I've found with merfolk having evasion isn't really that important, once you've got a couple lords out its really hard for most decks to get enough threats out to stop them especially if you have counters waiting.
Whats wrong with running a creature set of agrro with a spell set of control. It has worked for like 5 years honestly
There's nothing wrong with it, most merfolk deck run a counter suite while having a lot of aggro elements with LoA and such.
The problem is with "Fish" decks is that you need to be able to counter those spells when you can. That's why Force of will is the star of that deck: It's a free counter, so when you tap out you still have control.
Isochron Scepter + Counterspell wants you to keep 2 open every turn, not to mention being disruptable. That's why it's better in a straight control deck, where you CAN have that 2 open, while keeping it protected.
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This virtual world is begining to feel more and more like Tron, exept with less motorcycles and more card games
Nothing much has changed. I just wanted to fit in more removal and counters.
Changes:
-4 Silvergill Douser
-1 Plains
+4 Daze
+1 Swords to Plowshares
Problems:
-I have a hard time choosing the balance between Dazes and StPs or which on to run over each other.
-I took out 4 of my 12 two drops. Is that bad? I should be able to keep it that way with stonybrook schoolmasters.
-Should I drop Merrow commerce? It's nice when I do combat tricks, or combine it with drowner of secrets.
-Should I sideboard my Millfolk approach and use all out aggro and have a transformative sb?
If I were to do the last one, I would go like
-4 Stonybrook schoolmaster
-4 Drowner
-3 Commerce
+4 Silvergill adept
+3 Removal of choice
+2 Merrow Harbinger
+2 Some tech??
Really want your opinion.
I've made a multiplayer stormtide deck that uses merfolk to ramp up. Plus having an army of merfolk to take advantage of stormtides abilities is cool. The only problem is the deck has not been performing well, so I'm interested in any suggestions. The major con of this deck is that once stormtide is out, there is a lot of mana on the table if [CARD]Extraplanar Lens
[/CARD] is out. The lens probably needs to get removed, but its been the only way stormtide has come out fast. Plus, I've been able to get 5x tokens with Rite of Replication.
I only own one coralhelm, but probably plan to get more.
I prefer to run Tidal Warrior than Aquitect's Will (as it beats. Things that beat get you closer to winning, notwithstanding Tidal Warrior can block for you too), but that's not such a big deal. I would up the Will count to 4, though.
How are you going to play four spells in a turn to flip Erayo? Your instants are all Aquitect's Will and counters, so unless you're going to get into a counter battle with your opponent that's no good, and nearly all of your spells cost 2 or more, with the exception of Aquitect's Will. I can't imagine you having 8 Islands with only 20 land enough to make that worthwhile, honestly. I'd drop Erayo immediately.
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner should not be 4x. It's legendary and on top of that protects itself (notwithstanding it's not necessary to win). 2-3x for protection should be enough. Give one of it's slots to a fourth Aquitect's Will.
Lullmage Mentor is all right (you've got 7 hard counters and Grimoire Thief), but I'd prefer to run Silvergill Adept. It's a solid 2/1 for 1U that cantrips; it's perfect for aggro-control. Lullmage Mentor just seems to be win-more; if you've got 7 merfolk, you're going to win by beating the opponent down. Or, if you're countering that many spells to make his first ability worth it (basically meaning your opponent is an idiot: Who is going to play a spell with Erayo and Lullmage on field? I mean, really? Secondly, with only 7 hard counters and the Thief you'll be lucky to manage more than 1 or 2 tokens if any at all) then you should be winning already anyway, too. He can go for a better creature or spell. Merfolk Sovereign might be a good idea; it'll let you get that one particular creature through while you keep the rest for blocking or something. Wave Thrasher or Cold-Eyed Selkie tend to be solid combinations with it as well (Sovereign can also serve as backup in case your Aquitect's Will can't resolve or your opponent killed your Tidal Warrior).
Merrow Commerce looks like it does nothing here but grant psuedo vigilance, and that doesn't seem worth running at all (otherwise every white deck would run Serra's Blessing). You can probably give it's slots up to something better.
I'd take the slots of Erayo and Merrow Commerce and give those to Silvergill Adept; it's just a good creature all around (good for blocking, attacking, whatever you need. Better than that, it replaces itself and you don't have a lot of drawing capability, something controlling decks constantly need).
Don't have the budget for it in a casual multiplayer deck. I was going to use Quest for Ula's Temple or quicksilver amulet as budget alternatives. Really don't want to use Quicksilver though. The artwork looks terrible. The quest might not be the best solution either, but at least it checks for any creature.
High tide was good when I had the lens out. Triple mana from each land helped me cast stormtide easily. Now, that I've taken it out...it might not be that effective. What would be a good replacement?
If I had to put aether vial in, how many would I have to put in?
That gives you 18 open slots for some good Merfolk. Stonybrook Banneret combos with Merrow Reejery to drop your whole hand really quickly. Silvergill Adept is a solid beater who also cantrips. Cursecatcher can be really useful against Instants and Sorceries. You might want to add some card draw, that is one of Blue's speciallties. Ancestral Vision is cheap and powerful, you just have to wait for the suspend.
EDIT: Tidal Courier is great card advantage, Tidal Courier sets up a game winning swing, and Wake Thasher is probably the best beater a Merfolk deck can play.
That gives you 18 open slots for some good Merfolk. Stonybrook Banneret combos with Merrow Reejery to drop your whole hand really quickly. Silvergill Adept is a solid beater who also cantrips. Cursecatcher can be really useful against Instants and Sorceries. You might want to add some card draw, that is one of Blue's speciallties. Ancestral Vision is cheap and powerful, you just have to wait for the suspend.
EDIT: Tidal Courier is great card advantage, Tidal Courier sets up a game winning swing, and Wake Thasher is probably the best beater a Merfolk deck can play.
It does seem like the deck is split into two. The original goal of the deck was to build a multiplayer Stormtide deck with merfolk helping to ramp up. Plus the abilities of Stormtide Leviathan and Lord of Atlantis give me the only attacking creatures on the board. I still want to keep the Stormtide route.
I'll cast my stone in here. My deck always catches flak because it is very, very versatile, but the main idea is to be a very sturdy mill deck. My fallbacks are infinite turns and heavy unblockable assaults.
The only "eh" card in there is Reef Shaman, which is just begging to be replaced, but I don't use proxies and haven't really picked out anything to replace it with yet.
You could just replace reef shaman with one more stonybrook banneret and one more drowner of secrets.
You should definitely run merrow reejerey. Honestly, that is the best lord, hands down, EVER. (I may or may not be exaggerating.) I would honestly replace 2 Reef shamans and 2 Merfolk sovereigns for 4 Reejereys.
With reejerey, you could drop down your entire hand with banneret, or at least speed it up a lot. It means each spell you play in your deck either taps something of theirs down or untaps a land for further use. It may not seem like much but oh my god it's glorious.
Also, I find harpoon sniper to be quite meh.
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Quote from Bone_doc »
This virtual world is begining to feel more and more like Tron, exept with less motorcycles and more card games
my take on some merfolk controll. I like the idea of tapping them out every turn using Opposition + Meerow Commerce. would like to incorporate some Mill into this build, in hopes of milling them on my turn, then isolating them on their own, but I wasnt sure what cards would work for this. Grimoire Theif seemed to have the most synergy with this strategy. Aquitect's Will + Quicksilver Fountain could be taken out for more mill
You could just replace reef shaman with one more stonybrook banneret and one more drowner of secrets.
You should definitely run merrow reejerey. Honestly, that is the best lord, hands down, EVER. (I may or may not be exaggerating.) I would honestly replace 2 Reef shamans and 2 Merfolk sovereigns for 4 Reejereys.
With reejerey, you could drop down your entire hand with banneret, or at least speed it up a lot. It means each spell you play in your deck either taps something of theirs down or untaps a land for further use. It may not seem like much but oh my god it's glorious.
Also, I find harpoon sniper to be quite meh.
Harpoon Sniper is 1.) My answer to flying and 2.) Amazing for making opponents play defensively. I don't know how people play without it.
Honestly, either you empty your hand by turn four or you tap out on turn four... it's not that Cryptic isn't good or that it doesn't end games, it's that, well, I don't think you'd play it often. What do you think?
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Quote from Bone_doc »
This virtual world is begining to feel more and more like Tron, exept with less motorcycles and more card games
Honestly, either you empty your hand by turn four or you tap out on turn four... it's not that Cryptic isn't good or that it doesn't end games, it's that, well, I don't think you'd play it often. What do you think?
So, I've played magic for a little while and have a not too shabby, but not completely effective merfolk deck. Would anyone care to give me some advice on how to streamline this deck?
There's nothing wrong with it, most merfolk deck run a counter suite while having a lot of aggro elements with LoA and such.
The problem is with "Fish" decks is that you need to be able to counter those spells when you can. That's why Force of will is the star of that deck: It's a free counter, so when you tap out you still have control.
Isochron Scepter + Counterspell wants you to keep 2 open every turn, not to mention being disruptable. That's why it's better in a straight control deck, where you CAN have that 2 open, while keeping it protected.
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
Old List:
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Merfolk Sovereign
4 Stonybrook Banneret
4 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
4 Drowner of Secrets
4 Judge of Currents
4 Silvergill Douser
3 Merrow Commerce
4 Summon the School
4 Wanderwine Hub
9 Plains
9 Island
New list:
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Merfolk Sovereign
4 Stonybrook Banneret
4 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
4 Drowner of Secrets
4 Judge of Currents
3 Merrow Commerce
4 Summon the School
4 Daze
1 Swords to Plowshares
8 Plains
9 Island
Nothing much has changed. I just wanted to fit in more removal and counters.
Changes:
-4 Silvergill Douser
-1 Plains
+4 Daze
+1 Swords to Plowshares
Problems:
-I have a hard time choosing the balance between Dazes and StPs or which on to run over each other.
-I took out 4 of my 12 two drops. Is that bad? I should be able to keep it that way with stonybrook schoolmasters.
-Should I drop Merrow commerce? It's nice when I do combat tricks, or combine it with drowner of secrets.
-Should I sideboard my Millfolk approach and use all out aggro and have a transformative sb?
If I were to do the last one, I would go like
-4 Stonybrook schoolmaster
-4 Drowner
-3 Commerce
+4 Silvergill adept
+3 Removal of choice
+2 Merrow Harbinger
+2 Some tech??
Really want your opinion.
EDIT: UPDATED PRIMER
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
[/CARD] is out. The lens probably needs to get removed, but its been the only way stormtide has come out fast. Plus, I've been able to get 5x tokens with Rite of Replication.
I only own one coralhelm, but probably plan to get more.
4x Lord of Atlantis
4x Merfolk Looter
4x Scroll Thief
4x Sea Scryer
4x Stormtide Leviathan
3x Inundate
4x Pongify
2x Rite of Replication
2x Extraplanar Lens
22x Island
20 Islands
Creatures
4 Coralhelm Commander
2 Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
4 Grimoire Thief
4 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Lullmage Mentor
4 Merrow Reejerey
3 Aquitect's Will
4 Counterspell
2 Merrow Commerce
2 Propaganda
3 Rune Snag
1 Aquitect's Will
2 Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
1 Mana Leak
4 Merfolk Sovereign
2 Propaganda
1 Rune Snag
4 Stonybrook Banneret
Just kinda want some opinions on this deck
How are you going to play four spells in a turn to flip Erayo? Your instants are all Aquitect's Will and counters, so unless you're going to get into a counter battle with your opponent that's no good, and nearly all of your spells cost 2 or more, with the exception of Aquitect's Will. I can't imagine you having 8 Islands with only 20 land enough to make that worthwhile, honestly. I'd drop Erayo immediately.
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner should not be 4x. It's legendary and on top of that protects itself (notwithstanding it's not necessary to win). 2-3x for protection should be enough. Give one of it's slots to a fourth Aquitect's Will.
Lullmage Mentor is all right (you've got 7 hard counters and Grimoire Thief), but I'd prefer to run Silvergill Adept. It's a solid 2/1 for 1U that cantrips; it's perfect for aggro-control. Lullmage Mentor just seems to be win-more; if you've got 7 merfolk, you're going to win by beating the opponent down. Or, if you're countering that many spells to make his first ability worth it (basically meaning your opponent is an idiot: Who is going to play a spell with Erayo and Lullmage on field? I mean, really? Secondly, with only 7 hard counters and the Thief you'll be lucky to manage more than 1 or 2 tokens if any at all) then you should be winning already anyway, too. He can go for a better creature or spell. Merfolk Sovereign might be a good idea; it'll let you get that one particular creature through while you keep the rest for blocking or something. Wave Thrasher or Cold-Eyed Selkie tend to be solid combinations with it as well (Sovereign can also serve as backup in case your Aquitect's Will can't resolve or your opponent killed your Tidal Warrior).
Merrow Commerce looks like it does nothing here but grant psuedo vigilance, and that doesn't seem worth running at all (otherwise every white deck would run Serra's Blessing). You can probably give it's slots up to something better.
I'd take the slots of Erayo and Merrow Commerce and give those to Silvergill Adept; it's just a good creature all around (good for blocking, attacking, whatever you need. Better than that, it replaces itself and you don't have a lot of drawing capability, something controlling decks constantly need).
Sig and Avatar drawn by me.
First of all, I'd drop merfolk looter for Silvergill adept. Silvergill replaces itself, and you don't have much to dig for.
Pongify is okay... you give them a 3/3 tho... You should replace that with some counters.
Inundate seems good on paper, but costs too much. Replace that with wash out?
Scroll thief is rather... bad? I wouldn't use him, he's not very useful
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"STAY CLEAR OF WHITE POWDER"
311 "Who's Got the Herb"
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Don't have the budget for it in a casual multiplayer deck. I was going to use Quest for Ula's Temple or quicksilver amulet as budget alternatives. Really don't want to use Quicksilver though. The artwork looks terrible. The quest might not be the best solution either, but at least it checks for any creature.
Thanks, all solid suggestions. I was going to use cold eye selkie instead of thief, but again...budget.
Here is an updated list:
4x Lord of Atlantis
4x Silvergill Adept
4x Sea Scryer
4x Stormtide Leviathan
3x Wash Out
4x Counterspell
3x Quest for Ula's Temple
3x Shielding Plax
3x Halimar Depths
High tide... I don't like it but if it tests well, then sure.
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If I had to put aether vial in, how many would I have to put in?
-4 Stormtide Leviathan
-4 High Tide
-4 Sea Scryer
-3 Quest for Ula's Temple
-3 Shielding Plax
That gives you 18 open slots for some good Merfolk. Stonybrook Banneret combos with Merrow Reejery to drop your whole hand really quickly. Silvergill Adept is a solid beater who also cantrips. Cursecatcher can be really useful against Instants and Sorceries. You might want to add some card draw, that is one of Blue's speciallties. Ancestral Vision is cheap and powerful, you just have to wait for the suspend.
EDIT: Tidal Courier is great card advantage, Tidal Courier sets up a game winning swing, and Wake Thasher is probably the best beater a Merfolk deck can play.
GUB [Retired Primer] The Mimeoplasm BUG
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You want to have only 60 cards in your deck, and some of your cards really do... nothing.
Remove the unstable mutations for Daze, because your creatures should already be huge.
Merrow commerce makes wake thrasher unusable, so I would suggest removing them.
You really have no use for rootwater matriarch. I suggest you get rid of it.
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It does seem like the deck is split into two. The original goal of the deck was to build a multiplayer Stormtide deck with merfolk helping to ramp up. Plus the abilities of Stormtide Leviathan and Lord of Atlantis give me the only attacking creatures on the board. I still want to keep the Stormtide route.
4 Merfolk Sovereign
4 Judge of Currents
4 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
2 Reef Shaman
2 Lord of Atlantis
3 Harpoon Sniper
3 Stonybrook Banneret
3 Drowner of Secrets
3 Deepchannel Mentor
2 Wanderwine Prophets
4 Merrow Commerce
4 Summon the School
Lands
4 Azorius Chancery
9 Island
9 Plains
The only "eh" card in there is Reef Shaman, which is just begging to be replaced, but I don't use proxies and haven't really picked out anything to replace it with yet.
Because we care about facts.
You should definitely run merrow reejerey. Honestly, that is the best lord, hands down, EVER. (I may or may not be exaggerating.) I would honestly replace 2 Reef shamans and 2 Merfolk sovereigns for 4 Reejereys.
With reejerey, you could drop down your entire hand with banneret, or at least speed it up a lot. It means each spell you play in your deck either taps something of theirs down or untaps a land for further use. It may not seem like much but oh my god it's glorious.
Also, I find harpoon sniper to be quite meh.
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
23x Island
Creatures (24)
4x Lord of Atlantis
4x Merrow Reejerey
4x Wake Thrasher
4x Grimoire Theif
3x Silvergill Adept
3x Stonybrook Banneret
2x Rootwater Theif
3x Meerow Commerce
3x Opposition
Artifacts (3)
3x Quicksilver Fountain
Instants (3)
3x Aquitect's Will
my take on some merfolk controll. I like the idea of tapping them out every turn using Opposition + Meerow Commerce. would like to incorporate some Mill into this build, in hopes of milling them on my turn, then isolating them on their own, but I wasnt sure what cards would work for this. Grimoire Theif seemed to have the most synergy with this strategy. Aquitect's Will + Quicksilver Fountain could be taken out for more mill
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
Harpoon Sniper is 1.) My answer to flying and 2.) Amazing for making opponents play defensively. I don't know how people play without it.
Because we care about facts.
Thanks to Darth Monkey and SGT_Chubbz at Damnation Studios for the sig and banner.
You can run just a few copies, as tech, though.
11x Islands
11x Plains
Artifacts: 1
1x Keening Stone
Non-Creature Spells: 23
1x Boomerang
4x Cancel
4x Into the Roil
2x Mana Leak
1x Negate
4x Path to Exile
2x Summon the School
1x Hero's Resolve
2x Journey to Nowhere
2x Merrow Commerce
2x Merfolk Sovereign
2x Harpoon Sniper
1x Maritime Guard
4x Sejiri Merfolk
1x Skywatcher Adept
4x Judge of Currents
3x Lullmage Mentor
4x Merrow Harbinger
2x Silvergill Douser
3x Stonybrook Schoolmaster
1x Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1x Lorthos, the Tidemaker
Any Suggestions?
Merrow Reejerey is fun for untapping lands (works well in multiples and with banneret)
EDIT: Also Stonybrook Banneret, like I mentioned.