MTG Salvation

So I've been mulling over what new EDH deck to build for awhile now, brainstorming and designing Melek, the upcoming Jeleva, and a handful of others. But I can't seem to be happy with them (Melek falls too easily into the same combo over and over, or has Jeleva's problem of not being able to win a game).

I've been looking for a non-green general (I've built too many green EDH's) that can be built with a strong theme and doesn't fall into degenerate combos or relying on the same win condition every game (variety is the spice of life after all).

So I've had the idea of the Basandra, Battle Seraph "forced to attack" deck for awhile (although I usually get distracted by multiple attack step boros ideas, so I've never flushed the deck out). So after being un-satisfied with Melek and Jeleva, I decided to finally try to design at least an alpha list for Basandra, and I'd like your help.

The deck should include cards that:

• Force your opponents to attack out (either at you or others)
• Punish creatures for attacking (Such as Lightmine Field)
• Utilize a creature base that can attack through those punishments
• Generate benefits for creature's attacking (pump spells like Veteran's Armaments and effects like Righteous Cause)
• Defenses to prevent you from being attacked by everyone else (Ghostly prison style or defenders like wall of nets)
• Hopefully a Sunforger package (sadly Basandra shuts off spellcasting during combat, but still should be able to build something)
• Strong Red & White cards to make the deck competitive and disruptive (such as Stranglehold and Aura of Silence)

I've already done a lot of searching for cards that fit those categories and have made an alpha list of cards I'd like to include and ones that are possibilities, but I know I haven't found everything, and am likely missing out on many fun and interesting interactions.

After reading the lists, please suggest any cards you think would be fun/powerful that I didn't include, or why I should/shouldn't include cards I already listed. If you've had experience with a Basandra list, please tell me what seemed to work well in it and what traps to avoid, and if you enjoyed playing it/against it.
I'll try to condense all the cards down to a 100 card list that I'll enjoy for a long time.

Must Attack!
Cards I like:

• Fumiko the Lowblood - Effects only opponents, and bushido X lets it take down most other creature in combat
• Avatar of Slaughter - Forces me to attack too, but is massive and can cause an instant win by himself. Also alot more fun in multiplayer.
• War's Toll - great that it's just opponents, and causes them to have to tap out to cast anything. Work's great with Basandra's Active.
• Gideon Jura - great utility, lots of loyalty. Basandra's Bff.
• Goblin Diplomats - Yay M14 for making this guy. Lowest costing "must attack" permanent they've made.
• Rage Nimbus - A defender with high power that can can force things toa ttack into it.

Other Options:

• Bullwhip - damage stacks with the lightmine field and powerstone minefield which is nice, but fairly costly for a single target effect.
• Boros Battleshaper - very strong, but very expensive.
• Master Warcraft - Great card and likely will make the list, but sadly only a one shot effect, and I can't cast it during combat with basandra out.
• Grand Melee - I don't like that it effects my creatures as well, but is one of the better costed ones that doesn't require an enabler.
• Invasion Plans - doesn't force attacks, but forces blocks. Not sure how I feel about it.
• Curse of the Nightly Hunt - sadly only effects one player, but that might be enough.

Attacker Punishments
Cards I like:

• Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile - Powerstone minefield but one sided, plus has first strike
• Condemn - While true, it's unusable with basandra out, it's one of the best commander removal spells being able to tuck general's into the deck (plus I feel like basandra will get killed a lot)
• Lightmine Field - One of the inspirations for the deck. Force opponent's creatures to attack into this and cause them to die before blockers even happen.
• Powerstone Minefield - one of the other inspirations.
• Repercussion - works especially well with lightmine field and powerstone minefield. Makes for some interesting commander games.
• Furnace of Rath - Doubles the damage from the minefields and other sources. Essentially quadruples damage dealt by Repercussion.
• Thunderstaff - Prevents some damage from creatures attacking me. gets to pump my team. Not sure how useful the pump will be without wanting to utilize token hordes that can't make it through the minefields.
• Caltrops - more minefields.
• Circle of flame - more fiery minefields.
• Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs - Doesn't prevent them from attacking me like ghostly Prison, but punishes them by building me an army for being forced to attack me.
• Boros Reckoner - Needs indestructible, but could still be just as fun running through a minefield to nuke someone. great with furnace.
• Stuffy Doll - has that indestructible going for it. Sadly can only work on one player, but still should be fun.
• Spitemare - See boros reckoner.

Other Options:

• Avenger en-Dal - spellshapes condemn (without the tuck), which can be cast with basandra in play. Likely would make the list, but I'm worried it will be a little too slow needing to tap to use the ability. Having only 1 toughness means it dies to all the minefields if it's forced to attack.
• Devouring Light - Issues with basandra, and not as strong in commander as condemn is.
• Lieutenant Kirtar - better version of devouring light with Basandra in play. still low stats so dies to minefields.
• Order (Order/Chaos) - same issue as devouring light, but chaos can be pretty nice.
• Smoke - the hope is that they don't have creatures that live through the attacks, but still might have enough disruptive utility to make the list.
• Soul Snare - seems like the perfect effect for Basandra, but every time I add it to a deck list, it's underwhelming.
• Vengeful dreams - issues with basandra. strong effect though.
• Wing shards - see Devouring light & vengeful dreams.
• Slumbering dragon - Little too cute, not good on its own.

Attacking Benefits:
Cards I like:

• Reconnaissance - Sadly doesn't save them from the minefields, but if they're forced to attack, they can still survive the combat.
• Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant - In most EDH games it will instantly flip, then it protects my creatures from the mine-fields.
• Serra's Blessing - Allows me to attack and defend. One of the few decks where mass vigilance seems very important.
• Akroma's Memorial - Serra's Blessing on crack.
• Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran - Damage buff to red creatures and more importantly a defense buff to white creatures to help survive the minefields.
• Galepowder Mage - 3 toughness is the magic starting toughness number. Gets annoying blockers out of the way, or resets any enter the battlefield abilities. Randomly returns stolen creatures to their owners.
• Veteran's Armaments - Power and toughness boost. Like on Fumiko, a very useful ability.
• Sublime archangel - Trying to stay away from effects that force me to attack, so hopefully the super exalted ability works out.
• Eight-and-a-Half-Tails - Protects my creatures from the minefields and other removal spells. Very powerful.
• True Conviction - Lifelink and doublestrike and very strong.
• Darksteel Plate - Allows a creature to attack unharmed through the minefield.

Other Options:

• Righteous Cause - I'm on the fence about these effects and how useful they will be in EDH. If I end up playing them, I definately want Archangel of Thune though.
• Patron of the Kitsune - Righteous cause but more expensive. I randomly have 3 foxes I want to play though.
• Orim's Prayer - Righteous Cause, but only when they attack me.
• Dolmen Gate - Wish it prevented non-combat damage.
• Instigator Gang - If I was playing tokens this would be a lot better.
• Mobilization - Depends how many soldiers I have.
• Nobilis of War - Again, if I was playing tokens.
• Glory of Warfare - if it gave both on my turn like Agrus I'd be happier with it.
• Windbrisk Raptor - Wish it was cheaper.
• Wrecking Ogre - Pretty good, maybe...
• Angelic Benediction - Not as good as sublime, especially when I'm unsure how good exalted will be.
• Battlegrace angel - Same as angelic benediction
• Gleam of Battle - Doesn't seem bad, just expensive.
• Hellrider - Seems underwhelming in EDH
• Victory's Herald - I think true Conviction is stronger.
• Pyreheart Wolf - I don't think blocking creatures will be much issue.
• Militia's Pride - Seem's decent, especially since the tokens won't be damaged by the minefield on their first swing, just not sure on it.
• Lord of Shatterskull Pass - I like the effect, but it's a lot of mana to turn it into the one sided wrath it wants to be.

Defenses:
Cards I like:

• Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo - Can save all of my guys from a minefield, or a bonfire like effect. good target for a darksteel plate.
• Wall of Nets - can trap larger creatures that survive through the minefield.
• Sunweb - Same as Wall of nets, but can kill the creatures instead of trapping them.
• Wall of Reverence - Strong Life gain effect, fairly low cost, and large toughness.

Other Options:

• Ghostly Prison - I want people to attack, and if I'm the only attack option then they can't do that (or can choose not to). Plus I have other punishments setup for when they do attack me. Yes the effect is strong, and if there are still other people in the game they still are forced to attack them, but I think I can build the deck without having to use these attack prevention effects.
• Sphere of Safety - See Ghostly Prison.
• Blazing Archon - See Ghostly Prison.
• Windborn Muse - See Ghostly Prison.
• Forcefield - Great card. Little too monetarily expensive to start.
• Manor Gargoyle - Seems decent, but sadly loses the indestructible to attack, so the minefields can eat it. May still make the cut.
• Perimeter Captain - If the deck was more defender based this card would be awesome.
• Wakestone Gargoyle - See Perimeter Captain
• Vent Sentinel - See Perimeter Captain
• Battle Rampart - Hasting my opponent's creatures when they play them main phase 1 then force them to attack seems fun. Plus it can has my creatures and block. Not bad, might make the list.

Sunforger Package:
Cards I like:

• Sunforger - One of the best R/W equipments.
• Boros Charm - Mostly used for the indestructible. However the 4 damage can kill off an annoying planeswalker and the doublestrike is effective on fatty creatures.
• Chaos Warp - One of the better commander removal spells. Hits anything.
• Oblation - See Chaos Warp
• Enlightened Tutor - A lot of the deck's more powerful effects are enchantments & artifacts, this tutors em.
• Orim's Thunder - One of the better disenchants, and you can still kick it off of Sunforger.
• Path to Exile - Good Creature removal
• Swords to Plowshares - See Path to Exile, but better!
• Return to Dust - Probably the best Double Disenchant in the format.
• Wear (Wear/Tear) - Another great disenchant effect
• Wild Ricochet - Copies & Forks and can be cast off of a sunforger? yes please!

Other Options:

• Allay - I love the buy back, but I already have 3 disenchants and likely don't need another
• Shattering pulse - See Allay
• Angel's Grace - Seems decent against combo decks. Would be better if I could cast during combat.
• Dawn Charm - A lot of nice utility. Would probably include if I could cast in combat.
• Debt of loyalty - Combat... no casting >.<
• Ghostway - May make the cut depending how many wraths I feel the deck faces.
• Increasing Vengeance - sadly can only fork my spells, which being mostly creatures and other permanents seems a little weak.
• Warleader's Helix - maybe if I need more spot removal, but swords/path etc... seem stronger.

Good Stuff I Want to Include:

• Stoneforge Mystic - Tutors Sunforger, Darksteel Plate and other equipments.
• Insurrection - Great red giant spell.
• Aura of Silence - Good Disruption and disenchant effect.
• Blood Moon - Planning on running mostly basic lands. Punishes greedy decks.
• Magus of the Moon - See Blood Moon
• Baneslayer Angel - Seems fun to force people to attack into.
• Stranglehold - One of the best fixes to the format. If only it was a format rule instead of an enchantment.
• Stonehewer Giant - See Stoneforge Mystic
• Batterskull - another baneslayer angel tutorable by stoneforge/stonehewer.
• Aven Mindcensor - Another great disrupter like stranglehold.
• Hallowed Burial - little uneasy about this one. It and terminus are the 2 best wrath effects in edh since they tuck generals and get around indestructible/can't sacrifice, but I am a creature based deck, so might be an issue.
• Terminus - See Hallowed Burial.
• Swiftfoot Boots - Protects & Hastes.
• Lightning Greaves - See Swiftfoot Boots.
• Righteous Fury - Forcing creatures to attack taps most of them, making this one of the better wraths for this deck (I think), especially with serra's blessing in play.
• Sunblast Angel - See Righteous Fury.
• Idyllic Tutor - Tutors many of the powerful enchantments that the deck's gameplan rely's on.
• Oblivion Ring - Tutorable with Idyllic Tutor & enlightened to be a catch-all removal spell.
• Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - doubles damage my opponents and their creatures take, halves the damage my creatures & I take (even halves my own minefield damage).
• Land Tax - Planning on running a lot of Basics, and the deck lacks card advantage (being white red), so this can help out.
• Aurelia, the Warleader - Just a solid R/W creature that can help finish games.
• Godo, Bandit Warlord - Tutors equipment, generates additional combats (good with vigilance since he only untaps samurai).
• Hero of Bladehold - Creates token armies that on the first swing avoid the minefields. 4 toughness helps her not die in the minefields.
• Inferno Titan - Just a great creature.
• Sun titan - See Inferno titan while recurring utility permanents.
• Archangel of Thune - Decent by herself, best if I include the Righteous Cause effects.
• Linvala, Keeper of Silence - shuts down opponent's utility creatures that could tap themselves to avoid having to attack.
• Rest in Peace - No graveyard recursion here, might as well shut it down for other people too.
• Aurelia's Fury - Just always wanted to play with this card.
• Ajani Vengeant - Can keep annoying creatures tapped down after they're forced to attack, helix's utility creatures. What's not to like?
• Assemble the legion - deck doesn't really need token hordes, but this card can win the game by itself, and the tokens aren't forced to attack like goblin assault.
• Tajic, Blade of the Legion - Good indestructible legend that can block for days and smack for 7+
• Elspeth, Knight-Errant - Jumps creatures so they survive the minefields, creates chump blockers, can ult to protect the minefields.

Other good card options:
Way too many... List some if you think I should be playing them.

So here would be the current deck list (without lands, cuts, or further additions):

Ok, I've gotten the list cut down to this, but still need to make 2 more cuts from the deck to get it down to 63 non-lands (including general), 1 maze of ith, and 36 lands.

a couple new cards on the list that weren't in the initial post:
Umezawa's Jitte - Combat oriented deck with equipment tutors? How could I forget about Jitte!?
Blasphemous Act - Combos with Boros reckoner, Stuffy Doll, Furnace of Rath, and Repercussion (although I have to be careful with the last one), and I can prevent the damage to my creatures with Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant & Eight-and-a-half-tails
Avacyn, Angel of Hope - gives indestructible to all my guys, letting them walk through mine fields and combos well with reckoner. Also a very hard to answer finisher.

Edit:
Cut out sunweb and Wild Ricochet to bring it down to 63 cards. Time for deck construction!

Ghostly Prison makes you less of a desirable target when you force things to attack.

Quote from KoolMaqe

Ghostly Prison makes you less of a desirable target when you force things to attack.

I'm going to try the initial list without ghostly prison/sphere of safety/blazing archon. The hope is by the time I force them into attacking, I have other defenses up, and if it's a 1v1 game or just 2 of us left, I don't want them not being forced to attack me.

If the deck needs some more defenses then prison and the like are the first things I'll be adding in.

Something's missing. Needs more... Basilisk Collar for Brigid. *Snicker*

Scroll Rack goes pretty good with Land Tax too

Quote from Omega Furnace

Something's missing. Needs more... Basilisk Collar for Brigid. *Snicker*

Scroll Rack goes pretty good with Land Tax too

Actually, Basilisk Collar sounds like a fantastic card for the deck! I have a handful of first strikers too that can just be free removal, and I already have a tutor package available... Hmm, now what to cut...

Sadly I haven't been overly happy with the deck. While the idea was interesting, and I had a number of enjoyable games with the deck, there are too many parts that need to come together, too many cards that are mediocre by themselves, and my resource investment has had to be focused elsewhere, so much of the deck remained proxied.

With the introduction of theros, I've decided to retire basandra, and create a Heliod deck in its place. Thankfully a portion of the cards I had acquired for basandra transfer over to Heliod, so I won't have to build the new Deck from scratch.

Thank you to anyone who suggested ideas and helped me build basandra both online and In real life. Hopefully anyone looking to build a basandra deck in the future might find this list a resource.