Not sure if you're looking to run a low creature count, but Reflector Mage and Linvala, the Preserver coupled with Eldrazi Displacer can provide lots of value. The life gain from Linvala can prove especially critical when running the gauntlet with aggro decks.
Is anyone else looking at Boros colors for aggro in standard post-rotation? I've seen the equipment builds, but am really wanting to build something around the card advantage Bygone Bishop can provide in the late game. I'm trying to build on a budget here, but if Nahiri, the Harbinger drops to a more affordable price, I think it'd be worth including here as well.
I feel Ravenous Bloodseeker is the card I'd most like to replace here. It's not aggressive enough without the discard, but it feels necessary since the only other madness outlet I've got is Lightning Axe.
I've been toying with dimir zombies too, but at the end of the day there aren't enough good blue cards to make the dual-color worthwhile. I found a mono-black strategy to be more streamlined. Here's what I arrived at:
I want to like this card, but having the opponent choose is a big downside. Our CMCs aren't large enough to be a threat. They're always going to take the damage. If you draw bolt or path, for example, you've just lost a great card and they've only paid one life in exchange.
I wish there was some sort of effective recursion available. If there was a method to bring back the high toughness creatures you sacked, then it would make this particular idea much more reliable. Ojutai's Command kinda does that, but it's only for 2 CMC or less, leaving out Wall of Resurgence.
This is a start to the kind of thing I'm talking about. It needs alternate ways to sac and lifegain though, as everything hinges on Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim for the sac/life effect.
You may be hard pressed to find a specific goblin deck in the standard environment right now. I never see any point in spending too much $$$ in Standard, since the format changes so often.
If you're looking at aggro, I'd suggest looking at an ally build. This is an untested idea I've been brewing:
I feel that out of all the allies, these provide the best synergy. The problem here is how to deal with midrange and control decks that grind out the game. This deck would run out of steam quick, and not have a decisive strategy for closing out the game.
I was disappointed Wizards decided to play it safe with awakening. I've been wanting to create a deck based around the mechanic, but am having a tough time with the sideboard. Obviously it's meta dependent, but I don't feel the deck has enough ways to control, or maybe I'm just being too critical?
The came plan is to deploy some low-cost, early creatures that can provide value over time while the deck's main control/tempo elements to come online (around the fourth mana drop). From there I'd continue until I draw one of my board wipes, which also happen to have finishers attached to them.
I've been looking at Alesha, Who Smiles at Death closely too, Seraphin. For those long, drawn out games I think it'd be an invaluable card. Question is how many do I run?
I'm trying to build a competitive, budget-friendly standard deck for Friday Night Magic at my shop. It surprised me how much synergy there was in Sultai colors! The deck is mostly black, but splashes blue for targeted effects to benefit my Agent of the Fates and green for card draw. The deck is slow (too slow I worry), but I think it can grind to a win. What do you folks think? Any sideboard suggestions? Negate is a given, but I'm clueless on what else to include at the moment.
Has anyone had success with Rapid Hybridization for a bit of extra removal? I'm thinking of dropping two into my build to bring the total number of creature removal cards to eight. Figure a 3/3 isn't that tough to deal with in a deck with Brimaz, King of Oreskos and Restoration Angel.
Eh, I think this deck is OK in the current format. The main weakness is a lack of good removal at 1CC after Path (in UW you have Dismember while UWR has Bolt). This deck also gets hit by Torpor Orb, which people will play because of Twin. You'll need Disenchant in your SB because of this.
Yea, that's always been a concern for me too.
What do you think of Reprisal? Now that it's Modern-legal I don't know if I should mainboard it. Most threats will be at least 4 power or more. Keep going back and forth on it. That would bring removal to ten different cards, even if two of those ten are conditional removals.
Is there a reason why folks don't run Vapor Snag? I know it's not removal, but could it help with the deck's tempo?
Is this deck still competitive? I know most folks have transitioned to the WUR variant, but I'm just not that fond of tr-color decks and would prefer to stick with Azorius. I've added some Theros block cards to substitute for the traditional Geist and Splicer. Thoughts? Below is my decklist.
Hey, folks! When Brimaz, King of Oreskos was spoiled, I imagined a deck with it and Master Biomancer where each token from Brimaz came in as a 3/3. This post is an attempt at building a competitive deck around this framework.
I feel the Biomancer himself is a great card for aggro decks, it keeps your one and two drops relevant later in the game by powering them up.
Below is a list I'd like to start testing. Of concern to me are two things:
Lack of Removal: There's lots of creatures and ways to power them up. I'm wondering if I've sacrificed too much removal in favor of an aggro strategy.
Running out of Gas: If the game goes too long, I'm afraid the deck can't keep pace.
I feel Ravenous Bloodseeker is the card I'd most like to replace here. It's not aggressive enough without the discard, but it feels necessary since the only other madness outlet I've got is Lightning Axe.
8 Plains
7 Mountain
4 Needle Spires
1 Westvale Abbey
1-CMC (14)
4 Lightning Axe
4 Falkenrath Gorger
4 Expedition Envoy
2 Village Messenger
4 Ravenous Bloodseeker
4 Kor Bladewhirl
2 Avacyn's Judgement
3-CMC (12)
4 Always Watching
4 Bygone Bishop
4 Fiery Temper
4-CMC (4)
3 Archangel of Tithes
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Stasis Snare
2 Goblin Dark Dwellers
2 Angelic Purge
2 Make a Stand
2 Eerie Interlude
2 Village Messenger
2 Lantern Scout
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
16 Swamp
4 Shambling Vent
2 Westvale Abbey
1-CMC (8)
4 Shambling Goblin
4 Duress
2-CMC (10)
4 Transgress the Mind
4 Relentless Dead
2 Altar's Reap
4 Diregraf Colossus
4 Fleshbag Marauder
4 Nantuko Husk
4-CMC (4)
4 Risen Executioner
5-CMC (4)
2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 Deadly Wanderings
4 Sinister Concoction
2 Liliana, Heretical Healer
2 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
2 To the Slaughter
2 Pick the Brain
2 Languish
1 Altar's Reap
When you think board wipe, remember Crush of Tentacles. There's no protection from that unless you're running Dispel or some other counter.
Zulaport Cutthroat + Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim seems like the strongest engine for life gain. Look to cards like Wall of Resurgence and Jaddi Offshoot, or cards with other high toughness to sack. In the case of Jaddi Offshoot, the card even nets you life with landfall!
I wish there was some sort of effective recursion available. If there was a method to bring back the high toughness creatures you sacked, then it would make this particular idea much more reliable. Ojutai's Command kinda does that, but it's only for 2 CMC or less, leaving out Wall of Resurgence.
4 Sidisi's Faithful
4 Disowned Ancestor
2 CMC (16)
4 Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
4 Zulaport Cutthroat
4 Dragon's Eye Savants
4 Fortified Rampart
4 Kheru Bloodsucker
4 CMC (4)
4 Ojutai's Command
5 CMC (2)
2 Palace Siege
2 Felidar Sovereign
This is a start to the kind of thing I'm talking about. It needs alternate ways to sac and lifegain though, as everything hinges on Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim for the sac/life effect.
If you're looking at aggro, I'd suggest looking at an ally build. This is an untested idea I've been brewing:
4 Needle Spires
4 Holdout Settlement
2 Sea Gate Wreckage
1 CMC (14)
4 Stoneforge Masterwork
4 Stoneforge Acolyte
4 Expedition Envoy
2 Outnumber
4 Dromoka's Command
4 Sylvan Advocate
4 Kor Bladewhirl
3 CMC (10)
4 Firemantle Mage
2 Reckless Bushwhacker
2 Veteran Warleader
2 Make a Stand
4 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
I feel that out of all the allies, these provide the best synergy. The problem here is how to deal with midrange and control decks that grind out the game. This deck would run out of steam quick, and not have a decisive strategy for closing out the game.
The came plan is to deploy some low-cost, early creatures that can provide value over time while the deck's main control/tempo elements to come online (around the fourth mana drop). From there I'd continue until I draw one of my board wipes, which also happen to have finishers attached to them.
What do y'all think?
6 Island
4 Crumbling Vestige
4 Lumbering Falls
4 Canopy Vista
2 Plains
2 Forest
2 Blighted Woodland
Creatures
4 Jaddi Offshoot (Life Gain)
4 Sylvan Advocate (Blocker/Finisher)
2 Prophet of Distortion (Card Draw)
2 Halimar Tidecaller (Recursion)
4 Scatter to the Winds (Counter)
4 Roil Spout (Tempo)
4 Anticipate (Card Draw/Filter)
2 Horribly Awry (Counter)
2 Clutch of Currents (Tempo)
2 Stasis Snare (Removal)
2 Comparative Analysis (Card Draw)
2 Overwhelming Denial (Counter)
1 Planar Outburst (Finisher/Mass Removal)
1 Crush of Tentacles (Finisher/Mass Removal)
2 Immolating Glare (Removal)
2 Reclaiming Vines (Non-Creature Removal)
2 Negate (Counter) -- 2 CMC
2 Dispel (Counter) -- 1 CMC
2 ?????
2 ?????
2 ?????
1 Sphinx of the Final Word
4 Brain Maggot
4 Agent of the Fates
4 Herald of Torment
4 Hornet Nest
4 Eidolon of Blossoms
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4 Despise
4 Setessan Tactics
2 Whip of Erebos
3 Ulcerate
2 Murderous Cut
2 Erebos, God of the Dead
2 Silence the Believers
2 Naturalize
4 Spiteful Returned
4 Agent of the Fates
4 Herald of Torment
4 Eidolon of Blossoms
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
2 Grim Guardian
4 Triton Tactics
4 Sultai Charm
2 Silence the Believers
Yea, that's always been a concern for me too.
What do you think of Reprisal? Now that it's Modern-legal I don't know if I should mainboard it. Most threats will be at least 4 power or more. Keep going back and forth on it. That would bring removal to ten different cards, even if two of those ten are conditional removals.
Is there a reason why folks don't run Vapor Snag? I know it's not removal, but could it help with the deck's tempo?
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Hallowed Fountain
3 Ghost Quarter
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Plains
2 Island
1 Eiganjo Castle
1 Moorland Haunt
1 CMC (8)
4 Path to Exile
4 Spell Snare
2 CMC (10)
4 Mana Leak
3 Wall of Omens
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 CMC (10)
3 Vendilion Clique
2 Detention Sphere
2 Dismember
4 CMC (8)
4 Restoration Angel
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 Cryptic Command
5 CMC (1)
1 Baneslayer Angel
2 Rest in Peace (VS Reanimator/Tarmogoyf)
2 Spellskite (VS Burn/Removal)
2 Pithing Needle (VS Control and Affinity)
2 Supreme Verdict (VS Aggro)
2 Swan Song (VS Control / Combo)
2 Reprisal (Additional Removal)
I feel the Biomancer himself is a great card for aggro decks, it keeps your one and two drops relevant later in the game by powering them up.
Below is a list I'd like to start testing. Of concern to me are two things:
Here's the deck:
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple Garden
3 Celestial Colonnade
3 Razorverge Thicket
1 Eiganjo Castle
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Forest
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Gavony Township
1 Moorland Haunt
1CMC (14)
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Dryad Militant
3 Rancor
3 Cloudfin Raptor
4 Fleecemane Lion
3 Simic Charm
2 Voice of Resurgence
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3CMC (8)
4 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Detention Sphere
1 Oblivion Ring
4CMC (5)
3 Master Biomancer
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3 Vendilion Clique
2 Pithing Needle
2 Stony Silence
2 Rest in Peace
2 Imposing Sovereign
1 Baneslayer Angel
What do y'all think? Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!