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Modern Burn Deck Variations Explored

1 requestsStarted 9/15/2025, 3:20:39 AM
Bluesky mention by @jiliac.bsky.social: are the mono red aggro list all the sames, or are there major variations? Please answer the question based on MTG tournament data. The full thread JSON is available but omitted here.

I'll analyze the current mono red aggro lists in Modern to see if there are major variations or if they're mostly standardized.

I see that archetype search returned Pioneer results. Let me check Modern specifically:

🛠️Get Archetype Cards

Now let me also check for "burn" archetype which might be the more common red aggro variant in Modern:

🛠️Get Archetype Cards

Let me check the sideboard configurations too to see if there's variation there:

🛠️Get Archetype Cards

Now let me get sources for this analysis:

Based on the tournament data from the last two months, modern burn lists show surprising variation despite being a traditionally linear strategy:

Core Consistency (100% of decks):

  • Lightning Bolt, Lava Spike, Boltwave (4x each) - the damage trifecta
  • Goblin Guide, Monastery Swiftspear (4x each) - creature base
  • Basic Mountain and Arid Mesa - mana foundation

Major Variations:
• Color Splash: 75% run Boros Charm and white lands (Sacred Foundry, Inspiring Vantage), while 25% stay mono-red
• Eidolon Strategy: Only 37.5% maindeck Eidolon of the Great Revel (with more in sideboards)
• Skewer/Rift Split: Skewer the Critics appears in 75% while Rift Bolt in 87.5%
• Land Package: Fetchland counts vary significantly - some run 9+ fetches, others minimize them

Sideboard Diversity:
The sideboards show the most variation - different approaches to artifact hate (Smash to Smithereens vs Stony Silence), graveyard hate (Rest in Peace), and combo disruption (Deflecting Palm, Orim's Chant).

So while the damage core is standardized, there are meaningful strategic variations in creature count, color commitment, and meta positioning.

Sources:
Data from 8 tournaments (75% MTGO, 25% Melee): Modern Challenge 64, $uper $unday RCQ SCG Orlando, 5º Torneio Arena Guardians