Three flavors of mono-red

During the last days we noticed a rejuvenation of the notorious mono-red aggro deck. A deck that many, most players i might dare to say have despised being against to. As of the new expansion Theros Beyond Death, we see several flavors of the mono-red deck. We will present you three decks we think are now dominating the meta in regard to mono-red aggro. All three deck play Fervent Champion, Runaway Steam-Kin and of course Embercleave as an endgame. The key difference is that the first two decks capitalize on the Anax - Embercleave combo for a lethal and also use Torbran on board while the third depends heavily on buffing fast creatures and first strike along with Embercleave.

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flavor #1 (bo3) : We watched Merchant play this deck, designed for bo3

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4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107

19 Mountain (ELD) 262

2 Castle Embereth (ELD) 239

3 Embercleave (ELD) 120

4 Shock (M19) 156

4 Scorch Spitter (M20) 159

4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115

2 Robber of the Rich (ELD) 138

2 Tin Street Dodger (RNA) 120

2 Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (ELD) 147

4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124

4 Anax, Hardened in the Forge (THB) 125

4 Infuriate (M20) 145

2 Phoenix of Ash (THB) 148

Sideboard

3 Lava Coil (GRN) 108

2 Embereth Shieldbreaker (ELD) 122

3 Claim the Firstborn (ELD) 118

3 Redcap Melee (ELD) 135

4 Unchained Berserker (M20) 164

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flavor #2 (bo1) : Our favorite flavor of the three, we watched CovertGoBlue play this deck. It also has a splash of black with Rix Maadi Reveler a card which is key to maintain a balanced hand.

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4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124

4 Shock (M19) 156

4 Rix Maadi Reveler (RNA) 109

4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115

4 Anax, Hardened in the Forge (THB) 125

4 Bonecrusher Giant (ELD) 115

4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107

3 Phoenix of Ash (THB) 148

3 Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (ELD) 147

4 Embercleave (ELD) 120

15 Mountain (ANA) 64

3 Castle Embereth (ELD) 239

4 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245

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flavor #3 (bo1) : The third flavor is the most aggressive one, as it builds around Fervent Champion, Grim Initiate and Legion Warboss and leaves out the Anax approach. It establishes a solid board state for Embercleave to come. The only downside is that it runs out of fume quicker that the other decks. We could potentially see a replacement with one or two Phoenix of Ash as an alternative to Warboss that allows for some wall climbing (see birth of meletis) and some teferi striking.

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4 Legion Warboss (GRN) 109

4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115

4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107

4 Grim Initiate (WAR) 130

4 Shock (M20) 160

4 Bonecrusher Giant (ELD) 115

3 Embercleave (ELD) 120

4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124

4 Rimrock Knight (ELD) 137

2 Castle Embereth (ELD) 239

4 Infuriate (THB) 141

19 Mountain (THB) 285

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watch CGB play flavor#2 of the mono-red aggro

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