I've started to tried a Kess, dissident mage spellslinger deck.
The deck is really fun, swinging removals and cantrips every turn, controlling the board without being too obnoxious in our low-powered meta.
The problem is, the deck doesn't really know how to end a game.
What kind of creatures can be used? Things like gelectrode, except that aren't really weak? Things like guttersnipe but a little more powerful? Maybe enchantments? Right now the best thing i can think about is metallurgic summonings
And also what kind of instant/sorcery? Without combo or extra turns, it's really hard to find something that close the game when you have almost an empty board.
Foe example, i cheat a big spell with omnispell adept, thousand-year storm is on the field, Kess is too, ready to cast the spell again... What should i cast?
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How i feel about competitive players and casual players in EDH: The competitive are german tourists, the casual are italian tourists, both in a italian beach. The italians asking themselves "why are the germans here?" make a legitimate question, the answer is because the beach is beautiful, no matter the country you came from. The italians wanting to ban the germans are dumb, because if the germans pay for their stay and follow the rules like everyone else, they have the right to be in the beach. Hovewer, if the germans started to ask themselves "why are the italians here?"... they would be dumb as hell.
The problem with X spells is that they really require a huge amount of mana... I really wish there was a 7-mana spell with "deal 13 damage to any target".
The bad thing is that copying them doesn't do anything.
Well no sorcery is perfect i guess...
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How i feel about competitive players and casual players in EDH: The competitive are german tourists, the casual are italian tourists, both in a italian beach. The italians asking themselves "why are the germans here?" make a legitimate question, the answer is because the beach is beautiful, no matter the country you came from. The italians wanting to ban the germans are dumb, because if the germans pay for their stay and follow the rules like everyone else, they have the right to be in the beach. Hovewer, if the germans started to ask themselves "why are the italians here?"... they would be dumb as hell.
The problem with X spells is that they really require a huge amount of mana... I really wish there was a 7-mana spell with "deal 13 damage to any target".
Repercussion isn't quite that, but it makes Blasphemous Act, Shivan Meteor, and the like fit. Actually, Repercussion and Blasphemous Act sounds absolutely lulzy: Worst-case scenario, everyone dies.
Also, while it costs nine mana and only does 10 damage, Searing Wind?
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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've always liked Firemind's Foresight for Reset, brainstorm, reiterate. Nice and compact, can be done at endstep if needed, etc. And the pieces are not too bad in general. And foresight can set up combo turns at end step in other ways.
Edit: Without combos, Torment of Hailfire is it. Very easy to generate a lethal one off of primal amulet and Kess' ability and rituals and such.
I think you should try them tho. Extra turns are kinda obnoxious when you just try to chain them together but otherwise I think they are fine. I run beacon coupled with some token producers like murmuring mystic.
If you're able to use X-spells, Exsanguinate and Torment of Hailfire are unparalleled. Otherwise, you could go for Tendrils of Agony. Storming off fully with it might be a little tough, but if Jeleva can do it, Kess can do it.
I actually hate the card I'm about to recommend. I think it's stupid and I really don't like playing against it whatsoever. But Aetherflux Reservoir is undeniably strong and should definitely be a consideration. My feelings for the card speak volumes as to how good it is.Sentinel Tower could do things too. Mizzix's Mastery could be a game ender, too.
The problem with X spells is that they really require a huge amount of mana... I really wish there was a 7-mana spell with "deal 13 damage to any target".
Repercussion isn't quite that, but it makes Blasphemous Act, Shivan Meteor, and the like fit. Actually, Repercussion and Blasphemous Act sounds absolutely lulzy: Worst-case scenario, everyone dies.
Also, while it costs nine mana and only does 10 damage, Searing Wind?
Uhm, i got some interesting ideas. Thank you all guys
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How i feel about competitive players and casual players in EDH: The competitive are german tourists, the casual are italian tourists, both in a italian beach. The italians asking themselves "why are the germans here?" make a legitimate question, the answer is because the beach is beautiful, no matter the country you came from. The italians wanting to ban the germans are dumb, because if the germans pay for their stay and follow the rules like everyone else, they have the right to be in the beach. Hovewer, if the germans started to ask themselves "why are the italians here?"... they would be dumb as hell.
You can also potentially do some token swarm strategies and push to fast and efficient spells instead of big mana ones. Things like Talrand, Sky Summoner and The Locust God paired together with cheap cantrips and tied up in a bow with Time Warps.
Its a very different change in pace and they tend to go better with cheap cantrips but even doing things like Preordain twice thanks to your commander can be very powerful.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
You can also potentially do some token swarm strategies and push to fast and efficient spells instead of big mana ones. Things like Talrand, Sky Summoner and The Locust God paired together with cheap cantrips and tied up in a bow with Time Warps.
Its a very different change in pace and they tend to go better with cheap cantrips but even doing things like Preordain twice thanks to your commander can be very powerful.
I'm glad you mentioned Time Warp. If you have a way to exile spells from your graveyard (or recur them or whatever), Time Warp can go infinite with Charmbreaker Devils. Or just with Archaeomancer and Conjurer's Closet.
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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!
Or just sub Brainstorm for Lightning Bolt and have infinite burn.
Yeah, it's usually right to get brainstorm though even if you have bolt since you're left with brainstorm instead of bolt if they counter your reset or something
Won't work with Guttersnipe. You're only casting one spell and merely copying it all those other times.
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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 have absolutely no experience on this subject, so you shouldn't listen to anything I say below.
Really though, you have quite a few options.
Casting lots (and lots) of spells
First off, don't underestimate Guttersnipe. When you're casting and chaining spells back to back, his damage adds up fast. Toss in some copies via Cackling Counterpart and it ramps up even faster. Sphinx-bone Wand as someone else suggested also ramps up the damage fast, though I often find it expensive and vulnerable. Finally, spells with storm get the job done quickly as well once you've cast a few spells. Ignite Memories is my favorite, just for style points, but Mind's Desire is a classic as well. Finally, equipment like Leering Emblem or Runechanter's Pike turn any creature into a non-sucky dragonauts, especially if put on your Commander.
Drawing lots of cards
Various equipment such as Empyrial Plate, Diviner's Wand, can turn your Commander (or any creature) into a doom machine when drawing lots of cards. They turn any wheel into a +7 Commander boost, which gets you into that 3 hit kill territory. Other than that, you can always use the various Niv Mizzets, or Psychosis Crawler to dish out the pain while you draw.
Psychotic Fury has a lot of similar options for easy double strike, and there are plenty of Seize the Day effects to smash face multiple times and eliminate people quickly.
Murder all the mans
Repercussions and Vicious Shadows are powerful enchantments to turn murder into more murder. Last Laugh also gets the job done, but might also murder you by accident.
The deck is really fun, swinging removals and cantrips every turn, controlling the board without being too obnoxious in our low-powered meta.
The problem is, the deck doesn't really know how to end a game.
What kind of creatures can be used? Things like gelectrode, except that aren't really weak? Things like guttersnipe but a little more powerful? Maybe enchantments? Right now the best thing i can think about is metallurgic summonings
And also what kind of instant/sorcery? Without combo or extra turns, it's really hard to find something that close the game when you have almost an empty board.
Foe example, i cheat a big spell with omnispell adept, thousand-year storm is on the field, Kess is too, ready to cast the spell again... What should i cast?
One creature I'm fairly fond of is Djinn Illuminatus. The things it can do with 1cmc draw spells is nuts, let alone removal like Lightning Bolt.
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
The problem with X spells is that they really require a huge amount of mana... I really wish there was a 7-mana spell with "deal 13 damage to any target".
The bad thing is that copying them doesn't do anything.
Well no sorcery is perfect i guess...
Trap your friends in an endless game with this 23-card combo!
Repercussion isn't quite that, but it makes Blasphemous Act, Shivan Meteor, and the like fit. Actually, Repercussion and Blasphemous Act sounds absolutely lulzy: Worst-case scenario, everyone dies.
Also, while it costs nine mana and only does 10 damage, Searing Wind?
On phasing:
Edit: Without combos, Torment of Hailfire is it. Very easy to generate a lethal one off of primal amulet and Kess' ability and rituals and such.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Oops you said no extra turns.
I think you should try them tho. Extra turns are kinda obnoxious when you just try to chain them together but otherwise I think they are fine. I run beacon coupled with some token producers like murmuring mystic.
I actually hate the card I'm about to recommend. I think it's stupid and I really don't like playing against it whatsoever. But Aetherflux Reservoir is undeniably strong and should definitely be a consideration. My feelings for the card speak volumes as to how good it is.Sentinel Tower could do things too. Mizzix's Mastery could be a game ender, too.
There's also Sorin's Vengeance.
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
Chandra, Torch of Defiance if you can hit Ultimate is real nice in that kind of a deck
The last spellslinger deck I made won through Bonus Rounding Insult // Injury into Fiery Confluence or throwing some combination of that into the Thousand-Year Storm.
Its a very different change in pace and they tend to go better with cheap cantrips but even doing things like Preordain twice thanks to your commander can be very powerful.
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I'm glad you mentioned Time Warp. If you have a way to exile spells from your graveyard (or recur them or whatever), Time Warp can go infinite with Charmbreaker Devils. Or just with Archaeomancer and Conjurer's Closet.
On phasing:
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
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used to be my wincon for a deck long-gone (but with hive mind).
You can also go with a talrand, sky summoner to go with a creature swarm kill too.
Legacy - Solidarity - mono U aggro - burn - Imperial Painter - Strawberry Shortcake - Bluuzards - bom
Yeah, it's usually right to get brainstorm though even if you have bolt since you're left with brainstorm instead of bolt if they counter your reset or something
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Won't work with Guttersnipe. You're only casting one spell and merely copying it all those other times.
On phasing:
Really though, you have quite a few options.
Casting lots (and lots) of spells
First off, don't underestimate Guttersnipe. When you're casting and chaining spells back to back, his damage adds up fast. Toss in some copies via Cackling Counterpart and it ramps up even faster. Sphinx-bone Wand as someone else suggested also ramps up the damage fast, though I often find it expensive and vulnerable. Finally, spells with storm get the job done quickly as well once you've cast a few spells. Ignite Memories is my favorite, just for style points, but Mind's Desire is a classic as well. Finally, equipment like Leering Emblem or Runechanter's Pike turn any creature into a non-sucky dragonauts, especially if put on your Commander.
Drawing lots of cards
Various equipment such as Empyrial Plate, Diviner's Wand, can turn your Commander (or any creature) into a doom machine when drawing lots of cards. They turn any wheel into a +7 Commander boost, which gets you into that 3 hit kill territory. Other than that, you can always use the various Niv Mizzets, or Psychosis Crawler to dish out the pain while you draw.
Making THEM draw cards
Making other people draw cards is another great way to kill them! Cards like Molten Psyche or Cerebral Vortex are great spells to copy after a wheel or two. Nekusar, the mindrazer, Fate Unraveler and Spiteful Visions are great ways to crank up the pain.
More Commander Damage
Psychotic Fury has a lot of similar options for easy double strike, and there are plenty of Seize the Day effects to smash face multiple times and eliminate people quickly.
Murder all the mans
Repercussions and Vicious Shadows are powerful enchantments to turn murder into more murder. Last Laugh also gets the job done, but might also murder you by accident.
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