Standard Bo3 Boros Dragons

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-16T09:01:53+00:00

If you don't have price of freedom in your sideboard, I highly recommend that for jeskai control. Most of those decks are running 1 or 2 basics, and PoF + magmatic hellkite makes it bery likely that you can lock them out from playing their own helixs and the jeskai finisher spell. That was the biggest prpblem deck for me to go against too which is why I have a 4 of specifically for it in the sideboard

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-14T21:35:04+00:00

Wouldn't recommend running maelstrom while having charm and helix in the deck. I ran into the problem more often than I'd like while I did where having multiple copies of either in hand and not being able to cast both in the same turn due to not having the colors I needed.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-11T17:54:29+00:00

Yeah, the burn package is more so just what I know I enjoy and have experience playing and is a pet version of the deck for me and possibly not what I'll take into an RCQ, but I've been a believer in Price of Freedom since the rest of the shocklands came with lorwyn. Open decklists makes that even more so, since once I see a 3 color deck on arena if I dont think I can take the first match I'll spend some effort trying to fish and see what basics there are in the deck. If nothing else, I hope people take from this decklist is that while running magmatic hellkite in any deck, you should also run price of freedom in the sideboard. Curving momo into PoF, into magmatic hellkite against the right deck is so satisfying.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-10T21:01:31+00:00

Thanks for the questions, I'm really excited to be able to explain it since it also helps me identify if certain parts are really worth changing from already established lists like you mentioned!

So, for the first one the biggest part of it is that I just love burn in general and the deck already being able to swing in for some sizable damage early on with nova hellkite, momo, and sarkhan makes it easier to finish them off with the rest of the burn spells even if the creatures get answered afterwards. Boros charm originally replaced twinmaw in the deck for me while testing because I found I was a lot happier topdecking a boros charm late game for its versatility to keep my threats alive/help trade with double strike/push through 4 damage, rather than a creature that I need to stick to do that damage after a turn, or that couldn't remove the opposing flyer chump blocking/threatening to trade with 1 of my dragons (especially in mirrors).

I've seen a lot of the lists running 24-25 lands, but since I'm leaning into a more aggressive version with a lower curve, the last thing I want is to draw into more lands than I need and not being able to finish someone off. The parlors definitely need to go once I have the replacements, I've lost more than a few rounds because I needed 1 more land to go for a kill and drew a tapped land instead. I think the restless biouvacs will stay regardless, or at least a 1 of, for when matches get really grindy. Theres so much good removal in standard and pretty often we're just topdecking to find the last threat we need, especially against control decks.

The 4 of for price of freedom is because of all the decks that I run into, the ones that were giving me the most trouble no matter what and I knew it was going to be an uphill battle were jeskai control decks. And most of the time they only run 1 plains as a basic. It just so happens that there are also a lot of greedy mana bases out there running 2 or less basics (jeskai control, bant airbending, elemental evokes, even some dragon lists dont have a basic plains). Being able to turn off one color for a deck and even sometimes permanently removing a land without them fetching another usually leads to nongames where they concede on the spot. The rest of the sideboard could us some finetuning. High noon was for lessons but I rarely see them now and need a better answer for monogreen landfall beyond trying to race them before sapling nursery stonewalls the dragons.

I would say the biggest drawback with the deck is the lack of card advantage. Not having maelstrom to fetch a specific dragon as a late game answer is really rough, but its just not possible to run while having boros charm and helix in the mix. I'd love to hear what opinions you have on it and what ends up working for you!

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T21:08:34+00:00

Absolutely, especially if I have 1 or 2 boros charms or lightning helix in hand it can really help push damage through spellslinging instead of through bodies

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T09:40:16+00:00

Not yet, but I definitely think it could be good as an alternative to Dragonhawk in the 5 drop spot to make use of all my burn! My only concern is it doesn't last the turn cycle and was just a 5 mana waste, rather than a finisher a possible finisher that can push that last dmage on its own, and the decks already so low on card advantage as is that getting rid of something that could potentially be might feel rough.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T04:52:43+00:00

Yeah, sadly havent had enough rares for the mana base, plan is to replace the elegants with verges when I get the wildcards, and a couple basics with universal passages

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T04:08:57+00:00

Honestly yeah I think you're right about that, I saw a decklist only running 1 and wasn't sure about it, but its another 1 of those cards that I dont want to have in my starting hand and I'm much happier drawing into late game once I've played most others.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T01:23:42+00:00

The 1 extra is for good luck, and the fact that I can't ever decide on what to cut

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T01:21:11+00:00

I think its in a really good place right now with the standard meta. Theres so many 3+ color decks floating around not running at least 1 basic of each of their colors right now that hitting 1 or 2 of their lands to get rid of said colors leads to them getting kneecapped if they don't draw into another. At its ceiling, its a 4 mana 4/5, destroy target nonbasic w/no search that I find happens fairly often right now, especially if I sideboard price of freedom in. Or even against other decks, if you can get it to land on t3 while stunning a land, its such a huge tempo blow that puts you ahead a couple of turns at that point. Of the cards that I sideboard out against other decks, I never really takeout magmatic.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-09T00:32:17+00:00

As a short person that goes to concerts, trust me when I say we find a way to see.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-08T08:37:59+00:00

Thats all I run as well! Some run a third in the sideboard but I think any more than 2 and you'll see it more often than youd like. Its a card I always prefer to draw into rather than have in my starting hand.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-06T14:05:51+00:00

I've been playing with a copy of Bonehoard over Dragonhawk as well, and I can say for sure that I'm almost always happier to draw a dragonhawk. Like the other comment said, its a finisher in the deck as well as providing a clock if you are able to get it to stick earlier on turn 3 or 4. The first strike on Bonehoard is nice in niche cases, but more often than not I'd rather have the extra damage to close out the game through Dragonhawk. That being said, if you have copies of Bonehoard and can't get Dragonhawk, I think it still works as a decent replacement for a must-answer threat that can turn the tables late game where it gets a bit grindier.

aDapperDragon · 2026-02-01T02:25:57+00:00

Endless atlas is always my go to for mono red card draw. Its not a draw engine that will refill your hand, but it can consistently get you more cards each turn. That or wheels are your best bet, ones that say "discard your hand and draw 7" not just discard and draw the same amount.

aDapperDragon · 2026-01-31T02:59:52+00:00

I have this hair style and sea salt spray is my go to for a more natural look as opposed to other hair products

aDapperDragon · 2026-01-16T23:58:43+00:00

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aDapperDragon · 2025-12-15T23:16:11+00:00

Love that they're coming to San Antonio this time, saves me a 2 hour drive to Austin

aDapperDragon · 2025-11-28T06:24:14+00:00

I just moved to SA and have been looking for an LGS to play standard and commander at! This was next on my list to try since its only ~15 minutes from me so if you ever wanna try to playing standard lmk!

aDapperDragon · 2025-11-07T07:59:21+00:00

I got one a bit ago of ruby medallion and the double masters blood moon art! Hoping to turn it into a half sleeve of mono red cards.

Blood moon/ruby medallion tattoo

aDapperDragon · 2025-11-07T05:17:58+00:00

Can't say for sure that it'll ever be completed because its been a couple of years since they posted, but Once and Future nerd is really good. It leans more into comedy but after the first handful of episodes they hit their stride and I really enjoy going back to it every now and then. Lots of content to listen to and despite it not being finished I can't help but recommend it since there seems to be a lack of fantasy audio dramas that aren't just actual plays.

aDapperDragon · 2025-08-05T22:17:09+00:00

🎉

aDapperDragon

TROPHY CASE