For those unfamiliar with the 75% concept, it's based on a series of articles written for GatheringMagic.com where EDH decks are purposefully brewed at roughly 75% power level; that is to say, powerful but not necessarily back-breaking, often leaving out the overly expensive staples. My playgroup is very casual and passive, and I'd prefer something a little more synergistic rather than all the goodstuff builds I've been seeing on here.
Anafenza will be my first Tiny Leader deck, I've yet to play the build, so I would certainly appreciate comments from veteran TL players on how to optimize the curve, land count, playstyle, etc.
My 'mirror' was not playing by any sort of 75% rule, I'll tell you that much. Dark Confidant, ABUR duals, Zendifetches... I got trounced. In the idle time after my being thumped he looked through my deck to offer suggestions for improvement, and his suggestion was that I pull out the outlast / +1-synergy set and replace em with cards more individually competitive. I think my suggestion for myself is just to stop showing up at organized TL events unless I'm willing to start buying the over-$50 cards (which is to say, never - my most valuable card in deck was an under-$20 whitebordered Sylvan Library).
I did wind up winning a later round largely on the back of my +1-synergy set. Oona's Blackguard attacking with other creatures that have +1/+1 counters was helpful.
As for your deck, my only strong suggestion is to nuke Rally the Ancestors. Bad card is bad. Did you mean Return to the Ranks? Similar effect only it actually helps your deck's plan of creating an attacking army, and not just a blocking trick.
I ran a few more sweepers than you did. Toxic Deluge, Pernicious Deed, Crypt Rats, and Gaze of Granite maindeck, with Infest, Ratchet Bomb, and Golgari Charm in sideboard. Golgari Charm does a lot of nice lifting here - can wipe out all pesky 1-tougness creatures when that's needed, or can regenerate your entire army when you either face a mass destroy or damage effect, or want to save your dudes from your own such effect.
Interesting, thanks for the input! I guess some playtesting will need to be done, but I really like this build more than something running lots of expensive cards.
As for your deck, my only strong suggestion is to nuke Rally the Ancestors. Bad card is bad. Did you mean Return to the Ranks? Similar effect only it actually helps your deck's plan of creating an attacking army, and not just a blocking trick.
I looked at both Return to the Ranks and Immortal Servitude, but both seem to miss a sizeable chunk of my creatures. I guess Rally is best if I have a mass blink effect like Ghostway, but it was the only way to get all my creatures. I would guess that it'll be clearer after some testing, maybe Return to the Ranks will be better.
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"The sword blazed bright as he held it high, filling him with righteous might." - Book 4, Tome of Kor-Nevan
Militia's Pride gives you creatures on demand to put counters on for W.
Mobilization has been worth it just to give Anafenza Vigilance (not to mention all the other solders and soldier tokens that go well in this deck).
I've also been really liking Dimir Machinations, but I'm sure it's great in any black deck. It's an ok tutor, and also pretty great if you play it when your opponent is beginning to stall to exile anything good coming up and make their next draw worthless.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
Have you considered Curse of Predation in your 60? Also, @thatmarkguy, Bitterblossom is a good card and has great synergy with Oona's Blackguard. Though if you don't already have one, I don't think you should run out and buy one. I have a hard time justifying buying expensive cards myself.
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Quote from "SALAd aka Jack Power" »
|_0|\|65407 (There; now you're fully l33t)
CCL Winner- July '08, Aug '08 Sept '08, Oct '08 Survivor- CCS: Lost in Takenuma, CCS: Stranded In Tolaria
I don't always play Jank, but when I do, I play Saffronolive.
Anafenza will be my first Tiny Leader deck, I've yet to play the build, so I would certainly appreciate comments from veteran TL players on how to optimize the curve, land count, playstyle, etc.
3 Anafenza, the Foremost
Creature (19)
1 Cenn's Tactician
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1 Servant of the Scale
2 Ainok Bond-Kin
2 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
2 Avatar of the Resolute
2 Bramblewood Paragon
2 Fleecemane Lion
2 Primordial Hydra
2 Shinewend
3 Abzan Beastmaster
3 Abzan Falconer
3 Dauntless Escort
3 Gideon's Avenger
3 Masako the Humorless
3 Oak Street Innkeeper
3 Phantom Nantuko
3 Salt Road Quartermasters
3 Tuskguard Captain
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Dromoka's Command
2 Smother
3 Hindervines
3 Inspiring Call
3 Reap What Is Sown
Sorcery (2)
2 Kin-Tree Invocation
3 Immortal Servitude
Enchantment (4)
1 Hardened Scales
1 Retribution of the Ancients
3 Abzan Ascendancy
3 Aura Shards
Land (18)
3 Forest
3 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Command Tower
1 Gavony Township
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Llanowar Reborn
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Murmuring Bosk
1 Sandsteppe Citadel
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Temple Garden
1 Windswept Heath
1 Woodland Cemetery
Current EDH decks:
WBG Doran, the Siege Tower (I Like Big Butts)
URG Surrak Dragonclaw (Guttural Response)
UG Ezuri, Claw of Progress (Phyrexia's Claw)
BR Kaervek the Merciless (Keep Kaervek Alive)
BG Ishkanah, Grafwidow (Descend into Delirium)
W Eight-and-a-Half-Tails (Mark 8.5)
U Thassa, God of the Sea (Here There Be Monsters)
My 'mirror' was not playing by any sort of 75% rule, I'll tell you that much. Dark Confidant, ABUR duals, Zendifetches... I got trounced. In the idle time after my being thumped he looked through my deck to offer suggestions for improvement, and his suggestion was that I pull out the outlast / +1-synergy set and replace em with cards more individually competitive. I think my suggestion for myself is just to stop showing up at organized TL events unless I'm willing to start buying the over-$50 cards (which is to say, never - my most valuable card in deck was an under-$20 whitebordered Sylvan Library).
I did wind up winning a later round largely on the back of my +1-synergy set. Oona's Blackguard attacking with other creatures that have +1/+1 counters was helpful.
As for your deck, my only strong suggestion is to nuke Rally the Ancestors. Bad card is bad. Did you mean Return to the Ranks? Similar effect only it actually helps your deck's plan of creating an attacking army, and not just a blocking trick.
I ran a few more sweepers than you did. Toxic Deluge, Pernicious Deed, Crypt Rats, and Gaze of Granite maindeck, with Infest, Ratchet Bomb, and Golgari Charm in sideboard. Golgari Charm does a lot of nice lifting here - can wipe out all pesky 1-tougness creatures when that's needed, or can regenerate your entire army when you either face a mass destroy or damage effect, or want to save your dudes from your own such effect.
I looked at both Return to the Ranks and Immortal Servitude, but both seem to miss a sizeable chunk of my creatures. I guess Rally is best if I have a mass blink effect like Ghostway, but it was the only way to get all my creatures. I would guess that it'll be clearer after some testing, maybe Return to the Ranks will be better.
Current EDH decks:
WBG Doran, the Siege Tower (I Like Big Butts)
URG Surrak Dragonclaw (Guttural Response)
UG Ezuri, Claw of Progress (Phyrexia's Claw)
BR Kaervek the Merciless (Keep Kaervek Alive)
BG Ishkanah, Grafwidow (Descend into Delirium)
W Eight-and-a-Half-Tails (Mark 8.5)
U Thassa, God of the Sea (Here There Be Monsters)
Militia's Pride gives you creatures on demand to put counters on for W.
Mobilization has been worth it just to give Anafenza Vigilance (not to mention all the other solders and soldier tokens that go well in this deck).
I've also been really liking Dimir Machinations, but I'm sure it's great in any black deck. It's an ok tutor, and also pretty great if you play it when your opponent is beginning to stall to exile anything good coming up and make their next draw worthless.
+1 Servant of the Scale
+1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
+1 Avatar of the Resolute
+1 Salt Road Quartermasters
+1 Dromoka's Command
+1 Inspiring Call
+1 Immortal Servitude
-1 Disowned Ancestor
-1 Herald of Anafenza
-1 Warden of the First Tree
-1 Rally the Ancestors
-1 Bow of Nylea
-2 lands
Current EDH decks:
WBG Doran, the Siege Tower (I Like Big Butts)
URG Surrak Dragonclaw (Guttural Response)
UG Ezuri, Claw of Progress (Phyrexia's Claw)
BR Kaervek the Merciless (Keep Kaervek Alive)
BG Ishkanah, Grafwidow (Descend into Delirium)
W Eight-and-a-Half-Tails (Mark 8.5)
U Thassa, God of the Sea (Here There Be Monsters)
Aura Shards strikes me as opposed to the 75% idea. That card insta-beats a lot of strategies.
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Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
CCL Winner- July '08, Aug '08 Sept '08, Oct '08
Survivor- CCS: Lost in Takenuma, CCS: Stranded In Tolaria