MTG Salvation

So, I've been increasingly thinking that it might be fun to build a deck that's a little more casual and laid back than the two decks I currently pilot, which are commanded by Kaalia of the Vast and Azusa, Lost but Seeking, respectively. Both of those decks are relatively cutthroat and pretty aggressive by design, so the idea of sitting back and tinkering with my opponent's decks, copying and/or stealing their threats, and policing the game a bit with counterspells sounds really refreshing. I've never given much thought to playing Thada before, so the process of compiling and tweaking a decklist is probably going to be a slow one, so suggestions are more than welcome!

Nifty! I'm actually trying something similar, only I'm using Barrin, Master Wizard out of nostalgia. Here are some of the cards I've been trying out and having some success with so far:

Sphinx Ambassador - While it has the potential to fizzle, I think it's a fun casual card.
Turnabout - versatile and underused card.
Washout - politically-minded mass bounce
Twincast - copying something is usually fun.
Archaeomancer - you're blue.. you're probably going to be casting some spells, so why not cast them a few times? Same goes for Mnemonic Wall.
Switcheroo - just downright silly fun.
Fool's Demise - has the potential for multiple creature steals.. though you'd need to kill it first.

The biggest issue for my deck so far is how to win in mono blue without an infinite combo. I'm testing out Day of Dragons, but usually win by kicking a Rite of Replication on a beater or Gather Specimens when a token deck goes off. How did you envision your deck winning the table? Entirely through stealing other people's threats?

Nim Deathmantle is cheap, protects Thada, buffs Thada, and makes Thada even harder to block.

Spelltwine is barrels of fun, cheap, and fits into a thieving gameplan.

I'd recommend a couple counters, not to try and play permission but to protect yourself and your key components. Plus, countering a Blightsteel Colossus or Genesis Wave will earn you plenty of goodwill at the table. Cancel, Dissipate, Faerie Trickery can all be had for less than $.50 and Counterspell itself is at most a dollar.

Archaeomancer is a really good card and is dirt cheap.

Runechanter's Pike is a cheap way to get a second use out of cheap card draw, cantrips, and so on by making Thada a game-ending threat.

Speaking of, Brainstorm and its ilk could do some work for you.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Quote from TastyBagel

Nifty! I'm actually trying something similar, only I'm using Barrin, Master Wizard out of nostalgia. Here are some of the cards I've been trying out and having some success with so far:

Sphinx Ambassador - While it has the potential to fizzle, I think it's a fun casual card.
Turnabout - versatile and underused card.
Washout - politically-minded mass bounce
Twincast - copying something is usually fun.
Archaeomancer - you're blue.. you're probably going to be casting some spells, so why not cast them a few times? Same goes for Mnemonic Wall.
Switcheroo - just downright silly fun.
Fool's Demise - has the potential for multiple creature steals.. though you'd need to kill it first.

The biggest issue for my deck so far is how to win in mono blue without an infinite combo. I'm testing out Day of Dragons, but usually win by kicking a Rite of Replication on a beater or Gather Specimens when a token deck goes off. How did you envision your deck winning the table? Entirely through stealing other people's threats?

Most Thada decks I've come across in doing a little research for this deck go the voltron route with her. She's got a small body, but islandwalk is really backbreaking for a lot of decks, and she can steal people's SoXaYs and use them to your own benefit, which is nice.

Quote from 3mag5num7

Nim Deathmantle is cheap, protects Thada, buffs Thada, and makes Thada even harder to block.

Spelltwine is barrels of fun, cheap, and fits into a thieving gameplan.

I'd recommend a couple counters, not to try and play permission but to protect yourself and your key components. Plus, countering a Blightsteel Colossus or Genesis Wave will earn you plenty of goodwill at the table. Cancel, Dissipate, Faerie Trickery can all be had for less than $.50 and Counterspell itself is at most a dollar.

Archaeomancer is a really good card and is dirt cheap.

Runechanter's Pike is a cheap way to get a second use out of cheap card draw, cantrips, and so on by making Thada a game-ending threat.

Speaking of, Brainstorm and its ilk could do some work for you.

Thanks for the ideas on equips, I'll probably end up tossing them both in there, particularly if I do end up wanting to try to ride Thada to victory, which I think I will.

Hah. Wow. I knew she stole stuff, but I totally forgot that she had Islandwalk. Maybe consider Spreading Seas or something then? The seas is one of my favorite cards for normal 60 card decks, but there are a host of "sorry, this is now a basic land" auras. Most probably won't make the cut, but you should at least consider testing the Seas, as it lets you draw off it at least. Additionally hosing someone's Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth or Gaea's Cradle could also generate some goodwill from the rest of the table, which I think is a must for a budget deck.

If you are going to go all Voltron, in addition to Runechanter's Pike, Leering Emblem and Diviner's Wand could be worth testing out; especially if you add all the various brainstorm cards as suggested above or have an aggressive curve. I was going to suggest Empyrial Plate as well, but you updated your list.

You have Trinket Mage but no package to go with him yet, so I'd suggest Exploration Map, along with some targets: Halimar Depths and Reliquary Tower, which due to the recent reprint, is pretty affordable. There are oodles more (Tectonic Edge?), but most answer meta concerns, so I'll hold off on suggesting more.

Fabricate and Merchant Scroll are pretty solid in my Barrin deck, and Tezzeret the Seeker can be ok too, depending on how much hate even a wussy planeswalker draws in your meta.

Quote from TastyBagel

Hah. Wow. I knew she stole stuff, but I totally forgot that she had Islandwalk. Maybe consider Spreading Seas or something then? The seas is one of my favorite cards for normal 60 card decks, but there are a host of "sorry, this is now a basic land" auras. Most probably won't make the cut, but you should at least consider testing the Seas, as it lets you draw off it at least. Additionally hosing someone's Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth or Gaea's Cradle could also generate some goodwill from the rest of the table, which I think is a must for a budget deck.

If you are going to go all Voltron, in addition to Runechanter's Pike, Leering Emblem and Diviner's Wand could be worth testing out; especially if you add all the various brainstorm cards as suggested above or have an aggressive curve. I was going to suggest Empyrial Plate as well, but you updated your list.

You have Trinket Mage but no package to go with him yet, so I'd suggest Exploration Map, along with some targets: Halimar Depths and Reliquary Tower, which due to the recent reprint, is pretty affordable. There are oodles more (Tectonic Edge?), but most answer meta concerns, so I'll hold off on suggesting more.

Fabricate and Merchant Scroll are pretty solid in my Barrin deck, and Tezzeret the Seeker can be ok too, depending on how much hate even a wussy planeswalker draws in your meta.

Good call on Spreading Seas. I already had Aquitect's Will and Quicksilver Fountain in the list, but I think Seas should be a include, as well. You are also correct about Trinket Mage. I tossed him in there knowing that I would need to brew up a package of cards for him to tutor up. Thus far, I just have Explorer's Scope, but Expedition Map plus some utility lands is probably a good option. I can't believe how cheap Reliquary Tower is now!

If you decide to go the Expedition Map route, another utility land to consider would be Terrain Generator. It works well with Journeyer's Kite, but depending on the amount of draw you have in your deck, the Kite might not be needed.

Additionally, I noticed you added (or maybe I just overlooked them previously) Hinder and Spell Crumple. They play well with Tunnel Vision.

Quote from TastyBagel

If you decide to go the Expedition Map route, another utility land to consider would be Terrain Generator. It works well with Journeyer's Kite, but depending on the amount of draw you have in your deck, the Kite might not be needed.

Additionally, I noticed you added (or maybe I just overlooked them previously) Hinder and Spell Crumple. They play well with Tunnel Vision.

This is completely off-topic, I just love your user name.

Take a look at the list in my sig for some cool suggestions! She's one of my absolute favorite commanders and a blast to play.

This is completely off-topic, I just love your user name.

Lulz. Thanks man. I've been using it for all my online stuffs, and usually everyone just tells me how hungry it makes them.