This is Rafiq, and he will be your server of punishment this evening. Have a seat, our Special is Doublestrike!
Hello everyone my name is Alex, and this is my favorite deck. Let me start with a little bit about the deck's history!
So this is the deck I love. I started liking Rafiq in the days of mythic Bant in standard. I thought that the idea of making him a general was fantastic because I like the theme and colors so much. I have posted alot of other EDH's on here but none i take as seriously as my most competitve EDH deck Rafiq. While he stands as one of the most competitve decks in 1 on 1 as an infect flinger, i want to strictly seperate that from the goal of this thread. This is a MULTIPLAYER general for me, and is played as such. I hope to someday make this a primer because i'm going to put a lot more than I usually do into posting an EDH deck and after 2 years of playing Rafiq and going through vast changes i have a really good handle on how this deck operates.
Let me start by talking about the multiplayer Rafiq deckstyles I have seen, I plan on posting sample lists for each type as well as posting my own list:
Toolbox Creatures:
This style is designed around abusing ETB effects on dudes and can be very good in these colors. We have access to powerhouses like Eternal Witness and Stoneforge Mystic and can use Birthing Pod and Crystal Shard you can really abuse the effects of creatures. The goal of the deck is usually to play many small but effective creatures like this, and makes EDH powerhouses like Skullclamp fast and effective ways to gain card advantage and beat your opponent.
Rafiq and win!:
This concept is usually control based where the plan is to clear the path for a few easy direct hits with rafiq. This is set up with someway to protect rafiq from imminent death, and use extra turns to wipe out opponents. Great cards are the obvious Time Warp and Time Stretch with a hint of Whispersilk Cloak and ways to pump rafiq. While i've personally found this to be the least effective, it is often what people go with.
Goodstuff.Bant.Deck:
This is probably what is closest to what my deck represents and i will post my list as the sample for it. The idea is taking good deckbuild concepts and having a little of everything, but making the absolute best choices at each possible card type. You want some ramp, some tutor, some wrath, some tempo, some hate, some rafiq, some combo stuff, and some beats. Just a mix of the best cards available. More on this later
Infect and Win:
While this strategy is less effective in multiplayer it's still effective for it's purpose. Your going to wipe people out fast ... In this style rafiq isn't the catalyst he is an option and that's never bad. Relying on a 4 cost general can be clunky so this uses rafiq as the crutch. Not a bad call, esentially you want to pick an infect dude and fling him with pump at an opponent. Equipments and enchantments are strong theme in this deck idea with some of the good elements of Bant.
To help anyone getting started in Rafiq I've compiled a top 25ish list of the best cards in each color catagory:
Best cards in G:
Eternal Witness - a Must include always Birthing Pod - a must for ETB abusers Survival of the Fittest - Great for creature heavy decks Harmonize - One of our most efficient draw spells Sylvan Library - this is an auto-include Acidic Slime - Always a powerhouse Relic Crush - I think overall it's an underrated card we need 2 for 1s and this card get's it done Krosan Grip - Always a solid answer for stuff Noble Hierarch - Mana dorks are iffy but the exalted makes it a good fill Green Sun's Zenith - Does a ton of stuff for you Worldly Tutor - Much like the Zenith it's really usefull for whatever you need Sakura-Tribe Elder - to me an auto include Skyshroud Claim - fetches two doubles potentially untapped Deglamer - extreemly underated get's around a ton of stuff Spinebiter - With Rafiq can be an easy one hit K.O. with any other exalted or pump Oracle of Mul Daya - One of the better cards available to us, especially because your probably gonig to be shuffling alot Wood Elves - Get's an untapped dual land Cultivate - Extremely good card advantage Kodama's Reach - see cultivate Mana Reflection - Needs no explanation Chord of Calling - essential for creature based decks, iffy otherwise Woodfall Primus - Expensive but very valuable Sylvan Primordial - in multiplayer can be situational but also quite strong Explosive Vegetation - Fast accell Ranger's Path - I like that it get's two duals
Here is my current list and the way I play it, and later i will post sample lists of the ETB abuse style as well as an infect breed. Let's take a gander!
Now that you've seen the deck - let's see the play:
This deck at first glance is going to hint of something ... controlly. That's the idea here. We want to control everything just enough so that we are the last man alive with the most spells available so that at the finish line we are going to dominate. The expression "nice guys finish last" tends to ring true in multiplayer EDH where if your not really scaring anyone, nobody really messes with you. Draw some cards and prepare to strike.
For the sake of this example I'm going to post the IDEAL playout of the deck, but as with any control style play the deck is extremely reactive. If you notice your opponents not doing crap early, rafiq has the ability to explode at anytime. I'm a big believer in going for it in those situations. Going on the example that your friends turned enemies because of a game have great decks and play out as such here is your game flow.
Let's break it down into phases:
PHASE 1: Ramp -
Ramp in the traditional form would mean mana accel but in this list, for the sake of argument let's call it card accell. You want to dig, keep options open to deal with early threats and get more mana and draw. This should get you through turn 4-5 nice and quiet, while maybe having to dig for that one early answer for your friend that's attempting to combo out already (jerk).
The obvious cards your hoping for are the Skyshroud Claim and the real early mana rocks. This way on turn 3-4 you can pump out a hand refiller type card that will resolve because your friends probably don't have a counter. This is where they lose the game (we hope).
PHASE 2: Stabilize -
This is where it starts to feel like a 60 card constructed control deck the only difference being you are trying to stabilize BY turn 5 in constructed. Usually in EDH the early plays aren't as strong so you can now begin to murder death kill, and mess with your opponents from here.
Looking here for good wrath effects as well as trying to tutor and land Privilaged Position. I really always need to back this up with counters. The concept is it's going to make everything else on my board very hard for them to deal with from that point forward naturally. If they never answer the card they are going to have a big rafiq like problem on their hands. If they do burn resources killing it and getting through your counter/magic and recursion, then from there you can probably race em out.
PHASE 3: Rafiq and win, or just win. -
At this point we are looking to land a bomb whether that's rafiq or another buddy like Wurmcoil Engine or Consecrated Sphinx. Also any of the bomby cards that take advantage of rafiq's doublestrike like Cephalid Constable attached with a sword or a Grafted Exoskeleton can get the job done here as well.
You want a clearish board. That's why stabilization is so important, and that part is where it gets lengthy. I find myself quite often in that step playing alot of these cards during the stabilization stage to play them as threats to kind of keep my opponent off balance. One he is out of cards, typically this is where i can accell the game out of control. I'm going to be able to out draw, and out damage anyone if i can get to that point. I guess the point of this phase in less your opponents pull out some major late game heroics, the victory should be hours at this point. As with all control decks the key the stabilization.
Some some things are important to note on this. I played a very similar list to this for a long time and loved it. I think it might be one of the most effective rafiq lists you can build, because every creature becomes dangerous when rafiq is used as just a 4 mana pump effect. Example T3 Kitchen Finks. I gain two life and play a failry small not scary creature. All good and fine. Next turn rafiq ... going for 8 damage on the finks. If you kill the rafiq he can come back easily. If you kill the finks it persits. No matter what you are still giving me the finks, and just wasted removal on crappy stuff because later i have heavy hitters coming.
This is the playstyle of the deck in a two turn example. You really are going to push the tempo up, and give your opponent the itch to try and answer your threats of violence. Then all the utility dudes that are refilling your hand, messing with their stuff, copying your other good stuff, and doing your dirty work are all a big problem.
Ideally much like the other rafiq this deck has 3 very simple phases, however, is MUCH less reactive. You only want to react if something they do is giong to definately lose you the game. That's when you try and pull out an answer. Until that time, keep playing dudes and turn them sideways. Here's the phases:
Phase1: The first threat -
Here you want to land 1 or 2 early pests that your opponent doesn't like. If you get a sword or an exoskeleton threaten that. If not sling the rafiq it doesn't matter. This should be putting pressure on them ON TURN 4 to remove the aforementioned threats from the game. And thus you can burn their turns trying to deal with your easy plays.
Phase 2: Draw/Ramp/Prepare to Launch -
Now that your opponent is trying to stabilize your trying to be the anti-stabilizer by playing your pesky creatures that are just painful enough for them to need answers. In the mean time, the mana base should be large enough to fill in some extra draw or ramp to prepare the way for your finishing moves to end the game.
Phase 3: Drop the Bomb on 'em -
Your pawns have done their job. They stood in the fire and did your dirty work and now it's time to pave the way for your bomb finish. This can be accomplished a # of ways. For this step you need to have saved a tutor or a way to get one back from the yard i.e. Eternal Witness triggers. Your tutor targets are dependant on what you have seen so far in the game but some notable ones would be Deadeye Naviagtor, or any missing piece of the Reivellark combo, or Tooth and Nail. The tooth is going to target a Elesh Norn and Avenger of Zendikar combo. The navigator is really good if you have Venser Shaper Savant or an E-Witness/Draw Engine. The idea being that multiple triggers will severely destroy your opponents chances of success. The Reivellark combo is the most solid however and will win you the game if it's completed almost every time.
In between all this you may need to answer one or two things your opponent does and the deck has just enough answers that it can tutor up, or dig for that will get you to the promised land. No reason why you can't be one of the most dangerous players at your table with this deck.
This thread is 100% open for discussion. I'd love to see other multiplayer rafiq lists and see what's out there. Most of my tweaks have been me and my playgroup but we are hardcore EDH'ers. I'd love some outside opinions on maybe some cards i haven't touched on in the thread. I've probably talked with friends about most of the other viable cards for competitive bant, so I'm really curious to see what you've got!
Just finished updating the second rafiq list showing the etb style of play. I would love to get a good discussion going with any existing rafiq players, or player haters. I know this deck gets a good amount and love or hate depending on who you are, and I'm curious what you think of my lists. I had amazing success with both of them, but I'm curious if your playgroups and meta's are too strong for it, have the kryptonite for you, and what weaknesses you see. Future plans are I will be working on a more detailed Strengths/Weaknesses section and a more improved card selection area to show all the amazing options rafiq has at his disposal.
I am building Rafiq as we speak and was just looking for some insight. From what I've seen so far there's a pretty consistent primer for this deck. But what I haven't seen is the use Flash and Academy Rector. You can fetch for all kinds of goodies that pump Rafiq or you could just grab Omniscience.
Either way it's a pretty awesome combo that can win the game in a matter of turns.
I am building Rafiq as we speak and was just looking for some insight. From what I've seen so far there's a pretty consistent primer for this deck. But what I haven't seen is the use Flash and Academy Rector. You can fetch for all kinds of goodies that pump Rafiq or you could just grab Omniscience.
Either way it's a pretty awesome combo that can win the game in a matter of turns.
The issue I take with your combo is that Flash is typically very poor without Rector in a Rafiq-style deck. Likewise, Rector is not ideal in a typical Rafiq build, because it requires us to run enchantments, whereas Rafiq reeeeally wants to be doing work with equipment to avoid card disadvantage. Still, gotta lick your chops at the thought of pulling that off.
This is Rafiq, and he will be your server of punishment this evening. Have a seat, our Special is Doublestrike!
So this is the deck I love. I started liking Rafiq in the days of mythic Bant in standard. I thought that the idea of making him a general was fantastic because I like the theme and colors so much. I have posted alot of other EDH's on here but none i take as seriously as my most competitve EDH deck Rafiq. While he stands as one of the most competitve decks in 1 on 1 as an infect flinger, i want to strictly seperate that from the goal of this thread. This is a MULTIPLAYER general for me, and is played as such. I hope to someday make this a primer because i'm going to put a lot more than I usually do into posting an EDH deck and after 2 years of playing Rafiq and going through vast changes i have a really good handle on how this deck operates.
Let me start by talking about the multiplayer Rafiq deckstyles I have seen, I plan on posting sample lists for each type as well as posting my own list:
Toolbox Creatures:
This style is designed around abusing ETB effects on dudes and can be very good in these colors. We have access to powerhouses like Eternal Witness and Stoneforge Mystic and can use Birthing Pod and Crystal Shard you can really abuse the effects of creatures. The goal of the deck is usually to play many small but effective creatures like this, and makes EDH powerhouses like Skullclamp fast and effective ways to gain card advantage and beat your opponent.
Rafiq and win!:
This concept is usually control based where the plan is to clear the path for a few easy direct hits with rafiq. This is set up with someway to protect rafiq from imminent death, and use extra turns to wipe out opponents. Great cards are the obvious Time Warp and Time Stretch with a hint of Whispersilk Cloak and ways to pump rafiq. While i've personally found this to be the least effective, it is often what people go with.
Goodstuff.Bant.Deck:
This is probably what is closest to what my deck represents and i will post my list as the sample for it. The idea is taking good deckbuild concepts and having a little of everything, but making the absolute best choices at each possible card type. You want some ramp, some tutor, some wrath, some tempo, some hate, some rafiq, some combo stuff, and some beats. Just a mix of the best cards available. More on this later
Infect and Win:
While this strategy is less effective in multiplayer it's still effective for it's purpose. Your going to wipe people out fast ... In this style rafiq isn't the catalyst he is an option and that's never bad. Relying on a 4 cost general can be clunky so this uses rafiq as the crutch. Not a bad call, esentially you want to pick an infect dude and fling him with pump at an opponent. Equipments and enchantments are strong theme in this deck idea with some of the good elements of Bant.
To help anyone getting started in Rafiq I've compiled a top 25ish list of the best cards in each color catagory:
Best cards in G:
Eternal Witness - a Must include always
Birthing Pod - a must for ETB abusers
Survival of the Fittest - Great for creature heavy decks
Harmonize - One of our most efficient draw spells
Sylvan Library - this is an auto-include
Acidic Slime - Always a powerhouse
Relic Crush - I think overall it's an underrated card we need 2 for 1s and this card get's it done
Krosan Grip - Always a solid answer for stuff
Noble Hierarch - Mana dorks are iffy but the exalted makes it a good fill
Green Sun's Zenith - Does a ton of stuff for you
Worldly Tutor - Much like the Zenith it's really usefull for whatever you need
Sakura-Tribe Elder - to me an auto include
Skyshroud Claim - fetches two doubles potentially untapped
Deglamer - extreemly underated get's around a ton of stuff
Spinebiter - With Rafiq can be an easy one hit K.O. with any other exalted or pump
Oracle of Mul Daya - One of the better cards available to us, especially because your probably gonig to be shuffling alot
Wood Elves - Get's an untapped dual land
Cultivate - Extremely good card advantage
Kodama's Reach - see cultivate
Mana Reflection - Needs no explanation
Chord of Calling - essential for creature based decks, iffy otherwise
Woodfall Primus - Expensive but very valuable
Sylvan Primordial - in multiplayer can be situational but also quite strong
Explosive Vegetation - Fast accell
Ranger's Path - I like that it get's two duals
Best Cards in U:
Mystical Tutor - Auto include
Hinder - Tucking counter's yes
Spell Crumple - because its better than hinder
Time Stop - can't describe how good it is in words
Concentrate - see harmonize
Leyline of Anticipation - I think this is a must add in a lot of blue decks, makes so many things very hard to defend
Bribery - wins games
Fact or Fiction - with instant speed i still think this card is amazing
Consecrated Sphinx - devastating to your opponent
Cryptic Command - to me ... an auto include
Brainstorm - great early draw
Jace the Mindsculptor - because you have an $100 card ... that's why
Venser, Shaper Savant - great on many levels
Body Double - situational but amazing
Phyrexian Metamorph - servers many purposes
Cephalid Constable - devestating if you connect with him on a rafiq bounce 4 perm's can really mess up your opponents day
Pact of Negation - let's you play so aggresive and can really screw your opponent
Glen Elendra Archmage - one of our best creatures
Acquire - can steal artifact bombs
Thada Adel, Aquisitor - see acquire
Muldrifter - great ETB creature
Time Stretch - If you resolve this and don't win quit magic
Force of Will - free counter most of the time
Tidings - Refill your hand for cheap
Time Warp - Can devestate your opponent
Best cards in W:
Austere Command - the best wrath hands down
Swords to Plowshares - for those early problems
Path to Exile - see Swords to Plowshares
Return to Dust - Great 2 for 1
Wrath of God - still pretty good
Sun Titan - since Primeval got the boot he's are best titan
Stoneforge Mystic - I have the playmat for a reason
Enlightened Tutor - Yupp needs no explanation
Serra Ascendant - they should probably fix this guy but whatever
Terminus - easy to miracle with a top or mystical tutor
Reivallark - auto include for creature based decks
Karmic Guide - also an auto include for creature based decks
Mirror Entity - are you seeing a theme on these last couple?
Marshall's Anthem - This card is very strong with good ETB effects
Dismantling Blow - A little expensive probably toward the bottom of the list but very good card advantage
Oblivion Ring - very studlike
Lumiarch Acension - you can spend alot of time with a clean board in this deck making this a great card
Idyllic Tutor - many good targets for this
Elspeth Knight-Errant - to me it's an auto-in
Land Tax - i don't like it if you play a lot of the green land ramp but otherwise it's your first white card in usually
Academy Rector - needs good targets but bery strong
Archon of Justice - Always a good creature choice
Stonehewer Giant - can do some shennanigans
Weathered Wayfarer - see Land Tax
Mother of Runes - good rafiq support card
Best cards that are x Colorless!:
Lightning Greaves - makes rafiq pretty amazing
Swiftfoot Boots - Same as lightning greaves
Sword of Fire and Ice - sword+doublestrike=win
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sword of Light and Shadow
Skullclamp - if your running alot of little etb guys it's really good
Sensei's Diving Top - staple in any deck
Solemn Similacrum - auto-in in most builds
Wurmcoil Engine - Can win games by himself with rafiq
Expedition Map - you have plenty of important lands to grab
Crystal Shard - amazing strong in the creature versions
Sol Ring - Auto-in
Mana Crypt - Auto-in
Thran Dynamo - I've always felt that this card is quite underrated - I use it as part of my regular ramp options
Gilded Lotus - EDH staple
Oblivion Stone - I like it because you can blow up the world and save maybe just one thing which can be rafiq or a sword - sets you up nicely
Crucible of Worlds - I think for goodstuff decks it's a must if your running fetches and targets for the fetches
Mimic Vat - Great for creature builds
Memnarch - mana intensive but unanswered wins games
Relic of Progenitus - gy hate that replaces itself
Tormod's Crypt - Rafiq needs probably 2-3 gy hate cards this is an easy one to tutor for and land fast
Grafted Exoskeleton - a rafiq one hit K.O.
Darksteel Ingot - becaust it survives
Trading Post - tends to be underrated but good sac outlet card
Multi-colored cards GWU !!:
Bant Charm - there are 7 types of cards in magic and this deals with 3 of em.
Aura Shards - Because all your creatures have good effects now
Sphinx's Revelation - we should churn enough mana for this to be very solid for us
Supreme Verdict - other blue decks will not like you
Detention Sphere - oblivion ring's upgrade (put em both in)
Qasali Pridemage - I've spent long hours raving about him
Knight of the Reliquary - if you play fetches this guys is usually a 4/4 for 3 at the very worst, and he's probably better than that
Voidslime - super usefull, especially on your friend's o-stone
Privaleged Position - good wall of protection for ya
Coiling Oracle - he's good man ... real good
Wargate - needs the right deck but good
Trygon Predator - a rafiq must
Eladamri's Call - good in almost every rafiq deck
Venser, the Sojurner - for ETB effects
Geist of Saint Traft - too good not to play him
Shield of the Oversoul - makes rafiq quite good
Steel of the Godhead - because it's awesome like the shield
Godhead of Awe - I really like this guy in rafiq because it's crowd control that gives you a huge beatstick with the right pump effects
Harmonic Sliver - another good etb dude
Simic Sky Swallower - can be slow but has good value
Mystic Snake - Body + Counter = Win
Finest Hour - a rafiq one hitter
Treva's Charm - not to be overlooked at all
Dauntless Escort - just more creature protection
Render Silent - (recently spoiled) don't tell anyone but this is gonna be awesome
Here is my current list and the way I play it, and later i will post sample lists of the ETB abuse style as well as an infect breed. Let's take a gander!
3 Spell Crumple
3 Render Silent
3 Voidslime
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
6 Time Stop
Wrath Effects - 5
3 Oblivion Stone
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Wrath of God
6 Terminus
6 Austere Command
Murder-Death-Kill - 6
1 Path to Exile
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Deglamer
3 Krosan Grip
4 Return to Dust
5 Relic Crush
Recursion - 5
2 Regrowth
3 Eternal Witness
5 Restock
6 Sun Titan
8 Praetor's Counsel
Draw/Dig - 8
1 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Sylvan Library
4 Jace the Mindsculptor
4 Concentrate
4 Fact or Fiction
4 Harmonize
6 Consecrated Sphinx
0 Sphinx's Revelation
Tutor - 4
0 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
0 Mana Crypt
1 Noble Heirarch
1 Sol Ring
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Wood Elves
3 Cultivate
3 Kodama's Reach
3 Darksteel Ingot
4 Skyshroud Claim
4 Ranger's Path
6 Mana Reflection
Rafiq's Help - 5
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
4 Grafted Exoskeleton
5 Finest Hour
Other Goodstuff/Bombs - 14
2 Coiling Oracle
2 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Bant Charm
3 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Trygon Predator
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
3 Cephalid Constable
4 Venser, Shaper Savant
5 Godhead of Awe
5 Bribery
5 Time Warp
6 Privilaged Position
6 Wurmcoil Engine
10 Time Stretch
Lands - 36
0 Alchemist's Refuge
0 Academy Ruins
0 Kor Haven
0 Vesuva
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Inkmoth Nexus
0 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
0 Thespian's Stage
0 Dryad Arbor
0 Reflecting Pool
0 Seaside Citadel
0 Tropical Island
0 Savannah
0 Tundra
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Breeding Pool
0 Temple Garden
0 Hinterland Harbor
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Sunpetal Grove
0 Wooded Bastion
0 Mystic Gate
0 Flooded Grove
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Flooded Strand
0 Windswept Heath
0 Island
0 Island
0 Island
0 Forest
0 Forest
0 Forest
0 Plains
0 Plains
0 Plains
1 Noble Heirarch
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Coiling Oracle
2 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
3 Wood Elves
3 Eternal Witness
3 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Trygon Predator
3 Cephalid Constable
4 Venser, Shaper Savant
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
5 Godhead of Awe
6 Sun Titan
6 Consecrated Sphinx
6 Wurmcoil Engine
Enchantments - 4
2 Sylvan Library
5 Finest Hour
6 Mana Reflection
6 Privilaged Position
Instants - 15
0 Pact of Negation
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Path to Exile
2 Deglamer
3 Bant Charm
3 Spell Crumple
3 Render Silent
3 Krosan Grip
3 Voidslime
4 Fact or Fiction
4 Return to Dust
5 Relic Crush
6 Time Stop
2 Regrowth
3 Cultivate
3 Kodama's Reach
4 Harmonize
4 Concentrate
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Wrath of God
4 Skyshroud Claim
4 Ranger's Path
5 Bribery
5 Time Warp
5 Restock
6 Terminus
6 Austere Command
8 Praetor's Counsel
10 Time Stretch
0 Sphinx's Revelation
0 Green Sun's Zenith
Artifacts - 8
0 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Oblivion Stone
4 Grafted Exoskeleton
Planeswalkers - 1
4 Jace the Mindsculptor
Lands - 36
0 Alchemist's Refuge
0 Academy Ruins
0 Kor Haven
0 Vesuva
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Inkmoth Nexus
0 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
0 Thespian's Stage
0 Dryad Arbor
0 Reflecting Pool
0 Seaside Citadel
0 Tropical Island
0 Savannah
0 Tundra
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Breeding Pool
0 Temple Garden
0 Hinterland Harbor
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Sunpetal Grove
0 Wooded Bastion
0 Mystic Gate
0 Flooded Grove
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Flooded Strand
0 Windswept Heath
0 Island
0 Island
0 Island
0 Forest
0 Forest
0 Forest
0 Plains
0 Plains
0 Plains
Now that you've seen the deck - let's see the play:
This deck at first glance is going to hint of something ... controlly. That's the idea here. We want to control everything just enough so that we are the last man alive with the most spells available so that at the finish line we are going to dominate. The expression "nice guys finish last" tends to ring true in multiplayer EDH where if your not really scaring anyone, nobody really messes with you. Draw some cards and prepare to strike.
For the sake of this example I'm going to post the IDEAL playout of the deck, but as with any control style play the deck is extremely reactive. If you notice your opponents not doing crap early, rafiq has the ability to explode at anytime. I'm a big believer in going for it in those situations. Going on the example that your friends turned enemies because of a game have great decks and play out as such here is your game flow.
Let's break it down into phases:
PHASE 1: Ramp -
Ramp in the traditional form would mean mana accel but in this list, for the sake of argument let's call it card accell. You want to dig, keep options open to deal with early threats and get more mana and draw. This should get you through turn 4-5 nice and quiet, while maybe having to dig for that one early answer for your friend that's attempting to combo out already (jerk).
The obvious cards your hoping for are the Skyshroud Claim and the real early mana rocks. This way on turn 3-4 you can pump out a hand refiller type card that will resolve because your friends probably don't have a counter. This is where they lose the game (we hope).
PHASE 2: Stabilize -
This is where it starts to feel like a 60 card constructed control deck the only difference being you are trying to stabilize BY turn 5 in constructed. Usually in EDH the early plays aren't as strong so you can now begin to murder death kill, and mess with your opponents from here.
Looking here for good wrath effects as well as trying to tutor and land Privilaged Position. I really always need to back this up with counters. The concept is it's going to make everything else on my board very hard for them to deal with from that point forward naturally. If they never answer the card they are going to have a big rafiq like problem on their hands. If they do burn resources killing it and getting through your counter/magic and recursion, then from there you can probably race em out.
PHASE 3: Rafiq and win, or just win. -
At this point we are looking to land a bomb whether that's rafiq or another buddy like Wurmcoil Engine or Consecrated Sphinx. Also any of the bomby cards that take advantage of rafiq's doublestrike like Cephalid Constable attached with a sword or a Grafted Exoskeleton can get the job done here as well.
You want a clearish board. That's why stabilization is so important, and that part is where it gets lengthy. I find myself quite often in that step playing alot of these cards during the stabilization stage to play them as threats to kind of keep my opponent off balance. One he is out of cards, typically this is where i can accell the game out of control. I'm going to be able to out draw, and out damage anyone if i can get to that point. I guess the point of this phase in less your opponents pull out some major late game heroics, the victory should be hours at this point. As with all control decks the key the stabilization.
Standard - W/R Boros the Blade
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
3 Harmonic Sliver
3 Trygon Predator
3 Bant Charm
3 Detention Sphere
3 Oblivion Stone
5 Archon of Justice
5 Acidic Slime
6 Austere Command
Annoying Stuff - 4
2 Gilded Drake
3 Cephalid Constable
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
4 Venser, Shaper Savant
Recursion - 6
2 Regrowth
3 Eternal Witness
5 Reivallark
5 Karmic Guide
6 Sun Titan
0 Marshall's Anthem
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
4 Grafted Exoskeleton
7 Akroma's Memorial
7 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobyte
Toolboxes - 5
3 Mimic Vat
3 Crystal Shard
4 Birthing Pod
5 Venser, the Sojurner
6 Deadeye Navigator
Draw and Dig - 7
2 Elvish Visionary
3 Court Hussar
3 Sea Gate Oracle
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
4 Fact or Fiction
6 Consecrated Sphinx
0 Sphinx's Revelation
Tutor - 8
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
2 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Eladamri's Call
2 Survival of the Fittest
2 Fauna Shaman
9 Tooth 'N' Nail
0 Green Sun's Zenith
0 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Noble Hierarch
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Wood Elves
4 Solemn Similacrum
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
Other Utility and Bombs - 9
1 Serra Ascendant
2 Phantasmal Image
3 Kitchen Finks
3 Mirror Entity
4 Restoration Angel
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
5 Body Double
6 Wurmcoil Engine
7 Avenger of Zendikar
Some some things are important to note on this. I played a very similar list to this for a long time and loved it. I think it might be one of the most effective rafiq lists you can build, because every creature becomes dangerous when rafiq is used as just a 4 mana pump effect. Example T3 Kitchen Finks. I gain two life and play a failry small not scary creature. All good and fine. Next turn rafiq ... going for 8 damage on the finks. If you kill the rafiq he can come back easily. If you kill the finks it persits. No matter what you are still giving me the finks, and just wasted removal on crappy stuff because later i have heavy hitters coming.
This is the playstyle of the deck in a two turn example. You really are going to push the tempo up, and give your opponent the itch to try and answer your threats of violence. Then all the utility dudes that are refilling your hand, messing with their stuff, copying your other good stuff, and doing your dirty work are all a big problem.
Ideally much like the other rafiq this deck has 3 very simple phases, however, is MUCH less reactive. You only want to react if something they do is giong to definately lose you the game. That's when you try and pull out an answer. Until that time, keep playing dudes and turn them sideways. Here's the phases:
Phase1: The first threat -
Here you want to land 1 or 2 early pests that your opponent doesn't like. If you get a sword or an exoskeleton threaten that. If not sling the rafiq it doesn't matter. This should be putting pressure on them ON TURN 4 to remove the aforementioned threats from the game. And thus you can burn their turns trying to deal with your easy plays.
Phase 2: Draw/Ramp/Prepare to Launch -
Now that your opponent is trying to stabilize your trying to be the anti-stabilizer by playing your pesky creatures that are just painful enough for them to need answers. In the mean time, the mana base should be large enough to fill in some extra draw or ramp to prepare the way for your finishing moves to end the game.
Phase 3: Drop the Bomb on 'em -
Your pawns have done their job. They stood in the fire and did your dirty work and now it's time to pave the way for your bomb finish. This can be accomplished a # of ways. For this step you need to have saved a tutor or a way to get one back from the yard i.e. Eternal Witness triggers. Your tutor targets are dependant on what you have seen so far in the game but some notable ones would be Deadeye Naviagtor, or any missing piece of the Reivellark combo, or Tooth and Nail. The tooth is going to target a Elesh Norn and
Avenger of Zendikar combo. The navigator is really good if you have Venser Shaper Savant or an E-Witness/Draw Engine. The idea being that multiple triggers will severely destroy your opponents chances of success. The Reivellark combo is the most solid however and will win you the game if it's completed almost every time.
In between all this you may need to answer one or two things your opponent does and the deck has just enough answers that it can tutor up, or dig for that will get you to the promised land. No reason why you can't be one of the most dangerous players at your table with this deck.
This thread is 100% open for discussion. I'd love to see other multiplayer rafiq lists and see what's out there. Most of my tweaks have been me and my playgroup but we are hardcore EDH'ers. I'd love some outside opinions on maybe some cards i haven't touched on in the thread. I've probably talked with friends about most of the other viable cards for competitive bant, so I'm really curious to see what you've got!
Standard - W/R Boros the Blade
Let's Chat
Standard - W/R Boros the Blade
Modern Esper Midrange
EDH Jenara ETB
My Top EDH Decks:
GUWRafiq of the ManyWUG
UWBMerieke Ri BeritBWU
RWUZedruu the GreatheartedUWR
Either way it's a pretty awesome combo that can win the game in a matter of turns.
The issue I take with your combo is that Flash is typically very poor without Rector in a Rafiq-style deck. Likewise, Rector is not ideal in a typical Rafiq build, because it requires us to run enchantments, whereas Rafiq reeeeally wants to be doing work with equipment to avoid card disadvantage. Still, gotta lick your chops at the thought of pulling that off.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer