Is Runeflare Trap the Next Big Thing?

by News | posted at 2010-07-25 02:51:00
tagged: MTG, Magic, Magic the Gathering, Nationals, National Championship, France, French, Runeflare Trap

Is Runeflare Trap the next big deck in Standard? With Howling Mine, Temple Bell, and Jace Beleren all being (briefly) legal together, the deck is making waves at French Nationals. Check out this version by Damien Jalabart that was getting a lot of press coverage:

 

4 Halimar Depths

8 Island

8 Mountain

4 Scalding Tarn

 

2 Burst Lightning

2 Call to Heel

2 Earthquake

1 Elixir of Immortality

4 Howling Mine

2 Jace Beleren

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Runeflare Trap

4 Spell Pierce

4 Temple Bell

4 Time Warp

3 Twincast

 

Sideboard:

2 Call to Heel

2 Earthquake

1 Elixir of Immortality

4 Flashfreeze

3 Into the Roil

3 Negate

 

The deck is pretty simple: playing Howling Mine effects, force your opponent to draw lots of cards at once, hit them with Runeflare Trap. In a pinch regular ole' burn like Lightning Bolt or Burst Lightning will do you, and Time Warp keeps the fun times rolling for the Trap player. Twincast also helps out copying either the Trap or Time Warp itself.

 

So is it the real deal? We'll see after this weekend whether Damien can keep up his strong start.

 

For more reading, check out this feature match with the deck.

 

Full coverage of the French National Championship can be found here.

 

UPDATE: Eric Ashabran of MatchPlay.com has emailed TheStarkingtonPost.com to confirm Ryan Reynolds won their PTQ held in Santa Clara, California with Runeflare Trap against a field of 183. Here is his decklist:

 

 

12 Island

7 Mountain

4 Scalding Tarn

4 Howling Mine

4 Font of Mythos

4 Temple Bell

1 Jace Beleren

4 Unsummon

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Time Warp

4 Twincast

4 Runeflare Trap

4 Mana Leak

 

Sideboard:

4 Spell Pierce

4 Dragon’s Claw

4 Into the Roil

3 Burst Lightning

 

Is this more evidence that Runeflare Trap is the new kid on the block in Standard?

 

Check out the full Top 8 decklists from MatchPlay.com here.

 

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