H8BEAR (Post-Rotation)

So everybody has those rares that they see and browse over. "Oh, that's moderately good," they think, "it might see some standard play. Nothing super incredible."

That's exactly how I felt about Goblin Diplomats and Imposing Sovereign. Goblin Diplomats I thought was a cute card with a slightly lackluster effect that was only conditionally useful in taking out low PT problem creatures. Imposing Sovereign is just a creature blind obedience, and I figured that any deck that wanted a blind obedience-ish effect probably wanted to play something more resilient than a 2/1 creature. Enchantments are a lot harder to kill in standard nowadays.

However, I had a slight revelation. Goblin Diplomats was good. Imposing Sovereign was good. Even better, they were both pieces to a puzzle.

Goblin Diplomats says that creatures without summoning sickness can't block.
Imposing Sovereign says that creatures with summoning sickness can't block.

Get the picture?

Together, they form a really ridiculous combo. It basically turns the game into a Race-Fest, where each player is swinging with all their creatures every turn and whoever puts out the most power wins. This is a board state I can deal with.

Even better, we have a lot of creatures that really like to sit back and eat up early offense. Namely Boros Reckoner and Fiendslayer Paladin.

Thus, H8Bears was born. A Red-White Combo-based aggro deck.

This deck is built mainly as an aggro deck, topping the curve with Ogre Battledriver and Firemane Avenger. Some would argue that I pick one of the curve-toppers and go with 4 of, but I like the variety that having 2 of each offers me. Ogre Battledriver is going to come out when I'm in topdeck mode and he's useless if I don't pull off a creature. Avenger is useful no matter what--maybe not to the same extent, however.

Just as a bit of insurance in case I miss a piece of the combo, 4 firefist strikers also take up a defensive-offensive approach.

One-drops in the deck are Boros Elite and Legion Loyalist. Boros Elite is a 3/3 for 1 almost all the time, and Legion Loyalist is... well, I don't know why I have legion loyalist in here. I just really like the card. It might want to be a Rakdos Cackler, but we'll see how the games go.

Rubblebelt Maaka does its best to impersonate Ghor-Clan Rampager and Giant Growth at the same time. Fairly mediocre impression, but it's something. Since they can almost never block, it's practically a lightning bolt.

Shock acts as our burn package, since burning isn't too much of a concern in this deck.

Boros charm serves multiple purposes here--acting as insurance against supreme verdict, a double-striking firemane avenger, or 4 to the face if that's all it's gonna take.

I'm not super sure of the sideboard yet, but watching my friend (BigSean) play Path of Bravery in his Young Pyromancer and winning almost every game it hit the field assured my opinions that it's amazing. It will definitely be boarded in against aggro. 2 More Boros Charms to come in against supreme verdict.

I'd love comments and opinions on this deck!