Hello, to start I didn't think that really fits under U/W spirits or U/w (U/B) control as the play style is different from either, though the end game is similar to both. The idea for this deck came from the synergy that evoke had with recursion shown in the Makeshift Mannequin decks. However, since there are not any repeatable effects similar to evoke or recover, I focused the deck around blink effects.
My biggest concern, is that the deck runs too slow for aggro matches, and does not have enough responses for control matches. I had thought about fragmentize for copters, however I feel that Spatial Contortion works as a main board answer. As for control, pre board you would just blink in response to removal and then bring in some counters and perhaps more aggressive creatures. (I was thinking Thing In The Ice or Spell Queller)
I have only done some basic gold fishing of the deck so I'm not too sure what to put in the sideboard. I added Ob Nixilis Reignited in lieu of Revolutionary Rebuff as I thought I needed more removal in the deck, but maybe the better choice is Void Shatter or similar counter.
I would love to hear some feedback on the manabase and sideboard. I think the idea has merit, however I'm not too sure if the current creature pool makes it work (Shriekmaw vs. Noxious Gearhulk. Im hoping to try it out on mws or cockatrice in the near future, and possibly bring it to my LGS.
So I took a version of this deck to FNM last night and ended up going 2-2. I'm thinking that when rotation happen this archetype will turn W/R ago, but until then I'm still playing mono W soldiers. Here is my list.
1st round 0-2
R/G/w dragons- Lost both games to not having answers to courser and dragons, I might need to main board Valorous Stance to get past early coursers. Also, brings into question how to deal with fliers.
2nd round 2-1?
R/U ensoul blade- It was an interesting matchup, as long as I had removal it was enough to overpower him so game 1 I lost. Game 2/3 sided in the Extra Flares and Stances. In this deck fliers weren't a problem because by the time he got spy network down I already had win on the board.
** Match up made me question if I use revoke existence or banishing light for non creature removal main or side board.
3rd round 2-1
W/B/? Life gain deck- first game I lost due to not drawing removal in time to deal with his 142/142 even though my early game went very well.. Very rouge deck around lifegain. Sided in 2 valorous stance and 2 celestial flare(seems like a common siding option though the night), but 2nd and 3rd game he had mana problems and I curved out well.
4th round 1-2
Abzan Aggro- first game the Deck came swinging hard and he didn't know quite how to handle it pre board. However 2nd game he sided in removal Self-inflected Wound and dromoka's command which are horrible for us. I sided in removal as well, however around run 4-6 if Abzan has Stabilized then it goes downhill from there. Trying to figure out if a board wipe End Hostilities or Tragic Arrogance is good from the side board. This was the hardest Matchup of the night, it seems even for a lot of the early game, You just really need to curve well against this deck. Specifically Solider of the Pantheon is AMAZING turn 1 and Kytheon's Irregulars is good to tap down threats.
Overall thoughts:
MVPS:
Devouring light- it's just so easy to have people play into because no one really expects it in my meta.
Counsels lieutenant- amazing 2 drop and preeminent captain target. Replaces phalanx leader imo(heroic vs. Renown is an interesting debate)
Kytheon's irregulars- great from captain trigger. Sometimes I'm hesitant to cast from hand, but the tap trigger is good and a mana sink.
Kytheon is hard to play around, but so far just treating him like savanna lions seems easiest yet almost feels like a waste of a planeswalker Not too sure yet about him. Favored hoplite is good, but can seem lackluster w/o defiant strike in hand. I'm looking for a good mana sink but there isn't much in standard. Obelisk vs spear vs triumph. Each has a great benefit but is it better to run one of each or 3 of one? Also kytheon's tactics, is it worth to run along side or forget it.
I really enjoyed the deck, did better than what I expected but not quite what I hoped. Didn't run into a stormbreath, so I'm not too sure about that matchup, abzan comes down to who plays first and if we curve out. I'm interested in what you've experienced with this deck and what you think about card choices.
Defiant Strike seems like a must in a deck like this, maybe even Pressure Point.
does the card draw really add that much to the card? Personally I think the scry on Gods willing seems more beneficial as I choose what my next draw is, which I recognize is vastly different from actually drawing. I think I'll test strike in there somewhere.
@ bvnnned- I forgot about nykthos, that changes some of the reach for this deck, and now I think for sure Elspeth can find a home in the deck, but what you take out to make room for her? I think her and Ajani work well together so I wouldn't want to take him out. Also wingmate is a good idea, any other late game answers?
@hoser2- I don't quite see the token deck working just with white as there's not enough token generators and thats not quite the deck I was looking for. However, with the heroic style deck my concern is that it wont hit hard fast enough, to be fair though this deck isn't going to be or beat tier 1 decks. Do you think adding a second color would be worth the splash without changing the style of the deck?
I'm hoping to try this out this week online and at my LCS. Thanks for all your input!
I have not really had too much time to play test the deck, but the rewards were helpful as a psudo-removal for white, but I also recognize that it can be underwhelming if if my board position isn't stable, I'm thinking about feat of resistance or Center soul as a possible replacement depending on testing.
Someone else mentioned Dictate of Heliod on my thread, which is another card for consideration for the whole obelisk, and spear debate. I personally like spear best because its 3 CMC and it can be removal in a pinch too.
Have you had a chance to test this anywhere? What are your results like if you have? I think my biggest concern is 3/4 CMC fatties in G/R ramp that just eat our critters before we can build a larger board state.
I started a thread similar in Standard deck Creation where I discuss some of my choice, here I would advocated a low curve too, I tried to top off at 4 CMC, here's my deck list without a sideboard I have not figured out yet.
I know your budget is around $20, but I think dropping the +1/+1 counter sub-theme will help you with efficiency and free up card spots for more aggressive creatures. But if you stay with counter theme i would consider Echoes of the Kin Tree because its a reusable bolster engine thats not restricted to sorcery speed like outlast. I think the obelisk could be dropped for something cheaper, maybe Spear of Heliod or Great Teacher's Decree or even a strong finisher like Sunscorch Regent
When I used to play standard more regularly and competitively there used to be a kithkin soldier deck that had quick tempo and mad synergy with Preeminent Captain, Mirror Entity, and Captain of the Watch. The goldfish was something like
T1 Goldmeadow Stalwart
T2 Wizened Cenn swing for 3
T3 Preeminent Captain swing for 5
T4 swing for 8 plus a Captain of the Watch attacking adding 5 more damage(13 total) with 3 2/2's in play
if needed you could play mirror entity 2nd main turn 4, and turn 5 have 8 5/5's getting +2/+2, plus whatever extra you did with the Preeminent ability that turn.
But alas, The format is different now...
However with the inclusion of Anafenza, Kin-tree Spirit and my willingness to poke around to make the deck. I feel that this could be viable standard deck until rotation but it needs some help.
So here is the deck I've been tweaking around with since FRF
Launch the Fleet seems like a win more card to some, but with a meager board position, and a spear or paragon in play it can be the extra reach you need in a turn to finish an opponent.
The biggest problem is trying to figure out the correct relation of removal and pump spells, especially with Siege Rhino and Stormbreath Dragon. I have Valorous Stance in there as removal and a "Heroic" activation but there are still other threats that are difficult for us to get rid of, specifically plainswalkers.
Overall if you're able to apply enough pressure early enough in the game the mid to late game threats shouldn't be an issue, but we all know that games don't exist in magical christmas land. I'm looking for feedback on the sideboard and different spell options with removal and pump. I wanted to try and keep this deck more on the budget side of things which is why I don't have Elspeth, Sun's Champion in the 75, but I recognize her intrinsic value as a mid to late game board presence, and a post sweeper stellar play, however I assume that with this deck, if the game has gone that long you have lost, are losing, or playing against control.
What are some options to make this deck more viable, and good sideboard options against tier 1 & 2 decks?
I guess in general I have not seen a lot of talk about savage knuckleblade competitively. To me, he seems like quite the beater in the early game and works late game as a mana sink while still holding his own.
I used to play turbo-fog back in timespiral-lorywn standard, and i loved the deck, but I have a feeling that the deck will be better when AVR comes out. I think that it will add the extra "umph" that the deck needs.
@Turtle- How are your game matchups? Is your deck more centered on aggro-zombies or poxing till you get card advantage. I like the build but wonder if you could stream line it to make it more a zombie deck. maybe -4 black cat, for +4 Gralf's Messenger. great synergy with pox too.
@Jesmaybe- I agree with your disruption, With some playtesting i feel that despise is a better sb card. so -4 Despise and +4 Gravecrawler and not quite sure if i like it but it seems to work better with -3Liliana of the Veil and +3 Mana Leak . I think it could, and im still not sure how i feel about snag. ill have to test it. Also Snapcaster Mage has been very underwhelming in play testing. 4 mana to pox again sucks but flashing, block then FB tragic slip is nice, just not good enough to keep him.
Going to update op with B/U list and sample Sideboard soon. and try B/G again in playtesting, but it seemed underwhelming.
@Jesmaybe- is that your deck list? Also, are you trying for a 3 colored deck, because I would advise against it because when using Smalpox is hard enough to have correct mana in my 2 color deck. I think cage shouldn't be main board if you use undying or flashback spells( Think Twice,Forbidden Alchemy). but I agree with spellbomb. Also, how many lands do you play, and when do you cast pox? I I try to play it on turn 2 or 3. Normally i try T1 Despise, T2 Sphere of the Suns, T3 Smallpox, then you have 2 untapped mana. So perhaps Mana Leak would be a good card to include.
@Turtle- How do you utilize Smallpox? With a creature, semi aggro deck it seems like you wouldn't want to discard or sac a land. Im sure the sac a creature isn't a problem with Gravecrawer and Geralf's Messenger. DO you mind sharing you decklist?
So, play testing has been interesting, against RDW and control-ish decks we seem to fold. still want to try and change the deck around. Its not great but it could be worse.
Jas@ I think that distress is good, but I like having the one drop despise. perhaps distress is better in this case because it has further reach. So you think that we should use Distress? and i was wondering if we should use Dissipate instead?
for Noxious Revival interesting Idea, Might have to try that in place of probe
I do love beast within. Im just not sure what to cut for it if I put it it? Tragic slip, but that is great with the pox's morbid trigger.
I looked at jace and I didn't think it would work because of the high cmc. I know 5 isn't that much and it could be a great bomb. Its worth a second look.
I'll playtest with these new ideas.
**Need to add some big threat to this deck, the metamorphs don't have much to copy if we are killing most of their creatures.
To continue, I need to figure out what the sideboard should be, and i totally agree that Surgical Extraction should be in there.
@jaszuni- like you already mentioned Phantasmal Image is a risky card, and even with artifact hate running around, Id hope that If i cast him, the game state is in my favor so they will not be able to cast the hate, I can hope right? Also in a pinch it can be another SotS, which has got me wondering, DO i try and use Pristine talisman? A friend brought it up and I didn't think it was worth running because of the +1 cmc to SotS, and no color but the untapped part might be useful.
Regarding Garruk, I was very narrow minded when I made this version so perhaps I should put him in but what do you think i can afford to take out?
I also am updating the OP with the U/B current version. By the way, if my Metamorph is copping an undying creature, when it dies and comes back, i get to "re-choose" the creature it comes into play as, with the +1/+1 counter on it correct?
PS @ Valon- The parasite, would be better in a blink deck, which the only viable one that I am aware of is W/U Venser. Surprise sideboard card? seems ok
LD was an actual deck but then Wotc decided that LD was not fun for new players (I guess they are right but, losing is not always fun for new players either..). I think it is an underused arc type. Used to love Mwonvuli Acid-Moss and the simple Stone Rain or Rain of Tears but I think the last good LD deck rotated with Timespiral, as you can probably guess. Maw of the Mire isn't horrible, considering what we are offered now, yet I feel as though it would shine in a deck more streamlined at LD, Perhaps a G/B/r, to ramp while you diminish their lands?
Oh well, any other thoughts on the deck so far? Might have to call it a night soon
Hes talking about using it on an opponents land, as it changes it to ONLY a swamp, meaning they can't get their needed color(s).
well in that case I can see it being useful, but I feel that we could get 2-for-1'ed very easy using smallpox because they choose which land they sacrifice. Mind you the right play is to use Evil Presence after you have poxed, but then when you play a second pox. Its risky but it could work well in this deck.
@ jaszuni- I tried Acidic Slime, and I guess in the G/B version I favored using Beast Within, just because It is an instant and the 3/3 was negated by the small pox. But still a card worth playtesting. Also using SotS in this U/B build that I am testing. Also I don't see Evil Presence as being good in this deck, every card counts and having a conditional dual land seems like a waste of a Despise or Tragic Slip Spot.
ON another note, I have been fiddling around with the U/B version that was suggested and I am having a hard time finding consistency with the deck. I decided against using Forbidden Alchemy because the flashback cost of 7 seems out of reach when playing Smallpox. I think that using Grave Titan and Wurmcoil Engine are too expensive. it seems that with this build I will max around 4-5 mana while holding an ok board position. I think I am going to switch them out for Phyrexian Metamorph.
So Currently I am thinking -3 Grave Titan and -1 Wurmcoil Engine for +4 Phyrexian Metamorph and somehow adding in more probes. Also the reason I dropped Snapcaster Mage to 3 instead of 4 is that for most cards I want to flash back the mana is around 4. Still uncertain of how this will play out. Just need to find a better balance of removal to bombs. Lets keep brewin!
EDIT- I think I am liking 4 Phyrexian Metamorph and 3 Geralf's Messenger over the titan's and wurmcoil and aether adept's. and still not liking the snapcaster's that much. maybe just a 1-of to have that extra reach.
The idea is that we can abuse the ETB effects during our opponent's turn for disruption, or card advantage. You utilize the other creatures until you can find a Torrential Gearhulk and have the counter or blink effect ready for their removal. Hopefully by that point you've used Corpse Churn to help fill the graveyard so you have choices for Torrential Gearhulk.
My biggest concern, is that the deck runs too slow for aggro matches, and does not have enough responses for control matches. I had thought about fragmentize for copters, however I feel that Spatial Contortion works as a main board answer. As for control, pre board you would just blink in response to removal and then bring in some counters and perhaps more aggressive creatures. (I was thinking Thing In The Ice or Spell Queller)
I have only done some basic gold fishing of the deck so I'm not too sure what to put in the sideboard. I added Ob Nixilis Reignited in lieu of Revolutionary Rebuff as I thought I needed more removal in the deck, but maybe the better choice is Void Shatter or similar counter.
3x Torrential Gearhulk
4x Cloudblazer
2x Gonti, Lord of Luxury
4x Reflector Mage
2x Thraben Inspector
Instant/Sorcery
2x Fumigate
3x Glimmer of Genius
3x Acrobatic Maneuver
3x Essence Flux
3x Corpse Churn
3x Spatial Contortion
2x Dispel
2x Ob Nixilis Reignited
Lands
1x Swamp
3x Shambling Vent
3x Prairie Stream
4x Port Town
3x Plains
3x Island
4x Choked Estuary
4x Aether Hub
I would love to hear some feedback on the manabase and sideboard. I think the idea has merit, however I'm not too sure if the current creature pool makes it work (Shriekmaw vs. Noxious Gearhulk. Im hoping to try it out on mws or cockatrice in the near future, and possibly bring it to my LGS.
20 Plains
1 Mage-Ring Network (cheap Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx)
Creatures 25
2 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Favored Hoplite
3 Consul's Lieutenant
4 Topan Freeblade
2 Knight of the White Orchid
3 Preeminent Captain
3 Kytheon's Irregulars
3 Defiant Strike
3 Raise the Alarm
2 Celestial Flare
4 Devouring Light
1 Hall of Triumph
1 Spear of Heliod
3 Gods Willing
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Knight of the White Orchid
2 Celestial Flare
2 Valorous Stance
2 Kytheon's Tactics
1 Preeminent Captain
1 Python's Irregulars
1 Tragic Arrogance
Quick Review from last night:
1st round 0-2
R/G/w dragons- Lost both games to not having answers to courser and dragons, I might need to main board Valorous Stance to get past early coursers. Also, brings into question how to deal with fliers.
2nd round 2-1?
R/U ensoul blade- It was an interesting matchup, as long as I had removal it was enough to overpower him so game 1 I lost. Game 2/3 sided in the Extra Flares and Stances. In this deck fliers weren't a problem because by the time he got spy network down I already had win on the board.
** Match up made me question if I use revoke existence or banishing light for non creature removal main or side board.
3rd round 2-1
W/B/? Life gain deck- first game I lost due to not drawing removal in time to deal with his 142/142 even though my early game went very well.. Very rouge deck around lifegain. Sided in 2 valorous stance and 2 celestial flare(seems like a common siding option though the night), but 2nd and 3rd game he had mana problems and I curved out well.
4th round 1-2
Abzan Aggro- first game the Deck came swinging hard and he didn't know quite how to handle it pre board. However 2nd game he sided in removal Self-inflected Wound and dromoka's command which are horrible for us. I sided in removal as well, however around run 4-6 if Abzan has Stabilized then it goes downhill from there. Trying to figure out if a board wipe End Hostilities or Tragic Arrogance is good from the side board. This was the hardest Matchup of the night, it seems even for a lot of the early game, You just really need to curve well against this deck. Specifically Solider of the Pantheon is AMAZING turn 1 and Kytheon's Irregulars is good to tap down threats.
Overall thoughts:
MVPS:
Devouring light- it's just so easy to have people play into because no one really expects it in my meta.
Counsels lieutenant- amazing 2 drop and preeminent captain target. Replaces phalanx leader imo(heroic vs. Renown is an interesting debate)
Kytheon's irregulars- great from captain trigger. Sometimes I'm hesitant to cast from hand, but the tap trigger is good and a mana sink.
Kytheon is hard to play around, but so far just treating him like savanna lions seems easiest yet almost feels like a waste of a planeswalker Not too sure yet about him. Favored hoplite is good, but can seem lackluster w/o defiant strike in hand. I'm looking for a good mana sink but there isn't much in standard. Obelisk vs spear vs triumph. Each has a great benefit but is it better to run one of each or 3 of one? Also kytheon's tactics, is it worth to run along side or forget it.
I really enjoyed the deck, did better than what I expected but not quite what I hoped. Didn't run into a stormbreath, so I'm not too sure about that matchup, abzan comes down to who plays first and if we curve out. I'm interested in what you've experienced with this deck and what you think about card choices.
Thanks!
@ bvnnned- I forgot about nykthos, that changes some of the reach for this deck, and now I think for sure Elspeth can find a home in the deck, but what you take out to make room for her? I think her and Ajani work well together so I wouldn't want to take him out. Also wingmate is a good idea, any other late game answers?
@hoser2- I don't quite see the token deck working just with white as there's not enough token generators and thats not quite the deck I was looking for. However, with the heroic style deck my concern is that it wont hit hard fast enough, to be fair though this deck isn't going to be or beat tier 1 decks. Do you think adding a second color would be worth the splash without changing the style of the deck?
I'm hoping to try this out this week online and at my LCS. Thanks for all your input!
Someone else mentioned Dictate of Heliod on my thread, which is another card for consideration for the whole obelisk, and spear debate. I personally like spear best because its 3 CMC and it can be removal in a pinch too.
As for 1 CMC creatures, if you stick with the +1/+1 counter theme Herald of Anafenza seems like a good option, otherwise I would pick soldier of the Pantheon, nyxborn shieldmate or Favored Hoplite, which ironically is all the 1 CMC soldier creatures in standard.
Have you had a chance to test this anywhere? What are your results like if you have? I think my biggest concern is 3/4 CMC fatties in G/R ramp that just eat our critters before we can build a larger board state.
21 Plains
Creatures 21
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Preeminent Captain
4 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Vanguard of Brimaz
3 Paragon of New Dawns
2 Nyxborn Shieldmate
1 Dawnbringer Charioteers
2 Anafenza, Kin-tree Spirit
3 Ajani Steadfast
3 Spear of Heliod
3 Valorous Stance
3 Gods Willing
2 Launch the Fleet
2 Acolyte's Reward
2 Raise the Alarm
I know your budget is around $20, but I think dropping the +1/+1 counter sub-theme will help you with efficiency and free up card spots for more aggressive creatures. But if you stay with counter theme i would consider Echoes of the Kin Tree because its a reusable bolster engine thats not restricted to sorcery speed like outlast. I think the obelisk could be dropped for something cheaper, maybe Spear of Heliod or Great Teacher's Decree or even a strong finisher like Sunscorch Regent
T1 Goldmeadow Stalwart
T2 Wizened Cenn swing for 3
T3 Preeminent Captain swing for 5
T4 swing for 8 plus a Captain of the Watch attacking adding 5 more damage(13 total) with 3 2/2's in play
if needed you could play mirror entity 2nd main turn 4, and turn 5 have 8 5/5's getting +2/+2, plus whatever extra you did with the Preeminent ability that turn.
But alas, The format is different now...
However with the inclusion of Anafenza, Kin-tree Spirit and my willingness to poke around to make the deck. I feel that this could be viable standard deck until rotation but it needs some help.
So here is the deck I've been tweaking around with since FRF
21 Plains
Creatures 21
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Preeminent Captain
4 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Vanguard of Brimaz
3 Paragon of New Dawns
2 Nyxborn Shieldmate
1 Dawnbringer Charioteers
2 Anafenza, Kin-tree Spirit
3 Ajani Steadfast
3 Spear of Heliod
3 Valorous Stance
3 Gods Willing
2 Launch the Fleet
2 Acolyte's Reward
2 Raise the Alarm
There are a couple of cards that I have been going back and forth on for consideration in the deck:
I wanted Phalanx Leader to act as a Wizened Cenn but he was often underwhelming as a 2 CMC 1/1 that didn't have a static pump ability.
Anafenza, Kin-tree spirit had some amusing synergy with Return to the Ranks but I feel that is too limited to be more than just a sideboard card.
Launch the Fleet seems like a win more card to some, but with a meager board position, and a spear or paragon in play it can be the extra reach you need in a turn to finish an opponent.
As of now, a goldfish would be
T1 Soldier of the Pantheon
T2 Anafenza, Kin-tree Spirit swing for 2
T3 Preeminent Captain swing for 5
T4 spear of Ajani, captain-ing in a Paragon of New Dawns swing for ~15 damage.
The biggest problem is trying to figure out the correct relation of removal and pump spells, especially with Siege Rhino and Stormbreath Dragon. I have Valorous Stance in there as removal and a "Heroic" activation but there are still other threats that are difficult for us to get rid of, specifically plainswalkers.
Overall if you're able to apply enough pressure early enough in the game the mid to late game threats shouldn't be an issue, but we all know that games don't exist in magical christmas land. I'm looking for feedback on the sideboard and different spell options with removal and pump. I wanted to try and keep this deck more on the budget side of things which is why I don't have Elspeth, Sun's Champion in the 75, but I recognize her intrinsic value as a mid to late game board presence, and a post sweeper stellar play, however I assume that with this deck, if the game has gone that long you have lost, are losing, or playing against control.
What are some options to make this deck more viable, and good sideboard options against tier 1 & 2 decks?
EDIT- What are some Brave the Elements type cards that can help against pyroclasm type effects
@Jesmaybe- I agree with your disruption, With some playtesting i feel that despise is a better sb card. so -4 Despise and +4 Gravecrawler and not quite sure if i like it but it seems to work better with -3Liliana of the Veil and +3 Mana Leak . I think it could, and im still not sure how i feel about snag. ill have to test it. Also Snapcaster Mage has been very underwhelming in play testing. 4 mana to pox again sucks but flashing, block then FB tragic slip is nice, just not good enough to keep him.
Going to update op with B/U list and sample Sideboard soon. and try B/G again in playtesting, but it seemed underwhelming.
@Turtle- How do you utilize Smallpox? With a creature, semi aggro deck it seems like you wouldn't want to discard or sac a land. Im sure the sac a creature isn't a problem with Gravecrawer and Geralf's Messenger. DO you mind sharing you decklist?
Jas@ I think that distress is good, but I like having the one drop despise. perhaps distress is better in this case because it has further reach. So you think that we should use Distress? and i was wondering if we should use Dissipate instead?
for Noxious Revival interesting Idea, Might have to try that in place of probe
I do love beast within. Im just not sure what to cut for it if I put it it? Tragic slip, but that is great with the pox's morbid trigger.
I looked at jace and I didn't think it would work because of the high cmc. I know 5 isn't that much and it could be a great bomb. Its worth a second look.
I'll playtest with these new ideas.
**Need to add some big threat to this deck, the metamorphs don't have much to copy if we are killing most of their creatures.
To continue, I need to figure out what the sideboard should be, and i totally agree that Surgical Extraction should be in there.
Regarding Garruk, I was very narrow minded when I made this version so perhaps I should put him in but what do you think i can afford to take out?
I also am updating the OP with the U/B current version. By the way, if my Metamorph is copping an undying creature, when it dies and comes back, i get to "re-choose" the creature it comes into play as, with the +1/+1 counter on it correct?
PS @ Valon- The parasite, would be better in a blink deck, which the only viable one that I am aware of is W/U Venser. Surprise sideboard card? seems ok
Oh well, any other thoughts on the deck so far? Might have to call it a night soon
well in that case I can see it being useful, but I feel that we could get 2-for-1'ed very easy using smallpox because they choose which land they sacrifice. Mind you the right play is to use Evil Presence after you have poxed, but then when you play a second pox. Its risky but it could work well in this deck.
ON another note, I have been fiddling around with the U/B version that was suggested and I am having a hard time finding consistency with the deck. I decided against using Forbidden Alchemy because the flashback cost of 7 seems out of reach when playing Smallpox. I think that using Grave Titan and Wurmcoil Engine are too expensive. it seems that with this build I will max around 4-5 mana while holding an ok board position. I think I am going to switch them out for Phyrexian Metamorph.
Here is the rough deck:
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Grave Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Aether Adept
Instants/Sorceries
4 Smallpox
3 Think twice
4 Despise
3 Black Sun's Zenith
3 Tragic Slip
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Sphere of the Suns
3 Liliana of the Veil
Land
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
9 Swamp
7 Island
So Currently I am thinking -3 Grave Titan and -1 Wurmcoil Engine for +4 Phyrexian Metamorph and somehow adding in more probes. Also the reason I dropped Snapcaster Mage to 3 instead of 4 is that for most cards I want to flash back the mana is around 4. Still uncertain of how this will play out. Just need to find a better balance of removal to bombs. Lets keep brewin!
EDIT- I think I am liking 4 Phyrexian Metamorph and 3 Geralf's Messenger over the titan's and wurmcoil and aether adept's. and still not liking the snapcaster's that much. maybe just a 1-of to have that extra reach.