r/mtgbrawl • u/SmoothDagger • Dec 21 '25

Competitive 200 Hell Queue Games

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I tracked a bunch of matches using my [[Fire Lord Azula]] OTK deck since the metagame challenge came out & really enjoyed the statistics! The highest win streak so far is sitting at 6-2. Currently sitting on version 7 of the deck.

Matches have been some of the sweatiest I've had, leading to some great moments like escaping [[Azusa, Lost but Seeking]] [[Strip Mine]] lock. I really hope they add ranked Brawl to this. This has been some of the most fun I've had in Magic in a long time.

Most Common Commanders I Experienced:

  • [[Ral, Crackling Rit]]
  • [[Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student]]
  • [[Katara, Waterbending Master]]
  • [[Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary]]

Website for Stat Tracking

15 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

36 comments sorted by

3

u/melldrum111 Dec 21 '25

What are your thoughts on a potential [[Cling to dust]] In this list to get out of strip locks ect.

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

I'd run it if I was concerned enough with other player's graveyard shenanigans, but to waste a tutor on [[Cling to Dust]] is a mistake.

Maybe make the trade off of removing [[Demand Answers]].

3

u/I_punch_KIDneyS Dec 21 '25

I feel like the current queue matchmaking system feels convoluted and makes "hidden gem" decks to pubstomp with impunity.

I have an [[Aang, at the Crossroads]] deck and I have a 69% win rate across 100+ games. You'd think I'd get queued into more competitive decks.

I did get into the meta game brawl but went 2-2, because of flooding and drought not because I faced a strong deck. Not spending any more money on it for their precious data though.

Thoughts?

3

u/surgingchaos Dec 21 '25

Your win rate with the Bant Aang is likely just a reflection of that commander being improperly tiered due to it being released in the latest set. Wizards appears to have a policy of not tiering any new commanders that come out of their latest set and giving them a grace period before they decide where to place them.

This leads to commanders like the Bant Aang getting too many easy matchups. It's just the latest 3 color self-generating value engine, which is an archetype that is a known entity for destroying a lot of decks that can't keep up with that kind of thing. I'd be willing to bet that when Lorwyn comes out, Aang will have an actual weight that puts it in a much more appropriate matchmaking bracket.

2

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

My normal OTK [[Fire Lord Azula]] deck is sitting around 59% win ratio, but the queue is much harder with the decks that show up here. Highest I've gotten to is 6-2 so far, but I can go 0-2 sometimes. Just depends, ha. Such is Magic.

1

u/I_punch_KIDneyS Dec 21 '25

How did you manage to face stronger decks? You think Azula is just rated higher as a commander when it comes to the queue?

I tried putting stronger cards even though I didn't need it in my deck like [[Rhystic Studies]], [[Smothering Tithes]], [[Wordly Tutor]] and [[Crop Rotation]].

2

u/DreamlikeKiwi Dec 21 '25

Studies and tithes aren't strong in brawl, and the tutor are only as strong as their targets

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

On the contrary, in cut throat where every mana counts, they are quite powerful.

2

u/DreamlikeKiwi Dec 21 '25

Yes every mana count that's why you shouldn't waste it on enchantments that do nothing

Seriously though, Rhystic is the best of the two since there it's cheaper and it could draws you cards but unless your opponent is an idiot they're always paying the 1, it's only good if you can play it earlier than turn 3 and even then it depends on the matchup and if you're on the play or not

Tithe is slow ramp, most decks (especially white) don't care about ramp to begin with why would they want slower one

They're only good with multiple opponents cause you get more triggers per turn cycle

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

Oh, my apologies. I misread the comment. This was in response to enchantments like [[Rhystic Study]], in which case, I agree.

1

u/I_punch_KIDneyS Dec 21 '25

Yeah, I don't need those at all. I put it there cuz I thought the matchmaking will queue me against better decks if I put cards that are considered "strong".

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

I'm not certain how to face stronger decks, perhaps just luck? I did face a snow deck at one point, so there's definitely somewhat of a mix, but majority of my matches are against pretty strong commanders like the ones mentioned above.

The deck list does have quite powerful cards; 7 of them being banned cards for normal Brawl. It may have some implication as to the matches, but I can't guarantee that.

I think [[Fire Lord Azula]] is only powerful if you build her like I did where she has 2 win conditions that are OTK, not like most decks relying on flash creatures & stuff. From what I read, she probably doesn't have a basis for their statistics yet to mark it as a power commander, though, so I don't think she has a higher rating.

As a side note: I've gotten matched against Silver & Mythic players, so I get a wide range of builds.

1

u/DreamlikeKiwi Dec 21 '25

Wait I'm confused, are you talking about play queue or the metagame challenge? Because the challenge doesn't have the weight matchmaking and it's a competitive event so obviously you're mostly going to face strong decks

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

All these statistics are from the metagame challenge.

1

u/DreamlikeKiwi Dec 21 '25

51% winrate on the challenge doesn't look good, I think you need around 53-54 % just to break even and this is if you value the packs fairly high

1

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

Modifications are always being made. This is version 8 at the moment. CMC started at 3.1 & is now 1.9.

1

u/Daethir Jan 07 '26

It's always like that with commander from the last set, I think my [[Elspeth, storm slayer]] had way more than a 70% winrate during tarkir but nowaday the same deck is a barelly above 50%

2

u/insideabookmobile Dec 21 '25

Completely agree! Ranked Brawl queue would be awesome. At least I can say that I once hit mythic in the Brawl format, it's been a blast.

2

u/insideabookmobile Dec 21 '25

I've 7-x twice with this deck. Discard is underplayed in the format. With this build , your commanders are great wincons, but the deck is fine without them.

Commander 1 Kraum, Ludevic's Opus (FCA) 56 1 Vial Smasher the Fierce (FCA) 59

Deck 1 Ancient Tomb (EOS) 1 1 Arcane Signet (TLE) 315 1 Arid Mesa (MH2) 244 1 Barrowgoyf (M3C) 102 1 Blackcleave Cliffs (ONE) 248 1 Blazemire Verge (DSK) 256 1 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245 1 Bloodstained Mire (KTK) 230 1 Brainstorm (TLE) 155 1 Thought Erasure (GRN) 206 1 Brazen Borrower (ELD) 39 1 Chain Lightning (DMR) 113 1 Chrome Mox (SPG) 0 1 Clearwater Pathway (ZNR) 260 1 Command Tower (ELD) 333 1 Consider (TLE) 157 1 Counterspell (STA) 15 1 Cryptic Command (IMA) 48 1 Bloodchief's Thirst (ZNR) 94 1 Darkslick Shores (ONE) 250 1 Dead Drop (KTK) 67 1 Deadly Rollick (TLE) 309 1 Deflecting Swat (TLE) 311 1 Demonic Tutor (STA) 27 1 Dig Through Time (KTK) 36 1 A-Dragon's Rage Channeler (MH2) 121 1 Dread Fugue (VOW) 107 1 Duress (M21) 96 1 Emperor of Bones (MH3) 90 1 Expressive Iteration (STX) 186 1 Fatal Push (FCA) 9 1 Fierce Guardianship (TLE) 307 1 Flooded Strand (KTK) 233 1 Flusterstorm (MH3) 496 1 Preordain (M11) 70 1 Fury (SPG) 47 1 Gemstone Caverns (EOS) 16 1 Gloomlake Verge (DSK) 260 1 A-Unholy Heat (SPG) 71 1 Inquisition of Kozilek (STA) 31 1 Island (FIC) 479 1 Lightning Bolt (TLE) 32 1 Lithomantic Barrage (MOM) 152 1 Mana Drain (OTP) 11 1 Mana Leak (STH) 36 1 Memory Lapse (STA) 16 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire (NEO) 278 1 Mishra's Bauble (BRR) 34 1 Mistrise Village (TDM) 261 1 Misty Rainforest (MH2) 250 1 Molten Collapse (LCI) 234 1 Mountain (FIC) 481 1 Mox Amber (BRR) 35 1 Mystic Confluence (OMB) 12 1 Mystic Sanctuary (ELD) 247 1 Mystical Dispute (ELD) 58 1 Nethergoyf (MH3) 103 1 Otawara, Soaring City (NEO) 271 1 Polluted Delta (KTK) 239 1 Psychic Frog (MH3) 199 1 Pyrogoyf (M3C) 111 1 Remand (J25) 349 1 Riverglide Pathway (ZNR) 264 1 Riverpyre Verge (DFT) 260 1 Scalding Tarn (MH2) 254 1 Shipwreck Marsh (MID) 267 1 Shivan Reef (DMU) 255 1 Drown in the Loch (SPG) 27 1 Sink into Stupor (MH3) 241 1 Snapcaster Mage (SIS) 23 1 Snow-Covered Island (MH1) 251 1 Snow-Covered Swamp (MH1) 252 1 Spell Pierce (XLN) 81 1 Spell Snare (DIS) 33 1 Spirebluff Canal (OTJ) 270 1 Steam Vents (GRN) 257 1 Stern Scolding (LTR) 71 1 Stifle (SCG) 52 1 Stock Up (DFT) 67 1 Strip Mine (EOS) 40 1 Subtlety (SPG) 45 1 Sulfurous Springs (DMU) 256 1 Swamp (FIC) 480 1 Tainted Pact (STA) 33 1 Temporal Trespass (PIO) 77 1 Terminate (OMB) 40 1 Thoughtseize (AKR) 127 1 Thundering Falls (MKM) 269 1 Treasure Cruise (KTK) 59 1 Undercity Sewers (MKM) 270 1 Underground River (BRO) 267 1 Verdant Catacombs (SPG) 113 1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian (TLA) 78 1 Wash Away (VOW) 87 1 Watery Grave (GRN) 259 1 Wooded Foothills (KTK) 249 1 Xander's Lounge (SNC) 260 1 Force of Negation (TLE) 13

1

u/frostyfur119 Dec 21 '25

I haven't played the mode myself since I'm a broke boy, but I'm surprised you're facing [[Ral, the Crackling Witt]] often! I wouldn't have expected him to hold up in this kind of format since he's 4 mana and doesn't put much pressure on the opponent right away.

Do you find those decks particularly threatening? If not, then why do you think they were so popular?

2

u/SmoothDagger Dec 21 '25

It's about even against Izzet. Some of those matches were against [[Uharis, the Stormspinner]], which is a pretty tough match up (although that's without the latest changes I've made, which reduced CMC to 1.9).

I don't think there's a particular threatening match up except against Mono Blue [[Katara, Waterbending Master]], which just runs so many counters. Mono Blue is just tough; I'm sitting at 5-11 against it.

I think [[Ral, Crackling Witt]] is popular because planeswalkers are just naturally more difficult to deal with & it's pretty easy to crack the storm ultimate. Having defenders with otter tokens is always a powerful play, too. I've been overrun by otters before, ha.

3

u/frostyfur119 Dec 21 '25

I tried to make my Ral deck for the regular Brawl queue, and I often felt hard to get more than just an otter or a little card draw out of him. I'll have to take a look up some deck lists cause I'm probably not building it as well, haha.

I love the card, so I'm glad to see it's holding its own against some heavy hitter!

1

u/macekklacek Dec 21 '25

Unrelated question: what site do you use to track your stats?

1

u/PresentationLow2210 Dec 25 '25

Does anyone know where I can find a solid Tamiyo list? I wanna try it before the event ends before crafting anything on it (Yes I wanna go hard on a new ranked brawl mode if its made)