Boros

So, the top deck for China Nationals is the long forgotten (Ok, just a few months) Boros. So, here's the list piloted by the champion. Lu Chao.

Creatures: 19
1x Goblin Bushwhacker
4x Goblin Guide
2x Kor Skyfisher
4x Plated Geopede
2x Ranger of Eos
4x Steppe Lynx
2x Stoneforge Mystic

Non-creature Spells: 17
2x Ajani Vengeant
3x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1x Adventuring Gear
1x Basilisk Collar
2x Burst Lightning
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Path to Exile

Lands: 24
4x Arid Mesa
4x Marsh Flats
5x Mountain
6x Plains
4x Scalding Tarn
1x Terramorphic Expanse


Sideboard: 15
3x Cunning Sparkmage
4x Kor Firewalker
3x Luminarch Ascension
3x Manabarbs
2x Oblivion Ring


So why was it so successful ?? Let's look at Liu Zhuo Ran's list, who was in the top 8 of the same event.

Creatures: 21
1x Goblin Bushwhacker
4x Gobline Guide
4x Hell's Thunder
4x Plated Geopede
4x Ranger of Eos
4x Steppe Lynx

Non-creature Spells: 15
2x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3x Earthquake
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Oblivion Ring
3x Staggershock

Lands: 24
4x Arid Mesa
4x Marsh Flats
7x Mountain
5x Plains
4x Scalding Tarn

Sideboard:15
3x Celestial Purge
1x Earthquake
4x Kor Firewalker
3x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
3x Manabarbs
1x Oblivion Ring


So what made Lu Chao's deck more successful than Liu Zhuo Ran's, when both players went against Zhan Zhiyang's Runeflare Trap deck ? Of course, when comparing decks, we have to take into account the player's skill level. Well, considering that both player's were good enough to enter the top 8, their skill level would be around the same. So what's different ? From what I can see, Lu Chao's build has good early game, just like Liu Zhuo Ran's with removal/burn spells, and cheap creatures that hit for large amounts of damage. While Liu Zhuo Ran did run 3 Oblivion Rings and 2 Elspeth, that's about it for Liu Zhuo Ran's deck, to deal with mid-game threats. Sure, Earthquakes could deal with creature decks, but it was practically useless against Runeflare Trap. While Lu Chao's choices were better suited against Runflare Trap as it has Ajani Vengeant to lock down lands, and more it has a stoneforge equipment package, which would greatly increase the value of his creatures in the mid-game.

This isn't just true for Boros against Runeflare Trap, but it also applies against many control decks in today's metagame. Liu Zhou Ran's build would probably have to have 2 landfall triggers, 2 burn spells, or 1 of each happening in the same turn to kill a Wall of Omens, and early drop for  control decks.

Lu Chao also has Kor Skyfisher's, a very strong card in Boros, which Liu Zhuo Ran didn't run. Kor Skyfishers lets you return lands for more landfall action( It's "drawback"), and it's a 2/3 Flier for 2 mana. While Liu Zhuo Ran did choose to run his own flier, Hell's Thunder, even though it would deal more damage fast, it only hits twice, while Kor Skyfisher can be pumped by landfall when it's equipped with an Adventuring Gear, and it actually sticks around. 

Also, probably because of the equipment package, Lu Chao chose to have Cunning Sparkmage in the sideboard, which is amazing against more aggro match-ups, as Sparkmage + Collar = instant creature kill, a very well-known combo.

So why not try Boros for the next FNM you go to ? It certainly is refreshing to see an aggro deck doing so well in tournament.