The Red/White "Dreadnought Doom" deck

Last updated April 29, 2001

This deck was designed by me as a way to exploit a small loophole in the 5th edition rules regarding timing. Specifically, under "Pandemonium":

"The triggered ability (see Rule A.8) does not check the creature's power
    until the ability resolves.  If the creature is not in play when the
    ability resolves, it does zero damage.  For example, if a White Knight
    comes into play while Crusade is in play, it will do 3 damage.
    [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98]  This means that if a creature like
    Phyrexian Dreadnought comes into play which can bury itself as a
    "comes into play" ability, the order of resolution of the triggered
    abilities matters.  See the Series (Rule T.9) timing rules for how to
    figure this out.  Since the current player plays both the Pandemonium and
    Dreadnought ability, they can choose which resolves first.  Pandemonium
    only deals damage if its ability resolves first.  If the Dreadnought's
    ability resolves first, Pandemonium will not find the creature and will
    deal zero damage. [D'Angelo 07/17/98]
  The triggered ability (see Rule A.8) is played and controlled by the player
    who controlled the creature at the time the creature came into play.
    [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98]  See Rule A.8.11."

So the basic idea is to pound the opponent with low-cost, high-power creatures. Phrexian Dreadnought is the first and best example of such a card. The 2nd choice is Ball Lightning. With the Angelic Renewal card, you double your damage, and in the case of the Dreadnought, basically do 24 points of damage for 1 colorless mana. Here's the deck:

 8 Mountain              4 Pandemonium         4 Phrexian Dreadnought
 8 Plains                4 Angelic Renewal     4 Healing Salve
 4 Disenchant            4 Ball Lightning      4 Energy Bolt

Strategy

Use Pandemonium in combination with the Phrexian Dreadnought and Ball Lightning to do damage to your opponent when each creature comes into play. The fact that you can't pay the sacrifice on the Phrexian Dreadnought is moot. You are the controller of the Phrexian Dreadnought and also the Pandemonium, so you decide which goes first. Always choose Pandemonium. Here's the breakdown:

Pay the 1 colorless mana
Unless countered, the Phrexian Dreadnought comes into play.
Choose that the Pandemonium fires first. Do 12 points of damage to your opponent.
Choose that now the Dreadnought fires. You can't pay the sacrifice, so it goes to the graveyard. Big whoop, you just did 12 points of damage for 1 colorless mana.
BONUS: If you have Angelic Renewal in play, swap it into your graveyard and bring back the Phrexian Dreadnought. It, once again, comes into play. Follow steps 3 and 4 again. You've just done a total of 24 points of damage for 1 colorless mana.

The fact that the Ball Lightning buries at the end of your turn is also moot. For 3 red mana you get to do 6 quick points of damage, and (if you're lucky) attack with the sucker too.

Now, keep yourself alive with Healing Salves, and Energy Bolts (or use the bolts on your opponent, as needed), and use the Disenchant to disrupt things like Aether Storm, etc.