I just started playing constructed Magic for real in the last 2 months. I had always played casual Commander and Draft, but wanted to break into the competitive scene. I was looking at Sultai Energy at first, but am completely unable to afford the really expensive cards. This led me to The Scorpion God, which is a little underwhelming as a God at first, but generally is played when my opponent has already played outs to my Long Tusk Cub, Walking Ballista and Bristling Hydra.
Anyways, this is also the first Magic deck I have ever posted and I was hoping for some help with it. I went 2-1 at a local tournament, beating Esper Control and Mono-Black. I lost to U/W Control in a close game. I was hoping to bring it to GP Santa Clara and enter a side Standard event to get a feel for what playing the format is like and I want the deck tooled and ready. I don't have a ton of money to throw back into the deck (I almost cried when I bought the Ballistas for 8 each), but want as many suggestions as I can get! Thanks.
I just started playing constructed Magic for real in the last 2 months. I had always played casual Commander and Draft, but wanted to break into the competitive scene. I was looking at Sultai Energy at first, but am completely unable to afford the really expensive cards. This led me to The Scorpion God, which is a little underwhelming as a God at first, but generally is played when my opponent has already played outs to my Long Tusk Cub, Walking Ballista and Bristling Hydra.
Anyways, this is also the first Magic deck I have ever posted and I was hoping for some help with it. I went 2-1 at a local tournament, beating Esper Control and Mono-Black. I lost to U/W Control in a close game. I was hoping to bring it to GP Santa Clara and enter a side Standard event to get a feel for what playing the format is like and I want the deck tooled and ready. I don't have a ton of money to throw back into the deck (I almost cried when I bought the Ballistas for 8 each), but want as many suggestions as I can get! Thanks.
Welcome! You have constricted quite a formidable deck and are achieving positive results already. Well done!
I will try to mention a few things quickly and hopefully helpfully.
Nice work with organizing your decklist and using the cardtags. Decktags are even easier, once you get the hang of it. You can also use the new deck builder feature of this site.
Post Ixalan, most competitive Snek decks (and the Pro Tour winner!) have been in Sultai. Your R splash does give you access to an important card in Harnessed Lightning that can efficiently deal with our nemesis Glorybringer.
Most competitive lists that I have seen run 21 lands, one more than you are. 1 island would be fetchable with Attune and improve your chances of playing and using The Scarab God.
a simple play that can really help untangle the manabase or set up a turn 2 Siphoner or Cub is Attune with Aether. You have only nine ways to tap for G turn one. I would look to increase that number. A fourth Aether Hub, Forest and Botanical sanctums seem like the best ways to do that.
I'm not sure there's enough here to add red to the deck, and you should probably go GB Constrictor.
HOWEVER, if you do want red to be in the deck, you really need Harnessed Lightning in the list. It's way better removal than most of the removal you're playing. It has a cheap casting cost and scales with the game.
You also want that full playset of 4 Aether Hubs. It's the best color fixing land in standard. I'm also not sure of the lastest land count in 3 color energy decks, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they're 22 with 4 Attunes. They might be 21 with 4 Attunes. 20 definitely seems to be pushing it. If I were to clean up your list I'd probably start with something like this:
And in the sideboard, some amount of discard, some amount of Lost Legacys, and some artifact/enchantment hate. I'd probably also throw some shocks and more Contempts in the sideboard so you don't just roll over to Mono-Red
If you use the "Quote" feature on the bottom right of the editor to look at Ronnie328's edit of your decklist, you can see how simple it was to use the decktags. From there you can copy-paste into your OP without even completing a response.
I may end up just side boarding the Abrades, but my deck really eats up energy faster than it can make it. Glint-Sleeve Siphoner and Longtusk Cub I just feel are better for racing. Also I am maxed out on Hydras, just in the side board.
The Scorpion God is a mana sink as well as a recurring threat. It works with Winding Constrictor quite well and helps to gain some cards in the late game. Plus it deals with Indestructible Gods like Hazoret the Fervent, turning them to little kittens and doing well at removing them. I will consider Verdurous Gearhulk as it works well with other cards in the deck, will just have to try it out.
I may just end up cutting The Scorpion God altogether for the Bristling Hydras, but the Carnage Tyrant I was never unhappy to see. When it hit the board my opponent was always scrambling to get rid of it as quickly as possible while I sneak in hits with Longtusk Cub and Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, but you do raise the fact of mana. I will try the Hydras and see how they do in comparison to the God.
I'm not particularly a fan of Lightning Strike or Unlicensed Disintegration in the list. I would definitely use the cheaper removal of Harnessed Lightning over either of those. I know you said the deck is energy hungry, but in all honesty, there's A TON of energy generation. Harnessed Lightning only requires you to have 2 energy to kill ever creature that anyone plays in standard.
Speaking of energy generation, you really should add some Servants. Every green-based energy midrange should be running them. Ramp + Mana fixing is exactly what your deck wants to be doing.
Finally, better than Scorpion God and Carnage Tyrant and Verd Gearhulk, I think you want Glorybringer. It's the most troublesome of any of those cards. It definitely the one I'd like to see least when sitting across the table.
My biggest complaint is that since Harnessed Lightning only uses 2 energy to do 2 damage, why not pay the same amount of Mana for Lightning Strike and be able to hit your opponent too? I am trying out Unlicensed Disintegration and have had some moderate success with it, mostly was looking for guaranteed removal that was slightly less Mana intensive than Vraska's Contempt, plus it Lightning Bolt's a face when I have Walking Ballista out.
I have no problem with putting Glorybringer in the deck, especially as I am looking for a replacement for The Scorpion God. The God either wrecks the field and is a big body or just does nothing. Glorybringer always seems to do something. I just don't have any, hence why the God is still on the list. I am not looking to replace the copy of Carnage Tyrant right now, it has won more game 1's than I can count just on having him main-boarded
Harnessed Lightning is so much more than Lightning Strike in an energy deck, it fuels all your energy payoffs and can take down creatures of any size
(most of the time) if you manage your energy right.
I have just found that 7/10 times that Harnessed Lightning and Lightning Strike do the same thing. 2/10 times Harnessed Lightning is better but drains my Energy pool. 1/10 times Lightning Strike is better, mostly because it hits my opponent's face for game. I am likely going to be playing both in my deck for Santa Clara, likely in a 3 to 2 configuration depending on whether I lose Shock and Unlicensed Disintegration or not.
Whether I get Fatal Push or not also depends on whether I keep The Scorpion God or replace it with Glorybringer. If I play Glorybringer, I need to add more Red mana and cards to my deck. If I keep the God, I likely will try and get Fatal Push because of the Black mana requirements.
So I took this deck to GP Santa Clara for some side events.
Round 1 Temur Energy 1/2
This was a match I probably should have won, but I misplayed with a Walking Ballista, targeting their Bristling Hydra in game 2. Both game 2 and 3 were close and I lost to a top decked Glorybringer in game 3.
The red deck did it's thing and even though I was matching them play for play, Hazoret the Fervent was just too much to deal with. Both games were close though with both of us around 6 life n the final turns.
I am happy with how the deck played out. I learned a lot and felt I played very well for my third Standard tournament ever. I believe Abrade was the wrong choice and Duress was very bad. Still tinkering!
Anyways, this is also the first Magic deck I have ever posted and I was hoping for some help with it. I went 2-1 at a local tournament, beating Esper Control and Mono-Black. I lost to U/W Control in a close game. I was hoping to bring it to GP Santa Clara and enter a side Standard event to get a feel for what playing the format is like and I want the deck tooled and ready. I don't have a ton of money to throw back into the deck (I almost cried when I bought the Ballistas for 8 each), but want as many suggestions as I can get! Thanks.
4x Winding Constrictor
4x Longtusk Cub
4x Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
2x Rishkar, Peema Renegade
3x Walking Ballista
3x Bristling Hydra
2x The Scorpion God
4x Attune with Aether
3x Blossoming Defensee
2x Shock
1x Cut // Ribbons
3x Abrade
1x Unlicensed Disintegration
2x Vraska's Contempt
1x Hour of Glory
4x Blooming Marsh
3x Rootbound Crag
3x Aether Hub
2x Dragonskull Summit
2x Canyon Slough
2x Forest
2x Mountain
2x Swamp
I will try to mention a few things quickly and hopefully helpfully.
1 island would be fetchable with Attune and improve your chances of playing and using The Scarab God.RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
HOWEVER, if you do want red to be in the deck, you really need Harnessed Lightning in the list. It's way better removal than most of the removal you're playing. It has a cheap casting cost and scales with the game.
You also want that full playset of 4 Aether Hubs. It's the best color fixing land in standard. I'm also not sure of the lastest land count in 3 color energy decks, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they're 22 with 4 Attunes. They might be 21 with 4 Attunes. 20 definitely seems to be pushing it. If I were to clean up your list I'd probably start with something like this:
4 Aether Hub
17 Other Lands
Creatures 22
4 Winding Constrictor
4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
4 Longtusk Cub
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
3 Walking Ballista
3 Bristling Hydra
2 The Scorpion God
4 Attune with Aether
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Abrade
1 Vraska's Contempt
And in the sideboard, some amount of discard, some amount of Lost Legacys, and some artifact/enchantment hate. I'd probably also throw some shocks and more Contempts in the sideboard so you don't just roll over to Mono-Red
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
I was able to re-tool the lands a little, still cannot afford the third Aether Hub. I added Harnessed Lightning which works very well so far.
This is what I have after fixing it up a little bit.
4 Winding Constrictor
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
2 Bristling Hydra
2 The Scorpion God
1 Carnage Tyrant
4 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Swamp
4 Blooming Marsh
3 Aether Hub
1 Canyon Slough
2 Dragonskull Summit
3 Rootbound Crag
3 Walking Ballista
1 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Blossoming Defense
2 Shock
3 Abrade
2 Vraska's Contempt
4 Attune with Aether
1 Cut // Ribbons
2 Slice in Twain
1 Blossoming Defense
1 Appetite for the Unnatural
1 Hour of Glory
3 Struggle // Survive
1 Hour of Devastation
4 Duress
Any other help is greatly appreciated!
I'm not sure what The Scorpion God really adds to the deck to prefer it over Glorybringer or Verdurous Gearhulk.
The Scorpion God is a mana sink as well as a recurring threat. It works with Winding Constrictor quite well and helps to gain some cards in the late game. Plus it deals with Indestructible Gods like Hazoret the Fervent, turning them to little kittens and doing well at removing them. I will consider Verdurous Gearhulk as it works well with other cards in the deck, will just have to try it out.
Cut // Ribbons is probably not good enough either (but can replace Struggle // Survive in the SB which is plain bad imho) and I'd replace it with either Lightning Strike (less useless version of Shock) or another copy of Unlicensed Disintegration.
Which enchantments are you worried about to pack 2x Slice in Twain (highly overcosted) in addition to Appetite for the Unnatural ?
(and you already have Abrade to cover artifacts)
I'd maindeck the 2x B.Hydras and keep the 2nd Scorpion God and C.Tyrant as SB cards to steamline the curve.
For Slice in Twain it was mostly Search For Azcanta, Cast Out and Ixalan's Binding. When I lost to control decks it was because of those cards and for some reason I only have 1 Appetite for the Unnatural. I should just buy one lol
I may just end up cutting The Scorpion God altogether for the Bristling Hydras, but the Carnage Tyrant I was never unhappy to see. When it hit the board my opponent was always scrambling to get rid of it as quickly as possible while I sneak in hits with Longtusk Cub and Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, but you do raise the fact of mana. I will try the Hydras and see how they do in comparison to the God.
Speaking of energy generation, you really should add some Servants. Every green-based energy midrange should be running them. Ramp + Mana fixing is exactly what your deck wants to be doing.
Finally, better than Scorpion God and Carnage Tyrant and Verd Gearhulk, I think you want Glorybringer. It's the most troublesome of any of those cards. It definitely the one I'd like to see least when sitting across the table.
Servant of the Conduit would be great, I just have no room for it. Longtusk Cub, Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, Walking Ballista and Winding Constrictor round out my 2 drops quite nicely and all of them are better than Servant of the Conduit. I would have to remove some of my late game muscle for them, which would defeat the purpose of putting them in the deck in the first place. If I was Sultai, I think they would be better to cast The Scorpion God, Vraska, Relic Seeker and fix Mana, but as it stands I don't need more little guys I think.
I have no problem with putting Glorybringer in the deck, especially as I am looking for a replacement for The Scorpion God. The God either wrecks the field and is a big body or just does nothing. Glorybringer always seems to do something. I just don't have any, hence why the God is still on the list. I am not looking to replace the copy of Carnage Tyrant right now, it has won more game 1's than I can count just on having him main-boarded
Thanks for the input!
(most of the time) if you manage your energy right.
Whether I get Fatal Push or not also depends on whether I keep The Scorpion God or replace it with Glorybringer. If I play Glorybringer, I need to add more Red mana and cards to my deck. If I keep the God, I likely will try and get Fatal Push because of the Black mana requirements.
Round 1 Temur Energy 1/2
This was a match I probably should have won, but I misplayed with a Walking Ballista, targeting their Bristling Hydra in game 2. Both game 2 and 3 were close and I lost to a top decked Glorybringer in game 3.
Round 2 Sultai Energy 1/2
Game 1 I was racing my opponent and got him down to 4 life, but dropping 3 Bristling Hydras on consecutive turns was just too much. Game 2 belonged to Rishkar, Peema Renegade and Winding Constrictor followed up with a Walking Ballista. Just crazy shenanigans on that game. Game 3 was really close when I just got out-Bristling Hydraed again. Did manage to play Cut // Ribbons for full value though.
Round 3 Ramunap Red 0/2
The red deck did it's thing and even though I was matching them play for play, Hazoret the Fervent was just too much to deal with. Both games were close though with both of us around 6 life n the final turns.
I am happy with how the deck played out. I learned a lot and felt I played very well for my third Standard tournament ever. I believe Abrade was the wrong choice and Duress was very bad. Still tinkering!