Greetings:


Until I put together the red deck posted by John "Nev" Balla, I couldn't
consistently win a game.  Please don't laugh, I'm a newbie who learned from
a mostly casual playgroup.


Thank you, John, for the following decklist.  Did I Ever Tell You You're My
Hero?


4 Jackal Pup
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Mogg Conscript
4 Mogg Flunky
4 Mogg Raider
4 Hulking Ogre
4 Seal of Fire
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
4 Fireblast
20 Mountain


I started playing Magic only 4 months ago with a bunch of preconstructed
decks, and it sucked major bigtime.  I guess the Nemesis Mercs did best for
me, until I "tweaked" them and did even worse.  I have truly busted my ass
trying to build bad decks.  I learned the hard way that I don't have what it
takes to play blue permission; green Blastobeats was okay, I guess.  I tried
just about everything but white weenie.  I'm a newbie, gimme a break!  I
don't know what the hell I'm doing.  Which is why I write to you now:


Thanks to Peasant Magic on Pojo, I'm all better.  I have a newfound
confidence; I walk with my head held high.  My $10 deck is a creepy little
monster.  I know that somewhere deep inside I have what it takes not to suck
at Magic.


The people I play with are somewhat annoyed.  I'm kicking butt against
Merfolk with Lord of AtIantis/Phantasmal Terrain, I'm wiping the floor with
old-school B/W packing Sengir Vampires.  You name it, I'm wrecking their
nice little 4th Edition love nest.  Hell, I don't even have 3 of the Jackal
Pups or any of the Incinerates, and I win consistently.  My tactic is to
apologize for having a netdeck, then go and lay the unholy smackdown.  Boy,
does that feel good.


I owe you one,
Matt


PS -- I played most of Mr. Balla's mono-black deck, and while I don't find
it as consistent, it scored me a turn 4 kill against R/G beats (I had the
hand of god).  Until the other day, I'd only read about turn four kills.
This deck is horrifying when it works perfectly.  Also, the Shadow factor
pisses off old-school casual players, which makes them go to the card shop
and forces them to update their collection, where I can ambush them.  Dauthi
rules!