Trust in the Rust of MTG Arena

May 27, 2022

My Nerdarchy colleague Robin Miller and I have been totally geeking out over Magic: The Gathering’s latest expansion. Streets of New Capenna not only brings a snazzy style to the planes of existence with it’s magical gangster theme and aesthetic but also there’s simply tons of awesome new cards. One of them in particular provides another piece of the puzzle to solving the Anti-Life Equation, which is my personal quest. I knew immediately I’d have to Call in a Professional to really put the kibosh on my most loathed deck archetype. But it turns out this led to an even more fun MTG Arena deck altogether and one in which two very weird but classic D&D monsters make a tremendous splash. Let’s get into it.

MTG Treasure fuels the fires of victory

The original version of this deck I called Prize Fight. In that iteration it contained all sorts of various cards to generate and use Treasure tokens like Magda, Brazen Outlaw and Goldspan Dragon.

And then I noticed Rust Monster. Now it’s just called Rust Monster Beatdown in my collection.

This little fella slipped under the radar since its text doesn’t specifically mention Treasure. Instead what it does it consume artifacts to pump its power. While I enjoyed quite a lot of fun sacrificing Treasure to Magda for surprise appearances of the aforementioned dragon as well as the legendary Atsushi, the Blazing Sky and Brass Knuckles the D&D nerd in me seized an opportunity to make the most of a classic and iconic monster from the other game I love.

Usually when I make any decks I’ll include several one off cards for things like silver bullets or sometimes frankly just for shiggles. If a single card comes up during a game it adds a fun element of surprise for me and also sometimes I feel like the occasional outlier throws an opponent off through sheer confusion. This go around instead I went all in on packing four copies of almost all the cards I felt integral to my goal — generating tons of Treasure and then kicking an opponent’s ass with Rust Monster.

As an added benefit in this deck there was absolutely room for the card I mentioned at the beginning. Any deck I make regardless of theme aims to put a serious hurt on life gaining decks and make them think twice about playing them again. What I didn’t expect from this brutal mono red beatdown deck is how many amazing interactions there are between so many of the cards.

At this point I’ve shared a healthy number of decks here in various posts. It’s worth mentioning I only feel they’re share worthy if I hit Mythic status with them, which I’ve done playing this one. I knew I was onto something special rather early. I knew this because as I excitedly shared with Robin I took a life gainer deck from 43 to zero in one hit and won…with a rust monster. Xorn + Rust Monster + Sticky Fingers + Professional Face-Breaker is a helluva drug.

“They don’t seem scary, but then you’re suddenly standing there in your underclothes without a weapon. Then everything looks like a threat. — Jarro, battle master” — Flavor text from Rust Monster from the MTG Adventures in the Forgotten Realms expansion.

An MTG deck prominently featuring two bizarre, weird, classic D&D monsters really slaps for this ol’ nerd. [Illustration by Yigit Koroglu]

Creature

Atsushi, the Blazing Sky (2). Getting this beefcake on the board by my third round is not uncommon at all. The best part is even if an opponent takes them out immediately you still get a great reward of three Treasure tokens. Once in a while I’ll choose the other option but it’s pretty rare. Since this creature is legendary I sometimes swing with it then plunk another one down, which kills the original and nets me more Treasure. If the OG happened to have Sticky Fingers all the better.
Goldhound (4). Playing this on the first round and slapping two Sticky Fingers on it the second round happens to me very often. Whenever it does I’m almost assured victory if no other reason than outpacing the opponent in mana by leaps and bounds. Once it becomes not so useful you can sac it for mana (netting some card draw from Sticky Fingers) or sac it to this deck’s two-fisted hero to dig deeper into your deck. Or sac it to Rust Monster for all the same reasons plus pumping up that power.
Professional Face-Breaker (4). I absolutely love this card. The art is fantastic and it’s power is so incredibly useful in this deck. Fun fact: since it’s power triggers whenever one or more creatures deals combat damage to a player, Goldhound or any creature with First Strike triggers it followed up by any other creatures that hit afterwards. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done that then sacced the Goldhound, got another useful card like Call in a Professional or Sudden Breakthrough and just brutally devastated an opponent’s entire board.
Riveteers Requisitioner (4). This hard working viashino is yet another fantastic and versatile card. Even when it dies it’s useful. What I like the most is it makes a deceptive chump blocker or seemingly throwaway attacker just to trigger its power until it has a Sudden Breakthrough and then oops! Sorry stupid Righteous Valkyrie or better yet some angel with 5 toughness and Lifelink.
Rust Monster (2). An icon of D&D and the raison d’etre for this whole deck. Sometimes I’ll even risk the possibility of losing by giving up a sure thing for the sheer joy of dealing the killing blow with this guy. It is not hard at all to find yourself with an embarrassment of riches upon which the Rust Monster can sup.
Xorn (4). Another weird D&D creature! The synergy with this and just about every other card in this deck cannot be understated. With the Treasure hoards you’ll create it only gets better when you get multiples of this on the board.

Enchantment

Sticky Fingers (4). The only drawback to this Treasure enabler is it gives the creature it enchants Menace. I mean this only somewhat tongue-in-cheek because more than once I’ve wished my opponent could block a certain creature so I could take them out along with one of this deck’s many, many interactive tricks.

Instant

Call In a Professional (4). “Players can’t gain life this turn.” That was enough for me. Interestingly enough I snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by targeting myself with this once. I’d accidentally played a Historic Ranked match and the opponent played Hidetsugu’s Second Rite. I’d never seen it before and was about to concede but I dealt myself 3 damage instead and whooped their ass on my next turn. With Rust Monster.
Sudden Breakthrough (4). A power pump that also grants First Strike and creates a Treasure is utterly amazing in this deck. Play it on a Xorn for extra fun!

Sorcery

Involuntary Employment (2). Stealing an opponent’s creature for a round can really turn the tide. When they chump block against their own creature it can be extra swingy in your favor. But then you Light ‘Em Up to take out yet another creature AND this one you’ve stolen? That’s gotta be the ultimate demoralization and if it’s against a life gaining deck all the better. (Especially if the stolen creature has Lifelink itself!)
Light ‘Em Up (2). Many a Prosperous Innkeeper has been torched by this. I also enjoy when a Riveteers Requisitioner with Sticky Fingers makes me a Treasure, takes out a creature with this while drawing me a card and creating another Treasure.
Ready to Rumble (2). If this deck has any outlier it’s this card. The somewhat higher cost is basically a nonfactor since you’ll be swimming in Treasure like Scrooge McDuck. While it neither creates nor uses Treasure itself it does offer some incredibly useful options like a mighty blow to creatures or planeswalkers or destruction of an artifact.

Lands

Mountain (22). Makes red mana. I got some neat 3D versions a while ago from somewhere.

Would you play this Rust Monster Beatdown deck? Do you enjoy creating thematic decks? What are your favorite decks to play at MTG Arena?

*Featured image — Adventures in the Forgotten Realms’ Rust Monster gets its munch on for mucho havoc and makes this D&D nerd’s heart happy. [Illustration by Simon Dominic]