Was playing an old Weatherlight print of Aura of Silence with the text "Artifact and enchantment spells cost target opponent an additional 2 to play."
Opponent was arguing that because it said target, I had to choose a target for the cost increase to apply to when I originally played the card. Newer versions have the corrected text of "your opponents".
First ever deck, Lorthos, the Tidemaker leviathan, kraken, serpent, octopus tribal. I basically found all of the massive blue creatures I liked and shoved them into a deck. It did nothing until around turn 7 or 8, when it finally started putting out one creature per turn. Only to have them countered or removed. It was the spectator deck.
Going to have to disagree with the majority here, this is a terrible card.
It essentially has the same ability as The Scarab God, but redesigned for a 2 CMC shell. As a result, in a direct comparison new Lazav does not increase your board presence (The Scarab God produces tokens), has a scaling mana cost for the ability instead of a fixed mana cost, does not trigger ETBs, does not interact with your opponents GYs, does not cheat Commander tax, and does not have repeated lifegain/scry.
Do I expect a 2 CMC to compare to a 5 CMC? Of course not, but a direct comparison of just the GY ability shows just how inferior Lazav's ability is in comparison, a lot more inferior than a normal comparison between abilities on a 2 CMC and 5 CMC creature. IMO this has been massively scaled back, and I'm sad to say that Brawl is probably to blame.
If you're paying mana into Lazav's ability, that is mana that is not being used to increase your board presence, increase your card advantage, or influence the game state in almost any way. It's as if you've just swapped Lazav with a creature in your GY, and spent a lot of mana to do it. There are way more efficient ways to achieve the same thing.
Arkhaic, do you have a decklist I could look at? I have tried different ways to steal opponent's creatures but I have yet to find a deck that really works.
It has a lot of expensive cards that can be swapped out for budget equivalents. I run a staples folder so I can run all my expensive cards in every deck, but not everybody chooses to go that route.
my version is built completely around theft cards (e.g. Zealous Conscripts). Your opponents play more cards from the benefits Kings provide, you just steal them all away, sac them to Claws of Gix or keep them with Sundial of the Infinite.
Sundial doesn't synergize with conscripts or other threaten effects that give you control until end of turn, since such effects just end when the sundial is activated and the stolen cards go back to their former controller.
Putting in a another vote for Ramos, Dragon Engine. I've seen many completely different deck strategies for him, he just excels at so many things.
I'd also recommend Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis. They definitely do not need to be a group hug deck, I've seen them build as a land-matters deck, land-destruction deck, card-advantage deck, and my version is built completely around theft cards (e.g. Zealous Conscripts). Your opponents play more cards from the benefits Kings provide, you just steal them all away, sac them to Claws of Gix or keep them with Sundial of the Infinite. The Kings giveth, and the Taxman taketh away.
I agree with darrenhabib, you could just build a pretty tight Rakdos deck with Kazarov there for colours. Building a deck around a high cmc Commander is a pretty terrible idea; the exception being when that high cmc commander is stupid powerful (e.g. Avacyn, Angel of Hope), and you have extra ramp to get them out early (e.g. Thran Dynamo, Gilded Lotus).
Finally, Zur the Enchanter has been converted to Tuvasa the Sunlit. This is my favourite deck at the moment; however, it is still a bit of a work in progress. It plays a defensive early game, before suddenly rolling over everyone with a ridiculously massive Tuvasa. She isn't the best Voltron commander, but she can be unexpectedly effective. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/tuvasa-enchantress-supreme/
Its powerful if you can absure reoccuring it, I wonder if Saheeli will have an ability that will let you. Still only one creature has to attack you and you in standard have 3 foes...
If they steal it, you can steal it back to get another draw 3 trigger.
Blade of Selves is one of those cards that I consider ridiculously powerful, but kind of bad because its so powerful.
Because I run it in decks where it can be abused by the Commander, like Reaper King, it often feels like an "answer this or I'll run away with this game" level threat. As a result it feels kind of bad to play this in a casual game, but it will rarely hit play or stay for long in competitive.
An amazingly powerful card, but not one to make friends with.
Anointed Procession and Cathars' Crusade make a great combo, there is also Cover of Darkness for getting through. Can also recommend Aven Wind Guide as a surprisingly good "lord" for zombie tokens, that can also embalm as a zombie itself. Reconnaissance is also really good for Varina so you can swing regardless of board state.
My decklist, in case you're interested: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/varina-zombie-queen/
Would add the entire infect mechanic if I could, but these two are the worst offenders in the format IMO.
Opponent was arguing that because it said target, I had to choose a target for the cost increase to apply to when I originally played the card. Newer versions have the corrected text of "your opponents".
It essentially has the same ability as The Scarab God, but redesigned for a 2 CMC shell. As a result, in a direct comparison new Lazav does not increase your board presence (The Scarab God produces tokens), has a scaling mana cost for the ability instead of a fixed mana cost, does not trigger ETBs, does not interact with your opponents GYs, does not cheat Commander tax, and does not have repeated lifegain/scry.
Do I expect a 2 CMC to compare to a 5 CMC? Of course not, but a direct comparison of just the GY ability shows just how inferior Lazav's ability is in comparison, a lot more inferior than a normal comparison between abilities on a 2 CMC and 5 CMC creature. IMO this has been massively scaled back, and I'm sad to say that Brawl is probably to blame.
If you're paying mana into Lazav's ability, that is mana that is not being used to increase your board presence, increase your card advantage, or influence the game state in almost any way. It's as if you've just swapped Lazav with a creature in your GY, and spent a lot of mana to do it. There are way more efficient ways to achieve the same thing.
Decklist is here: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/kynaios-and-tiro-masters-of-theft/?cb=1536629642
It has a lot of expensive cards that can be swapped out for budget equivalents. I run a staples folder so I can run all my expensive cards in every deck, but not everybody chooses to go that route.
Yep, I was just misremembering. Sundial is what I use in my Riku deck, it synergizes with Kiki-Jiki, Splinter Twin, Chandra, Flamecaller etc.
For the Threaten effects in Kings I use Nephalia Smuggler, Deadeye Navigator and Bazaar Trader. Still get to keep the stolen cards.
I'd also recommend Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis. They definitely do not need to be a group hug deck, I've seen them build as a land-matters deck, land-destruction deck, card-advantage deck, and my version is built completely around theft cards (e.g. Zealous Conscripts). Your opponents play more cards from the benefits Kings provide, you just steal them all away, sac them to Claws of Gix or keep them with Sundial of the Infinite. The Kings giveth, and the Taxman taketh away.
I agree with darrenhabib, you could just build a pretty tight Rakdos deck with Kazarov there for colours. Building a deck around a high cmc Commander is a pretty terrible idea; the exception being when that high cmc commander is stupid powerful (e.g. Avacyn, Angel of Hope), and you have extra ramp to get them out early (e.g. Thran Dynamo, Gilded Lotus).
I would suggest you build a Mogis, God of Slaughter, Rakdos, Lord of Riots or Vial Smasher the Fierce deck, and just swap in Kazarov as the Commander. There are some great suggestions here for cards that work well with Kazarov when he's out, but as you probably won't cast Kazarov very often, don't dilute the deck too much with these cards.
Be conservative, build a solid deck, don't over-focus on Commander synergy when your Commander is bad.
I've converted Grimgrin, Corpse-Born to Varina, Lich Queen, which adds Anointed Procession to double those zombie tokens, Aven Wind Guide to give them flying and vigilance on an embalm, Wayward Servant and Necromancer's Covenant. In Oketra's Name and Unconventional Tactics are also nice thematic includes. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/varina-zombie-queen/
Finally, Zur the Enchanter has been converted to Tuvasa the Sunlit. This is my favourite deck at the moment; however, it is still a bit of a work in progress. It plays a defensive early game, before suddenly rolling over everyone with a ridiculously massive Tuvasa. She isn't the best Voltron commander, but she can be unexpectedly effective. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/tuvasa-enchantress-supreme/
If they steal it, you can steal it back to get another draw 3 trigger.
Because I run it in decks where it can be abused by the Commander, like Reaper King, it often feels like an "answer this or I'll run away with this game" level threat. As a result it feels kind of bad to play this in a casual game, but it will rarely hit play or stay for long in competitive.
An amazingly powerful card, but not one to make friends with.
Fixed it for you