This is my deck right now, that is still in progress. It has took a lot of effort to manage to get these cards without buying singles and just opening and trading with friends. I do plan on buying singles to finish it off soon though, cards such as Temple of Silence, Hero's Downfall, Caves of Koilos, Crackling Doom, etc.
I have been playing casually with my friends for awhile but now I'm interested in going to my local card shop can competing in the standard tournaments and I have managed to make a Red and White deck that could probably be improved a lot but I'm not sure what to look for to put in it.
Try Ludevic's Test Subject. It's also early defense, more important it is a mana sink if you kept your mana open for a counter spell but didn't used it. Then you can just pump it into the test subject. It's also a plan B and an option if you go into topdeck mode in late game, a 13/13 trampler backed up by counterspells can quickly win the game.
You can think about using two Devastation Tides in your deck if things go bad for you. With your low cmc-creatures a board reset won't hurt you as much as most other decks.
I do like Ludevic's Test Subject and might put that in there somewhere and I'll probably definitely add Devastation Tide since it would really help against the strategies that my friends use in their decks.
Not knowing your budget exactly, I'm going to assume you want to keep it at less than $4 of new cards.
Here's what I'll cut initially, and some of my ideas for what you can add.
-1 Wall of Frost
-2 Deathcult Rogue
-1 Magma Spray
-2 Shock
-2 Overwhelming Intellect
-2 Hidden strings
+ 4 lands - You're going to want more lands. If you really want to go control, add four more islands, or 2 islands/2 Evolving Wilds. Most of your red spells only require a single R, but you need to hit UU quite a lot. $.50
+2 Izzet Charm - It does a lot for you, versatility is good. $1
+4 Augur of Bolas - Decent toughness, and digs in your library. More card draw/search effects are very good. $1
If you can find a place to play more draw, maybe over the naughts, it couldn't hurt.
The idea behind Deathcult Rogue and Hidden Strings is that its uncommon for anyone to be able to block the rogue so I could cipher hidden strings on to it and get some combos going with hidden strings untapping my land allowing a lot of sorceries and instants to be played in one turn and possibly doing vast amounts of damage with guttersnipes. I do like Izzet Charm and Augur of Bolas and I might replace wall of frost and some others for some of them.
My other immediate thought is that I really like Goblin Electromancer, and would recommend adding another one (in place of the Wall of Frost, say).
If you felt like it, you could also try one of my UR faves from a while back, which was Fire // Ice, and/or upgrade some of the burn, and replace a few other things with some cheap draw.
How far are you willing or wanting to modify the deck, from what you've got now?
edit: And yes, more lands!
Probably will replace some of the more costly counters with Mana Leak, honestly never seen that counter show up in my research for making this kind of deck and probably will add Augur of Bolas like suggested in the other posts. Right now I can change anything if theres a better card to replace it but there is obviously some cards that can not be replaced like Lightning Bolt.
Please leave feedback and tell me how you think it sounds, honestly it plays really good right now but I always want to improve.
Just in case you didn't notice, Manaweft Sliver allows me to play blue and black slivers even thought I don't carry either color in lands.
Any recommendations would be appreciated but I am on a low budget to put money into this deck right now so no Force of Will or Cryptic Command or anything else similar unfortunately
I was also thinking that I could work on the mana base some. Maybe something like Emeria, the Sky Ruin, maybe this isn't necessary but I feel like I could do better than just 20 plains.
I played with this deck quite a bit today and won most of my 1v1s and 2v2s. I used Ajani, Caller of the Pride's +1 ability to pump up all my weenies and used 2 Angelic Skirmishers to give all my creatures vigilance and lifelink. Then used Ajani's -8 ability to deal 66 damage and finish the game.
I really enjoy where this deck is going and my friends don't seem to have an answer for it. Can't wait to order some cards to add to it, currently at 63 cards I try not to get above 65.
Right now I'm working with what I have but I'm going to order more singles to make this deck better and better. I'll more than likely order Honor of the Pure and maybe some of the cards I mentioned above based on your opinions.
1x Paragon of New Dawns
2x Butcher of the Horde
1x Akroan Hoplite
1x Eidolon of the Great Revel
1x Seeker of the Way
2x Goblin Rabblemaster
1x Minotaur Skullcleaver
1x Despise
1x Mardu Charm
3x Gods Willing
1x Ride Down
1x Stoke the Flames
2x Empty the Pits
1x Deflecting Palm
4x Magma Jet
4x Lightning Strike
4x Plains
4x Swamp
2x Temple of Triumph
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3x Bloodstained Mire
2x Nomad Outpost
1x Temple of Malice
This is my deck right now, that is still in progress. It has took a lot of effort to manage to get these cards without buying singles and just opening and trading with friends. I do plan on buying singles to finish it off soon though, cards such as Temple of Silence, Hero's Downfall, Caves of Koilos, Crackling Doom, etc.
I also added 1x Goblin Rabblemaster. I really do like the heroic but I also like aggro with Rabblemaster and Bloodsoaked Champion.
1x Kinsbaile Skirmisher
2x Minotaur Skullcleaver
1x Valley Dasher
1x Jeskai Student
1x Paragon of New Dawns
1x Midnight Guard
1x Wall of Fire
1x Leaping Master
2x Warden of the Beyond
1x Oreskos Swiftclaw
1x Akroan Hoplite
Instant/Sorcery/Enchantment/Artifact:
1x Defiant Strike
1x Meditation Puzzle
1x Battle Mastery
1x Staff of the Flame Magus
1x Gift of Immortality
1x Bolt of Keranos
1x Suspension Field
1x Ephemeral Shields
1x Oppressive Rays
1x Excoriate
1x Pinnacle of Rage
1x Smite the Monstrous
1x Ride Down
1x Glimpse the Sun God
1x Font of Ire
2x Mortal's Ardor
4x Lightning Strike
1x Feat of Resistance
1x Magma Jet
1x Fated Conflagration
1x Last Breath
1x Devouring Light
1x Searing Blood
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Land:
11x Plains
7x Mountain
3x Wind-Scarred Crag
1x Temple of Triumph
Any help is appreciated. Thanks to any replies in advanced!
I do like Ludevic's Test Subject and might put that in there somewhere and I'll probably definitely add Devastation Tide since it would really help against the strategies that my friends use in their decks.
The idea behind Deathcult Rogue and Hidden Strings is that its uncommon for anyone to be able to block the rogue so I could cipher hidden strings on to it and get some combos going with hidden strings untapping my land allowing a lot of sorceries and instants to be played in one turn and possibly doing vast amounts of damage with guttersnipes. I do like Izzet Charm and Augur of Bolas and I might replace wall of frost and some others for some of them.
Probably will replace some of the more costly counters with Mana Leak, honestly never seen that counter show up in my research for making this kind of deck and probably will add Augur of Bolas like suggested in the other posts. Right now I can change anything if theres a better card to replace it but there is obviously some cards that can not be replaced like Lightning Bolt.
1x Sliver Hive
2x Vivid Meadow
4x Jungle Shrine
2x Kazandu Refuge
1x Temple of Plenty
4x Mountain
2x Plains
2x Boros Guildgate
4x Forest
4x Hive Stirrings
Creatures
2x Sentinel Sliver
2x Muscle Sliver
4x Predatory Sliver
2x Striking Sliver
3x Bonesplitter Sliver
2x Homing Sliver
2x Quick Sliver
1x Leeching Sliver
2x Sidewinder Sliver
4x Manaweft Sliver
2x Winged Sliver
2x Venom Sliver
1x Constricting Sliver
1x Groundshaker Sliver
3x Blur Sliver
2x Frenzy Sliver
2x Ward Sliver
1x Sliver Hivelord
1x Garruk, Caller of Beasts
Please leave feedback and tell me how you think it sounds, honestly it plays really good right now but I always want to improve.
Just in case you didn't notice, Manaweft Sliver allows me to play blue and black slivers even thought I don't carry either color in lands.
7x Mountain
9x Island
4x Izzet Guildgate
Creatures
1x Wall of Frost
2x Deathcult Rogue
4x Guttersnipe
3x Goblin Electromancer
2x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
4x Spellheart Chimera
2x Spite of Mogis
Instants
1x Magma Spray
2x Shock
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Lightning Strike
4x Counterspell
2x Declaration of Naught
3x Rewind
2x Overwhelming Intellect
1x Power Sink
2x Hidden Strings
Any recommendations would be appreciated but I am on a low budget to put money into this deck right now so no Force of Will or Cryptic Command or anything else similar unfortunately
Thorncaster Sliver
Battle Sliver
Manaweft Sliver
Predatory Sliver
Lymph Sliver
Mesmeric Sliver
Homing Sliver
Megantic Sliver
2x Tundra Wolves
1x Armored Warhorse
1x Oreskos Sun Guide
2x Serra Angel
1x Seraph of Dawn
3x Angelic Skirmisher
1x Vanguard of Brimaz
1x Leonin Skyhunter
1x Accorder Paladin
2x Ajani's Sunstriker
2x Chapel Geist
1x Elite Inquisitor
2x Emancipation Angel
3x Spectral Rider
Also got an Elspeth, Knight-Errant, 3x Honor of the Pure, and 2x Noble Purpose
I cut out Guardian Zendikon, Narrow Escape, and Whitesun's Passage.
I was also thinking that I could work on the mana base some. Maybe something like Emeria, the Sky Ruin, maybe this isn't necessary but I feel like I could do better than just 20 plains.
I played with this deck quite a bit today and won most of my 1v1s and 2v2s. I used Ajani, Caller of the Pride's +1 ability to pump up all my weenies and used 2 Angelic Skirmishers to give all my creatures vigilance and lifelink. Then used Ajani's -8 ability to deal 66 damage and finish the game.
I really enjoy where this deck is going and my friends don't seem to have an answer for it. Can't wait to order some cards to add to it, currently at 63 cards I try not to get above 65.
1x Loyal Pegasus
1x Vanguard of Brimaz
2x Silvercoat Lion
2x Oreskos Swiftclaw
3x Brave the Elements
I took out Tempest of Light
I really like the control that Pacifism, Arrest, and Oppressive Rays give me.
More cards that I am interested in putting in the deck are Day of Judgment, Ghostly Prison, Martyr of Sands and Noble Purpose.
Right now I'm working with what I have but I'm going to order more singles to make this deck better and better. I'll more than likely order Honor of the Pure and maybe some of the cards I mentioned above based on your opinions.
Creatures
3x Tundra Wolves
3x Caravan Hurda
2x Stormfront Pegasus
2x Aven Cloudchaser
2x Eagle of the Watch
1x Serra Angel
1x Seraph of the Sword
Instants
2x Angelsong
1x Demystify
2x Tempest of Light
2x Soul Parry
2x Whitesun's Passage
1x Pay No Heed
2x Narrow Escape
2x Fulgent Distraction
1x Healing Salve
1x Brave the Elements
1x Glimpse the sun God
1x Hallow
Enchantments
2x Guardian Zendikon
3x Arrest
3x Pacifism
2x Oppressive Rays
Planeswalker
1x Ajani, Caller of the Pride
Land
20x Plains