MTG Salvation

Hey guys,

I'm running a weekly Commander livestream with three colleagues (think Game Knights, but live) and so far, I've just been playing the same decks I run in my regular games (mostly control, steal and graveyard shenanigans, the playstyles I love the most). However, I'm looking to build more decks that are specifically geared to make for fun and interesting viewing.

By that, I don't mean chaos decks for the lulz, but decks that elicit unique interactions, memorable moments and interesting twists around the table. For example, one of my colleagues built a deck with all the good Will of the Council and Council's Dilemma cards, constantly getting people to vote and bicker and try to influence each other. That was what got me to thinking about other decks that really create fun and unique dynamics. They should still be trying to win, but do it in a more unorthodox fashion. Other examples could be Queen Marchesa reliably bringing the Monarch mechanic into play every game, creating that power struggle. That's a bit of an obvious candidate, though (and usually built as rather straightforward stax/pillowfort), so I was wondering if you guys had any more weird or interesting ideas in that direction - if so, I'd love to hear them! All suggestions are appreciated

This is not what you asked, and for that I apologize, but what my playgroup does about 90 percent of the time is play with the complete planechase anthology of planes. It can lead to some very crazy interactions and is a forever mana sink for every player, in theory.

Mr. Bones is an unusual deck that can lead to some interesting game states. Not sure if I'd call it "fun" though.

I was trying to build a Grand Melee style deck a few years ago to force everyone to attack all the time. The opposite version of that would be something like a Silent Arbiter-type deck where you have to carefully choose your attacks/blocks.

While looking for the name of Silent Arbiter, I forgot about Portcullis: yet another card that keeps the field relatively clear but still allows you to utilize your ETB effects.

Eye of the Storm produces extremely bizarre stacks, which become difficult to keep track of if anyone responds to something in the Storm with an instant.

Timesifter is responsible for my favorite multiplayer interaction: Done skillfully, the table won't be able to determine who's turn it is.

The above card inside a Prototype Portal along with a few mana rocks, an unwinding clock and one or two more cards that we'll get to later.

Timesifter isn't legendary - so really, any way to have 3+ copies of them triggering each turn (like mechanized production)will work - the goal is to let a handful of turn iterations go around and have these solid stacks of cards exiled from the multiple copies of timesifter.

Then, after everyone gets used to just tracking only the next turn to play, you hit 'em with a Time Stop (preferrably with rebound) during the second main or end step of a particularly long and complex turn.

Rarely will there be enough awareness by your opponents to know who's turn it becomes - particularly if you're modifying their exile piles with a Riftsweeper.

A well tuned and carefully played Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire deck can create some exciting moments when someone reveals something large early.

Interesting question, I probably can't help

Nonetheless, I would have thought the best games to watch are those with 'oh damn' moments. So make sure whatever each deck is doing, the other decks have appropriate answers, prefereably at instant speed. And obviously not all doing the same thing.

So for instance maybe 4 decks could look like:
- An aggro/burn deck
- Something controlly (but not stax)
- A Reanimator
- A Tokens Deck

Then make sure to add lots of appropriate blowout cards:
- Against Burn: Exquisite Archangel, Dromoka's Command
- Against control: Mindslicer, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
- Against reanimator: Rakdos Charm, Containment Priest
- Against Tokens: Echoing Truth, Batwing Brume, Blasphemous Act

I guess you've got to think the same way R&D do when they make new duel decks... measure & counter-measure... makes for a good game.

Quote from Burntgerbil »

Timesifter is responsible for my favorite multiplayer interaction: Done skillfully, the table won't be able to determine who's turn it is.

Every single game I have participated in where a Timesifter landed was not fun, for anyone at the table. The only exception was the guy who ran it in his trolly chaos deck that he only built because he didn't actually like Magic, he just liked screwing with people; for him, making the game miserable was fun. But he's also not the only person who I've seen play Timesifter, and the others didn't actually enjoy the games they played it in either.

Quote from Burntgerbil »

The above card inside a Prototype Portal along with a few mana rocks, an unwinding clock and one or two more cards that we'll get to later.

Timesifter on a Prototype Portal was Trolly McTrollerson's favorite combo in his chaos deck. As long as there are Timesifters in play, the combo isn't actually any more infuriating than a single Timesifter, since the next turn is based on the last 'sifter trigger to resolve and that turn will trigger the 'sifters again. Creating a pile of Timesifters is only a problem when somebody finally destroys all artifacts (or eliminates the Timesifter player), because you needed to keep track of who won all those Timesifter triggers to figure out the turn order for several more rounds.

Timesifter is one of those cards you put into a deck only to loan it to someone you don't like very much to play against other people you like even less.....

Some ideas off the top of my head:

1) A deck with a lot of Morph/Megamorph cards that lead to some interesting guessing by your opponents as to what they are (Hint: It's always Willbender). You can even show the Morph to the audience so that they know what it is to potentially increase the entertainment value. Animar, Soul of Elements is a typical commander for this.

2) Run a Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom/Okaun, Eye of Chaos coin-flipping deck, where you don't necessarily need to get crazy with pure chaos cards, but you can get some pretty wacky and unexpected results with coin flipping. Win with Chance Encounter for bonus points.

3) Speaking of Cahnce Encounter, maybe you run a deck that wins with Alternate Win-Cons like Barren Glory, Helix Pinnacle, or Darksteel Reactor (as opposed to alt win-cons that people groan about like Felidar Sovereign or Laboratory Maniac).

4) Another alternate method of winning would be to run a milling deck with something like Oona, Queen of the Fae, Phenax, God of Deception, or Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker at the helm.

As a general, bsides Marchesa and Newvictis Asmadi, i can suggest Thantis, the Warweaver maybe?
Personally i have always liked the randomness of Ruhan of the Fomori. In a control deck, it's hilarious.

Potential Suggestions:
1. Have everyone build a deck with an interesting shared theme for themed episodes:
|-Bears (2 CMC 2/2s): e.g. Emmara/Hapatra/Karlov/Lavinia
|-Gods (Theros, Ahmonket)
|-Elder Dragons (Old or New)
|-Ravnica Guild Leaders
|-Legendaries from a new set

2. Random deck assignment (or of commanders to build around), playing someone elses deck mixes things up a lot.

3. Utilise variants to mix things up:
|-Planechase
|-Two-headed Giant
|-Star
|-Emperor or similar

I would avoid chaos cards for a livestream tbh, otherwise you may have long stretches of just debating rules or the complex state of the stack. My two cents.

Quote from Arkhaic »

Potential Suggestions:
1. Have everyone build a deck with an interesting shared theme for themed episodes:
|-Bears (2 CMC 2/2s): e.g. Emmara/Hapatra/Karlov/Lavinia
|-Gods (Theros, Ahmonket)
|-Elder Dragons (Old or New)
|-Ravnica Guild Leaders
|-Legendaries from a new set

2. Random deck assignment (or of commanders to build around), playing someone elses deck mixes things up a lot.

3. Utilise variants to mix things up:
|-Planechase
|-Two-headed Giant
|-Star
|-Emperor or similar

I would avoid chaos cards for a livestream tbh, otherwise you may have long stretches of just debating rules or the complex state of the stack. My two cents.

Strong agree here. Chaos decks are somewhat groanworthy unless everyone is happy with it. I can only see the stack being an absolute bastard to livestream, too.

The theme deck idea is an interesting one. Guild leaders/new legends is obviously relevant and watchable. You could do stipulation games too - only commanders >6CMC, only bi/tri colour commanders, whatever takes your fancy I guess. This sort of variant is probably your best way to get a decent enjoyable livestream rather than going for chaos or crazy game states.

rakdos the defiler - BR suicide aggro... hellcarver demon? pox-it that betrays? demonic consultation on turn 1 for a mana crypt-into-turn 2 treasonous ogre + master of cruelties?

it's a pretty insane build that i have.. very explosive, and then either kills itself or kills the table.

...also, there is the possibility of killing the table (almost), and just when that last player thinks they've survived that turn, dark ritual for kaervek's spite for the win.

You could go for a Choices Matter type of deck - Choice of Damnations, Captive Audience, Fatespinner, etc. Give your opponent's nothing but bad choices to make all game.

My Mathas, Fiend Seeker, which I built around monarch, mutual discard, force attack, Xantcha, Sleeper Agent, and taxing.

I also enjoyed a Pharika, God of Affliction enchantress deck with Oath of Druid/Oath of Ghoul, which may of may not end the game in your favor, but always in a good way.