Hello everyone. As I continue my mini-series showcasing decks featuring two colors, I've come to the color Red, my favorite color of mana in Magic. What kind of decks can I find that feature Red mana and are competitive while still being fun to play? Let's find out.

Boros Super Friends

We'll start off by looking at a Boros deck that features a number of planeswalkers. Let's take a look at the deck.

Boros Super Friends - LCI Standard | Sonio, aetherhub.com user

• Planeswalkers (10)
• 1 The Eternal Wanderer
• 2 Quintorius Kand
• 3 Chandra, Hope's Beacon
• 4 The Wandering Emperor

• Instants (9)
• 1 Abrade
• 1 Destroy Evil
• 1 Soul Partition
• 2 Elspeth's Smite
• 2 Get Lost
• 2 March of Otherworldly Light

• Sorceries (9)
• 1 Depopulate
• 1 Farewell
• 2 Sunfall
• 2 The Fall of Kroog
• 3 Sunset Revelry

• Enchantments (2)
• 2 Temporary Lockdown

• Artifacts (4)
• 1 Chimil, the Inner Sun
• 3 The Celestus

• Lands (26)
• 4 Plains
• 4 Mountain
• 1 Mirrex
• 2 Sunken Citadel
• 3 Field of Ruin
• 4 Battlefield Forge
• 4 Demolition Field
• 4 Sundown Pass

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That Red mana is also very useful in helping cast some of the planeswalkers in this deck. One of those planeswalkers is Quintorius Kand. Quint works best in decks that are employing a particular strategy, the use of the Discover mechanic. This rebalanced form of cascade allows you the possibility of casting a spell for free, something that has been notoriously difficult for Wizards of the Coast to balance in the past. Only Quint and Chimil, the Inner Sun offer you the means to discover, but that can be enough for you to deal the final points of damage to your opponent during a match, thanks to Quint's static ability.

Izzet Discard

The next deck I have for you trades in White mana for Blue mana. The Izzet are known for their unique way of looking at things, and this deck is no exception to that. Let's check it out.

Izzet Discard | LCI Standard | HelloGoodGame, aetherhub.com user

• Creatures (18)
• 2 Charming Scoundrel
• 2 Inti, Seneschal of the Sun
• 2 Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel
• 4 All-Seeing Arbiter
• 4 Capricious Hellraiser
• 4 Ledger Shredder

• Instants (8)
• 2 Negate
• 3 Otherworldly Gaze
• 3 Thirst for Discovery

• Sorceries (7)
• 3 Nahiri's Warcrafting
• 4 Strangle

• Artifacts (3)
• 3 Brass's Tunnel-Grinder // Tecutlan, The Searing Rift

• Lands (24)
• 4 Island
• 5 Mountain
• 1 Field of Ruin
• 1 Otawara, Soaring City
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 2 Restless Spire
• 2 Shivan Reef
• 4 Maestros Theater
• 4 Stormcarved Coast

• Sideboard (9)
• 1 Etali, Primal Conqueror // Primal Sickness
• 1 Jaxis, the Troublemaker
• 1 Phyrexian Dragon Engine
• 1 Trumpeting Carnosaur
• 2 Consider
• 1 Nahiri's Warcrafting
• 1 The Elder Dragon War
• 1 Terramorphic Expanse

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One other benefit of discarding cards that should not be overlooked is the reduction of cost in casting Capricious Hellraiser. Normally Capricious Hellraiser will cost you six mana to cast, but if you have nine or more cards in your graveyard, that cost goes down to three Red mana. By cutting the cost in half, you can get a 4/4 creature with flying onto the battlefield in the early portion of the game, giving you quite an advantage. Capricious Hellraiser also offers you the possibility of casting a noncreature spell for free, which should never be overlooked.

Rakdos Midrange

Our next deck is a Red/Black deck that hopes to harness the power of one of the most powerful creatures currently in Standard. Let's take a look at the deck.

Rakdos Midrange - LCI Standard | JayVillain, aetherhub.com user

• Creatures (30)
• 2 Preacher of the Schism
• 2 Shivan Devastator
• 3 Mishra, Claimed by Gix
• 3 Phyrexian Dragon Engine
• 4 Ayara's Oathsworn
• 4 Bloodletter of Aclazotz
• 4 Charming Scoundrel
• 4 Phoenix Chick
• 4 Urborg Scavengers

• Instants (4)
• 4 Bitter Triumph

• Sorceries (3)
• 3 Molten Collapse

• Lands (24)
• 6 Mountain
• 8 Swamp
• 2 Restless Vents
• 4 Blackcleave Cliffs
• 4 Sulfurous Springs

• Sideboard (5)
• 2 Cut Down
• 2 Go for the Throat
• 1 Invasion of Azgol

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By melding Mishra, Claimed by Gix with Phyrexian Dragon Engine, you're able to create Mishra, Lost to Phyrexia, a 9/9 creature with multiple modular abilities. When Mishra, Lost to Phyrexia enters the battlefield or attacks, you get your choice of any three of the modes listed. These modes include some crazy effects, including outright destruction of an artifact or planeswalker, dealing three damage to any target, or providing your creatures with menace and trample for the remainder of your turn.

I mentioned the three damage Mishra, Lost to Phyrexia can deal to any target because this mode pairs nicely with the damage doubling effect of Bloodletter of Aclazotz. In fact, this ability to cause the amount of life lost to be twice as much while Bloodletter of Aclazotz is on the battlefield has made this Vampire Demon become one of Standard's best creatures. Move over Sheoldred, there's a new sheriff in town.

Gruul Aggro

The final deck I have this week is a very aggressive Gruul deck. Let's see what makes this deck so fast and powerful.

Gruul Aggro | LCI Standard | Mythras, aetherhub.com user

• Creatures (20)
• 4 Cacophony Scamp
• 4 Cenote Scout
• 4 Monastery Swiftspear
• 4 Phoenix Chick
• 4 Picnic Ruiner

• Instants (8)
• 4 Giant Growth
• 4 Monstrous Rage

• Sorceries (4)
• 4 Ancestral Anger

• Enchantments (12)
• 4 Audacity
• 4 Hammerhand
• 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan // Etching of Kumano

• Lands (16)
• 3 Mountain
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 4 Copperline Gorge
• 4 Karplusan Forest
• 4 Thran Portal

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This deck can have some very explosive starts. Starting off with a Monastery Swiftspear or Phoenix Chick with multiple pump spells feels amazing. But, if you draw your opening hand and don't see at least two creatures, you'll typically want to mulligan that hand away. I'm often greedy when I play aggressive decks, because I always think the next card I draw will be the one I need, but far too often I end up losing because I'm stuck with a handful of enhancement spells and no creature to cast them on. With that being said, though, this is a very fun and powerful deck when everything works in your favor, and you can win very quickly with it.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, even though Red is typically thought of as an aggressive color, when you pair it with another color, the deck you make can be whatever type of deck you want. Control, midrange, and aggro decks are all possible by combining two colors of mana.

What do you think of these decks? Feel free to share this article with your friends anywhere on social media. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in Standard. I'll see you then!

- Mike Likes