So my idea for Vorel of the Hull Clade is play thins like Smokestack and Tangle Wire, ramp up the counters on them and really punish people. However I don't have much of a game plan past that. For Yasova Dragonclaw its more of a I'm going to take your stuff, beat you with over the head with it and sac them to get even further ahead. Yasova is probably a little more fleshed out but I'm still not sold on the deck idea as a whole because it doesn't feel very staxy.
I already have Thraximundar slotted away in a Marchesa deck so I won't be building him.
As Darcykun mentioned stax can have mana problems so maybe Yasova and Tasigur aren't the right idea.
Sidisi has been mentioned a few times though she doesn't inspire me to build around her. Maybe that is my issue I keep trying to build around a general rather then using the general to complement the deck. Which is kind of a 180 for me in regards to deck building.
I'll put some stock into the Grim Haruspex listing, the card is a cheap personal Harvester of Souls. The fact that you can morph for one B is a cherry on top. I currently rin it in a Marchesa list and I am never disappointed to draw it. I've also been considering what other decks I have that it could fit into.
I'll nominate Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief. She's well costed, has a relevant ability that get's through most creatures, decent body, great beater who has some built in evasion, you don't have to wait a turn to use her activated ability. Her only downside is that she can be a little mana hungry so if you're spending every turn wanting to play something you are going to have a hard time using her ability.
I'm under the impression that you have enough discard enablers to warrant more cards that benefit from your opponents discarding cards. One I highly recommend is Waste Not.
Why are you running Hymn to Tourach in one list but not the other?
In Mogis I don't understand the inclusion of Risen Executioner. Something like Squee, Goblin Nabob seems far more fitting.
In both lists I don't think you have enough static defenses. Ways to keep the opponent from overwhelming your hand. Your lists in their current form have a lot of spot removal but if an opponent is able to establish a board during a time where you have little to no removal you are going to be in a bad spot. It's really hard to come back when you are behind in Stax, typically the deck likes to get ahead even if just by a little and stay ahead. I suggest cards like Portcullis, Crawlspace, Smoke, Mudslide, Moat, and Ensnaring Bridge if you can swing it. There are other options I listed those just because they were the first to come to mind.
The list itself I'm not too happy with but I'm loving the thread, great find. Thank you for posting it. Really gives me some cool ideas.
I've also been considering Tasigur, the Golden Fang as a potential general. With the inclusion of some delve cards to force my opponents to return good cards only to my hand.
I would like to avoid white if possible. Not really in the mood to play the color in the deck. Does anyone have any suggestions or suggestions on who to build around? I've read through the stax primer but there isn't really any focused discussion on what each general brings to the table.
Not every card you play in a deck is always going to be useful in every game and every situation. Which is okay because when you do get to play them they are absolute bombs.
Throughout a game if you ever encounter a situation where playing one of them will set you up for a win or set you really far ahead. Otherwise they make great looting fodder or at least slow someone down enough that it gives others a chance to get her/him in check.
I have a 5 color deck and half the lands are basics, I rarely have an issue with hitting my colors.
I'm looking for a UX stax general that focuses on sacrificing permanents. I would like to avoid white if possible. Not really in the mood to play the color in the deck. Does anyone have any suggestions any number of colors is fine.
So far for me Sword of the Animist has been a powerhouse for any deck not running green. Though I suspect it could be just as effective in a green deck (Green does like to attack after all). Hangarback Walker has been a powerhouse in my Glissa, the Traitor deck. It's resilient to removal and get's bigger over time making it a great blocker and offensive tool.
Can you kick something whose mana cost you're not paying?
Yes you can, kicker costs are additional costs that you can optionally play. For example you can pay the kicker cost on Orim's Thunder if you play it with Sunforger.
Bubbling Muck is a card I don't see mentioned often. It's never let me down, it often fuels out big plays or sets me up nicely into the next few turns. It's only draw back is that it's a sorcery.
That is a great synopsis of what Abzan and Bant bring to the table. The main distinction is that you are comparing Blue to Black, two similar colors they both have a bevy of control options. Which leads to the question how do you want to control the board? Once we answer that we can start looking at what Blue and Black offer to best achieve that goal. [e.g. If you want to limit everyone's resources a Black Stax build is probably the most efficient way of doing so. If you want to control what gets played when the Blue and its suite of bounce and counter spells is the better option.]
What kinds of cards are you primarily trying to protect? Enchantments? If so have you thought about things like Greater Auramancy and Fountain Watch? It's either that you can give them protection from the colors that are exiling them. Such as Devoted Caretaker, Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, and Faith's Shield. There are host of other cards that do something similar I just listed the first 3 that I found.
I already have Thraximundar slotted away in a Marchesa deck so I won't be building him.
As Darcykun mentioned stax can have mana problems so maybe Yasova and Tasigur aren't the right idea.
Sidisi has been mentioned a few times though she doesn't inspire me to build around her. Maybe that is my issue I keep trying to build around a general rather then using the general to complement the deck. Which is kind of a 180 for me in regards to deck building.
I'll nominate Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief. She's well costed, has a relevant ability that get's through most creatures, decent body, great beater who has some built in evasion, you don't have to wait a turn to use her activated ability. Her only downside is that she can be a little mana hungry so if you're spending every turn wanting to play something you are going to have a hard time using her ability.
EDIT: Read the format and had to adjust my post.
Why are you running Hymn to Tourach in one list but not the other?
In Mogis I don't understand the inclusion of Risen Executioner. Something like Squee, Goblin Nabob seems far more fitting.
In both lists I don't think you have enough static defenses. Ways to keep the opponent from overwhelming your hand. Your lists in their current form have a lot of spot removal but if an opponent is able to establish a board during a time where you have little to no removal you are going to be in a bad spot. It's really hard to come back when you are behind in Stax, typically the deck likes to get ahead even if just by a little and stay ahead. I suggest cards like Portcullis, Crawlspace, Smoke, Mudslide, Moat, and Ensnaring Bridge if you can swing it. There are other options I listed those just because they were the first to come to mind.
I've also been considering Tasigur, the Golden Fang as a potential general. With the inclusion of some delve cards to force my opponents to return good cards only to my hand.
Some generals I've been looking at are:
I'm open to other suggestions these are the ones that simply caught my eye on an initial look through.
Throughout a game if you ever encounter a situation where playing one of them will set you up for a win or set you really far ahead. Otherwise they make great looting fodder or at least slow someone down enough that it gives others a chance to get her/him in check.
I have a 5 color deck and half the lands are basics, I rarely have an issue with hitting my colors.
Some generals I've been looking at are:
Some cards I'm still curious to try out are Pyromancer's Goggles this seems especially good with Zada, Hedron Grinder. Also Molten Vortex seems like it could find a home in some decks.
Yes you can, kicker costs are additional costs that you can optionally play. For example you can pay the kicker cost on Orim's Thunder if you play it with Sunforger.