I'm reworking the creatures in my karador deck (not the one linked below) and I'm trying to balance out my curve for birthing pod. I was wondering what curve you all have that you've found to work and how bad is mine?. Here's the curve I have right now it's still a work in progress.
It's not necessarily just cmc that matters but the enters/leaves the battlefield effects of the creatures involved in the chain that make birthing pod the monster it is.
For Deveri my curve is very different.
10 3 drops
8 4 drops
6 5 drops
1 6 drop
because its an aggro deck curve
My 5 and 4 drops mostly have ETB triggers. Deveri can abuse the birthing pod even if it doesn't quite fit my deck it's still worth it. Strangely I use it to get Soraya, the falconer a suprising amount of the time.
Typically the goal with birthing pod is to win whille it is on the field typically within one or two activations. Just like the way it used to be in modern :'(. So you want to weave those ETB or death trigger combo's into your deck.
I find you have too many at the top of the curve. 13 creatures with CMC 6 or more?
And what about 1 and 2 drops? The strength of Karador is replaying creatures from the graveyard. You definitely want creatures lower in the chain that you can cast, sac and replay in the same turn.
And it's more about the quality. My favorite pod chain is Sac 3-CMC creature for Stonehorn Dignitary, opponent can't attack next turn. Then, sac Stonehorn Dignitary for Karmic Guide, returning Dignitary, opponent can't attack again. Then sac Dignitary for Reveillark, and make your opponent skip infinite combat steps with any free sac outlet.
Also, you should have a 9 mana creature, like Iona, Shield of Emeria. Turn 4 Iona is good.
My current Pod list with Karador, Ghost Chieftain (Purposely non-Combo and Dredge). Though I have planned to remove two 3 CMC creatures for 1 CMC creatures (Caustic Caterpillar and another), the deck is smooth and consistent. In my playgroup, I am forced to reset for Pod because it is either destroyed or my field is wiped; hence, the base is 3 CMC (Something I can cast respectfully), Pod ( 1-2 mana) and cast a 2-4 CMC creature from the graveyard/habd to keep the tempo.
Honestly, I've found that pod curve matters little in 99 card deck. I personally want a minimum of 3 or so creatures at each point in the curve, just so I don't run out of pod targets in my deck (and to allow yourself a variety of options). So you could have 8 three drops, 3 four drops, and then 10 five drops and be fine.
It's a pretty bad feeling to draw your solemn, get your clone stuck under a hideaway land, and then suddenly your pod is way worse because there's no more four drops in your deck.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Currently Playing...
Modern: Kiki ChordWBRG
TokensWB
EDH: Kuon, Ogre AscendantBBB
I'm a little light at 4 mana, but Jarad is a 4-drop so I usually try to keep the CMC of my commander in mind when looking at my creature curves. In that deck, I'm running a ton of creatures with ETB or LTB abilities or creatures that synergize with other creatures going to the graveyard. I think that is the key to running Pod more than distribution of mana costs.
I find you have too many at the top of the curve. 13 creatures with CMC 6 or more?
And what about 1 and 2 drops? The strength of Karador is replaying creatures from the graveyard. You definitely want creatures lower in the chain that you can cast, sac and replay in the same turn.
Also, you should have a 9 mana creature, like Iona, Shield of Emeria. Turn 4 Iona is good.
I've cut the 7 drops back by one. I do have 2 drops I just didn't list them since pod cost 4 so I should have a 3 drop to start from there. Reya Dawnbringer is bout the only 9 drop that I've seen that I want to run but even then I have both Sheolred and Debtors' knell in the deck already.
You really don't need many x cmc drops for pod to work. Because you can only have 1 pod and you have a 99 card deck, it's not as important to maximize you curve as it is to have grew synergy and generally good cards. My saffi deck has a very low curve and always has a pod target even though for most cmcs I only have 1 or 2 in that spot. As long as you have at 2 drops at x cmc until around 6cmc you should be fine.
Too many of yours at the top. Seriously, five six-drops and five seven-drops? Who does that?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I run Pod in my Wort, The Raidmother deck although there is only 13 creatures and Pod isn't a chain it is more of a specific tutor based on who is currently on board.
The activated abilities are lacking in my deck just the replica's pretty much, other than Avatar of woe the Ooze would have to sac itself to use any of them.
I draw a lot of cards in my glissa deck, so mindslicer isn't always that useful,I have considered it though along with disciple of bolas and graveborn muse. I'd prefer it to be an artifact though like most of the rest of my deck.
I have had the deck for years now and the cuts, the cuts are so hard now D:
I draw a lot of cards in my glissa deck, so mindslicer isn't always that useful,I have considered it though along with disciple of bolas and graveborn muse. I'd prefer it to be an artifact though like most of the rest of my deck.
I took it out of my Titania, Protector of Argoth deck recently as it became more purely aggro, however it was an excellent tool when the deck was going for the long game. Typically there were only two Pod targets: Titania herself, 99% of the time for Duplicant for urgent removal needs, but occasionally Deadwood Treefolk if I lost something relevant; or the tokens for a variety of utility one drops ( Sylvan Safekeeper primarily, but sometimes Caustic Caterpillar and Ulvenwald Tracker ).
When I play Derevi Birthing Pod has almost uncountable uses ( hard to generalize as it really depends on the decks I'm facing ). The most common target was Derevi herself for either Sakashima the Impostor ( recasting Derevi before she resolves ), doubling up on Derevi tap/untap triggers, or Hokori, Dust Trigger to fish out a Winter Orb effect.
Too many of yours at the top. Seriously, five six-drops and five seven-drops? Who does that?
In a green ramp deck or a black reanimator, it really isn't an actual issue.
That's not the issue, though. You have to have something that costs one mana less on the battlefield to search for something with Pod.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Too many of yours at the top. Seriously, five six-drops and five seven-drops? Who does that?
In a green ramp deck or a black reanimator, it really isn't an actual issue.
That's not the issue, though. You have to have something that costs one mana less on the battlefield to search for something with Pod.
And playing ramp or reanimator makes it that much easier to get those things out, allowing you to go up the chain that much faster and get out those big things that much quicker.
3cmc 9
4cmc 7
5cmc 7
6cmc 5
7cmc 5
8cmc 3
I am typically just trying to precursor golem into wurmcoil engine/grave titan into myr battlesphere into Craterhoof Behemoth into everyone is dead.
Glissa.
6 3 drops
1 4 drops
2 5 drops
7 6 drops
2 7 drops
2 8 drops
Basically the curve is irrelvent.
For Deveri my curve is very different.
10 3 drops
8 4 drops
6 5 drops
1 6 drop
because its an aggro deck curve
My 5 and 4 drops mostly have ETB triggers. Deveri can abuse the birthing pod even if it doesn't quite fit my deck it's still worth it. Strangely I use it to get Soraya, the falconer a suprising amount of the time.
Typically the goal with birthing pod is to win whille it is on the field typically within one or two activations. Just like the way it used to be in modern :'(. So you want to weave those ETB or death trigger combo's into your deck.
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
No love for Mindslicer or Necrotic Ooze?
And what about 1 and 2 drops? The strength of Karador is replaying creatures from the graveyard. You definitely want creatures lower in the chain that you can cast, sac and replay in the same turn.
And it's more about the quality. My favorite pod chain is Sac 3-CMC creature for Stonehorn Dignitary, opponent can't attack next turn. Then, sac Stonehorn Dignitary for Karmic Guide, returning Dignitary, opponent can't attack again. Then sac Dignitary for Reveillark, and make your opponent skip infinite combat steps with any free sac outlet.
Also, you should have a 9 mana creature, like Iona, Shield of Emeria. Turn 4 Iona is good.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
1 CMC: 4
Serra Ascendant
Viscera Seer
Deathrite Shaman
Ulvenwald Tracker
2 CMC: 8
Wall of Omens
Elvish Visionary
Wall of Blossoms
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Fauna Shaman
Qasali Pridemage
Saffi Eriksdotter
3 CMC: 16
Fleshbag Marauder
Merciless Executioner
Bone Shredder
Grim Haruspex
Farhaven Elf
Wood Elves
Shaman of Forgotten Ways
Somberwald Sage
Reclamation Sage
Fierce Empath
Yavimaya Elder
Yavimaya Dryad
Eternal Witness
Harmonic Sliver
Necrotic Sliver
Athreos, God of Passage
4 CMC: 7
Ranger of Eos
Academy Rector
Slum Reaper
Disciple of Bolas
Dimir House Guard
Gamekeeper
Solemn Simulacrum
CMC: 8
Reveillark
Karmic Guide
Archon of Justice
Shriekmaw
Phyrexian Delver
Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Acidic Slime
Karametra, God of Harvests
6 CMC: 7
Sun Titan
Yosei, the Morning Star
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Massacre Wurm
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Greenwarden of Murasa
Duplicant
7 CMC: 3
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Sheoldred, Whispering One
Ashen Rider
8 CMC: 1
Craterhoof Behemoth
Keep brewing.
It's a pretty bad feeling to draw your solemn, get your clone stuck under a hideaway land, and then suddenly your pod is way worse because there's no more four drops in your deck.
Modern: Kiki ChordWBRG
TokensWB
EDH: Kuon, Ogre AscendantBBB
#FreeContractfromBelow
1 CMC - 1
2 CMC - 5
3 CMC - 7
4 CMC - 6
5 CMC - 8
6 CMC - 7
7 CMC - 2
8 CMC - 1
I'm a little light at 4 mana, but Jarad is a 4-drop so I usually try to keep the CMC of my commander in mind when looking at my creature curves. In that deck, I'm running a ton of creatures with ETB or LTB abilities or creatures that synergize with other creatures going to the graveyard. I think that is the key to running Pod more than distribution of mana costs.
Jalira, Master Polymorphist | Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder | Bosh, Iron Golem | Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Brago, King Eternal | Oona, Queen of the Fae | Wort, Boggart Auntie | Wort, the Raidmother
Captain Sisay | Rhys, the Redeemed | Trostani, Selesnya's Voice | Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight | Obzedat, Ghost Council | Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind | Vorel of the Hull Clade
Uril, the Miststalker | Prossh, Skyraider of Kher | Nicol Bolas | Progenitus
Ghave, Guru of Spores | Zedruu the Greathearted | Damia, Sage of Stone | Riku of Two Reflections
CMC 1 (sacrificing tokens): 1
CMC 3: 3
CMC 4: 5
CMC 5: 4
CMC 6: 2
CMC 7: 2
CMC 8: 1
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
I've cut the 7 drops back by one. I do have 2 drops I just didn't list them since pod cost 4 so I should have a 3 drop to start from there. Reya Dawnbringer is bout the only 9 drop that I've seen that I want to run but even then I have both Sheolred and Debtors' knell in the deck already.
My Saffi deck
On phasing:
In a green ramp deck or a black reanimator, it really isn't an actual issue.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
For example tapping Krenko, Mob Boss for tokens and then podding him into a Skullmulcher for draw.
I draw a lot of cards in my glissa deck, so mindslicer isn't always that useful,I have considered it though along with disciple of bolas and graveborn muse. I'd prefer it to be an artifact though like most of the rest of my deck.
I have had the deck for years now and the cuts, the cuts are so hard now D:
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
Ancestral Statue, Arcbound Crusher, Arcbound Reclaimer, Dross Scorpion, Junktroller, Lodestone Golem, Su-Chi, and Summoner's Egg all appear to be viable options on a glance through Gatherer.
Dross Scorpion in particular means you can essentially skip the 4-CMC slot by untapping the pod with the Scorpion's ability.
I took it out of my Titania, Protector of Argoth deck recently as it became more purely aggro, however it was an excellent tool when the deck was going for the long game. Typically there were only two Pod targets: Titania herself, 99% of the time for Duplicant for urgent removal needs, but occasionally Deadwood Treefolk if I lost something relevant; or the tokens for a variety of utility one drops ( Sylvan Safekeeper primarily, but sometimes Caustic Caterpillar and Ulvenwald Tracker ).
When I play Derevi Birthing Pod has almost uncountable uses ( hard to generalize as it really depends on the decks I'm facing ). The most common target was Derevi herself for either Sakashima the Impostor ( recasting Derevi before she resolves ), doubling up on Derevi tap/untap triggers, or Hokori, Dust Trigger to fish out a Winter Orb effect.
Neither deck counts on Birthing Pod chains to win. The one time I managed Titania, Protector of Argoth / Deadwood Treefolk / Avenger of Zendikar / Craterhoof Behemoth I was quite happy, but it's not something I'd ever count on happening.
UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU's prison: blue is the new orange is the new black.
Mizzix Of The Izmagnus : wheels on fire... rolling down the road...
BSidisi, Undead VizierB: Bis zum Erbrechen
GTitiania, Protector Of ArgothG: Protecting Argoth, by blowing it up!
GYisan, The Wanderer BardG: Gradus Ad Elfball.
Duel EDH: Yisan & Titania.
In Progress: Grand Arbiter Augustin IV duel; Grenzo, Dungeon Warden Doomsday.
That's not the issue, though. You have to have something that costs one mana less on the battlefield to search for something with Pod.
On phasing:
And playing ramp or reanimator makes it that much easier to get those things out, allowing you to go up the chain that much faster and get out those big things that much quicker.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
It actually lets you skip the 5 slot (you go 4=>5, untap, 5=>6). Pretty cool trick.