I've gone to a couple Standard Showdowns so far and gone 1-3-2, done some upgrading and tuning and edited the OP to v1.3. The deck is a blast to play and I like where it's going. Anybody else been playing a similar deck? What are your experiences?
Edit 6/21: 3-1 this week for second place!
I'd love to play Awakening because it fits the Throwback theme of the deck, but I left it out because it doesn't do anything until it's a win condition. The other win cons in the deck are good on defense while I try to stabilize, such as Multani, Vow, Ajani, and Traxos. Maybe it's still good enough but I think I need to make the deck better against Red and Awakening doesn't help there.
Hi all, longtime player here trying to come up with a brew for my first Standard deck. I wanted to come up with a deck using powerful but underplayed cards to have a fun FNM level deck without breaking the bank on Tier 1 Good Stuff. Kamahl's Druidic Vow stood out to me as a card fitting that description so I am attempting to brew up a deck for it! I would love any criticism, questions, or ideas, especially since I'm new to Standard.
Here's what I have so far (v1.3):
Maybeboard:
Growing Rites of Itlimoc
Hadana’s Climb
Skysovereign
Mox Amber
Baird (sideboard)
Edit 6/11/18: Cleared several cards from the maybeboard through testing, updated the maindeck and added a sideboard (which is a work in progress).
6/21: Updated decklist. Ruinous Blast out of the maindeck, more planeswalkers in.
Nice work Phone, my advise or tip is try watering down the paints more, keeping them moist either with a wet pallet or keep dipping the brush tip in water and mixing it because acrylic dries fast. That way the texture will be more smooth. Ignore if you like it that way
Here are some of my recent alters.
These are all for my cube. The shock set has the symbols from the online only version.
Ruin Processor and Relic have been fine so far in testing, because either one can win a game on its own without the combination. I'm playing paper pauper and probably half the format is using it's 'yard for Anglers or whatever else, and a 7/8 for 7 is just good times generally. I have changed the list a bit though I will update soon on here.
I've been playing around with Orzhov Devotion and came up with a deck somewhat similar to this one. It's probably more Devotion than Pestilence, but there are enough overlapping cards and it was mentioned in above comments so I thought it could be useful to post my list.
I'm working on a colorless version with Tron lands so I'll just share the list I came up with and perhaps post an update later after some more testing.
I never considered Muzzio's Preparations before but I've added a lot more tokens to my cube and I just realized a tokens deck would love it. Also Battle Screech, Sprout Swarm, ...
Cool deck and good job on the GPT! I've been playing a similar deck for about a year now off and on and it's a lot of fun. Mine is more just blue tempo though without most of the faeries (I had Sprites but they aren't in the deck currently, and I only have 1 Vendilion Clique). I had switched the Sprites for Frost Walkers which were strong but inconsistent obviously. Now I'm actually splashing white for 2 Deft Duelist, 2 Meddling Mage, 3 Path to Exile, and 3 SB cards. My Spellskite has found its way to the maindeck as well. Hibernation is amazing and I have 2 in the 'board. I may go back to mono blue, but for now messing with their plans with Mage and Duelist is interesting. Seems like your land count is pretty high, if you want to run so much to cast 4-drops you can probably fit a couple Conclaves no problem.
Seems like you might want something other than Mutagenic Growth, perhaps that could be some slots for the mana dorks you want or could be Path to Exile, Dromoka's Command, Gather the Townsfolk, not sure what else. Glut of 3-drops seems ideal for Co. Co. but I do think one of the creature slots might want to be switched to mana dorks to help get you to 4 mana on 20 lands. Might want Mutavault over Tectonic Edge. Cool idea I hadn't thought of Champion!
Deck seems fun, going to put it together and test it out. I don't have an Ajani or Chandra Firebrand so I was thinking of trying Outpost Siege which seems like it might have a similar function.
I haven't tested with Tower Defense yet but I can see why it might be worth it. +5 to your team is a massive boost, making any two unblocked attackers basically lethal with one of the P/T flip pieces out. There are many openings in which Tower Defense could yield turn 4 kills through minor disruption of some sort.
I wouldn't bring it to a money tournament but I just make these decks for the local shop meta, and "Dies to LB" is not as important because people are playing all kinds of brews, lots of GW decks, storm, eggs, merfolk, whatever else. Making a bolt cost 3 seems decent anyway, and if it survives until you untap that's a solid position, especially with Mutavaults. Probably not good anyway but I'm testing it with the extra dragons for now. Tribute to Hunger doesn't seem as good but even if it is, just trying to push the dragon theme anyway
I was thinking about different Dragon decks recently as well and came up with an Esper list so I'll share as well. Haven't tested it much yet, though I've been testing Jund and Grixis Dragons decks and currently think Grixis might be the best. But for now here's an Esper list:
I could be wrong but Foul Tongue Invocation seems key to the deck, picking off creatures (including Bogles, lone 'Goyf or Tasigur, Deceiver Exarch, Emrakul...) while gaining significant life. Crib Swap plus Illness in the Ranks seems fun. Jace also helps against tokens and Exarch. Path is usually standard but I'm not sure I want too many cards that are dead against non-creature decks and I'm already playing Invocations and Inversions, and Wraths. Vapor Snag might be just as good anyway. Post results if you played that FNM!
I have played a lot of budget burn so I know this isn't the budget thread but thought it would be okay to toss out a list for the previous poster! It probably just depends on your budget and what you're starting with. Have enough of a land base to play a splash color without picking up too many more lands? Have any Goblin Guides? Have Vexing Devils? Assuming the answer is no to these questions, and you're going for a mono red budget build, you could start with something like:
The Zurgos were just an idea to get more 1-drops, personally I would play Vexing Devil over that and Shard Volley but they're expensive for some reason. You could try Figure of Destiny as another cheap 1-drop option. Other than that the only thing people would likely point out is Keldon Marauders, but they do a fine job in my experience and I have won 1st at a small local event playing them while I was still trading for the lands I needed for splash colors. Searing Blood is usually played when you don't have fetches but you could play Blaze if you want.
Edit 6/21: 3-1 this week for second place!
Here's what I have so far (v1.3):
1 Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter
2 Marwyn, the Nurturer
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
1 Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
2 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
2 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
1 Multani, Yavimaya’s Avatar
1 Nissa, Steward of Elements
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Nissa, Vital Force
1 Ajani Unyielding
4 Grow from the Ashes
3 Kamahl’s Druidic Vow
2 Blackblade Reforged
1 Heart of Kiran
1 Weatherlight
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Hinterland Harbor
2 Field of Ruin
1 Plains
1 Island
8 Forest
3 Cast Out
2 Broken Bond
1 Authority of the Consul
1 Aethersphere Harvester
2 Deathgorge Scavenger
3 Negate
3 Urza's Ruinous Blast
Maybeboard:
Growing Rites of Itlimoc
Hadana’s Climb
Skysovereign
Mox Amber
Baird (sideboard)
Edit 6/11/18: Cleared several cards from the maybeboard through testing, updated the maindeck and added a sideboard (which is a work in progress).
6/21: Updated decklist. Ruinous Blast out of the maindeck, more planeswalkers in.
Here are some of my recent alters.
These are all for my cube. The shock set has the symbols from the online only version.
4x Chittering Rats
3x Cuombajj Witches
4x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
2x Guardian of the Guildpact
4x Wall of Hope
Sorcery (9)
4x Chainer's Edict
2x Duress
1x Evincar's Justice
2x Sign in Blood
1x Bojuka Bog
2x Evolving Wilds
6x Plains
4x Scoured Barrens
11x Swamp
Enchantment (8)
1x Font of Return
2x Oubliette
3x Pestilence
2x Pillory of the Sleepless
2x Disfigure
1x Circle of Protection: Black
1x Circle of Protection: Blue
1x Circle of Protection: Green
3x Circle of Protection: Red
3x Disenchant
1x Disfigure
2x Dry Spell
2x Duress
1x Evincar's Justice
I just started testing the current list so I'll update later if I stick with it and it evolves. Critique welcome!
3x Desert
4x Haunted Fengraf
2x Quicksand
4x Radiant Fountain
4x Urza's Mine
4x Urza's Power Plant
4x Urza's Tower
Artifact
2x Darksteel Pendant
4x Expedition Map
4x Mind Stone
4x Relic of Progenitus
4x Serrated Arrows
3x Tumble Magnet
4x Bottle Gnomes
4x Kozilek's Channeler
4x Ruin Processor
2x Ulamog's Crusher
1x Desert
4x One-Eyed Scarecrow
4x Perilous Myr
2x Quicksand
4x Scour from Existence
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Silumgar, the Drifting Death
1 Dragonlord Ojutai
2 Icefall Regent
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Spellskite
4 Silumgar's Scorn
3 Foul Tongue Invocation
3 Nameless Inversion
2 Crib Swap
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Narset Transcendent
2 Cryptic Command
2 Spell Snare
4 Serum Visions
1 Wrath of God
1 Supreme Verdict
2 Remand
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
1 Marsh Flats
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Faerie Conclave
2 Mutavault
3 Island
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Illness in the Ranks
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Phyrexian Unlife
2 Mindbreak Trap
1 Supreme Verdict
2 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Hibernation
1 Disenchant
I could be wrong but Foul Tongue Invocation seems key to the deck, picking off creatures (including Bogles, lone 'Goyf or Tasigur, Deceiver Exarch, Emrakul...) while gaining significant life. Crib Swap plus Illness in the Ranks seems fun. Jace also helps against tokens and Exarch. Path is usually standard but I'm not sure I want too many cards that are dead against non-creature decks and I'm already playing Invocations and Inversions, and Wraths. Vapor Snag might be just as good anyway. Post results if you played that FNM!
2 Zurgo Bellstriker
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
3 Grim Lavamancer
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
4 Searing Blood
4 Skullcrack
2 Shard Volley
1 Flames of the Blood Hand
20 Mountain
The Zurgos were just an idea to get more 1-drops, personally I would play Vexing Devil over that and Shard Volley but they're expensive for some reason. You could try Figure of Destiny as another cheap 1-drop option. Other than that the only thing people would likely point out is Keldon Marauders, but they do a fine job in my experience and I have won 1st at a small local event playing them while I was still trading for the lands I needed for splash colors. Searing Blood is usually played when you don't have fetches but you could play Blaze if you want.