Red Tape - n obstructive official routine or procedure; time-consuming bureaucracy
Since this is such a fun part of life, I thought I'd bring a little bit of it to EDH. The deck is supposed to play similarly to a Stax deck, but is never actually supposed to lock the opponents out of the game. I want to run just enough removal and counters to force things through when I need to, but other than that, I want opponents to play what they want. I want to make it just hard enough to give them hope to keep playing, but make it brutally painful to get there. The only way for me to fairly win then would be through a card that supports this bureaucracy; Azor's Elocutors.
Obviously the decks not done, so I need some help. Am I missing any cards that put limitations on when and what actions players can take, or did I get the majority of them? Again, I want them to be able to resolve a boardwipe and free themselves, I just want to make it obnoxious to do so. I'm not looking for friends with this deck, so tell me what I could add to grind your gears. Additionally, I don't really want to add very many dig cards or tutors. I'm not trying to combo lock players out every game, I just want to punish players if they ignore my boardstate. I also need help on the mana base. Because of the limitations on what gets untapped, I want to add lands that give me the most value when I want to use them. Finally, I want to add cards that help me navigate my own restrictions. Things like Gilded Lotus and Cloud Key, though I am trying to stay away from things with activated abilities.
Last thing, I have a few cards I'm considering but feel they might be too oppressive. I'd like to know your thoughts. I also want to know if anything I'm playing seems too oppressive and needs to be cut. Here are the cards I might add:
Again, I'm not trying to stop people from casting things completely, just trying to make it really hard. Thanks for any suggestions, critiques and comments. I'm looking forwards to your replies.
4 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Restrictions on Spells
2 Grand Abolisher
2 Mana Maze
2 Sphere of Resistance
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Thorn of Amethyst
3 Aura of Silence
3 Glowrider
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Squeeze
6 Feroz's Ban
7 Angelic Arbiter
Restrictions on Lands
2 Stasis
2 Winter Orb
3 Back to the Basics
4 Hokori, Dust Drinker
4 Rising Waters
5 Mist of Stagnation
1 Meekstone
2 Island Sanctuary
2 Juntu Stakes
2 Torpor Orb
3 Arena of the Ancients
3 Crackdown
3 Crawlspace
3 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Ghostly Prison
3 Hushwing Gryff
3 Propaganda
4 Aurification
4 Collective Restraint
4 Dissipation Field
4 Dream Tides
4 Embargo
4 Magus of the Moat
4 Marble Titan
4 Mystic Decree
4 Silent Arbiter
4 Windborn Muse
5 Norn's Annex
8 Stormtide Leviathan
9 Blazing Archon
2 Stony Silence
3 Solitary Confinement
4 Leyline of Sanctity
4 Teferi's Puzzle Box
Win Cons
5 Azor's Elocutors
Self Beneficial
3 Paradox Haze
Lands
0 Azorius Chancery
0 Icatian Store
0 Sand Silos
0 Temple of the False God
0 Urza's Tower
0 Urza's Power Plant
0 Urza's Mine
Obviously the decks not done, so I need some help. Am I missing any cards that put limitations on when and what actions players can take, or did I get the majority of them? Again, I want them to be able to resolve a boardwipe and free themselves, I just want to make it obnoxious to do so. I'm not looking for friends with this deck, so tell me what I could add to grind your gears. Additionally, I don't really want to add very many dig cards or tutors. I'm not trying to combo lock players out every game, I just want to punish players if they ignore my boardstate. I also need help on the mana base. Because of the limitations on what gets untapped, I want to add lands that give me the most value when I want to use them. Finally, I want to add cards that help me navigate my own restrictions. Things like Gilded Lotus and Cloud Key, though I am trying to stay away from things with activated abilities.
Last thing, I have a few cards I'm considering but feel they might be too oppressive. I'd like to know your thoughts. I also want to know if anything I'm playing seems too oppressive and needs to be cut. Here are the cards I might add:
Again, I'm not trying to stop people from casting things completely, just trying to make it really hard. Thanks for any suggestions, critiques and comments. I'm looking forwards to your replies.
i would add Shimmer and War Tax...
Hakim, Loreweaver
Autumn Willow
Yomiji, Who Bars the Way
Hanna, Ship's Navigator
Chromium
Skyfire Kirin