This was an idea that BBB originally brought to my attention. I liked the idea, but not the original list (it was however similar to this). He got me thinking about it, so I put this together over the last few days. I think it's definitely worth testing, so it's going to be the last of my speculative lists pre set drop. There is also going to be a Grixis 2, which relies on a Rakdos creature package instead - assuming this isn't a total dud.

This is a non-linear Aggro deck that seeks to drop a 2 drop, and then keep the board clear while it dings the opponent down. It's a t-6 or so deck, which is the intent. Let me know what you guys think.

AKH Grixis 1 AC

Main Deck (60)
Creatures (15)
1 x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2 x Abbot of Keral Keep
2 x Scrapheap Scrounger
3 x Bloodrage Brawler
3 x Labyrinth Guardian
1 x Hazoret the Fervent
3 x Bone Picker

Spells (22)
3 x Fatal Push
2 x Cut // Ribbons
2 x Smuggler's Copter
3 x Censor
2 x Insult // Injury
3 x Reduce // Rubble
3 x Unlicensed Disintegration
4 x Fiery Temper

Lands (23)
1 x Sunken Hollow
2 x Dragonskull Summit
2 x Drowned Catacomb
2 x Smoldering Marsh
2 x Sulfur Falls
2 x Swamp
3 x Aether Hub
4 x Mountain
5 x Island


Note: this is the UR version I was thinking about when I mentioned it in my Dimir AC list.

Note2: deck went 9-1 on the ladder, details below.

Note3: possible replacement to abbot and jace - Forerunner of Slaughter (intended as a 3 drop with haste, but playable for 2)

Have you been able to play it much?

No... finals are coming... almost no time. This weekend though.

Baited breath here. So far 2 of my brews seem to be a hit with others even though I haven't played them lol. Hopefully you can let me know over the weekend if this has legs too, I'm still unlocking.

I would have assumed that you of all people would have 20k gold stock piled.


Unlicensed Disintegration in a deck with only 2 artifacts. Is it just because it's the easiest Destroy effect for Rakdos to cast?

Hazoret is the only card I REALLY want to unlock. Looks so much fun in Madness.

I didn't play much after the 1st month of AER. For Honor, Mass Effect and several playthroughs of Borderlands 2 with some old friends saw to that.

Borderlands 2 is all you had to say.

Yeah, UD is easy to cast, and Scrounger is easy to keep around so you don't need much support (same, but less so with Copter).

Had a chance to test a bit this morning. Deck feels pretty good so far. No idea on overall tier level.

Okay, so update... I played this a few times on the ladder (prior to that VS AI), and it still feels pretty good. Reduce // Rubble is a very good card in this kind of a deck. Bone Picker is an all star. And playing a small army and then erecting a counter/removal wall is definitely a workable strategy. The deck might need some refinement, but it's definitely an interesting meta call. I haven't found any clear inneficiencies so far, but I'm still looking. Only game I've lost: some jackass disconnected before I could mulligan, so I got stuck with an all island opener, and realized about 3 turns in that there was no hope. But cheaters aside, I'm undefeated so far. I expect a better than 50% win rate, but that's still tbd.

Any thoughts on improvements?

5-0(.5)

1. demolished an UR artifacts Aggro deck, by being way faster (can not take a t3 opener against this deck, under any circumstances).
1.5 lost to the cheater - or really just conceded
2. demolished a URX control deck that t2'd Thing in the Ice but died to Rubble on the turn before he'd have gone off
3. beat a somewhat weak WG deck before they got going mostly due to t3 cut into Bone Picker, which gave me 6 power on the board on t3 with nothing to oppose me. Followed up with UD and finished with fiery temper t5.
4. Beat a very good Abzan Shell by playing the control side. Got in an early threat, and then was able to attack through both a Liliana and ObNix for the win (I was so far ahead that they were irrelevant, even after the opponent had Pulsed back a card for 6 life). I was in total control for the whole match. T3 censor of his tireless track was probably GG, but he lasted quite a bit longer.
5. Beat a 100 card fat stack, that somehow drew and played Sram's into baby Lili, followed by Gisela, lol. While I was stuck on 2 mana through t5 (even though I played abbots on the intervening turns, never finding a land), and didn't draw blue until t10 or so, double lol. (Side note, tokens could be a problem for this deck - I had to draw fiery temper for the win... it was not automatic at all - I think it's a weakness that can't be overcome, btw, so better hope for the fast start against a token deck). This start might have resulted in a loss against a better deck.

Anyway, that's all I can do for now: need to get some hwk done. But the deck is definitely playable/testable for those of you that wish to try it.

If you would have mulliganed that hand, you can't count that as a loss.

Congrats on beating the fat stack. Those match ups are hilarious cuz they're immensely in your favour but they are back breaking when you lose. Has anyone ever played a fat stack that didn't mulligan at least once?

Also I love how regularly they drop an early mythic, I bet they think they won the lottery

I'm not, it's at 5-0... but I mention it, because 1) transparency and 2) that was an example of a very bad opening hand, and something to be concerned about since we are playing 3 colors. Plus, I just wanted to rant about the stupid cheaters for once.

This is almost at the point where I'd recommend you try it out, btw. I'm going to give it another run this weekend, but if it goes 4-1 or 5-0 I think I'll have confirmed top tier viability. I'll keep updating here as I go.

I only lose to fat stacks... tIn-foIl hat conspiracies confirmed.

I love losing to fat stacks btw, no joke. Because I empathize with the opponent and I would wager these are the types of players, Johnnies, that get the most pleasure out of winning. I want to win much more than he does but I know he enjoys the win more than I do. I need therapy.

Ok after you get five more games, if you go at least 4-1 I'll try it. I really want to try Elks Gruul midrange first anyway. He was all happy when I gave up on yours

Also I really want to be playing decks with lots of Amonkhet cards in them right now just to switch it up

That works perfectly with my schedule, because I won't be able to test this for a while anyway. I've got to say one thing though: I really overestimated the wrong cards in this set, and underestimated the right ones. There are some real beaters in AKH, and they aren't necessarily the ones I'd thought they'd be.

That sounds really cool
Must be fun figuring out that kind of stuff as a gifted builder.

I think I'm officially in the not-a-fan of Brawler camp but it's still early. I mulligan aggressively and I think it's awful for players like me unless I'm running recursion

Sorry for the delay, got bitten by the Johnny bug...

9-1: final W/L for this deck.
6: destroyed a fat stack RG monsters - not a meaningful victory, but still... went Scrounger, blood rage (temper), labyrinth, into Picker... gg. Would have beaten most decks.
7: LOSS: mana screw against 5C PW'ers. Probably should have mulliganed the 2 land hand, but I only drew 1 more over at least 7-10 turns. Not expected at all. I guess every deck gets a bad hand, I more land in any reasonable amount of time, and I'd have won - or hell even just a red mana would have done it.
8: crushed some kind of landfall/PWer deck... had a nice opening, they durdled... gg. Ended it with an unnecessary insult, even though I had lethal before the insult - still mad about game 7, sorry for being a jerk. :-/
9: played against mono-G. Beat them easily, even though I made a HUGE misplay. I had 7 power on the board by t3 (play) - blood rage plus Picker. And then didn't use Rubble (discarded to bloodrage) on my next turn after censoring their t3 Nissa. I should have beaten them with no trouble at all - still won though.
10: beat interesting artifact sacrficie deck. They had no chance, but it was still a fun match, and took a little while. Got to test out the AC component, landing an early attacker, end then keeping the board clear. The deck played fairly well as the control. (Also I didn't forget to Rubble them this time, probably win anyway, but it's always a fun move).

Anyway, that's the 10.

i hate it when you shrug off your spikeness temporarily

Meh, it was a waste of time, which makes it much worse. All of the decks I built this weekend were total trash - well maybe dimir crats, but that's it. Actually that dimir deck would be next up, but it's way too similar to this one, imo. Might still be next, but I'd rather do something else.

Okay, so the results are finally in (sorry for the delay)... I went 9-1 overall with just a single loss due to mana screw, against the worst possible mana screw opponent - PWers. Even in the loss I was able to buy a lot of time, but the mana just never came, and I was stuck with no red and tons of red spells. (Note: I should have mulliganed the hand, obviously - so maybe the whole loss was just a misplay in the first place). I'm this deck is way better than 50% against that kind of crap.

I declare this deck playable in our current meta. Enjoy.

@BB this is probably worth a spin. Read the notes first, as there are some hints, but I'd rather - if you test it - that you figure out your own way to play. Only major tip, this deck is designed around having a t2 2 drop, mulligan any hands that don't fit the requirement. Also, in case it wasn't clear, you want to see RU, then B for your mana. So UB opener may be a loss before you even start, and is often better to mulligan away.

Tip2: we are basically only interested in playing Picker as a 1 drop, unless we have no board at all, we probably prefer to wait to play the card. Untapped U mana means something in this deck, leave it untapped unless absolutely necessary. Whereas UD + Picker is a massive blowout... do that when possible.

Tip3: vehicles is probably the better deck, but this is still spiky.

I should mention, I'm considering replacing Jace and the 2 abbots. Not sure for what yet, but it will be creatures. Suggestions are certainly welcome. They just don't feel needed, or helpful. (Likely replacement - Forerunner of Slaughter intended mostly as a hasted 3 drop, but playable for 2.)

Forerunner probably messes with your mana too much, doesn't it? How about Siphoner? It's an evasive beater that can keep your cards flowing.

I don't think so, because the deck is designed to go R and U t1/2 then B, which totally fits with forerunner. There's also the it ain't broke argument to consider - e.g. change may not be needed.

I do think there's an argument for a hasty finisher in the deck that doubles as another 2 drop, when needed. Point being, I'll try forerunner, but may revert back to the original 2 drops.