At the request of ´´Utley´´ I will take a look this week at the deck known as ´´Boros´´ and how to defeat it consistently and without needing to be a millionaire.

First, Here is a sample Type 2 Pre Planar Chaos Boros Deck:

4 Savannah Lions
4 Soltari Priest
4 Knight of the Holy Nimbus
4 Giant Solifuge
4 Ication Javelineer
4 Lightning Helix
4 Shock
4 Seal of Fire
4 Char
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Battlefield Forge
6 Plains
6 Mountains

Here is a post Planar Chaos deck: SLIVER BOROS:
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Sidewinder Sliver
4 Blood Knight
4 Cautery Sliver
4 Lightning Helix
4 Char
4 Savannah Lions
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Shock
4 Soltari Priest
4 Battlefield Forge
4 Sacred Foundry
6 Plains
6 Mountains

Both of these decks are built around cheap creatures and cheap burn spells. Typically Boros decks try to win fast. If they cannot win fast then the chance of them winning is reduced significantly. To combat Boros you can do many different things:

1- Destroy all their creatures fast
2- Prevent their burn spells from harming you
3- Gain more life than the damage they can deal

Here are some cards that combat Boros very effectively and are either Common or Uncommon:

Martyr of Sands (Common)- Against Boros this guy can block and kill their turn one Savannah Lions and can gain you 15-21 life in the process, which will make it very difficult for Boros to deal that extra amount of damage.

Martyr of Ashes (Common)- How can Boros attack if they can't keep any creatures on the board?

Darkblast (Uncommon)- Turn one removal that will kill Savannah Lions, Icatian Javelineers, and Savannah Lions. Dredge makes it that much better.

Exhaustion (Uncommon)- Starting on turn three using Exhaustion will effectively take your opponant twice as long to defeat you.

Soltari Priest (Formerly Uncommon now Timeshifted)- If you can't beat them, join them. Block their priests and get around their burn since a Boros deck usually can't deal with the Priest.

Blood Knight (Uncommon)- He can block almost all the creatures in Boros and live. He kills the Javelineer, Giant Solifuge and Savannah Lions, and survives against the Knights of the Holy Nimbus.

Circle of Protection Red (Common)- No burn on you means the burn has to go towards your creatures. If you don't play any creatures then you have made half of Boros's deck useless.

Walls (Various)- This is a great way to contain their creatures. If they can't get through to deal their damage to you then they become very useless.

Sulfur Elemental (Uncommon)- Flash, Split Second, and an ability that kills almost all of Boros's creatures makes this the ultimate white weenie killer.


To defeat Boros and only Boros here is a deck I have come up with:
Creatures (32):
4 Carven Caryatid- Cheap blockers that can block and kill most of Boros's threats.
4 Wall of Shards- Another cheap blocker that will help the next guy in this deck.
4 Kavu Predator- This guy gets big with a Wall of Shards or two in play.
4 Martyr of Sands- Another Stall Card.
4 Mire Boa- a Cheap Regenerator that Boros will try to kill when given the chance and you may get a 2 for 1 out of it.
4 Veteran Armorer- Helps get your creatures out of burn range.
4 Transluminant- a cheap creature that can get you a flying creature when he dies.
4 Watchwolf- Another cheap creature that you can use to do some beating of your own.

Spells (8):
4 Aether Web- Allows you to block Shadow and gives your guys a little boost.
4 Faith's Fetters- A little extra life never hurt anyone and helps stop one of their threats.

Lands:
4 Selesnya Sanctuary
8 Forests
8 Plains

That deck should effectively stop Boros by not allowing any of their creatures to get through and you should gain enough life to stay out of burn range. The deck may even be decent enough to stand a chance at some local FNM. I hope you have enjoyed my take on Beating Boros. Look for my next article to be a look at Limited Two Headed Giant just in time for Grand Prix Boston which I will be attending.

Billy Moreau
[email protected]