Though I can understand why Ratchet wouldn't want to have too many creatures in the deck with high power. The worst thing you can do to a deck that steals your creatures to only give them options amongst several "weaker smaller bodies" which means the tyrant would be the most likely stolen one unless its in the graveyard or in the hand already. One of the worst hits you can ever take early in a multiplayer game is for someone to steal a powerful creature in your library like with Bribery. However each preventive measure comes with its own drawback. That drawback in this case is a lower creature count in the library. Each drawback usually comes with a remedy. In this case it is to go pseudo-stax.
Tajic, Blade of the Legion or Iroas, God of Victory seem like they would fit the best at the helm of the deck. As they would both be hard to get rid of and can capture that idea of the king/god is the one who leads this grandiose army.
There's a difference between underused and rightfully unused.
Fumiko, Seshiro, Lu Xun, are underused. Ishi-Ishi is a 1/1 basically-vanilla for 2 mana. Not that there's anything wrong with using a god-awful commander, but you can't exactly call him underused when there's no reason to actually use him.
Here is another reason why Ishi-Ishi could be used: least threatening and masks the strategy behind it. Since it hates on such a narrow area of the game that was already very shallow, its body is pitiful and its only benefit outside its trigger is its cheap to cast and purchase since it is not heavily used outside of Kamigawa block. I believe in first appearances and judging the threat generation of another player by what commander they have at the helm. The more common seen and powerful the more hate it can generate towards itself as certain commanders like Gaddock Teeg, Sisay, Zur or Azusa tend to come with a... reputation of sorts behind them. Such commanders with a reputation tend to broadcast their strategy as they have proven strategies that work greatly.
Which is why I appreciate seeing underused or never used commanders because its like an exotic dish compared to the standard fare you might normally see. Its why I would like to play against Ulka and one of that user's decks rather than the standard fare. As with the standard fare your just going to go through the motions as the opponent broadcasts their strategy loudly and clearly with a more used commander like say Zur as I know off the bat that opponent is going to utilize an enchantment strategy that will either be full-on or partial pillow fort. Stuff like He Who Hungers is more interesting as its not as obvious to what my opponent is up to other than they have spirit tribal and plan on forcing me to discard the cards in my hand.
I love my Ishi-Ishi, Akki Crackshot deck(s), yes the general is underused and not well known. Simply because nobody really knows whats coming other than "Its mono red", I like to keep my playgroup on their toes. One variant is a mono red control/MLD deck, another is goblin tribal, a different one was artifact matters, a fourth variation was red spirits, finally a fifth one was based on burn spells and sorcery matters subtheme. Each deck is sleeved with simple red dragon sleeves, comes with a simple and plain red deck box, and a red spindown dice. The spindown is the telltale of what your fighting against. Red Spirits for instance has a red Betrayers of Kamigawa spindown while Artifact Matters has a red Darksteel spindown
So to summarize: Enjoy that you play different styles. As I find it hard to believe a person who enjoys the format has just one deck for EDH has there is so many different play styles and card composition possibilities. I personally would like to play against you because it would be a bit harder to expect what is coming from a more obscure commander at the helm.
Old Man Barry's Lawn
Basic Land - Lawn C
T: add 1 to your mana pool. "Get off my lawn you crazy walkers! Back in my day there was no planeswalkers on cardboard. We also didn't have any of your fancy mythic rares. Why we had to walk four miles up the hill both ways to get to the card sho- *Barry falls asleep*"
- Old Man Barry
If he is an artifact (mycosynth lattice) and is indestructible (darksteel forge) he will almost always return to the battlefield if no opponent tampers. The only way he cannot, without tampering, is if you activate his ultimate which leaves him at 0 counters... however on his second cast when he costs six mana he will continue to comeback because his emblem and lattice treat him as an artifact even if he ceases to be one when he leaves the battlefield.
Honestly though I would say Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer is a must have for a red artifact deck if he is not at the helm. The ability to protect an artifact that is more important than another is quiet strong value. Combined with Daretti and Goblin Welder and you should have little issue reclaiming a lost artifact.
Another one to consider is Bosh, Iron Golem. If your running Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient you might as well run Bosh as well. I been tinkering with a Daretti deck that uses Bosh alongside Grafted Exoskeleton to create a win condition. Combined with exoskeleton and it can result in paying 3RR to end any opponent instead of 6RR like it normally would.
Finally have you considered Hellkite Tyrant? Its a win condition that rewards playing against/with artifacts.
I prefer daretti over kurkesh. As daretti is effectively a goblin welder + a rummaging goblin in one package. Ignoring his ultimate, he has good uses for cycling through unwanted junk and recovering precious artifacts. You can also discard an important artifact on one turn and then on the next recover it by sacrificing a less important artifact, plus both only cost four mana. Being a planeswalker instead of a creature comes with its own perks and drawbacks. On one hand its harder to get rid of with typical removal that would normally be used for creatures. While on the other hand it is easier to get rid of Daretti by attacking him instead, by using one of the very few removal cards specific for getting rid of planeswalkers, or by using burn spells to get rid of Daretti.
Its like the difference between wanting to have the king or the king's kingdom. The former gives you the big guy himself, the second gives you his kingdom which comes with its own benefits.
Pharagax Giant = 2R: I can either attack one of you guys with a 5/5 or deal 5 to each each of my opponents... the choice is yours. Dong Zhou, the Tyrant = 2R: What a powerful creature you have there... oh dear me! It seems to have betrayed you. Subterranean Shambler = 2R: That is a nice token hoard you have there, be a shame if something happened to it. Hammerheim Deadeye = 2R: Thank you very much for letting me shoot your clay pigeon. Flame-Kin War Scout = 2R: You and I both knew this would happen if you tried to summon your commander. Stingscourger = 2R: Welcome to red, we have bounce as well. Thundermare = 2R: Wait till the other walkers hear you got beat up by my horse.
So with Mycosynth Lattice, Daretti can keep coming back? Sounds a like a winner to me.
That throws the condition of getting his ult to execute and it also leaves you vulnerable to graveyard hate still. In general, most players try very hard to keep walkers ults from executing. It also throws out a few more concerns such as opposing Vandalblasts as well as pushes you in more of a direction to be trying to do this to your opponents.
Oh I agree with you there, just saying if it did manage to happen as it can leave you with a powerful board position.
Say ISBPathfinder how does Mycosynth Lattice interact with Daretti's emblem when it affects non-artifacts that got turned into artifacts while on the battlefield?
-10: You get an emblem with "Whenever an artifact is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, return that card to the battlefield at the beginning of the next end step."
If combined with Mycosynth Lattice will Daretti return to the battlefield?
All permanents are artifacts in addition to their other types.
Yep. Because when building the deck X will always equal 0. So as long as the spell isn't say XRRRR for instance, it will always fit in your deck.
The full comprehensive rules is here: http://tinyleaders.blogspot.com/p/comprehensive-rules.html
Add: Metalworker, Crucible of Worlds, Gauntlet of Power, Scrying Sheets, Goblin Matron
@Glimflicker: If he were to nix two noncreature and add two creatures, he would have 16 creatures. (Metalworker, Goblin Matron, Goblin Welder, Squee, Goblin Nabob, Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer, Bosh, Iron Golem, Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient, Hellkite Tyrant, Feldon of the Third Path, Canal Dredger, Junk Troller, Darksteel Myr, Darksteel Gargoyle, Stuffy Doll, Creepy Doll)
Though I can understand why Ratchet wouldn't want to have too many creatures in the deck with high power. The worst thing you can do to a deck that steals your creatures to only give them options amongst several "weaker smaller bodies" which means the tyrant would be the most likely stolen one unless its in the graveyard or in the hand already. One of the worst hits you can ever take early in a multiplayer game is for someone to steal a powerful creature in your library like with Bribery. However each preventive measure comes with its own drawback. That drawback in this case is a lower creature count in the library. Each drawback usually comes with a remedy. In this case it is to go pseudo-stax.
Here is another reason why Ishi-Ishi could be used: least threatening and masks the strategy behind it. Since it hates on such a narrow area of the game that was already very shallow, its body is pitiful and its only benefit outside its trigger is its cheap to cast and purchase since it is not heavily used outside of Kamigawa block. I believe in first appearances and judging the threat generation of another player by what commander they have at the helm. The more common seen and powerful the more hate it can generate towards itself as certain commanders like Gaddock Teeg, Sisay, Zur or Azusa tend to come with a... reputation of sorts behind them. Such commanders with a reputation tend to broadcast their strategy as they have proven strategies that work greatly.
Which is why I appreciate seeing underused or never used commanders because its like an exotic dish compared to the standard fare you might normally see. Its why I would like to play against Ulka and one of that user's decks rather than the standard fare. As with the standard fare your just going to go through the motions as the opponent broadcasts their strategy loudly and clearly with a more used commander like say Zur as I know off the bat that opponent is going to utilize an enchantment strategy that will either be full-on or partial pillow fort. Stuff like He Who Hungers is more interesting as its not as obvious to what my opponent is up to other than they have spirit tribal and plan on forcing me to discard the cards in my hand.
So to summarize: Enjoy that you play different styles. As I find it hard to believe a person who enjoys the format has just one deck for EDH has there is so many different play styles and card composition possibilities. I personally would like to play against you because it would be a bit harder to expect what is coming from a more obscure commander at the helm.
Basic Land - Lawn C
T: add 1 to your mana pool.
"Get off my lawn you crazy walkers! Back in my day there was no planeswalkers on cardboard. We also didn't have any of your fancy mythic rares. Why we had to walk four miles up the hill both ways to get to the card sho- *Barry falls asleep*"
- Old Man Barry
Honestly though I would say Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer is a must have for a red artifact deck if he is not at the helm. The ability to protect an artifact that is more important than another is quiet strong value. Combined with Daretti and Goblin Welder and you should have little issue reclaiming a lost artifact.
Another one to consider is Bosh, Iron Golem. If your running Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient you might as well run Bosh as well. I been tinkering with a Daretti deck that uses Bosh alongside Grafted Exoskeleton to create a win condition. Combined with exoskeleton and it can result in paying 3RR to end any opponent instead of 6RR like it normally would.
Finally have you considered Hellkite Tyrant? Its a win condition that rewards playing against/with artifacts.
Its like the difference between wanting to have the king or the king's kingdom. The former gives you the big guy himself, the second gives you his kingdom which comes with its own benefits.
Dong Zhou, the Tyrant = 2R: What a powerful creature you have there... oh dear me! It seems to have betrayed you.
Subterranean Shambler = 2R: That is a nice token hoard you have there, be a shame if something happened to it.
Hammerheim Deadeye = 2R: Thank you very much for letting me shoot your clay pigeon.
Flame-Kin War Scout = 2R: You and I both knew this would happen if you tried to summon your commander.
Stingscourger = 2R: Welcome to red, we have bounce as well.
Thundermare = 2R: Wait till the other walkers hear you got beat up by my horse.
Oh I agree with you there, just saying if it did manage to happen as it can leave you with a powerful board position.
If combined with Mycosynth Lattice will Daretti return to the battlefield?