Lightning bolt is the better one out of the bunch here. It's simply a better version of Shock. Playing more instants and sorceries with the same name will more reliably build counters on Pyromancer Ascension so try to play 4x copies of them where possible.
For multiplayer games, sometimes Mana Geyser and Comet Storm can get cheeky kills out of nowhere.
Hi,
I'm creating a U control deck revolving around Talrand. However, it seems a bit slow - but I'm not sure I should put more creature or reduce island....
Hey there, I suggest playing a few more creatures for this deck. Ideally you play a creature on the board early to whittle away at their lifepoints and pressure the opponent to play into your counterspells. Without any pressure on the board, the opponent can hold onto all their cards and just play lands until they can play around Mana Leak. They can also bait you to tap out by casting instants on your turn, giving them a window to resolve something on their following turn.
To make room for 11 additional lands, I would first replace 4x Browbeat and 2x Siege-Gang Commander like FTW1987 suggested. Siege-Gang Commander is too high a mana cost to be reliably cast (even with 20 lands), plus Goblin Bombardment already serves as a sacrifice outlet. Browbeat usually doesn't get the desired effect you want since the opponent gets to decide the outcome.
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Cavern of Souls would be a nice addition - gives can't be countered, and here produces B/W for Tidehollow Sculler. It might be hard to fit though, given the number of non-color producing lands already.
I remember back in 09' and 2010 when this site was full of life but now it sadly seems dead. At least on this forum. Too bad I'm not interested in anything else but casual magic. RIP mtgsalvation
There's a thread in the community discussion subforum on this very topic. Some other users share the same sentiment. Here's a link to that thread:
Why do you want to remove glistering oil? It let's me use Geralf's Messenger infinitely unless he get's exiled.
The deck has few cantrip, tutors or reliable card draw, so you want each combo piece to be individually strong in the occasion you do not assemble the combo. Glistening Oil doesn't particularly synergize with other creatures in the deck, and the combo will require multiple upkeeps to end the game (unlike Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Triskelion) so I don't think it warrants 3x slots.
For multiplayer games, sometimes Mana Geyser and Comet Storm can get cheeky kills out of nowhere.
You could play Wild Growth over Verdant Haven/Fertile Ground as it starts ramping earlier. The deck is mostly G anyways and the color producing ability of Verdant Haven/Fertile Ground is only used to cast Kiora, Master of the Depths. Since you are already playing Sakura-Tribe Elder, you can just tutor up an Island when you need to produce U mana.
Also, there is Voyaging Satyr if you want another untapper.
To make room for 11 additional lands, I would first replace 4x Browbeat and 2x Siege-Gang Commander like FTW1987 suggested. Siege-Gang Commander is too high a mana cost to be reliably cast (even with 20 lands), plus Goblin Bombardment already serves as a sacrifice outlet. Browbeat usually doesn't get the desired effect you want since the opponent gets to decide the outcome.
Lastly, I'd replace some combination of the 9 enchantments (Quest for the Goblin Lord / Goblin Bombardment / Shared Animosity) for 5 lands. It's safer to have too many goblins and not enough enchantments to buff them, than vice versa.
Cavern of Souls would be a nice addition - gives can't be countered, and here produces B/W for Tidehollow Sculler. It might be hard to fit though, given the number of non-color producing lands already.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/community-forums/community-discussion/681741-is-mtgsalvation-dying
Absolute Law or Circle of Protection: Red can be tutored by Enlightened Tutor, whereas Crimson Acolyte cannot. You'll likely only need 1 copy of Absolute Law/Circle of Protection: Red because Mono R decks lack enchantment removal, plus Enlightened Tutor acts as additional functional copies.
Here are some other inexpensive (under $1) R werewolves/wolves for starters:
For example,
[ deck=Squirtle_Squad's Deck] 60 Storm Crow [/ deck] will look like:
Full detail of deck tags (with examples) can be found here:
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/community-forums/community-discussion/576824-the-mtg-salvation-tag-explanation-thread#1d
Perhaps try creatures like Viscera Seer, Phyrexian Rager, Sidisi, Undead Vizier to help assemble the combo, while at the same time maintain a high creature count. You could also try using card draw spells like Night's Whisper or Sign in Blood instead of Altar's Reap as the former two can be reliably cast without having a creature to sac.
I prefer Hex Parasite over Glistening Oil to enable Geralf's Messenger's Undying. Both Hex Parasite's activated ability (to remove a +1/+1 counter) and Glistening Oil cost 2 mana, but Hex Parasite has the added flexibility to be used: at instant-speed, on multiple targets, and on non-creature permanents (ie. planeswalkers). At the very worst, Hex Parasite is a creature you can attack with or sacrifice, unlike Glistening Oil.
I guess one perk of Glistening Oil is that Infect can be useful vs. decks that can gain large amounts of life.