So I’ve been toying with the idea of building an EDH deck with the primary purpose of shutting down or severely inhibiting the more “hardcore”/ competitive/ big money card players that occasionally grace my play circle.
From what little research I’ve done, Lavinia Azorius Renegade seems to be perhaps the best choice for commander as I can get her out very early on and right off the bat it stops insane mana ramp shenanigans like mana vault etc. as well as stopping busted affinity. Aside from that I want to have bunch of stuff like Arcane Laboratory/ Rule of Law to stop combos and what not. Also want to include cards with effects that stop tutoring and excessive card draw (screw your sylvan library :p)
Does anyone have other suggestions of cards to use for a deck with such a mission?
PS, sorry super new here, not sure how to hyperlink cards (or if that’s possible from a phone)
To answer your question, I profess, I never really thought about a deck that shuts down most or all combo decks. To wit, most of the solutions I can think of are very expensive with poor or weaker substitutions.
You're thinking of Stax. It's an established archetype, but is just as expensive as the combo decks to build, with the added bonus that you'll lose friends because nobody likes playing against stax.
What are some of the really valuable stuff I would need? Just looking at the EDHREC for Lavinia, most of the cards are rather budget.
But I suppose that is the subtle difference I’m looking for. I’m not trying to just screw everyone else over (i.e. Augustin) I want to particularly punish combo and super fast decks. I want to promote players taking their time in my meta, so everyone has a chance to “get satisfied”.
You should check out my phelddagrif primer. It’s basically all counterspells and removal, so it’s very effective at blocking combo, even very early combo. With the bonus that it also wins frequently and people don’t hate you afterward.
Have you considered talking to the other players in your group about it? Seems rather passive aggressive and petty to go straight to "I'm going to build a deck to screw yours over!"
shoot for pure chaos because the real answer is stax and thats just as expensive and cutthroat
alternatively, load up on silver bullets and ways to neuter their combos. more instant speed removal goes a LONG way
also politics it. you're in a group with other people, turn it into archenemy as quick as you can. group hug stuff helps with that sometimes just be careful the guy you want to **** over isn't going to benefit from it. you bro another guy out by helping him draw cards or untap lands or stopping his thing getting stopped and you have a temporary friend against the bigger threat.
I have a hilarious near-creatureless O-Kagachi 5 color enchantment tribal deck that is especially effective at breaking netdecking spike's brains. A link to it is in my signature. I've got plenty more vicious decks but this one is consistently the one that gets them flustered. I suppose its the part about losing to one creature that makes them snap
I'd suggest just having enough decks with themes to allow for any occasion - and a deck or two that has a scaling power level. Scion of the Ur-Dragon is the quickest example of a deck that comes to mind with a scaling power level
How many opponents do you face? If your edh group is just 1v1 then a deck full if counterspell will get you the long game state you're describing.
The problem with stax style cards is that if you yourself are not actively trying to win by some sort of combo or quick interaction, then yes you may slow one quick combo player down but you've also slowed everyone down. They will eventually start working against you.
Another very common possibility is that one of your opponents may not be affected by the stax effects and take an easy win, since everyone else won't be able to interact as they normally would.
Ruination, Blood Moon, Back to Basics, and so on are all solid choices since big money combo decks tend to overreach and not run many basics. Though they tend to cause collateral damage though against fair decks that just happen to run a lot of colors. I like running loot effects alongside these so that I can pitch them if they're not relevant to the current game.
If you are wanting to shut down cEDH decks then I highly suggest Meta Pod (formly Blood Pod). It's a resource denial deck that slows down the faster cEDH decks.
If people are playing cEDH deck against none cEDH decks, maybe a power level discussion needs to be had.
R/G Ruric Thar, the Unbowed with all the anti-blue cards will do the job, such as Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast. All combo decks centers around mostly blue. Carpet of Flowers would get you a lot of mana. New Torbran, Than of Red Fell + various punishment would also work, consider cards like Spell Shock and Mana Barbs make casting spell lethal for stormish players, and red has no lack of artifact destruction (most combo deck relies on TONS of mana rocks).
From what little research I’ve done, Lavinia Azorius Renegade seems to be perhaps the best choice for commander as I can get her out very early on and right off the bat it stops insane mana ramp shenanigans like mana vault etc. as well as stopping busted affinity. Aside from that I want to have bunch of stuff like Arcane Laboratory/ Rule of Law to stop combos and what not. Also want to include cards with effects that stop tutoring and excessive card draw (screw your sylvan library :p)
Does anyone have other suggestions of cards to use for a deck with such a mission?
PS, sorry super new here, not sure how to hyperlink cards (or if that’s possible from a phone)
Will get you:
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
Rule of Law
Sylvan Library
To answer your question, I profess, I never really thought about a deck that shuts down most or all combo decks. To wit, most of the solutions I can think of are very expensive with poor or weaker substitutions.
another option is just to steal their expensive cards....
https://edhrec.com/themes/theft
But I suppose that is the subtle difference I’m looking for. I’m not trying to just screw everyone else over (i.e. Augustin) I want to particularly punish combo and super fast decks. I want to promote players taking their time in my meta, so everyone has a chance to “get satisfied”.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
alternatively, load up on silver bullets and ways to neuter their combos. more instant speed removal goes a LONG way
also politics it. you're in a group with other people, turn it into archenemy as quick as you can. group hug stuff helps with that sometimes just be careful the guy you want to **** over isn't going to benefit from it. you bro another guy out by helping him draw cards or untap lands or stopping his thing getting stopped and you have a temporary friend against the bigger threat.
Repercussion +
Chandra's Ignition
Star of Extinction
Wave of Reckoning
Burning Sands
Circle of Flame
AEther Flash
Grim Feast
Lightmine Field
Powerstone Minefield
War's Toll
Isn't it in the lore anyways that O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami eats armies single handedly? Hmm
I'd suggest just having enough decks with themes to allow for any occasion - and a deck or two that has a scaling power level. Scion of the Ur-Dragon is the quickest example of a deck that comes to mind with a scaling power level
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/334931-what-is-the-most-pimp-card-deck-youve-seen-or?comment=5361
Commander
RGOmnath, Locus of Rage Grenades! EDHGR
UWSygg's Defense, EDH - Voltron & ControlWU
BUGMimeoplasm EDH ft. Ifnir Cycling-discard comboBUG
WBTeysa, Connoisseur of CullingBW
BWSelenia & Recruiter of the Guard suicice combo EDHWB
UBRWGO-Kagachi - 5 Color Enchantments - EDHUBRWG
The problem with stax style cards is that if you yourself are not actively trying to win by some sort of combo or quick interaction, then yes you may slow one quick combo player down but you've also slowed everyone down. They will eventually start working against you.
Another very common possibility is that one of your opponents may not be affected by the stax effects and take an easy win, since everyone else won't be able to interact as they normally would.
Links to my most current deck lists;
Primary EDH; Rakka Mar Token Perfection, Crosis Mnemonic Betrayal, Cromat Villainous, Judith Gravestorm, Rakdos Empty Storm, Exava Artifacts, Bant Trash, & Fumiko Voltron!
EDH kept at home; Ruzzian Isset & Rakdos LoR!
EDH (nostalgic/pimp/retired) in storage;
Latulla Burns, Akroma Smash, Jeska Voltron, Rakdos Storm, Bladewing Darghans, Lyzolda Worldgorger, Xantcha Steals your Heart, Jori Storm, Wydwen Permission, Gwendlyn Paradox, Jeleva Warps, & Sigarda Brick!
Legacy Showanimator and High Tide!
Instant-speed grave hate and low-mana counterspells like Negate, Arcane Denial, Delay, Swan Song, Force of Negation, and Flusterstorm also help. Counterspells that exile like Faerie Trickery, Void Shatter, Dissipate, and especially Mindbreak Trap can make sure combo pieces stay gone for good.
- Rabid Wombat
If people are playing cEDH deck against none cEDH decks, maybe a power level discussion needs to be had.
Competitive
GUWB Thrasios/Tymna Breakfast Hulk GUWB - RGBW Tana/Tymna Blood Pod - URGAnimar, Soul of ElementsURG - UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU
Tuned
UBG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant (Write Up) UBG-BG The Gitrog Monster BG-UG Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca UG - UBG Muldrota, the Gravetide UBG - UBW Varina, Lich Queen UBW - RB Xantcha, Sleeper Agent RB - UB Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow UB - GWURafiq of the Many GWU - WUB Oloro, Ageless Lich WUB - GUBRKydele, Chosen of Kruphix and Vial Smasher The Fierce GUBR - BG Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons GB - WB Athreos, God of Passage WB - UBThe Scarab God UB - UBRMarchesa, the Affinity RoseUBR - UBGTasigur, the Golden FangUBG - GSelvala, Heart of the WildsG - BRGrusilda, Monster MasherBR - BChainer, Dementia MasterB - WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG - URMizzix's Thousand Year StormUR - RGOmnath, Locust of RageRG - GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestGU - WUBrago, King EternalWU
Legecy Decks
W Death and Taxes W-C Eldrazi Stompy C-R Mono Red Prison R-U MerfolkU
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs