I have always been fascinated by the idea of making an EDH deck with only one creature-the general. The problem is that I don't know which color combo is best for doing such a thing. I know that if I want to do this, then I'll have to go the control route. While thinking it over, I figured that apart from VClique, the best color combination may very well be Grixis (with Thraximundar and Nicol Bolas as powerful finishers). What do you guys think is the best color combo for such a deck? Please note that I'm not looking for a goodstuff deck- just something that can properly control the board until the general shows up on the field.
The problem I see is that your general then becomes particularly vulnerable to tuck effects, particularly since you probably aren't running many creature tutors to back him up. Since most tuck effects can't be dealt with except by counters, that really limits you to Blue as one of your colors.
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My vote goes to Thraximundar. He's a great voltron general, you get black tutors in case he gets tucked. Not to mention countermagic.
Also, you might need to run a combo as an alternate win con in case he gets tucked and you can't get him back. I would probably run as many tutors as possible.
Edit: I have to admit, it would be hard to run a blue deck without Trinket Mage.
Are you against doing a Zur deck? Building a control Zur list isn't all that hard, although it obviously still runs the risk of being horribly without Zur...
Word of warning: Telemin Performance will wreck a deck like this. At the very least, include Kozilek, so you have an easy-to-kill method of preventing TP from killing you.
Vendilion Clique is the best though, and the best builds don't include creatures
This is referring to 1v1. The problem with going Voltron in multiplayer is that people know that Voltron can usually kill quickly, so you become the target. While a good Zur deck can take on most decks 1v1 without any other creatures, it doesn't survive when the table is gunning for you.
Word of warning: Telemin Performance will wreck a deck like this. At the very least, include Kozilek, so you have an easy-to-kill method of preventing TP from killing you.
This is terrible advice. Very few people play that card and Kozilek is not a good answer. If it is common in your meta, put Phage the Untouchable as the only creature in your deck. Or Sky Swallower. Although that does make Proteus Staff annoying.
I actually thought about this a bit.
Also I watched highlander today, completely unrelated but yeah.
Firstly, Gideon looks damn well like Connor Macleod.
Secondly, I think Child of Alara would be a pretty sweet general for that sort of deck.
Opens you to all 5 colors, which is awesome.
It lets you have so much choice in the route you want to take.
And you have a reset button on a stick to boot!
Other than child, progenitus would be fun too!
And... Well I love 5 color stuff lol.
I guess rafiq?
Seems like he could work, he is missing black tho :S
I'm surprised no one has sad MBC featuring Maga, Traitor to Mortals. Florida L2 Judge Ben McDole has a reasonably good one. Most of the deck is pretty obvious (stuff like Coffers/Deserted Temple), but it's never to be ignorned.
This list is outdated, but the underlying strategy is quite effective. Run nothing but instants, sorceries, and lands. Use cards like bribery and acquire combined with cheap efficient counterspells and Dralnu's ability to generate sweet card advantage.
This list is outdated, but the underlying strategy is quite effective. Run nothing but instants, sorceries, and lands. Use cards like bribery and acquire combined with cheap efficient counterspells and Dralnu's ability to generate sweet card advantage.
It's got three creatures but they could easily be something else. They are not at all integral to the deck. Kaervek is a really harsh general while not being at all needed to win.
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Also, you might need to run a combo as an alternate win con in case he gets tucked and you can't get him back. I would probably run as many tutors as possible.
Edit: I have to admit, it would be hard to run a blue deck without Trinket Mage.
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First I'd look at the competitive deck compilation. Akroma, Horde of Notions, Skithryx, Xiahou Dun, and Oona all play exactly like you want and good decklists are at that link. Check them out. Most of them play a few utility creatures, but those can effectively be replaced by other spells.
Other good cards for a general only deck
2 Uril, the Miststalker
3 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
4 Rafiq of the Many
5 Thrun, the Last Troll
6 Sygg, River Guide
7 Godo, Bandit Warlord (Grafted Exoskeleton makes the equipment generals better)
Vendilion Clique is the best though, and the best builds don't include creatures
This is referring to 1v1. The problem with going Voltron in multiplayer is that people know that Voltron can usually kill quickly, so you become the target. While a good Zur deck can take on most decks 1v1 without any other creatures, it doesn't survive when the table is gunning for you.
There's no "best color combination" when it comes to this. Eight-and-a-Half-Tails is white, Vendilion Clique is blue, Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon is black, Akroma, Angel of Fury is red, and Thrun, the Last Troll is green. Go for what you want to play.
This isn't unusual to do. People keep doing the 99 Forest Omnath or 99 Mountain Ashling thing. (It's no longer that funny).
This is terrible advice. Very few people play that card and Kozilek is not a good answer. If it is common in your meta, put Phage the Untouchable as the only creature in your deck. Or Sky Swallower. Although that does make Proteus Staff annoying.
Also I watched highlander today, completely unrelated but yeah.
Firstly, Gideon looks damn well like Connor Macleod.
Secondly, I think Child of Alara would be a pretty sweet general for that sort of deck.
Opens you to all 5 colors, which is awesome.
It lets you have so much choice in the route you want to take.
And you have a reset button on a stick to boot!
Other than child, progenitus would be fun too!
And... Well I love 5 color stuff lol.
I guess rafiq?
Seems like he could work, he is missing black tho :S
UWBSharuum the HegemonBWU
UAzami, Lady of ScrollsU
UGMomir Vig, Simic VisionaryGU
GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestGU
This list is outdated, but the underlying strategy is quite effective. Run nothing but instants, sorceries, and lands. Use cards like bribery and acquire combined with cheap efficient counterspells and Dralnu's ability to generate sweet card advantage.
Run sac outlets (like high market) and bounce (like riptide laboratory) if burn is a problem in your meta.
If you are scared of telemin performance (which I never see people run) then add a Phage, the Untouchable.
Dont forget Cast Through Time!
Not enough interesting cards, however.
Lover of EDH, hater of whiny EDH players.
My personal restriction for the deck wasn't "no creatures," it was "no nonland permanents." If I ever allow myself a few artifact and enchantments, I'll probably run Cast Through Time as well as Isochron Scepter, Lightning Greaves, and Catalyst Stone.
1 Kaervek the Merciless (foil alter)
Creatures (3)
1 Greater Gargadon (foil)
1 Massacre Wurm (foil)
1 Myojin of Night's Reach (foil)
Instants (12)
1 Starstorm (foil)
1 Comet Storm (prerelease foil)
1 Inferno (foil 8ED)
1 Agonizing Demise (foil)
1 Sudden Spoiling (foil)
1 Grab the Reins (foil)
1 Word of Seizing (foil)
1 Reiterate (foil)
1 Radiate (foil)
1 Into the Core (foil)
1 Tainted Strike (foil)
1 Vampiric Tutor (judge foil)
Sorceries (13)
1 Damnation (foil PLC)
1 Decree of Pain (foil)
1 All is Dust (foil)
1 Insurrection (foil)
1 Molten Disaster (foil)
1 Consuming Vapors (foil)
1 Phthisis (foil)
1 Wild Ricochet (foil)
1 Wheel of Fortune (FBB German)
1 Repay in Kind (foil)
1 Exsanguinate (foil)
1 Demonic Tutor (judge foil)
1 Praetor's Grasp (foil)
Artifacts (25)
1 Lightning Greaves (FNM foil)
1 Grafted Exoskeleton (foil)
1 Torpor Orb (foil)
1 Vedalken Orrery (foil)
1 Sculpting Steel (foil)
1 Sensei's Divining Top (foil FTV)
1 Rings of Brighthearth (foil)
1 Oblivion Stone (foil)
1 Pithing Needle (foil M10)
1 Relic of Progenitus (foil)
1 Mimic Vat (foil)
1 Soul Conduit (foil)
1 Crucible of Worlds (foil 10E)
1 Expedition Map (foil Japanese)
1 Everflowing Chalice (foil WWK)
1 Sol Ring (foil FTV)
1 Mana Vault (FBB Italian)
1 Mind Stone (FNM foil)
1 Rakdos Signet (foil)
1 Fellwar Stone (foil 9ED)
1 Darksteel Ingot (FNM foil)
1 Coalition Relic (foil)
1 Basalt Monolith (FBB Italian)
1 Thran Dynamo (foil)
1 Gilded Lotus (foil)
1 Phyrexian Arena (foil 9ED)
1 Black Market (foil)
1 Leyline of the Void (foil GPT)
1 Repercussion (foil)
1 The Abyss
1 Tainted Æther (foil 7ED)
1 Wound Reflection (foil)
Planeswalkers (2)
1 Liliana Vess (foil M11)
1 Sorin Markov (foil)
Lands (37)
1 Temple of the False God (foil)
1 Thawing Glaciers (judge foil)
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (foil)
1 Vesuva (foil)
1 Wasteland (MPR foil)
1 Strip Mine (foil FTV)
1 Mystifying Maze (foil)
1 Tower of the Magistrate (foil)
1 Bojuka Bog (foil)
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All (foil)
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse (foil)
1 Reliquary Tower (foil)
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Miren, the Moaning Well (foil)
1 Terramorphic Expanse (foil M10)
1 Evolving Wilds (foil)
1 Verdant Catacombs (foil)
1 Marsh Flats (foil)
1 Bloodstained Mire (judge foil)
1 Badlands (3ED)
1 Blood Crypt (foil)
1 Dragonskull Summit (foil Japanese)
1 Graven Cairns (foil SHM)
1 Rakdos Carnarium (foil)
1 Lavaclaw Reaches (foil)
7 Mountain (foil CHK 301)
5 Swamp (foil MPS 2007)
It's got three creatures but they could easily be something else. They are not at all integral to the deck. Kaervek is a really harsh general while not being at all needed to win.