I'm not so sure bans on Emrakul and Copter weren't needed, but they should have at least given more lead time. Announce they will be banned starting with Amonkhet instead of Aether Revolt. I can't imagine how pissed I would be if I had been trying to save up to get a playset of Copters or Emrakuls to have a competitive standard deck, finally bought it last week and then hear about the ban today. It also seems strange that Copter is getting banned when there are potential new answers to it in this format. More artifact hate and other flying vehicles like Heart of Kiran seem like it might not be quite as busted.
I absolutely love Winding Constrictor for limited in this set. It's almost easier to name the green and black playables it doesn't make better than the ones it does.
Unless you can spend energy, you're eventually forced to pay EE and can no longer spam Greenbelt Rampager.
Each time you play & bounce it back, you do 3 damage to a creature or player and gain one E. You can build up a massive amount of energy this way. It's a 2-card combo that will dominate if left unattended.
Because Greenbelt Rampager does not say "you may", you cannot "build up a massive amount of energy"--the moment you resolve that elephant and have EE, the elephant's ETB trigger forces you to pay EE, and if you don't burn up energy in response, you have to keep the elephant and go back down to 0 E.
OK, so I realized the error in my calculations after reading the card. One would need a single E use each turn. Luckily, such cards exist: Multiform Wonder & Spontaneous Artist. Both have abilities that use one E at any time, hence leaving you with only one E to combo out. Sure, you won't build an arsenal of energy, but you will get the most out of the Multiform Wonder!
Greenbelt Rampager, Winding Constrictor, and Longtusk Cubs seems pretty good. Theoretically cubs becomes a 4/4 (or 6/6 if Attune with Aether played on turn 1)on turn 3 and could be a 12/12 or 14/14 on turn 4 and you don't have to empty your hand to get there.
I don't remember infect having anything as strong as Aetherworks Marvel to support it though. Contagion engine and Contagion clasp were the best artifacts I remember for it. Contagion Engine typically couldn't be tapped the turn it came out, and wasn't close to being one of the stronger artifacts in the set. Plus it had uses other than just infect. Plus the way the infect mechanic works, you get punished for splitting your deck between infect and non infect creatures. That isn't the case with energy creatures. Until more creature and proliferate cards were added, it required you to build a jank deck if you wanted to go infect in Scars. Also, infect was a new mechanic but it borrowed from wither and poison and didn't do things like create extra creatures or cast extra spells. It was just a different form of damage.
Other than Marvel, I think they have done a great job with energy but Marvel is a problem because the more good energy cards added, the stronger Marvel gets. I wish they would have at least made you spend 4 mana to spin it. I can't wait until you see Turn 3 Janjeet Sentry, Turn 4 Marvel spin on opponents turn. Turn 5 spin Marvel, cast to play more energy cards. Opponent turn, untap Marvel with Janjeet, spin Marvel again.
It's not going to happen, but would be awesome if Yahenni was energy Drana. 3BG 4/4 Flyer with pay BBGX - X is . Target creature gets +0/-X and Yahenni gets +X/-0 until end of turn.
He has Negate to prevent Marvel or Copter from hitting board and Ceremonious Rejection as well which counters Marvel, Copter, and Emrakul (although you still lose 1 of your turns to opponent). Since opponent starts off with 7 cards and draws each turn, that means you need mill 42/43 cards to win on turn 10, and he does have cards that make opponent mill 13 which he should hit at least 1 of. So if he gets 10 mills between his 8 creatures he should win on turn 10. My guess is he gets most of his wins between turns 8-12.
I'm surprised that Take Inventory is in the main deck especially since it is a sorcery. I would think 2 void shatters and maybe adding 2 Aether Theorists to the main deck might be better.
My prediction is that the Aetherborn faction is going to get fleshed out and we'll see more useful energy based cards for B and for W, which curiously had the fewest number of decent energy cards out of any of the colors. Red actually has more useful ones than either of the other two. I'm just hoping we don't end up with something crazy like infect, where we had a relatively underpowered mechanic that no one cared about suddenly burst when the support came later.
I wouldn't say nobody cares about it now, mainly because of Marvel. According to MTG Goldfish, 23% of Meta right now is energy based (19% Marvel, 4% Pummeler) and 55% of Meta are decks that run a playset of Copters. More good Energy cards are probably going to push it above 25% unless Heart of Friends decks cut into the Copter/Energy stranglehold.
With more good energy cards what is really needed is more cheap instant speed artifact hate.
Pay 3 Exile Target Artifact or Creature you control. Return it to play at the beginning of the next end step.
Rusted Jalopy 3
Artifact - Vehicle
3/2 Deathtouch
Crew 1
(It's almost as dangerous to drive it as it is to be hit by it)
Energy Converter 3
Artifact 1 Pay 1 life create 2 energy 1 Pay 2 Energy put a +1/+1 counter on target creature 1 Remove a +1/+1 counter from target creature you control gain 3 life
Turn 1 Thraben Inspector
Turn 2 Thalia's Lieutenant or Smuggler's Copter
Turn 3 Oviya Pashiri, Oath of Ajani
Turn 4 Gideon and potentially a 1 drop or Big Nissa or Little Nissa and a 1 or 2 drop.
This Oath card doesn't seem too bad to me. It almost appears like it was made specifically for the color combination it best supports.
I missed my turn 2 Heart so it went - turn 2 Servant, Turn 3 Tezzeret, Turn 4 Nissa Vital Force and Heart of Kiran. Turn 5 Ajani Unyielding.
-1 Tezzeret, +1 Gideon
I missed my Gideon as well. Tezzeret fuels ramp allowing Vital Force and Heart to both be played on turn 5 since you need 7 mana.
How about
Turn 2 Servant
Turn 3 Tezzeret
Turn 4 Gideon, Heart
Turn 5 Tracker, Liliana
It probably should be Abzan rather than Witch, but possibility of having 3 friends on the board turn 4 is hard to pass up.
I'm not sure if deck should go heavier black or white. Black heavy runs 2 Liliana and 2 Gideon. White Heavy runs 4 Gideon and 0 Liliana but can't run Grasp of Darkness.
For creatures deck uses Servant, Tracker, and needs a 3rd which should be either a 1 or 2 drop. Oviya is a consideration as is Lambholt Pacifist. Thraben Inspector is possible if go white heavy. Oath of Nissa could be an option but you risk getting run over.
It is also hard to decide 4-0 or 3-1, Heart-Copter. 3-1 is probably how it should go.
I think the Witch Friends look something like 2x Little Nissa, 0-2x Liliana, 2-4x Gideon, 4x Tezzeret, 2x Big Nissa, 2x Ob, 2x Ajani.
That leave's 2 spots open plus sideboard. If black heavy those 2 spots are grasp with 2 more in the sideboard as well as Yahenni's Expertise. Blossoming Defense in sideboard vs. control. If white heavy it is a tougher decision as to what removal to place in main deck. Fragmentize goes in sideboard.
Not sure if go with 22 lands and 2 Attune or 20 land and 4 Attune.
That looks like it has some pretty good synergy and recursion of artifacts.
I think there is a constructed deck to be made around it as well. Glint Sleeve Siphoner, Longtusk Cub, Greenbelt Rampager, Fatal Push - then Tireless Tracker, Unbridled Growth. The hard part is figuring out which cards you want to fill out the rest of the deck. Smuggler's Copter probably gets jammed in. Do you go bigger with something like Verdurous Gearhulk and or Bristling Hydra or stay lower and use Rishkar, Peema Renegade. Do you throw in Liliana, the Last Hope and/or Nissa, Voice of Zendikar. You probably need at least 2 of either Key to the City or Nature's Way. Yahenni's Expertise against aggro and Blossoming Defense against control seem like good sideboard cards.
Greenbelt Rampager, Winding Constrictor, and Longtusk Cubs seems pretty good. Theoretically cubs becomes a 4/4 (or 6/6 if Attune with Aether played on turn 1)on turn 3 and could be a 12/12 or 14/14 on turn 4 and you don't have to empty your hand to get there.
4x Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter
4x Thraben Inspector
4x Servant of the Conduit
Artifacts (4)
4x Smuggler's Copter
Sorceries (8)
4x Servo Exhibition
4x Collective Effort
Plainswalkers (8)
4x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
4x Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
3x Oath of Gideon
3x Oath of Ajani
Land (20)
4x Fortified Village
2x Aether Hub
7x Plains
7x Forest
3x Stasis Snare
4x Fragmentize (might deserve main board slots considering current Meta)
4x Declaration in Stone
4x Blossoming Defense
There is also potential in a Sultai Marvel Deck that uses Tireless Tracker and Tamiyo's Journal.
Other than Marvel, I think they have done a great job with energy but Marvel is a problem because the more good energy cards added, the stronger Marvel gets. I wish they would have at least made you spend 4 mana to spin it. I can't wait until you see Turn 3 Janjeet Sentry, Turn 4 Marvel spin on opponents turn. Turn 5 spin Marvel, cast to play more energy cards. Opponent turn, untap Marvel with Janjeet, spin Marvel again.
I'm surprised that Take Inventory is in the main deck especially since it is a sorcery. I would think 2 void shatters and maybe adding 2 Aether Theorists to the main deck might be better.
Anyway, I really like this Brew.
I wouldn't say nobody cares about it now, mainly because of Marvel. According to MTG Goldfish, 23% of Meta right now is energy based (19% Marvel, 4% Pummeler) and 55% of Meta are decks that run a playset of Copters. More good Energy cards are probably going to push it above 25% unless Heart of Friends decks cut into the Copter/Energy stranglehold.
With more good energy cards what is really needed is more cheap instant speed artifact hate.
Escape Justice 3
Artifact
Pay 3
Rusted Jalopy 3
Artifact - Vehicle
3/2 Deathtouch
Crew 1
(It's almost as dangerous to drive it as it is to be hit by it)
Energy Converter 3
Artifact
1 Pay 1 life
1 Pay 2 Energy
1 Remove a +1/+1 counter from target creature you control
Turn 2 Servant of the Conduit
Turn 3 Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter , Oath of Ajani
Turn 4 Ajani Unyielding
Seems good to me
Turn 1 Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter
Turn 2 Servant of the Conduit
Turn 3 Oath of Ajani , Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
Turn 4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar , Smuggler's Copter
I think I could live with that as well
Turn 1 Thraben Inspector
Turn 2 Servant of the Conduit
Turn 3 Thalia's Lieutenant , Oath of Ajani
Turn 4 Tireless Tracker , land, Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
or
Turn 1 Thraben Inspector
Turn 2 Thalia's Lieutenant or Smuggler's Copter
Turn 3 Oviya Pashiri, Oath of Ajani
Turn 4 Gideon and potentially a 1 drop or Big Nissa or Little Nissa and a 1 or 2 drop.
This Oath card doesn't seem too bad to me. It almost appears like it was made specifically for the color combination it best supports.
I missed my Gideon as well. Tezzeret fuels ramp allowing Vital Force and Heart to both be played on turn 5 since you need 7 mana.
How about
Turn 2 Servant
Turn 3 Tezzeret
Turn 4 Gideon, Heart
Turn 5 Tracker, Liliana
It probably should be Abzan rather than Witch, but possibility of having 3 friends on the board turn 4 is hard to pass up.
I'm not sure if deck should go heavier black or white. Black heavy runs 2 Liliana and 2 Gideon. White Heavy runs 4 Gideon and 0 Liliana but can't run Grasp of Darkness.
For creatures deck uses Servant, Tracker, and needs a 3rd which should be either a 1 or 2 drop. Oviya is a consideration as is Lambholt Pacifist. Thraben Inspector is possible if go white heavy. Oath of Nissa could be an option but you risk getting run over.
It is also hard to decide 4-0 or 3-1, Heart-Copter. 3-1 is probably how it should go.
I think the Witch Friends look something like 2x Little Nissa, 0-2x Liliana, 2-4x Gideon, 4x Tezzeret, 2x Big Nissa, 2x Ob, 2x Ajani.
That leave's 2 spots open plus sideboard. If black heavy those 2 spots are grasp with 2 more in the sideboard as well as Yahenni's Expertise. Blossoming Defense in sideboard vs. control. If white heavy it is a tougher decision as to what removal to place in main deck. Fragmentize goes in sideboard.
Not sure if go with 22 lands and 2 Attune or 20 land and 4 Attune.