I've been trying to make a monowhite or U/W prowess deck. I'd like it to consist of creatures that give us a bonus whenever we cast a noncreature spell, things like Ojutai Exemplars, Seeker of the Way, and Monastery Mentor, along with combat tricks, protection, and removal to support them. We have Feat of Resistance, Gods Willing, Defiant Strike, and maybe Artful Maneuver and Center Soul for combat tricks, and Radiant Purge and Valorous Stance for removal. Blue gives things like Anticipate, Aqueous Form, and various counterspells and the like. The thing is, I'm really struggling to make a cohesive deck from these. I don't need the deck to be competitive, but I want it to be good. Do you think this is even possible? I don't want to add red as that would take it in a more burn or token direction, which I want to avoid. Any thoughts?
I really like the idea of doing this with Cunning Breezedancer. It's an amazing finisher with Artful Maneuver.
Seems like it could be okay, if we're able to protect it.
It seems very expensive for this style of deck and it isn't even significantly better with Artful Maneuver than Dragonlord Ojutai is. It also deals exactly the same amount of damage with Artful Manuever as Pristine Skywise does, but Pristine Skywise has built-in protection, better base stats, and a stronger ability.
I think you should probably cap cmc at 3 or 4 for something like this. Probably 3 for all intensive purposes. Maybe something like this as a starter with untweaked numbers...
Cunning breezedancer doesn't defend itself as is abysmally slow. I tried to focus on protection, evasion, and combat tricks for a hopefully proactive-ish prowess tempo. I like the fact that the threat of artful maneuver can often let us swing into siege rhino and possibly trade with it.
Other cards that seemed pretty reasonable include pacifism, feat of resistance, 2 aqueous form, stratus walk, and valorous stance but I selected the cards I did for redundancy. I opted to not go for Shu yun because I felt that the lower curve was better. I opted to go with defiant strike over aqueous form because I figured that the unblockability wasn't that big of a deal. I figured that aqueous form was better in a deck where I was trying to force one thing through, not an army. Armies can get places via numbers. I also snipped Ojutai's exemplars from this because I felt it was a bit slow. Maybe side vs control or something but I didn't really feel like it was good anywhere else. Rather than tapping out on turn 4 (or more since I opted to go with 20 lands), I figured I'd probably be wanting to swing and prowess/leave stuff up. Aqueous form won't push through half as much damage as it would in heroic. Instead for evasion, I opted to look at elusive spellfist which does it naturally and stratus walk which cantrips, something all too important in a card thirsty deck like prowess. I also factored in that it could work like half a pacifism. None of the creatures in the deck naturally fly so when racing you could reasonably use it to keep a fatty or a lifelinker from blocking as intender. I also considered switching some stuff out for mana confluences but I don't think it is necessary at a glance. The color requirements seem to be pretty forgiving and turn 1 plays aren't utterly vital given the lack of 1 drop prowesses in these colors. However, I could see swapping a couple of the basics for confluences for consistency. I dunno. Its just a dry idea. This definitely doesn't seem to be in the utterly blisteringly fast category, just pretty quick.
I think you should probably cap cmc at 3 or 4 for something like this. Probably 3 for all intensive purposes. Maybe something like this as a starter with untweaked numbers...
Cunning breezedancer doesn't defend itself as is abysmally slow. I tried to focus on protection, evasion, and combat tricks for a hopefully proactive-ish prowess tempo. I like the fact that the threat of artful maneuver can often let us swing into siege rhino and possibly trade with it.
Other cards that seemed pretty reasonable include pacifism, feat of resistance, 2 aqueous form, stratus walk, and valorous stance but I selected the cards I did for redundancy. I opted to not go for Shu yun because I felt that the lower curve was better. I opted to go with defiant strike over aqueous form because I figured that the unblockability wasn't that big of a deal. I figured that aqueous form was better in a deck where I was trying to force one thing through, not an army. Armies can get places via numbers. I also snipped Ojutai's exemplars from this because I felt it was a bit slow. Maybe side vs control or something but I didn't really feel like it was good anywhere else. Rather than tapping out on turn 4 (or more since I opted to go with 20 lands), I figured I'd probably be wanting to swing and prowess/leave stuff up. Aqueous form won't push through half as much damage as it would in heroic. Instead for evasion, I opted to look at elusive spellfist which does it naturally and stratus walk which cantrips, something all too important in a card thirsty deck like prowess. I also factored in that it could work like half a pacifism. None of the creatures in the deck naturally fly so when racing you could reasonably use it to keep a fatty or a lifelinker from blocking as intender. I also considered switching some stuff out for mana confluences but I don't think it is necessary at a glance. The color requirements seem to be pretty forgiving and turn 1 plays aren't utterly vital given the lack of 1 drop prowesses in these colors. However, I could see swapping a couple of the basics for confluences for consistency. I dunno. Its just a dry idea. This definitely doesn't seem to be in the utterly blisteringly fast category, just pretty quick.
Seems good, but it dosen't seem like the deck would have enough power to finish the game. Are finishers necessary?
This is the current configuration. I haven't tested with the new 4/4. He seems a bit slow honestly. The sideboard is all over the place, needs tailored to your local meta.
There is real potential for a mono-white version of the deck. The question is, what are the upsides of mono-color? Colorless lands, Nykthos, Gods, and 1 drops are usually the answer. Let's try a mono-white version:
I've been trying to make a monowhite or U/W prowess deck. I'd like it to consist of creatures that give us a bonus whenever we cast a noncreature spell, things like Ojutai Exemplars, Seeker of the Way, and Monastery Mentor, along with combat tricks, protection, and removal to support them. We have Feat of Resistance, Gods Willing, Defiant Strike, and maybe Artful Maneuver and Center Soul for combat tricks, and Radiant Purge and Valorous Stance for removal. Blue gives things like Anticipate, Aqueous Form, and various counterspells and the like. The thing is, I'm really struggling to make a cohesive deck from these. I don't need the deck to be competitive, but I want it to be good. Do you think this is even possible? I don't want to add red as that would take it in a more burn or token direction, which I want to avoid. Any thoughts?
The problem with a Prowess deck, when compared to Heroic, is that the effects are limited to the turn. In a Heroic deck, you get a +1/+1 counter instead of just +1/+1 until EOT, and most of your non-creature spells will be targeted towards your creature anyway. The only spells you mentioned that Heroic wouldn't benefit from are Radiant Purge and Anticipate. The rest, you are targeting your creature and getting a limited benefit. So after T5, you have small creature(s) and an almost empty hand instead of a large creature with an almost empty hand. Which one do you think will win? I've played multiple iterations of Heroic decks, and my opponents will drop a Stormbreath and not attack in hopes of having him open as a pro-white blocker. That won't happen against this style deck, as you won't come out fast enough nor have the staying power. You don't want to add in red, but splashing for Jeskai Ascendancy could make the deck more competitive. At that point, you're starting to lean towards Jeskai Tokens, which is another thing you said you wanted to avoid.
Sorry I don't have anything constructive to add. I've evaluated this style of deck and found it lacking compared to the current Heroic strategies. So I've stuck with Heroic instead of chasing this brew further. :/
I've been trying to make a monowhite or U/W prowess deck. I'd like it to consist of creatures that give us a bonus whenever we cast a noncreature spell, things like Ojutai Exemplars, Seeker of the Way, and Monastery Mentor, along with combat tricks, protection, and removal to support them. We have Feat of Resistance, Gods Willing, Defiant Strike, and maybe Artful Maneuver and Center Soul for combat tricks, and Radiant Purge and Valorous Stance for removal. Blue gives things like Anticipate, Aqueous Form, and various counterspells and the like. The thing is, I'm really struggling to make a cohesive deck from these. I don't need the deck to be competitive, but I want it to be good. Do you think this is even possible? I don't want to add red as that would take it in a more burn or token direction, which I want to avoid. Any thoughts?
This is basically the deck I want to build right now to and I'm torn between it and Control. I wonder if the build could be done in a way that makes the deck morph into a midrange control deck or midrange tempo deck depending on matchup. My big thought was to keep the creature count low and with a fairly low curve for what would be a control-y deck to harness the potential power of Narset Transcendent. This means spells and cantrip's where possible. I've been playing this as a Jeskai build (love the Mantis Rider), and I'm not certain it wouldn't be better as Esper. All that being said, I have been trying to think through what a straight UW might look like... (keep in mind this is a shell and thus incomplete).
I like the thought of End Hostilities w/Narset, and also in a surprise situation where you have a Myth Realized that can't get hit by it, get's stronger b/c of your casting, sometimes twice so off the rebounded Narset trigger. You don't run a lot of creatures, so you have the choice of when you feel the board state requires a reset.
I know I'm very much overlooking the fact that Nullify could be really good in this shell as well versus creature strategies. Again I just see this deck as having the ability to tempo through the damage or play as more of a control deck. The main as shown above is probably to much of "in the middle" but at least I have a shell to kind of test with now.
Seems like it could be okay, if we're able to protect it.
Modern: RW Burn
It seems very expensive for this style of deck and it isn't even significantly better with Artful Maneuver than Dragonlord Ojutai is. It also deals exactly the same amount of damage with Artful Manuever as Pristine Skywise does, but Pristine Skywise has built-in protection, better base stats, and a stronger ability.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Cunning breezedancer doesn't defend itself as is abysmally slow. I tried to focus on protection, evasion, and combat tricks for a hopefully proactive-ish prowess tempo. I like the fact that the threat of artful maneuver can often let us swing into siege rhino and possibly trade with it.
4 elusive spellfist
4 seeker of the way
4 monastery mentor
4 myth realized
4 anticipate
2 defiant strike
2 stratus walk
4 gods willing
3 center soul
2 dig through time
4 artful maneuver
3 temple of enlightenment
7 plains
6 island
Other cards that seemed pretty reasonable include pacifism, feat of resistance, 2 aqueous form, stratus walk, and valorous stance but I selected the cards I did for redundancy. I opted to not go for Shu yun because I felt that the lower curve was better. I opted to go with defiant strike over aqueous form because I figured that the unblockability wasn't that big of a deal. I figured that aqueous form was better in a deck where I was trying to force one thing through, not an army. Armies can get places via numbers. I also snipped Ojutai's exemplars from this because I felt it was a bit slow. Maybe side vs control or something but I didn't really feel like it was good anywhere else. Rather than tapping out on turn 4 (or more since I opted to go with 20 lands), I figured I'd probably be wanting to swing and prowess/leave stuff up. Aqueous form won't push through half as much damage as it would in heroic. Instead for evasion, I opted to look at elusive spellfist which does it naturally and stratus walk which cantrips, something all too important in a card thirsty deck like prowess. I also factored in that it could work like half a pacifism. None of the creatures in the deck naturally fly so when racing you could reasonably use it to keep a fatty or a lifelinker from blocking as intender. I also considered switching some stuff out for mana confluences but I don't think it is necessary at a glance. The color requirements seem to be pretty forgiving and turn 1 plays aren't utterly vital given the lack of 1 drop prowesses in these colors. However, I could see swapping a couple of the basics for confluences for consistency. I dunno. Its just a dry idea. This definitely doesn't seem to be in the utterly blisteringly fast category, just pretty quick.
Seems good, but it dosen't seem like the deck would have enough power to finish the game. Are finishers necessary?
4 Seeker of the Way
4 Raise the Alarm
4 Monastery Mentor
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2 Wingmate Roc
2 Secure the Wastes
4 Hero's Downfall
2 Thoughtseize
2 Bile Blight
1 Ultimate Price
1 Valorous Stance
4 Caves of Koilos
2 Scoured Barrens
8 Plains
6 Swamp
2 Hushwing Gryff
2 Erase
2 Glare of Heresy
1 Valorous Stance
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Ultimate Price
2 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Liliana Vess
This is the current configuration. I haven't tested with the new 4/4. He seems a bit slow honestly. The sideboard is all over the place, needs tailored to your local meta.
4 Seeker of the Way
3 Raise the Alarm
2 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
4 Monastery Mentor
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2 Ojutai Exemplars
1 Heliod, God of the Sun
2 Wingmate Roc
2 Secure the Wastes
1 Dictate of Heliod
4 Defiant Strike
2 Valorous Stance
2 Banishing Light
3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
I would start with something like this.
This is the list i am testing
4x Anticipate
4x Artful Maneuver
4x Center Soul
2x Dance of the Skywise
4x Defiant Strike
2x Feat of Resistance
2x Valorous Stance
2x Battlefield Thaumaturge
4x Elusive Spellfist
2x Ojutai Exemplars
4x Seeker of the Way
3x Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
4x Flooded Strand
7x Island
11x Plains
Sorcery (1)
1x Taigams Strike
The problem with a Prowess deck, when compared to Heroic, is that the effects are limited to the turn. In a Heroic deck, you get a +1/+1 counter instead of just +1/+1 until EOT, and most of your non-creature spells will be targeted towards your creature anyway. The only spells you mentioned that Heroic wouldn't benefit from are Radiant Purge and Anticipate. The rest, you are targeting your creature and getting a limited benefit. So after T5, you have small creature(s) and an almost empty hand instead of a large creature with an almost empty hand. Which one do you think will win? I've played multiple iterations of Heroic decks, and my opponents will drop a Stormbreath and not attack in hopes of having him open as a pro-white blocker. That won't happen against this style deck, as you won't come out fast enough nor have the staying power. You don't want to add in red, but splashing for Jeskai Ascendancy could make the deck more competitive. At that point, you're starting to lean towards Jeskai Tokens, which is another thing you said you wanted to avoid.
Sorry I don't have anything constructive to add. I've evaluated this style of deck and found it lacking compared to the current Heroic strategies. So I've stuck with Heroic instead of chasing this brew further. :/
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/15-04-15-elusive-prowess/
Instant (16)
1x Ajani's Presence
4x Anticipate
2x Center Soul
2x Dig Through Time
4x Gods Willing
3x Valorous Stance
Enchantment (5)
2x Myth Realized
3x Pacifism
Land (21)
4x Flooded Strand
2x Island
2x Mana Confluence
7x Plains
4x Temple of Enlightenment
2x Tranquil Cove
Planeswalker (1)
1x Narset Transcendent
Creature (17)
3x Elusive Spellfist
4x Monastery Mentor
2x Ojutai Exemplars
4x Seeker of the Way
4x Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
Sideboard (10)
4x Dissolve
2x Myth Realized
4x Negate
This is basically the deck I want to build right now to and I'm torn between it and Control. I wonder if the build could be done in a way that makes the deck morph into a midrange control deck or midrange tempo deck depending on matchup. My big thought was to keep the creature count low and with a fairly low curve for what would be a control-y deck to harness the potential power of Narset Transcendent. This means spells and cantrip's where possible. I've been playing this as a Jeskai build (love the Mantis Rider), and I'm not certain it wouldn't be better as Esper. All that being said, I have been trying to think through what a straight UW might look like... (keep in mind this is a shell and thus incomplete).
I like the thought of End Hostilities w/Narset, and also in a surprise situation where you have a Myth Realized that can't get hit by it, get's stronger b/c of your casting, sometimes twice so off the rebounded Narset trigger. You don't run a lot of creatures, so you have the choice of when you feel the board state requires a reset.
1 Soulfire Grand Master
4 Seeker of the Way
3 Monastery Mentor
2 Ojutai Exemplars
1 Dragonlord Ojutai
Non Creature Spells - 25
4 Myth Realized
2 Swan Song
2 Pressure Point
3 Anticipate
3 Valorous Stance
2 Devouring Light
1 Dissolve
1 Citadel Siege
1 Ojutai's Command
2 Narset Transcendent
3 End Hostilities
1 Dig Through Time
4 Flooded Strand
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Tranquil Cove
3 Radiant Fountain
5 Islands
4 Plains
1 Erase
1 Valorous Stance
1 Pressure Point
1 Radiant Purge
1 Glare of Heresy
3 Disdainful Stroke
1 Monastery Siege
1 Dissolve
1 Ojutai's Command
1 Negate
1 Monastery Mentor
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
I know I'm very much overlooking the fact that Nullify could be really good in this shell as well versus creature strategies. Again I just see this deck as having the ability to tempo through the damage or play as more of a control deck. The main as shown above is probably to much of "in the middle" but at least I have a shell to kind of test with now.