Standard: Boros Aggro (2025) - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

This version is almost a Boros Burn, but it combines a creature strategy and burn with cards like Lightning Helix and Boltwave.

The main strategy is quite straightforward: get our opponent to zero life as efficiently as possible. To do this, this deck plays many low-cost creatures that create value and threats that can end the game quite fast.

It also plays the best answer possible for lifegain decks, Screaming Nemesis. With this card, we won't have to worry about our opponents gaining any life as we try to get their life points to zero. The best thing about Nemesis is precisely the fact we can sacrifice it to prevent our opponent from gaining any life in the future. We can do this in several ways, such as letting Nemesis die in combat or, the more interesting way, killing it ourselves with some burn.

Nova Hellkite is incredibly interesting in this list because we can put it in play on turn 3, and it is a flying 4/5 with haste. It also deals damage to a target creature when it enters.

The rest of the deck includes creatures that put pressure on our opponent's life points from the very first turns and that also grow as threats as the game goes on, like Hired Claw.

Once our creatures deal a lot of damage to the opponent and they can't gain life because of Screaming Nemesis, all you have to do is use your burns. This list plays lots of them, but Boros Charm, by far, is the most important of them all because it is incredibly versatile.

The meta is slowly turning to faster strategies, like Izzet Cauldron and Dimir Midrange, and lately very few decks can actually control how the game plays out. This is great news for other aggros, particularly this Boros version because it attacks the opponent's life points directly instead of relying solely on creatures (like Boros Mice, for instance).

This deck is fast, efficient, and quite easy to learn. It is perfect for all kinds of players.

Mulligan

This hand is excellent, as it has a clear game plan that moves forward every turn. Hired Claw is one of the best 1-drops in the entire format and performs really well in this list.

This hand is a lot worse than the one above. It is too slow and needs good draws to actually progress the main game plan. You'll most likely just struggle with it.

This hand can put a lot of pressure on the opponent early on, but you'll need to find more pieces to actually develop the main game plan. It could be great against other aggro lists if you manage to find more lands and draw well. You'll still need creatures for later turns, though.

This sideboard is well-prepared to deal with many threats seeing play in Standard right now, but, mostly, it is well-prepared to deal with the main deck in the format, Izzet Vivi.

Magebane Lizard is excellent against spellslingers like Izzet and also performs really well against any midrange or control list. Clarion Conqueror deals with the same types of decks Magebane deals with and is critical when you can't find creatures to progress the aggro game plan. After all, it is a flying 3/3 that enters play on turn 3.

Get Lost and Abrade are very versatile and improve many matchups, and, finally, Rest in Peace is the best graveyard hate this deck could use.

Vs. Izzet Cauldron

This matchup is quite favorable. Izzet plays great resources and can grow a lot as the match goes on (nearly exponentially) if they develop the main game plan well. Nonetheless, your best strategy for this matchup is simply attacking them and dealing as much damage to their life points as possible. As Izzet rarely plays lifegian, the burn game plan is often quite effective.

Clarion Conqueror disrupts not only Agatha's Soul Cauldron but also Vivi Ornitier. It is so useful it can also destroy the main game plans of other Izzet versions, like Prowess.

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Vs. Dimir Midrange

You can use the same strategy above for this matchup. Dimir plays Deep-Cavern Bat, which might disrupt your game plan and give them some life, but actually isn't that effective long-term. All you need to do is prevent your opponent from building a large board or creating value over your plays.

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Vs. Boros Mice

Boros Mice might be more aggressive than your list in the battlefield, but your burns easily make a difference in this matchup, either removing threats or dealing damage. So, try to be fast and proactive, and don't let them get ahead.

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Vs. Azorius Control

This matchup is quite interesting. Your opponent likes facing decks like Boros Aggro, but, at the same time, they'll struggle with a few disadvantages that could easily cost them the game. If you play it smart, you can easily win.

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Vs. Mono-Black Midrange

This matchup is favorable to Boros. All you need to do is counter their lifegain and be aggressive. However, be careful, as Mono-Black has many resources and can control you, even if not as well as other control decks. Take advantage of Unholy Annex if your opponent uses it, and focus on getting their life points to zero.

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Boros Aggro represents this archetype really well and has a lot of potential in Standard. It is also relatively accessible, so it's a great option if you have just started playing this format.

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Thank you for reading, and see you next time!