I plan on adding in one more Haakon, but one idea I've been playing around was Masked Admirers as a cheaper alternative. It's more expensive to cast, but you get card draw that synergizes with the dredge mechanic, and don't lose 2 life whenever it dies. Of course this negates the advantage of Nameless Inversion, which I'd probably replace with Tragic Slips.
This obviously borrows heavily from other, more powerful(and more expensive), but it plays ok so far. I love any critiques if this thread's still active.
Basically, this is a hybrid of Soul Sisters and Death and Taxes. Little life gain creatures add up as you tink away at their life total. There's a surprising amount of thinking to do with this deck, and it has ways of handling just about everything via Flickerwisp and the Dust Elemental/Fiend Hunter Combo.
Win conditions:
1) Day of Judgment followed by a pumped up Shrine of Loyal Legions
2) Early beats followed by recurring Inquisitor Exarch
3) Early beats before a Stir the Pride
Name: Soul Crushers W
Date/time stamp: 11/8/2012, 2:40pm EST Extreme Budget
Total Cost: $4.95
I like this deck a lot. Particularly the land disruption aspect. I was wondering how I could do this deck with some minor changes. I'd personally run Ethereal Armor over Hyena Umbra.
I still would want it to be in the ~10 dollar range, but what are some other creatures that could fit here. I don't particularly like Tallowisp. I was thinking Umbra Mystic but I'm sure there are other white creatures that would work here.
I actually reeeeally like the Gargadon Deck posted by DaR on the first page. I think I'm going to invest in it, the $25 version. I'm forcing Modern to be played at my Not-so-Local Gaming Store, and this deck looks soooooooo lulzy
Modern: Modern is Bad
Legacy:WDeath and TaxesW W45-L16-D11 8 Top 8s 15th Scg Oakland
Current Kiln Fiend Count: 153 Please message me if you want to trade me or give me some.
Commission Rezombied to alter some cards, he's awesome!
Strategy
- Play dudes early
- enchant them
- keep enchanting, attack into favorable conditions
- win
This was originally a Bantchant list, but in the end all that was blue was Invisible Stalker, and while he is undeniably awesome, with the budget build cutting down to two colors made more sense for the deck type. So it became GW and added Troll Ascetic, the birthplace of "Troll Shroud/Hexproof".
The enchantments used changed often. Rancor is absent for reasons beyond budget - while Rancor is itself a durable enchantment, keeping my guys alive is more key, so selected enchantments had to fall into one or more areas below to join in on the fun:
1: Must be resilient
2: Must make the enchanted creature resilient
3: Offer overwhelming potency
Ethereal Armor is what makes the deck really shine. While it fails at 1 and 2, it blows away #3 with the potential for MASSIVE power. By virtue of offering large, scaling +1/+1 it does protect from burn and lesser creatures, so there's that.
Hyena Umbra fulfills #2. Totem Armor is useful against sweeping removal, the bane of the deck, and really the only method beyond Edict effects that can kill our creatures. Giving First Strike is very relevant, too, as it makes many of the creatures unfavorable to block if their power has been brought up high enough.
Spirit Mantle is a new addition that fulfills 2 and 3 to a point, and is more a meta call, and often sideboarded out vs. control. Protection from Creatures is pretty huge, but if Daybreak Coronets are added, it would go.
Angelic Destiny - the price on this card has PLUMMETED, and 3-of here makes for some sick ****. Evasion + First Strike (Enchantments 9-11 that offer First Strike here) and +4/+4 - added to a Hexproof creature, it's too nasty.
Umbra Mystic as a 2-of to turn enchantments lacking in quality 1 the ability to become Totem armor. Trying her out, but if she falls flat I'll just add in two more Troll Ascetics.
Sideboard is there to defend against red sweeps, graveyard play, specific cards like Planeswalkers and lynchpin cards, enchantments to defend creatures against Destruction effects, and an enchantment to punish blue shenanigans. Tunable of course, but the total cost of this deck includes the sideboard, so there's flexibility there, too.
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Decks
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite) Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks) Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks) Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
This is my attempt to recreate Ponza in Modern. So far its proved surprisingly effective at completely hosing tier 1 decks with them having such weak 1-drops and greedy mana bases.
Budget Deck PonzaR
Date/Time Stamp: 4:00pm EST, 12/11/2012
This deck should look pretty self-explanatory, like most budget decks. Burn their dudes. Rain their lands. Once they find themselves sufficiently out of resources, drop a masticore or some 2/2s and finish them off. Deck as old as time, song as old as rhyme.
Alternatively you can drop the fulminators for some stone rains if you want to get in the <$10 bracket.
As for how to improve it with more $, theres not a lot to do. Aside from building the sideboard, the deck is pretty set in its mission. Although you can drop in a couple plains and flagstones so you can blow up the latter with all your mutual destruction spells and then search the former.
This is my attempt to recreate Ponza in Modern. So far its proved surprisingly effective at completely hosing tier 1 decks with them having such weak 1-drops and greedy mana bases.
Budget Deck PonzaR
Date/Time Stamp: 4:00pm EST, 12/11/2012
This deck should look pretty self-explanatory, like most budget decks. Burn their dudes. Rain their lands. Once they find themselves sufficiently out of resources, drop a masticore or some 2/2s and finish them off. Deck as old as time, song as old as rhyme.
Alternatively you can drop the fulminators for some stone rains if you want to get in the <$10 bracket.
As for how to improve it with more $, theres not a lot to do. Aside from building the sideboard, the deck is pretty set in its mission. Although you can drop in a couple plains and flagstones so you can blow up the latter with all your mutual destruction spells and then search the former.
I like this approach, and I love Ponza decks. Frankly I would just as soon do away with the Fulminators, in favor of Stone Rain and leave Fulmies for SB, or not bother. I definitely think Goblin Ruinblaster should be in there somewhere. Higher cmc than Fulminator, but acts as a hasted beater. I completely forgot about Crack the Earth, a brilliant early maneuver. I might even go RB for this build, add Rain of Tears, and Rakdos Keyrune as an extra activating beater.
Roiling Terrain as a 1-of even can help push you over the edge on damage after you've driven enough of their lands into the crapper.
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite) Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks) Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks) Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
I like this approach, and I love Ponza decks. Frankly I would just as soon do away with the Fulminators, in favor of Stone Rain and leave Fulmies for SB, or not bother. I definitely think Goblin Ruinblaster should be in there somewhere. Higher cmc than Fulminator, but acts as a hasted beater. I completely forgot about Crack the Earth, a brilliant early maneuver. I might even go RB for this build, add Rain of Tears, and Rakdos Keyrune as an extra activating beater.
I tried splashing black for a while. The thing I miss most about it is smallpox. But overall enjoy the consistency of red better(and the flexibility in the mana base to run Flagstones and SB Blood Moons).
A lot of people forget about Crack the Earth when trying to make a Ponza deck. they look for "destruction" and ignore the word "sacrifice". And I've gotten more than a few dirty looks from people who win the go, play a land and pass. And are met with a SSG+crack before I drop my first land. And don;t forget that Seal acts as a burn that's also a permanent when you need it.
I tried splashing black for a while. The thing I miss most about it is smallpox. But overall enjoy the consistency of red better(and the flexibility in the mana base to run Flagstones and SB Blood Moons).
A lot of people forget about Crack the Earth when trying to make a Ponza deck. they look for "destruction" and ignore the word "sacrifice". And I've gotten more than a few dirty looks from people who win the go, play a land and pass. And are met with a SSG+crack before I drop my first land. And don;t forget that Seal acts as a burn that's also a permanent when you need it.
Yeah, I figured that Crack-trick out when I saw the deck and said "Man, that will piss people off, hah!"
The keyrunes seem like such a natural, but require a second color. Staying mono-color does help consistency though, and protects from Blood Moon and allows the deck to run it, or even Magus of the Moon. Good points, I may try to cook up a list like this and try her out.
What about Crusher Zendikon? Even when you Boom or Crack it, the land comes back to you and the Zendikon buggers off, or of course just Crack the Zendikon, either way, but it provides a nice beater.
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Decks
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite) Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks) Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks) Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Yeah, I figured that Crack-trick out when I saw the deck and said "Man, that will piss people off, hah!"
The keyrunes seem like such a natural, but require a second color. Staying mono-color does help consistency though, and protects from Blood Moon and allows the deck to run it, or even Magus of the Moon. Good points, I may try to cook up a list like this and try her out.
What about Crusher Zendikon? Even when you Boom or Crack it, the land comes back to you and the Zendikon buggers off, or of course just Crack the Zendikon, either way, but it provides a nice beater.
At the end of the day you dont really need more beaters, you have that covered. Either you wrest control of the game and are able to drop a masticore that they dont have the mana to deal with, or you run into a combination of a poor start and a fast opponent where you cant disrupt them enough.
I know it seems inconsistent to rely on a 3of with no innate protection but it ends up working out. And when you have room to play with lategame you still have a decent number of 2/2 bodies that can swing when called upon on top of encampments. Or finish with old fashioned face burn. I honestly havent had trouble ending things, and if you give up "control" space for bodies itll just end up being less consistent and less able to get that lockdown you want.
(I should probably make a thread for this deck so as not to completely derail this one...granted its still a work in progress)
Are 16 land enough? The average mana cost is really low but cruel ultimatum isn't, to cast it you need half of the lands of your deck.. Anyway I like it
oh sorry, I had forgotten how many lands I had in the deck, it's been awhile since I played it last should prolly up it to about 20-24 depending on your preferance. I'm glad you like it, it's reallly just a ball of card advantage (at least it was with ponder/ preordain) but yeah you can also just stick vat+specter lock out their draw step and dig for ultimatums vat+oracle is awesome as well as you dig two on your opp's turn and get a blocker
At the end of the day you dont really need more beaters, you have that covered. Either you wrest control of the game and are able to drop a masticore that they dont have the mana to deal with, or you run into a combination of a poor start and a fast opponent where you cant disrupt them enough.
I know it seems inconsistent to rely on a 3of with no innate protection but it ends up working out. And when you have room to play with lategame you still have a decent number of 2/2 bodies that can swing when called upon on top of encampments. Or finish with old fashioned face burn. I honestly havent had trouble ending things, and if you give up "control" space for bodies itll just end up being less consistent and less able to get that lockdown you want.
(I should probably make a thread for this deck so as not to completely derail this one...granted its still a work in progress)
Ok, my fault there, I didn't define everything I was thinking, but it started with me looking at Razormane and thinking of replacing him, since he costs you card advantage. He's cheap monetarily, but I figure for my thinking if you lose the Fulminators, you could replace the Razormanes with Inferno Titan. He's around $2 now. +1 mana, but the three damage he does can go to the face, plus the firebreathing can seal a game, since ideally the opponent will lack a board to stop him. Frankly any hasty hitter would work, too.
A new thread probably could be made for a Ponza deck, I agree
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Decks
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite) Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks) Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks) Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Ok, my fault there, I didn't define everything I was thinking, but it started with me looking at Razormane and thinking of replacing him, since he costs you card advantage. He's cheap monetarily, but I figure for my thinking if you lose the Fulminators, you could replace the Razormanes with Inferno Titan. He's around $2 now. +1 mana, but the three damage he does can go to the face, plus the firebreathing can seal a game, since ideally the opponent will lack a board to stop him. Frankly any hasty hitter would work, too.
A new thread probably could be made for a Ponza deck, I agree
I already made a new thread. But inferno Titan does seem like a good idea. But so far people have enough trouble with Masticore. As for any hasty hitter working, if it werent for all the yard hate in the format, thatd likely be a magnivore.
But honestly, the finisher is the least important card. Since you should have the game firmly under control by then and be able to chuck whatever you want at them and win. Which is why old Ponza decks sometimes won major event running Shivan Dragon and Orgg "just to see the looks on peoples' faces."
redthirst is redthirst, fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse. He was the leader of the Fires of Salvation, the only clan I'm aware of to get modded off the forums so hard they made their own forums.
Degenerate? Sure. Loudmouth? You bet. Law abiding? No ****ing way.
Great guy to have around? Hell yes.
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Glissa, the traitor + Executioners Capsule
plus a bunch of really good other elves?
Calculated at tcgplayer low as instructed
Timestamp: (10/14/12)
2 Moorland Haunt -.30 x 2
4 Evolving Wilds -.02 x 4
4 Terramorphic Expanse -.02 x 4
4 Forest
4 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Island
Creatures:
4 Drogskol Captain -.34 x 4
3 Geist-Honored Monk -.25 x 3
2 Twilight Drover -.99 x 2
4 Lifespinner -.08 x 4
1 Sekki, Seasons' Guide -.49
1 Kodama of the Center Tree -.15
1 Oyobi, Who Split the Heavens -.20
3 Carven Caryatid -.10 x 3
1 Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar -.22
1 Kodama of the North Tree -.59
2 Lingering Souls -1.29 x 2
3 Promise of Bunrei -.65 x 3
4 Midnight Haunting -.19 x 4
4 Rootborn Defenses -.02 x 4
4 Druid's Deliverance -.02 x 4
4 Sundering Growth -.04 x 4
4 Celestial Purge -.02 x 4
4 Flashfreeze -.02 x 4
1 Iname as One -.29
1 Arashi, the Sky Asunder -.36
1 Seizan, Perverter of Truth -.29
Budget: $15.00
Total with Sideboard: $12.99
Remaining Budget: $2.01
Playstyle:
Play out some Lingering Souls, Midnight Haunting, and Promise of Bunrei early game populating with Rootborn Defenses along side Druid's Deliverance, buff them withDrogskol Captain and fix your mana base with Evolving Wilds or Terramorphic Expanse. Then sac some tokens off to Lifespinner to power out power house spirits like Kodama of the Center Tree or use Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar to power up the finish.
Sideboard is mostly hate with a few creative legends stored in it.
Upgrades:
Mostly just a consistent mana base of shocklands, filterlands or others, better legends Geist of saint, Kira, Great Glass Spinner, or Yosei, the Morning Star and his brethren, and larger value populate cards ala Trostani, Selesnya's Voice and the like.
Trade with me? http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=8563919#post8563919 been here a bit at least.
Draft my artifact cube on cubetutor!
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1170
11/1/2012, $8.86 low price on TCGplayer
4 Deadbridge Goliath
3 Dreg Mangler
1 Extractor Demon
4 Golgari Thug
1 Haakon, Stromgald Scourge
1 Shambling Shell
1 Slitherhead
4 Stinkweed Imp
2 Darkblast
1 Gnaw to the Bone
1 Golgari Charm
2 Grisly Salvage
2 Mulch
1 Nightmare void
4 Nameless Inversion
1 Crypt of Agadeem
2 Dakmor Salvage
3 Evolving Wilds
1 Grim Backwoods
9 Forest
8 Swamp
There are a lot of singletons right now as I build up my cards, but you get the idea.
Because Life from the Loam is so expensive, I added in Mulch to help find some mana. Grisly Salvage and Dakmor Salvage also help with that.
I plan on adding in one more Haakon, but one idea I've been playing around was Masked Admirers as a cheaper alternative. It's more expensive to cast, but you get card draw that synergizes with the dredge mechanic, and don't lose 2 life whenever it dies. Of course this negates the advantage of Nameless Inversion, which I'd probably replace with Tragic Slips.
This obviously borrows heavily from other, more powerful(and more expensive), but it plays ok so far. I love any critiques if this thread's still active.
Basically, this is a hybrid of Soul Sisters and Death and Taxes. Little life gain creatures add up as you tink away at their life total. There's a surprising amount of thinking to do with this deck, and it has ways of handling just about everything via Flickerwisp and the Dust Elemental/Fiend Hunter Combo.
Win conditions:
1) Day of Judgment followed by a pumped up Shrine of Loyal Legions
2) Early beats followed by recurring Inquisitor Exarch
3) Early beats before a Stir the Pride
Name: Soul Crushers W
Date/time stamp: 11/8/2012, 2:40pm EST
Extreme Budget
Total Cost: $4.95
4 Soul's Attendant ($0.20)
4 Soul Warden ($0.12)
4 Suture Priest ($0.04)
4 Fiend Hunter ($0.40)
4 Inquisitor Exarch ($0.08)
3 Flickerwisp ($0.84)
4 Dust Elemental ($0.36)
3 Stormfront Riders ($0.09)
3 Stir the Pride ($0.12)
2 Day of Judgment ($2.40)
2 Shrine of Loyal Legions ($0.30)
Lands:
24 Plains (FREE!!!)
Budget
Total Cost: $19.95
3 Soul's Attendant ($0.15)
4 Soul Warden ($0.12)
4 Suture Priest ($0.04)
4 Fiend Hunter ($0.40)
4 Inquisitor Exarch ($0.08)
3 Flickerwisp ($0.84)
3 Dust Elemental ($0.27)
3 Stormfront Riders ($0.09)
2 Day of Judgment ($2.40)
4 Shrine of Loyal Legions ($0.60)
1 Ajani Goldmane ($4)
1 Ajani, Caller of Pride ($10.80)
2 Kabira Crossroads ($0.16)
22 Plains (FREE!!!)
Budget Deck
Ash RackBR
Date/Time Stamp: 4:00pm EST, 11/8/2012
4 Rakdos Cackler ($1.32)
4 Rakdos Shred-Freak ($0.04)
4 Ashenmoor Gouger ($.80)
4 Shambling Remains ($0.20)
2 Lyzolda, the Blood Witch ($0.48)
4 Ashenmoor Liege ($7.00)
4 Lightning Bolt (Fourth Edition) ($1.60)
4 Terminate (Planeshift) ($2.20)
3 Blightning ($2.60)
3 Wrecking Ball ($0.12)
4 Sulfurous Springs ($4.28)
10 Swamp
10 Mountain
Total cost: $19.99 (Hell yeah!)
Remaining Budget: $0.01 (Why would a Rakdos deck want any resources left? And to hell with the sideboard!)
Pretty straight forward - cast creatures, kill blockers, swing.
I like this deck a lot. Particularly the land disruption aspect. I was wondering how I could do this deck with some minor changes. I'd personally run Ethereal Armor over Hyena Umbra.
I still would want it to be in the ~10 dollar range, but what are some other creatures that could fit here. I don't particularly like Tallowisp. I was thinking Umbra Mystic but I'm sure there are other white creatures that would work here.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
4 phyrexian colossus = $0.17 x4 = $0.68
4 kuldotha forgemaster $0.15 x4 = $0.60
4 Lodestone Golem $0.75 x4 = $ 3.00
4 mind stone = $0.48 x4 = $1.93
4 Mirrworks = $0.13 x4 = $0.52
4 ur-golem's eye $0.03 x4 = $0.12
4 dreamstone hedron $0.04 x4 = $0.16
4 prismatic lens = $0.06 x4 = $0.24
4 urza's tower = $0.93 x4 = $3.74
4 urza's mine = $0.84 x4 x4 $3.36
4 urza's power plant = $86 x4 = $3.44
3 darksteel citadel = $1.23 x3 = 3.69
4 Phyrexia's core = $0.02 x4 = $0.08
4 buried ruin = $0.10 x4 = $0.40
3.74
3.69
3.36
3.44
3.00
1.93
0.68
0.68
0.52
0.64
0.60
0.40
o.16
o.12
0.08
grand total of $19.36
i would like one more cheap artifact dude that i can use to clone with i cant use phyrexian metamorph because he is too expensive for the deck
Merged. Please use "Edit" if you have the oldest post. t_c
Tumblr: MTGchef
Cockatrice: phenox1707
Working on creating cards! If anyone wants to collaborate, send me a message!
Price: Approx 24 Dollars
4 Day of Judgment
4 Thopter Foundry
4 Ichor Wellspring
2 Ratchet Bomb
11 Plains
10 Island
3 Azorius Signet
4 Talisman of Progress
2 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Vapor Snag
2 Buried Ruin
4 Cranial Plating
2 Ornithopter
Legacy:WDeath and TaxesW W45-L16-D11 8 Top 8s 15th Scg Oakland
Current Kiln Fiend Count: 153 Please message me if you want to trade me or give me some.
Commission Rezombied to alter some cards, he's awesome!
3 Selesnya Guildgate
11 Forest
9 Plains
Creatures (16)
4 Gladecover Scout
4 Slippery Bogle
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
2 Troll Ascetic
2 Umbra Mystic
4 Abundant Growth
4 Etheral Armor
4 Hyena Umbra
4 Spirit Mantle
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Angelic Destiny
3 Mark of Asylum
3 Shield of the Oversoul
2 Rest in Peace
1 Oblivion Ring
3 Eyes of the Wisent
3 Pithing Needle
Deck Stats
CURVE (0-1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6+): 20 / 8 / 6 / 3 / 0 / 0
AVERAGE CMC: 1.78
TYPE: Basic Budget ($20.00 limit)
CURRENT COST: $17.12 (w/Sideboard)
REMAINING BUDGET: $2.82
UPGRADES: Sunpetal Grove, Temple Garden, Daybreak Coronet.
Strategy
- Play dudes early
- enchant them
- keep enchanting, attack into favorable conditions
- win
This was originally a Bantchant list, but in the end all that was blue was Invisible Stalker, and while he is undeniably awesome, with the budget build cutting down to two colors made more sense for the deck type. So it became GW and added Troll Ascetic, the birthplace of "Troll Shroud/Hexproof".
The enchantments used changed often. Rancor is absent for reasons beyond budget - while Rancor is itself a durable enchantment, keeping my guys alive is more key, so selected enchantments had to fall into one or more areas below to join in on the fun:
1: Must be resilient
2: Must make the enchanted creature resilient
3: Offer overwhelming potency
Ethereal Armor is what makes the deck really shine. While it fails at 1 and 2, it blows away #3 with the potential for MASSIVE power. By virtue of offering large, scaling +1/+1 it does protect from burn and lesser creatures, so there's that.
Hyena Umbra fulfills #2. Totem Armor is useful against sweeping removal, the bane of the deck, and really the only method beyond Edict effects that can kill our creatures. Giving First Strike is very relevant, too, as it makes many of the creatures unfavorable to block if their power has been brought up high enough.
Spirit Mantle is a new addition that fulfills 2 and 3 to a point, and is more a meta call, and often sideboarded out vs. control. Protection from Creatures is pretty huge, but if Daybreak Coronets are added, it would go.
Angelic Destiny - the price on this card has PLUMMETED, and 3-of here makes for some sick ****. Evasion + First Strike (Enchantments 9-11 that offer First Strike here) and +4/+4 - added to a Hexproof creature, it's too nasty.
Umbra Mystic as a 2-of to turn enchantments lacking in quality 1 the ability to become Totem armor. Trying her out, but if she falls flat I'll just add in two more Troll Ascetics.
Sideboard is there to defend against red sweeps, graveyard play, specific cards like Planeswalkers and lynchpin cards, enchantments to defend creatures against Destruction effects, and an enchantment to punish blue shenanigans. Tunable of course, but the total cost of this deck includes the sideboard, so there's flexibility there, too.
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite)
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks)
Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks)
Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Standard
Waiting for Innistrad...
Extended
Hah!
Modern
Living End Cascade (RGB)
Legacy
Burn
Vintage
None
Casual
WB Aggro-Control
Green Stompy
Pink Floyd (UWr Wall Control)
Lunch Box (Fatty ramp)
D-Bag (White Control)
Level 13 Task Mage
Budget Deck
PonzaR
Date/Time Stamp: 4:00pm EST, 12/11/2012
4 Avalanche Riders ($0.76)
4 Simian Spirit Guide ($1.20)
4 Fulminator Mage ($12.20)
3 Razormane Masticore ($0.45)
4 Lightning Bolt ($1.72)
4 Crack the Earth ($0.12)
4 Molten Rain ($0.52)
3 Boom//Bust ($1.14)
2 Earthquake ($0.38)
4 Seal of Fire ($0.20)
Lands (24)
4 Ghitu Encampmemt ($0.32))
21 Mountain
Total cost: $19.01
Remaining Budget: $0.99
This deck should look pretty self-explanatory, like most budget decks. Burn their dudes. Rain their lands. Once they find themselves sufficiently out of resources, drop a masticore or some 2/2s and finish them off. Deck as old as time, song as old as rhyme.
Alternatively you can drop the fulminators for some stone rains if you want to get in the <$10 bracket.
As for how to improve it with more $, theres not a lot to do. Aside from building the sideboard, the deck is pretty set in its mission. Although you can drop in a couple plains and flagstones so you can blow up the latter with all your mutual destruction spells and then search the former.
2x Cruel Ultimatum .43
2x Dismember .36
4x Go for the Throat 2.80
4x Doom Blade .16
4x Blightning 2.60
4x Duress .08
4x Sleight of Hand 2.92
4x Serum Visions 5.48
4x Lightning Bolt 2.20
4x Mimic Vat 3.00
4x Liliana's Specter .20
4x Sea Gate Oracle .12
2x Moutain
3x Island
3x Swamp
4x Izzet Guildgate .12
4x Rakdos Guildgate .12
Total price: $20.59
Here's one it's an update of an old budget grixis list that I used to run during extended two years ago. Mimic vat + lilly specter = Good times. upgrades: mostly just the manabase shock/fetch lands
I like this approach, and I love Ponza decks. Frankly I would just as soon do away with the Fulminators, in favor of Stone Rain and leave Fulmies for SB, or not bother. I definitely think Goblin Ruinblaster should be in there somewhere. Higher cmc than Fulminator, but acts as a hasted beater. I completely forgot about Crack the Earth, a brilliant early maneuver. I might even go RB for this build, add Rain of Tears, and Rakdos Keyrune as an extra activating beater.
Roiling Terrain as a 1-of even can help push you over the edge on damage after you've driven enough of their lands into the crapper.
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite)
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks)
Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks)
Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Standard
Waiting for Innistrad...
Extended
Hah!
Modern
Living End Cascade (RGB)
Legacy
Burn
Vintage
None
Casual
WB Aggro-Control
Green Stompy
Pink Floyd (UWr Wall Control)
Lunch Box (Fatty ramp)
D-Bag (White Control)
Level 13 Task Mage
I tried splashing black for a while. The thing I miss most about it is smallpox. But overall enjoy the consistency of red better(and the flexibility in the mana base to run Flagstones and SB Blood Moons).
A lot of people forget about Crack the Earth when trying to make a Ponza deck. they look for "destruction" and ignore the word "sacrifice". And I've gotten more than a few dirty looks from people who win the go, play a land and pass. And are met with a SSG+crack before I drop my first land. And don;t forget that Seal acts as a burn that's also a permanent when you need it.
Yeah, I figured that Crack-trick out when I saw the deck and said "Man, that will piss people off, hah!"
The keyrunes seem like such a natural, but require a second color. Staying mono-color does help consistency though, and protects from Blood Moon and allows the deck to run it, or even Magus of the Moon. Good points, I may try to cook up a list like this and try her out.
What about Crusher Zendikon? Even when you Boom or Crack it, the land comes back to you and the Zendikon buggers off, or of course just Crack the Zendikon, either way, but it provides a nice beater.
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite)
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks)
Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks)
Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Standard
Waiting for Innistrad...
Extended
Hah!
Modern
Living End Cascade (RGB)
Legacy
Burn
Vintage
None
Casual
WB Aggro-Control
Green Stompy
Pink Floyd (UWr Wall Control)
Lunch Box (Fatty ramp)
D-Bag (White Control)
Level 13 Task Mage
At the end of the day you dont really need more beaters, you have that covered. Either you wrest control of the game and are able to drop a masticore that they dont have the mana to deal with, or you run into a combination of a poor start and a fast opponent where you cant disrupt them enough.
I know it seems inconsistent to rely on a 3of with no innate protection but it ends up working out. And when you have room to play with lategame you still have a decent number of 2/2 bodies that can swing when called upon on top of encampments. Or finish with old fashioned face burn. I honestly havent had trouble ending things, and if you give up "control" space for bodies itll just end up being less consistent and less able to get that lockdown you want.
(I should probably make a thread for this deck so as not to completely derail this one...granted its still a work in progress)
oh sorry, I had forgotten how many lands I had in the deck, it's been awhile since I played it last should prolly up it to about 20-24 depending on your preferance. I'm glad you like it, it's reallly just a ball of card advantage (at least it was with ponder/ preordain) but yeah you can also just stick vat+specter lock out their draw step and dig for ultimatums vat+oracle is awesome as well as you dig two on your opp's turn and get a blocker
Ok, my fault there, I didn't define everything I was thinking, but it started with me looking at Razormane and thinking of replacing him, since he costs you card advantage. He's cheap monetarily, but I figure for my thinking if you lose the Fulminators, you could replace the Razormanes with Inferno Titan. He's around $2 now. +1 mana, but the three damage he does can go to the face, plus the firebreathing can seal a game, since ideally the opponent will lack a board to stop him. Frankly any hasty hitter would work, too.
A new thread probably could be made for a Ponza deck, I agree
Commander
Ezuri, Renegade Leader (Aggro/Combo - Favorite)
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave (Sac and Grave hijinks)
Azusa, Lost but Seeking (Landfall hijinks)
Kaalia of the Vast (Heavily modded)
Standard
Waiting for Innistrad...
Extended
Hah!
Modern
Living End Cascade (RGB)
Legacy
Burn
Vintage
None
Casual
WB Aggro-Control
Green Stompy
Pink Floyd (UWr Wall Control)
Lunch Box (Fatty ramp)
D-Bag (White Control)
Level 13 Task Mage
I already made a new thread. But inferno Titan does seem like a good idea. But so far people have enough trouble with Masticore. As for any hasty hitter working, if it werent for all the yard hate in the format, thatd likely be a magnivore.
But honestly, the finisher is the least important card. Since you should have the game firmly under control by then and be able to chuck whatever you want at them and win. Which is why old Ponza decks sometimes won major event running Shivan Dragon and Orgg "just to see the looks on peoples' faces."
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Stonewright
3 Grim Lavamancer
4 Mudbrawler Cohort
4 Ash Zealot
3 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Hero of Oxid Ridge
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
4 Arc Trail
Lands: 22
3 Ghitu Encampment
19 Mountain
Current Prices (12/14/12):
Rakdos Cackler - .35 x4 = 1.40
Stonewright - .03 x4 = .12
Grim Lavamancer (m2012) - .93 x3 = 2.79
Mudbrawler Cohort - .02 x4 = .08
Ash Zealot - 2.00 x4 = 8.00
Chandra's Phoenix - .68 x3 = 2.04
Hero of Oxid Ridge - .56 x4 = 2.24
Lightning Bolt (4th) - .43 x4 = 1.72
Incinerate (m2012) - .04 x4 = .16
Arc Trail - .25 x4 = 1.00
Ghitu Encampment (10th) - .15 x3 = .45
Mountain - free
Total: $20.00 exactly.
—Jaya Ballard, task mage