I'm just trying to decide if I want to try out Censor, it seems good on paper I just don't know if it will pull it's weight. I think Gifted Aetherborn might just be better in that slot. Also. Flaying Tendrils hasn't been all that great, it is nice that Gifted Aetherborn and Vile Manifestation live through it though. I also end up taking out the second God-Pharaoh's Gift most games when I board, maybe one main is fine. White is really the only deck exiling stuff maybe just board in a second for those matches.
This is the MOST up to date list, which has been working well in a meta of Ramunap Red and the decks that beat them. This seems favorable against both.
To me, Hollow One looks cool, but there's a few problems with it. It's going to incidentally die to things brought in to take care of GPG, it costs 2 to cycle, and it's bad when you're not cycling cards. Scarab Feast and Dreamstealer are pretty cool come form the side, I especially like Scarab Feast for something like the mirror match. Also, how is the deck without spot removal?
I think hollow one is a necessity all the way around. It soaks up Abrade Some of the creatures like lurching rotbeadt I can do without. I'd prefer censor. Gifted aetherborn is the MVP against mono red as well I have also found that midrange needs a little draw so I am thinking hieroglyphic illumination or Pull from tomorrow. As for the two drop slot in terms of mono red. Censor helps hurt their tempo as well
Someone add 3-4 more lands and take this into the midrange with more spot removal like with Grasp of Darkness. I don't think push is good here due to the tap lands.
The big problem I see with cards like grasp is that they don't add anything to the graveyard. We need creatures and/or cycling cards, and interactive cards like that don't give either so it ends up half-wasting a turn because we're not progressing to our ACTUAL game plan. Cards like Gifted AEtherborn and Censor can at least give one half of that equation by boosting Vile Manifestation cheaply or getting us closer to 6 creatures in the yard.
I am curious about the Gift. Has the addition of a second one improved matchups, or is it a necessary evil that can be sided out game 2?
A streamer (forgot who) played ShinyFirefly's current decklist in a 5-game series without success. When showing his own version of the deck, some notable differences included:
* 3 Contraband King replaced Gifted Aetherborn. It's easier to hit, survives more removal, and still has the necessary lifelink for reanimation.
* 3 Yahenni's Expertise came in as -3/-3 wipes the majority of the board while still allowing for another play.
* Censor got chopped b/c it didn't add to the gy's creature count.
* Hollow One and Nimble Obstructionist got cut for their large cycle costs and being unwieldy. An additional land, gate, and rotbeast took their place.
* Fetid Pools were removed b/c their ETB tapped property made the early turns inconsistent. Ipnu Rivulet, likewise, got the boot since our dual lands required basics.
* Flaying Tendrils and Collective Brutality came into the sideboard while Scarab Feast, Spontaneous Mutation, and Consign // Oblivion got the boot.
I'm not 100% sold on all the changes, but I do find they take the deck in an a more streamlined direction. All things considered, the deck itself leaves me questioning what we're truly trying to exploit. God-Pharoh's gift is essentially an unreliable, 4/4 token generator that doesn't have much of an immediate impact. We're not abusing insane ETB shenanigans like other gift decks and I've yet to find an opponent who truly feared a non-evasive, hasted X/4.
A streamer (forgot who) played ShinyFirefly's current decklist in a 5-game series without success. When showing his own version of the deck, some notable differences included:
* 3 Contraband King replaced Gifted Aetherborn. It's easier to hit, survives more removal, and still has the necessary lifelink for reanimation.
* 3 Yahenni's Expertise came in as -3/-3 wipes the majority of the board while still allowing for another play.
* Censor got chopped b/c it didn't add to the gy's creature count.
* Hollow One and Nimble Obstructionist got cut for their large cycle costs and being unwieldy. An additional land, gate, and rotbeast took their place.
* Fetid Pools were removed b/c their ETB tapped property made the early turns inconsistent. Ipnu Rivulet, likewise, got the boot since our dual lands required basics.
* Flaying Tendrils and Collective Brutality came into the sideboard while Scarab Feast, Spontaneous Mutation, and Consign // Oblivion got the boot.
I'm not 100% sold on all the changes, but I do find they take the deck in an a more streamlined direction. All things considered, the deck itself leaves me questioning what we're truly trying to exploit. God-Pharoh's gift is essentially an unreliable, 4/4 token generator that doesn't have much of an immediate impact. We're not abusing insane ETB shenanigans like other gift decks and I've yet to find an opponent who truly feared a non-evasive, hasted X/4.
I bolded what I agree a lot with on the U/B build and, to a degree, some of the alternative builds of Gift Reanimator. Reanimator decks succeed because they are able to generate an advantage that leads to inevitability. Look at Modern and Legacy. The reanimation targets are beasts. Simply slowly putting X/4s on the battlefield doesn't automatically do create enough of an advantage. Yes, you can win games, but I don't feel like it's good enough to push the archetype. These decks are easily sideboarded against with a lot of hate available.
Right now, (imo), Marionette Master and Angel of Invention are the two best reanimation targets to create an advantage. (I've also been tinkering with an Apocalypse Demon as an immediate finisher.) Is there room to get more powerful reanimation targets into the deck?
the only reason why I'm favoring ub over uw is because of ifnir. reanimating champion with archfiend of ifnir in play just wipes anyboard. may not happen too often but its just so fun putting -1/-1 counters on hazoret
the only reason why I'm favoring ub over uw is because of ifnir. reanimating champion with archfiend of ifnir in play just wipes anyboard. may not happen too often but its just so fun putting -1/-1 counters on hazoret
For me, it just feels very reactive instead of proactive. I can certainly understand the joy of sweeping your opponent, but that's a lot of setup to not just win...
I haven't cycled fetid pools once so I'll be taking it out. 4 choked estuary and 4!sunken hollow is enough. Going 9 swamp 3 island I really like this deck the Vile Manifestation and Gifted Aetherborn are awesome deterrents to mono red but and oddly enough. Idk about 3 drake haven maybe one or two it's not great due to the low mana. 4 gate of the afterlife is crucial and so are the 2 main god oharoahs gifts as well. Curator is the one creature I tend to hard cast because it helps dig and in one instance bury my gift to the bottom to be able to search it with gate. I love reanimstibg Champion with ifnir out too. People scoop to ifnir
A streamer (forgot who) played ShinyFirefly's current decklist in a 5-game series without success. When showing his own version of the deck, some notable differences included:
* 3 Contraband King replaced Gifted Aetherborn. It's easier to hit, survives more removal, and still has the necessary lifelink for reanimation.
* 3 Yahenni's Expertise came in as -3/-3 wipes the majority of the board while still allowing for another play.
* Censor got chopped b/c it didn't add to the gy's creature count.
* Hollow One and Nimble Obstructionist got cut for their large cycle costs and being unwieldy. An additional land, gate, and rotbeast took their place.
* Fetid Pools were removed b/c their ETB tapped property made the early turns inconsistent. Ipnu Rivulet, likewise, got the boot since our dual lands required basics.
* Flaying Tendrils and Collective Brutality came into the sideboard while Scarab Feast, Spontaneous Mutation, and Consign // Oblivion got the boot.
I'm not 100% sold on all the changes, but I do find they take the deck in an a more streamlined direction. All things considered, the deck itself leaves me questioning what we're truly trying to exploit. God-Pharoh's gift is essentially an unreliable, 4/4 token generator that doesn't have much of an immediate impact. We're not abusing insane ETB shenanigans like other gift decks and I've yet to find an opponent who truly feared a non-evasive, hasted X/4.
The deck doesn't play itself, so I imagine some folks who are picking it up for the first time don't know the best avenues of play for each scenario, but enough about that. I've had success with it, and will probably stream the rest of my competitive league this weekend, currently 1-0 with first match against UR control.
Now, the changes. Gifted Aetherborn is a great card and I won't cut it. Here's why: Deathtouch. Sure, lifelink is all popular these days because of Ramunap Red, but deathtouch is the keyword that makes this 2-drop worth it. Kills Bristling Hydras and Torrential Gearhulks and Electrostatic Pummelers and Ammit Eternals all day long, which is important in this deck. Contraband Kingpin just gives lifelink to a 1/4 body. I'll stick with my Wurmcoil Vampire.
Yahenni's Expertise I'm still looking at. I like 3 toughness sweepers for matchups where Bygone Bishop or Kari Zev or Sylvan Advocate can get out of hand if not dealt with.
Censor stays. It's a one mana cycler. It counters stuff. There's no downside.
Hollow One is still good, but I may make the land/rotbeast addition to see if I like it. Nimble Obstructionist isn't just a cycler, he's (she's?) also a flash 3 power evasive threat if we're playing fair magic. We play fair magic a lot.
Fetid Pools stays. You need a critical mass of cyclers to make the deck consistent, and cutting a free dual land that also cycles is not the way to add consistency. Ipnu Rivulet also stays, as it's ability not only can grow your grave to give your vile manifestations oomph, I've used it a few times to mill away my opponent's Approach the Second Sun.
Flaying tendrils underperforms, collective brutality underperforms, and the three cards that were cut are such good tempo plays that I begin to wonder if the streamer has read them. 1CMC instant that wins the mirror or blanks Scarab God and Torrential Gearhulk. 1CMC flash enchantment that renders any threat useless basically. And a 1 CMC nonland boomerang that also casts from grave to make opponent pitch two cards (possibly including the one you bounced).
All said, I don't like the changes. It pigeonholes the deck as a God-Pharaoh's Gift deck, which can be hated easily. As to your suggestion that GPG is a do nothing token generator, it's simply much much better than that. I invite you to play some matches with or against the deck.
The deck doesn't play itself, so I imagine some folks who are picking it up for the first time don't know the best avenues of play for each scenario, but enough about that. I've had success with it, and will probably stream the rest of my competitive league this weekend, currently 1-0 with first match against UR control.
Now, the changes. Gifted Aetherborn is a great card and I won't cut it. Here's why: Deathtouch. Sure, lifelink is all popular these days because of Ramunap Red, but deathtouch is the keyword that makes this 2-drop worth it. Kills Bristling Hydras and Torrential Gearhulks and Electrostatic Pummelers and Ammit Eternals all day long, which is important in this deck. Contraband Kingpin just gives lifelink to a 1/4 body. I'll stick with my Wurmcoil Vampire.
Yahenni's Expertise I'm still looking at. I like 3 toughness sweepers for matchups where Bygone Bishop or Kari Zev or Sylvan Advocate can get out of hand if not dealt with.
Censor stays. It's a one mana cycler. It counters stuff. There's no downside.
Hollow One is still good, but I may make the land/rotbeast addition to see if I like it. Nimble Obstructionist isn't just a cycler, he's (she's?) also a flash 3 power evasive threat if we're playing fair magic. We play fair magic a lot.
Fetid Pools stays. You need a critical mass of cyclers to make the deck consistent, and cutting a free dual land that also cycles is not the way to add consistency. Ipnu Rivulet also stays, as it's ability not only can grow your grave to give your vile manifestations oomph, I've used it a few times to mill away my opponent's Approach the Second Sun.
Flaying tendrils underperforms, collective brutality underperforms, and the three cards that were cut are such good tempo plays that I begin to wonder if the streamer has read them. 1CMC instant that wins the mirror or blanks Scarab God and Torrential Gearhulk. 1CMC flash enchantment that renders any threat useless basically. And a 1 CMC nonland boomerang that also casts from grave to make opponent pitch two cards (possibly including the one you bounced).
All said, I don't like the changes. It pigeonholes the deck as a God-Pharaoh's Gift deck, which can be hated easily. As to your suggestion that GPG is a do nothing token generator, it's simply much much better than that. I invite you to play some matches with or against the deck.
I don't know that anyone is arguing that the deck can't be successful. The bigger question is, how competitive is it in the current meta?
I want to believe that this deck is 'better' than the other Gift decks because you don't need to rely on 'randomly' sending cards to the graveyard for reanimation. The problem is that the reanimation targets are weaker than alternatives, i.e. Lurching Rotbeast < Angel of Invention.
You also make the statement, "We play fair magic a lot" which begs the question, is this a 'good' fair magic deck? That point may be arguable, but this isn't something that I would necessarily play vs Ramunap Red. Censor, Vile Manifestation, and Gifted Aetherborn are all good, early cards, but I'm not convinced they will consistently buy you the time to get to turn 5, drop an Archfiend of Ifnir and then cycle on the next turn to sweep.
Personally, I feel like Gifts should be a focused combo for Game 1 with a 'fairer' component post-board.
The deck doesn't play itself, so I imagine some folks who are picking it up for the first time don't know the best avenues of play for each scenario, but enough about that. I've had success with it, and will probably stream the rest of my competitive league this weekend, currently 1-0 with first match against UR control.
Now, the changes. Gifted Aetherborn is a great card and I won't cut it. Here's why: Deathtouch. Sure, lifelink is all popular these days because of Ramunap Red, but deathtouch is the keyword that makes this 2-drop worth it. Kills Bristling Hydras and Torrential Gearhulks and Electrostatic Pummelers and Ammit Eternals all day long, which is important in this deck. Contraband Kingpin just gives lifelink to a 1/4 body. I'll stick with my Wurmcoil Vampire.
Yahenni's Expertise I'm still looking at. I like 3 toughness sweepers for matchups where Bygone Bishop or Kari Zev or Sylvan Advocate can get out of hand if not dealt with.
Censor stays. It's a one mana cycler. It counters stuff. There's no downside.
Hollow One is still good, but I may make the land/rotbeast addition to see if I like it. Nimble Obstructionist isn't just a cycler, he's (she's?) also a flash 3 power evasive threat if we're playing fair magic. We play fair magic a lot.
Fetid Pools stays. You need a critical mass of cyclers to make the deck consistent, and cutting a free dual land that also cycles is not the way to add consistency. Ipnu Rivulet also stays, as it's ability not only can grow your grave to give your vile manifestations oomph, I've used it a few times to mill away my opponent's Approach the Second Sun.
Flaying tendrils underperforms, collective brutality underperforms, and the three cards that were cut are such good tempo plays that I begin to wonder if the streamer has read them. 1CMC instant that wins the mirror or blanks Scarab God and Torrential Gearhulk. 1CMC flash enchantment that renders any threat useless basically. And a 1 CMC nonland boomerang that also casts from grave to make opponent pitch two cards (possibly including the one you bounced).
All said, I don't like the changes. It pigeonholes the deck as a God-Pharaoh's Gift deck, which can be hated easily. As to your suggestion that GPG is a do nothing token generator, it's simply much much better than that. I invite you to play some matches with or against the deck.
I don't know that anyone is arguing that the deck can't be successful. The bigger question is, how competitive is it in the current meta?
I want to believe that this deck is 'better' than the other Gift decks because you don't need to rely on 'randomly' sending cards to the graveyard for reanimation. The problem is that the reanimation targets are weaker than alternatives, i.e. Lurching Rotbeast < Angel of Invention.
You also make the statement, "We play fair magic a lot" which begs the question, is this a 'good' fair magic deck? That point may be arguable, but this isn't something that I would necessarily play vs Ramunap Red. Censor, Vile Manifestation, and Gifted Aetherborn are all good, early cards, but I'm not convinced they will consistently buy you the time to get to turn 5, drop an Archfiend of Ifnir and then cycle on the next turn to sweep.
Personally, I feel like Gifts should be a focused combo for Game 1 with a 'fairer' component post-board.
Is a white splash completely unreasonable?
The answer to the question as to whether Vile Manifestation, Gifted Aetherborn, and Censor can buy me time to turn 5 is... maybe? Let's hope. Ramunap red is a tier 1 or tier 0 deck with explosiveness that basically plays face-hunter from hearthstone. There are many decks that have been tuned to have 80/20 matchups vs red. This one still is probably 50/50 post board. This deck, though, does crush the decks tuned to beat Ramunap Red. Ramunap red also hates out our other worst matchup, GR Ramp. I feel UB Cycling is in a decent spot.
I am like super spun with some of the new meta cards. Mardu gearhulks pharoah is quite disgusting as well and censor does not help. Grasp of Darkness brought the red gearhulk down to killing range with Gifted Aetherborn but that's it. What about Baral's Expertise??? It can clear a blocker field and let us drop a thing.
I think you cant modify the main (With the exception of cutting 2 Archdemons)
21 lands is the minimun you can play, less than that make the deck unrealiable.
4 Censor (counter your oponent creature un turn 2 is one of the best openings you can have)
4 Vile Manifestation is the best blocker against Cub, Grim Flayer, Scrounger, Toolcraft, etc. It sucks against monored. But you can win with it if you play it with the GPG and your oponent is tapped.
4 A. of Ifnir: MVP to wipe the board against Monored, Mardu, Zombies, BG. It sucks against control, you can play just 2 or 3 main if you feel lucky.
4 Champion of Wits: Best blue card of the set.
4 Curator of Mysteries, 4 Horrors, 4 Riverwinder (core cycling engine)
2 Fatal Push (I want to play 4 to increase my winrate against the fastest decks (RG Energy/Monored/Mardu, maybe I ill cut 2 AoI and test it.
4 Gate to the Afterlife: Best Tutor ever.
1 GPG: I you have 2-3 turn you already won, if it get destroyed you can tutor it back, if you draw 2 in your initial hand or early turns you are f*****.
4 Hollow One: At the begining I was very skeptic about this card (I dont like cards cycle (2) cards) but the ability to drop 1 or 2 of this guys in turn 3 is a huge bomb, I really like them.
What I really like about the sideboard.
Grasp of Darkness: Glorybringer, Hazoret, Avacyn and Kalitas and this card can deal with them at instant speed.
Second GPG: You can be unlucky once and be Casted Out, not Twice.
Negate: Best Card against control and PWs.
What I think can be changed.
Gifted Aetherborn: Its the best "friend" to bring against Bristling Hydra, Kalitas, Cub, Lathnu Helion and even Voltaic Brawler,not so much against trample creatures as Pummeler or V.Gearhulk, I feel it useless against Monored (Cant block most of the time)
Yahenni's Expertise: Against a field full of Toolcraft, Scrounger, Khenras, Zombies, Monument tokens, etc this card canb buy you time enough to play your Archdemon, against a field with PW, Hazoret, Glorybringer, not so much and this is what you most likely are going to see post-side.
Liliana's Defeat: I think this card is great (you can kill Liliana (Duh) Ob Nixilis, Nicol Bolas (yes, its part black, Kalitas, Sneaks and Scarab God. But I couldnt bring it enough to justify this over 2 Fatal push more.
While I wasn't able to find all of the cards before the tournament, I managed to win my local Game Day yesterday 6-0 with a cobbled together version of the deck:
Round 1: Ramunap Red, 2-1
Round 2: Bant Planeswalkers, 2-1 (They ran both Cast Out and Angel of Sanctions, so the trick was not relying on the Gift plan)
Round 3: Mono-Black Eldrazi, 2-0 (This felt like a really good match-up. It helps when your two-drops can trade with Distended Mindbenders)
Round 4: Grixis God Control, 2-0
Round 5: Mono-Black Zombies, 2-1
Round 6: Ramunap Red, 2-1 (This was a finals rematch against the person I faced in Round 1)
This deck was really fun to play! Overall the only deck I really struggled against was Ramunap Red. A couple of the game wins I had against it were from my opponent drawing poorly, and I could have easily lost were luck not on my side. Flaying Tendrils helped a bit, especially since your two-drops survive it, but it definitely was not as good as I had hoped. Gifted Aetherborn was an absolute all star in nearly every match-up. In the future I think I'll actually try to complete the deck so I'm not running random one-of cards and to shore up the match-up against red.
I love that y'all are having success -even winning game days- with this deck. Over the weekend, the deck, piloted by myself and my friend who were on the same 72/75 went 11-2, with one of the losses coming from the mirror match of us playing each other.
A few notes.
Recently Hollow One had been cut. That is a bad move. Hollow one is back in and should stay.
Censor is fantastic and should be a playset in the 75.
Gifted Aetherborn is good vs the red matchup, but Ruthless Sniper is a death sentence for them. Up that to a playset.
4m/0s 1m/1s is the right split for Gate to the Afterlife / God-Pharaoh's Gift. Bring in the 2nd vs exile effects.
Can GB Constrictor even compete? Can they even win a match against us? I feel the matchup is 95/5 in our favor.
Ramunap Red is a 40/60 matchup, Yahenni's Expertise is better than Flaying Tendrils. Hits Kari Zev, Zombies, Spell Queller, etc.
Ruthless Snipers need to stay in post board VS URx Control. Kills Dragonmaster Outcasts and Wandering Fumaroles.
Sometimes the correct play is hardcasting your cyclers and saying "Answer this" to control. I managed to get in for 14 with a single Horror of the Broken Lands, ending the game.
This deck loses four cards to rotation: 4 Choked Estuaries. Ixalan gives us Drowned Catacombs. Upgrade.
I'm really liking the idea of Collective Brutality in the 75 somewhere. But where?
GR Ramp is our worst matchup, but that deck dies 100% in less than two short months.
Possible modern port with Living End? Street Wraith is a good fit.
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2 Gifted Aetherborn
4 Vile Manifestation
4 Champion of Wits
4 Horror of the Broken Lands
3 Lurching Rotbeast
4 Curator of Mysteries
4 Archfiend of Ifnir
4 Striped Riverwinder
3 Gate to the Afterlife
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
2 Collective Brutality
3 Grasp of Darkness
Lands
4 Choked Estuary
4 Fetid Pools
2 Sunken Hollow
9 Swamp
2 Island
1 Gifted Aetherborn
3 Drake Haven
2 Dispel
3 Negate
1 Grasp of Darkness
2 Consign // Oblivion
3 Flaying Tendrils
I'm just trying to decide if I want to try out Censor, it seems good on paper I just don't know if it will pull it's weight. I think Gifted Aetherborn might just be better in that slot. Also. Flaying Tendrils hasn't been all that great, it is nice that Gifted Aetherborn and Vile Manifestation live through it though. I also end up taking out the second God-Pharaoh's Gift most games when I board, maybe one main is fine. White is really the only deck exiling stuff maybe just board in a second for those matches.
Any thoughts?
4 Choked Estuary
4 Fetid Pools
1 Sunken Hollow
1 Ipnu Rivulet
4 Island
5 Swamp
Spells
3 Censor
4 Vile Manifestation
4 Champion of Wits
1 Nimble Obstructionist
3 Gate to the Afterlife
4 Curator of Mysteries
3 Gifted Aetherborn
4 Horror of the Broken Lands
4 Archfiend of Ifnir
2 Hollow One
3 Lurching Rotbeast
4 Striped Riverwinder
2 God-Pharaoh’s Gift
2 Drake Haven
2 Negate
3 Scarab Feast
3 Ruthless Sniper
2 Consign // Oblivion
1 Dreamstealer
2 Spontaneous Mutation
This is the MOST up to date list, which has been working well in a meta of Ramunap Red and the decks that beat them. This seems favorable against both.
I am curious about the Gift. Has the addition of a second one improved matchups, or is it a necessary evil that can be sided out game 2?
* 3 Contraband King replaced Gifted Aetherborn. It's easier to hit, survives more removal, and still has the necessary lifelink for reanimation.
* 3 Yahenni's Expertise came in as -3/-3 wipes the majority of the board while still allowing for another play.
* Censor got chopped b/c it didn't add to the gy's creature count.
* Hollow One and Nimble Obstructionist got cut for their large cycle costs and being unwieldy. An additional land, gate, and rotbeast took their place.
* Fetid Pools were removed b/c their ETB tapped property made the early turns inconsistent. Ipnu Rivulet, likewise, got the boot since our dual lands required basics.
* Flaying Tendrils and Collective Brutality came into the sideboard while Scarab Feast, Spontaneous Mutation, and Consign // Oblivion got the boot.
I'm not 100% sold on all the changes, but I do find they take the deck in an a more streamlined direction. All things considered, the deck itself leaves me questioning what we're truly trying to exploit. God-Pharoh's gift is essentially an unreliable, 4/4 token generator that doesn't have much of an immediate impact. We're not abusing insane ETB shenanigans like other gift decks and I've yet to find an opponent who truly feared a non-evasive, hasted X/4.
I bolded what I agree a lot with on the U/B build and, to a degree, some of the alternative builds of Gift Reanimator. Reanimator decks succeed because they are able to generate an advantage that leads to inevitability. Look at Modern and Legacy. The reanimation targets are beasts. Simply slowly putting X/4s on the battlefield doesn't automatically do create enough of an advantage. Yes, you can win games, but I don't feel like it's good enough to push the archetype. These decks are easily sideboarded against with a lot of hate available.
Right now, (imo), Marionette Master and Angel of Invention are the two best reanimation targets to create an advantage. (I've also been tinkering with an Apocalypse Demon as an immediate finisher.) Is there room to get more powerful reanimation targets into the deck?
For me, it just feels very reactive instead of proactive. I can certainly understand the joy of sweeping your opponent, but that's a lot of setup to not just win...
The deck doesn't play itself, so I imagine some folks who are picking it up for the first time don't know the best avenues of play for each scenario, but enough about that. I've had success with it, and will probably stream the rest of my competitive league this weekend, currently 1-0 with first match against UR control.
Now, the changes. Gifted Aetherborn is a great card and I won't cut it. Here's why: Deathtouch. Sure, lifelink is all popular these days because of Ramunap Red, but deathtouch is the keyword that makes this 2-drop worth it. Kills Bristling Hydras and Torrential Gearhulks and Electrostatic Pummelers and Ammit Eternals all day long, which is important in this deck. Contraband Kingpin just gives lifelink to a 1/4 body. I'll stick with my Wurmcoil Vampire.
Yahenni's Expertise I'm still looking at. I like 3 toughness sweepers for matchups where Bygone Bishop or Kari Zev or Sylvan Advocate can get out of hand if not dealt with.
Censor stays. It's a one mana cycler. It counters stuff. There's no downside.
Hollow One is still good, but I may make the land/rotbeast addition to see if I like it. Nimble Obstructionist isn't just a cycler, he's (she's?) also a flash 3 power evasive threat if we're playing fair magic. We play fair magic a lot.
Fetid Pools stays. You need a critical mass of cyclers to make the deck consistent, and cutting a free dual land that also cycles is not the way to add consistency. Ipnu Rivulet also stays, as it's ability not only can grow your grave to give your vile manifestations oomph, I've used it a few times to mill away my opponent's Approach the Second Sun.
Flaying tendrils underperforms, collective brutality underperforms, and the three cards that were cut are such good tempo plays that I begin to wonder if the streamer has read them. 1CMC instant that wins the mirror or blanks Scarab God and Torrential Gearhulk. 1CMC flash enchantment that renders any threat useless basically. And a 1 CMC nonland boomerang that also casts from grave to make opponent pitch two cards (possibly including the one you bounced).
All said, I don't like the changes. It pigeonholes the deck as a God-Pharaoh's Gift deck, which can be hated easily. As to your suggestion that GPG is a do nothing token generator, it's simply much much better than that. I invite you to play some matches with or against the deck.
I don't know that anyone is arguing that the deck can't be successful. The bigger question is, how competitive is it in the current meta?
I want to believe that this deck is 'better' than the other Gift decks because you don't need to rely on 'randomly' sending cards to the graveyard for reanimation. The problem is that the reanimation targets are weaker than alternatives, i.e. Lurching Rotbeast < Angel of Invention.
You also make the statement, "We play fair magic a lot" which begs the question, is this a 'good' fair magic deck? That point may be arguable, but this isn't something that I would necessarily play vs Ramunap Red. Censor, Vile Manifestation, and Gifted Aetherborn are all good, early cards, but I'm not convinced they will consistently buy you the time to get to turn 5, drop an Archfiend of Ifnir and then cycle on the next turn to sweep.
Personally, I feel like Gifts should be a focused combo for Game 1 with a 'fairer' component post-board.
Is a white splash completely unreasonable?
Censor, Consign//Oblivion, Ruthless Sniper, Archfiend of Ifnir, Spontaneous Mutation. That's about it.
The answer to the question as to whether Vile Manifestation, Gifted Aetherborn, and Censor can buy me time to turn 5 is... maybe? Let's hope. Ramunap red is a tier 1 or tier 0 deck with explosiveness that basically plays face-hunter from hearthstone. There are many decks that have been tuned to have 80/20 matchups vs red. This one still is probably 50/50 post board. This deck, though, does crush the decks tuned to beat Ramunap Red. Ramunap red also hates out our other worst matchup, GR Ramp. I feel UB Cycling is in a decent spot.
3-0-1 at gameday people said they loved the deck. Mono white always watching humans stalled me out and we went into rounds.
I beat grixis planeswalkers/locust god/ as foretold, blackred discard and 4 color energy. Thank god no mono red.
I defeated Jund Gods (2-0), RG Energy(2-0), Jeskai Control(2-1), Mardu Vehicles (2-1), BR Aggro (2-1)
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MAIN
SIDEBOARD
I think you cant modify the main (With the exception of cutting 2 Archdemons)
21 lands is the minimun you can play, less than that make the deck unrealiable.
4 Censor (counter your oponent creature un turn 2 is one of the best openings you can have)
4 Vile Manifestation is the best blocker against Cub, Grim Flayer, Scrounger, Toolcraft, etc. It sucks against monored. But you can win with it if you play it with the GPG and your oponent is tapped.
4 A. of Ifnir: MVP to wipe the board against Monored, Mardu, Zombies, BG. It sucks against control, you can play just 2 or 3 main if you feel lucky.
4 Champion of Wits: Best blue card of the set.
4 Curator of Mysteries, 4 Horrors, 4 Riverwinder (core cycling engine)
2 Fatal Push (I want to play 4 to increase my winrate against the fastest decks (RG Energy/Monored/Mardu, maybe I ill cut 2 AoI and test it.
4 Gate to the Afterlife: Best Tutor ever.
1 GPG: I you have 2-3 turn you already won, if it get destroyed you can tutor it back, if you draw 2 in your initial hand or early turns you are f*****.
4 Hollow One: At the begining I was very skeptic about this card (I dont like cards cycle (2) cards) but the ability to drop 1 or 2 of this guys in turn 3 is a huge bomb, I really like them.
What I really like about the sideboard.
Grasp of Darkness: Glorybringer, Hazoret, Avacyn and Kalitas and this card can deal with them at instant speed.
Second GPG: You can be unlucky once and be Casted Out, not Twice.
Negate: Best Card against control and PWs.
What I think can be changed.
Gifted Aetherborn: Its the best "friend" to bring against Bristling Hydra, Kalitas, Cub, Lathnu Helion and even Voltaic Brawler,not so much against trample creatures as Pummeler or V.Gearhulk, I feel it useless against Monored (Cant block most of the time)
Yahenni's Expertise: Against a field full of Toolcraft, Scrounger, Khenras, Zombies, Monument tokens, etc this card canb buy you time enough to play your Archdemon, against a field with PW, Hazoret, Glorybringer, not so much and this is what you most likely are going to see post-side.
Liliana's Defeat: I think this card is great (you can kill Liliana (Duh) Ob Nixilis, Nicol Bolas (yes, its part black, Kalitas, Sneaks and Scarab God. But I couldnt bring it enough to justify this over 2 Fatal push more.
2 Champion of Wits
4 Striped Riverwinder
4 Curator of Mysteries
4 Archfiend of Ifnir
4 Vile Manifestation
4 Gifted Aetherborn
4 Horror of the Broken Lands
4 Lurching Rotbeast
Spells
1 Censor
1 Collective Brutality
1 Strategic Planning
2 Grasp of Darkness
3 Gate to the Afterlife
2 God-Pharaoh's Gift
Lands
2 Fetid Pools
2 Choked Estuary
1 Ipnu Rivulet
11 Swamp
4 Island
3 Flaying Tendrils
3 Drake Haven
2 Negate
2 Transgress the Mind
3 Spontaneous Mutation
1 Strategic Planning
1 Ruthless Sniper
Round 1: Ramunap Red, 2-1
Round 2: Bant Planeswalkers, 2-1 (They ran both Cast Out and Angel of Sanctions, so the trick was not relying on the Gift plan)
Round 3: Mono-Black Eldrazi, 2-0 (This felt like a really good match-up. It helps when your two-drops can trade with Distended Mindbenders)
Round 4: Grixis God Control, 2-0
Round 5: Mono-Black Zombies, 2-1
Round 6: Ramunap Red, 2-1 (This was a finals rematch against the person I faced in Round 1)
This deck was really fun to play! Overall the only deck I really struggled against was Ramunap Red. A couple of the game wins I had against it were from my opponent drawing poorly, and I could have easily lost were luck not on my side. Flaying Tendrils helped a bit, especially since your two-drops survive it, but it definitely was not as good as I had hoped. Gifted Aetherborn was an absolute all star in nearly every match-up. In the future I think I'll actually try to complete the deck so I'm not running random one-of cards and to shore up the match-up against red.
A few notes.
Recently Hollow One had been cut. That is a bad move. Hollow one is back in and should stay.
Censor is fantastic and should be a playset in the 75.
Gifted Aetherborn is good vs the red matchup, but Ruthless Sniper is a death sentence for them. Up that to a playset.
4m/0s 1m/1s is the right split for Gate to the Afterlife / God-Pharaoh's Gift. Bring in the 2nd vs exile effects.
Can GB Constrictor even compete? Can they even win a match against us? I feel the matchup is 95/5 in our favor.
Ramunap Red is a 40/60 matchup, Yahenni's Expertise is better than Flaying Tendrils. Hits Kari Zev, Zombies, Spell Queller, etc.
Ruthless Snipers need to stay in post board VS URx Control. Kills Dragonmaster Outcasts and Wandering Fumaroles.
Sometimes the correct play is hardcasting your cyclers and saying "Answer this" to control. I managed to get in for 14 with a single Horror of the Broken Lands, ending the game.
This deck loses four cards to rotation: 4 Choked Estuaries. Ixalan gives us Drowned Catacombs. Upgrade.
I'm really liking the idea of Collective Brutality in the 75 somewhere. But where?
GR Ramp is our worst matchup, but that deck dies 100% in less than two short months.
Possible modern port with Living End? Street Wraith is a good fit.