So ever since I got into commander I've been a gruul player. My main decks were Xenagos and Omnath-Rage. Our playgroup has been changing up it's strategies and I thought that Esper would be a nice change for me. Some of the esper decks seem...too oppressive, but she seems perfect. My question is how do most people run her? Straight control, just good stuff, or is there a more kill-oriented strategy for her that's more cutthroat? I'm looking for advice on how to pump this up to a little above the standard 75% commander deck. I want her to be feared. I think my creature base and enchantments may need the most work:
So this is where I'm currently at with my Xenagos commander build. Are there any changes you'd make to this? Do I have enough ramp and win cons? I've got all the pieces already so can work on plugging in some other options like [[oracle of mul daya]]. In testing I find that it's extremely explosive, but only if I've got the mana and the ramp to play off of. I think the nature of Xenagos (or this build so far) is that it's hard to interact with your opponents aside from in combat so I've tried to pack in some extra combat phases via cards and abilities where I could!
I really want to make B/W warriors work. What is everyone's opinion on how competitive a list like this can get? Any suggestions to take it up another notch? I may not be able to get a hold of more Thoughseize and Sorin, Solemn Visitor, but can try. The Scoured Barrens is a place holder until I can get a mana confluence
So what does this deck need? Other ideas are to splash in another color, either Red or Green. Lots of good warrior cards that could be added in.
I want to fit in Atarka, World Render and really pump this up with some dragons. What are some good options to swap in that will still keep the deck relatively competitive? It's a fun deck and it's main purpose is to really just be swinging with giant creatures like any good Xenagos deck.
Here is a maybe board that I've already been thinking of:
Here is the new deck list. It's based a lot off yours and I realize I'm cutting corners by sacrificing some of the more expensive card, but this means I can use it quicker and more often while I wait for cards to update it with.
No worries about any suggestions. I'm getting lots of good stuff. Trostani's summoner seems really awesome in this deck. Anyone care to comment on if it has a place and where?
Fixed a few issues, too many reclamation sage and other rule issues:
I thought sylvan primordial was too good to be true. I made the adjustments. Let me know what you think. After adding the cards I don't already have, looks like the deck will cost around $75 in total from Tcgplayer.
Okay I made some revisions and added in some of the suggestions. Here's what I've got. Let me know what can still be changed and where I need to trim things up:
I've been saying it like Mer'eek. Kinda like 'shriek'.
1x Adarkar Wastes
1x Arcane Sanctum
1x Arid Mesa
1x Bad River
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Celestial Colonnade
1x Command Tower
1x Darkwater Catacombs
1x Drowned Catacomb
1x Flood Plain
1x Flooded Strand
1x Glacial Fortress
1x Godless Shrine
1x Hallowed Fountain
3x Island
1x Isolated Chapel
2x Plains
1x Prairie Stream
1x Reflecting Pool
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Skycloud Expanse
1x Sunken Hollow
2x Swamp
1x Tainted Field
1x Tainted Isle
1x Temple of Deceit
1x Temple of Enlightenment
1x Temple of Silence
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Watery Grave
1x Windswept Heath
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
1x Venser, the Sojourner
Creature
1x Angel of Despair
1x Arcanis the Omnipotent
1x Archaeomancer
1x Ashen Rider
1x Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1x Clever Impersonator
1x Deadeye Navigator
1x Drift of Phantasms
1x Ethersworn Adjudicator
1x Evil Twin
1x Fatestitcher
1x Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
1x Guile
1x Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
1x Magister Sphinx
1x Myojin of Night's Reach
1x Peregrine Drake
1x Sen Triplets
1x Sire of Stagnation
1x Solemn Simulacrum
Sorcery
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Dark Petition
1x Day of Judgment
1x Diabolic Revelation
1x Idyllic Tutor
1x Merciless Eviction
1x Ponder
1x Rite of Replication
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Ensnaring Bridge
1x Illusionist's Bracers
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Sol Ring
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Temple Bell
1x Thousand-Year Elixir
Enchantment
1x Aura of Silence
1x Freed from the Real
1x Ghostly Prison
1x Intruder Alarm
1x Mind Over Matter
1x Necropotence
1x Pemmin's Aura
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Propaganda
1x Retreat to Coralhelm
Instant
1x Brainstorm
1x Counterspell
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Dark Ritual
1x Dissipate
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Esper Charm
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Mortify
1x Path to Exile
1x Render Silent
1x Sphinx's Revelation
1x Utter End
1x Xenagos, God of Revels
Creature
1x Anger
1x Atarka, World Render
1x Balefire Dragon
1x Bane of Progress
1x Bogardan Hellkite
1x Chameleon Colossus
1x Deus of Calamity
1x Dragonlord Atarka
1x Elvish Piper
1x Farhaven Elf
1x Hellkite Charger
1x Hellkite Tyrant
1x Hydra Omnivore
1x Lotus Cobra
1x Mana-Charged Dragon
1x Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip
1x Outland Colossus
1x Rampaging Baloths
1x Scourge of Valkas
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Spellbreaker Behemoth
1x Steel Hellkite
1x Thunderbreak Regent
1x Thunderfoot Baloth
1x Thundermaw Hellkite
1x Tyrant's Familiar
1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1x Utvara Hellkite
1x Vexing Shusher
1x Wood Elves
1x Woodfall Primus
1x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Yavimaya Elder
1x Berserkers' Onslaught
1x Flameshadow Conjuring
Sorcery
1x Chandra's Ignition
1x Cultivate
1x Explosive Vegetation
1x Genesis Wave
1x Green Sun's Zenith
1x Harmonize
1x Hull Breach
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Nature's Lore
1x Relentless Assault
1x See the Unwritten
1x Skyshroud Claim
1x Vandalblast
Planeswalker
1x Domri Rade
1x Sarkhan Vol
1x Xenagos, the Reveler
Artifact
1x Bow of Nylea
1x Loxodon Warhammer
1x Mage Slayer
1x Sol Ring
1x Strionic Resonator
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Sword of the Animist
1x Thran Dynamo
Instant
1x Beast Within
1x Momentous Fall
1x Sarkhan's Triumph
1x Savage Beating
1x Command Tower
1x Dryad Arbor
9x Forest
1x Haven of the Spirit Dragon
1x Karplusan Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
10x Mountain
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x Raging Ravine
1x Reflecting Pool
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Rogue's Passage
1x Rootbound Crag
1x Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1x Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1x Spinerock Knoll
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple of Abandon
1x Wooded Foothills
I may not be able to get a hold of more Thoughseize and Sorin, Solemn Visitor, but can try. The Scoured Barrens is a place holder until I can get a mana confluence
I like the idea of ajani steadfast....plus I've got a copy! It can be a placeholder until I get my Sorin from a friend.
4x Battle Brawler
4x Bloodsoaked Champion
2x Brutal Hordechief
4x Chief of the Edge
2x Chief of the Scale
3x Mardu Strike Leader
1x Mardu Strike Leader
4x Mardu Woe-Reaper
Enchantment
2x Banishing Light
3x Suspension Field
3x Bile Blight
3x Hero's Downfall
Sorcery
2x Thoughtseize
Planeswalker
1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Land
4x Caves of Koilos
6x Plains
1x Scoured Barrens
6x Swamp
4x Temple of Silence
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2x End Hostilities
2x Erase
2x Hushwing Gryff
2x Merciless Executioner
2x Murderous Cut
2x Utter End
3x Valorous Stance
So what does this deck need? Other ideas are to splash in another color, either Red or Green. Lots of good warrior cards that could be added in.
4x Battle Brawler
4x Bloodsoaked Champion
2x Brutal Hordechief
4x Chief of the Edge
2x Chief of the Scale
3x Mardu Strike Leader
1x Mardu Strike Leader
4x Mardu Woe-Reaper
Enchantment
2x Banishing Light
3x Suspension Field
3x Bile Blight
3x Hero's Downfall
Sorcery
2x Thoughtseize
Planeswalker
1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Land
4x Caves of Koilos
6x Plains
1x Scoured Barrens
6x Swamp
4x Temple of Silence
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2x End Hostilities
2x Erase
2x Hushwing Gryff
2x Merciless Executioner
2x Murderous Cut
2x Utter End
3x Valorous Stance
I added a lot to the maybeboard options. Chameleon Colossus just seems like such a fun card.
1x Balefire Dragon
1x Deus of Calamity
1x Elderscale Wurm
1x Garruk's Packleader
1x Giant Adephage
1x Hellkite Tyrant
1x Hydra Omnivore
1x Inferno Titan
1x Malignus
1x Mana-Charged Dragon
1x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Pelakka Wurm
1x Rampaging Baloths
1x Rapacious One
1x Skarrg Goliath
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Soul of New Phyrexia
1x Soul of the Harvest
1x Stormbreath Dragon
1x Terastodon
1x Terra Stomper
1x Thunderfoot Baloth
1x Tyrant's Familiar
1x Vorapede
1x Woodfall Primus
1x Xenagos, God of Revels
1x Command Tower
11x Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
12x Mountain
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
1x Raging Ravine
1x Rogue's Passage
1x Rootbound Crag
1x Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1x Spinerock Knoll
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple of Abandon
1x Wooded Foothills
Artifacts
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Fellwar Stone
1x Hammer of Purphoros
1x Mage Slayer
1x Sol Ring
1x Strionic Resonator
Sorcery
1x Commune with the Gods
1x Cultivate
1x Explosive Vegetation
1x Growth Spasm
1x Harmonize
1x Harness by Force
1x Hull Breach
1x Hunter's Prowess
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Lead the Stampede
1x Overwhelming Stampede
1x Rampant Growth
1x Relentless Assault
1x Soul's Majesty
1x Soul's Might
1x Tempt with Discovery
1x Tooth and Nail
1x Triumph of the Hordes
1x Beast Within
1x Chaos Warp
1x Momentous Fall
1x Mystic Melting
1x Rush of Blood
1x Savage Beating
1x Slice in Twain
1x Smash
1x Soulblast
1x Soul's Fire
Planeswalker
1x Domri Rade
1x Garruk, Caller of Beasts
1x Garruk, Primal Hunter
1x Xenagos, the Reveler
I want to fit in Atarka, World Render and really pump this up with some dragons. What are some good options to swap in that will still keep the deck relatively competitive? It's a fun deck and it's main purpose is to really just be swinging with giant creatures like any good Xenagos deck.
Here is a maybe board that I've already been thinking of:
Here is the new deck list. It's based a lot off yours and I realize I'm cutting corners by sacrificing some of the more expensive card, but this means I can use it quicker and more often while I wait for cards to update it with.
Fixed a few issues, too many reclamation sage and other rule issues:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/dont-blink-or-youll-missem/
Think I'm getting close to a final version!! I really want to add stonehorn dignitary somewhere though...
1x Roon of the Hidden Realm
Land 37
1x Azorius Chancery
1x Azorius Guildgate
1x Command Tower
1x Flooded Strand
6x Forest
1x Glacial Fortress
6x Island
1x Llanowar Wastes
1x Opal Palace
6x Plains
1x Rootbound Crag
1x Rupture Spire
1x Selesnya Guildgate
1x Shimmering Grotto
1x Shivan Reef
1x Simic Guildgate
1x Sunpetal Grove
1x Temple of Mystery
1x Temple of Plenty
1x Temple of the False God
1x Tranquil Cove
1x Transguild Promenade
Artifact 5
1x Conjurer's Closet
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Fellwar Stone
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Control Magic
1x Pacifism
Planeswalker 1
1x Venser, the Sojourner
Instant 13
1x Arcane Denial
1x Bant Charm
1x Beast Within
1x Brainstorm
1x Condemn
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Dissipate
1x Dissolve
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Krosan Grip
1x Return to Dust
1x Rewind
1x Swords to Plowshares
Creature 34
1x Acidic Slime
1x Angel of Serenity
1x Armada Wurm
1x Avenger of Zendikar
1x Body Double
1x Brago, King Eternal
1x Brutalizer Exarch
1x Coiling Oracle
1x Deadeye Navigator
1x Ephara, God of the Polis
1x Eternal Witness
1x Farhaven Elf
1x Ixidron
1x Karmic Guide
1x Luminate Primordial
1x Mistmeadow Witch
1x Mulldrifter
1x Perplexing Chimera
1x Phyrexian Metamorph
1x Prime Speaker Zegana
1x Progenitor Mimic
1x Prophet of Kruphix
1x Qasali Pridemage
2x Reclamation Sage
1x Reveillark
1x Sigil Captain
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Spike Weaver
1x Sun Titan
1x Sylvan Primordial
1x Thassa, God of the Sea
1x Thragtusk
1x Wood Elves
1x Cultivate
1x Day of Judgment
1x Farseek
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Rite of Replication
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Treasure Cruise
1x Wargate