MTG Salvation

This is my second revision on Xenagos, God of Revels.


Deck philosophy:

Contrary to most Xenagos, God of Revels lists, this isn't a aggro list. It's a control list that wins by turning creatures sideways.

Through experience, I've found that while the Xenagos aggro archetype works, it is too swingy for my tastes and I wasn't leaving the table with that satisfactory game of back and forth magic that I craved. It was either win hard or fizzle really quickly.

I realised that Xenagos turned any creature exceptionally dangerous, and therefore had lots of room to build a stronger control shell around him and then fishing for key beaters and cards to take opponents down in short order. While I am not crushing opponents as quickly as I could be, I instead have a significantly stronger mid to late game and a robust list that is much more prepared to deal with and overcome diverse obstacles (including MLD). This robustness is achieved with strong CA and recursion engines and a toolbox creature set.

Xenagos lists are also very sensitive to over commitment of the battlefield. The list itself naturally wants to invest in 1 creature only. Anything after that needs to support that 1 creature, play defense, or provide utility. In early versions of the list, I felt the pain of having too many dumb beaters in hand when I already had one in play, but really needed something to take down a defender or blow up an enchantment.

As you are always turning creatures sideways to win, often taking large chunks of life total in the process, the other immediate and apparent outcome was that multiple opponents counter attacks hurt hard. Again, I did not want to over commit the board and fail constantly to board wipes by playing more creatures to the field. Instead I chose to use lifelink and fog effects to create the breathing space needed to survive a round of counter attacks and crush my next opponent on my following turn. This list can gain absurd amounts of life, and cards like Maze of Ith, Spore Frog and Constant Mists buffer you from General damage as well. This list can race and beat most fair combo lists too, though dedicated combo is probably out of reach (meta call, I don't play against much dedicated combo).

The list is broken down and organised to reflect the above philosophy basically. Let me know if it could be clearer, or if a detailed breakdown is warranted instead.

Seems to me that Fireshrieker would be better than Wrecking Ogre. You'd rather do something like 24 damage than just 12, as the ogre's power is pretty small, and if you bloodrush him, you're not getting as much value as you would with Fireshrieker.

Quote from nicol800

Seems to me that Fireshrieker would be better than Wrecking Ogre. You'd rather do something like 24 damage than just 12, as the ogre's power is pretty small, and if you bloodrush him, you're not getting as much value as you would with Fireshrieker.

Ogre gets the nod for being a body at the moment. Means he is recurrable, fetchable, etc.

I'm a little light on CA for my liking, so need to squeeze it in where I can.

Liking the list man.

Though have you considered decimate?

Quote from Anthonii

Liking the list man.

Though have you considered decimate?

I do like Decimate, but it's competing with Beast Within and Oblivion Stone at the moment for a spot, and those aren't in already.

how about rubblehulk
i run him in a mayael deck and people never expect it

I'd love to fit Rubblehulk and Homura back in if I could. Room is the issue, anybody have suggestions for cuts?

Couple changes I would make

journey of discovery instead of cultivate
It gives you an extra option to play lands

kozilek, butcher of truth instead of inferno titan to help refill your hand

arena or magus of the arena instead of grull ragebeast

woodfall primus instead of wicker bough elder

And swap the urzas saga cycling lands for basics or evolving wilds or maybe burnished hart

Malignus is an instant kill if it connects with Xenagos' buff, if you don't mind that sort of thing.

Quote from Pokerkingdave

Couple changes I would make

journey of discovery instead of cultivate
It gives you an extra option to play lands

Only issue with Journey is my early game is touch and go for my liking, reach and kodama smooth this out, whereas journey is conditionally better early and better late... Hmm worth thinking about though.

kozilek, butcher of truth instead of inferno titan to help refill your hand

I can see the value in this change. Will test.

arena or magus of the arena instead of grull ragebeast

Hmm I like Ragebeast because he is no nonsense, and is good POD target at 7. But I can see myself running Arena for sure, which is better with Xenagos.

woodfall primus instead of wicker bough elder

Cannot do this swap, Wicker is Torpor Orb protection and a critical 4 drop POD target.

And swap the urzas saga cycling lands for basics or evolving wilds or maybe burnished hart

Need to keep 3 for Loam.

Some good seven drops I run in my Mayael deck are
elderscale wurm and giant adephage as long as it connects for 1 damage it doubles itself every turn.
and if you can make some room terastodon is very good

knollspine dragon or dragon mage budget kozilek and are both seven mana pod targets.
Although you have to hit your opponent with damage first

If you need the cycling lands, then I suggest cutting mossfire valley, gruul turf, and ghitu encampment for basics.
How does tempt with discovery work for you? I think it might be a tad too high for a couple lands, I'm currently trying surveyor's scope.
As a side note, did you forget to include sol ring?

I think you might run into problems with too few lands in your deck, I would try to run 40, with the cycling lands and the ramp you shouldn't have a problem with drawing too many lands

Quick changes:

Glacial Chasm -> Oblivion Stone
Realms Uncharted -> Expedition Map
Smoldering Crater -> Forest

Chasm wasn't working the way I wanted, same with Realms. Map works well with Welder and Stone is more removal.

I'm eyeling either Life from the Loam or Crucible of Worlds. Crucible I feel needs more strong synergy than just Constant Mists and Oracle of Mul Daya. Crazy good when with them, just ok when not...

Loam is great as a graveyard filler for Counsel, and also really good with Borborygmos Enraged and the cycling lands, but again, not amazing otherwise...

Dunno hard to say...

Crop Rotation or Sylvan Scrying could possibly go as well... Same debate, both have pros and cons.

You could include Inkmoth Nexus if you want some extra interaction with lands.

Quote from umtiger

You could include Inkmoth Nexus if you want some extra interaction with lands.

Utility lands is definitely a good way to get more value out of Loam and Crucible. Inkmoth may or may not be well accepted in my meta, not sure yet.

I'm also looking at Rogue's Passage and Darksteel Citadel. Rogue to break Fog stalemates and Darksteel for Goblin Welder.

Updated - 24/05/14

Current thoughts:

This list continues to perform very close to where I envisioned it being. Strong, fairly consistent, but not overwhelming either. Lots of interaction, and room for big plays and outplays.

Fog effects + Lifelink really provide the late game endurance the list needs. Vulnerable to aggressive combo, but that's not a major concern in my meta.

Stranglehold has screwed me a few times... 6 pieces of artifact/enchantment removal is a little light possibly, and normally shored up a bit by my creature tutors.

On the watch list:

Summoner's Pact - Could possibly go... Pact has a few synergies with Panglacial Wurm, Skarrg Goliath and fetching a tucked Xenagos for a big play. It might be the weakest tutor I have though. Either could just be something else cool, or possibly Tooth and Nail (effective, if boring).

Skarrg Goliath - If Pact goes, this will probably go as well. It's been a blowout a few times, but I've never really had that whole Genesis -> Skarrg Goliath/Wrecking Ogre thing going as it's a fairly mana intense play for this list.

Swiftfoot Boots - Just been underwhelming. Xenagos is never really active in the list, so doesn't get the protection from it ever. It's often a do nothing card that I haven't cut yet because I get nervous that the next game I play having access to hexproof will suddenly be very relevant. Archetype stays because it's on a chunky body.

Cards to potentially come in:

Beast Within, Grab the Reins & Karn Liberated - Wouldn't mind these in/back in.

Bloodshot Cyclops - Repeatable Fling seems pretty good for this list. Sometimes a little reach is all I need to close out some close games...

Wolfir Silverheart - Thought process here is that I'm looking for something to fetch off Pact/Zenith that pumps a creature well pre combat. There have been a few situations where tutors have been dead cards since I didn't need a new threat or a new answer, just ways to push through more damage.

Hydra Omnivore - Thought this card was umm too janky/unwieldy and would never get through. Turns out in real life games there is usually someone open to attack. Being able to punch out 16 damage to 3 players for 6 mana even once is just money really. Add Lifelink to this one swing and well ya it needs to be in.

Berserk - Just feels appropriate and like it should be in the list... but I dunno.

I'm trialling Dictate of the Twin Gods over Gratuitous Violence. The flash part of Dictate seems like it could be a great play maker, and the globalness of doubling damage for everyone should help move things along in the direction I need. That or it will get me killed, dunno, will find out.

Solved half of my last post after more testing and updated the main page with more detail. Cards I am still considering are:

Hoard-Smelter Dragon - Good disruption, strong on attack with Xenagos, synergises with Spine of Ish Sah.
Berserk - Removal, works well with Xenagos.
Homura, Human Ascendant - Awesome buff, turns any dorky creature dangerous with Xenagos. Have multiple ways to bin it and get it active, fetchable by Time of Need.
Soul of New Phyrexia - Not sure, but seems like a descent beater with good utility.

Ayumi, the Last Visitor has been a great finisher in my Xenagos deck.
Mage Slayer is also a great card in this deck.
Treasonous Ogre because you really don't need to care about your life total in this fast deck.
Blazing Shoal & Fling can be devistating.
Timbermare & Thundermare can help get rid of those pesky little blockers.

Quote from Zoki »

Ayumi, the Last Visitor has been a great finisher in my Xenagos deck.
Mage Slayer is also a great card in this deck.
Treasonous Ogre because you really don't need to care about your life total in this fast deck.
Blazing Shoal & Fling can be devistating.
Timbermare & Thundermare can help get rid of those pesky little blockers.

Appreciate the response, but without suggestions on what I could cut, I don't get any indication of how these cards are a better choice compared to what I have already or even compared to what I am still trying to fit in myself.

Would love your input further if you had the time to spare.

Any thoughts on Power Matrix?

I've been pondering it for my own Xenagos deck as it adds so much value to any creature.

Quote from SeaThief »

Any thoughts on Power Matrix?

I've been pondering it for my own Xenagos deck as it adds so much value to any creature.

It sort of competes with Sword of Vengeance for me, a card I cut a long while ago. I prefer the Vigilance the Sword gives over the Flying granted by Power Matrix.

Sword is slightly more fetchable, gives more power and grants haste (though this is redundant when Xenagos is out).

First strike can be really important if you encounter a lot of deathtouch creatures, so both cards have merit.

Basically, if I was looking for First Strike - Sword or Matrix would be the cards I want to run.

Personally, I think I prefer the Matrix. No equip/activation cost is nice and by adding some evasion, you help your creature beat face.
Also, the instant speed gives you some options.

Quote from SeaThief »

Personally, I think I prefer the Matrix. No equip/activation cost is nice and by adding some evasion, you help your creature beat face.
Also, the instant speed gives you some options.

Yes, but Trample already is a form of evasion and there won't be many creatures that want to block into a First Strike creature the size Xenagos makes anyway.

Power Matrix can also only be used offensively or defensively, whereas Sword works really well on both sides (Vigilance, Matrix is EOT). Defense is surprisingly important to lists that turn creatures sideways to win.

Anything more by chance?