MTG Salvation

I'm mainly using this post to try and order my thoughts on the new Saskia general. If anyone has extra thoughts, or if I've missed something in my gatherer searches, then please feel free to let me know.

I like Saskia as a general as her ability circumvents, in my opinion, the largest challenges to the EDH format: That aggressive is disincentivised. After all, in a normal heads up match if you have an attacker who swings for 6 and your opponent is likely to only swingback for 4, then you'll probably make that damage trade. However, with several opponents this maths changes greatly. Often the result is a stalemate of battalion creatures and rattlesnakes that stare-down until someone finds a game-winning combo. Saskia encourages aggression as everyone is exposed if one individual is. You can no longer pillow-fort up and feel safe to the world.

My original idea for this deck started from seeing JumboCommander's list that was based around taking advantage of universal damage cards like Earthquake & Chandra's Ignition coupled with creatures that are comfortable/incentivised to take damage like Boros Reckoner & Stuffy Doll. The most noteworth of which being Vigor!

So I'm in the process of trying to list out my options for such a combo deck before pairing them down and adding in the generic useful cards.



Next up are the list of cards that either want to be hurt or me to be hurt. Either because they get stronger or because they reflect damage.



I've then got my list of damage manipulators, to ensure whatever damage is done is enjoying its greatest utility. There are some oddly worded creatures on this list that use an old template of "when X deals damage, then..." which interracts nicely with Saskia as it is the actual creature that deals damage to the named player, not Saskia.



Next, I've been considering how to manipulate combat to my advantage. The most obvious of which are cards that provide additional combat steps.



Then there is all the goodstuff.dec inclusions. I need to think about ramp; removal; and, card draw/selection/recursion. The pre-con used Sunforger which I'm not adverse to. Although, I prefer to build decks that showcase unsual and under-loved cards. Hence my decision not to go down the tokens + Purphoros road.

I'm currently thinking something like:

GENERAL: SASKIA
37 Lands
31 Creatures (6-7 Hurters, 14 Masochists, 5-6 Damage/Attack Manipus, 5 Good Stuff Staples)
17 Instants/Sorceries (4 Ramp, 8 Hurters, 3 Removal, 3 Draw/Recursion)
12 Artifacts/Enchantments
2 Planeswalkers

This really isn't a lot of space...

So here is my initial pass. I don't think I have space for the token generators or the attack combos that come with them. I'm also keen to try and build this 75% so I'm keeping out the infinite attack step combos for now.



+37 Lands which I'll need to work out.

The curve is glutted at 3CMC which is, in part, due to the choices of RW instants/sorceries for Sunforger.

I wish I could find a little more space for better fixing (Signets/Lantern) and card draw. I'd definitely prefer to have a Sylvan Library + another graveyard recursion spell, even if it is something like a Charmbreaker Devils to keep a minimum creature density. Equally, I think I need to find some more space for versatile spells like Kolaghan's Command; Wail of Nim; and, Starstorm.

I recognise this isn't a goodstuff.dec deal where I grab all the efficient white removal, green value and the like. I'm making sacrifices to stay on theme and on plan. However, this list still looks a little off to me...

Thoughts?

I've missed Stigma Lasher which I really like. Preventing lifegain is pretty key even if RR is a tough cost in 4c.

Ready // Willing is also close to perfect for a Sunforger target, as is Jund Charm. The charm is particularly on point being another source of damage to all reflective creatures.

I also forgot about Mirari's Wake.

Too many cards, too little space

If you really want to mess up pillowfort, I give high marks to Bane of Progress for doing so. You're not heavy on enchantments and artifacts, so you won't take too much splash damage.

Ready // Willing is also close to perfect for a Sunforger target

Sunforger cannot target Ready // Willing {rules copy/pasted below}

702.101b A fused split spell has two sets of characteristics and one converted mana cost. The converted mana cost of the spell is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its two mana costs, regardless of color.
702.101c The total cost of a fused split spell includes the mana cost of each half. (See rule 601.2f.)

Eldrazi Monument protects your team while allowing them to keep taking damage and Tamanoa goes great with any of your cards which do damage to everything. This deck would probably use Sorrow's Path better than any deck ever.

Quote from MrMcNastey »

Sunforger cannot target Ready // Willing {rules copy/pasted below}

702.101b A fused split spell has two sets of characteristics and one converted mana cost. The converted mana cost of the spell is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its two mana costs, regardless of color.
702.101c The total cost of a fused split spell includes the mana cost of each half. (See rule 601.2f.)

The rules you're quoting are only relevant when the spell is fused on the stack. Split cards, including those with fuse, have all the characteristics of each side everywhere except the stack. You can tutor up Ready // Willing and can cast either half with Sunforger, but cannot fuse it.

Relevant rule is 708.2