I started back up with Magic a couple of months ago, and I had this deck from the last time I played around the Innistrad/RtR blocks. So I looked up some deck ideas and worked on getting some new cards for it (mostly stuff like Mobilization, Spectral Procession, Anointed Procession).
But I know I've probably missed a ton of good cards, so I'm wondering what I can do to improve on this deck without going completely broke (maybe $20-30 bucks). I know I should probably go G/W or B/W for more stuff for tokens, but I don't want to invest a ton of money in the land base.
Any thoughts or suggestions on my deck? I'm sure there are some cards that I don't know about that would improve the deck.
There's the problem with trying to do budget rites. You don't have the mana base needed to make it work.
You can try to go with some type of GB with Selesnya Guildgates for the splash of white you need to flashback Rites... but you can't go that many colors on gates. And you need the colors for all the digging you have to do.
Angel of Jubilation isn't bad, but I think in a token deck, you'll get more mileage out of Intangible Virtue. Virture is cheaper at 1W instead of 1WWW and isn't a creature, so there are fewer ways of removing it. Maybe if the angel was a 3/4 and not a 3/3, but that 3 toughness is a killer.
While Geist-Honored Monk brings some tokens with him, Wayfaring Temple has a similar ability and is a cheaper CMC option. Geist-Honored Monk does have some merit in that it brings two tokens with her, but that's what we have Lingering Souls for.
It looks like a pretty good start, but definitely seems like its missing a couple of good token cards.
- Since you're running tokens, 4x Intangible Virtue seems like a requirement. It's a lot cheaper than Collective Blessing. Perhaps even Phantom General if your opponent has a good deal of enchantment hate.
- If you're going to run Lingering Souls, you'll need to splash black. A couple of Golgari Guildgate or Evolving Wilds with 2-3 Swamps will be needed to take advantage of it's strength.
I love throwing down a Mogg Maniac because most people do not like his reflect damage ability. Horde of Boggarts is also a nice top end of 4cmc and with plenty of goblins, can get real big real quick.
Here's a Mono-White Deck that I've been running, based on the Innistrad Event Deck, "Hold the Line." I haven't had a chance to get the other 3 Champions, but hopefully this can give you some ideas for what you can run.
Loyal Cathar is a good creature to add in because when it dies, it comes back, allowing you to keep a creature on the field.
Elite Inquisitor has been my hero in several games. First Strike and immune to vampires and zombies can be a lifesaver with the number of vampire and zombie decks running around.
Gideon isn't the best Planeswalker to use in this deck. Now, if we had Elspeth, she would be perfect for this deck. Also, Planar Cleansing will probably hurt you more than help you unless you had a board full of Doomed Travelers and Loyal Cathars.
Thalia can be a mainboard card, since you'll have a lot more creatures than spells. Or you could pull her out dealing with control decks. I like to leave her in the main, personally. But your mileage may vary.
Kitesail. A lot of maybe for the War Falcons. Plus it'll force us to perhaps take something we don't want just make them playable. I feel that Kitesail gives us more options.
I picked up the Hold the Line event deck when it came out and tinkered with it a but, but due to issues in life cropping up, I never got a chance to really play it. So now that things are settling down for me, I want to actually use it.
If we're going to go into U/B, then we'll hopefully pick up a couple of Murder and Public Execution along the way. Being able to get a second use out of them makes a strong case for the Archaeomancer.
Cower in Fear isn't bad, but giving a -1/-1 is only going to kill off any 1 toughness guys your opponent might have. If both sides have two large groups of creatures, it might give your side a slight advantage. Or it might not, depending on the size of his army and the fact we don't know what kind of creatures we're going to have.
However, Crippling Blight can provide spot removal and make it easier for your own guys to get through. Putting it down on a Giant Scorpion, Guardians of Akrasa, or anything else that might have Deathtouch, Reach, and/or Vigilance can turn the tide more than a temporary -1/-1.
In short: Cower in Fear is situational while Crippling Blight has many more uses.
Dual lands are worth like 25 cents on MTGO. I can't imagine they are worth that much more in paper magic.
When did duals get so cheap? I thought they were 3-4 bucks each? I'm guessing since that they've been around since M10, everyone has all the core duals they need or want?
Since BW Exalted seems like popular option, it might be worthwhile to ignore it and go a different route. But what are some other good options? It seems like there's a bit of milling in blue and discard in black, so is a UB mill type deck possible? Gx Aggro is always available as well.
Are there any cards that are red herrings? Like they look awesome but they actually aren't that great for a draft.
I'm going to my first M13 draft tomorrow, and just first draft in a while, so I was hoping to get some hints on what to look out for. What cards to avoid, that sort of thing.
I know that BW Exalted seems to be rage, but I'm not sure what else M13 has. I've done a few online draft simulators, but they tend to be kind of weird because I'll be 6 picks deep and a dual land will pop up. I'm doubting that would happen in most draft situations, unless it was amazing prize support.
At the prerelease, I fell in love with the Wandering Wolf + Blessing of Nature combination, which won me a fair share of games. So I was thinking maybe there was a normal wolf deck that could be made with the release of AVR.
I'm putting it under budget because there's really nothing here that's chase and most wolves are common or uncommon.
I'm huge fan of soulbound myself. I thought it was going to be gimmicky, but after playing with it in the prerelease, it's a good ability.
Nightshade Peddler is a really good card, especially if you an bond it with your Paladin.
Blessings of Nature is nice to add in as well, especially if you can Miracle it. Travel Preparations can be useful as well, to give some of your lower toughness soulbond creatures needed toughness. Sheltering Word is kind of weak, unless you know you'll face a lot of spells. So a sideboard option at best.
I don't think you need the Birds of Paradise, since you really aren't running *that* high of a mana curve. And with 30+ creatures, I think you need to find a home for Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
With soulbond, I really feel a Naya deck in here somewhere. Maybe I'll go tinker.
20 Plains
3 Kjeldoran Outpost
Creatures (11)
4 Doomed Traveler
3 Mentor of the Meek
3 Geist-Honored Monk
4 Raise the Alarm
4 Spectral Procession
Token Buffs/Enchantments (13)
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Intangible Virtue
3 Mobilization
2 Anointed Procession
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Swords to Plowshares
I started back up with Magic a couple of months ago, and I had this deck from the last time I played around the Innistrad/RtR blocks. So I looked up some deck ideas and worked on getting some new cards for it (mostly stuff like Mobilization, Spectral Procession, Anointed Procession).
But I know I've probably missed a ton of good cards, so I'm wondering what I can do to improve on this deck without going completely broke (maybe $20-30 bucks). I know I should probably go G/W or B/W for more stuff for tokens, but I don't want to invest a ton of money in the land base.
Any thoughts or suggestions on my deck? I'm sure there are some cards that I don't know about that would improve the deck.
Thanks in advance.
There's the problem with trying to do budget rites. You don't have the mana base needed to make it work.
You can try to go with some type of GB with Selesnya Guildgates for the splash of white you need to flashback Rites... but you can't go that many colors on gates. And you need the colors for all the digging you have to do.
Angel of Jubilation isn't bad, but I think in a token deck, you'll get more mileage out of Intangible Virtue. Virture is cheaper at 1W instead of 1WWW and isn't a creature, so there are fewer ways of removing it. Maybe if the angel was a 3/4 and not a 3/3, but that 3 toughness is a killer.
While Geist-Honored Monk brings some tokens with him, Wayfaring Temple has a similar ability and is a cheaper CMC option. Geist-Honored Monk does have some merit in that it brings two tokens with her, but that's what we have Lingering Souls for.
- Since you're running tokens, 4x Intangible Virtue seems like a requirement. It's a lot cheaper than Collective Blessing. Perhaps even Phantom General if your opponent has a good deal of enchantment hate.
- Axebane Guardian and gatecreeper vine are not your best choices for ramp here; you would probably be better off with Arbor Elf and Avacyn's Pilgrim for that.
- If you're going to run Lingering Souls, you'll need to splash black. A couple of Golgari Guildgate or Evolving Wilds with 2-3 Swamps will be needed to take advantage of it's strength.
- I would run Attended Knight over Precinct Captain, because you'll be guaranteed a token, instead of having to connect.
- Rancor? I think every deck with green could use a little Rancor love.
I love throwing down a Mogg Maniac because most people do not like his reflect damage ability. Horde of Boggarts is also a nice top end of 4cmc and with plenty of goblins, can get real big real quick.
20 Plains
2 Ghost Quarter
Creatures
4 Doomed Traveler
4 Elite Vanguard
1 Champion of the Parish
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Elite Inquisitor
2 Leonin Relic-Warder
3 Accorder Paladin
2 Fiend Hunter
3 Mirran Crusader
4 Gather the Townsfolk
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Oblivion Ring
3 Silver-Inlaid Dagger
4 Celestial Purge
3 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Ratchet Bomb
2 Fiend Hunter
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
3 Suture Priest
Loyal Cathar is a good creature to add in because when it dies, it comes back, allowing you to keep a creature on the field.
Elite Inquisitor has been my hero in several games. First Strike and immune to vampires and zombies can be a lifesaver with the number of vampire and zombie decks running around.
Gideon isn't the best Planeswalker to use in this deck. Now, if we had Elspeth, she would be perfect for this deck. Also, Planar Cleansing will probably hurt you more than help you unless you had a board full of Doomed Travelers and Loyal Cathars.
Thalia can be a mainboard card, since you'll have a lot more creatures than spells. Or you could pull her out dealing with control decks. I like to leave her in the main, personally. But your mileage may vary.
Current deck:
20 Plains
2 Ghost Quarter
//Creatures
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Champion of the Parish
4 Doomed Traveler
3 Elite Inquisitor
4 Elite Vanguard
2 Fiend Hunter
4 Gideon's Lawkeeper
3 Mirran Crusader
3 Silver-Inlaid Dagger
3 Sharpened Pitchfork
//Spells
4 Gather the Townsfolk
2 Honor of the Pure
4 Oblivion Ring
1 Nevermore
3 Nihil Spellbomb
3 Suture Priest
4 Leonin Relic Warder
4 Celestial Purge
So with m13, I'm wondering what I should be adding in. I was thinking of War Falcon for some flying, Captain of the Watch, Odric, Master Tactican, and Crusader of Olric. At least those seem to be the obvious choices.
Also I missed a lot of Avacyn Restored, so I'll need some Angels of Jubilation as well.
I'll probably spend $10 when I get to the card store to add in some m13, but I'm not sure the best options to go with.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions and tips.
If we're going to go into U/B, then we'll hopefully pick up a couple of Murder and Public Execution along the way. Being able to get a second use out of them makes a strong case for the Archaeomancer.
Cower in Fear isn't bad, but giving a -1/-1 is only going to kill off any 1 toughness guys your opponent might have. If both sides have two large groups of creatures, it might give your side a slight advantage. Or it might not, depending on the size of his army and the fact we don't know what kind of creatures we're going to have.
However, Crippling Blight can provide spot removal and make it easier for your own guys to get through. Putting it down on a Giant Scorpion,
Guardians of Akrasa, or anything else that might have Deathtouch, Reach, and/or Vigilance can turn the tide more than a temporary -1/-1.
In short: Cower in Fear is situational while Crippling Blight has many more uses.
When did duals get so cheap? I thought they were 3-4 bucks each? I'm guessing since that they've been around since M10, everyone has all the core duals they need or want?
Since BW Exalted seems like popular option, it might be worthwhile to ignore it and go a different route. But what are some other good options? It seems like there's a bit of milling in blue and discard in black, so is a UB mill type deck possible? Gx Aggro is always available as well.
Are there any cards that are red herrings? Like they look awesome but they actually aren't that great for a draft.
I'm going to my first M13 draft tomorrow, and just first draft in a while, so I was hoping to get some hints on what to look out for. What cards to avoid, that sort of thing.
I know that BW Exalted seems to be rage, but I'm not sure what else M13 has. I've done a few online draft simulators, but they tend to be kind of weird because I'll be 6 picks deep and a dual land will pop up. I'm doubting that would happen in most draft situations, unless it was amazing prize support.
Thanks in advance.
I like Pyreheart Wolf for it's ability to force blockers to double up, leaving more creatures to get through. Kind of like a new age Goblin War Drums
It seems like there's like no red in this deck. Perhaps Incinerate can be used to thin out the enemy instead of Prey Upon?
I'm putting it under budget because there's really nothing here that's chase and most wolves are common or uncommon.
Or maybe this is a crazy idea, but here we go:
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Kessig Wolf Run
9 Forest
9 Mountain
4 Young Wolf
4 Wandering Wolf
4 Sacred Wolf
4 Immerwolf
4 Pyreheart Wolf
4 Wolfir Silverheart
2 Howlgeist
4 Blessing of Nature
4 Curse of Stalked Prey
2 Feed the Pack
The big problem is that almost all of the wolves are a 3 drop. I'm looking for lower cost wolves, but not really finding any.
Any ideas?
Nightshade Peddler is a really good card, especially if you an bond it with your Paladin.
Blessings of Nature is nice to add in as well, especially if you can Miracle it. Travel Preparations can be useful as well, to give some of your lower toughness soulbond creatures needed toughness. Sheltering Word is kind of weak, unless you know you'll face a lot of spells. So a sideboard option at best.
I don't think you need the Birds of Paradise, since you really aren't running *that* high of a mana curve. And with 30+ creatures, I think you need to find a home for Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
With soulbond, I really feel a Naya deck in here somewhere. Maybe I'll go tinker.