I understand that Lingering Souls is probably the most powerful card in the deck, but I feel like there are better ways to gain inevitability that don't involve splashing a third color. Since Lingering Souls was the only reason to splash black in the first place, a straight UW build seems like a less-painful-manabase alternative that leaves more room for colorless lands like Ghost Quarter, Tectonic Edge and Mutavault.
That being said, I feel like the safest version of this deck is just a Merfolk-like build, with Bounce, Tapping and Hexproof instead of Islandwalk. Elspeth, Knight-Errant is mostly in the deck for Delerium for Topplegeist, but it also gives Spellskite a presence on the board other than just protecting Drogskol Captain. Phantasmal Image is dangerous with all the legendary creatures in the deck, but it's an essential synergy with Drogskol Captain, and copying a 4/4 or 8/8 Figure of Destiny also seems awesome. I don't know what the split between 1-drops should be (we're certainly not desperate for the mana-sink that Figure of Destiny provides, but Delerium is not easily-reached).
I'm also really thinking of replacing my Anafenzas with Topplegeists
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Modern: G Stompy G UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR UWB Spirits UWB UWB Brain Control UWB WUB Esper Reveillark WUB EDH: WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
Modern: G Stompy G UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR UWB Spirits UWB UWB Brain Control UWB WUB Esper Reveillark WUB EDH: WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
Niblis is interesting and similar to Topplegeist, but it doesn't take Delirium for the tap effect, yet it has to attack and is a 2-drop. It's not 4-of material but could be interesting to try. The only other one that really catches my eye is Mindshrieker, but it might be too conditional to use effectively. Evershrike is a card I considered having a 1 or 2-of in Tallowisp builds, since it is a recurring and powerful threat for grindy games.
I do believe, however that there are really not as many ways to go with this deck as we originally believed. The tokens variant is very similar to B/W Tokens, which is probably better overall. The control variant is U/W Control with less inevitability. That leaves us with the Tempo and Tallowisp variants. Of these two, Tallowisp is super fun, but it doesn't have a whole lot of flex spots. Tempo is great. It plays like Merfolk with flying, a key piece doesn't cost $40 a pop (Vial), and we get blanket hexproof, which only faeries gets besides us.
I think discussing card choices for a while is the right move, since this is a new deck, and right now all we have are the obvious includes like Souls, Geist, Drogskol. Not saying these are bad, they are among the best cards we have, but there may be some interesting cards in Modern's card pool worth taking a look at.
EDIT: oh, right. I meant to ask: Figure of Destiny, is it worthwhile? It's a strong card for sure but it's a pretty large mana investment...
Niblis is interesting and similar to Topplegeist, but it doesn't take Delirium for the tap effect, yet it has to attack and is a 2-drop. It's not 4-of material but could be interesting to try. The only other one that really catches my eye is Mindshrieker, but it might be too conditional to use effectively. Evershrike is a card I considered having a 1 or 2-of in Tallowisp builds, since it is a recurring and powerful threat for grindy games.
I do believe, however that there are really not as many ways to go with this deck as we originally believed. The tokens variant is very similar to B/W Tokens, which is probably better overall. The control variant is U/W Control with less inevitability. That leaves us with the Tempo and Tallowisp variants. Of these two, Tallowisp is super fun, but it doesn't have a whole lot of flex spots. Tempo is great. It plays like Merfolk with flying, a key piece doesn't cost $40 a pop (Vial), and we get blanket hexproof, which only faeries gets besides us.
I think discussing card choices for a while is the right move, since this is a new deck, and right now all we have are the obvious includes like Souls, Geist, Drogskol. Not saying these are bad, they are among the best cards we have, but there may be some interesting cards in Modern's card pool worth taking a look at.
EDIT: oh, right. I meant to ask: Figure of Destiny, is it worthwhile? It's a strong card for sure but it's a pretty large mana investment...
The problem with all of the aggroish decks is we are really just durdling until turn 3, and then it's usually to late to win.
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Modern: G Stompy G UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR UWB Spirits UWB UWB Brain Control UWB WUB Esper Reveillark WUB EDH: WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
Modern: G Stompy G UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR UWB Spirits UWB UWB Brain Control UWB WUB Esper Reveillark WUB EDH: WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
Both are interesting options. Essentially they turn any of your lands into a manland. This is tempting as manlands are very good, but one of the strengths of manlands are that they don't take up a card slot. Best guess, I feel like neither are good for the aggro variants but the more controllish versions might want Genju of the fields as a 1 of if they can find a flex slot. (I feel Genju of the falls not passing the bolt test is a big strike against it)
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I love the Think Twice and Kira. Geist has not impressed me up to know because the opponent mostly had blockers and I was missing removal... would prefer something with flying.
I think Geist of Saint Traft is best served in a Tallowisp version of the deck, where he becomes a terrifying monster on turn four with Turn 2 Tallowisp, Turn 3 Geist fetching Steel of the Godhead, turn 4 Steel of the Godhead unblockable/untargetable attack for 8 (four of which is lifelink).
In a deck with no good way to bypass and/or clear out blockers, he's a little bit lackluster.
Vapor Snag might make Geist a bit better and help your infect matchup as well?
I'm still messing around w/ this archetype but so far we haven't gotten anything too exciting. Niblis of Frost is so close to what we wanted. But it's one mana too many and triggering off of spells rather than spirits entering play is really a let down. Selfless soul is powerful but im not sure it's the effect we really needed. I could see running a few but they aren't enough to legitimize our archetype. What we really need is some 2-3 cost spirit that functions as a removal or tempo spell (hence why niblis of frost was nearly our ticket). vampires got stromkirk condembed and wolves got spirit of the hunt, and there seems to be a cycle of ally color tribe affiliated cards, so im confident we can expect at least two more rares that are meant to play well w/ spirits, and hopefully one or both of them will be playable. Till then i think the best things we've gotten out of emn are selfless soul and blessed alliance.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Spell Queller this is exactly what we wanted. Decent flying body for 3 or less mana that acts as a soft-counter/remand tempo card. Between rattlechains, drogskol captain, and the new selfless soul killing this wont be easy. And the flash will make opponents never know whether we have this, a counter a pte, or something else. Making combat and casting spells into untapped mana a nightmare. We can even go really deep and flicker this as it comes into play to make it a hard counter. Idk what to take out for it yet but this is at least a 3 of and very possibly a 4 of.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
It might not be tier 1 but you could certainly steal a few games, especially if you added green for coco and mana dorks. Spectral shepherd is probably unplayable in modern because he costs 3, dies to everything, and doesn't have any immediate impact when he hits the board, but if you want to go that route essence flux gives a similar rate for a more reasonable cost, and even pumps spell queller out of bolt range
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
With Vapor Snag over Path to Exile to test out how bouncing Rattlechains, Queller and Geist blockers goes. Then come back to a split as it might be the best option after all, exactly like Merfolk that runs 2 Dismember + 2 other blue spells.
With Favorable Winds to see how good pumping is for Wanderer and Queller (bolt-proof).
With Moorland Haunt as extra pressure, because why not. And 3 Ghost Quarters. I assume we can push the manabase a little bit since we don't need UU or WW, as opposed to BW Tokens (WWrequirements, even WWW for Procession) or Merfolk (which play 4 Mutavaults btw).
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
Overall spirits got some nice new cards and can become a legitimate deck now.
The creature base seems good so what is left to be determined is which spells would compliment it best (some new tribal-supporting spells would be nice, like in faeries).
I I'd rather take the Lingering Souls route and not spend my life savings on Aether Vials.
I'm also really thinking of replacing my Anafenzas with Topplegeists
G Stompy G
UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR
UWB Spirits UWB
UWB Brain Control UWBWUB Esper Reveillark WUB
EDH:
WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW
WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
G Stompy G
UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR
UWB Spirits UWB
UWB Brain Control UWBWUB Esper Reveillark WUB
EDH:
WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW
WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
I do believe, however that there are really not as many ways to go with this deck as we originally believed. The tokens variant is very similar to B/W Tokens, which is probably better overall. The control variant is U/W Control with less inevitability. That leaves us with the Tempo and Tallowisp variants. Of these two, Tallowisp is super fun, but it doesn't have a whole lot of flex spots. Tempo is great. It plays like Merfolk with flying, a key piece doesn't cost $40 a pop (Vial), and we get blanket hexproof, which only faeries gets besides us.
I think discussing card choices for a while is the right move, since this is a new deck, and right now all we have are the obvious includes like Souls, Geist, Drogskol. Not saying these are bad, they are among the best cards we have, but there may be some interesting cards in Modern's card pool worth taking a look at.
EDIT: oh, right. I meant to ask: Figure of Destiny, is it worthwhile? It's a strong card for sure but it's a pretty large mana investment...
WUB Puresteel Midrange WUB
The problem with all of the aggroish decks is we are really just durdling until turn 3, and then it's usually to late to win.
G Stompy G
UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR
UWB Spirits UWB
UWB Brain Control UWBWUB Esper Reveillark WUB
EDH:
WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW
WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
G Stompy G
UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR
UWB Spirits UWB
UWB Brain Control UWBWUB Esper Reveillark WUB
EDH:
WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW
WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I have been playing the following list for a few days now:
4 Drogskol Captain
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Ancestral Vision
4 Path to Exile
1 Spell Snare
2 Mana Leak
2 Remand
4 Think Twice
1 Detention Sphere
1 Esper Charm
4 Lingering Souls
2 Cryptic Command
2 Supreme Verdict
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Godless Shrine
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Moorland Haunt
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Shambling Vent
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Watery Grave
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
I love the Think Twice and Kira. Geist has not impressed me up to know because the opponent mostly had blockers and I was missing removal... would prefer something with flying.
Had hard times vs. Infect and other creature decks that get to the board fast. Good matchups against control and combo decks. I have no idea on the side board yet. Card that I am thinking of are:
Dimir Infiltrator
Kataki, War's Wage
Muddle the Mixture
Rest in Peace
Dungeon Geists
What are your suggestions? What do you think of the Mana Base.
In a deck with no good way to bypass and/or clear out blockers, he's a little bit lackluster.
Vapor Snag might make Geist a bit better and help your infect matchup as well?
My Peasant-Cube-in-Progress http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/15395
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Very nice one indeed !
I'd rather start with a stock list like that :
3 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Spell Queller
3 Phantasmal Image
4 Rattlechains
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Vapor Snag
4 Favorable Winds
4 Aether Vial
Lands:
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Plains
2 Island
3 Ghost Quarter
1 Moorland Haunt
With Vapor Snag over Path to Exile to test out how bouncing Rattlechains, Queller and Geist blockers goes. Then come back to a split as it might be the best option after all, exactly like Merfolk that runs 2 Dismember + 2 other blue spells.
With Favorable Winds to see how good pumping is for Wanderer and Queller (bolt-proof).
With Moorland Haunt as extra pressure, because why not. And 3 Ghost Quarters. I assume we can push the manabase a little bit since we don't need UU or WW, as opposed to BW Tokens (WWrequirements, even WWW for Procession) or Merfolk (which play 4 Mutavaults btw).
Not enough bang for its buck, really. Half of the card is basically worthless, and the anthem is easily replicated by a wide variety of cards.
And delirium isn't that easy to achieve for this deck anyway.
I would also prefer the raw power of Figure of Destiny over it.
Overall spirits got some nice new cards and can become a legitimate deck now.
The creature base seems good so what is left to be determined is which spells would compliment it best (some new tribal-supporting spells would be nice, like in faeries).
I personally like the approach of going wide with tokens (Lingering Souls, Spectral Procession, Midnight Haunting, Promise of Bunrei)
and supporting them with lords/anthems (Drogskol Captain, Phantasmal Image, Favorable Winds, Intangible Virtue, Long-Forgotten Gohei, Honor of the Pure)
and mix in some value spirits like: Rattlechains, Kira, Great Glass-Spinner, Bygone Bishop and Geist of Saint Traft or the new ones: Selfless Spirit and Spell Queller.
2 Mutavault
4 Flooded Strand
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Island
2 Marsh Flats
2 Polluted Delta
4 Drogskol Captain
3 Geist of Saint Traf
2 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
4 Rattlechains
4 Topplegeist
4 Spell Queller
4 Lingering Souls
4 Aether Vial
3 Path to Exile
3 Remand
2 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
2 Spell Pierce
2 Mana Leak
4 Tectonic Edge
3 Leyline of Sanctity
This is just a weird shot in the dark. I ma not good at permission style tribal decks. However, this might be something I might run.
Another idea I thought about is to play with 4x Favorable Winds and all the good flying spirits, with Phantasmal Image and no Geist.
It will look like this:
4x Mausoleum Wanderer
4x Topplegeist
4x Rattlechains
4x Selfless Spirit
2x Phantasmal Image
4x Drogskol Captain
2x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4x Spell Queller
4x Bygone Bishop
4x Favorable Winds
Instant (4)
4x Path to Exile
Land (20)
4x Flooded Strand
4x Seachrome Coast
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Cavern of Souls
2x Plains
2x Island
A tribal aggro deck with evasion seems rather good:
Bygone Bishop provides card draw.
Rattlechains, Selfless Spirit and Kira, Great Glass-Spinner for protection and tricks.
Topplegeist, Mausoleum Wanderer and Spell Queller for disruption.