For funsies I want to make a mono-U beatdown deck, very much a 'battlecruiser' sort of deck. Shockingly I am having difficulty finding good blue beatdown creatures.
Commander: Thassa, God of the Sea (she's big, comes down early, and helps me scry into more creatures)
Most aggressive Mono-U decks I have seen these days have been some variations of Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign because that Sphinx does everything you would want from a Commander.
Theres that one swole merfolk from shadowmoore. It's a 3 drop 1/1 that gets +1/+1 until end of turn whenever you untap something. If you are tapping out and swinging out he'll be huge
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Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Most aggressive Mono-U decks I have seen these days have been some variations of Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign because that Sphinx does everything you would want from a Commander.
Not a huge fan. He costs a lot and usually needs to make it around to your next turn before you can start laying all the sphinxes down. Thassa on the other hand is cheap, hard to remove, and makes other big things unblockable.
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EDIT: Also Stormtide Leviathan. Generally, you're going to have trouble finding efficient creatures lower on the curve. Blue's just not good at that, historically, at least not without massive drawbacks. Frankly, I'm kind of shocked at how pushed Sphinx of Foresight is.
Needs more Stormtide Leviathan for sure. $1 jank that gives excellent value in mono blue. I know you asked for low curve, but this guy deserves a mention. Ixidron for lols? It's actually kind of a good control option if you're facing down difficult to remove creatures.
It might be worth your while doing some sort of quest for ulas temple or something, and a bunch of good sifting/impulse cards.
another deck i had that's a lot closer to your aim was wrexial, the risen deep with a leviathan-tribal sort of game, but with a lot of mill/discard effects and smashing in with wrexial for value.
For the spellslinger type deck, maybe try to find small creatures with flying and some sort of draw effect (drawing, scry, ...) or with some prowess effect. Then you could add some Swords of X & Y and go to town.
Another option would be some kind of blue devotion subtheme, adding Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx.
I'm definitely going with Thassa; unblockable is really nice for allowing big dudes without evasion to shine.
... like Phyrexian Ingester! Can't believe I missed that one.
Most of the others I've already considered. My 7+ CMC slot is getting pretty crowded, as this is not a seamonsters deck. I think CMC 3-to-5 is ideal. Though I do understand there isn't a whole lot of good stuff at that cost in blue.
Also found Illusory Angel while looking through the phantasmal stuff.
I thought about Kefnet, but he's awfully hard to actually get to swing.
The dragon of the south may seem a bit overcosted, but he's more like an overrun almost. You lay him out after the army assembles and then use his horses to alpha strike!
Not sure if it was mentioned yet but it’s an obvious low curve addition for ramping into bearers: Thada Adel, Acquisitor. I’ve never regretted running her. Getting all the Sol Rings is crazy good.
Kefnet is pretty easy to keep active in monoblue, though he does require a tailored build. A lot of "land go" and enchantments that slow others down and a good number of Oblivion Stone effects. With Training Grounds out you draw a lot of cards....
Commander: Thassa, God of the Sea (she's big, comes down early, and helps me scry into more creatures)
So far I have...
Lorthos, the Tidemaker
Tromokratis
added - Phyrexian Ingester, thanks @RxPhantom
Nezahal, Primal Tide
added - Scourge of Fleets, thanks @MRHblue
Inspired Sphinx
Frost Titan
Sphinx of Jwar Isle...?
Guardian of Tazeem
Master of Predicaments
added - Stormsurge Kraken
Icefall Regent...?
added - Keeper of Keys...?
Sphinx of Foresight
added - Master of Waves
added - Profaner of the Dead
added - Conundrum Sphinx (Thassa synergy!)
Tempest Djinn
added - Loyal Drake
added - Wake Thrasher, thanks @Onering
added - Illusory Angel...?, thanks RxPhantom
Chasm Skulker
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
added - Deep-Sea Kraken...?
Skaab Ruinator...?
Mindshrieker
Riptide Mangler...?
Jace's Phantasm
Cosi's Trickster
and I'm looking for suggestions on other good blue beats, preferably at the lower end of the manacurve.
I'm considering going spell-slinger with cantrips and whatnot as a sub-theme so that I can throw in some cards like Niblis of Frost, Pteramander, and Runechanter's Pike. Thoughts there?
- Rabid Wombat
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Ah, Wake Thrasher. Good call.
- Rabid Wombat
Plenty of cards interact (or do not in a good way) with those tribes. See Whelming Wave
Though that did cause me to stumble onto Scourge of Fleets.
- Rabid Wombat
EDIT: Also Stormtide Leviathan. Generally, you're going to have trouble finding efficient creatures lower on the curve. Blue's just not good at that, historically, at least not without massive drawbacks. Frankly, I'm kind of shocked at how pushed Sphinx of Foresight is.
My 720 Peasant Cube
Ixidron for lols? It's actually kind of a good control option if you're facing down difficult to remove creatures.
It might be worth your while doing some sort of quest for ulas temple or something, and a bunch of good sifting/impulse cards.
another deck i had that's a lot closer to your aim was wrexial, the risen deep with a leviathan-tribal sort of game, but with a lot of mill/discard effects and smashing in with wrexial for value.
Legacy - Solidarity - mono U aggro - burn - Imperial Painter - Strawberry Shortcake - Bluuzards - bom
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Anyway, for bigger creatures the following come to mind:
- Angler Turtle
- Benthic Behemoth
- Breaching Leviathan
- Goliath Sphinx
- Great Whale
- Nephalia Moondrakes
- Quicksilver Gargantuan
- Sphinx of the Final Word
- Trench Gorger
- Windreader Sphinx
- Sphinx of Magosi
- Torrential Gearhulk
And on the "lower" end of the curve:
- Aberrant Researcher
- Docent of Perfection
- Guile
- Glyph Keeper
- Kefnet the Mindful
- Ludevic's Test Subject
For the spellslinger type deck, maybe try to find small creatures with flying and some sort of draw effect (drawing, scry, ...) or with some prowess effect. Then you could add some Swords of X & Y and go to town.
Another option would be some kind of blue devotion subtheme, adding Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx.
... like Phyrexian Ingester! Can't believe I missed that one.
Most of the others I've already considered. My 7+ CMC slot is getting pretty crowded, as this is not a seamonsters deck. I think CMC 3-to-5 is ideal. Though I do understand there isn't a whole lot of good stuff at that cost in blue.
Also found Illusory Angel while looking through the phantasmal stuff.
I thought about Kefnet, but he's awfully hard to actually get to swing.
- Rabid Wombat
Otherwise the following creatures come to mind:
- Vexing Sphinx
- Argent Sphinx
- Curator of Mysteries
- Undead Alchemist (He might be pretty cool with the unblockability and could get ugly quite fast!)
- Shorecrasher Elemental
Do you want to play Artifact creatures as well? Then you might find a few more options.
Sun Quan, Lord of Wu
The dragon of the south may seem a bit overcosted, but he's more like an overrun almost. You lay him out after the army assembles and then use his horses to alpha strike!
WUBRG Some of these decks can actually win games...WUBRG
How I know I should build a deck:
Amen! Gotta love me some horsemanship.
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My 720 Peasant Cube
Also Vedalken Shackles, not strictly beat-down but it will help a lot (or steal with Callous Oppressor, Sower of Temptation, or Treachery for uber tempo plays)
Also Strata Scythe ^^ rock that mono blue power
Obviously you're running Cyclonic Rift? and lots of Extra Turn spells for repeatable beats?