MTG Salvation

I built a Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage Brawl deck that was based off of Second Sun control decks and I really enjoyed playing it.

I dropped threats to bait counters and look difficult to get through, while waiting patiently to get my Approach and cast it to win.

I want to expand this deck into proper EDH.

So for the alt wincons, I was going to use Approach of the Second Sun, Azor's Elocutors, Felidar Sovereign/Test of Endurance, Mechanized Production, and Near-Death Experience.

What should I pack the rest of the deck with?

I reckon I'll need a fair bit of lifegain to make the cat and the test viable, maybe some pillowfort for the Elocutors, and maybe some artifact token producers to make Production an option.

Note: I don't like playing with tutors, just because I like the variance of the format. I might need to change my mind on this for this deck though. I wouldn't like to be in a situation where I get all of my lifegain, but neither Test nor the cat.

Near-death experience is hard to win with. I would take it out.

What do you have in mind for lifegain? I kinda feel like Felidar Sovereign and Test of Endurance are bad unless your commander is gaining you life.

For alternate win conditions, Laboratory Maniac is good.

Near-Death Experience goes well with Necropotence, which also happens to be a great card even if you don't draw the Near-Death Experience.

In any event, given the sovereign/endurance options, you'll want plenty of lifegain. Beacon of Immortality (which combos with Tainted Remedy to kill someone), Exquisite Blood, Vizkopa Guildmage, maybe Sanguine Bond to kill people, Archangel of Thune, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Whip of Erebos, Rhox Faithmender.

At this point, in order to devote that many slots to Felidar Sovereign/Test of Endurance, I'd probably consider a commander that can gain you life.

Quote from Outcryqq »

Near-Death Experience goes well with Necropotence, which also happens to be a great card even if you don't draw the Near-Death Experience.

In any event, given the sovereign/endurance options, you'll want plenty of lifegain. Beacon of Immortality (which combos with Tainted Remedy to kill someone), Exquisite Blood, Vizkopa Guildmage, maybe Sanguine Bond to kill people, Archangel of Thune, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Whip of Erebos, Rhox Faithmender.

At this point, in order to devote that many slots to Felidar Sovereign/Test of Endurance, I'd probably consider a commander that can gain you life.

I don't get it... Raff is WU. These are fine options with Oloro or Ayli, but he wants alt win cons for Raff...



OP - Just thinking - if you want to run Azor's Elocutors and pillowfort, you may be able to win with a mill plan as well. Or, an infinite mana combo and Blue Sun's Zenith to kill someone.

I play Elocutors in my Zedruu deck, and you to keep him protected you can put on Assault Suit. You don't control him during your opponents' turns, so you don't lose counters.

I also think something like Stonehorn Dignitary + Helm of the Host / venser, the sojourner / Conjurer's Closet can keep you protected from combat damage.

There is also Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle. They play into your historic theme with Raff. I used to have a monowhite combo with these cards - Fiend Hunter, Suture Priest and Reveillark/Sun Titan/Karmic Guide. You gain infinite life from the priest, but as long as your opponents have creatures, you can make them lose infinite life with Fiend Hunter blinking their creatures. Stonehorn Dignitary can also be thrown into the combo to make your opponents skip infinite combat steps.

Anyway, good luck.

Derp, yeah I was thinking of esper cards, my apologies for the useless suggestions.

Quote from Outcryqq »

Derp, yeah I was thinking of esper cards, my apologies for the useless suggestions.

All good! I did consider Esper using Oloro or Zur, but I had an Oloro deck not too long ago.

Labman is a good include. Dunharrow, I like your suggestions. Only issue is I'm not sure I want another mill heavy deck. I already play Oona.

I might go into heavy pillowfort and use the Soul creatures for lifegain with artifact token makers to help Mecganized Production as well.

Phyrexian Processor is a card that gets better with flash and allows you to pay arbitrary amounts of life for Near-Death Experience