MTG Salvation

Removed for edit:

Thanks all! That is a lot of helpful information. I posted this in the wrong section and couldnt find it until now.

I have figured out some of the tips given here but there are some others I havent thought of yet. One thing that has helped me is not playing every creature as soon as I have the mana for it. I play with a good amount of counter and protection spells. So for example if I have Ajani's Pridemate and Gods Willingand I start with a 3 land cards or even 2 then draw one. Instead of playing Ajani's Pridemateon the second turn as soon as I have the mana. I will wait until the 3rd turn so that I can caste it and still have 1 mana left for Gods Willing that alone has helped alot. With the deck I play the biggest threat to me are Red decks that do direct damage to creatures and decks with cards that exile or destroy creatures. So I will try to always keep something in my hand to protect my creatures against something like that. Early on vs a Red deck I will try to be careful when casting a 2/2 or less creature because Red has a lot of cheap spells that will kill it. I will sometimes hold back on playing creatures all together vs a deck that can directly kill creatures this depends on how many creatures my opponent has out. If I have a few 2/2 creatures in my hand and I am playing a Red or Black deck. I will play my least valuable or a creature I have more of first and see what my opponent does. If they kill it directly its fine cause I have a better creature to play next turn.

I also just been trying to understand the way different types of decks play so I can more quickly see which of my cards will work best against that opponent then try to use those cards at the best time.

If anyone has anymore strategy tips please keep posting them. Thanks.

Is there a way to upload the saved films from games on MTGO? I found recently that you can watch past games that you have played on MTGO. Can you upload those recordings so other people could DL and watch the? I have played some other games that you could do that.

Thanks

I built this last deck you suggested except I switched out Hero of Iroaswith Sungrace Pegasusbecause Hero is pretty expensive. The deck has been doing pretty good. I have VS some pretty powerful decks and against those there wasnt much I could do. One deck I vs didnt have any creatures at all. Just a bunch of cards that took from my library they won by emptying my library. I dont think there was anything I could do about that. Against mid-range creature decks I have done good. Seems though I get unlucky with the cards a lot. Like drawing nothing but land 4-6 turns in a row. Or starting with 2 lands then not drawing another until turn 7. What I am wondering is what is a decent win rate? It seems that luck has a big role in winning. Like I may have the cards fall poorly and it seem that my opponents fall perfect for them. I guess even the best deck is going to lose if the cards fall poorly. How much can you attribute to luck vs just not having a good deck. I often change my deck after a couple loses but I dont know if the problem is the deck or just bad luck. How do you decide if a lose or loses is the deck or just bad luck?

Ive been working on uilding the deck you suggested. The first one. It has taken awhile and I have most of the cards but Goblin Rabblemasteris going for 19 Tickets 19$. I dont want to spend basically 80$ on 4 cards. Do you have any suggestions for a replacement?

Thanks.

Thanks. I like both of those decks the 1st one a little better I think plus I already have most of those cards. The decks I seem to do the best against are slower decks that dont start off with low mana direct damage. The Black/Green deck I vs had a lot of premium cards but luckily I had the right cards at the right time to counter whatever they did. I like having Sungrace Pegasusto go with Sunbondbecause it has Life Link and Flying every turn that it attacks it doubles it power so it can quickly become +16/+17 and will be +32 after that attack and I am gaining health at that rate also. One game I had Ajani's Pridemateplus Sungrace Pegasuswith Sunbondthey played a couple exile card but I had a couple counter spells to stop them. Once the Pegasus was +16/+17 (something like that) and I stopped both their spells they conceded the game but I had been down to 4 health vs 16 at one point in that game. I would like to keep the Pegasus for the Lifelink maybe trade out Soldier of the Pantheonfor Sungrace Pegasusin your 1st list? I didnt even thing about using Gods Willingto protect my creatures that is much better than what I have been using. I can use that after they cast an Exile card and it works?

Edit: Whip of Erebosis great and would make Sunbondwork awesome with any creature. I like the idea of using that.

Thanks

I've played a few games with this deck (6) and over all was 4/2. The deck I lost to was a Red deck that managed to kill my creatures before I could power them up and since I didnt draw any counter spells I couldn't do much about it. The last 2 games was VS a Black/Green deck with a lot of very good cards, I managed to win but they were tough fights the last one in particular. I wish I could post that whole game. Usually I try to hold onto a counter spell to stop any instant kills on my creatures which worked out good on those games also Devouring Light and Solemn Offering. Sunbond worked really good with Sungrace Pegasus that and Ajani's Pridemateseems to be the best things to focus my deck on. Basically those, things that gain life and cards to protect them with. A few of these cards I think I will remove. I have Preeminent Captainand other Soldiers just because the Captain can bring them into play. I might get rid of those add a few more counter spells.

Over all I have somewhat refined my strategy to use creatures that gain +/+ when I gain life and cards to counter or stop anything that would damage them directly.

What do you think?

I dont know if this is the right place to post this but I didnt see anywhere else.

Is there anywhere that play strategy is discussed? Or is strategy just already understood along with deck creation? What I mean is like how to play your deck better. A couple things I have learned recently is its not always best to bring out every creature as soon as you can. I play with a few cancel spells. I have learned that if I have a creature that I dont want to lose it is best, if I can, to not cast that creature until I have a cancel in hand. That is how I have been playing it lately and it has helped. So instead of getting a creature out as soon as I can then losing it a couple turns later. I wait (if I can) until I have a cancel card to cancel any exile or destroy creature cards. I am sure there has to be other things like that, that can improve your game. Is there anywhere play strategy like that is discussed? Or could someone give me tips on the best way to play your cards and things to look out for? I am sure even with the best deck in the world if you dont play the cards right you would lose.

I've refined the deck some. I basically went through the whole thing removed some stuff and add more of others. It did pretty good. Then I made a few more changes. Hopefully I can post the new deck this evening. I dont get much time during the week for MTG because of work. I'd post the deck know except I have to leave and dont have time. Thanks for the help.

Cool thanks Daniel! I get what your saying. I'll start working on it right away. How did you lay the cards out in that box format so that I can do the same and follow the format everyone else uses. I have had a hard time trying to reduce the number of different cards you have any suggestions on which I should keep? I do want to keep the Life building Sunbond combo going.

Thanks.

Hi all I just returned to playing MTG after around 12+ years. I feel basically like a new player now since there are so many new cards and abilities. Also when I used to play it was pretty casual between a few friends so there was probably a lot that I was missing. A couple weeks ago I joined MTGO and started playing again. I used to play a 3/4 Green-1/4 Black deck but when I signed up with MTGO and received my starter deck I ended up with more and better White cards so I went with a White deck and eventually added a little Blue. I win about 1/4 of the games I play usually when my cards come good for me. Other times I lose pretty badly. I have tried to add more consistency to my deck but it hasnt been working out to well. I wanted to list my deck and the strategy behind it and maybe some of you could help me improve it. I plan at least for now to keep playing White since I like it and have already invested into some cards for it. Budget wise I dont mind to spend a little on it but I dont want to get crazy with it. Probably keep it between $20-$50 at the max.

Overall my strategy has sort of been to have a lot of Life gaining cards and Creatures that increase in power as the game goes on so I can get out Creatures early but have some powerful Creatures later in the game. I tried to pick Enchantments that I can use with different creatures depending on which come out. Some of the main cards that the deck is built around are Ajani's Pridemate and Sunbond to take advantage of the Life giving cards I added Blue Cancel cards to counter opponents that use direct creature damage, exile, or destroy creature cards.

Creatures:
1)Herald of Anafenza (its cheap to get out, it increases in power, plus it gives me some 1/1 fodder creatures)

1)Hopeful Eidolon (for the Lifelink and +1/+1 I can add to any creature)

2)Soulmender (for the life gain I use with Ajani's Pridemate and Sunbond enchanted creatures)

3)Ajani's Pridemate (One of the main focus of this deck. Cheap to get out and works really good with cards like Soulmender. On a good start I am dealt Soulmender and Ajani's Pridemate with a couple Plains. I play Soulmenderfirst turn then Ajani's Pridemate second turn and have a 3/3 creature on the second turn.

1) Nyx-Fleece Ram(For the life gaining and it also makes a good blocker and also works well with Enchantments like Sunbond

1) Archetype of Courage(Mainly for the First Strike an adaption I made to counter Creatures with Deathtouch. Plus it another Creature I can use Sunbondon if need be)

1)Ajani Steadfast(He was the cheapest White Planeswalker I found but the First Strike, Vigilance, and Lifelink are very helpful.

1)High Sentinels of Arashin (For flying plus it works with the other creatures that gain +1/+1)

1) Celestial ArchonI can use it as is or give the abilities to another creature. I have had games where Ajani's Pridematehas become 6/6 then enchant with this and I have a 10/10 flier with first strike)

1) Resolute Archangel(This card has saved the day for me. It has also worked great giving a huge bonus to a creature with Sunbondit has added to that creature +16/+16 plus reset my health to 20)

1) Battlewise Hoplite (A new addition after I learned the value of scry)

1)Dexos of Meletis (This becomes a really good card if combined with Sunbond)

1) Ephara, God of the Polis (Helps keep cards in my hand plus later becomes a nice Creature)

1) Iroas, God of Victory(Works good against opponents with a lot of Creature vs my fewer Creatures that have a lot of +1/+1's)

Enchantments:

1) Ephara's Radiance( For gaining life and building up Creatures with Sunbondor Ajani's Pridemate)

3) Sunbond(Main focus of the deck. I tried to combine this with the best Creature I can then use it with the different life giving cards I have. I have had a couple times that I had a Creature with Sunbondwhile also having Ajani SteadfastI use the Ajani lifelink ability so that the Creature with Sunbonddoubles in strength every turn. I had a Creature get up to like 42/42 before winning the game. Works great when the cards fall right.)

1) Eidolon of Rhetoric(I have this mainly to slowdown Blue and Red decks that keep casting multiple spells. It has helped some.)

Instants:

1) Erase

2) Cancel(These I added mostly to protect my hand and Creatures and just general defense.)

2) Dissipate

2) Dissolve

2) Deflecting Palm (This has won a few games for me against opponents that were going to deal X damage and that number was very high. Was very satisfying to use VS opponent that had been building up and waiting to hit me with 1 hit of huge damage.)

Other Cards:

1) Solemn Offering

1) Godsend

1) Excoriate

1) Staff of the Sun Magus (Another life builder to work with Sunbondect.

1) Prowler's Helm

Lands:

2) Blossoming Sands (Gains life)

2) Mystic Monastery (Mostly for the splash of Red mana)

1) Sandsteppe Citadel

3) Tranquil Cove(Gains life. Gives mana of both of my main types)

1) Radiant Fountain (Gains life)

4) Wind-Scarred Crag (Gains life plus give Red)

5) Island

6) Plains

What do you think about the deck and overall strategy? What do I have right or wrong? What should I change? Like I said when the cards fall right I can win big vs any color but most of the time I lose vs any color. What sort of tips would you give me?

Thanks.