What Doesn't Die

I guess I'm on a R/B kick.

3 Juggernaut
1 Sundering Titan
4 Guardian Idol
4 Synod Centurion
2 Bosh, Iron Golem
2 Platinum Angel
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Grim Poppet
4 Goblin Welder 

3 Shrapnel Blast
4 Entomb  

4 Reanimate

3 Ancient Tomb
6 Mountain
4 Great Furnace
4 Vault of Whispers
6 Swamp
3 Daretti, Scrap Savant

Named after an Anthrax song, this deck is about recurring artifacts (the song is about zombies so it's kind of appropriate). Plus, I really like that era of Anthrax: I just feel like John Bush is a better singer. On the other hand, a friend played some of the latest Anthrax record for me and I have to say: those riffs are pretty good and they kept Belladona's tendency to go over the top to a minimum.

The printing of Daretti offers a unique chance to make something interesting happen so it's time to reevaluate What Doesn't Die. Red doesn't get this kind of recycling effect often but now I've got some redundancy for Reanimate, Goblin Welder and Entomb. That's a big deal! I think I've got the creatures, the question is; do I have the spells? As much as I enjoy Synod Centurion, or even Shrapnel Blast, perhaps some disruptive spells may be in order.

Because that's something I've been noticing a lot, lately. For all the outcry about how powerful the creatures in Magic have become (and they are quite formidable in comparison to their ancestors) most decks don't pile the creatures on and aggro really isn't an option in most formats, beyond one deck (Affinity/Robots). I've really started to notice it with GerryT's Daily Digest column at Starcity games, so many decks running 16 or less creatures and piling on the spells. Sure, people try for those creature decks but when it comes to playing seriously, those decks just don't have legs and you get this.

Now, that may be part of my own bias, seeing so many decks with so few creatures and 20+ spells, when upon review that isn't always the case, except, again, at the top tables. Still, I'm wondering if that's a flaw in my own deckbuilding; not having enough spells to support the creatures I want to run, not providing the support structure to allow my decks to accomplish what I want to do, which in this case is spring out huge artifacts and keep them perpetually out.

Either way, Daretti is a new addition to What Doesn't Die and it's time to see how he performs.