Teaching Decks: Prowess Aggro

by ToastasaurusRex on 26 March 2018

Main Deck (60 cards)

Sideboard (12 cards)

Creatures (2)


Sorceries (3)

Instants (7)

Opt2xOpt

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Deck Description

So this is a project I wanted to engage in- To make a set of 10+ super-budget 60-card decks that are simple, relatively easy to play, relatively easy to understand, and bring across the fundamentals of how Magic Works.

The Idea being that you could easily build these deck for a low cost and use them as an easy introduction to how magic works, to teach a group of new players both how to play, and give them a sense of Why, a sense of what fun things they're getting into. These decks aren't gonna be particularly good, or even legal in any particular format if it stops me from including a card I think is good for the deck, but they should be fun and interesting without being too hard to get into.

This is one of the more advanced decks- Not really the first decks you want people learning with, but a sweet, budget deck you can use once new players are already on their feet to really knock their socks off and get them to think about something you can do in Magic that they might not have otherwise realized.

In this 4th deck, I blatantly made a pet deck of mine that is of no interest to new players whatsoever. Like, this is not a deck I'd ever give to someone their first time playing, that'd be stupid. This is an advanced course after they've gotten used to most of your other teaching decks, if that. But I love it, so I made it anyways.

Maindeck Cost ~$10 at time of writing (using the blue, average values offered by the site), plus ~4.50 in the sideboard, coming just a hair under the $15 limit. Opt is expensive right now, since it's in standard. Those 4 copies account for over 20% of the cost of the deck.

How to Play

So mostly this section is going to be notes on why I think these are good cards to learn from, though this is not a good deck to learn from. I need to go back to just making decks instead of making decks I think are sweet for this series.

So the creatures are mostly just a critical mass of Prowess- It's nice to have them right next to Spellfist and Blistercoil, who do the same thing almost, but not quite, which is something players can learn from when they see it, and they're all just tough enough to survive a Pyroclasm. Abbot of Keral Keep was tempting, but the temporary Card Draw Effect seemed like a layer of complexity that this deck didn't need more of.

The Sorceries help your creatures get in and cantrip, which is always sweet, and Opt serves as 2 copies of the cheapest scry cantrip available. There might be a better one if I look at Legacy-legal cards, but I doubt it, and I'm not putting freaking Brainstorm or Ponder in one of these decks (which are both even more expensive anyways).

Shock needs no introduction, and the Temur Battle Rage-Titan's Strength Combo was brutal back when it was a standard deck, here it's just as back-breaking.

Triton Tactics is a personal touch- I love blowing people out with that baby in Prowess decks, and it can turn one aggressive play by your opponent into their defenses collapsing and you open to dive in for the kill. It's a brutal and hilarious card, and while it's going to be an odd one, the question of "Why is this in this deck?" is an important one to ask.

Mana base is even more minimal than usual.

In the Sideboard, Niblis gives the option to play a little more grindy, Mutiny lets you clear blockers who are bigger than a shock will handle, Pillar of Flame was going to be Lava Spike, as the option for turning up the Burn, but as-is still offers that, while also becoming a mild lesson in what 'Strictly Better' means.

All the creatures except Blistercoil survive your pyroclasm even if it's the only spell you cast that turn, so it's a sick board clear in this deck that you can use to run away with games, extra opt is nice, and Spell Pierce gives you an option for interaction. I considered Dispel, but Pierce is better in this deck, and a little less specific.

Deck Tags

  • Casual
  • Budget
  • Prowess
  • Aggro
  • teaching deck
  • Advanced Lesson

Deck at a Glance

Social Stats

10
Likes

This deck has been viewed 1,371 times.

Mana Curve

Mana Symbol Occurrence

0240290

Card Legality

  • Not Legal in Standard
  • Legal in Modern
  • Legal in Vintage
  • Legal in Legacy

Deck discussion for Teaching Decks: Prowess Aggro

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