Nice. Glad to see that you're still updating this and tweaking it; personally, that is one of my favorite things about EDH decks.
I've never play-tested Candelabra of Tawnos, but I am tempted to try. Sadly, I had to take out my copy of Scorched Ruins because it got blown up almost every time I played it. While we're on the subject of lands, has anyone ever tried Bazaar of Baghdad + Uba Mask? Or, has that little interaction been RFG'd?
It looks a bit like a comic, what else do you draw/paint?
I also like your karn list but I must ask, how effective have you been able to hold ground with Smokestack? You don't have many extra permanent creation in the deck.
EDIT: hey.. wait a minute I knew I recognized your name from somewhere! I'm a big fan of your texturing work, keep it up
I have two degrees, one is fine arts and the other is science. I was training to become a graphic novelist before taking the plunge into 3D game art, so comic/cartoony stuff is what feels natural to me. I mostly do 3D stuff now, but I enjoy doing the 2D stuff from time-to-time. Thanks for the kind words, I just started my dream job and will finally have more time to commit to this wonderfully addicting hobby.
As for Smokestack, it has been hugely successful in my games. My list used to be very Stax-like, and while I have removed some of those cards I decided to keep the 'Stack. I can recur cards like Spine of Ish Sah, or lands with the help of Crucible of Worlds. I don't mind sacrificing some stuff if it will help clear my opponent's board. When you use it in conjunction with something like Winter Orb, you are not only buying valuable time but you are also forcing your opponent to make a choice of dealing with either the 'Stack, or one of the Orbs. They can't play around it; they have to respond to the threat.
Much obliged, I drew it a few weeks ago and just recently got around to coloring it. I play a Stax-like version of Karn so it usually becomes permission-heavy late game. "Nope" seemed like an appropriate word to stick in the bubble.
I might be able to do one for you (since you're doing a service to the community and what-not), if you were interested. Just PM me.
I've been running Torpor Orb since it came out. It's been main deck ever since. Shuts down several ETB effects that could harm you, and also shuts down Titan effects.
I used to run Wurmcoil Engine but found it being blown up more often times than not. It drew a huge amount of threat. I switched to Batterskull for a while since it could do the Lifelink thing as well, and also dodge removal. Pretty solid alternative if you ask me.
Haven't posted in this thread for a long while, glad to see that it's still going strong. I also haven't played in a while, and I've noticed that Staff of Domination has been unbanned. Glorious.
I know there's been mixed feelings about the Ring of Three Wishes in M14, but I will definitely be running it; it (personally) seems silly not to run it. Despite the limited number of activations, casting + 1 activation will still cost 2 less than casting + 1 activation from Planar Portal. Besides, you can always bounce it to your hand or sacrifice it and recur it if needed. It's not ideal, but there are ways to get more mileage out of it.
Similar reason as to why I keep Kuldotha Forgemaster in my deck -- the tutor ability in mono-brown is too powerful not to keep main deck. And to answer your question Budgeteer, I almost always tutor for a win-con with Forgemaster since it requires a sizable trade with its activation. That, or if I get it early enough in the game I will bring something expensive like Darksteel Forge out to prevent people from messing with my board.
PS ~ Upon scanning the pages of the thread that I've missed, I noticed that SecretsOfTheDead and I have very similar lists. Pretty neat.
iron: In the context of this deck, it is. You'd have already won by the time you grab a 3rd card *shrug*
I agree. I will be adding the Ring to my Karn deck, because it's essentially a Planar Portal + 1 activation for 2 less mana. Even if you're only grabbing one combo piece or a lockdown piece it's still extremely valuable, IMO. We are playing mono-brown, after all -- when it comes to tutor effects, I'll take what I can get.
I run it with a slew of other 3-mana generating artifacts in my Karn, Silver Golem deck. It's utterly ridiculous ramp and with sufficient untap utility it just becomes downright silly. When I have Unwinding Clock, Voltaic Key, Clock of Omens (or I'm just looking to finish the game via Voltaic Construct) it becomes even more powerful.
Karn, Silver Golem. I've been running artifact-heavy decks since I started playing Magic during 5th Edition. So when I started playing Commander, he just seemed like an obvious choice. He's been my favorite character to read about in terms of lore, too -- mostly because he's interacted with tons of major characters in the universe.
Plus, he turns into a brick wall. A silvery brick wall.
Have you actually looked at Thought Nibbler? He's just so darn cute. Just sittin' on someone's head, nibblin' on their thoughts...adorable.
In all seriousness though, Donald hasn't updated the original post yet (to my knowledge). I'm sure he will eventually given the amount of followers to this particular list.
I'll just agree with what others have posted here, since I went through something similar in my playgroup with one of my decks. There's a good chance you're probably doing something in your play style that is causing them to target you, not necessarily your card choices -- and you're probably doing it subconsciously and unintentionally. You need to decipher what it is that's setting them off, tone it down, smile and take the targeted hate on the chin.
Honestly, that's the best advice I can give you. In doing so, you will perhaps learn more about them by sitting there and watching the game state post-elimination, which you can use to your advantage next game (via politicking, etc). Not to sound cliche, but you can learn more in defeat and apply it to future games.
I've never play-tested Candelabra of Tawnos, but I am tempted to try. Sadly, I had to take out my copy of Scorched Ruins because it got blown up almost every time I played it. While we're on the subject of lands, has anyone ever tried Bazaar of Baghdad + Uba Mask? Or, has that little interaction been RFG'd?
I have two degrees, one is fine arts and the other is science. I was training to become a graphic novelist before taking the plunge into 3D game art, so comic/cartoony stuff is what feels natural to me. I mostly do 3D stuff now, but I enjoy doing the 2D stuff from time-to-time. Thanks for the kind words, I just started my dream job and will finally have more time to commit to this wonderfully addicting hobby.
As for Smokestack, it has been hugely successful in my games. My list used to be very Stax-like, and while I have removed some of those cards I decided to keep the 'Stack. I can recur cards like Spine of Ish Sah, or lands with the help of Crucible of Worlds. I don't mind sacrificing some stuff if it will help clear my opponent's board. When you use it in conjunction with something like Winter Orb, you are not only buying valuable time but you are also forcing your opponent to make a choice of dealing with either the 'Stack, or one of the Orbs. They can't play around it; they have to respond to the threat.
Chalice of the Void completely hoses certain decks, like the popular weenie version of Edric, Spymaster of Trest. Same goes for Trinisphere. Similarly, you can drop it when you know someone is holding something like Armageddon or Shatterstorm, or something really nasty like Jokulhaups or Austere Command.
Much obliged, I drew it a few weeks ago and just recently got around to coloring it. I play a Stax-like version of Karn so it usually becomes permission-heavy late game. "Nope" seemed like an appropriate word to stick in the bubble.
I might be able to do one for you (since you're doing a service to the community and what-not), if you were interested. Just PM me.
I used to run Wurmcoil Engine but found it being blown up more often times than not. It drew a huge amount of threat. I switched to Batterskull for a while since it could do the Lifelink thing as well, and also dodge removal. Pretty solid alternative if you ask me.
I know there's been mixed feelings about the Ring of Three Wishes in M14, but I will definitely be running it; it (personally) seems silly not to run it. Despite the limited number of activations, casting + 1 activation will still cost 2 less than casting + 1 activation from Planar Portal. Besides, you can always bounce it to your hand or sacrifice it and recur it if needed. It's not ideal, but there are ways to get more mileage out of it.
Similar reason as to why I keep Kuldotha Forgemaster in my deck -- the tutor ability in mono-brown is too powerful not to keep main deck. And to answer your question Budgeteer, I almost always tutor for a win-con with Forgemaster since it requires a sizable trade with its activation. That, or if I get it early enough in the game I will bring something expensive like Darksteel Forge out to prevent people from messing with my board.
PS ~ Upon scanning the pages of the thread that I've missed, I noticed that SecretsOfTheDead and I have very similar lists. Pretty neat.
I agree. I will be adding the Ring to my Karn deck, because it's essentially a Planar Portal + 1 activation for 2 less mana. Even if you're only grabbing one combo piece or a lockdown piece it's still extremely valuable, IMO. We are playing mono-brown, after all -- when it comes to tutor effects, I'll take what I can get.
1 Voltaic Key
1 Clock of Omens
1 Kuldotha Forgemaster
1 Unwinding Clock
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Power Artifact
29 Island
Plus, he turns into a brick wall. A silvery brick wall.
Have you actually looked at Thought Nibbler? He's just so darn cute. Just sittin' on someone's head, nibblin' on their thoughts...adorable.
In all seriousness though, Donald hasn't updated the original post yet (to my knowledge). I'm sure he will eventually given the amount of followers to this particular list.
Honestly, that's the best advice I can give you. In doing so, you will perhaps learn more about them by sitting there and watching the game state post-elimination, which you can use to your advantage next game (via politicking, etc). Not to sound cliche, but you can learn more in defeat and apply it to future games.