For the current card pool it's just not strong enough to play. It has too many situations where it is a break even play at best and will sit in the hand as a dead card. Waiting to draw a card you can afford to discard because the other card you have in hand has to be held is a real problem.
I like the Poxblade list above but it has no draw other than the hawks and no card advantage other than the blade splicers. If you could find a way to fit Dark Tutelage or Sign in Blood or even both in that list it would become much better.
Again... MBC, or heavy black control splashing another color. It would really have to be a deck that is extremely light on creatures, and maindecks mass removal (being a creature light control deck, it probably should be regardless). With a deck like this, Smallpox is always set up to be pretty much a 1 for 1 at worst. It will nab a creature (won't hit a creature on your side if there aren't any in play) and make both of you discard... but there is the potential you can play around that. That type of 1 for 1 isn't horrible in a control deck.
Again... MBC, or heavy black control splashing another color. It would really have to be a deck that is extremely light on creatures, and maindecks mass removal (being a creature light control deck, it probably should be regardless). With a deck like this, Smallpox is always set up to be pretty much a 1 for 1 at worst. It will nab a creature (won't hit a creature on your side if there aren't any in play) and make both of you discard... but there is the potential you can play around that. That type of 1 for 1 isn't horrible in a control deck.
It's not a 1-for-1 unless the person playing Smallpox has a card in their hand that they don't mind discarding. Smallpox matches up against the creature and then everything after that is an independent valuation. Discarding a card with value while your opponent discards a land is bad news and that will happen fairly often in a control vs midrange/aggro situation.
In my experience low-creature control lists are almost never in this position. They want mana on the board to power their sweepers and win-cons which tend to be expensive. The only category of card that is likely to fit in the category of easy discard is single targeted discard. So that's what MBC is going to be aiming for: only discarding an Inquisition of Kozilek when they have to use Smallpox to get rid of an opposing creature.
Geth's Verdict, as an example, is going to be superior to Smallpox in most of the situations that Smallpox would be effective. So will Go for the Throat and Doom Blade, gaining targetability in exchange for the occasions when they are invalid due to target type.
Tectonic Edge and the other creature removal will be superior against manlands.
The targeted discard will actually be more effective at getting an important card out of the opponent's hand in the midgame, albeit neither will be all that effective at that point.
Having a wildcard in hand that might kill the creature you need killed or might force the discard of a win-con or might deprive the opponent of a needed land is much weaker than actually playing cards likely to get what you need when you need it.
It's not a 1-for-1 unless the person playing Smallpox has a card in their hand that they don't mind discarding. Smallpox matches up against the creature and then everything after that is an independent valuation. Discarding a card with value while your opponent discards a land is bad news and that will happen fairly often in a control vs midrange/aggro situation.
No... it's a 1 for 1 regardless of the discard and land distruction. They sac a creature, you don't have a creature on the board to sacrifice. Your opponent sac's a creature, you lose the Smallpox... hence 1 for 1.
Geth's Verdict, as an example, is going to be superior to Smallpox in most of the situations that Smallpox would be effective. So will Go for the Throat and Doom Blade, gaining targetability in exchange for the occasions when they are invalid due to target type.
Smallpox can be a little more flexible in that in situations where the Verdict is a dead card because it's still hand disruption (weak disruption, but thats better than being a completely dead card). But yeah, Verdict is probably better overall. Monoblack lists back in the days of Odyssey played Innocent Blood and Chainer's Edict in the same deck. This could possibly be the case here.
Also... there is something to be said about variety of removal. You don't want 16 Doom Blades in your deck. But throwing in 4 Consume Spirit's as a 10-15 point life swing that can sometimes hit Planeswalkers, or "sac" effects like Geth's Verdict that can hit Hexproof or Indestructible stuff. It's too early to make predictions as to what would make the cut because it mostly depends on the metagame. But Smallpox certainly isn't a crap card.
Whether or not it worked does not validate the play. That's hindsight probability. Let's say I offered you a bet -- I'm going to flip a coin and if it's heads, I'll give you 1 dollar but if it's tails, you'll give me 2 dollars. This is obviously a terrible bet for you. Accepting it is a bad decision. You can't justify it afterwards by arguing that you won the flip, therefore you made the right decision.
I feel that a low curve is correct for running smallpox. I've come up with this deck list that I've been testing with this weekend, though unfortunately I was unable to get it finished prior to FNM so I don't really have any results to post.
Spells- 21
3x Dark Tutelage
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Despise
2x Go for the Throat
4x Smallpox
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Beast Within
2x Timely Reinforcements
1x Lashwrithe
Ok, I know the list isnt B/G, and that pushing 3 colors is being out of my mind. But I've had success playing a few decks. I feel that the white for cards like Timely Reinforcements helps out a lot. Most of the time I tend to have a few less life than my opponent before I turn the game around and putting 3 dudes on the board and 6 life is insane against aggro strategies. I know my sideboard needs some help but not quite sure what I'll need. But from some testing I feel that I'll struggle with RDW and valikut.
Any suggestions and opinions are welcomed
-Kage.
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Nest Invader gives you a one shot mana source or a creature to sac to Pox. Simulacrum seems good. heh, but I've been bashing that card for awhile. Just think tapping out for that guy will get you busted by Kut and Twin...
Sylvan Ranger offset's the 1-for-2 ness...lol. You almost have to best within their land because the pox isn't a good play later in the game. If only they reprinted sinkhole....That would make this deck take off. Hahahah.
What about Dark Tutalage? A bunch of one and two drops? Then you could fit fauna and Vengvine in there. RDW would cremate this though.
Blood Ghast, Nest Invader, Small Pox? Is trying to fit Vengevine and Shaman too much of a reach?
@ Secularon: Nest Invader is cute? But I don't think it's actually efficient enough for the deck. Vridian Emissary is a much better choice, because it replaces the land from smallpox where as Nest Invader doesn't actually help any since you'll still be down a land. I used to have Slyvan Ranger in the deck but I felt that a 1/1 wasnt enough and it doesn't put it into play. Dark Tuatalage is very good in the deck I've brewed up since the low curve. Fauna and Vengevine are just too slow and I dont typically want to over extend and I don't run many green guys. I feel Skinshifter is a solid choice over Vengevine due to the modes.
Sorry if i feel like I'm attacking you, Its just what I've gathered from play testing with what I have. Though I do like the synergy with Bloodghast but I feel that being a 2/1 that cant block to be too big of a drawback with the deck. Though I may be completely wrong.
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Animar, Soul of Elements
Curious... why not run decks with enough artifacts to have a Kuldotha Phoenix? You can easily dump it in the graveyard and use Metalcraft to put him into play... You don't even need to run Red mana.
Curious... why not run decks with enough artifacts to have a Kuldotha Phoenix? You can easily dump it in the graveyard and use Metalcraft to put him into play... You don't even need to run Red mana.
Because there comes a point where you're trying to be too cute with synergies and using cards that are only useful in a small number of situations. Kudotha Phoenix is one of those cards.
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Viridian Emissary
4 Bloodghast
4 Smallpox
4 Vengevine
4 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Monomania
2 Vengeful Pharaoh
4 Go for the Throat
2 minutes of thinking. Make it better, gogo
Ive been seeing alot of people who want to make smallpox decks and are running manna guys (aka birds, cobra) But why would you want to cast pox when you have a guy out that helps you pump out manna? (unless its Viridan Emissary) Vengeful Pharaoh is too slow, and being a 5 drop (probably like 6 if your lucky) and at that point you're probably too far behind to recover. IOK and Despise are so much better than Monomania. By the time you can cast it, it wont matter it'll either get 1-2 cards or get countered. I think a lot of people are haven't played with Smallpox to much. But I do have a list I plan on running at FNM this coming Friday. Hear is the list
Spells- 21
3x Dark Tutelage
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Despise
2x Go for the Throat
4x Smallpox
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Beast Within
2x Timely Reinforcements
1x Lashwrithe
In my search for trying to offset the pitching aspect of Smallpox, I've been looking at Galvanoth. Namely, it would be a BR deck that utilizes Pox to send large instants/sorceries to the 'yard and then uses Noxious Revival to put the spell back on top of the library for Galvanoth to cast for free. I've run into a few obvious problems:
1) Getting to 5 mana can be tough in BR. I might make this deck idea full-on Jund to get the green ramp.
2) Tutoring for Galvanoth is paramount, as without him you're stuck with some huge uncastable spells in your hand and nothing to do with them.
3) Protecting Galvanoth in BR is tricky at best. Adding G might help by gaining access to cards like Vines of Vastwood.
Any thoughts on this idea? I haven't noticed it being brought up yet AFAIK.
and if you aren't running solemn in any smallpox deck, you're doing it wrong
Um no? Solemn is amazing yes. But not in this deck for 4 manna he doesn't put a presence on the board. I love him, but he is just a bit too slow for the deck also ripping him off Dark Tutelage just plain old hurts and isn't worth it. And as for the t3 monomania, you'd have to be playing in magical Christmas land in order for that to be any consistent. and than what you and your opponent are in top deck mode. Seems kinda bad?
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Um no? Solemn is amazing yes. But not in this deck for 4 manna he doesn't put a presence on the board. I love him, but he is just a bit too slow for the deck also ripping him off Dark Tutelage just plain old hurts and isn't worth it. And as for the t3 monomania, you'd have to be playing in magical Christmas land in order for that to be any consistent. and than what you and your opponent are in top deck mode. Seems kinda bad?
Well see, your issue with ripping solemn off of DT is solved simply by not running a bad card barely used in Vamps. Run Gambit instead if you really want the draw for life.
Solemn takes the negative advantage you get off of smallpox and puts you back into the positive side. I really don't see how you could consider an Emissary but not the Lonely Robot.
You also have to be living in Magic Christmas land if you think you'll be smallpoxing T3 every single game.
Monomania isn't that good anyways, they get to keep the best card and you get to sit not doing anything either.
It was good previously because there was a viable reanimator strategy in solar flare decks and you could realistically abuse every aspect of it.
You discard either a angel of despair or a haakon, sac a flagstones, sac a knight you could rebuy with haakon and end up reanimating angel of despair.
Not sure why people are trying to build around it right now, there isn't enough support even if you get bloodghast and vengevine running. Obvious crossblock plant is obvious.
Well see, your issue with ripping solemn off of DT is solved simply by not running a bad card barely used in Vamps. Run Gambit instead if you really want the draw for life.
Solemn takes the negative advantage you get off of smallpox and puts you back into the positive side. I really don't see how you could consider an Emissary but not the Lonely Robot.
You also have to be living in Magic Christmas land if you think you'll be smallpoxing T3 every single game.
Monomania isn't that good anyways, they get to keep the best card and you get to sit not doing anything either.
Ok, Dark Tutalage is really good inside the list. because it gives you more cards over time and doesnt always hit you with the life loss. Granted I haven't tested gambit that much, but i feel that Dark tutalage is correct. It helps out so much after a pox resolution. Where as Sad Robot is just too slow in my opinion. Have you even play tested the list I've presented? Poxing t3-4 while hitting IOK/Despise turns 1-3 is still really solid and effective.
Also. I'm not basing the deck around Pox persay but using it as a control piece. It does more than just put cards in the yard, it cuts my opponents off of mana cards and guys. yeah, i do the same, but i play around that by playing low cost creatures.
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Its an LD version that with the right hand can stall your opponents from playing
lands from the start
For example:
T1: Forest, birds of paradise
OT1: Land.
T2: Swamp, Beast Within targeting opponents T1 land, rhey get a 3/3.
OT2: Land, attacks and were at 17.
T3: Swamp, Viridian Emissary, Smallpox; opponent discards and sacrifices, you do too so you choose to sacrifice Emissary.
(opponent still doesnt have a land on the battlefield)
OT3: Land.
T4: Entomber Exarch, choose to take a land from opponents hand; additionally you can opt just to play Acidic Slime destroying their land in the process.
t.
Ive been seeing alot of people who want to make smallpox decks and are running manna guys (aka birds, cobra) But why would you want to cast pox when you have a guy out that helps you pump out manna? (unless its Viridan Emissary) Vengeful Pharaoh is too slow, and being a 5 drop (probably like 6 if your lucky) and at that point you're probably too far behind to recover. IOK and Despise are so much better than Monomania. By the time you can cast it, it wont matter it'll either get 1-2 cards or get countered. I think a lot of people are haven't played with Smallpox to much. But I do have a list I plan on running at FNM this coming Friday. Hear is the list
Spells- 21
3x Dark Tutelage
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Despise
2x Go for the Throat
4x Smallpox
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Beast Within
2x Timely Reinforcements
1x Lashwrithe
i agree that the mana guy it must be viridian emissary, a bird is not bad anyway, but the pharaoh is the kind of card that i want to discard and have some advantage discarding it imo, monomania is useful against some control decks that keeps a lot of cards, so is a sb only...
i think it could be a good use of smallpox with bitthing pod, you have a way to summon your fatties without casting them, you can recur cards like reasembling or bloodgast to sac it to smallpox and birthing pod, discard them to pox, i think smallpox is a powerful card with the awesome sinergies, but is not a card to build around (IMO).
@Mexicutioner: I see what you're trying to do with your list, but what a lot of people dont understand is that playing manna dudes is counter intuitive when playing smallpox. you want to be able to pox t2-4 and if you have to sac a manna guy, your out another card from your hand. Also I think/feel that a low curve is probably better for this style of deck. You are missing IOK and Despise from your list, 4x smallpox just isn't enough to win the game. I think your curve is too high but I guess only time shall tell.
I know I'm probably going to receive alot of crap from other users about playing pox with a low curve and or just playing pox due to its not as good as it once was and we lack the proper cards to benefit from it.
The way I feel if you want/plan to run smallpox in your list there are a few cards you should avoid, [cards]Birds of Paradise[/card] you'll probably end sacing it to pox and that puts you a card behind. Vengeful Pharaohyou still take the damage from the attacking creature and than you'll miss your draw for the turn also getting up to 5-6 manna is hard if you plan on controlling the board with early/multiple pox resolutions. Vengevine yes this card seems really good in this type of deck, but I feel that because the deck wont allow you to drop multiple creatures in the same turn consistently it's not worth the space in the deck. Really any thing over 4 manna is kinda iffy I think.
I'm no type 2 gurru but I think that going BWG will help a lot more with answering decks. I've got my list on a few pages, and I think it's solid, I know it doesn't run Sad Robot, but I think it's too slow for my deck granted it is colorless It just doesn't present a strong enough board presence to really affect the game. Like I don't know this is just how I feel about some of the cards that people are suggesting
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I really think the ideal turn 1 play for this type of deck is either birds of paradise or Llanowar elves, to a lesser extent..
You want to be able to play Beast Within on turn 2 if your on the draw how brutal is taking your opponents turn 1 land?
Could always throw in Birthing Pod just incase your 3 drop isnt beast.
The key to playing Smallpox in this deck is waiting for turn 3 when you have 4 mana at your disposal; this is where you save your birds, you cast a 2 drop Viridian Emissary being the creature of choice to set up your Smallpox. Reassembling Skeleton is an optimal choice if you dont have emissary, he is a much better discard option though.
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Again... MBC, or heavy black control splashing another color. It would really have to be a deck that is extremely light on creatures, and maindecks mass removal (being a creature light control deck, it probably should be regardless). With a deck like this, Smallpox is always set up to be pretty much a 1 for 1 at worst. It will nab a creature (won't hit a creature on your side if there aren't any in play) and make both of you discard... but there is the potential you can play around that. That type of 1 for 1 isn't horrible in a control deck.
It's not a 1-for-1 unless the person playing Smallpox has a card in their hand that they don't mind discarding. Smallpox matches up against the creature and then everything after that is an independent valuation. Discarding a card with value while your opponent discards a land is bad news and that will happen fairly often in a control vs midrange/aggro situation.
In my experience low-creature control lists are almost never in this position. They want mana on the board to power their sweepers and win-cons which tend to be expensive. The only category of card that is likely to fit in the category of easy discard is single targeted discard. So that's what MBC is going to be aiming for: only discarding an Inquisition of Kozilek when they have to use Smallpox to get rid of an opposing creature.
Geth's Verdict, as an example, is going to be superior to Smallpox in most of the situations that Smallpox would be effective. So will Go for the Throat and Doom Blade, gaining targetability in exchange for the occasions when they are invalid due to target type.
Tectonic Edge and the other creature removal will be superior against manlands.
The targeted discard will actually be more effective at getting an important card out of the opponent's hand in the midgame, albeit neither will be all that effective at that point.
Having a wildcard in hand that might kill the creature you need killed or might force the discard of a win-con or might deprive the opponent of a needed land is much weaker than actually playing cards likely to get what you need when you need it.
No... it's a 1 for 1 regardless of the discard and land distruction. They sac a creature, you don't have a creature on the board to sacrifice. Your opponent sac's a creature, you lose the Smallpox... hence 1 for 1.
Smallpox can be a little more flexible in that in situations where the Verdict is a dead card because it's still hand disruption (weak disruption, but thats better than being a completely dead card). But yeah, Verdict is probably better overall. Monoblack lists back in the days of Odyssey played Innocent Blood and Chainer's Edict in the same deck. This could possibly be the case here.
Also... there is something to be said about variety of removal. You don't want 16 Doom Blades in your deck. But throwing in 4 Consume Spirit's as a 10-15 point life swing that can sometimes hit Planeswalkers, or "sac" effects like Geth's Verdict that can hit Hexproof or Indestructible stuff. It's too early to make predictions as to what would make the cut because it mostly depends on the metagame. But Smallpox certainly isn't a crap card.
- Run cheap creatures with enter-the-battlefield or graveyard-from-battlefield abilities. Something like Viridian Emmissary for example.
- We have a small window with Grim Discovery where this kind of idea could be perfect.
- Discard Vengeful Pharaoh early on, or maybe Reassembling Skeleton. Maybe throw in red and include Chandra's Phoenix.
Lands- 24
6x Forests
9x Swamps
4x Plains
3x Marsh Flats
2x Verdant Catacombs
Creatures-15
4x Skinshifter
3x Vampire Nighthawk
4x Porcelain Legionnaire
4x Vridian Emissary
Spells- 21
3x Dark Tutelage
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Despise
2x Go for the Throat
4x Smallpox
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Beast Within
2x Timely Reinforcements
1x Lashwrithe
Sideboard
3x Doom Blade
3x Spellskite
1x Oblivion Ring
4x Celestial Purge
2x Creeping Corrosion
2x Timely Reinforcements
Ok, I know the list isnt B/G, and that pushing 3 colors is being out of my mind. But I've had success playing a few decks. I feel that the white for cards like Timely Reinforcements helps out a lot. Most of the time I tend to have a few less life than my opponent before I turn the game around and putting 3 dudes on the board and 6 life is insane against aggro strategies. I know my sideboard needs some help but not quite sure what I'll need. But from some testing I feel that I'll struggle with RDW and valikut.
Any suggestions and opinions are welcomed
-Kage.
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
Sylvan Ranger offset's the 1-for-2 ness...lol. You almost have to best within their land because the pox isn't a good play later in the game. If only they reprinted sinkhole....That would make this deck take off. Hahahah.
What about Dark Tutalage? A bunch of one and two drops? Then you could fit fauna and Vengvine in there. RDW would cremate this though.
Blood Ghast, Nest Invader, Small Pox? Is trying to fit Vengevine and Shaman too much of a reach?
Sorry if i feel like I'm attacking you, Its just what I've gathered from play testing with what I have. Though I do like the synergy with Bloodghast but I feel that being a 2/1 that cant block to be too big of a drawback with the deck. Though I may be completely wrong.
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
2 Skinshifter
4 Viridian Emissary
3 Perilous Myr
3 Glissa the Traitor
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Inquisition of Kozileck
3 Despise
4 Smallpox
2 Ratchet Bomb
3 Go for the Throat
3 Dismember
4 Beast Within
24 land
Heavy disruption. Skinshifter gets there.
Thoughts?
Creatures [28]
4x Extractor Demon
4x Rotting Rats
4x Dregscape Zombie
3x Fatestitcher
4x Viscera Dragger
4x Hedron Crab
2x Kederekt Leviathan
3x Corpse Connoisseur
4x Spell Pierce
2x Consume Spirit
2x Tome Scour
3x Grim Discovery
Lands [23]
4x Terramorphic Expanse
3x Crypt of Agadeem
2x Grixis Panorama
2x Swamp
12x Island
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Because there comes a point where you're trying to be too cute with synergies and using cards that are only useful in a small number of situations. Kudotha Phoenix is one of those cards.
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Viridian Emissary
4 Bloodghast
4 Smallpox
4 Vengevine
4 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Monomania
2 Vengeful Pharaoh
4 Go for the Throat
2 minutes of thinking. Make it better, gogo
Please dont spam.
Ive been seeing alot of people who want to make smallpox decks and are running manna guys (aka birds, cobra) But why would you want to cast pox when you have a guy out that helps you pump out manna? (unless its Viridan Emissary) Vengeful Pharaoh is too slow, and being a 5 drop (probably like 6 if your lucky) and at that point you're probably too far behind to recover. IOK and Despise are so much better than Monomania. By the time you can cast it, it wont matter it'll either get 1-2 cards or get countered. I think a lot of people are haven't played with Smallpox to much. But I do have a list I plan on running at FNM this coming Friday. Hear is the list
Lands- 24
6x Forests
9x Swamps
4x Plains
3x Marsh Flats
2x Verdant Catacombs
Creatures-15
4x Skinshifter
3x Vampire Nighthawk
4x Porcelain Legionnaire
4x Vridian Emissary
Spells- 21
3x Dark Tutelage
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Despise
2x Go for the Throat
4x Smallpox
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Beast Within
2x Timely Reinforcements
1x Lashwrithe
Sideboard
3x Doom Blade
3x Spellskite
1x Oblivion Ring
4x Celestial Purge
2x Creeping Corrosion
2x Timely Reinforcements
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
and if you aren't running solemn in any smallpox deck, you're doing it wrong
1) Getting to 5 mana can be tough in BR. I might make this deck idea full-on Jund to get the green ramp.
2) Tutoring for Galvanoth is paramount, as without him you're stuck with some huge uncastable spells in your hand and nothing to do with them.
3) Protecting Galvanoth in BR is tricky at best. Adding G might help by gaining access to cards like Vines of Vastwood.
Any thoughts on this idea? I haven't noticed it being brought up yet AFAIK.
Um no? Solemn is amazing yes. But not in this deck for 4 manna he doesn't put a presence on the board. I love him, but he is just a bit too slow for the deck also ripping him off Dark Tutelage just plain old hurts and isn't worth it. And as for the t3 monomania, you'd have to be playing in magical Christmas land in order for that to be any consistent. and than what you and your opponent are in top deck mode. Seems kinda bad?
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
Please do not spam
What do you mean 'Undefined'? Care to elaborate?
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
Well see, your issue with ripping solemn off of DT is solved simply by not running a bad card barely used in Vamps. Run Gambit instead if you really want the draw for life.
Solemn takes the negative advantage you get off of smallpox and puts you back into the positive side. I really don't see how you could consider an Emissary but not the Lonely Robot.
You also have to be living in Magic Christmas land if you think you'll be smallpoxing T3 every single game.
Monomania isn't that good anyways, they get to keep the best card and you get to sit not doing anything either.
You discard either a angel of despair or a haakon, sac a flagstones, sac a knight you could rebuy with haakon and end up reanimating angel of despair.
Not sure why people are trying to build around it right now, there isn't enough support even if you get bloodghast and vengevine running. Obvious crossblock plant is obvious.
Ok, Dark Tutalage is really good inside the list. because it gives you more cards over time and doesnt always hit you with the life loss. Granted I haven't tested gambit that much, but i feel that Dark tutalage is correct. It helps out so much after a pox resolution. Where as Sad Robot is just too slow in my opinion. Have you even play tested the list I've presented? Poxing t3-4 while hitting IOK/Despise turns 1-3 is still really solid and effective.
Also. I'm not basing the deck around Pox persay but using it as a control piece. It does more than just put cards in the yard, it cuts my opponents off of mana cards and guys. yeah, i do the same, but i play around that by playing low cost creatures.
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Acidic Slime
2 Entomber Exarch
4 Bloodghast
2 Rampaging baloths
3 viridian emissary
3 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Beast Within
3 Smallpox
3 Rampant Growth
3 Garruk, Primal Hunter
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats
2 Tectonic Edge
8 Forest
8 Swamp
Its an LD version that with the right hand can stall your opponents from playing
lands from the start
For example:
T1: Forest, birds of paradise
OT1: Land.
T2: Swamp, Beast Within targeting opponents T1 land, rhey get a 3/3.
OT2: Land, attacks and were at 17.
T3: Swamp, Viridian Emissary, Smallpox; opponent discards and sacrifices, you do too so you choose to sacrifice Emissary.
(opponent still doesnt have a land on the battlefield)
OT3: Land.
T4: Entomber Exarch, choose to take a land from opponents hand; additionally you can opt just to play Acidic Slime destroying their land in the process.
t.
i agree that the mana guy it must be viridian emissary, a bird is not bad anyway, but the pharaoh is the kind of card that i want to discard and have some advantage discarding it imo, monomania is useful against some control decks that keeps a lot of cards, so is a sb only...
i think it could be a good use of smallpox with bitthing pod, you have a way to summon your fatties without casting them, you can recur cards like reasembling or bloodgast to sac it to smallpox and birthing pod, discard them to pox, i think smallpox is a powerful card with the awesome sinergies, but is not a card to build around (IMO).
I know I'm probably going to receive alot of crap from other users about playing pox with a low curve and or just playing pox due to its not as good as it once was and we lack the proper cards to benefit from it.
The way I feel if you want/plan to run smallpox in your list there are a few cards you should avoid, [cards]Birds of Paradise[/card] you'll probably end sacing it to pox and that puts you a card behind. Vengeful Pharaohyou still take the damage from the attacking creature and than you'll miss your draw for the turn also getting up to 5-6 manna is hard if you plan on controlling the board with early/multiple pox resolutions. Vengevine yes this card seems really good in this type of deck, but I feel that because the deck wont allow you to drop multiple creatures in the same turn consistently it's not worth the space in the deck. Really any thing over 4 manna is kinda iffy I think.
I'm no type 2 gurru but I think that going BWG will help a lot more with answering decks. I've got my list on a few pages, and I think it's solid, I know it doesn't run Sad Robot, but I think it's too slow for my deck granted it is colorless It just doesn't present a strong enough board presence to really affect the game. Like I don't know this is just how I feel about some of the cards that people are suggesting
Current Decks:
T2:
GBWRockPox
EDH/Commander
Varoosh
Sentripplets
Animar, Soul of Elements
You want to be able to play Beast Within on turn 2 if your on the draw how brutal is taking your opponents turn 1 land?
Could always throw in Birthing Pod just incase your 3 drop isnt beast.
The key to playing Smallpox in this deck is waiting for turn 3 when you have 4 mana at your disposal; this is where you save your birds, you cast a 2 drop Viridian Emissary being the creature of choice to set up your Smallpox. Reassembling Skeleton is an optimal choice if you dont have emissary, he is a much better discard option though.