My current 75. So far I like this setup. 20-1 in matches in 4 leagues on arena. Stilling trying to figure out what the mix of counter spells feels best, guess that will change up a lot until the meta settles and decks become established for this season.
Pteramander is the truth. Straight swap with Mist-Cloaked Herald. 15-0 today with it on tournament constructed. It's like having 8 Djinn's and scales perfectly. It felt like it was never a dead card throughout the games that I played tonight on arena. I feel less reliant on obsessions now with the Salamander Drake. Also I went 2/2 split with Quench and Retort, that felt pretty good, considering 3/1 favoring Quench but I don't know yet. And I cut 1 pierce for the Sphinx , I think 1 Sphinx and 21 lands is the way to go if you're going to run the Sphinx the percentage difference seems good to me with that setup, It felt good drawing it in the late game but running multiples I think it will cause more clunky hands than not, I hated seeing in the early game if it wasn't in my opener but in the real late game it was nice to have the scry and finisher.
All and all Pteramander ended up having me win more games where if it was Mist-Cloaked Herald I would have lost.
Ive seen BeenyHillz side board guide, but dont believe he is running Spell Queller. In what matchups are they favorable and what are you taking them out? Thanks.
Edit: If they are in the forum somewhere, my apologies.
Combo and control decks is what I mainly bring them in for.
Yeah I dropped orb completely from my board, Now I run 2-4 WW between the main and board, never no less than 3 total in the 75. WW has a lot more game against more decks and has been more impressive against Titanshift and Storm than orb ever has for me. Orb I feel like ever time I play it gets removed immediately or doesn't buy enough time. Titanshift Which I play too has so many outs to Orb anywhere between 4-6 I think it's just better to rely on WW the scapeshift and be more proactive through the game than to waste 4 mana on Orb and not laying down a threat or disrupting there mana or hand.
I gotta vouch for Slowgod with him running Azcanta, I played against him twice I think(1-1 I believe ;)) in MTGO competitive leagues, That card was quite annoying and the card advantage and filtering he was getting once it stuck was pretty darn good from my point of view. I wanted to Ghost it a lot of the time but couldn't because of active Colonnades and board state.
Hi all, what do you think about playing both dark confident(4) and grim flayer(3) in the same list? I'm a new junk player and I find dark conf really powerfull
I've been testing out a 4-2 dark/grim split in BG and I have been loving the results so far! Grim teamed up with Dark on the field can really smooth out those draws.
I've been running Great Sable Stag and Gaea's Revenge against control and such, I've like them both a lot so far. Great Sable Stag can really speed the game up on control, hoses grixis as well.
@Raystack Thankyou! Yes it was MTGO competitive league here is the link. MTGO is all I play these days. Arc trail I'll have to test, I recently changed up my list to not run skred and run one anger/pyretic ritual in it's place with two magus MD and one less Relic/Koth and little sideboard shakeup with grafdiggers and a torpor orb. I've gone 4-1 twice in competitive league setting with the list, again really only losing not because of not having the right answers in the deck but to mana problems(flooding or not getting enough lands) the loses were to favorable matches in eldrazi tron and grixis deathshadow(I lick my chops when I get this matchup too). But coming back to arc trail I'll have to test it, I like the versatility of it but I've also been eyeing abrade in the slot so I'll be testing that card out too when it gets released (Plus it's an instant!).
PS in the 3 competitive leagues I've gone through I've gotten enough tickets from my winnings to buy 1 chalice and enough points to play several free leagues, so the deck has been really paying off.
Hey Mountainfolk longtime lurker/admirer, I just recently put the deck together online well DemilichKodin version with some slight tweaks. Anyways I Started playing last week and sunday night decide to take it through my first friendly league since I was 30pt shy to put it through a competitive league went 3-2 losing to Tron and Burn, both games I flooded or was land deprived even with a orb out on burn for like 10 turns lol. Anyways this morning I put it through the test again but in a competitive league and 5-0 lost only 2 games beating Bant Eldrazi, Dredge, Burn, and the last two matches were against Grixis Death Shadow. Gotta say damn this deck is fun and really really good. Just gotta give a few shout outs to standout cards that performed really well through most of the games I have played have been Hazoret every time I stick that God down it's essentially a win (don't think I've lost game with her out on the battlefield) another two cards I like to give props too are Relic and Sin prodder. Relic main deck in this meta has been killer game 1 so many top played decks have some kind of graveyard play and relic really does keep those decks in check. Prodder as well has been the grind machine giving me the cards or filtering or shocks I need to win. He even gave me incredible wins against U Tron and crazy race match against 8rack where the opponent had 2 racks and a Affliction out. Anyways just wanted to throw my quick lil 2 cents out there on my experience so far and how I feel about the deck. I'll probably add the chalices down the line (Probably buy them slowly as sideboard cards 1 by 1) but for now the deck has been performing more than fine as is.
I actually had a similar idea a few days back and created a list of my own. After a few days refining, I've started taking it through competitive leagues in MTGO. I just went 5-0 (10-0 in games) with the latest iteration. It should show up under Dobogin in the results tomorrow.
I would say the deck is favored against every matchup except UR control, where they have countermagic for your pws and can punish the rummage spells.To that end, I've added more painful truths to the side to replace some of your rummages, so counters aren't backbreaking and they actually need to counter the spells more as you draw more off them. Sin prodders are brought in as well as an additional threat that can dump dudes in the yard in place of the rummage spells. They also abuse the new split card rules which, ironically enough, were created to prevent other abuses. A sin prodder will flip never to return for 7 damage, for example, even though the spell you care about casting is 3 mana. The mardu vehicles matchup is pretty close too, since you have to line up specific answers. The deck has them, but you need to have them in quick order to deal with their pressure.
Some other notes:
-GDD is excellent here. I upped the count from 1 to 2, then 2 to 3 in testing. 4 might even be appropriate. He synergizes so well with all the discarding, reanimating, and, specifically sweltering suns, which he can use to keep the board clear while living himself.
-The maindeck dispossess is a nice weapon against marvel that also hits UR control and mardu with a bit less impact. The deck has so much rummaging that getting to a special tech piece or discarding it if you draw it and don't need it isn't an issue at all. Similar logic to heaven to earth here.
-The playstyle is that you generally function as a Mardu control deck for the first few turns, removing your opponents creatures and using your rummage spells to make your land drops, find your pws, and get critters in the yard. If you can turn 5 a void winnower, you will end most matchups outside Mardu on the spot. (Look at the marvel lists- Whirler Virtuoso is literally their only maindeck path to victory once winnower hits the board)
-The deck is exceptional at dealing with non creature permanents and especially at exiling permanents, with the single anguished unmaking, cast outs, dec in stone, and nahiris. This is by design, as it gives the deck the ability to kill a resolved marvel after one spin as well as the ability to deal with ulamogs. You're also less exposed to random problematic non creature permanents game 1.
--Ulting Nahiri is great in this deck. One opponent made the critical mistake of putting me dead on board several ways instead of dropping Nahiri lower. I ulted Nahiri for Noxious Gearhulk, killed his Avacyn and his gideon as his token could not block the menacing gearhulk without Avacyn still alive, then returned the Gearhulk to my hand, buying me a ton of room. Next turn, I replayed the gearhulk from hand and there was no coming back from that for my opponent. Ulting to grab Linvala and GDD is often great too; there was even one game, not in this set, where I ulted for Void Winnower to kill them through all their even cost blockers. (they can only respond to the ult; they don't actually get to respond to the VW etbing so that shut off all their removal)
Looking at your list above for comparison, some notes-
-I originally had the demon of dark schemes in instead of archfiend as well, but found the ability to cycle the demon better than the higher payoff of the demon. You can also repeatedly cycle through cards, so the fiend can sweep bigger boards. That said, he hasn't been amazing in testing either and I didn't get the demon on board that often, so I'm not positive this is correct yet. The cycling is probably more important than the creature stats on either.
-Pick the brains is pretty interesting. I didn't keep track of it, but I have to imagine delirium is pretty easy to hit? Can be GDD'd as well. Might be worth testing.
-I thought about cut // ribbons but didn't know where I'd want it. Cut is good against heavy pressure decks but less good against control. Ribbons is the exact opposite- we don't exert enough pressure against aggro decks to make ribbons a viable threat, especially if taking advantage of extra lands to rummage away. Control's threats are bigger than cut can kill, so you're playing it pretty much just for ribbons. (Although in post board games I could see it being useful to kill TiTis and outcasts) Like I said, though, I only thought about it. Haven't tested so can't say for sure.
-If there's one change I would suggest from my list to yours, besides the pure power of the Winnower, it would be to up your Death's Majesty and Nahiri counts. They're by far the most powerful cards in the deck and the tools that really make it work. Last Hope is pretty interesting- I didn't think of trying it because I was more focused on reanimating instead of rebuying, but the threats in this deck are pretty castable so it could be good. I might try dropping a death's majesty for 1 to test on the next run.
Would love for others to test both lists and give feedback too. As long as it remains an unknown quantity, the deck is a potent weapon against aggro and Marvel decks alike.
Hey I dig this list, I actually played against you with my RW Glorious end list, we a had pretty good match, was on my way to a 5-0 day with it until our last game lol. Anyways I'll probably test out your list, I've been wanting to make a reanimator deck since the new Liliana was spoiled and yours looked solid and fun when I played against it. I'll help give feedback on what I find/feel about the deck.
Matched up against Naya Aetherworks (2-1), Mono Black Zombies (2-0), RW Exert (2-1), Bant Ramp (2-0), and BG Snake (1-2). I won game one of Round 5 but was kept from the 5-0 by egregious mana screw followed by a hand that wasn't quite good enough to beat two snakes. Overall thoughts:
Walking Ballista is great. It's a beater when you need it and a ping when you need that. Solid Bone Picker enabler as well.
Harvester was also great. Racing with harvester + Aetherborn + Lookout is just silly. I never wanted Yahenni or Liliana over it.
Cut / Ribbons was better than I expected. Kills most things and then gives you a nice bit of reach at the end. Again, great for racing.
Supernatural Stamina is amazing in creature battles. Works nicely with the Bone Picker.
Sideboard was either customizing the removal package or pulling the lookouts for matches with early blockers. I'd like to fit a little more discard in there.
Overall I think this list is at a similar level to where the RB Copter madness list used to be. It puts resilient pressure on the opponent and disrupts the other side of the table. It can be beaten but it takes a good draw from a good deck.
Over this past weekend I've been running the mono black version of this deck on MTGO and probably had the best weekend I've ever had in competitive and friendly leagues going 4-1 5 times and a few 3-2's could've gone 5-0 a couple of times if weren't for a miss play and couple bad hands. I have since switch to B/R running a list similar to yours but cut the grasp's/ 3 swamps for another fatal push/2 collective brutality and a canyon slough. I was running the 3 Liliana's the entire weekend but I cut them for Harvesters and it feels so much better, the evasion helps out a lot. I run one Liliana in the side now. Also running 2 collective brutality in the MD is great for pitching cut/ribbons which has won me a few matches, pitching cut/ribbons late game and then next turn ribbons for the win.
Through the matches I have played Marvel is by far the toughest pre-board match their life gain can get rough, but post board with dispossess(I run 2-3) it's a lot better I'd say in our favor. UW control is another tough match in my experience they bring in a ton of removal and we must must dispossess their gear hulk before they have the mana. I think I'll try your idea of supernatural stamina for that match up save at least one creature when they wipe the board and try to rid their hand of cards, this is another match up collective brutality is key taking their gas.
Anyways just my quick 2 cents on this deck. I love it and will be my deck for this season.
Also any thoughts on Harsh Mentor, I've been contemplating that card out of the side against marvel/exert/vehicle/ballista decks.
21 Island (RIX) 193
4 Dive Down (XLN) 53
4 Opt (XLN) 65
1 Spell Pierce (XLN) 81
4 Siren Stormtamer (XLN) 79
2 Warkite Marauder (RIX) 60
4 Merfolk Trickster (DAR) 56
4 Tempest Djinn (DAR) 68
2 Chart a Course (XLN) 48
2 Wizard's Retort (DAR) 75
2 Quench (RNA) 48
4 Pteramander (RNA) 47
1 Essence Capture (RNA) 37
1 Sphinx of Foresight (RNA) 55
3 Exclusion Mage (M19) 55
1 Sleep (M19) 74
1 Negate (RIX) 44
1 Deep Freeze (DAR) 50
2 Surge Mare (M19) 77
1 Sentinel Totem (XLN) 245
1 Blink of an Eye (DAR) 46
3 Essence Capture (RNA) 37
1 Wizard's Retort (DAR) 75
1 Warrant // Warden (RNA) 230
My current 75. So far I like this setup. 20-1 in matches in 4 leagues on arena. Stilling trying to figure out what the mix of counter spells feels best, guess that will change up a lot until the meta settles and decks become established for this season.
All and all Pteramander ended up having me win more games where if it was Mist-Cloaked Herald I would have lost.
Combo and control decks is what I mainly bring them in for.
btw I was on Etron.
I've been testing out a 4-2 dark/grim split in BG and I have been loving the results so far! Grim teamed up with Dark on the field can really smooth out those draws.
U/W usually sides out their supreme verdicts, leaving just the PoE's in and bring in more counter magic.
PS in the 3 competitive leagues I've gone through I've gotten enough tickets from my winnings to buy 1 chalice and enough points to play several free leagues, so the deck has been really paying off.
2 Koth of the Hammer
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Spells
2 Faithless Looting
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Skred
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Blood Moon
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Relic of Progenitus
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Hazoret the Fervant
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Lands
2 Gemstone Caverns
19 Snow-Covered Mountain
2 Sin Prodder
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Shattering Spree
3 Dragon's Claw
2 Magus of the Moon
1 Spellskite
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Withbane Orb
Hey I dig this list, I actually played against you with my RW Glorious end list, we a had pretty good match, was on my way to a 5-0 day with it until our last game lol. Anyways I'll probably test out your list, I've been wanting to make a reanimator deck since the new Liliana was spoiled and yours looked solid and fun when I played against it. I'll help give feedback on what I find/feel about the deck.
Over this past weekend I've been running the mono black version of this deck on MTGO and probably had the best weekend I've ever had in competitive and friendly leagues going 4-1 5 times and a few 3-2's could've gone 5-0 a couple of times if weren't for a miss play and couple bad hands. I have since switch to B/R running a list similar to yours but cut the grasp's/ 3 swamps for another fatal push/2 collective brutality and a canyon slough. I was running the 3 Liliana's the entire weekend but I cut them for Harvesters and it feels so much better, the evasion helps out a lot. I run one Liliana in the side now. Also running 2 collective brutality in the MD is great for pitching cut/ribbons which has won me a few matches, pitching cut/ribbons late game and then next turn ribbons for the win.
Through the matches I have played Marvel is by far the toughest pre-board match their life gain can get rough, but post board with dispossess(I run 2-3) it's a lot better I'd say in our favor. UW control is another tough match in my experience they bring in a ton of removal and we must must dispossess their gear hulk before they have the mana. I think I'll try your idea of supernatural stamina for that match up save at least one creature when they wipe the board and try to rid their hand of cards, this is another match up collective brutality is key taking their gas.
Anyways just my quick 2 cents on this deck. I love it and will be my deck for this season.
Also any thoughts on Harsh Mentor, I've been contemplating that card out of the side against marvel/exert/vehicle/ballista decks.