Not really, but she does like the Precon which has encouraged me to build her another deck other than her Angel Deck. What she likes most about Oloro is how Life can be a Resource and she normally has plenty of it. She really really likes the Pillowfort concept and wants that also. So here we are.
So my wife joined me in going to a game with a more competitive meta, In result she played this deck first (considering she just got into multiplayer EDH a few days before). She stated the name of the deck which gave all the guys a chuckle. She then proceeded to play it off that the Pillowfort aspect of the deck was to make it so that it would be just her and Oloro. Everyone else needs to just leave them alone. God I love my wife because of that she won 2 games in a very competitive meta because no one took her seriously until she swung a Serra Avatar with Vizkopa Guildmage activated with both triggers. One game she killed the last person alive other than her (just so happened to be me) with it then the next game after that she repeated it and killed 4 people at once.
Its a little costly right now because of play in standard but Archangel of Thune is a must include in any Oloro deck that depends on creatures and combat damage.
... so I was showing my wife the deck last night, She does not like Test of Endurance. Her exact words was "Well that takes all the fun out of it" she is also on the fence with a few other cards. She does kind of like Stormtide Leviathan.
... so I was showing my wife the deck last night, She does not like Test of Endurance. Her exact words was "Well that takes all the fun out of it" she is also on the fence with a few other cards. She does kind of like Stormtide Leviathan.
It sounds like your wife doesn't like alternate win conditions for having large life totals. I guess Felidar Sovereign is out of the question (does she like cats?).
It sounds like your wife doesn't like alternate win conditions for having large life totals. I guess Felidar Sovereign is out of the question (does she like cats?).
She doesnt mind alternative win cons she just doesnt like Cheap wins, she wants strategy. Not I put this card out and if you dont do anything about it within a turn I win.
... so I was showing my wife the deck last night, She does not like Test of Endurance. Her exact words was "Well that takes all the fun out of it" she is also on the fence with a few other cards. She does kind of like Stormtide Leviathan.
To effectively run Convergence in Oloro you either need to be full stax and create hard locks or you need to be hardcore pillow fort with all the board wipes.
The second you drop Convergence it stops being regular EDH and becomes Archenemy. Unless you have a dedicated strategy to prevent damage and life loss all Convergence will do is guarantee that you don't win. The table will focus fire on you. Either they will kill you first or they will keep you alive with a low life total so that Convergence triggers for someone else.
Speaking of board wipes...Grizz: the deck might be a little heavy on wipes for a list that depends heavily on creatures itself. I'd consider dropping most of the wipes and replacing them with targeted removal.
Some of these May be a little pricey for your budget though (if you weren't budget I would 100 % tell you to run Vindicate). Also remember when picking your removal suites that options in multiple colors are very nice. Iona is a thing (a common thing in my meta).
Thanks everyone for their inputs, i barley touch my computer over the weekends so its really nice to see all the replies.
I am making a list of possible adds, from playing it this weekend and having my wife pilot it in her first ever 6 person games (I built this deck to encourage her to play more multiplayer) the deck was definitely pillowfort, it might not look like it but we played a total of 6 games and every game she ether won or was the last to be killed (she won 3 times). Now the guys were kind of being nice to her for the first two wins but they pulled out their more competitive decks and everytime people had board presence and she did not, she wiped the board and made everyone groan. In result she loves the deck.
The problem this deck is running into is finishing people off....two times the deck won was thanks to two cards Sanguine Bond & Debt to the Debtless. Once it dropped 3 people at once
The problem this deck is running into is finishing people off...
I've had that problem as well running my pillow fort build. It's easy to survive forever and I'm pretty much always one of the last two but finding win cons sometimes takes to long.
That's why I'm about to try out a control build where I commit to using life as a resource. I don't have all the cards yet but I just have a feeling it's going to test out well.
A fun wincon is to throw a Swords to Plowshares then pair it with Serra Avatar and Vizkopa
Swords your Serra Avatar and then activate Vizkopa
All opponents lose your life total!
I guess that same Wincon could work with Condemn as well
Here is my next question since Im looking into doing this with Condemn. Maybe I need to ask this in Rules section but if I attack with my Avatar and already deal damage with him, could I cast Condemn after the damage is dealt?
I guess that same Wincon could work with Condemn as well
I think it would be harder to pull off with Condemn. It's always going to be hard to resolve the Avatar if you're playing aware opponents. Once it resolves it's going to always be difficult to keep it alive to your next turn. So unless you have boots or greaves I wouldn't count on being able to swing with the Avatar. With Swords you can pull off the combo right after you resolve the Avatar.
You can even hide your intent by bringing out Vizkopa a turn earlier and activating the Vizkopa as early as possible (upkeep in response to Oloro's trigger). Then wait until second main to summon the Avatar hoping people have forgot the Vizkopa is active. Then Swords.
Edit: To answer your new question...I'm no judge but I think that you can cast Condemn with viable targets up until it switches to second main phase. In other words in response to assign damage or at end of phase.
I think it would be harder to pull off with Condemn. It's always going to be hard to resolve the Avatar if you're playing aware opponents. Once it resolves it's going to always be difficult to keep it alive to your next turn. So unless you have boots or greaves I wouldn't count on being able to swing with the Avatar. With Swords you can pull off the combo right after you resolve the Avatar.
You can even hide your intent by bringing out Vizkopa a turn earlier and activating the Vizkopa as early as possible (upkeep in response to Oloro's trigger). Then wait until second main to summon the Avatar hoping people have forgot the Vizkopa is active. Then Swords.
Edit: To answer your new question...I'm no judge but I think that you can cast Condemn with viable targets up until it switches to second main phase. In other words in response to assign damage or at end of phase.
I do understand completely what you are saying, Im honestly planning on getting a Swords for this combo also, just realized that it works for Condemn. Then the question came to mind whether or not I would have to do this before he deals damage or after.
EDIT: got my hands on a Path and Sword and both found their way into this deck....happy about the changes and I hope my wife likes them aswell...if not they can go into my Doran deck (....seriously though, my wife gets the better cards)
Everyone seems to be in love with Sphinx's Rev for Oloro...Don't get me wrong, it's a great card and you can definitely gain from running it in most any deck with Azorius colors.
However, this is my argument for not running it in Oloro.
-You don't need the life gain. Oloro is often enough life gain by himself. There are also tons of options to give you life gain.
-You have to sink a ton of mana into Rev for it to be worthwhile. Unless you are using it with "infinite" mana to draw your deck and win with another x spell (or something else) you don't need Rev because...
-You can use Oloro's life gain to fuel other card draw that costs significantly less mana giving you more options each turn. With blue you have access to all sorts of great draw spells like Gitaxian Probe, Recurring Insight and Telling Time.
What a lot of people don't realize is that black actually has a ton of card draw as well. You just have to be willing to pay life to use it. Which isn't a problem in Oloro. Beyond the enchantments like Phyrexian Arena, Necropotence and Greed (you should run all three) you have around 10 instants, sorcery and permanents that allow you to draw cards for minimal mana and 1-2 life. Cards like Read the Bones, Sign in Blood, Bloodgift Demon and Unfulfilled Desires (which may be better then Greed depending on how much your deck likes cycling through cards).
I have found that you tend to get more value out of these types of cards (particularly the permanents) then Sphinx's Rev. It is incredibly easy to generate a ton of card advantage in Oloro while still hanging around 40-50 life even without Sphinx's Rev.
Of course it doesn't hurt to run a Rev in addition to these cards if you have the space.
Note: this is directed more at nuclearsunburn then the OP
6 Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Creatures 18
8 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
7 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
7 Drogskol Reaver
7 Serra Avatar
6 Treasury Thrull
5 Divinity of Pride
5 Phyrexian Delver
5 Bloodgift Demon
4 Windborn Muse
4 Wall of Reverence
4 Seraph of the Sword
4 Rhox Faithmender
3 Wall of Denial
3 Augury Adept
2 Fog Bank
2 Vizkopa Guildmage
2 Ajani’s Pridemate
2 Serene Master
Enchantments 12
5 Sphere of Safety
5 Exquisite Blood
5 Sanguine Bond
5 Black Market
5 Mystic Barrier
4 Greed
4 Cradle of Vitality
4 Angelic Accord
3 Paradox Haze
3 Ghostly Prison
3 Propaganda
2 Righteous Aura
2 Blind Obedience
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
5 Norn’s Annex
4 Phyrexian Processor
4 Mindlock Orb
4 Well of Lost Dreams
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Crawlspace
3 Pristine Talisman
3 Darksteel Ingot
2 Sun Droplet
1 Sol Ring
Instant 8
3 Oblation
3 Hinder
3 Render Silent
3 Mortify
2 Counterspell
1 Condemn
1 Sword to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
Sorcery 10
6 Chronomantic Escape
6 Terminus
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Wrath of God
4x Debt to the Deathless
3 Solemn Offering
3 Toxic Deluge
2x Curse of the Swine
2x Death Grasp
2x Exsanguinate
Lands 38
11 Plains
5 Swamp
5 Island
1 Command Tower
1 Opal Palace
1 Rupture Spire
1 Transguild Promenade
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Temple of the False God
1 Arcane Sanctum
1 Dromar’s Cavern
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Esper Panorama
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker
1 Karmic Justice
1 Venser's Journal
1 Silent Arbiter
1 Celestial Convergence
1 No Mercy
1 Dread
1 Stormtide Leviathan
1 Azorius Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Dimir Signet
1 Greater Auramancy
Now this deck is very casual and budgeted as it is for my Wife, I wouldnt mind suggestions but if the cards are costly most likely they wont happen.
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
... so I was showing my wife the deck last night, She does not like Test of Endurance. Her exact words was "Well that takes all the fun out of it" she is also on the fence with a few other cards. She does kind of like Stormtide Leviathan.
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
It sounds like your wife doesn't like alternate win conditions for having large life totals. I guess Felidar Sovereign is out of the question (does she like cats?).
How about Karmic Justice and Silent Arbiter for the pillowfort strategy?
She doesnt mind alternative win cons she just doesnt like Cheap wins, she wants strategy. Not I put this card out and if you dont do anything about it within a turn I win.
Karmic Justice and Silent Arbiter are both solid choices and will most likely find their way into the deck.
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
Cheap tutors: Diabolic Tutor and Rune-Scarred Demon, Diabolic Revelation. I can't remember any others at this moment, but there out there.
Curve looks high;therefore, cheap/low CMC mana rocks. This helps you ramp/keep up: Talisman of Dominance, Talisman of Progress, Charcoal Diamond, Marble Diamond, Sky Diamond, Coldsteel Heart
I buy HP and Damaged cards!
Only EDH:
Sigarda, Host of Herons: Enchantress' Enchantments
Jenara, Asura of War: ETB Value Town
Purphoros, God of the Forge: Global Punishment
Xenagos, God of Revels: Ramp, Sneak, & Heavy Hitters
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Dies_to_Doom_Blade's stax list
Edric, Spymaster of Trest: Donald's list
If Test of Endurance is too easy, how about Celestial Convergence?
To effectively run Convergence in Oloro you either need to be full stax and create hard locks or you need to be hardcore pillow fort with all the board wipes.
The second you drop Convergence it stops being regular EDH and becomes Archenemy. Unless you have a dedicated strategy to prevent damage and life loss all Convergence will do is guarantee that you don't win. The table will focus fire on you. Either they will kill you first or they will keep you alive with a low life total so that Convergence triggers for someone else.
Speaking of board wipes...Grizz: the deck might be a little heavy on wipes for a list that depends heavily on creatures itself. I'd consider dropping most of the wipes and replacing them with targeted removal.
Targeted removal to consider:
Some of these May be a little pricey for your budget though (if you weren't budget I would 100 % tell you to run Vindicate). Also remember when picking your removal suites that options in multiple colors are very nice. Iona is a thing (a common thing in my meta).
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
I am making a list of possible adds, from playing it this weekend and having my wife pilot it in her first ever 6 person games (I built this deck to encourage her to play more multiplayer) the deck was definitely pillowfort, it might not look like it but we played a total of 6 games and every game she ether won or was the last to be killed (she won 3 times). Now the guys were kind of being nice to her for the first two wins but they pulled out their more competitive decks and everytime people had board presence and she did not, she wiped the board and made everyone groan. In result she loves the deck.
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
I really like Karmic Justice, I might have to run that also.
My build is a bit less budget friendly though
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
I've had that problem as well running my pillow fort build. It's easy to survive forever and I'm pretty much always one of the last two but finding win cons sometimes takes to long.
That's why I'm about to try out a control build where I commit to using life as a resource. I don't have all the cards yet but I just have a feeling it's going to test out well.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Swords your Serra Avatar and then activate Vizkopa
All opponents lose your life total!
Okay, that makes me want to find a slot for Vizkopa in my LaaR build.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
I guess that same Wincon could work with Condemn as well
Here is my next question since Im looking into doing this with Condemn. Maybe I need to ask this in Rules section but if I attack with my Avatar and already deal damage with him, could I cast Condemn after the damage is dealt?
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
I think it would be harder to pull off with Condemn. It's always going to be hard to resolve the Avatar if you're playing aware opponents. Once it resolves it's going to always be difficult to keep it alive to your next turn. So unless you have boots or greaves I wouldn't count on being able to swing with the Avatar. With Swords you can pull off the combo right after you resolve the Avatar.
You can even hide your intent by bringing out Vizkopa a turn earlier and activating the Vizkopa as early as possible (upkeep in response to Oloro's trigger). Then wait until second main to summon the Avatar hoping people have forgot the Vizkopa is active. Then Swords.
Edit: To answer your new question...I'm no judge but I think that you can cast Condemn with viable targets up until it switches to second main phase. In other words in response to assign damage or at end of phase.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
I do understand completely what you are saying, Im honestly planning on getting a Swords for this combo also, just realized that it works for Condemn. Then the question came to mind whether or not I would have to do this before he deals damage or after.
EDIT: got my hands on a Path and Sword and both found their way into this deck....happy about the changes and I hope my wife likes them aswell...if not they can go into my Doran deck (....seriously though, my wife gets the better cards)
BURPerfectly Suited to Mindless Carnage, ThraximundarRUB
URBOckham's Mindrazer = Nekusar the MindrazerBRU
UBRMarchsea makes all the Men do Stupid ThingsRBU
GWBThe Best Offense is Defense, Doran 2.0BWG
XRDaretti, Artifact ShenanigansRX
RKrenko the Don of the Goblin MobR
GFreyalise and Elves have pet HydrasG
WArmy of the Heavens, Lead by the Angel of HopeW
BDrana, The Removal BloodchiefB
UAzami, Knowledge is PowerU
WBDaxos is Enchanting Enchantments to Enchant more EnchantsBW
GRI got 99 Permanents but Primal Surge ain't One, Ruric TharRG
GBNel Thot's Sacrificial SwarmBG
WRWifey's Wrath - Gisela Blade of GoldnightRW
WUPillowfort Tron - BrunaUW
XXThe TriadXX
Do you have what it takes to survive?
However, this is my argument for not running it in Oloro.
-You don't need the life gain. Oloro is often enough life gain by himself. There are also tons of options to give you life gain.
-You have to sink a ton of mana into Rev for it to be worthwhile. Unless you are using it with "infinite" mana to draw your deck and win with another x spell (or something else) you don't need Rev because...
-You can use Oloro's life gain to fuel other card draw that costs significantly less mana giving you more options each turn. With blue you have access to all sorts of great draw spells like Gitaxian Probe, Recurring Insight and Telling Time.
What a lot of people don't realize is that black actually has a ton of card draw as well. You just have to be willing to pay life to use it. Which isn't a problem in Oloro. Beyond the enchantments like Phyrexian Arena, Necropotence and Greed (you should run all three) you have around 10 instants, sorcery and permanents that allow you to draw cards for minimal mana and 1-2 life. Cards like Read the Bones, Sign in Blood, Bloodgift Demon and Unfulfilled Desires (which may be better then Greed depending on how much your deck likes cycling through cards).
I have found that you tend to get more value out of these types of cards (particularly the permanents) then Sphinx's Rev. It is incredibly easy to generate a ton of card advantage in Oloro while still hanging around 40-50 life even without Sphinx's Rev.
Of course it doesn't hurt to run a Rev in addition to these cards if you have the space.
Note: this is directed more at nuclearsunburn then the OP
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB