One of my absolute favorite decks in Magic: the Gathering right now is RUG Flash. RUG (red, blue, green) is a somewhat unique build that combines the Izzet and Simic guilds together. The flash concept allows you to play your creatures at any time, regardless of what phase or what turn you’re in. Let’s take a look at some of the cards for this build.
Key Creature Spells
- Huntmaster of the Fells – this is still one of the most potent cards in Magic: the Gathering, and any opponent hates to see this card come into play. Huntmaster will provide you with healing, tokens, creature removal, and direct damage, all for the low cost of four mana. Being able to flash in your creatures during an opponents’ turn ensures you that Huntmaster will transform.
- Snapcaster Mage – this card lets you flash in a blocker at any time, while also providing you with flashback of any instant or sorcery in your graveyard, an invaluable tool in this build.
- Prime Speaker Zegana – while Zegana provides you with a beefy threat on the battlefield, she most important provides you with card advantage.
- Thragtusk – being able to flash in a 5/3 blocker that provides you with five healing and a 3/3 token when it dies will cause your opponent fits.
- Wolfir Avenger – this card is an excellent option because of the regeneration ability, providing you with a consistent blocker throughout the entirety of the game.
- Yeva, Nature’s Herald – Yeva is what makes this deck possible, giving you the ability to play any green creature spells (that’s all of them!) as if they had flash.
The flash concept of this build is what keeps your opponent in check, as they never know what you’ll be able to bring in if they attempt to attack you. You can bring in a card like Huntmaster of the Fells on turn four, then skip your next casting phase in order to transform him, doing two damage to your opponent as well as one of their creatures. Flashing in a Prime Speaker Zegana can often times decimate an opposing attacker, rendering your opponents’ efforts futile. Let’s look at some of the spells we’ll be using in this build.
Instants and Sorcery Spells
- Dissipate – the ultimate counter-spell, Dissipate not only prevents the casting of any type of spell, but it also exiles it to prevent it from being used again later in the game.
- Essence Scatter – a two mana creature counter spell, Essence Scatter is great for preventing your opponent from getting things onto the battlefield early in the game.
- Izzet Charm – this charm gives you three different spells when you cast it, all of which can be beneficial depending on what you need at the time.
- Negate – the instant/sorcery equivalent of Essence Scatter, having low mana counter spells can hold up your opponent without tapping you out completely.
- Searing Spear – one of the absolute must-have cards in practically any deck playing red, Searing Spear can provide you with a quick creature or player kill, depending on the situation.
- Simic Charm – another three spell charm, all three spells are great at certain times in the game, this charm gives you some variety.
- Mizzium Mortars – the closest thing you can get to a board wipe without including white mana in your deck, Mizzium Mortars is a fantastic spell.
To add another weapon to your arsenal, consider including Garruk, Primal Hunter into your build. Garruk can provide you with a creature every turn with his +1 ability, or provide you with 5 or more cards on average with his -2 ability thanks to Thragtusk and Prime Speaker Zegana. Garruk’s ultimate ability is generally a finishing move, throwing out 6/6 tokens equivalent to the number of lands you have, though it won’t be necessary to use most of the time.
The key to this deck is utilizing flash to your advantage. Since creatures cannot attack the first turn they enter the game, cast all of your creatures during your opponents turn. By doing this, you can keep your mana untapped to utilize your counter and removal spells when necessary. You should also consider including a Kessig Wolf Run in your deck, that way you can flash in a creature, then on your next turn you can tap out on your mana to give +1/0’s to your creature along with trample to finish off the opposition. I hope you enjoy trying out this RUG Flash build, and I’ll see you at Friday Night Magic!
Example Deck
RUG Flash
