Defences down, and suddenly all your love comes back to me
And this time I mean it, oh baby, this time I mean it and now
~ Michael Teschl & Trine Jepsen
My philosophy
I play Commander for its social and psychological aspects. I prefer games to last for a while and to be full of interesting interactions and surprising situations. Whenever I feel like playing to win, I play some other format instead. Multiplayer is all about having fun with your friends. My CMD decks tend to be slow and defensive and combos are coincidental (if any).
The deck's philosophy
This is a rather slow deck that needs time to build its infrastructure. After it does, it's quite powerful indeed, not in an explosive way, though. All in all, it works very reliably. Being slow but not by any means helpless, it's rarely number one on anybody's hate list, allowing for peaceful development.
For a blue control deck, there are quite a few creatures. Obviously, this is so to exploit Kira's ability. I built this deck to be able to play some creatures that are too tempting removal targets to be useful without appropriate protection. There's a wizard subtheme, for the sole reason that many of the fun but fragile blue creatures are wizards, and just enough countermagic to stop the biggest catastrophes. There's also a cloning subtheme, which goes well with Kira as well.
Ixidron
A very handy blue mass removal spell. Also hides generals.
Guile
Kira's best friend. They have such a symbiotic relationship.
Mystic Remora
An inexpensive but efficient draw engine that doesn't seem to see much play (unlike Rhystic Study). Works especially well in slower decks.
Tradewind Rider
One of my favorite creatures of all time, finally playable again.
The name
My Kira deck got its name from a Eurovision Song Contest entry from the late 90's, This Time I Mean It with Trine Jepsen and Michael Teschl (Denmark 1999). If the previous sentence sounded like absolute nonsense to you but still you find yourself strangely intrigued, there's an explanation of the naming convention in my Karador thread.
I play Commander for its social and psychological aspects. I prefer games to last for a while and to be full of interesting interactions and surprising situations. Whenever I feel like playing to win, I play some other format instead. Multiplayer is all about having fun with your friends. My CMD decks tend to be slow and defensive and combos are coincidental (if any).
The deck's philosophy
This is a very slow deck that needs time to build its infrastructure. After it does, it's quite powerful indeed, not in an explosive way, though. All in all, it works very reliably. Being slow but not by any means helpless, it's rarely number one on anybody's hate list, allowing for peaceful development.
For a blue control deck, there are quite a few creatures. Obviously, this is so to exploit Kira's ability. I built this deck to be able to play some creatures that are too tempting removal targets to be useful without appropriate protection. There's a slight wizard subtheme, for the sole reason that many of the fun but fragile blue creatures are wizards, and just enough countermagic to stop the biggest catastrophes.
The numbers in front of nonlands are converted mana costs, which I think is a nice (and probably not too confusing) way of packing some extra information into singleton format deck lists.
My Kira deck got its name from a Eurovision Song Contest entry from the late 90's, This Time I Mean It with Trine Jepsen and Michael Teschl (Denmark 1999). If the previous sentence sounded like absolute nonsense to you but still you find yourself strangely intrigued, there's an explanation of the naming convention in my Karador thread.
Since its so slow, why not run counterspells like Cryptic Command
That's right, Command I should seriously consider, it's very flexible. I don't know why it isn't in yet. Probably because all copies I own are tied up in other decks. Other expensive counters, like Spelljack and Domineer, I used to also play but in the end, they were too expensive because this deck also likes to cast a lot of things during its own turn. Desertion is a borderline case.
I'm not a big fan of single-target controlling in multiplayer because you only get one creature from one player but you do have a point, especially when it comes to controlling with creatures. Sower used to be in but I cut it some time ago. I've been considering reintroducing it, actually. Drake I've considered not strong enough without good ways to abuse it but I guess it could be worth trying.
After a lot of games, I did a considerable update, mainly upping the creature count (from 22 to 31). There are more wizards now, and I also added all good clone effects (apart from Phantasmal Image that doesn't benefit from Kira's protection). The clones have proved very useful indeed, especially against more aggressive decks.
Back To Basics is also insanely good in the format, and you run enough basics to get away with it. Drift of Phantasms can tutor it. I think you run too many lands, I'm running 37.
I've presently got two of those five. I'll have to think about Callous Oppressor. It might be strong enough. Eldrazi in general are worth considering, as the deck is usually able to survive into late game. However, the current version doesn't produce that much mana. Temporal Adept I'm not sure about because usually I don't want to pay three mana for an ability. Tradewind Rider might be better. Also, bounce is not such a strong strategy in a slow format.
In Commander, the most annoying thing is to miss land drops in the early game. It also considerably hurts the late game. And multiplayer games are almost always won in the late game. At least the kind I look for. And having fewer nonlands in the early game is not that harmful because seeming non-threatening is a psychological advantage. I don't think I've ever felt there were too many lands.
The reason repeatable bounce is good in multiplayer is because it discourages players from wanting to attack you. If I have a Blightsteel Colossus, why would I attack you if I knew you could bounce him and force me to recast him. For that reason I'd attack someone else. The bounce also hits lands.
44 lands is too many though, this isn't an Azusa deck, you have a lot of card draw too. I'd run something like 37 + 3 or 4 mana rocks.
Arcanis, the Omnipotent is great by the way, I know you are running him, but I just have to mention how stupid it is. Drawing 4 cards every turn is so crazy, and the only way to stop it is with a board wipe with Kira on the field.
The reason repeatable bounce is good in multiplayer is because it discourages players from wanting to attack you. If I have a Blightsteel Colossus, why would I attack you if I knew you could bounce him and force me to recast him. For that reason I'd attack someone else.
You've got a point there. I'll try and find room for both bouncers to test them.
44 lands is too many though, this isn't an Azusa deck, you have a lot of card draw too. I'd run something like 37 + 3 or 4 mana rocks.
One of the 44 is Maze of Ith which hardly ever produces mana in this deck. Vesuva is, more often than not, a copy of the Maze. Now that I think about it, I've got to put in a Thespian's Stage, too.
Drawing 4 cards every turn is so crazy, and the only way to stop it is with a board wipe with Kira on the field.
More typically, when Kira gets some powerful friends, the other players conspire to get rid of her by working around the protection. Board wipes do occur every now and then, of course.
My philosophy
I play Commander for its social and psychological aspects. I prefer games to last for a while and to be full of interesting interactions and surprising situations. Whenever I feel like playing to win, I play some other format instead. Multiplayer is all about having fun with your friends. My CMD decks tend to be slow and defensive and combos are coincidental (if any).
The deck's philosophy
This is a rather slow deck that needs time to build its infrastructure. After it does, it's quite powerful indeed, not in an explosive way, though. All in all, it works very reliably. Being slow but not by any means helpless, it's rarely number one on anybody's hate list, allowing for peaceful development.
For a blue control deck, there are quite a few creatures. Obviously, this is so to exploit Kira's ability. I built this deck to be able to play some creatures that are too tempting removal targets to be useful without appropriate protection. There's a wizard subtheme, for the sole reason that many of the fun but fragile blue creatures are wizards, and just enough countermagic to stop the biggest catastrophes. There's also a cloning subtheme, which goes well with Kira as well.
3 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Creatures (30)
2 Vedalken Æthermage
2 Lighthouse Chronologist
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Gilded Drake
3 Drift of Phantasms
3 Patron Wizard
3 Burnished Hart
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Clone
4 Tradewind Rider
4 Sakashima's Student
4 Venser, Shaper Savant
4 Sakashima the Impostor
5 Body Double
5 Heidar, Rimewind Master
5 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
5 Beguiler of Wills
5 Empress Galina
5 Vesuvan Doppelganger
5 Ixidron
5 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
5 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
6 Ethereal Usher
6 Sun Quan, Lord of Wu
6 Consecrated Sphinx
6 Guile
6 Sphinx of Magosi
7 Memnarch
9 Artisan of Kozilek
11 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
2 Counterspell
2 Mana Drain
3 Hinder
3 Spell Crumple
3 Forbid
5 Force of Will
Sorceries (2)
2 Curse of the Swine
4 Rite of Replication
Enchantments (2)
1 Mystic Remora
3 Rhystic Study
Artifacts (16)
1 Sol Ring
1 Expedition Map
3 Extraplanar Lens
3 Vedalken Shackles
3 Proteus Staff
3 Oblivion Stone
3 Bident of Thassa
4 Coercive Portal
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
4 Perilous Vault
5 Gauntlet of Power
5 Mind's Eye
5 Citanul Flute
6 Caged Sun
6 Staff of Nin
6 Planar Portal
1 Maze of Ith
1 Vesuva
1 Homeward Path
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Academy Ruins
1 Tolaria West
36 Snow-Covered Island
Card spotlight
Lighthouse Chronologist, Empress Galina, Beguiler of Wills
Prime examples powerful cards that would be unlikely to live to see the next turn without Kira's protection.
Ixidron
A very handy blue mass removal spell. Also hides generals.
Guile
Kira's best friend. They have such a symbiotic relationship.
Mystic Remora
An inexpensive but efficient draw engine that doesn't seem to see much play (unlike Rhystic Study). Works especially well in slower decks.
Tradewind Rider
One of my favorite creatures of all time, finally playable again.
The name
My Kira deck got its name from a Eurovision Song Contest entry from the late 90's, This Time I Mean It with Trine Jepsen and Michael Teschl (Denmark 1999). If the previous sentence sounded like absolute nonsense to you but still you find yourself strangely intrigued, there's an explanation of the naming convention in my Karador thread.
Changelog
2014-07-24
2014-01-30
2013-08-11
Since its so slow, why not run counterspells like Cryptic Command, while at the same time running things like Sower of Temptation, Gilded Drake, Control Magic, etc.
That's right, Command I should seriously consider, it's very flexible. I don't know why it isn't in yet. Probably because all copies I own are tied up in other decks. Other expensive counters, like Spelljack and Domineer, I used to also play but in the end, they were too expensive because this deck also likes to cast a lot of things during its own turn. Desertion is a borderline case.
I'm not a big fan of single-target controlling in multiplayer because you only get one creature from one player but you do have a point, especially when it comes to controlling with creatures. Sower used to be in but I cut it some time ago. I've been considering reintroducing it, actually. Drake I've considered not strong enough without good ways to abuse it but I guess it could be worth trying.
Back To Basics is also insanely good in the format, and you run enough basics to get away with it. Drift of Phantasms can tutor it. I think you run too many lands, I'm running 37.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
That's great, let me know how it works out for you when you do!
I've presently got two of those five. I'll have to think about Callous Oppressor. It might be strong enough. Eldrazi in general are worth considering, as the deck is usually able to survive into late game. However, the current version doesn't produce that much mana. Temporal Adept I'm not sure about because usually I don't want to pay three mana for an ability. Tradewind Rider might be better. Also, bounce is not such a strong strategy in a slow format.
It would be powerful, no doubt, but it doesn't suit my play style. Or my personality, perhaps. It's the same reason I don't play Contamination.
In Commander, the most annoying thing is to miss land drops in the early game. It also considerably hurts the late game. And multiplayer games are almost always won in the late game. At least the kind I look for. And having fewer nonlands in the early game is not that harmful because seeming non-threatening is a psychological advantage. I don't think I've ever felt there were too many lands.
44 lands is too many though, this isn't an Azusa deck, you have a lot of card draw too. I'd run something like 37 + 3 or 4 mana rocks.
Arcanis, the Omnipotent is great by the way, I know you are running him, but I just have to mention how stupid it is. Drawing 4 cards every turn is so crazy, and the only way to stop it is with a board wipe with Kira on the field.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
You've got a point there. I'll try and find room for both bouncers to test them.
One of the 44 is Maze of Ith which hardly ever produces mana in this deck. Vesuva is, more often than not, a copy of the Maze. Now that I think about it, I've got to put in a Thespian's Stage, too.
More typically, when Kira gets some powerful friends, the other players conspire to get rid of her by working around the protection. Board wipes do occur every now and then, of course.