I remember going to a tournament in middle school or ninth grade (i was a pimply awkward mess in either case). There was this girl there who I had a crush on, and I had had no idea she played MTG. We matched up after 2 rounds (we were both 2-0 which should have tipped me off). I remember thinking "should i pull my punches and let her win, or should I just impress her by smashing her?"
She didn't give me the option. She brought out the most devastating birds deck that I have ever seen, and the first game took all of 5 mins. 15 mins after we started I had been soundly crushed.
To this day, I have been trying to rebuild that deck that knocked me out of the elimination rounds of that tournament (and also </3 BAWWW! lol). Now that Caw-Blade is apparently tearing up tournaments, i decided I'd give it a shot and update it as well.
The deck itself is simple: put out cheap birds and smash your opponent with them; don't stop attacking, because either Soulcatcher is going to get a boost or everyone is, or you can just sac something to the Haven if nothing has died in a while. If they throw something nasty in your way, counter it as best you can with Rune Snag or Mana leak.
If you find something blatantly wrong with this deck, please let me know. As it is I am not looking to spend a whole lot on this (less than 25$ if i can avoid it) so none of the fancy Swords of Whatever are a possibility. Also Curiosity might be a little too flimsy, but to be honest I have not had a chance to try them yet.
skullclamp would be my equipment of choice in here. However, after you get your first two cards and there is a soulcatcher's aerie in play, well sad day.
You need disruption better than the counters you're packing. If your format is powered, then I'd run annul maindeck, perhaps, or hurkyl's recall. Heck, honestly, negate is a really good counter as it hits almost anything you would want it to hit with just 1U.
If you want to run gush, cool idea. I don't believe it's still restricted, so why not take advantage of that with some empyrial plate or empyrial armor?
thrummingbird is AWESOME!!!! definately going to get my hands on some of those! not sure who i'm going to replace tho...
Skullclamp were what i was thinking about originally, but the problem that i have found is that they become useless very quickly if the Aerie is in play, so youre waiting for another one to come along rather than just drawing extra cards which is why i'm springing for Curiosity. and for increasing damage by only 1, i don't think its worth 4 slots in the deck.
You'll definitely want to consider one strip mine for land destruction and one sol ring for mana acceleration. Also, you'll want to use one balance (just skullclamp until you have fewer creatures than them).
I absolutely love balance, however, it is wasted in this deck. You will often have more creatures than your opponent and if you're running squadron hawks, just as many cards. You may even have less lands if they're packing power. I just can't see justifying that card in this sort of deck, unfortunately. If you skullclamp until you have less creatures, then do you not now have a gigantic hand? It's card disadvantage all around, unfortunately!
Aven Mindcensor is probably the best bird you could ever play.
I take it this isnt going to see serious tournament play, but a more relaxed tournament setting with similar decks. Personally, I would stretch my budget some to include some more powerful Equipment cards and a few Stoneforge Mystic. Loxodon Warhammer is a decent option. Maybe Sword of Vengeance or Sword of Kaldra.
Gonna toss a soulcatcher for something else, thinking a cheap luxodon hammer, might even go all out and get a nice sword of something and sleeves for the deck too!
Also, as much as I appreciate the advice on the skullclamps, anyone who has played something similar can tell you that under normal conditions, the clamps will see only a single use. I think i'm going to continue with the curiosity but get additional parts for it. I'll update the deck soon!
But still going to advise that you include Skullclamp, if your argument is that it gets destroyed too easily and you chose to use Curiosity over it - then rethink that.
But still going to advise that you include Skullclamp, if your argument is that it gets destroyed too easily and you chose to use Curiosity over it - then rethink that.
No, his argument is that it doesn't do anything with Soulcatchers' Aerie in play. His birds all have more than 1 toughness so they won't die to the equip, and nobody's dumb enough to block a Clamped bird.
She didn't give me the option. She brought out the most devastating birds deck that I have ever seen, and the first game took all of 5 mins. 15 mins after we started I had been soundly crushed.
To this day, I have been trying to rebuild that deck that knocked me out of the elimination rounds of that tournament (and also </3 BAWWW! lol). Now that Caw-Blade is apparently tearing up tournaments, i decided I'd give it a shot and update it as well.
4x Squadron Hawk
4x Cloudreach Cavalry
4x Soulcatcher
4x Stormscape Familiar
4x Curiosity
1x Gush
4x Mana leak
4x Rune Snag
4x Soulcatcher's Aerie
2x Lonely Sandbar
6x Plains
3x Secluded Steppe
3x Seaside Haven
The deck itself is simple: put out cheap birds and smash your opponent with them; don't stop attacking, because either Soulcatcher is going to get a boost or everyone is, or you can just sac something to the Haven if nothing has died in a while. If they throw something nasty in your way, counter it as best you can with Rune Snag or Mana leak.
If you find something blatantly wrong with this deck, please let me know. As it is I am not looking to spend a whole lot on this (less than 25$ if i can avoid it) so none of the fancy Swords of Whatever are a possibility. Also Curiosity might be a little too flimsy, but to be honest I have not had a chance to try them yet.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=7295
Also, Skullclamp.
skullclamp would be my equipment of choice in here. However, after you get your first two cards and there is a soulcatcher's aerie in play, well sad day.
You need disruption better than the counters you're packing. If your format is powered, then I'd run annul maindeck, perhaps, or hurkyl's recall. Heck, honestly, negate is a really good counter as it hits almost anything you would want it to hit with just 1U.
If you want to run gush, cool idea. I don't believe it's still restricted, so why not take advantage of that with some empyrial plate or empyrial armor?
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
Skullclamp were what i was thinking about originally, but the problem that i have found is that they become useless very quickly if the Aerie is in play, so youre waiting for another one to come along rather than just drawing extra cards which is why i'm springing for Curiosity. and for increasing damage by only 1, i don't think its worth 4 slots in the deck.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=7295
http://magiccards.info/ex/en/25.html
Forget he even has Forecast, you'll never use it..but it might help justify him.
Fully-powered 600-Card "Dream Cube" https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/dreamcube
450-Card "Artificer's Cube" https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/artificer
Cubing in Indianapolis...send me a PM!!
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
I take it this isnt going to see serious tournament play, but a more relaxed tournament setting with similar decks. Personally, I would stretch my budget some to include some more powerful Equipment cards and a few Stoneforge Mystic. Loxodon Warhammer is a decent option. Maybe Sword of Vengeance or Sword of Kaldra.
You also need removal, be that Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile. Then maybe good old Disenchant.
Gush probably isnt the right card to play. Brainstorm might be better. That is if you add mystics.
Your mana base needs work too. http://magiccards.info/query?q=o%3A{u}+o%3A{w}+t%3A%22land%22&v=card&s=cname any of those should help.
Might consider a Decree of Justice or two.
BUWGRChilds PlayGRWUB
BUWGR Highlander GRWUB
UBSquee's Shapeshifting PetBU
BW Multiplayer Control WB
RG Changeling GR
UR Mana FlareRU
UMerfolkU
B MBMC B
Gonna toss a soulcatcher for something else, thinking a cheap luxodon hammer, might even go all out and get a nice sword of something and sleeves for the deck too!
Also, as much as I appreciate the advice on the skullclamps, anyone who has played something similar can tell you that under normal conditions, the clamps will see only a single use. I think i'm going to continue with the curiosity but get additional parts for it. I'll update the deck soon!
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=7295
But still going to advise that you include Skullclamp, if your argument is that it gets destroyed too easily and you chose to use Curiosity over it - then rethink that.
No, his argument is that it doesn't do anything with Soulcatchers' Aerie in play. His birds all have more than 1 toughness so they won't die to the equip, and nobody's dumb enough to block a Clamped bird.
Proud member of Fires Rf Salvation
Currently Playing:
BPack RatB
Modern:
WURRWU ControlRUW
Legacy:
UHigh TideU
UGTurbo EldraziGU
EDH:
RWURuhan Planeswalker ControlUWR
RGBProssh, Skyraider of KherBGR