Three restos, Four snaps, 1 clique. I also run the 2 mainboard verdicts for the matchup. You are right, without a mainboard sweeper it is a hard matchup. Verdict is really good because the catchers do nothing against it, and it kills pro-red master of waves.
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
I have been playing my own hybrid of UWR Flash and Kiki Control (2 Kiki's in a control shell)
First, there are no unwinnable matchups, but there are 4 which are pretty difficult
- Ad Nausium Combo (They run Besaju, and 4 pact of negation, + angel's grace is uncounterable)
- Scapeshift (again, way more mana than we can win through, and they also run Besaju)
- Tron (blue is worse than GR) (Emakrul is a problem)
- Hate Bears (certain variants) (The local decks have a much lower curve, play proactive threats, and 8+ land destruction spells)
Jund is also not favorable, but winnable. I won a win an in a large modern event last weekend against jund, which my opponent was not able to resolve a single lili, and I got lucky against thoughseize, but that match can be disastrous. Thrun is nearly unbeatable, unless you can race it (and your opponent does not have removal for your threats.
Kiki is cute in this deck, but unless you go full McClairian list, it is very difficult to use, except in the mirror. My meta is full of affinity, (which is 40:60 game 1, and 60:40 game 2 and 3) tron, combo, with little jund and pod. The comp meta is 50% pod and twin, which makes the deck better. I am currently playing the flash variant, and I like it a lot. It has a good game plan against the top tier decks. I have since went to 2 verdicts in the main, and 2 anger of the gods in the SB, which makes the merfolk, zoo, and affinity matchups better.
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB
Multiplayer Esper Tapout Control
Introduction Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, a new commander from the Commander 2013 Esper Preconstructed Deck originally caught my eye due to the crazy interactions that the deck has by gaining life each turn. In a multiplayer game, you are essentially starting the game with about 50 life, which gives you many options on controlling the game, and winning through combo, creature beatdown, or other means. Based on the lists I have seen for the deck, it is possible to build this as a 1v1 combo deck, a multiplayer competitive deck, or a casual multiplayer deck. This deck focuses on the casual multiplayer format, but can be easily adapted to other formats. This deck is not based on flavor, so no death grasp or unfun wincons like test of endurance, but those cards can be added.
Why Oloro, Ageless Ascetic?
As I stated in the introduction, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is a fun, yet competitive general. It can win through various means, and can also provide some interesting game states. Oloro can be played as a flash style control deck (with manlands, and nearly 100% removal, and counters), tap out control, combo, or even midrange builds. This deck does not require the general to win, and can win the with general tucked, or otherwise unavailable. It has many pathways to victory, so every game is different.
In most multiplayer settings Oloro can draw quite a bit of hate. With a higher life total players will tend to want to swing into you each combat phase. In addition some of its wins may rely on combo, or broken interactions that can draw hate (venser's journal + necropotence).
My list
My list is based on a style of deck from constructed magic called "tap out control." The idea of the deck is to use the early game to gain life, develop mana, and kill priority threats (like an early Kaalia of the Vast). In the mid game, dropping a large hard to deal with threat (like divinity of pride, or Blood Baron of Vizkopa), and/or casting your general to refill your hand. In the late game, a protected general, or phyrexian arena effects keep the cards flowing, to win with a large threat (Sphinx of Steel Wind), value recursion, or combo off with protection.
Jade Mage and Azure Mage should also be considered in the same area. They have a different purpose, but both can get out of control easily in either the aggro decks or control decks without answers. The problem in pauper is that they rarely stay on the board, unless protected.
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
Eliot, that is absolutely beautiful... I love the Beta Power. I happen to own a set, but yours are so much cleaner than mine!
Unfortunately I am too afraid to put the actual real beta power in the cube, along with the beta duals... Too much risk of theft - CE will have to do for now as playable copies...
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
I have a cube with cards to fallen empires (94 cube). There are not enough of certain cards to support aggro for example, or enough duals... so why not run multiples. I don't like multiples in larger normal cubes, but if you cube has a theme, then why not... just let me know what is in multiples...
BTW I love my multiple mishra's factories...
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
You have definitely hit the major problem with cube now days... cost of cards, and people who know the cost, and want to take those cards.
My 94 cube has now hit the 8k mark, with about 20 cards over 150ish dollars (not including duals and power), and many more in the 80 - 150 range. The problem is that I can not 100% guarantee that I will get everything back after a draft (especially when basics are 4 - 6 dollars each also).
The answer for my cube is to use CE (Collector's Edition) for all the Beta cards, and proxy all the other expensive stuff, but the problem then is you can still lose the 20+ dollars cards. It seems like proxy is the best option, and leave your cube for just your trusted local playgroup, as much as that sucks.
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
There is nothing in the rules of banding that states you can not assign damage as you have stated. Assigning and actually damaging a creature are different things, even if the damage would be prevented. Therefore, assigning 2 damage from the glory seeker to the knight is a legal assignment.
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
We play it with a mismatch of 4th - 6th edition rules, where you do not die at the end of phase. Therefore you can activate mirror universe, drop your life to less than 0, then win the game. I am not sure how good it would be in normal cubes...
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
I laughed when somebody said Balance needs to be built around. Balance is good in any deck, always. If it's bad, you're winning.
I can think of many situations where balance is bad (or not as good)
You are playing a control deck (UWx) and you have say 5 cards in hand, 7 lands (to 4 of your opponent), and you opponent has three creatures to your 1 (and one has hexproof lets say). I certainly do not want to play balance here, and I am not ahead in the game.
If a card was only good in a very specific situation we probably would not include it in the cube. Even cards like Wildfire, Upheaval, Channel, etc (the traditional build around me cards) have some value outside of their intended archetypes, but are best when built around. That is how I describe balance, not an entirely dead card, but best when built around.
Cards that are best when built around might be broken in the right situation, but that does not make them an auto cut from the cube. I could say the same thing for wildfire... ask my opponent from a few weeks ago when I demolish him with a sweet artifact wildfire deck...
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All foil Invasion Draft Set (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 6 Common) California DCI Level 2 Judge
I have thought about this for quite some time in cubes. There is only 1 cards I think is overpowered in any cube, and that is Jace, Memory Adept. Every other card on the list has to be built around in some way.
The problem with Jace, is that Jace is just too swingy, meaning you drop it and win (can't kill it the first turn it drops, sorry you lose), or it does nothing (Drop it, mill 10, hero's downfall, dreadbore, attack it).
Lets look at the others... (assuming powered cube)
- Balance - have to build around it (burn deck, acts like mind twist, 2 mana wrath, etc)
- Mind Twist - Have fast mana, sure can be broken, but that is what we power cube for. Non-powered cube, ban sol ring, crypt, vault, etc, and it is not a problem.
- Nightmare - has to be built around, can be degenerate, but nightmare decks tend to get stomped by fast aggro.
- Channel - Do you run fireball/etc, probably not, then it is okay, but I don't like it is cubes with Emerkul, but it is not any worse then show and tell, hypergenesis, eureka, etc.
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California DCI Level 2 Judge
First, there are no unwinnable matchups, but there are 4 which are pretty difficult
- Ad Nausium Combo (They run Besaju, and 4 pact of negation, + angel's grace is uncounterable)
- Scapeshift (again, way more mana than we can win through, and they also run Besaju)
- Tron (blue is worse than GR) (Emakrul is a problem)
- Hate Bears (certain variants) (The local decks have a much lower curve, play proactive threats, and 8+ land destruction spells)
Jund is also not favorable, but winnable. I won a win an in a large modern event last weekend against jund, which my opponent was not able to resolve a single lili, and I got lucky against thoughseize, but that match can be disastrous. Thrun is nearly unbeatable, unless you can race it (and your opponent does not have removal for your threats.
Kiki is cute in this deck, but unless you go full McClairian list, it is very difficult to use, except in the mirror. My meta is full of affinity, (which is 40:60 game 1, and 60:40 game 2 and 3) tron, combo, with little jund and pod. The comp meta is 50% pod and twin, which makes the deck better. I am currently playing the flash variant, and I like it a lot. It has a good game plan against the top tier decks. I have since went to 2 verdicts in the main, and 2 anger of the gods in the SB, which makes the merfolk, zoo, and affinity matchups better.
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
Multiplayer Esper Tapout Control
Introduction
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, a new commander from the Commander 2013 Esper Preconstructed Deck originally caught my eye due to the crazy interactions that the deck has by gaining life each turn. In a multiplayer game, you are essentially starting the game with about 50 life, which gives you many options on controlling the game, and winning through combo, creature beatdown, or other means. Based on the lists I have seen for the deck, it is possible to build this as a 1v1 combo deck, a multiplayer competitive deck, or a casual multiplayer deck. This deck focuses on the casual multiplayer format, but can be easily adapted to other formats. This deck is not based on flavor, so no death grasp or unfun wincons like test of endurance, but those cards can be added.
Why Oloro, Ageless Ascetic?
As I stated in the introduction, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is a fun, yet competitive general. It can win through various means, and can also provide some interesting game states. Oloro can be played as a flash style control deck (with manlands, and nearly 100% removal, and counters), tap out control, combo, or even midrange builds. This deck does not require the general to win, and can win the with general tucked, or otherwise unavailable. It has many pathways to victory, so every game is different.
In most multiplayer settings Oloro can draw quite a bit of hate. With a higher life total players will tend to want to swing into you each combat phase. In addition some of its wins may rely on combo, or broken interactions that can draw hate (venser's journal + necropotence).
My list
My list is based on a style of deck from constructed magic called "tap out control." The idea of the deck is to use the early game to gain life, develop mana, and kill priority threats (like an early Kaalia of the Vast). In the mid game, dropping a large hard to deal with threat (like divinity of pride, or Blood Baron of Vizkopa), and/or casting your general to refill your hand. In the late game, a protected general, or phyrexian arena effects keep the cards flowing, to win with a large threat (Sphinx of Steel Wind), value recursion, or combo off with protection.
6 Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Creatures (20)
4 Rhox Faithmender
4 Wall of Reverence
5 Archon of Justice
5 Baneslayer Angel
5 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
5 Bloodgift Demon
5 Divinity of Pride
5 Obzedat, Ghost Council
6 Consecrated Sphinx
6 Steel Hellkite
6 Wurmcoil Engine
7 Angel of Despair
7 Drogskol Reaver
7 Magister Sphinx
8 Akroma Angel of Wrath
8 Ashen Rider
8 Baleful Force
8 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
8 Sphinx Sovereign
9 Reya Dawnbringer
Artifacts (14)
2 Azorius Signet
2 Dimir Signet
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Mind Stone
2 Orzhov Signet
2 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Coalition Relic
3 Darksteel Ingot
3 Darksteel Plate
3 Obelisk of Esper
3 Pristine Talisman
4 Well of Lost Dreams
5 Venser's Journal
1 Condemn
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
3 Dissipate
3 Faerie Trickery
3 Hero's Downfall
3 Hinder
3 Mortify
3 Spell Crumple
3 Return to Dust
Sorcery (7)
3 Vindicate
4 Damnation
4 Day of Judgment
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Wrath of God
6 Austere Command
6 Terminus
Enchantment (9)
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
2 Blind Obedience
3 Aura of Silence
3 Detention Sphere
3 Necropotence
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Underworld Connections
7 Debtors Knell
Combo (3)
2 Vizkopa Guildmage
5 Exquisite Blood
5 Sanguine Bond
Lands (36)
1 Azorius Guildgate
1 Dimir Guildgate
1 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Fetid Heath
1 Mystic Gate
1 Sunken Ruins
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Underground River
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Arcane Sanctum
1 Command Tower
1 Academy Ruins
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Wasteland
1 Stripmine
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Island
2 Plains
2 Swamp
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
Unfortunately I am too afraid to put the actual real beta power in the cube, along with the beta duals... Too much risk of theft
California DCI Level 2 Judge
I have a cube with cards to fallen empires (94 cube). There are not enough of certain cards to support aggro for example, or enough duals... so why not run multiples. I don't like multiples in larger normal cubes, but if you cube has a theme, then why not... just let me know what is in multiples...
BTW I love my multiple mishra's factories...
California DCI Level 2 Judge
My 94 cube has now hit the 8k mark, with about 20 cards over 150ish dollars (not including duals and power), and many more in the 80 - 150 range. The problem is that I can not 100% guarantee that I will get everything back after a draft (especially when basics are 4 - 6 dollars each also).
The answer for my cube is to use CE (Collector's Edition) for all the Beta cards, and proxy all the other expensive stuff, but the problem then is you can still lose the 20+ dollars cards. It seems like proxy is the best option, and leave your cube for just your trusted local playgroup, as much as that sucks.
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge
I can think of many situations where balance is bad (or not as good)
You are playing a control deck (UWx) and you have say 5 cards in hand, 7 lands (to 4 of your opponent), and you opponent has three creatures to your 1 (and one has hexproof lets say). I certainly do not want to play balance here, and I am not ahead in the game.
If a card was only good in a very specific situation we probably would not include it in the cube. Even cards like Wildfire, Upheaval, Channel, etc (the traditional build around me cards) have some value outside of their intended archetypes, but are best when built around. That is how I describe balance, not an entirely dead card, but best when built around.
Cards that are best when built around might be broken in the right situation, but that does not make them an auto cut from the cube. I could say the same thing for wildfire... ask my opponent from a few weeks ago when I demolish him with a sweet artifact wildfire deck...
California DCI Level 2 Judge
The problem with Jace, is that Jace is just too swingy, meaning you drop it and win (can't kill it the first turn it drops, sorry you lose), or it does nothing (Drop it, mill 10, hero's downfall, dreadbore, attack it).
Lets look at the others... (assuming powered cube)
- Balance - have to build around it (burn deck, acts like mind twist, 2 mana wrath, etc)
- Mind Twist - Have fast mana, sure can be broken, but that is what we power cube for. Non-powered cube, ban sol ring, crypt, vault, etc, and it is not a problem.
- Nightmare - has to be built around, can be degenerate, but nightmare decks tend to get stomped by fast aggro.
- Channel - Do you run fireball/etc, probably not, then it is okay, but I don't like it is cubes with Emerkul, but it is not any worse then show and tell, hypergenesis, eureka, etc.
California DCI Level 2 Judge
California DCI Level 2 Judge