Thanks for the update. I run Salvaging Station in my deck, and am looking forward to adding Universal Solvent to my list.
Haha, I knew there was a card I forgot. I think I glanced over it because it was a common. Universal Solvent is another really cool card to come out of this set and I could see running it in my list honestly. Its arguably worse in a lot of situations than Brittle Effigy but has its upsides as well. I might try to find a way to run both yet! Thanks for reminding me of that card.
Its arguably worse in a lot of situations than Brittle Effigy but has its upsides as well. I might try to find a way to run both yet! Thanks for reminding me of that card.
It's worse if you use it once, obviously, but I intend to use it many times.
Hey guys - recently built Barrin myself, basically made the "stock" list posted in the primer, though I play extra planar lens in place of timetwister (too $$ for me :)) I'm not sure if this is the correct cut though, as the primer says I should play enter the infinite as a closer. Thoughts on the cut?
Does anyone have an updated list? Anything exciting from the new set worth considering? I'm still learning how to pilot this deck, all tips and tricks are welcome!
Hey guys - recently built Barrin myself, basically made the "stock" list posted in the primer, though I play extra planar lens in place of timetwister (too $$ for me :)) I'm not sure if this is the correct cut though, as the primer says I should play enter the infinite as a closer. Thoughts on the cut?
Does anyone have an updated list? Anything exciting from the new set worth considering? I'm still learning how to pilot this deck, all tips and tricks are welcome!
Thanks!
Sorry for late reply, but I'm going to be doing a review for some of the newer cards in the set. I think Commit // Memory is a good substitute for Timetwister right now from the new set but Extraplanar Lens is really great too. Just pop any other questions you've got and I can offer some suggestions.
Would commit//memory be better than diminishing returns (haven't figured out what to cut for another diminishing returns type effect yet)? I'm specifically looking to tune my deck a bit for my meta, but I'm not sure how to go about it. My meta is mostly infect, arcanis, 5c super friends, scion of the ur-dragon, baral, purphoros.
Also, what should I normally be copying with Phyrexian Metamorph & Clever Impersonater? Feels like I'm running out of gas a lot by mid-game, am I missing card draw? Or perhaps I'm not playing my cards right!
Would commit//memory be better than diminishing returns (haven't figured out what to cut for another diminishing returns type effect yet)? I'm specifically looking to tune my deck a bit for my meta, but I'm not sure how to go about it. My meta is mostly infect, arcanis, 5c super friends, scion of the ur-dragon, baral, purphoros.
Also, what should I normally be copying with Phyrexian Metamorph & Clever Impersonater? Feels like I'm running out of gas a lot by mid-game, am I missing card draw? Or perhaps I'm not playing my cards right!
Here's my decklist
Thanks again for the help - looking forward to your set review!
I'm iffy about Diminishing Returns as it has a chance to exile your eldrazi titans which neuters the decks win potential pretty hard. Although it lacks the graveyard hate/reshuffle into your graveyard without an eldrazi titan, Windfall I don't think is a bad substitute for a good hand filler effect. Mystic Remora is a card I was running for a while too to help smooth over draw but believe I am cutting for As Foretold.
I'm not sure where if ever I mentioned Enter the Infinite but I've never actually run that card in this list and you can probably cut that for something like Windfall.
As far as the clones I usually always try to copy some form of Sol Ring or Solemn Simulacrum type effects to help ramp out quickly and if possible net a early game Blatant Thievery off fast mana like Mana Crypt and grab a few lands.
Going to be updating the Original Post here soon too but Drownyard Temple is a card I've overlooked which is a decent 5 bounce interaction with Barrin.
I'm not sure I will be running Commit // Memory simply because I can't activate the draw side of it on command although the counterspell aspect of it is very powerful too and helps the deck with problem permanents like enchantments or artifacts which can't normally be address very easily.
Otherwise the deck is really sensitive to being familiar with how to pilot it. Subtle things like Bribery for extra draw/ramp when you're behind in those areas or using Intuition effectively. I like to grab Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Ancient Tomb sometimes if I'm hoping to ramp early. Also using Barrin when appropriate to bounce and recast things that can net you value like Archaeomancer or when mana is available either of the Kozileks which I feel is mostly how I refill my hands.
Thanks for the input - yeah I really need to learn how to pilot the deck better!
Regarding Enter the Infinite - it was a suggestion in your OP under the Sorceries section. It was noted that it's good if I don't have a timetwister, but I think I'd like to try an As Foretold + Windfall as well. Given that my deck doesn't have the same punch as a version with timetwister, do you think it's correct to play Enter The Infinite? It does feel kind of dead in the hand a lot, and it makes me always want to play/search for Extraplanar lens. I also found that the lens is quite vulnerable to bounce/removal, often getting 2-1'd on my end
I'm not too sure on commit//memory either for the same reason as you listed.
Wanted to ask about the new WOTC supported banlist and how it affects our deck building decisions here - does the elimination of fast mana + mana drain call for us to dramatically shift the build since all of our end game wincons are pretty mana intensive? Do we simply change to the budget versions of fast mana rocks?
Yeah its something that I will have to take into consideration. . . I think there may be ways around it, such as sticking with things like Extraplanar Lens and tutoring for it with Tezzeret the Seeker and things of that sort. My playgroup is considering whether or not to adhere to the new banlist update but I will likely be making a list that conforms to the new rules and playtestig with that but this does impact the deck pretty significantly.
Yeah its something that I will have to take into consideration. . . I think there may be ways around it, such as sticking with things like Extraplanar Lens and tutoring for it with Tezzeret the Seeker and things of that sort. My playgroup is considering whether or not to adhere to the new banlist update but I will likely be making a list that conforms to the new rules and playtestig with that but this does impact the deck pretty significantly.
The "new" banlist ONLY applies to MTGO and is not supported by the RC nor is it even intended for paper play.
Alright awesome, glad to hear. I might make a MTGO-Online specific list then for players there but I'm sure thankful that some of the core cards for this and my other lists are safe. Should be done with the Amonkhet review here shortly as well for those following the thread!!
As Foretold - Very promising enchantment that lets you cast counterspells for free giiven a turn or two to get going. Likely going to be cutting Mystic Remora for the playtest here.
Censor - Interesting counterspell and the cycling bit is good. I like this card more for 1 v 1 formats however so if you're running MTGO online this might not be a bad sub for Mana Drain. As is however, its too weak for a slot in the multiplayer list.
Commit // Memory - This is another really promising card that does two things we love in this deck. Counter/Bounce like Venser, Shaper Savant as well as Timetwister. Unfortunately being unable to choose when to use the second mode and forced to have it in the yard first makes me hesistant to use, and at 4cmc for the counter spell side, I'm not willing to make any cuts just yet for it. Maybe Surveyor's Scope as thats been the most iffy card I've drawn into most games . . .
Curator of Mysteries - Interesting finisher for 1 v 1 games but not really too overwhelming in multiplayer formats. I'd stick to running this in standard but not too enthusiastic about it for EDH.
Edifice of Authority - This is a cool artifact that I could see being powerful as a Maze of Ith variant. Although Vedalken Shackles currently maintains the slot I would normally put this card, there could be a chance this might see play someday in here. Although for the time being I think its a bit clunky to cut something for at this time.
Glyph Keeper - Another interesting sphinx comparable to Curator of Mysteries. Likely won't see play here for the same reasons.
Kefnet the Mindful - This guy is a bit underwhelming for what he does and strikes me as an overglorified Azure Mage. Maybe strong in 1 v 1 with the 5/5 flyer for 2U stats but I would rather run a lot of other cards before this guy honestly.
Kefnet's Monument - Since most of our high cost creatures are colorless this card isn't as great a pick and the second ability that keeps a creature from untapping isn't potent enough to warrent cutting anything for this card especially with running as few creatures as we do.
Lay Claim - This is kind of a cool mind control effect that could be worth running honestly. Although at 7CMC I think Blatant Thievery fulfills its role just fine.
Luxa River Shrine - This amount of slow lifegain seems more relevant in other formats like limited but isn't really worth a slot for EDH I would say.
New Perspectives - Pretty weak "draw" three with not much else of a payoff given the lack of cycling costs in the deck. So its a no-go for us.
Open into Wonder - This is a somewhat neat card that I think is more viable in a creature/token heavy build and not so much for the "draw-go" style we seek to mainting with our main build here but I'd be interested to see this playout in a list that supports it.
Oracle's Vault - This card could be a powerhouse in this deck although I worry it will just eat removal before reaching three brick counters. Also exiling Eldrazi titans before you have enough mana to cast them can be detrimental to the deck's longevity and win capacity. Maybe worth playtesting but I think it just isn't the right call for the main list.
Pull from Tomorrow - Really powerful Stroke of Genius variant. May want to find a slot for something like this honestly. Again Surveyor's Scope is the most likely candidtate for the chopping block right now so may playtest with Pull from Tomorrow if the draw power seems lacking which sometimes it often does. Also the flavor of time magic comes through in this card which is always a plus.
Pyramid of the Pantheon - Interesting Trinket Mage target. The fact that its a 7Gilded Lotus essentially however seems a bit of a turn-off. Looks decent in builds that can captialize on its curve or that need to fix their mana for multicolor effects but I think its a bit clunky for this build.
Scribe of the Mindful - Really like this as a Archaeomancer variant for decks that run Torpor Orb and reanimation, however since Barrin is able to abuse ETB effects, Archaeomancer is here to stay and this card won't be making the cut anytime soon, though I do like it.
Throne of the God-Pharoah - Strong card for aggressive token strategies but not right for draw-go control.
Trial of Knowledge - Weak draw especially given the lack of Cartouches so its a no-go.
Vizier of Many Faces - Cool clone effect and the "flashback" capacity is strong too but I think this card shines more in reanmiator and graveyard abuse decks than it does here. As is Phyrexian Metamorph and Clever Impersonator just offer more flexibility and so leave no room for the Vizier atm.
Sweet - thanks for the review! How has your testing with As Foretold been so far? It's seemed a bit too slow in the games I've tested it in thus far, but the potential for free counterspells after 3-4 turns seems quite strong, but maybe the impact isn't immediate enough for it to be worth the slot? I've also cut surveyor's scope for pull from tomorrow - seems good so far!
I've found that Extraplanar lens can be a bit clunky, but the payoff could be huge. I've been thinking of dropping it in place of either chrome mox or mox diamond. I find that most games, I want to ramp as fast as possible into omniscience for the win, or I need to hold up a ridiculous amount of mana to drop an Eldrazi titan + extra turn taking + counterspell backup before I'm able to "go off".
I think if I'm going this route, I probably want to jam as many mana rocks as possible, perhaps ditch extraplanar lens for hightide?
Also, our curve is pretty high, but does anyone else feel like the land count is quite high sometimes? Thoughts on cutting lands for the moxes?
Extraplanar Lens I ran for a long time and usually would try to power it out with Tezzeret early on. After sometime I think I just stopped having enough blue sources in favor of some of the many colorless utility lands like Ancient Tomb and Eye of Ugin to get the kind of consistency out of it that I needed. Though its a really fine card if your list supports it as mine once did and I'd recommend it certainly. The ponder, preordain, cards are OK but not really enough IMO and the Moxen again I had difficulty drawing into enough blue cards fro Chrome Mox, especially ones I'd want to exile, and/or enough lands to warrant Mox Diamond.
As for an Ixalan update I'll try to get a formal review up soon but here are the changes being made:
These are tentative and need play testing first but I think the card filtering and extra counter/ramp from the new Ixaland cards will help support the deck a lot!
Extraplanar Lens I ran for a long time and usually would try to power it out with Tezzeret early on. After sometime I think I just stopped having enough blue sources in favor of some of the many colorless utility lands like Ancient Tomb and Eye of Ugin to get the kind of consistency out of it that I needed. Though its a really fine card if your list supports it as mine once did and I'd recommend it certainly. The ponder, preordain, cards are OK but not really enough IMO and the Moxen again I had difficulty drawing into enough blue cards fro Chrome Mox, especially ones I'd want to exile, and/or enough lands to warrant Mox Diamond.
As for an Ixalan update I'll try to get a formal review up soon but here are the changes being made:
These are tentative and need play testing first but I think the card filtering and extra counter/ramp from the new Ixaland cards will help support the deck a lot!
Would you say Barrin is more competitive? My list for Jhoira is pretty tight and very very reliable in terms of win rate (My meta features Narset Turns, Razaketh Storm, Oloro Stax etc). This thread got me curious as to whether Barrin is the next step in terms of competitiveness, a side grade, or a down grade - I can't tell!
Extraplanar Lens I ran for a long time and usually would try to power it out with Tezzeret early on. After sometime I think I just stopped having enough blue sources in favor of some of the many colorless utility lands like Ancient Tomb and Eye of Ugin to get the kind of consistency out of it that I needed. Though its a really fine card if your list supports it as mine once did and I'd recommend it certainly. The ponder, preordain, cards are OK but not really enough IMO and the Moxen again I had difficulty drawing into enough blue cards fro Chrome Mox, especially ones I'd want to exile, and/or enough lands to warrant Mox Diamond.
As for an Ixalan update I'll try to get a formal review up soon but here are the changes being made:
These are tentative and need play testing first but I think the card filtering and extra counter/ramp from the new Ixaland cards will help support the deck a lot!
Would you say Barrin is more competitive? My list for Jhoira is pretty tight and very very reliable in terms of win rate (My meta features Narset Turns, Razaketh Storm, Oloro Stax etc). This thread got me curious as to whether Barrin is the next step in terms of competitiveness, a side grade, or a down grade - I can't tell!
Its tough to say. Jhoira is definitively able to cheat out the major Eldrazi threats much quicker than Barrin and I've never piloted her so I have no experience to make that judgement call thought she seems more competitive. Barrin does offer some reliable means of removal from the command zone however which really does offer lots of support against enemy generals and I just like playing him because when I first began using him he was very underused as a general. The thing with my current list is it relies pretty heavily on cards like Mana Crypt, Vault, and Timetwister for instance so I would maybe playtest the deck on Cockatrice to see where you're at competitively between the two though. I might goldfish your list in Cockatrice sometime and let you know how I feel about the two after a brief comparison.
I like the card and think its a fine alternative to some of the more expensive cards, however its a bit above the curve in terms of either running Blatant Thievery or Time Warp variants which allow you more control over what happens as opposed to opponents offering up the decision for you. That being said I could perhaps see it as being a card worth playtesting as it is quite powerful of an effect. How have your experiences with it been?
Haha, I knew there was a card I forgot. I think I glanced over it because it was a common. Universal Solvent is another really cool card to come out of this set and I could see running it in my list honestly. Its arguably worse in a lot of situations than Brittle Effigy but has its upsides as well. I might try to find a way to run both yet! Thanks for reminding me of that card.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
It's worse if you use it once, obviously, but I intend to use it many times.
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged
Does anyone have an updated list? Anything exciting from the new set worth considering? I'm still learning how to pilot this deck, all tips and tricks are welcome!
Thanks!
Sorry for late reply, but I'm going to be doing a review for some of the newer cards in the set. I think Commit // Memory is a good substitute for Timetwister right now from the new set but Extraplanar Lens is really great too. Just pop any other questions you've got and I can offer some suggestions.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Would commit//memory be better than diminishing returns (haven't figured out what to cut for another diminishing returns type effect yet)? I'm specifically looking to tune my deck a bit for my meta, but I'm not sure how to go about it. My meta is mostly infect, arcanis, 5c super friends, scion of the ur-dragon, baral, purphoros.
Also, what should I normally be copying with Phyrexian Metamorph & Clever Impersonater? Feels like I'm running out of gas a lot by mid-game, am I missing card draw? Or perhaps I'm not playing my cards right!
Here's my decklist
1 Barrin, Master Wizard
CREATURES
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Gilded Drake
1 Trinket Mage
1 Archaeomancer
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Clever Impersonator
1 Ixidron
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Conduit of Ruin
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
PLANESWALKERS
1 Jace Beleren
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
INSTANTS
1 Pact of Negation
1 Brainstorm
1 Pongify
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Remand
1 Unsubstantiate
1 Arcane Denial
1 Mana Drain
1 Counterspell
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Intuition
1 Disallow
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Cryptic Command
1 Force of Will
1 Mystic Confluence
1 Rhystic Study
1 Omniscience
SORCERIES
1 Rite of Replication
1 Bribery
1 Temporal Manipulation
1 Time Warp
1 Time Reversal
1 Time Spiral
1 Spelltwine
1 Blatant Thievery
1 All Is Dust
1 Enter the Infinite
1 Walk the Aeons
ARTIFACTS
1 Mox Opal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Brittle Effigy
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Sol Ring
1 Chromatic Star
1 Mana Vault
1 Surveyor's Scope
1 Prophetic Prism
1 Grim Monolith
1 Ichor Wellspring
1 Mycosynth Wellspring
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Arcane Lighthouse
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Flooded Strand
1 Eldrazi Temple
1 Eye of Ugin
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
21 Snow-Covered Island
1 Strip Mine
1 Terrain Generator
1 Blighted Cataract
1 Crystal Vein
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
1 Academy Ruins
Thanks again for the help - looking forward to your set review!
I'm iffy about Diminishing Returns as it has a chance to exile your eldrazi titans which neuters the decks win potential pretty hard. Although it lacks the graveyard hate/reshuffle into your graveyard without an eldrazi titan, Windfall I don't think is a bad substitute for a good hand filler effect. Mystic Remora is a card I was running for a while too to help smooth over draw but believe I am cutting for As Foretold.
I'm not sure where if ever I mentioned Enter the Infinite but I've never actually run that card in this list and you can probably cut that for something like Windfall.
As far as the clones I usually always try to copy some form of Sol Ring or Solemn Simulacrum type effects to help ramp out quickly and if possible net a early game Blatant Thievery off fast mana like Mana Crypt and grab a few lands.
Going to be updating the Original Post here soon too but Drownyard Temple is a card I've overlooked which is a decent 5 bounce interaction with Barrin.
I'm not sure I will be running Commit // Memory simply because I can't activate the draw side of it on command although the counterspell aspect of it is very powerful too and helps the deck with problem permanents like enchantments or artifacts which can't normally be address very easily.
Otherwise the deck is really sensitive to being familiar with how to pilot it. Subtle things like Bribery for extra draw/ramp when you're behind in those areas or using Intuition effectively. I like to grab Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Ancient Tomb sometimes if I'm hoping to ramp early. Also using Barrin when appropriate to bounce and recast things that can net you value like Archaeomancer or when mana is available either of the Kozileks which I feel is mostly how I refill my hands.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Thanks for the input - yeah I really need to learn how to pilot the deck better!
Regarding Enter the Infinite - it was a suggestion in your OP under the Sorceries section. It was noted that it's good if I don't have a timetwister, but I think I'd like to try an As Foretold + Windfall as well. Given that my deck doesn't have the same punch as a version with timetwister, do you think it's correct to play Enter The Infinite? It does feel kind of dead in the hand a lot, and it makes me always want to play/search for Extraplanar lens. I also found that the lens is quite vulnerable to bounce/removal, often getting 2-1'd on my end
I'm not too sure on commit//memory either for the same reason as you listed.
I look forward to your update!
Thoughts going forward?
Thanks!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
The "new" banlist ONLY applies to MTGO and is not supported by the RC nor is it even intended for paper play.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
As Foretold - Very promising enchantment that lets you cast counterspells for free giiven a turn or two to get going. Likely going to be cutting Mystic Remora for the playtest here.
Censor - Interesting counterspell and the cycling bit is good. I like this card more for 1 v 1 formats however so if you're running MTGO online this might not be a bad sub for Mana Drain. As is however, its too weak for a slot in the multiplayer list.
Commit // Memory - This is another really promising card that does two things we love in this deck. Counter/Bounce like Venser, Shaper Savant as well as Timetwister. Unfortunately being unable to choose when to use the second mode and forced to have it in the yard first makes me hesistant to use, and at 4cmc for the counter spell side, I'm not willing to make any cuts just yet for it. Maybe Surveyor's Scope as thats been the most iffy card I've drawn into most games . . .
Curator of Mysteries - Interesting finisher for 1 v 1 games but not really too overwhelming in multiplayer formats. I'd stick to running this in standard but not too enthusiastic about it for EDH.
Drake Haven - Cool card for Talrand, the Sky Summoner decks but not too much synergy with our build so its a no-go for us.
Edifice of Authority - This is a cool artifact that I could see being powerful as a Maze of Ith variant. Although Vedalken Shackles currently maintains the slot I would normally put this card, there could be a chance this might see play someday in here. Although for the time being I think its a bit clunky to cut something for at this time.
Glyph Keeper - Another interesting sphinx comparable to Curator of Mysteries. Likely won't see play here for the same reasons.
Kefnet the Mindful - This guy is a bit underwhelming for what he does and strikes me as an overglorified Azure Mage. Maybe strong in 1 v 1 with the 5/5 flyer for 2U stats but I would rather run a lot of other cards before this guy honestly.
Kefnet's Monument - Since most of our high cost creatures are colorless this card isn't as great a pick and the second ability that keeps a creature from untapping isn't potent enough to warrent cutting anything for this card especially with running as few creatures as we do.
Lay Claim - This is kind of a cool mind control effect that could be worth running honestly. Although at 7CMC I think Blatant Thievery fulfills its role just fine.
Luxa River Shrine - This amount of slow lifegain seems more relevant in other formats like limited but isn't really worth a slot for EDH I would say.
New Perspectives - Pretty weak "draw" three with not much else of a payoff given the lack of cycling costs in the deck. So its a no-go for us.
Open into Wonder - This is a somewhat neat card that I think is more viable in a creature/token heavy build and not so much for the "draw-go" style we seek to mainting with our main build here but I'd be interested to see this playout in a list that supports it.
Oracle's Vault - This card could be a powerhouse in this deck although I worry it will just eat removal before reaching three brick counters. Also exiling Eldrazi titans before you have enough mana to cast them can be detrimental to the deck's longevity and win capacity. Maybe worth playtesting but I think it just isn't the right call for the main list.
Pull from Tomorrow - Really powerful Stroke of Genius variant. May want to find a slot for something like this honestly. Again Surveyor's Scope is the most likely candidtate for the chopping block right now so may playtest with Pull from Tomorrow if the draw power seems lacking which sometimes it often does. Also the flavor of time magic comes through in this card which is always a plus.
Pyramid of the Pantheon - Interesting Trinket Mage target. The fact that its a 7 Gilded Lotus essentially however seems a bit of a turn-off. Looks decent in builds that can captialize on its curve or that need to fix their mana for multicolor effects but I think its a bit clunky for this build.
Scribe of the Mindful - Really like this as a Archaeomancer variant for decks that run Torpor Orb and reanimation, however since Barrin is able to abuse ETB effects, Archaeomancer is here to stay and this card won't be making the cut anytime soon, though I do like it.
Throne of the God-Pharoah - Strong card for aggressive token strategies but not right for draw-go control.
Trial of Knowledge - Weak draw especially given the lack of Cartouches so its a no-go.
Vizier of Many Faces - Cool clone effect and the "flashback" capacity is strong too but I think this card shines more in reanmiator and graveyard abuse decks than it does here. As is Phyrexian Metamorph and Clever Impersonator just offer more flexibility and so leave no room for the Vizier atm.
Vizier of Tumbling Sands - Slow and clunky ramp of sorts. Not worth any cuts IMO.
Watchers of the Dead - Seems powerful for graveyard hate but if that was a problem I would rather run Tormod's Crypt again or Relic of Progenitus althought the deck usually can handle gravehate through Timetwister and friends.
- Mystic Remora
+ As Foretold
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
I've been continually tuning my list, and was wondering if anyone has found room for ponder, preordain, chrome mox, and mox diamond.
I've found that Extraplanar lens can be a bit clunky, but the payoff could be huge. I've been thinking of dropping it in place of either chrome mox or mox diamond. I find that most games, I want to ramp as fast as possible into omniscience for the win, or I need to hold up a ridiculous amount of mana to drop an Eldrazi titan + extra turn taking + counterspell backup before I'm able to "go off".
I think if I'm going this route, I probably want to jam as many mana rocks as possible, perhaps ditch extraplanar lens for hightide?
Also, our curve is pretty high, but does anyone else feel like the land count is quite high sometimes? Thoughts on cutting lands for the moxes?
As for an Ixalan update I'll try to get a formal review up soon but here are the changes being made:
- Prophetic Prism
- Surveyor's Scope
+ Search for Azcanta
+ Spell Swindle
These are tentative and need play testing first but I think the card filtering and extra counter/ramp from the new Ixaland cards will help support the deck a lot!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
I'm thinking of converting my Jhoira list to Barrin: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/782917-jhoira-of-the-salt-train
Would you say Barrin is more competitive? My list for Jhoira is pretty tight and very very reliable in terms of win rate (My meta features Narset Turns, Razaketh Storm, Oloro Stax etc). This thread got me curious as to whether Barrin is the next step in terms of competitiveness, a side grade, or a down grade - I can't tell!
Modern:R 8Whack R|W White Knights W
Its tough to say. Jhoira is definitively able to cheat out the major Eldrazi threats much quicker than Barrin and I've never piloted her so I have no experience to make that judgement call thought she seems more competitive. Barrin does offer some reliable means of removal from the command zone however which really does offer lots of support against enemy generals and I just like playing him because when I first began using him he was very underused as a general. The thing with my current list is it relies pretty heavily on cards like Mana Crypt, Vault, and Timetwister for instance so I would maybe playtest the deck on Cockatrice to see where you're at competitively between the two though. I might goldfish your list in Cockatrice sometime and let you know how I feel about the two after a brief comparison.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
I like the card and think its a fine alternative to some of the more expensive cards, however its a bit above the curve in terms of either running Blatant Thievery or Time Warp variants which allow you more control over what happens as opposed to opponents offering up the decision for you. That being said I could perhaps see it as being a card worth playtesting as it is quite powerful of an effect. How have your experiences with it been?
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.