MTG Salvation

After playing around with a mix etb/artifact Sharuum deck, I thought about how much I enjoyed the ETB aspect of it, but I didn't feel the deck I had built around Sharuum really abused ETB effects as much as it could have. When thinking of what colours could be used for a Blink deck, naturally Blue and White came to mind, but I really felt it lacked the "punch" necessary to be a competetive deck (plus, a friend in my playgroup already had a Blue/White control deck, so I wanted this deck to be as distinct from his as possible). Another friend had a Blure/Green/Black Zombie Tribal deck which was originally built as Black/Blue, but the addition of Green really made it much, much more explosive.
So, I went out search for a Bant general. I already had a Rafiq of the Many deck, but Rafiq didn't really lend himself to an ETB.Blink deck. Then I saw Rubinia Soulsinger.

On the surface, Rubinia doesn't really spring to mind as the perfect blink general. She uses an outdated form of "gain control of target creature" effect that hasn't seen print in quite some time (i.e. tapping and staying tapped). But then I noticed how nicely her effect works with the new wording of blink spells and effects: I tap Rubinia, gain control of the biggest threat or most annoying utility creature, blink it with a new blink effect, and voila! The creature is mine, and I can repeat the process the next time Rubinia untaps. This, coupled with my many ETB effects, makes for a deck that plays mean in a way Bant doesn't often play.

I've never before made a deck that plays so differently when my general is out than when they aren't. This deck has OPTIONS on how you play it, and each way is fun.

Option 1: Play with Rubinia, gain control of my opponents' creatures, blink them, rinse, repeat.
Option 2: Don't cast Rubinia. Blink my own creatures only. Profit.
Option 3: Cast Rubinia, but only as support to blinking my own creatures, using her ability to clear the way for a big swing.
The best part is, I can consciously decide how to play the deck before the start of the game because ALL THREE WAYS ARE WINNING STRATEGIES.
And, you know, I can switch it up mid-game, if need be.

Without further adieu, the deck:






Notable Exclusions

Sun Titan - this was a tough cut, but I don't have many permanents with < three CCC.
Frost Titan - this only made sense when Tamiyo, the Moon Sage was in the decklist. When she was cut, so was Frosty the snowman.
Indrik Stomphowler - with Acidic Slime, you can always destroy one of their lands, at least. I don't like the idea of maybe having to destroy one of my own win pieces.
Chancellor of the Spires - one of my last cuts. He just sat in my hand way too often. Still, that one game I infinite-turned with an opponent's Time Warp was fun, though.
Wall of Omens - too small of an effect.
Marshal's Anthem - too mana hungry, and though recurring multiple ETB creatures is attractive, I have decent recursion already.
Followed Footsteps - I've never been able to get this off the way I'd like too, sadly. Too vulnerable.
Oblivion Ring - this will likely make it's way back into the deck at some point. I haven't had any threats I couldn't handle without it, though. Yet.
Spine of Ish Sah - I don't have many non-creature blinks, sadly.
Snapcaster Mage - I know a lot of you are gasping and sputtering at this one, but this is a very permanent-heavy deck - I have a total of 7 spells this could target (Restock exiling itself). And the spells I do have, I'd rather recur than exile. Snapcaster just wouldn't be pulling his weight with this particular decklist.


Cards I may (re)consider

Oblivion Ring - see above
Marshal's Anthem - possibly. We'll see.
Scrivener - Oddle, I don't have one in my collection.
Bribery - other players play with ETB creatures too. What should I cut for it? I'm thinking one of the bouncing creatures.
Distorting Wake - another selective mass-bounce would be welcome, but the triple-blue CC makes me balk.
Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery - only if I find I need more targeted destruction.


Anyway, this is my ETB/Blink deck. It is one of the most versatile and strategic decks I own - half of the cards can be played in more than one way, so no two games are exactly alike.
Any feedback, suggestions, or criticisms would be most welcome.

Just some suggestions based on my own Rubinia blink list:

Seedborn Muse--You want to take advantage of your creatures and mana as much as possible, and the Muse allows you to dictate the gamestate in conjunction with your other pieces. It seems at odds with Rubinia, since you'll lose control of whatever you gained control of with her, but the new blinkers give you permanent control of anything you steal, and you can always just use High Market (another suggestion) to abuse Rubinia with Muse.

Venser, Shaper Savant--Four mana bounce seems steep, but Vener's versatility makes up for it. Being able to bounce anything is great, but being able to act as a pseudo counterspell (for a turn, anyway) is a benefit people often overlook. An excellent inclusion, IMO.

Crystal Shard--Even without Muse, Crystal Shard allows you to constantly reuse your best ETB creature if you don't have a blink effect handy. In addition, it's particularly good with Venser, Shaper Savant and Mystic Snake.

Loaming Shaman--A great way to reshuffle all of your blink effects, it also has the additional benefit of being able to neuter opposing graveyards. A solid package for three mana.

Sun Titan--The fact that you only have a handful of cards to use in conjunction isn't as important as what those cards are. Eternal Witness is obviously excellent, but other uses are to return permanents that have been destroyed that are important to the deck, like Cloudstone Curio, Mistmeadow Witch, etc. It also gives you a solid body.

Phantasmal Image--Not blinkable outside of Ghostway, unfortunately, but a cheap way to remove a huge threat (Elesh Norn, Sheoldred, any general) is welcome, and it goes amazingly well with Sun Titan.

Wall of Blossoms/Wall of Omens--They seem really underwhelming, but they are cheap card drawing that, when paired with what your deck does, become quite good. Cloudstone Curio in particular is terrific paired with these.

Bloom Tender--Tapping for one mana at minimum, it's usually going to tap for two and will often tap for three. Another card that looks mediocre until you play with it. It doesn't get any kind of advantage via blinking, but it is meant to build/solidify your mana, which is incredibly important.

Stonecloaker--A great way to save a creature or reuse one if you're out of blink effects, it doubles as selective graveyard hate. The "drawback" is a positive, and the additional graveyard hate is frequently a welcome benefit.

Survival of the Fittest--I am assuming you simply don't own one, because it would be in this deck...right? I am not sure what your budget is, but this is one card worth its price tag. If it's too much, though, Fauna Shaman is a fine replacement.

The manabase seems awkward, as you have 10 lands that will always ETB tapped, with three others that could as well. However, if you don't have all of the good lands (duals, fetches, etc.), there isn't much I can suggest aside from maybe things like City of Brass for additional fixing. Mistveil Plains might be a worthy inclusion to help in the long game; it's been solid, if unspectacular, in my build.

Just some thoughts.

I'm working on my own Soulsinger deck, and I find that having a lot of control is a good thing. I should mention that my playgroup has two people who play Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker, a Deretti, Scrap Savant, Anafenza the Foremost, and Surrak Dragonclaw.

Thoughts on the Circle of Protection spells, because my current list is running all five.