Do you like maths? Don't kid yourself, no one actually likes math. But it is pretty fun to confuse the table with complicated combos exploiting duplication cards like Doubling Season and Parallel Lives. Originally this deck sported Ulasht, the Hate Seed as the general, which combos nicely with fun cards like Cauldron of Souls and supports mass token spam. Recently, I switched Riku into the prime position and I have not been displeased with the result. Maths!
This looks really fun! I've been thinking about building a hyrdra themed deck and maybe Riku is the commander I've been looking for... Can you explain how this deck typically plays?
Also, I don't understand how Cauldron of Souls works with Doubling Season. Am I missing something, or does that just not come up a lot?
Cauldron of Souls is a residue from a hilarious combo with Ulasht, the Hate Seed, in which you can create an increasingly massive general by removing counters for tokens. Ulasht dies when you remove all of its +1/+1 counters, and returns with wither that is negated by its new +1/+1 counters. Rinse and repeat for a giant general and lots of tokens.
In this deck, the mere fact that most of the creatures in the deck enter play with +1/+1 counters (including all your tokens if you have Master Biomancer out) means that Cauldron of Souls can repetitively save your army from board wipes. It's not that it works with Doubling Season, it's that it works with any creatures with +1/+1 counters.
Like many other Riku decks I've seen, this one has a slow early game. The first few turns are spent assembling token factories, and throwing out the odd unthreatening token. It is around turn 5-6 that the deck ramps up, and once it gets going it grows exponentially. It wins from explosive board presence, overwhelming opponents. It's the kind of deck that they will quickly learn needs to be dealt with early before it gets going. It also tends to recover from board wipes much quicker than other decks, regaining the advantage. It is neutered primarily by turbo-fog and pillowfort.
pucatrade
big receipts
alpha mox emerald
beta time walk
4 goyfs received
3 liliana of the veil
4 karn liberated
3 force of will
4 grove of the burnwillows
snapcaster mage
3 horizon canopy
2 full art damnation
Riku works great as a spellcaster, but this is not that deck. Including too many subthemes often hinders more than it helps. From my experience with the deck, I'm usually producing so many threats that I don't need to worry about damaging either their creatures, or their life total. When you're swinging with >100 9/9 Kraken Tokens from Reef Worm abuse, a copied X damage spell seems arbitrary.
Regarding Mogg Infestation and Goblin Offensive. They aren't bad cards, but I personally prefer static, repeatable token generators (e.g. Awakening Zone, Wolfcaller's Howl). If I went for more sorcery-based token generation, I'd need more spell recursion from graveyard to support it, and the whole deck would shift away from what I enjoy.
Funny you mention Wort, the Raidmother, because that is exactly the type of deck I've avoided building, Wort spell/token spam. Not a fan of Conspire.
Do you like maths? Don't kid yourself, no one actually likes math. But it is pretty fun to confuse the table with complicated combos exploiting duplication cards like Doubling Season and Parallel Lives. Originally this deck sported Ulasht, the Hate Seed as the general, which combos nicely with fun cards like Cauldron of Souls and supports mass token spam. Recently, I switched Riku into the prime position and I have not been displeased with the result. Maths!
5 Riku of Two Reflections
Creatures
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Dragonmaster Outcast
1 Scute Mob
2 Master of the Wild Hunt
3 Primordial Hydra
3 Feldon of the Third Path
4 Rakka Mar
4 Reef Worm
4 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Spike Weaver
4 Forgotten Ancient
4 Master Biomancer
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
5 Mycoloth
5 Acidic Slime
6 Pathbreaker Ibex
6 Progenitor Mimic
6 Greenwarden of Marasa
6 Dragon Broodmother
6 Vigor
7 Avenger of Zendikar
8 Utvara Hellkite
8 Craterhoof Behemoth
10 Desolation Twin
Planeswalkers
4 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
4 Kiora, Master of the Depths
4 Xenagos, the Reveler
5 Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
5 Sarkhan Unbroken
2 Evolutionary Leap
3 Song of Dryads
4 Elemental Mastery
3 Beastmaster Ascension
3 Paradox Haze
3 Temur Ascendancy
3 Awakening Zone
4 Flameshadow Conjuring
4 Wolfcaller's Howl
4 Tooth and Claw
4 Parallel Lives
5 Followed Footsteps
5 Primal Vigor
5 Doubling Season
5 Rite of the Raging Storm
6 Warstorm Surge
6 Mana Reflection
Artifacts
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
2 Sundial of the Infinite
2 Blade of Selves
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Coalition Relic
3 Mimic Vat
3 Druidic Satchel
4 Slate of Ancestry
5 Conjurer's Closet
Instants
2 Cyclonic Rift
3 Chaos Warp
3 Arachnogenesis
3 Beast Within
3 Voidslime
6 Mirror Match
2 Tempt with Vengeance
2 Sylvan Offering
4 Voidwalk
7 Boundless Realms
Lands
1 Command Tower
1 Temple of the False God
1 Meteor Crater
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Mosswort Bridge
1 Khalni Garden
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Kher Keep
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Frontier Bivouac
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Fire-lit Thicket
1 Copperline Gorge
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Blighted Woodland
4 Forest
4 Mountain
4 Island
Also, I don't understand how Cauldron of Souls works with Doubling Season. Am I missing something, or does that just not come up a lot?
In this deck, the mere fact that most of the creatures in the deck enter play with +1/+1 counters (including all your tokens if you have Master Biomancer out) means that Cauldron of Souls can repetitively save your army from board wipes. It's not that it works with Doubling Season, it's that it works with any creatures with +1/+1 counters.
Like many other Riku decks I've seen, this one has a slow early game. The first few turns are spent assembling token factories, and throwing out the odd unthreatening token. It is around turn 5-6 that the deck ramps up, and once it gets going it grows exponentially. It wins from explosive board presence, overwhelming opponents. It's the kind of deck that they will quickly learn needs to be dealt with early before it gets going. It also tends to recover from board wipes much quicker than other decks, regaining the advantage. It is neutered primarily by turbo-fog and pillowfort.
mogg infestation and goblin offensive and firecat blitz are good with Purphoros.
wort, the raidmother for extra copying
pucatrade
big receipts
alpha mox emerald
beta time walk
4 goyfs received
3 liliana of the veil
4 karn liberated
3 force of will
4 grove of the burnwillows
snapcaster mage
3 horizon canopy
2 full art damnation
Regarding Mogg Infestation and Goblin Offensive. They aren't bad cards, but I personally prefer static, repeatable token generators (e.g. Awakening Zone, Wolfcaller's Howl). If I went for more sorcery-based token generation, I'd need more spell recursion from graveyard to support it, and the whole deck would shift away from what I enjoy.
Funny you mention Wort, the Raidmother, because that is exactly the type of deck I've avoided building, Wort spell/token spam. Not a fan of Conspire.
Added Sundial of the Infinite to combo and increase the value of Rite of the Raging Storm, Blade of Selves, Mirror Match, and some older cards including Flameshadow Conjuring, Mimic Vat, Feldon of the Third Path, Elemental Mastery and Voidwalk.
Each have reasonable value alone, but Sundial of the Infinite makes them amazing.
Further feedback would be welcome!