End the game as fast as possible with these Aggro decks!
There are few things in life as satisfying as dropping your opponent to single-digit life totals before they get to do anything.
In essence, that’s what Aggro wants to do: flood the board with cheap spells and win the game early. As you’re piloting these decks or even playing against them, every decision you make early in the game can be the difference between life and death.
Based on recent tournament results and deck win rates, here are the top 5 Best Aggro decks:
5. Mono-White Aggro
White weenies as far as the eye can see!
Mono-White aggro appeared at Twitch Rivals with a 5-1 record while piloted by Lee Shi Tian (leearson).
Mono-White Aggro wins by going creating an army of 1/1 creatures and then buffing all of them with Heraldic Banner or Venerated Loxodon. This deck looks promising since it had plenty of evasive beaters and ways to get rid of blockers.
What is great about this deck
- Can consistently hit 3-4 creatures on Turn 2.
- Lots of removal for an aggro deck through Glass Casket, Conclave Tribunal, and Giant Killer.
- This deck is made to go wide
- Convoked Venerated Loxodon can create a large board
How This Deck is Played
- Turn 1, play any of your 1-mana creatures. If you can avoid playing any of your adventure creatures here since they will help you push damage later.
- The best starts here are with Venerable Knight since it can attack next turn and it doesn’t cost you an Adventure to play it as a creature.
- The best starts here are with Venerable Knight since it can attack next turn and it doesn’t cost you an Adventure to play it as a creature.
- Turn 2, if your opponent played a blocker at this point in time, then the best play is to cast Gift of the Fae, attack, then play Faerie Guidemother.
- If you need more creatures because you have a payoff in your hand (Heraldic Banner or Venerated Loxodon), then Raise the Alarm is a good play here just to go wide
- Flooding the board with two 1-cost creatures can also accomplish the same job as Raise the Alarm, but this will take two cards from your hand instead of one. In exchange, you also get evasive beaters for the next turn.
- If you need more creatures because you have a payoff in your hand (Heraldic Banner or Venerated Loxodon), then Raise the Alarm is a good play here just to go wide
- Turn 3, you want to either push for damage by playing Faerie Guidemother’s Adventure and then Faerie Guidemother herself or play Heraldic Banner to buff your entire board and then push for damage.
- Heraldic Banner is preferred since it buffs all of your creatures on the board and ramps you.
- Heraldic Banner is preferred since it buffs all of your creatures on the board and ramps you.
- Turn 4, you can swing with some of your creatures and tap the remaining ones to play Venerated Loxodon. This way, you will have lethal for next turn.
- Alternatively, if you need to remove a threat this turn, then you can cast Raise the Alarm and then convoke your two new soldiers to cast Conclave Tribunal.
- Alternatively, if you need to remove a threat this turn, then you can cast Raise the Alarm and then convoke your two new soldiers to cast Conclave Tribunal.
- Since this deck doesn’t have any card draw, be aware that you will most likely be playing with whatever cards you see. Make the most of the adventures you have to conserve cards in your hand and push for as much damage as you can before your opponent stabilizes.
Cards
Deck
4 Loyal Pegasus (M20) 28
4 Castle Ardenvale (ELD) 238
4 Raise the Alarm (M20) 34
4 Venerated Loxodon (GRN) 30
4 Tithe Taker (RNA) 27
4 Faerie Guidemother (ELD) 11
4 Heraldic Banner (ELD) 222
4 Venerable Knight (ELD) 35
4 Giant Killer (ELD) 14
2 Tomik, Distinguished Advokist (WAR) 34
2 Conclave Tribunal (GRN) 6
2 Glass Casket (ELD) 15
18 Plains (ELD) 250
Sideboard
4 Gideon Blackblade (WAR) 13
4 Hushbringer (ELD) 18
1 Glass Casket (ELD) 15
1 Conclave Tribunal (GRN) 6
1 Devout Decree (M20) 13
1 Disenchant (M20) 14
1 Divine Visitation (GRN) 10
1 Finale of Glory (WAR) 12
1 Bounty Agent (GRN) 2
4. Mardu Knights
A Worthy Knight for a worthy adversary.
In the last few MTGO Standard League tournaments, a Mardu Knights list piloted by NEObots has been doing pretty well. It’s gone 5-0 in the last three leagues, including the most recent league after the Oko ban.
The list uses a strong Knights tribal theme to establish a board and then swing for lethal. This list can create a bunch of strong knights that can each turn into an Embercleave threat.
What is great about this deck
- Knight Tribal brings board-wide buffs and Deathtouch tricks through Blacklance Paragon
- Acclaimed Contender can get more cards into your hand in colors that normally struggle for card draw
- If knights don’t work, Rotting Regisaur is the Godzilla-sized backup plan for this deck
How This Deck is Played
- Turn 1, you want to establish a board early through any of your 1-cost creatures. 20% of your deck is 1-cost creatures, so you should have a few in your opening hand.
- Fervent Champion is great if you know you’re against a slow deck where you need to put the beats down early. Drawing Champion later can also be used as a way to push through 1 more point of damage if you’ve already established a board.
- Knight of the Ebon Legion is the most flexible choice in most matchups. A 1/2 body helps deter other 1/1s from swinging into you, while its abilities mean it can grow as a threat in later turns.
- Venerable Knight is also a great creature if you need a 2/1 body to swing with next turn. Since it’s a 2/1 that can buff other Knights when it dies, Venerable Knight is also a great creature to trade or block with.
- Fervent Champion is great if you know you’re against a slow deck where you need to put the beats down early. Drawing Champion later can also be used as a way to push through 1 more point of damage if you’ve already established a board.
- Turn 2, there are a few options you have available to you. Before you attack, figure out what the best method is to push through damage. If there isn’t a way to get damage through, then it’s also okay to play a creature and pass.
- Be aware, you want to protect your creatures and not spend them on low damage attacks since getting an Embercleave onto the board is more important than 1 or 2 points of damage.
- With the previous point in mind, Inspiring Veteran is a good play if you want to buff your Turn 1 creature. I would play him before you attack so you can get through more damage.
- If you don’t have Inspiring Veteran, but you do have Blacklance Paragon and it’s safe to swing, then attack first to see what your opponent will do and how they will block. If they block with anything and you don’t mind trading, play Blacklance to get a creature on the board and remove one of your opponent’s creatures.
- If your opponent didn’t block, then just play any creature. You could play two 1-cost creatures or Worthy Knight.
- If you didn’t swing, then wait before you play Blacklance in case your opponent attacks you. Blacklance can be a surprise blocker and get rid of an early threat at the cost of one of your knights. Otherwise, you can flash in Blacklance on your opponent’s end step so you can another attacker for the next turn.
- Be aware, you want to protect your creatures and not spend them on low damage attacks since getting an Embercleave onto the board is more important than 1 or 2 points of damage.
- Turn 3, the ideal play is to threaten Embercleave this turn. This would require you to play two 1-cost creatures last turn and Fervent Champion on this turn. Attacking with these 4 creatures will make Embercleave cost 2 red mana.
- If your opponent blocked anything then you can flash and equip Embercleave to kill the blocking creature and hopefully keep your knight alive.
- If you want to build your board more, then play Worthy Knight and a 1-cost creature to create a token. Next turn, you can now swing with 4-6 creatures, which should reduce Embercleave’s cost to 2 mana.
- If your opponents are playing a slower deck, then playing Regisaur here may not be a bad idea if you can get an Embercleave played next turn. Be aware, this can be dangerous since most slow decks will wait for you to try and equip Regisaur before they remove it.
- Midnight Reaper and Acclaimed Contender can both be played here if you need to refill your hand or expect to lose creatures in the next few turns.
- If your opponent blocked anything then you can flash and equip Embercleave to kill the blocking creature and hopefully keep your knight alive.
- Turn 4, if you haven’t played Embercleave yet, then it’s recommended to play it this turn so you can threaten lethal as soon as possible. Ideally, you flash Embercleave in when your opponents try to block with something, or if you want to push through more damage.
- 1 Icon of Ancestry is in this deck in case you need a board-wide buff to your knights. Later in the game, if your opponent is trying to grind you out, then you can use Icon of Ancestry to help refill your hand.
- If Regisaur is attacking this turn, then you can potentially attack for a trampling 8 doublestrike damage (16 damage in total). If you were able to sneak through 4 damage in the previous turns, then this is going to be lethal.
- 1 Icon of Ancestry is in this deck in case you need a board-wide buff to your knights. Later in the game, if your opponent is trying to grind you out, then you can use Icon of Ancestry to help refill your hand.
Cards
Deck
4 Acclaimed Contender (ELD) 1
3 Blacklance Paragon (ELD) 79
4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124
4 Inspiring Veteran (ELD) 194
4 Knight of the Ebon Legion (M20) 105
1 Midnight Reaper (GRN) 77
4 Rotting Regisaur (M20) 111
4 Venerable Knight (ELD) 35
4 Worthy Knight (ELD) 36
3 Embercleave (ELD) 120
1 Icon of Ancestry (M20) 229
4 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245
4 Godless Shrine (RNA) 248
3 Mountain (ELD) 262
1 Plains (ELD) 250
4 Sacred Foundry (GRN) 254
3 Swamp (ELD) 258
1 Temple of Silence (M20) 256
4 Tournament Grounds (ELD) 248
Sideboard
1 Swamp (ELD) 258
2 Devout Decree (M20) 13
3 Duress (XLN) 105
1 Embereth Shieldbreaker (ELD) 122
2 Legion's End (M20) 106
4 Noxious Grasp (M20) 110
2 Ob Nixilis's Cruelty (WAR) 101
3. Izzet Phoenix
I live, I die, I live again!
This is a welcome sight for me since I love UR decks. Izzet Phoenix made a 5-1 appearance at Twitch Rivals while piloted by Inove.
While I don’t know if this is going to herald the return of Phoenix decks (I hope so), this deck still made a strong enough appearance that I think it’s worth talking about.
What Is Great About This Deck
- If you love casting spells and drawing cards, then this is the deck for you.
- Harder to pilot than other aggro decks, but rewarding when it works
- Shock and Lava Coil work as both flexible removal cards and a way to storm Phoenixes back onto the board
How This Deck is Played
- Turn 1, I know some Phoenix players may disagree, but don’t play anything here. No matter how tempting those 1-cost spells in your hand are, don’t cast them. Believe me, you’ll need it later.
- Disregard this advice if you need to shape your hand a bit, but unless you had to keep a really bad hand, I still don’t recommend you play anything here.
- Disregard this advice if you need to shape your hand a bit, but unless you had to keep a really bad hand, I still don’t recommend you play anything here.
- Turn 2, the ideal play here is Goblin Electromancer. He’s a 2/2 body that can make your next spells cheaper. If this creature sticks, then your turn 3 will be much much easier.
- If you don’t have Electromancer, then you can still play Thrill of Possibility or Discover//Dispersal dig for Arclight Phoenix and get as many of them into the Graveyard as possible.
- If you don’t have Electromancer, then you can still play Thrill of Possibility or Discover//Dispersal dig for Arclight Phoenix and get as many of them into the Graveyard as possible.
- Turn 3, if Electromancer is on the board or if you have a Phoenix in the graveyard, then you want to cast 3 spells at least this turn. The ideal, perfect world play is to play 3x Thrill of Possibility, discard 3 Phoenixes, then swing for 9 damage this turn.
- While that may not be the most realistic possibility, you can still use Opt to find either more draw or Phoenixes, Radical Idea to draw a card and then discard a Phoenix to play it again, or Discovery to surveil phoenixes into the graveyard.
- If you need another turn to set up your phoenixes, then you can use Brazen Borrower to stall your opponent’s plans.
- Royal Scions is also a great play if you need to set up Phoenixes for next turn. After you play them, you’ll want to use their draw/discard loyalty ability to let you discard a Phoenix.
- Don’t forget that Electromancer is a 2/2 body. Sneaking in 2 damage can help you get lethal through your phoenixes sooner.
- While that may not be the most realistic possibility, you can still use Opt to find either more draw or Phoenixes, Radical Idea to draw a card and then discard a Phoenix to play it again, or Discovery to surveil phoenixes into the graveyard.
- Turn 4, If you have enough card draw or enough Phoenixes in your graveyard, then you can storm off this turn. Again, the ideal play is to discard all of your phoenixes into the graveyard while playing 3 spells to resurrect them to swing for 9 damage (11 damage with the Scions on board).
- Once your phoenixes are on board, they become obnoxious creatures to remove. Even if your opponent wipes the board, you should have enough card draw to play 3 spells to resurrect them.
- When in doubt, there’s nothing wrong with just playing a phoenix as a haste beater/blocker.
- If you need a creature, then Crackling Drake is a great play since it’ll get bigger as you cast more spells, and it draws you a card when it enters the battlefield.
- Once your phoenixes are on board, they become obnoxious creatures to remove. Even if your opponent wipes the board, you should have enough card draw to play 3 spells to resurrect them.
- Turn 5, your phoenixes/electromancers should be able to swing for lethal on this turn. If all of your phoenixes have been removed, or if you’re slowing down on this turn, then you can switch to the backup plan - play Crackling Drake and Brazen Borrowers, and swing for lethal in the skies.
Cards
Deck
4 Arclight Phoenix (GRN) 91
3 Brazen Borrower (ELD) 39
4 Crackling Drake (GRN) 163
3 Discovery // Dispersal (GRN) 223
4 Goblin Electromancer (GRN) 174
9 Island (ELD) 254
4 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
8 Mountain (ELD) 262
4 Opt (XLN) 65
2 Radical Idea (GRN) 52
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Steam Vents (GRN) 257
3 The Royal Scions (ELD) 199
4 Thrill of Possibility (ELD) 146
Sideboard
3 Aether Gust (M20) 42
3 Fry (M20) 140
4 Improbable Alliance (ELD) 193
3 Negate (RIX) 44
2 Redcap Melee (ELD) 135
2. Mono-Red Aggro
Honestly, Runaway Steamkin looks like the result of the Izzet shoving a flaming monkey into a pot.
A tale as old as time - Mono-Red and Aggro. Mono-Red Aggro appeared in the recent Twitch Rivals tournament and took home a 6-0 record and a 5-1 record when piloted by Runeclawbarich and gmatignon respectively.
As with every version of this deck, Mono-Red Aggro is one of the fastest decks to stabilize. If it’s ever in a pinch, it can use its burn spells to either end the game or maintain board control.
What Is Great About This Deck
- Crazy fast
- Flexible suite of spells that can remove creatures or burn face
- Experimental Frenzy can give this deck a lot of gas when it needs it since all of its spells are so cheap
How This Deck is Played
- Turn 1, just like with most aggro decks, you want to establish your board fast and early. Luckily this deck runs four copies of Scorch Spitter and Fervent Champion.
- Scorch Spitter is great just to get early damage on your opponent. Attacking and either trading with another 1/1 or just dealing 2 damage means you payed 1 mana for a Shock directly into your opponent.
- In this deck, Fervent Champion’s ability can target himself and Rimrock Knight. Luckily both of these cards’ adventure sides also work well with each other. If you attack with Fervent Champion into a board with blockers, then you can use Rimrock’s Adventure to buff the Champion and remove a blocker.
- Scorch Spitter is great just to get early damage on your opponent. Attacking and either trading with another 1/1 or just dealing 2 damage means you payed 1 mana for a Shock directly into your opponent.
- Turn 2, first swing with the creature you played on Turn 1. If your opponent blocks it, then you can buff it with Boulder Rush to remove the creature. However, if your opponent didn’t block, or if you’re okay with the trade, then the best play here is Runaway Steamkin.
- Since Steamkin can grow, you want to cast as many red spells as you can after its hit the board. Most of the time, you’re going to want to attack with the Steamkin first, then remove counters to play something for your second main.
- Since Steamkin can grow, you want to cast as many red spells as you can after its hit the board. Most of the time, you’re going to want to attack with the Steamkin first, then remove counters to play something for your second main.
- Turn 3, playing Chandra, Alcolyte of Flame can help you push damage and keep pressure on your opponent. However, this is also the turn where you have all of your removal and burn available to you. If you need to remove a creature without risking your board, then you can use a Shock, Stomp, Lava Coil, or Slaying Fire.
- Keep in mind, each time you have to remove a creature, that’s a burn spell that could have gone to your opponent’s face. Keep in mind which threats are “must removes” and which ones can be ignored so you can deal more damage to your opponent’s life total.
- Keep in mind, each time you have to remove a creature, that’s a burn spell that could have gone to your opponent’s face. Keep in mind which threats are “must removes” and which ones can be ignored so you can deal more damage to your opponent’s life total.
- Turn 4, if you have a board state and burn spells in hand, then Torbran is the perfect play here to finish your opponent off.
- if your hand is looking empty and you just need a small push, then you can play Experimental Frenzy. WIth Runaway Steamkin on the field, you can keep playing cards for a while.
- if your hand is looking empty and you just need a small push, then you can play Experimental Frenzy. WIth Runaway Steamkin on the field, you can keep playing cards for a while.
- Turn 5, you should be able to close the game out by this point. In the least, you should be able to stabilize. When in doubt, you could play Torbran and then immediately follow with a Shock to deal a surprise 4 damage to your opponent.
Cards
Deck
4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124
4 Scorch Spitter (M20) 159
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Rimrock Knight (ELD) 137
4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115
4 Bonecrusher Giant (ELD) 115
4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107
2 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
2 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame (M20) 126
2 Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (ELD) 147
2 Experimental Frenzy (GRN) 99
3 Castle Embereth (ELD) 239
18 Mountain (ELD) 262
3 Slaying Fire (ELD) 143
Sideboard
4 Embereth Shieldbreaker (ELD) 122
3 Fry (M20) 140
2 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
2 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame (M20) 126
2 Experimental Frenzy (GRN) 99
2 Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (ELD) 147
1. Rakdos Knights
Syr Regisaur, the chosen wielder of the Legendary sword, Embercleave.
Our #1 Aggro deck is Rakdos Knights, with 3 appearances at Twitch Rivals and one of those being a 6-1.
While Rakdos Knights have plenty of different variations, its core theme remains the same: use a Knights Tribal theme to establish a board and push for damage. Once you’ve dealt some damage, you can play larger creatures and then flash Embercleave onto them for lethal.
What Is Great About This Deck
- Knights Tribal sets up early game extremely well
- Easier to draw into Rotting Regisaur in this deck compared to Mardu Knights since this deck runs Stormfist Crusader.
- Thanks to the Knight early game, Embercleave can be a threat from turn 3 onward.
How This Deck is Played
- Turn 1, play your 1-mana creatures to get your attacks as early as possible. Fervent Champion is the preferred play usually, with Knight of the Ebon Legion being the second-best play here.
- Gutterbones is great if you don’t mind him entering tapped. But one of the best uses of Gutterbones is that you can discard him to Rotting Regisaur to keep the important cards in your hand safe. Then, you can bring him back to your hand to play or discard after you’ve successfully dealt damage to your opponent.
- Gutterbones is great if you don’t mind him entering tapped. But one of the best uses of Gutterbones is that you can discard him to Rotting Regisaur to keep the important cards in your hand safe. Then, you can bring him back to your hand to play or discard after you’ve successfully dealt damage to your opponent.
- Turn 2, one of the best things to do on this turn is to create two 1-mana creatures. This will set up for a potential Embercleave on Turn 3.
- If you don’t have more 1-mana creatures then you can instead play Stormfist Crusader. Be aware, Crusader also lets your opponents draw cards too. Clever usage of Drill Bit can help make sure your opponent will always be behind regardless of that draw.
- As always, I would recommend attacking first if your opponent doesn’t have any blockers. If your opponent does have blockers though, while you could use a flashed in combat trick like Stomp or Blacklance Paragon, I recommend you keep those in hand for now and not risk your creatures.
- If you don’t have more 1-mana creatures then you can instead play Stormfist Crusader. Be aware, Crusader also lets your opponents draw cards too. Clever usage of Drill Bit can help make sure your opponent will always be behind regardless of that draw.
- Turn 3, ideally you curve into Rotting Regisaur here. This way you can attack and equip Embercleave as soon as possible. For this turn, however, you either want to finish stabilizing with your Knights or get Regisaur so you can threaten to end the game the turn after.
- Oathsword Knight is a great 4/4 body that can have Embercleave flashed onto it and become a bothersome threat for decks that aren’t running hard removal.
- Oathsword Knight is a great 4/4 body that can have Embercleave flashed onto it and become a bothersome threat for decks that aren’t running hard removal.
- Turn 4, you should have 4 creatures on the field that you can attack with. This should give you 2 mana to cast Embercleave and then another 2 mana to play Stomp or Blacklance Paragon.
- Hopefully on this turn, if you played Rotting Regisaur last turn, you can attack with Regisaur and then flash in Embercleave so you can deal a silly amount of damage.
Cards
Deck
4 Knight of the Ebon Legion (M20) 105
4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124
4 Blacklance Paragon (ELD) 79
4 Rotting Regisaur (M20) 111
4 Embercleave (ELD) 120
3 Gutterbones (RNA) 76
3 Stormfist Crusader (ELD) 203
3 Drill Bit (RNA) 73
3 Oathsworn Knight (ELD) 98
3 Bonecrusher Giant (ELD) 115
2 Castle Locthwain (ELD) 241
8 Swamp (ELD) 258
7 Mountain (ELD) 262
4 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245
4 Tournament Grounds (ELD) 248
Sideboard
2 Duress (XLN) 105
2 Legion's End (M20) 106
2 Noxious Grasp (M20) 110
2 Murderous Rider (ELD) 97
2 Massacre Girl (WAR) 99
1 Drill Bit (RNA) 73
4 Leyline of the Void (M20) 107
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