Rw Control -- Learning to play an archetype

[Ephraim]

This deck began its life as a mono-red control deck.  I played it a few times and then splashed a few white cards to provide some important utility features.  The purpose of this deck was to give me a feel for the archetype of red control.  I often play red as a support colour.  It seldom makes up more than one third of the deck and typically adds removal or fire support to the deck.  I have played red aggro before and although I handled it well enough, it wasn't very stimulating to play. Red control, on the other hand, is a fairly alien archetype to me.

One area that always confounds me is that control decks thrive on card advantage, while red decks seldom maintain a full hand of cards.  This continues to be a problem with this deck and it's one I'd like to address with revision. You may note that there's a light Boros subtheme in the deck.  That is going to change with revision as well.  I was excited about the new cards I had when I started building and wanted to try them out.

Damage Spells (15)
4 Spark Spray
4 Pyrite Spellbomb
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Pyroclasm

Other Spells (9)
2 Orim's Thunder
2 Razia's Purification
2 Master Warcraft
3 Flowstone Armor

Creatures (13)
2 Boros Guildmage
3 Ghitu Slinger
3 Vulshock Sorceror
1 Jiwari, the Earth Aflame
1 Kumano, Master Yamabushi
3 Arc Slogger

Land (23)
7 Plains
16 Mountain

Boros Guildmage and Master Warcraft are definitely coming out of the deck.  Although Boros Guildmage does serve a relevant function, it does so suboptimally.  I have not once used it to give a creature haste.  The creatures that would most benefit from haste either already have it or are expensive enough that I don't want to wait until I have seven mana to play them with haste.  First strike, on the other hand, is quite useful. I will probably replace both Boros Guildmage and Master Warcraft with Advance Scout (cheaper) or Knighthood (survives Pyroclasm).  If I use Knighthod, I may also insert a fourth Ghitu Slinger.

Spark Spray and Pyrite Spellbomb may seem like weak damage spells, but I like them because they include the possibility of drawing a card.  Furthermore, even light damage can be useful when combined with some of my other damage-dealing cards.

Orim's Thunder may also be unnecessary and could be replaced with a regular Disenchant.  Whether that's the right choice or not, I'm probably going to keep Orim's Thunder just because it's a card that has served me well in the past and which I like a great deal.

That's really the extent of my commentary, however.  I'm still quite inexperienced with this archetype.  Although I'm not interested in making drastic changes to the deck, within the confines of the basic outline described above, I'd like to find ways to improve the it.  More card drawing would be good and I'd be willing to cut techy cards like Flowstone Armor to get it.  Would Browbeat be a useful option?  Are there any other alternatives for a red deck to draw cards?

[Ephraim]

I have made some revisions to this deck with which I am quite pleased.  Some of them are essentially untested at the moment, but they were made to solve specific problems I had noticed in playing the deck.   The deck handles somewhat more like a straight burn deck now, since I've added a couple direct-damage spells, but if the game goes long, it definitely takes on a control angle as I aim to clear away any big threats and then play Razia's Purification.  Some of the big changes I made were to increase the synergy of my creatures with Pyroclasm.

Direct Damage Spells (17)
3 Spark Spray
3 Seal of Fire
3 Pyroclasm
4 Pyrite Spellbomb
4 Lightning Bolt

Other Spells (8)
2 Orim's Thunder
4 Browbeat
2 Razia's Purification

Creatures (12)

4 Goblin Legionnaire
3 Orcish Artillery
1 Kumano, Master Yamabushi
1 Jiwari, the Earth Aflame
3 Arc-Slogger

Land (23)
7 Plains
16 Mountain

Every creature in the deck now has some synergy with Pyroclasm.  Previously, 8 of my creatures had no synergy with it. Goblin Legionnaire isn't perfect, but it's incredibly versatile.  Prior to casting Pyroclasm, I can either sacrifice it to save another Goblin Legionnaire or to protect one of my larger creatures or I can sacrifice it to help kill an opposing creature with greater than 2 toughness.  Orcish Artillery survives Pyroclasm and works along the same lines as Arc-Slogger -- two damage, with a seemingly steep penalty.

Orim's Thunder has really proven its worth in the past couple of games I've played with it.  People are playing a lot of artifacts and enchantments in casual games right now, so it is almost always a two-for-one.

The increase in the burn spells is subtle, but significant.  I cut one Spark Spray and along with other cuts that had been made, that left me with room for three Seals of Fire.  Along with Pyrite Spellbomb and Goblin Legionnaire, this really ensures that Pyroclasm never feels like a waste.

Overall, I am very pleased with this deck.  My objection to some other red burn decks is that they go for 20 points of direct damage to the opponent and have no alternate game plan.  There's no subtlety or tactics there.  With this deck, I most often eliminate immediate threats and hold onto my burn as long as possible.  Victory most often comes in the form of an attacking Arc-Slogger or Kumano, possibly backed up by a burn spell for the last few points of damage.