RUG Beats

INTRO

Having just picked up my Magic cards again over the last few months (after a several year retirement from MtG), I've been fiddling with deck ideas, perusing voluminous amounts of threads here on TMD, and looking for reliable, consistent decks. I used to play with several of the old archetypes, and many of those decks have resurfaced in my deck-building, albeit with a need for newer cards that have been printed since my self-mandated "retirement" sometime in 2002. I've been attracted to several modes of decks, including aggro-beatdown, speedy black disruption, combo, and decks that featured broken blue cards. I have always found the R/G beatdown deck to be reliable and trustworthy, although it lacked some of the firepower and punch of other high octane decks.

In rebuilding decks, I found myself attracted by the R/G beatdown mode, as it functioned consistently, and offered attractive creatures at minimal casting cost, coupled with efficient direct damage. But in playing with the deck, I found that I would often play all my cards from hand and then be forced into "top-decking" mode, hoping to get that last bit of damage through before a stronger, more elaborate deck would disrupt my tempo and gain control of the board situation. I've chewed on this for awhile.

Last night, I awake from a deep slumber beside my curvaceous, lovely wife, and am struck by an idea concerning Magic cards that I can't seem to get out of my head. I think about the efficiency of the R/G beatdown deck, and then think that adding Moxen, a Lotus, Ancestral Recall, Time Walk, Timetwister, and the quite wonderful Serendib Efreet would "up" the firepower a bit. I think about Wheel of Fortune for additional card drawing (coupled with Recall and Timetwister), and a lovely red sorcery that I seem to value more than most, Browbeat. I leave my lovely wife exploring her dreams, come downstairs, and devise the folllowing deck.

RUG Beats v. 1.0

Creatures

4 Kird Ape
4 River Boa
4 Serendib Efreet

Direct Damage / Creature Enhancement

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
4 Incinerate
4 Rancor

Card Drawing and other Brokenness

1 Timetwister
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Fork (maybe suboptimal)
1 Time Walk
4 Browbeat

Mana Acceleration

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring

Land

4 Wooded Foothills
4 Taiga
4 Tropical Island
4 Volcanic Island
2 City of Brass

Some Thoughts About the Deck

In "goldfishing" with deck, I've found the deck to be reliable, and has much more explosive first turns now that the Moxen, Lotus, and "broken" cards have been added. I do like the additional card drawing effects and acceleration that adding 7 of the Power 9 has added. I do understand that the deck is minimal on disruption at this point and realize that may be its greatest weakness. Of course, this deck would be torn apart by Wastelands and other spells that penalize reliance on "non-basic" lands, but I do like having the full assortment of dual lands at my disposal. I have entertained ideas about replacing the Cities of Brass with my own Wastelands, as I rarely find myself needing those Cities of Brass, as the deck is balanced in mana color proportions. I have considered adding Black for cards like Duress, as that may be one way to enable some protection, but fear compromising the stability of the mana ratios.

One beauty of the deck is that it doesn't rely on any One card, as it runs so many "4 ofs," so I fear Duresses and hand disruption only slightly. I do consider that Chalice of the Void set at 1 might be irksome to my plans for direct damage "to the Dome," so running some Mox Monkeys or other artifact disruption might be desirable, especially in my as-of-yet undeveloped sideboard. However, I hate to lose any of the efficiency of the other creatures, so I'm reluctant to fiddle with any of the existing twelve creatures. 4 Rancors might be a bit much for a deck with only 12 creatures, but a "Rancor-ed Up" Kird Ape, River Boa, and Efreet all have their virtues. Browbeat seems to be a card that I value more than others, but I do quite relish getting 3 cards for 3 mana, or the possibility of getting 5 damage for 3 mana in one card. It's almost like Ball Lightning, or Ancestral Recall all in one card, with an elevated but not egregious casting cost.

So, those are my thoughts regarding RUG Beats. I'm curious to see what observations, suggestions, or critiques come from posting this list. Your time and replies are appreciated.