So I've finally settled on my next deck idea: maximizing the effects of Young Pyromancer and Talrand, Sky Summoner by casting a bunch of instants and sorceries.
I know there are a bunch of iterations of these things, and I just wanted to get some ideas going before I get my feet wet actually composing a list.
I really don't like going the whole Nivmagus Elemental/Kiln Fiend/etc. blitz deck, since it's really weak to disruption and isn't all that consistent. I wanted to do a more midrange/control route, and I'm liking the Grixis colors.
I guess my questions are thus:
1. What colors are the best for a deck like this? Obviously U and R are necessary, but I'm not sure what the third color, if any, should be.
2. What are some good ways to abuse the free creatures in a midrange setting? I looked at Mind Slash and Blood Funnel, but I'm also hoping for more instant/sorcery-based ideas.
I would run these two along with Nivix Cyclops as the creature base. Then your spells can consist of the best burn:
Lightning Bolt, Magma Jet, and Skred if you play Snow Mountain/Islands. Some good draw from any combination of Brainstorm, Preordain, Ponder, and Fire / Ice will keep your hand full of options. I'd definitely run 4 Electrolyze in this type of deck. You could try the classic Goblin Bombardment to expend your tokens.
i was thinking of making a deck like this. i was thinking of using cheap but efficient creatures like wee dragonauts , fluxcharger, and delver of secerts along with the two creatures you mention. then use cheap good burn like lightning bolt, etc to clear the board and pump/generate tokens and use blue counter spells big threats that i can't burn. some draw spells too to refill my hand. dragonshift as a possible finisher with the tokens. psychotic fury as a secondary finisher with fluxcharger or wee dragonauts since it will pump and double strike plus both have evasion vs kiln fiend.
if i were to add a color i add black for early discard. since there are good one drop discard spells to disrupt their early game. cabal therapy might not be an bad idea. of course turn 1 is a gamble but later in game not too bad. cast it to see what's in the hand then use the token you got to get rid of whatever you want (get another token to replace the one you lost). well seeing what their opening hand is not bad either. information is always good. blighting is nice too. plus black and be the answer to threats on the board you couldn't counter or burn.
Something along these lines. It's relatively cheap and features some fun cards and some new cards. There's no direct card advantage, but there's some recursion, and you get cumulative value out of Talrand, Pyromancer and Battledriver in conjunction with your other spells. Any token producer or Battledriver are prime clone effect targets.
Y'know I tried this and I have to say I liked Young Pyromancer and his big bro Blaze Commando better. Here's the list if you're interested. It's fun and has a few ways to win. I know it's not what you were aiming at but it's a thought.
Young Pyromancer // Talrand, Sky Summoner + Quiet Speculation -> Get a 1/1 Elemental (or drake), then tutor for three Cabal Therapy and put them in your graveyard. Sac the token to cast Cabal Therapy, get a token. Repeat until they have no (relevant) hand.
if i were to add a color i add black for early discard. since there are good one drop discard spells to disrupt their early game. cabal therapy might not be an bad idea. of course turn 1 is a gamble but later in game not too bad. cast it to see what's in the hand then use the token you got to get rid of whatever you want (get another token to replace the one you lost). well seeing what their opening hand is not bad either. information is always good. blighting is nice too. plus black and be the answer to threats on the board you couldn't counter or burn.
I like the idea of adding B. Cabal Therapy in general looks absolutely absurd. I will definitely look into this idea, since discard spells are cheap and it means that I don't need to rely on countermagic--I can just rip the hand apart before the threats even get started.
Y'know I tried this and I have to say I liked Young Pyromancer and his big bro Blaze Commando better. Here's the list if you're interested. It's fun and has a few ways to win. I know it's not what you were aiming at but it's a thought.
I like this idea as well, although it is a little high on the curve. Maybe combining this idea with Glory of Warfare would be a path to take. Will consider this as well.
Young Pyromancer // Talrand, Sky Summoner + Quiet Speculation -> Get a 1/1 Elemental (or drake), then tutor for three Cabal Therapy and put them in your graveyard. Sac the token to cast Cabal Therapy, get a token. Repeat until they have no (relevant) hand.
This is BRILLIANT. There will certainly be 1-2 Quiet Speculation in my deck, because this just sounds absolutely degenerate.
I know there are a bunch of iterations of these things, and I just wanted to get some ideas going before I get my feet wet actually composing a list.
I really don't like going the whole Nivmagus Elemental/Kiln Fiend/etc. blitz deck, since it's really weak to disruption and isn't all that consistent. I wanted to do a more midrange/control route, and I'm liking the Grixis colors.
I guess my questions are thus:
1. What colors are the best for a deck like this? Obviously U and R are necessary, but I'm not sure what the third color, if any, should be.
2. What are some good ways to abuse the free creatures in a midrange setting? I looked at Mind Slash and Blood Funnel, but I'm also hoping for more instant/sorcery-based ideas.
GW Tokens GW || UB UB Control UB || BRG Jund Aggro BRG || UR Wee Dragonauts Tempo UR || BG Fungus/Saproling BG || W Soldiers W ||
GWU Bant Flicker Gun GWU
Under Construction
U Wizards Tribal Control U || RG MLD Trolling RG
Mid range tends to have green though
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
Lightning Bolt, Magma Jet, and Skred if you play Snow Mountain/Islands. Some good draw from any combination of Brainstorm, Preordain, Ponder, and Fire / Ice will keep your hand full of options. I'd definitely run 4 Electrolyze in this type of deck. You could try the classic Goblin Bombardment to expend your tokens.
if i were to add a color i add black for early discard. since there are good one drop discard spells to disrupt their early game. cabal therapy might not be an bad idea. of course turn 1 is a gamble but later in game not too bad. cast it to see what's in the hand then use the token you got to get rid of whatever you want (get another token to replace the one you lost). well seeing what their opening hand is not bad either. information is always good. blighting is nice too. plus black and be the answer to threats on the board you couldn't counter or burn.
I would include creatures and spells with ETB effects for creatures.
Ogre Battledriver
Krenko's Command
Dragon Fodder
Talrand's Invocation
Warstorm Surge
Hamletback Goliath
Then look at other 'Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery' creatures
Blistercoil Weird
Charmbreaker Devils
Gelectrode
Guttersnipe
Kiln Fiend
Nivix Cyclops
Wee Dragonauts
You're also going to want to look at Devour Cards for another strategy. Some of the Devour Dragons are pretty great with a strategy like this.
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[Primer] Krenko | Azor | Kess | Zacama | Kumena | Sram | The Ur-Dragon | Edgar Markov | Daretti | Marath
3x Talrand, Sky Summoner
4x Ogre Battledriver
2x Mnemonic Wall
3x Melek, Izzet Paragon
4x Dragon Fodder
4x Krenko's Command
2x Cackling Counterpart
2x Molten Birth
2x Rite of Replication
2x Call the Skybreaker
Something along these lines. It's relatively cheap and features some fun cards and some new cards. There's no direct card advantage, but there's some recursion, and you get cumulative value out of Talrand, Pyromancer and Battledriver in conjunction with your other spells. Any token producer or Battledriver are prime clone effect targets.
if you have Guttersnipe, Talrand, and Young Pyromancer, each bolt does 5 damage and puts out a 1/1 and 2/2
Of course keeping them all on the field at once is going to be tough, but talk about great payoffs for efficient burn spells
3 Boros Signet
2 Isochron Scepter
2 Pyromancer's Gauntlet
3 Blaze commando
1 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Assemble the Legion
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Pyromatics
3 Staggershock
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Arc Blade
3 Flame Jab
1 Rekindled Flame
1 Thunderblade Charge
3 Clifftop Retreat
9 Mountain
4 Plains
2 Rugged Prairie
3 Sacred Foundry
Mana base could be budgetized. Makes a lot more white mana than needed. I just like to have my bases covered.
Reach out and torch someone . . .
Quiet Speculation also finds Deep Analysis and Lingering Souls.
This is the basis of my four color casual Opposition deck. I'm foiling it out and I am short 4 Young Pyromancers, a Bitterblossom and Static Orb.
Hope this gives you an idea or two to think about.
I like the idea of adding B. Cabal Therapy in general looks absolutely absurd. I will definitely look into this idea, since discard spells are cheap and it means that I don't need to rely on countermagic--I can just rip the hand apart before the threats even get started.
I like this idea as well, although it is a little high on the curve. Maybe combining this idea with Glory of Warfare would be a path to take. Will consider this as well.
This is BRILLIANT. There will certainly be 1-2 Quiet Speculation in my deck, because this just sounds absolutely degenerate.
Here's what my first draft looks like:
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Mountain
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
3 Island
3 Swamp
2 Darkslick Shores
2 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Watery Grave
4 Wee Dragonauts
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Talrand, Sky Summoner
Instants
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Terminate
3 Electrolyze
2 Grixis Charm
2 Dismember
2 Izzet Charm
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Preordain
2 Gitaxian Probe
2 Deep Analysis
1 Quiet Speculation
GW Tokens GW || UB UB Control UB || BRG Jund Aggro BRG || UR Wee Dragonauts Tempo UR || BG Fungus/Saproling BG || W Soldiers W ||
GWU Bant Flicker Gun GWU
Under Construction
U Wizards Tribal Control U || RG MLD Trolling RG