I really want to make stax work with one of these! I have never ever seen anyone build stax in my meta (we have 7 people and probably 15-20 decks between us) so I would be the first (oh the horror they shall face!)
My question is...can stax work in one of these...as I really do not wish to build another deck, if so, which one is better attuned color wise to pursue the stax archetype, and what cards in those colors/what artifacts should I put in the deck?
Just looking to get some brainstorming for a jump-off point! Thanks for looking at the thread!
Have a helicopter drop you off out front. Light your cigar with a small Indonesian boy holding a black lotus. Then bust out a craw wurm deck with no sleeves. Raw dog shuffle, loose terribly, flip the table, leave in a hovercraft.
I think BG stax may be the best 2-color stax option. Consider the synergy of Green and Black recursion, green and black's combined ability to destroy almost anything (deed, pulse, etc), and the combination of black's ability to sacrifice creatures for benefit and green's ability to vomit out lots of tokens.
When you go even further and consider green's ramp, black's discard, and Jarad's ability to kill everyone without a single attack and I think you'll see that based on where you are today that the best place for you to go next is BG stax.
That's my 2 cents. I love stax and BG is where I would start, possibly BUG since I own so many U-commander powerhouses, but if I were in your shoes I would do BG without hesitation.
For disclosure purposes Black is my favorite MTG color.
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And Glissa is probably the best of those 3. You will want a low-cc commander... and a low-cc rest of the deck too.
As for what to put in - Smokestack, Braids, Cabal Minion, Nether Void, then tutors for those. Keep in mind that the Nether Void is quite expensive. In my opinion, you can manage Stax without it. Sphere of Resistance style cards are also good in there, but you don't want to fully load your deck with these, since you won't be able to respond to whatever the table does end up doing... eventually.
Otherwise, my personal favorites include Pox, Smallpox, Death Cloud, and basically anything that destroys land.
Oh and just an aside, don't expect to automatically win just because you're Stax. Stax only really works its best against very passive, poorly built decks that just ramp and pass turn for the first 6 orbits, and even then only when you can draw or tutor for one of your global sac effects by turn 4. Any real deck will still do fine, and lots of tables will just kill the card that's making them sacrifice. Stax is more of a way to get your playgroup to stop playing bad ramp decks, more than anything. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not the best investment.
White is probably best to be honest, because you get Armageddon effects.
I've used B Stax quite a bit before, basically 99% of the spells you've listed like Abyss & Nether Void, etc. (even overlooked gems like Guardian Beast) The problem I have with it, looking back, is it's obvious. It becomes very apparent very quick you're the douchebag and they will kill you once you start making them sac things and drop annoying enchantments making them discard/sac stuff each turn, etc. If you're going to go that route, you need to lock them out quick and win, or you need to hide your intentions play it safe, then when you ahve the opportunity sweep the board and try to lock them out. But if you're just no-brain dropping crap over time without a win in sight, be prepared to get killed going MB Stax.
W/x/x Stax seems superior when I look at it now. If you've played Legacy, White Stax is superior because it completely sweeps their lands in one motion, and they can't deal with it. There are quite a few sorceries that can do this, along with Catastrophe & Cataclysm. The element of surprise is a huge thing here, they can't prepare for it 'cause they don't know when. You also have access to Magus of Disk/Tabernacle, World Queller, Ghostly Prison, Flagstones & qutie a few sorceries/enchantments to fetch lands. There's also some equilibrium spells too if I remember. Also, Ghostaway with ***/Akroma's Vengeance effects seems pretty solid too.
Black is a must for Stax. So many great inneractions. Things like Braids, Reassembling Skeleton, Contamination, Grave Titan, Nether Shadow. Plus all of the destruction and tutoring you get with black. I currently run Thraximundar Stax and have been very pleased with it. With that said though, I could definitley see a Jarrad Stax deck being very good. I vote for you to go BG.
I think that it would be a good investment for him seeing as how his playgroup has zero stax decks. Although stax is not the most powerful archetype, it does keep everyone honest. Simply having one or more stax decks in your playgroup will promote better deck building and player skill. That or everyone will be whinny little babies about it. I can't really decide if savra or glissa would be the better general; glissa recurs your stax pieces, and savra enhances your stax effects. Savra needs you to play other dudes or tokens to get the most use of her abilities, while glissa doesn't. I think this and the fact that glissa blocks like a champ put her at the helm and savra maindeck.
Edit: Why not just combine both decks and play Ghave, Guru of Spores? That way you get to play all the best stax spells, and a really good stax general. Plus I find three color decks to be the most fun to play.
I think that it would be a good investment for him seeing as how his playgroup has zero stax decks. Although stax is not the most powerful archetype, it does keep everyone honest. Simply having one or more stax decks in your playgroup will promote better deck building and player skill. That or everyone will be whinny little babies about it. I can't really decide if savra or glissa would be the better general; glissa recurs your stax pieces, and savra enhances your stax effects. Savra needs you to play other dudes or tokens to get the most use of her abilities, while glissa doesn't. I think this and the fact that glissa blocks like a champ put her at the helm and savra maindeck.
Edit: Why not just combine both decks and play Ghave, Guru of Spores? That way you get to play all the best stax spells, and a really good stax general. Plus I find three color decks to be the most fun to play.
I agree with trying Ghave, but beware, he can lead you down "Combo Road".
I think from what you guys have said that black, white, and artifacts have the most to offer a stax deck...and since I really do not want to go three color to complicate my manabase and make it more slow rolling, I will change Jarad into Teysa Stax...as much as I don't want to change colors, I really think this is for the best.
I think I'm going to go about 34 lands, lots of lowish cost art ramp into a bunch of braids/world queller effects + armageddon/deathcloud to clear boards with bitterblossom and other token makers to help me manage putting counters on tanglewire and smokestack.
Thanks for all the Ideas guys! I cannot wait to bring this deck in!
Have a helicopter drop you off out front. Light your cigar with a small Indonesian boy holding a black lotus. Then bust out a craw wurm deck with no sleeves. Raw dog shuffle, loose terribly, flip the table, leave in a hovercraft.
Every play group should have a stax deck. I wouldn't play stax more than one time a day, but a multi player game against a stax deck once a day is always fun.
I am going to buck the trend here and say to build it W/B/U with drormar or the original elder dragon in those colors. You could build a pillowfort/stax deck that would give people fits- propaganda, ghostly prison, all the tutors.
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What is the standard organisational structure of shadow organisation?(Gotta love 4Chan)
Current MTGO Player and paper reseller/speculator.
Rhys the Redeemed Token Swarm/Toolbox/Enchantress
and
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord Reanimator/Commander Voltron
I really want to make stax work with one of these! I have never ever seen anyone build stax in my meta (we have 7 people and probably 15-20 decks between us) so I would be the first (oh the horror they shall face!)
My question is...can stax work in one of these...as I really do not wish to build another deck, if so, which one is better attuned color wise to pursue the stax archetype, and what cards in those colors/what artifacts should I put in the deck?
Just looking to get some brainstorming for a jump-off point! Thanks for looking at the thread!
When you go even further and consider green's ramp, black's discard, and Jarad's ability to kill everyone without a single attack and I think you'll see that based on where you are today that the best place for you to go next is BG stax.
That's my 2 cents. I love stax and BG is where I would start, possibly BUG since I own so many U-commander powerhouses, but if I were in your shoes I would do BG without hesitation.
For disclosure purposes Black is my favorite MTG color.
In search of a foil french Dromar, the Banisher, pm me if you have one you want to part with, also foil Stratadon's.
Don't listen to this man.
+1
And Glissa is probably the best of those 3. You will want a low-cc commander... and a low-cc rest of the deck too.
As for what to put in - Smokestack, Braids, Cabal Minion, Nether Void, then tutors for those. Keep in mind that the Nether Void is quite expensive. In my opinion, you can manage Stax without it. Sphere of Resistance style cards are also good in there, but you don't want to fully load your deck with these, since you won't be able to respond to whatever the table does end up doing... eventually.
Otherwise, my personal favorites include Pox, Smallpox, Death Cloud, and basically anything that destroys land.
Oh and just an aside, don't expect to automatically win just because you're Stax. Stax only really works its best against very passive, poorly built decks that just ramp and pass turn for the first 6 orbits, and even then only when you can draw or tutor for one of your global sac effects by turn 4. Any real deck will still do fine, and lots of tables will just kill the card that's making them sacrifice. Stax is more of a way to get your playgroup to stop playing bad ramp decks, more than anything. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not the best investment.
I've used B Stax quite a bit before, basically 99% of the spells you've listed like Abyss & Nether Void, etc. (even overlooked gems like Guardian Beast) The problem I have with it, looking back, is it's obvious. It becomes very apparent very quick you're the douchebag and they will kill you once you start making them sac things and drop annoying enchantments making them discard/sac stuff each turn, etc. If you're going to go that route, you need to lock them out quick and win, or you need to hide your intentions play it safe, then when you ahve the opportunity sweep the board and try to lock them out. But if you're just no-brain dropping crap over time without a win in sight, be prepared to get killed going MB Stax.
W/x/x Stax seems superior when I look at it now. If you've played Legacy, White Stax is superior because it completely sweeps their lands in one motion, and they can't deal with it. There are quite a few sorceries that can do this, along with Catastrophe & Cataclysm. The element of surprise is a huge thing here, they can't prepare for it 'cause they don't know when. You also have access to Magus of Disk/Tabernacle, World Queller, Ghostly Prison, Flagstones & qutie a few sorceries/enchantments to fetch lands. There's also some equilibrium spells too if I remember. Also, Ghostaway with ***/Akroma's Vengeance effects seems pretty solid too.
GWRUB[EDH] Reaper KingGWRUB
GW[Legacy] BEARS (#1 Threat in America)GW
UR[Legacy] Arcane MeleeUR
Edit: Why not just combine both decks and play Ghave, Guru of Spores? That way you get to play all the best stax spells, and a really good stax general. Plus I find three color decks to be the most fun to play.
In search of a foil french Dromar, the Banisher, pm me if you have one you want to part with, also foil Stratadon's.
I agree with trying Ghave, but beware, he can lead you down "Combo Road".
IMO you should go GBW, with Karador, Ghost Chieftain or Ghave. They both have built in synergy with stax, so just pick whichever you prefer.
DISCLAIMER: I wouldn't recommend playing stax. It gets boring quickly.
GRRWHazezon Tamar (Valakut)GRRW
UKami of the Crescent Moon (
Group Hug)UUHeidar, Rimewind Master [Mini-Primer]U
WKemba, Kha Regent (Stax)W
GEzuri, Renegade Leader [Primer]G
No more boring than playing combo or aggro. Each archetype repeatedly gets old. Multiple different decks is the key to staying fresh.
I think I'm going to go about 34 lands, lots of lowish cost art ramp into a bunch of braids/world queller effects + armageddon/deathcloud to clear boards with bitterblossom and other token makers to help me manage putting counters on tanglewire and smokestack.
Thanks for all the Ideas guys! I cannot wait to bring this deck in!
Current MTGO Player and paper reseller/speculator.
White stax:
Aura of Silence
Ghostly Prison
Stony Silence
Sphere of Safety
Spelltithe Enforcer
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Kismet
Suppression Field - self-crippling effect
World Queller
Chancellor of the Annex
Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Windborn muse
Loxodon Gatekeeper
Rest in Peace - GY hate.