__________________________________________________________________________________________________
A friend of mine enjoys some of my stax builds, but was looking for a deck that his playgroup of folks new to the game would enjoy playing with and against. We'd discussed the concept of "group hug" and, after introducing them to Braids, Conjurer Adept, I brewed up a list for them. One concern we both had was winning with a hug deck. Something else we had to consider was their playgroup's love for "swingy" games, with the mighty falling and the meek rising in as little as a single turn.
Bearing all of these foundational ideas for the deck in mind, I came up with Higher Education. There are a few themes:
consequences for folks taking too much advantage of Braids' ability
cheap or free counters, a couple with a powerful "swing" factor
the ability to play the deck in a casual or aggressive environment
Higher Education can win — and does — via decking opponents or itself, or bouncing the board, but that's not the point. It was designed to teach new players how much fun Commander can be. That, and that sometimes one really can have too much of a good thing.
WOW. Simply amazing. I can't believe you took so much time to do this after our conversation last night! We are getting ready to host brunch in a few hours so I don't have time to try it out yet, but I couldn't wait to say THANK YOU for doing this. This looks AMAZING and I can't wait to play it later.
I should hold back more initially to avoid drawing hate. In a previous game I played Tezzeret the Seeker early which seemed to make one player target me for the entirety of the game.
I'm not sure how my group is going to like the infinite mana combo or losing to Enter the Infinite and friends. I'm OK with the latter, but inf. combo may be too much for the casual group.
The current list has 100 cards so I shaved an island so as to keep as true to the list you teed up as possible. But I'm sure something else should go since it's fairly land light already. Both games I had to mull to 6 despite fairly aggressive initial mulling.
I should hold back more initially to avoid drawing hate. In a previous game I played Tezzeret the Seeker early which seemed to make one player target me for the entirety of the game.
I'm not sure how my group is going to like the infinite mana combo or losing to Enter the Infinite and friends. I'm OK with the latter, but inf. combo may be too much for the casual group.
The current list has 100 cards so I shaved an island so as to keep as true to the list you teed up as possible. But I'm sure something else should go since it's fairly land light already. Both games I had to mull to 6 despite fairly aggressive initial mulling.
Congrats on your first win with the deck! I forgot I cut Fascination. PUT THE ISLAND BACK IN!!! Mulling to six with this deck is normal. As a rule, if I draw anything that costs 4 or more in my opening hand, I get rid of it unless I have the mana in hand to cast it (or just one shy). For example, in the game where I cast both Teferi and Tamiyo on turn 3, my opening hand included two Islands, Sol Ring, and Chalice.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
HIGHER EDUCATION: THE CLASS OF 3020
- STARRING BRAIDS, CONJURER ADEPT -
A friend of mine enjoys some of my stax builds, but was looking for a deck that his playgroup of folks new to the game would enjoy playing with and against. We'd discussed the concept of "group hug" and, after introducing them to Braids, Conjurer Adept, I brewed up a list for them. One concern we both had was winning with a hug deck. Something else we had to consider was their playgroup's love for "swingy" games, with the mighty falling and the meek rising in as little as a single turn.
Bearing all of these foundational ideas for the deck in mind, I came up with Higher Education. There are a few themes:
Higher Education can win — and does — via decking opponents or itself, or bouncing the board, but that's not the point. It was designed to teach new players how much fun Commander can be. That, and that sometimes one really can have too much of a good thing.
1x Braids, Conjurer Adept
I JUST WANT TO FORGET
THAT HIGH SCHOOL
EVER HAPPENED
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Tormod's Crypt
ACADEMIA
1x Ivory Tower
PUBLISH, NOT PERISH
1x Venser's Journal
ENROLLMENT IS HIGHLY
COMPETITIVE HERE
1x Portcullis
CAMPUS SECURITY
HAS REALLY IMPROVED!
1x Crawlspace
THE PRINCIPAL
1x Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
THE FACULTY
1x Jace, Memory Adept
1x Karn Liberated
1x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1x Teferi, Temporal Archmage
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
THE CLASS OF 3020
1x Archaeomancer
1x Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1x Azure Mage
1x Laboratory Maniac
1x Magus of the Future
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Trinket Mage
THE GHOSTS OF
MCKINLEY HALL
1x Deadeye Navigator
1x Ixidron
1x Palinchron
1x Phantasmal Image
I REALLY THINK IT'S
TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE
A VACATION
1x Ætherize
1x Capsize
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Evacuation
1x Hurkyl's Recall
1x Into the Roil
MIGHT REALLY CHANGE YOU
1x Reality Shift
1x Curse of the Swine
THEY WERE NEVER
QUITE THE SAME AFTER
THAT SEMESTER ABROAD
1x Reweave
MIND IF I COPY
YOUR NOTES? COOL,
CAN I PUBLISH YOUR
RESEARCH AS MINE, TOO?
1x Commandeer
1x Desertion
TRY HARDER NEXT TIME
1x Counterspell
1x Negate
1x Swan Song
1x Arcane Denial
1x Spell Crumple
1x Dissipate
1x Foil
1x Mindbreak Trap
PRIVATE TUTOR
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Fabricate
LOOK, NO ONE'S FORCING
YOU TO LEARN ANYTHING!
OH, WAIT… NEVER MIND
1x Forced Fruition
YEAH, I WAS WALKING IN
THE STACKS WHEN ALL
THE BOOKS FELL DOWN
AND GAVE ME A CONCUSSION
1x Crumbling Sanctuary
STUDY GROUP
1x Intellectual Offering
1x Skyscribing
LATE-NIGHT CRAM SESSION
1x Enter the Infinite
ALL THAT STUDYING
FINALLY PAID OFF!
1x Omniscience
HAVEN'T WE COVERED
THIS MATERIAL ALREADY?
1x Crucible of Worlds
FLASH CARD REVIEW
1x Rings of Brighthearth
THE IT DEPARTMENT'S
MANY GADGETS
1x Clock of Omens
1x Coalition Relic
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Grim Monolith
1x Mana Vault
1x Sapphire Medallion
1x Sol Ring
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Worn Powerstone
1x Academy Ruins
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Buried Ruin
1x Flooded Strand
1x High Market
24x Island
1x Maze of Ith
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Strip Mine
By Card Type
1x Braids, Conjurer Adept
Enchantment (2)
1x Forced Fruition
1x Omniscience
Instant (20)
1x Ætherize
1x Arcane Denial
1x Capsize
1x Commandeer
1x Counterspell
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Desertion
1x Dissipate
1x Evacuation
1x Foil
1x Hurkyl's Recall
1x Intellectual Offering
1x Into the Roil
1x Mindbreak Trap
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Negate
1x Reality Shift
1x Reweave
1x Spell Crumple
1x Swan Song
Sorcery (4)
1x Curse of the Swine
1x Enter the Infinite
1x Fabricate
1x Skyscribing
1x Clock of Omens
1x Coalition Relic
1x Crawlspace
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Crumbling Sanctuary
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Grim Monolith
1x Ivory Tower
1x Mana Vault
1x Portcullis
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Rings of Brighthearth
1x Sapphire Medallion
1x Sol Ring
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Tormod's Crypt
1x Venser's Journal
1x Worn Powerstone
Planeswalker (5)
1x Jace, Memory Adept
1x Karn Liberated
1x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1x Teferi, Temporal Archmage
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
1x Archaeomancer
1x Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1x Azure Mage
1x Deadeye Navigator
1x Ixidron
1x Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1x Laboratory Maniac
1x Magus of the Future
1x Palinchron
1x Phantasmal Image
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Trinket Mage
Land (36)
1x Academy Ruins
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Buried Ruin
1x Flooded Strand
1x High Market
24x Island
1x Maze of Ith
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Strip Mine
Change Log
ADDED
REMOVED
Thank you so much!
But, that didn't stop me from an infinite mana-fueled mass-Capsize bouncefest for the win.
Another great feeling: Commandeering someone's Ancestral Vision for "free."
Thoughts: