UB Pirates

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UB Pirates is a tempo/aggro deck which tries to cast our threats early and then protect the board, while using cheap removal in the form of Cartouche of Ambition and a desert pack consisting of 2 Grasping Dunes and a copy of Ifnir Deadlands in conjuncture with Warkite Marauder.

The deck is very efficient and can create a sticky board that can remove threats while shoving damage, but suffers from a weak mana base. This list was built as budget build for QC and has averaged about 3 wins per run and giving me a couple of 5 win run. While not optimal this build is efficient and cheap to build consisting of multiple rares that are given in the starter decks and other rares that can be easily replaced for other cards. Additionally, this version of the list contains exactly 0 mythics!

The Packages

Win Condition

Our win condition is essentially all creatures. As an aggro deck, the aim is 20 damage as quickly as possible. Any creature will do, and as many as possible, as we are shoving damage to face

Protection Package

Siren Stormtamer is a great way to protect our board. It’s effective at blanking removal at more relevant threats and is a great answer to Settle the Wreckage. It’s important to have a couple of these in hand, and to if necessary, play off curve to leave mana available to protect our creatures. As a tempo deck, the deck falls flat if the board is lost.

Dive Down blanks removal and is also effective as a combat trick.

Spell Pierce is more effective in this list than most others due to the low curve. Lookout’s Dispersal could be considered for this spot, but its easier to keep up 1 mana rather than 2. Spell Pierce remains relevant in the mid game by protecting vs board wipes and acting as our only removal for Planeswalkers.

Removal Package

Direfleet Poisoner in additon to being a Pirate, provides utility on 2 fronts. First, as a deathtouch creature it can answer any (non-indestructible, non-flying) threat including Carnage Tyrant! Second, it has the ability to be played at the end of your opponent’s turn adding flexibility to the hand. This allows you to hold up protection for the board, and then if the mana, is unneeded, allows you to play a creature without becoming mana inefficient.

Cartouche of Ambition in conjunction with Warkite Marauder allows us to remove any threat without hexproof or a +X/+X effect on it. This can even be used for removing pesky gods! The lifelink is also relevant in aggro matchups and to pad the damage taken from Ruin Raider.

Hour of Glory got the nod over Vraska’s Contempt. Although unable to remove planeswalkers, or gain health, it only costs 1 black mana instead of 2. Although its nice to have at least 1 instant speed exile, if lacking this card, you could slot in a 4th Ravenous Chupacabra/Hostage Taker.

Ravenous Chupacabra was originally the budget replacement for Hostage Taker. However, the deck is completely fine without Hostage Taker. The advantage of Ravenous Chupacabra lies in not having to worry about removal sticking on it and returning the threat exiled, although it is the only card in the deck containing double colored mana (UB is probably slightly easier to achieve than BB), not a pirate, and we don’t gain access to casting the stolen card. If you have/prefer Hostage Taker by all means, include it, but on a budget, Ravenous Chupacabra is completely fine.

Grasping Dunes like Cartouche of Ambition is awesome removal when paired with Warkite Marauder. There is a hindrance to it being colorless mana, and because of the desert package, a deck that would preferably run 22 lands, is running 24 instead. The Desert Package should be seen more as a spell and less as a true land drop. NOTE: Unlike other deserts, Grasping Dunes doesn’t give you an option to sacrifice a desert, it requires itself to be sacrificed. Something to take note of when weighing removal options.

Ifnir Deadlands was originally a third copy of Grasping Dunes, however the deck stumbles on mana (especially having the correct color of mana at times). Ifnir Deadlands doesn’t turn on as quickly as Grasping Dunes but is very relevant late in the game.

Draw Package

Curious Obsession. It’s cheap, its efficient, it pumps our creatures while drawing cards. What’s not to love?

Ruin Raider would probably be best suited as a sideboard card. The life loss is a huge issue when facing aggro. Ruin Raider becomes less of a risk with the deck’s mana curve ending at 4. Cartouche of Ambition helps with the life loss a bit, but if you don’t already have extra copies of Ruin Raider its probably not worth the wildcard.

Fathom Fleet Captain. Although not actual card draw, Fathom Fleet Captain allows us to create a wide board without needing to expend cards from hand. This card is also one of the biggest payoffs for playing Pirate Tribal.

Other Non-Lands

Warkite Marauder is a powerful evasive two drop that turns our -1/-1 counters into hard removal. This card should be considered a mandatory playset to craft for the deck to run correctly.

Fell Flagship is a flex spot and is mainly just used to increase the clock. At times, the discard effect is good, but this card is probably replaced by 2 more copies of Fathom Fleet Captain

The Manabase

I do not have a 4th Drowned Catacomb but it should replace of the 1 of Unclaimed Territory. Unclaimed Territory is not efficent enough for this list, due to the heavy requirements of noncreature spells.

While content with the winrate of the budget deck, improvements were made. The lack of solid pirate tribal payoffs shifted the deck to UB Midrange. Room was made for Seeker’s Squire to help the mana base. Champion of Wits replaced the Ruin Raiders, and 2 copies of The Scarab God were fit into the top end of the curve (which became better without Ruin Raider potentially hitting us for 5).

My finished list looks like this:



UB Midrange

To recap, this deck isn’t tier 1 or 2, but the cost is low, and its a fantastic starting point to start building into a collection. If you want to play a tempo style, but don’t want to work towards RDW, I would highly recommend this list!

CardCounterChris is a Navy vet and a lifelong card enthusiast. A blackjack dealer by trade, moonlighting as a streamer, he’s had a life long love for ccgs and have played MTG since he was a kid.