Atarka 8-Whack (Modern)

Atarka 8-Whack (with good 2HG potential).

1. Intro:

I originally planned to do build a more budget-friendly 8-whack (mono red), however I do play a lot of two-headed giant with my friends, so I tried to build a deck with a little bit more card quality and flexibility, that's why the deck is a little bit weaker/inconsistent in x1's than the conventional iteration of the deck.

As always is the case with Aggro Decks, it is extremely important to have great 3-4 first turns, so I mulligan if I do not think i will have good board pressure by turn 3 or great board pressure by turn 4. An exception for this rule of thumb, given that I am thinking about 2HG, is that I may keep a low pressure hand if I have a clear path for a turn-4 Outpost Siege (i.e. I have 3 lands and an Outpost Siege in hand).

2. Main changes from conventional 8-whacks:

(i) 4 Atarka's Command in the main deck are simple great in any situation (6 potential damage in 2HG + situational choice), also great in x1;
(ii) 2 Goblin Chainwhirler + 2 Goblin Piledriver provide some card quality and potential for mid/late-game;
(iii) 2 Outpost Siege, imho one of the best red card draws for 2HG, for its consistency. Great way to keep being relevant in the game after the first 4 turns. Give it a try before dismissing it for being too slow; and
(iv) Dropped 2 Goblin Grenade, in favor of adding the Outpost Siege. Atarka's Command makes the extra card draw possibilities more attractive than more extra spell damage (6 dmg in 2HG + instant speed against 5 dmg + sacrifice + sorcery speed).

3. If I were to make this deck purely for x1, I would:

(i) Change the first Outpost Siege for 1 extra Goblin Grenade;
(ii) (a) Change the second Outpost Siege and 1 Atarka's Command for 2 Devastating Summons for ending some games with a punch;
or (b) Change the second Outpost Siege for 1 extra Goblin Grenade (getting a full set of Goblin Grenade); and
(iii) Change 2 Goblin Chainwhirler for something cheaper as 2 Mogg War Marshal, and maybe let 1-2 Goblin Chainwhirler as a sideboard option.

4. It is perfectly OK to go Mono-Red:

Just ditch the Atarka's Command. In this scenario, If you are interested in 2HG I recommend 4 Ramunap Ruins (easy anti-flood with 4 damage) and 14 Mountains. The downside, beside the lack of Atarka's, is that enchantment removals (such as Destructive Revelry) are a rare treat for red decks, so mind your local meta.

5. Notable Sideboard:

(i) 2 Skullcrack (instead of the traditional 4), as Atarka's Command helps us against healing, we keep it more as a means to deal with Damage Prevention;
(ii) 2 Hazoret the Fervent as a means to deal with boardwipes. As Gruul, we do have access to Heroic Intervention, however I feel Hazoret has an edge as not only it can turn lands (in our hands) in shocks, as it can also attack and block very often in our deck;
(iii) 2 Reality Hemorrhage against red hate (considering that in this scenario we do not have good creature removals in green).

6. Maybeboard:

(i) I would consider testing a set of Grim Lavamancer, if your meta is creature-heavy. In this scenario, I would change the lands, as fetch lands are preferable; and
(ii) I would consider getting a full set of Reality Hemorrhage, if red-hate was really heavy in my local meta.