Rampaging Ferocidon Theorycraft Decklists

Just in case you missed yesterday’s news, Rampaging Ferocidon will be removed from the Standard banlist in MTG Arena from September 4 in best-of-three matches. It is no doubt a powerful enough card that warranted its place in the banlist (albeit in a completely different environment), so it will most likely see play in one way or another.

The card however, will be rotated out when Throne of Eldraine is released on September 26 which gives us only three short weeks to see its impact on the Standard metagame. If you have the Wildcards to spare or just decided to craft it to give you an edge on climbing the ranked ladder or grind events, we put together some modified Standard decklists that might make room for Rampaging Ferocidon.

Mono Red Aggro

Mono Red Aggro is already pretty optimized, and there is not too much room for change. Goblin Chainwhirler is the competing 3 drop creature spot in this deck and would be the most obvious replacement spot. We don’t think that’s the best option, as it is great against a lot of decks and it enables Light Up the Stage.

The main question is whether we want to raise the curve slightly by cutting the weaker cards like Fanatical Firebrand or Wizard’s Lightning, or shave some of the higher costed cards like Chandra, Fire Artisan. Blood Sun is already a strong sideboard option against Field of the Dead, and Vampires is already a decent matchup so we also don’t think 4 copies are necessary. The below list would be a good starting point.

4 Fanatical Firebrand (RIX) 101
3 Goblin Chainwhirler (DAR) 129
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Viashino Pyromancer (M19) 166
4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107
4 Ghitu Lavarunner (DAR) 127
3 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154
2 Wizard's Lightning (DAR) 152
20 Mountain (DAR) 262
4 Lightning Strike (M19) 152
4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115
3 Experimental Frenzy (GRN) 99
1 Chandra, Fire Artisan (WAR) 119

4 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
1 Experimental Frenzy (GRN) 99
4 Dire Fleet Daredevil (RIX) 99
3 Blood Sun (RIX) 92
1 Chandra, Fire Artisan (WAR) 119
2 Legion Warboss (GRN) 109

Jund Dinosaurs

Yes, Rampaging Ferocidon also has the benefit of being a part of the Dinosaur tribal. Inclusion in Jund Dinosaurs will be an interesting choice as the deck favors games to end quickly and it does not help that strategy much better than current options. It cannot replace Rotting Regisaur as it is an essential piece of the deck (e.g. Ghalta, Primal Hunger and Thud if you are playing it). It also does not have the Enrage synergy with Marauding Raptor like Ripjaw Raptor does. There are definitely some flexspots in the deck though, and it can also help lower the curve slightly.

4 Llanowar Elves (DAR) 168
4 Marauding Raptor (M20) 150
3 Otepec Huntmaster (XLN) 153
3 Regisaur Alpha (XLN) 227
4 Ripjaw Raptor (XLN) 203
4 Rotting Regisaur (M20) 111
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger (RIX) 130
1 Domri, Anarch of Bolas (WAR) 191
3 Forest (XLN) 277
3 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245
2 Dragonskull Summit (XLN) 252
4 Overgrown Tomb (GRN) 253
3 Rootbound Crag (XLN) 256
4 Stomping Ground (RNA) 259
4 Unclaimed Territory (XLN) 258
3 Shock (M19) 156
4 Commune with Dinosaurs (XLN) 181
2 Savage Stomp (XLN) 205
2 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154

3 Veil of Summer (M20) 198
3 Shifting Ceratops (M20) 194
1 Domri's Ambush (WAR) 192
3 Duress (XLN) 105
1 Flame Sweep (M20) 139
2 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154  
2 Legion's End (M20) 106

Gruul Aggro

Rampaging Ferocidon fits decently in the red-green aggro-midrange shell – it may be better than Goblin Warboss is more matchups in the current metagame.

1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno (M20) 127
1 Domri, Chaos Bringer (RNA) 166
3 Domri, Anarch of Bolas (WAR) 191
3 Nissa, Who Shakes the World (WAR) 169
2 Vivien, Arkbow Ranger (M20) 199
4 Barkhide Troll (M20) 165
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian (RNA) 128
4 Gruul Spellbreaker (RNA) 179
4 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154 
4 Llanowar Elves (M19) 314
4 Rekindling Phoenix (RIX) 111
3 Shock (M19) 156
4 Rootbound Crag (XLN) 256
4 Stomping Ground (RNA) 259
6 Mountain (WAR) 261
9 Forest (WAR) 264

1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno (M20) 127
2 Blood Sun (RIX) 92
2 Legion Warboss (GRN) 109 
2 Flame Sweep (M20) 139
2 Thrashing Brontodon (RIX) 148
2 Veil of Summer (M20) 198
4 Lava Coil (GRN) 108

Boros Feather

This may be the one of the best decks where Rampaging Ferocidon can slot in – the deck buffs and protects the creature, it is harder to block and remove, and makes Scapeshift an even more trivial matchup. There were a few flex spots already in the deck, often having more specific creatures that depend on the metagame such as Tocatli Honor Guard, Tomik, Distinguished Advokist and Legion Warboss.

4 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154
3 Adanto Vanguard (XLN) 1
4 Dreadhorde Arcanist (WAR) 125
4 Feather, the Redeemed (WAR) 197
4 Tenth District Legionnaire (WAR) 222
2 Gird for Battle (GRN) 12
1 Sheltering Light (XLN) 35
4 Defiant Strike (WAR) 9
4 Gods Willing (M20) 19
4 Reckless Rage (RIX) 110
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Clifftop Retreat (DAR) 239
4 Mountain (WAR) 261
4 Sacred Foundry (GRN) 254
4 Temple of Triumph (M20) 257
6 Plains (WAR) 252

2 Legion Warboss (GRN) 109
2 Tocatli Honor Guard (XLN) 42 
1 Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants (M19) 3
1 Baffling End (RIX) 1
1 Flame Sweep (M20) 139
2 Dire Fleet Daredevil (RIX) 99
2 Gideon Blackblade (WAR) 13
4 Blood Sun (RIX) 92

Rakdos Aggro

Rakdos decks are by no means a tier one deck, but people often report success with it on ladder in the Mythic ranks. We would like to test Rampaging Ferocidon in this aggro shell, rather than an aristocrat or midrange style deck. Spawn of Mayhem is an awesome card that is not currently played, but in this deck you can get to less than 10 life more quicker with Rampaging Ferocidon as the deck itself plays a lot of creatures. It might also be worth testing Light Up the Stage in this deck in place of cards like Shock or Lightning Strike.

4 Knight of the Ebon Legion (M20) 105
4 Gutterbones (RNA) 76
4 Dreadhorde Butcher (WAR) 194
4 Rix Maadi Reveler (RNA) 109
4 Rampaging Ferocidon (XLN) 154
4 Rotting Regisaur (M20) 111
3 Judith, the Scourge Diva (RNA) 185
4 Spawn of Mayhem (RNA) 85
4 Shock (M20) 160
3 Lightning Strike (M19) 152
7 Swamp (GRN) 262
7 Mountain (GRN) 263
4 Blood Crypt (RNA) 245
4 Dragonskull Summit (XLN) 252

2 Dire Fleet Daredevil (RIX) 99
2 Legion's End (M20) 106
3 Duress (M20) 97
4 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
2 Noxious Grasp (M20) 110
2 Legion Warboss (GRN) 109

Wrapping Up

Will you be crafting Rampaging Ferocidon as soon as it is available, or do you think it will not have any impact at all? Do you think it’s not worth the Wildcards for only three weeks use? Let us know your thoughts on Discord, Twitter or in the comments below.