What other way to follow-up my article on the best decks to play for the Arena Direct event last weekend than to win one myself? While I was pretty set on trying a run with Azorius Control, I stumbled across a decklist on social media that caught my attention:

7 Boxes won with Boros Burn@fireshoes pic.twitter.com/VKBQHFTirv

— Pab V (@pabsxv) August 25, 2025

7 boxes is a pretty incredible feat to accomplish with just one deck, and as a previous Burn player in Modern this list had me pretty inspired. Now, I did post a similar deck in my last article, that revolved more around Nova Hellkite, Boltwave, and Fanatical Firebrand, but there are some important key differences here. This deck actually plays more like a Mono-Red Aggro deck than full-on Burn. You still have the powerful White spells like Boros Charm and Lightning Helix, but you don't include cards like Boltwave.

Rather, this deck plays in two key ways: to the board, and at instant-speed. You play more creatures than a traditional "Burn" deck would, relying on curving out a 1-drop into 2-drop creature, and backing them up either with damage spells or your unconditional removal in Sheltered by Ghosts. I quickly found myself liking the play pattern of a turn one Hired Claw into Sheltered by Ghosts, giving my Hired Claw lifelink and gaining me some life back on every attack. I also liked Greasewrench Goblin being a pretty unique resource in helping me dig for direct damage spells once the game had dragged on. This was a card I really enjoyed playing with in Aetherdrift Limited, so it was a nice reunion to couple it with Lightning Helix and Boros Charm.

As far as the event went, I ended up only losing a match to the mirror, in which they had Opera Love Song, a pretty key way to dig out of land flood. As I flooded out, my opponent was able to chain multiple spells, and I fell quickly behind. As far as the other matches, however, they were pretty fast, and I ended up beating Vivi Cauldron a handful of times. I did beat a Red opponent, as well as a Dimir opponent that stumbled on lands and had to use their turn relying on map tokens off Siren Stormtamer.

At the end of the day though, that's why you play a deck like this - you punish opponents that take off their turns to draw cards or stumble on mana. I couldn't tell you how overjoyed I was whenever a Vivi opponent would tap out for an Agatha's Soul Cauldron or a Winternight Stories, while I had an active Slickshot Show-Off in play and a plethora of burn spells in hand.

After defeating Dimir for one box, it was only fitting that I come face to face with none other than Azorius Control in the finals, playing for a full Play Booster Box of Edge of Eternities. One game of Magic, a box on the line! I'll admit it's exciting to play for that much in a single game, and I had to use the extent of my vast Burn knowledge to pull through.

It's funny, the finals against Azorius Control was probably the best matchup I could've asked for. I've been playing Modern Burn since 2016, and over the last few years I've showcased a love for Azorius-based Control decks in Standard. From playing a similar matchup in Modern many times (and having done my fair share of losing) I knew exactly how to outpace my opponent. I had so many instances to tap out for a Shock here, Boros Charm there, but I held fast, getting my opponent to tap out first before unloading what spells I had in hand. I was able to find a safe turn to Burst Lightning my own Screaming Nemesis, in what would be vital to me winning the game, as my opponent tapped out for a Beza about four turns later.

Ultimately, I put my opponent in a position after they had used two Three Steps Ahead to have a third copy, and they didn't! I had a crucial turn with a Greasewrench Goblin where I discarded two lands to hit a Shock and a land (they were at one), but because I had only two more mana untapped that turn I opted to pass and wait for the right time to strike to play around No More Lies. The last two damage stuck, and thus I won box #2.

It's not often I write about what I exactly do write in a "tournament" report, but it was a pretty exhilarating moment to win a full box utilizing my knowledge of how to play the matchup from so much losing against the Modern version in years past. I think a newer player would've definitely tapped out at the wrong time, which enforces my belief that Burn is an easy deck to play, but a much more difficult deck to master. Timing and patience is everything, and if this deck is Standard-viable in the long-run, then learning the Control matchup will be crucial in winning events.

As for Vivi decks, I don't know what else to say other than don't lose the die roll if they have an opener of Marauding Mako into Fear of Missing Out (with additional Into the Flood Maw backup), but I do think you can out-tempo them if you play accordingly.

Going forward, I think this is how I'd run this deck as a 75:

Boros "Burn" | EOE Standard | Roman Fusco

• Creatures (20)
• 4 Emberheart Challenger
• 4 Greasewrench Goblin
• 4 Hired Claw
• 4 Screaming Nemesis
• 4 Slickshot Show-Off

• Instants (15)
• 3 Lightning Helix
• 4 Boros Charm
• 4 Burst Lightning
• 4 Shock

• Enchantments (4)
• 4 Sheltered by Ghosts

• Lands (21)
• 7 Mountains
• 2 Starting Town
• 4 Inspiring Vantage
• 4 Sacred Foundry
• 4 Sunbillow Verge

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Devout Decree
• 2 Seam Rip
• 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron
• 1 Lightning Helix
• 2 Fountainport
• 2 Chandra, Spark Hunter
• 1 Exorcise
• 3 Twinmaw Stormbrood
• 1 Sunspine Lynx

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The sideboard is a work in progress, but ultimately I'm gunning for Vivi Cauldron, the mirror, Azorius Control, and Dimir Midrange. I was having a hard time actually coming up with sideboard cards I thought were impactful, and based on my grindy trophy-deciding game against Azorius Control, I really want to try Fountainport as a way to pressure them once the game goes long. When you're in a matchup that devolves into just draw-go, your Fountainport making active attackers seems pretty solid against theirs, when their life total is much more relevant.

Boros Burn makes me excited for future RCQs, and while I'm not abandoning my beloved Azorius Control just yet, I do think I'll end up playing a few events with my very worn Boros Charms, Sacred Foundries, and Lightning Helixes.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Roman Fusco