Abong
Fair point, so Chandra over Outpost Siege?

Gary Wong
Maybe I dunno. Maybe we can play Mardu, lol I was talking to Phimus about it

Jason Abong
Depends on the list I guess, I may have to borrow a bit of cards for it since I sold some of the pieces.

Gary Wong
I’ll brainstorm a bit more

Jason Abong
Ok lemme know a list if you get one
Hm, thinking about it, i can get behind roast. Kills Courser and is also okay against heroic since 5 is a lot of toughness

Gary Wong
Lol the problem is that RG has better mana and they can accelerate so we need a way to contain that

Jason Abong
So something thats good vs their dorks and also their big dudes? Maybe we just dont board in Encase in Ice against Dromoka’s Command decks?

Gary Wong
Yea I’m not sure how the deck should be designed to take advantage of removing accelerant, stay powered through the mid game, dodge command

Jason Abong
We could just up the # of End Hostilities, then rely on the Elspeths, Sarkhans, Chandra to win

Gary Wong
Maybe but we might need a 25th land

Jason Abong
Could play another land in the board
-2 Encase, +1 End Hostilities +1 Temple of Enlightenment?
Or do you think we need 3 End Hostilities to make the plan worth it?

Gary Wong
I don’t like that many. Hmm it’s really hard to build this without any testing I’ll have to jam games to see how it feels

Wednesday, April 8th, 6:58am

Gary Wong
http://www.happymtg.com/decks/view/D079400 [NOTE: Jeskai Aggro list featuring 4 Thunderbreak Regent]

Jason Abong
Interesting

Gary Wong
List is far from perfect but it’s a good starting point. Not sure how much I like Twin Bolt

Jason Abong
I considered it for the board. Maindeck seems kinda strange until you expect a ton of monored or something

Gary Wong
Sure and the fact that it lowers the curve over all on the deck is nice
I might cut the charms and Twin Bolts for another Cruise and then run a few more creatures like Seeker of the Way.

Jason Abong
I’m still a fan of Hordeling Outburst over Rabblemaster though. Outburst for Stoke + Grand Master seems doable

Gary Wong
That’s fine, I love me some Rabblemaster but perhaps the format has finally gotten too hostile for him. There was another deck that got second I believe

Jason Abong
In the same event? lol I have no idea how to navigate that page.

Gary Wong
http://www.happymtg.com/decks/view/D079401 [NOTE: Jeskai Aggro list featuring Stratus Dancer and Ojutai’s Command]

Jason Abong
Stratus Dancer is interesting.

Gary Wong
I like both bits and pieces of both players decks and I kinda wanna mash em together

Jason Abong
That’s fair. They really don’t like Seeker of the Way do they?

Gary Wong
I think once they find a card they want to break they fixate on it. I like Seeker because it’s better early than Soulfire Grand Master.

Jason Abong
Interesting. I only have 1 Soulfire so playing 4 might be too much for me lol.

Jason Abong
Actually I just realized, I have a GR devotion deck that won SCG Houston awhile back. Is that not where we want to be? Maybe going over the top?

Jason Abong
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=79984 [NOTE: Considering two Green Devotion decks made Top 8 of PT: Dragons of Tarkir, this may not have been a bad choice either]
Move the Arbor Colossus to the maindeck

Gary Wong
It’s probably fine?? I dunno I haven’t played many green based dovetion decks haha

Jason Abong
Me neither, but i happened to build the deck awhile back. Played it in 1 tourney and played vs 2 UB Control decks lol and that was it

Gary Wong
Well I dunno, I don’t like devotions decks bc it doesn’t give you game against a lot of decks

Jason Abong
Yeah other than that tournament I’ve never played it so not sure how well i’d do with it. I do like Courser & Nylea’s Disciple vs the monored decks, and Arbor Colossus and possibly Hornet Queen vs the dragon decks.

Gary Wong
Maybe that should be a consideration. Ugin is good.

Jason Abong
Maybe some number of Surrak, the Hunt Caller or something in place of Eidolon. Or Deathmist Raptor. I don’t have either of those though so either deck i’d have to spend some cash to get them lol

Gary Wong
Ehh it’s up to you the deck looks fine but I’m less experienced with these kind of decks

Jason Abong
I’ll probably go with Jeskai for this weekend, then try out the GR Devotion deck at the PPTQs this month

Gary Wong
Sure lol I was about to say I spent all this time talking to you about it got me kinda excited. That and the Japanese lists looks interesting

Jason Abong
I think it’ll be easier and cheaper for me to get a couple of Thunderbreaks vs the Deathmists and Surraks lol
I might go with the list we came up with yesterday though, I just built it minus a Thunderbreak, seems fine.

Gary Wong
You are playing 3 Thunderbreak?

Jason Abong
Nah, list has 2. Maybe if I could find a 3rd. Seems like a lot of lists aren’t playing Anticipate so cutting both Anticipate to make for a set of Thunderbreak doesn’t seem too bad.

Gary Wong
I like the idea of one but since this deck has so many two drops it may not be necessary.

Jason Abong
One Anticipate you mean?

Gary Wong
Yea but I dunno if there is room

Jason Abong
Yeah maybe not

Gary Wong
If we are going with Cruise and Dig Through Time we need ways to fill the graveyard

Jason Abong
Yeah. Outburst helps there too. But yeah I didn’t mind playing Anticipate before. 2 might be an okay number

Gary Wong
We will see lol I’ll tune it to see if I can get a final list

Jason Abong
Alright

Wednesday, April 8th, 11:53am

Gary Wong
You know what I just realized just now? Draconic Roar is very good against us lol. It kills Mantis Rider which is bad

Jason Abong
Yeah true
What are your thoughts on just going straight RW?
I feel like we’re just cutting a ton of blue cards

Gary Wong
I thought about it but Chained to the Rocks is worse than it use to be imo, but still might be really stro

Jason Abong
Yeah cause of Dromoka’s Command. I was wondering if it was possible to just not play any Chains or Sieges. May be extreme though.
At that point, Mardu would be good also, Crackling Doom hits both dragons while dodging both of their abilities

Also good vs heroic

Gary Wong
I’m sure Mantis Rider is still good enough. I’m not sure how the one Mardu deck would look like but we can explore that option
We could just run Brimaz in the main deck and shave some Mantis Riders

Jason Abong
Hm
Like -1 Mantis Riders or -2?

Gary Wong
Yea
I’m always a fan of Brimaz

Jason Abong
I’m okay shaving 1. Shaving 2 I think ruins the tempo of the deck though

Gary Wong
It’s slightly worse because it’s double white and not red

Jason Abong
Yeah
Maybe the basic Mountain in my deck becomes a 4th Battlefield Forge

Gary Wong
I’d be careful with so many pain lands
I prefer not having so many of them

Jason Abong
Yeah I can agree with that

Gary Wong
Like I said I’ll brew up a list and refine it a little

Gary Wong
I’m sure Mantis Rider will still steal some free wins but I’m just not sure how good they are vs RG because they use to be real good but now Draconic Roar is an issue

Jason Abong
Yeah
At least we reduce the number of targets with Outburst and Brimaz

Gary Wong
Granted it’s their 4 vs our 4 and you can probably crack them once to kill Xenagos

Jason Abong
Yeah, haste helps get a little bit of value out of the Rider

Thursday, April 9th, 8:41am

Jason Abong
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/30623_Daily-Digest-The-New-RW-Aggro.html [NOTE: Gerry Thompson’s Daily Digest about RW Aggro]

Gary Wong
That looks good lol
I’d tweak a few cards, but not being reliant on enchantments is good

Jason Abong
Do you have any extra Mastery of the Unseens if we go this route?

Gary Wong
I have 1

Jason Abong
Ok, do you want to switch to this 75? Might need to stop by a store to pick up the Roasts and Draconic Roar thing

Gary Wong
Ehh maybe lol

Jason Abong
Hm, I might just stick with Jeskai anyway

Gary Wong
I honestly need to jam some amount of games to get a feel

Jason Abong
I’m picking up another Soulfire & Thunderbreaks tonight so should be close to either list

Gary Wong
Well Jim Davis posted a Jeskai list
It was ok

Jason Abong
A ton of cards I would need to get for that lol

Gary Wong
Lol yea weird, have super deep Legacy pool but no Standard

Thursday, April 9th, 12:23pm

Gary Wong
I’m fine with the audible because of Mantis Rider eating a bunch of 3 damage

Jason Abong
To the RW deck?

Gary Wong
Maybe it seems solid

Jason Abong
Yeah I like it.
Also Windscarred Crag > Evolving Wilds right? No Chained to the Rocks in the list

Gary Wong
Slightly I just like the slight percentage of trimming down on lands

Jason Abong
Not more than gaining life from a lot of the aggro decks?

Gary Wong
One and one? It’s close. Though I dunno if Roast is better than Chain

Jason Abong
Roast is sweet with Soulfire

Gary Wong
Oh yea lol

Jason Abong
Valorous Stance could be in that slot too. I just don’t like Chained vs Dromoka’s Command

Gary Wong
I think a few Slash should be in this deck. I think also to swap the Siege with the Chandra so no one boards in enchantment destruction

Jason Abong
Sounds good
-1 Brimaz, -1 Roast, +2 Wild Slash?

Gary Wong
Maybe that seems good. Also some Stance in board might be good or some amount of Chains

Jason Abong
Yeah, it’s playing 2 already
We could just do -2 Roast +2 Stance in the MD

Gary Wong
No I want Roast for aggro

Jason Abong
Alright

Gary Wong
I guess we will see

Jason Abong
So a final list like this?
Creatures – 18
4 Soulfire Grandmaster
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Thunderbreak Regent
4 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Spells – 17
4 Draconic Roar
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Wild Slash
2 Roast or Valorous Stance
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
Lands – 25
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Battlefield Forge
2 Windscarred Crag or Evolving Wilds
2 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
8 Mountain
5 Plains
Sideboard
3 Mastery of the Unseen
2 Outpost Siege
3 Erase
2 Valorous Stance
2 Wild Slash
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Roast

Jason Abong
If we are moving a Chandra to the maindeck, do you think we need to run 2 in the side? Maybe an Elspeth instead of the 2nd one in the board?

Gary Wong
Maybe 1 and 1 siege?

Jason Abong
2 Sieges are already in the board

Gary Wong
Oh sure
I’ll review the deck

Jason Abong
Alright sweet

Thursday, April 9th, 7:04pm

Gary Wong
I’m thinking of lowering the curve and in favor of shaving some number of the Brimaz to Seeker of the Way

Jason Abong
That’s fair. The three drop slot is a little cramped

Gary Wong
So what’s the revised list?

Jason Abong
Creatures – 18
4 Soulfire Grandmaster
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Thunderbreak Regent
4 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Spells – 17
4 Draconic Roar
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Wild Slash
2 Roast
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
Lands – 25
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Battlefield Forge
2 Windscarred Crag or Evolving Wilds
2 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
8 Mountain
5 Plains
Sideboard
3 Mastery of the Unseen
2 Outpost Siege
3 Erase
2 Valorous Stance
2 Wild Slash
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1 Roast

Jason Abong
Could play Seekers instead of the Brimaz

Gary Wong
I was thinking of shaving a land, 1 Wild Slash and 2 Brimaz for 4 Seekers
Or all Brimaz can go to board

Jason Abong
I don’t mind cutting the Brimaz for Seeker, but I don’t like cutting land because of the 4 Stormbreath and no ramp

Gary Wong
Oh I’ve ran the 24 lands before and it’s no different than Jeskai from before. I just don’t like flooding with this deck

Jason Abong
Fair. Seeker lowering the curve is good

Gary Wong
I just like have 8 2-drops

Jason Abong
Yeah

Gary Wong
This tournament should be interesting lol

Jason Abong
Lol yeah it should be

Gary Wong
Don’t get me wrong this deck seems fine, I’m just hoping we face other creature decks. I really want to Roar with Soulfire in play and have a Dragon in play or hand

Jason Abong
I mean UB Control sounds awful with all of the monored decks running around
Seems like our monored matchup is good

Gary Wong
Well Reid Duke’s deck is real so I would want more cards in board I think for that

Jason Abong
The Sultai Reanimator deck?
What is our boarding plan vs that?

Gary Wong
Yea they have powerful cards. I think I want 2 Chandra and 2 Outpost Siege to kinda have some mixture to not be hit hard by Sultai Charm. I think Valorous Stance is good. I dunno how good Roast is against them
Mastery is needed

Jason Abong
Yeah. Hornet Queen seems tough to beat

Jason Abong
Which land should we shave for the Seeker?

Gary Wong
Umm the Evolving Wilds?

Jason Abong
Alright

Jason Abong
Do you think there are too few spells to take advantage of Seeker?

Gary Wong
Ehh maybe?
We could cut a Seeker for another Slash I’m not opposed
I keep jumping back and forth with Roast because we need a way to deal with big guys
Maybe a Valorous Stance maindeck

Jason Abong
Roast vs what else? More Stances?
Yeah I’m cool with that
Move a stance from the SB or add one?

Gary Wong
This is why I wish I have played an event lol
Usually it takes me one FNM to tweak a deck

Friday, April 10th, 5:10pm

Gary Wong
Jammed some games deck feels solid. Roast is ok imo

Jason Abong
So should we play Valorous Stance instead?
With the extra Wild Slash in the deck plus Seekers we should be good vs aggro decks no?

Gary Wong
Yea I don’t dislike it but when I realized it was sorcery it was way worse lol

Jason Abong
So there’s 2 main Roasts, 1 side, what are the swaps?
Should we move the Stances to the maindeck then we get 2 free slots in the SB for something for like the UB/esper decks?
Like this deck is soft to Ugin right? Except for Mastery

Gary Wong
Yea but I dunno how good Mastery is
I think having 1 Stance and 1 Roast for flexibility is good

Jason Abong
Sounds good

Gary Wong
And then the board I’m probably going to redo bc it’s to redundant vs aggro
Chandra was good and same with Siege so I liked the mix
I wish Phyrexian Revoker was good enough lol

Jason Abong
What are you gonna redo the board to?

Gary Wong
I dunno. Hornet queen was good whenever it came out. I think the Erase are good

Jason Abong
Scouring Sands not good enough?
or Barrage of Boulders
if you want to go deep, something thats good vs both Ugin and Hornet Queen…Scuttling Doom Engine LOL

Gary Wong
I’m listening lol
Intriguing

Jason Abong
Some members of Team Ultra Pro used that card
but that was in GR, so they had ramp
it also dodges Ultimate Price FWIW
What about Hushwing Gryff?
Stops Siege Rhino, Hornet Queen, Sidisi

Gary Wong
I guess we can play that instead of Elspeth?? Hmm this is though

Jason Abong
I think I’d cut the Roast from the board
You thought we were overloaded on anti-aggro cards right?

Gary Wong
I think we should be good against aggressive decks. I just want to have a diverse amount of threats to deal against midrange/control

Jason Abong
Yeah i think we should cut a Wild Slash or Roast

Gary Wong
I realized I was doing pretty well against Eddie and his Sultai Reanimator deck with only 22 lands I forgot about the dragon land haha

Jason Abong
Haha
This was just maindeck games or sb too?

Gary Wong
All of them. Most games I was flooding so a dragon land would have been good

So yeah, there you have it. This is what I ended up on (if you don’t want to scroll all the way back up):

Creatures (19)
Soulfire Grand Master
Goblin Rabblemaster
Thunderbreak Regent
Stormbreath Dragon
Seeker of the Way

Spells (17)
Draconic Roar
Stoke the Flames
Hordeling Outburst
Wild Slash
Valorous Stance
Roast
Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (24)
Temple of Triumph
Battlefield Forge
Windscarred Crag
Mountain
Plains
Haven of the Spirit Dragon
Sideboard (15)
Mastery of the Unseen
Outpost Siege
Erase
Valorous Stance
Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Wild Slash
Hushwing Gryff
Chandra, Pyromaster
Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
Glare of Heresy

This was definitely quite different than a normal tournament report. Let me know if you liked it!

Jason

@mtgtwin1 on Twitter