Sooo I was looking through some random junk this morning and I came across that little card Civic Saber... Now it doesn't necessarily surprise me that this card hasn't seen the light of day in standard yet because it just hasn't found the right set of creatures to make it work.. But I honestly think that Rakdos has enough now with Spike Jester....
This Civic Saber allows you to play a one drop on turn one (obv unless you have cackler first) that will constantly provide a threat when coupled with creatures. It serves as a mana sink along with the Rix guildmage which I am kind of on the fence about but I do think she belongs here... same with Rakdos Shred Freak.
It has a pretty nice curve for an aggro deck and the thing I really like about saber is you can keep moving it around post combat if you are in an aggro mirror to set up some super desireable blocks (IE trading yur equipped rakdos cackler with a 4 toughness creature or something of the sort). Especially with Rix since u can cast the -1/-1 as many times as you want... trade my rakdos cackler for your polukranos and 2 of my open mana? sure thing boss.
I am very open to suggestion here and I am not sure how many mutavaults to run.
Some questions for you smart doods:
I dunno cause I haven't tested it yet but I like the look of it... Any other decks that could use Saber? Maybe a simic style aggro deck? What do you think of Rix here? Desecration Demon over Exava (doubtful)? Woulda singleton Rakdos Return be worth it, maybe 2? How would you set up the removal package? What is the best way to do lands here? Thrill-kill assassin MD? Mogi's Marauder need to be here?
I was a huge supporter of Civic Saber back in RTR/RTR/RTR draft. If I was Rakdos I made it a high priority to pick up a Saber. I very much wanted to see it become viable in standard.
The problem in Standard is, Civic Saber belongs in an 2-color agro deck and agro decks need to use their mana extremely efficiently. While Civic Saber appears to be an efficient use of mana, it is not. An ideal turn 1 should be spent playing a creature with 2 power (Rakdos Cackler is currently the best agro one drop. Firedrinker Satyr is second best). Your ideal turn 2 should be spent doing one of three things: 1) Play a two or three power creature with haste (Rakdos Shred-Freak, Ash Zealot, Spike Jester), 2) Play two additional 2-power threats, or 3) remove your opponents blocker.
The reason Madcap Skills saw standard play and Civic Saber didn’t was because it often enabled 5 points of damage on turn 2 because it was difficult for your opponent to play a second blocker. If your opponent wasn’t running well, Madcap Skills could enable 10 or even 15 damage before either getting 2-for-2’d via a second weak blocker or 2-for-1’d with removal. Those are the kind of trades any agro deck is happy to make.
Civic Saber enables, at best 4 points of damage on turn 2 which your opponent can happily block with any number of Standard playable 1 and 2-drop blockers. Like Madcap skills, Civic Saber risks sinking your mana into a damage enabler and getting blown out via your opponents instant-speed removal. The difference that makes Madcap Skills worth it however is that, if it does stick, your opponent is on the back foot dealing with this 5/2 beast that can only be blocked by 2 or more creatures. The fact that Civic Saber sticks around after removal is pretty irrelevant when, by turn 3 and 4 you’re up against Loxodon Smiters, Boros Reckoners, Master of Waves, and Desecration Demons.
Sadly, Civic Saber is one of those jewels of limited play that is JUST beneath the minimum-standard playability floor.
I was a huge supporter of Civic Saber back in RTR/RTR/RTR draft. If I was Rakdos I made it a high priority to pick up a Saber. I very much wanted to see it become viable in standard.
The problem in Standard is, Civic Saber belongs in an 2-color agro deck and agro decks need to use their mana extremely efficiently. While Civic Saber appears to be an efficient use of mana, it is not. An ideal turn 1 should be spent playing a creature with 2 power (Rakdos Cackler is currently the best agro one drop. Firedrinker Satyr is second best). Your ideal turn 2 should be spent doing one of three things: 1) Play a two or three power creature with haste (Rakdos Shred-Freak, Ash Zealot, Spike Jester), 2) Play two additional 2-power threats, or 3) remove your opponents blocker.
The reason Madcap Skills saw standard play and Civic Saber didn’t was because it often enabled 5 points of damage on turn 2 because it was difficult for your opponent to play a second blocker. If your opponent wasn’t running well, Madcap Skills could enable 10 or even 15 damage before either getting 2-for-2’d via a second weak blocker or 2-for-1’d with removal. Those are the kind of trades any agro deck is happy to make.
Civic Saber enables, at best 4 points of damage on turn 2 which your opponent can happily block with any number of Standard playable 1 and 2-drop blockers. Like Madcap skills, Civic Saber risks sinking your mana into a damage enabler and getting blown out via your opponents instant-speed removal. The difference that makes Madcap Skills worth it however is that, if it does stick, your opponent is on the back foot dealing with this 5/2 beast that can only be blocked by 2 or more creatures. The fact that Civic Saber sticks around after removal is pretty irrelevant when, by turn 3 and 4 you’re up against Loxodon Smiters, Boros Reckoners, Master of Waves, and Desecration Demons.
Sadly, Civic Saber is one of those jewels of limited play that is JUST beneath the minimum-standard playability floor.
THanks for this, this makes a lot of sense actually. I am thinking of going down to 2 or 3 saber main and then try to add tormented hero or firedrinker for another 1 drop. Not sure.. I like the suggestion of trying a U base to I am going to think up a list real quick. Maybe U/W or U/G for the Dryad militant also. hmmmm I also like the Slitherhead Idea... Here let's try this again..
I almost wanna try to fit Death-rite shaman in there somewhere... Mostly cause it was one of the first good play-sets I collected and I never get to use it anywhere.. Can't believe a card that is viable in every format has depreciated in value since I bought it, meh.
Yeahhhh I don't know man the Saber just might not be good enough anywhere to really steal the slot... I like this kinda deck though seems like it could blow some people out.. I like it more than mono R think.. Don't see slitherhead often. Maybe G/B for Varolz would be something? I need to get some MTGO cards to test there.. Or just DL cockatrice again,
There is another way. Go boros instead. First strike coordinates pretty well with civic saber and it would allow cards like anax and cymede to be very angry.
There is another way. Go boros instead. First strike coordinates pretty well with civic saber and it would allow cards like anax and cymede to be very angry.
While a 5/2 vigilant first striker is nice, keep in mind that equipment does not trigger Heroic. This is another instance in which Madcap Skills out-shines Civic Saber.
Well it doesn't really matter anyways. I put together a bunch of different concepts last night and the only ones that worked were the ones where anax & cymede had a civic saber and the opponent didn't have removal.
Besides - everyone argues that a&c doesn't work if you don't trigger heroic, but a&c is a pretty good creature regardless. It just doesn't have a home right now.
Well it doesn't really matter anyways. I put together a bunch of different concepts last night and the only ones that worked were the ones where anax & cymede had a civic saber and the opponent didn't have removal.
Besides - everyone argues that a&c doesn't work if you don't trigger heroic, but a&c is a pretty good creature regardless. It just doesn't have a home right now.
This may be off topic, but I have seen Anax and Cymede function well in American Hero’s (WUR Heroic). The deck is right on the verge of being a tier 2 deck but will probably have to wait until Journey Into Nyx before it is consistent enough to be compeditive.
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SOmething like this..
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Spiked Jester
2 Rakdos Shred-Freak
3 Rix Maadi Guildmage
2 Mogi's Marauder
4 Hellhole Flailer
3 Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch
3 Dreadbore
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Chandra, Pyromancer
This Civic Saber allows you to play a one drop on turn one (obv unless you have cackler first) that will constantly provide a threat when coupled with creatures. It serves as a mana sink along with the Rix guildmage which I am kind of on the fence about but I do think she belongs here... same with Rakdos Shred Freak.
It has a pretty nice curve for an aggro deck and the thing I really like about saber is you can keep moving it around post combat if you are in an aggro mirror to set up some super desireable blocks (IE trading yur equipped rakdos cackler with a 4 toughness creature or something of the sort). Especially with Rix since u can cast the -1/-1 as many times as you want... trade my rakdos cackler for your polukranos and 2 of my open mana? sure thing boss.
I am very open to suggestion here and I am not sure how many mutavaults to run.
Some questions for you smart doods:
I dunno cause I haven't tested it yet but I like the look of it... Any other decks that could use Saber? Maybe a simic style aggro deck? What do you think of Rix here? Desecration Demon over Exava (doubtful)? Woulda singleton Rakdos Return be worth it, maybe 2? How would you set up the removal package? What is the best way to do lands here? Thrill-kill assassin MD? Mogi's Marauder need to be here?
I would try this, and in fact may test it today online:
4 lightning strike
4 mugging
4 hellhole flailer
4 rakdos cackler
4 rakdos shred-freak
3 rix maadi guildmage
4 slitherhead
4 spike jester
3 tymaret, the murder king
8 mountain
3 rakdos guildgate
7 swamp
3 madcap skills
4 dreadbore
4 skullcrack
4 thoughtseize
The problem in Standard is, Civic Saber belongs in an 2-color agro deck and agro decks need to use their mana extremely efficiently. While Civic Saber appears to be an efficient use of mana, it is not. An ideal turn 1 should be spent playing a creature with 2 power (Rakdos Cackler is currently the best agro one drop. Firedrinker Satyr is second best). Your ideal turn 2 should be spent doing one of three things: 1) Play a two or three power creature with haste (Rakdos Shred-Freak, Ash Zealot, Spike Jester), 2) Play two additional 2-power threats, or 3) remove your opponents blocker.
The reason Madcap Skills saw standard play and Civic Saber didn’t was because it often enabled 5 points of damage on turn 2 because it was difficult for your opponent to play a second blocker. If your opponent wasn’t running well, Madcap Skills could enable 10 or even 15 damage before either getting 2-for-2’d via a second weak blocker or 2-for-1’d with removal. Those are the kind of trades any agro deck is happy to make.
Civic Saber enables, at best 4 points of damage on turn 2 which your opponent can happily block with any number of Standard playable 1 and 2-drop blockers. Like Madcap skills, Civic Saber risks sinking your mana into a damage enabler and getting blown out via your opponents instant-speed removal. The difference that makes Madcap Skills worth it however is that, if it does stick, your opponent is on the back foot dealing with this 5/2 beast that can only be blocked by 2 or more creatures. The fact that Civic Saber sticks around after removal is pretty irrelevant when, by turn 3 and 4 you’re up against Loxodon Smiters, Boros Reckoners, Master of Waves, and Desecration Demons.
Sadly, Civic Saber is one of those jewels of limited play that is JUST beneath the minimum-standard playability floor.
THanks for this, this makes a lot of sense actually. I am thinking of going down to 2 or 3 saber main and then try to add tormented hero or firedrinker for another 1 drop. Not sure.. I like the suggestion of trying a U base to I am going to think up a list real quick. Maybe U/W or U/G for the Dryad militant also. hmmmm I also like the Slitherhead Idea... Here let's try this again..
4 Slitherhead
4 Rakdos Shred Freak
4 Spike Jester
3 Hellhole Flailer
2 Exava Blood Witch
2 Mugging (dig the idea for maindeck)
3 Dreadbore
2 mizzium mortars
2 Chandra, Pyromancer
3x Rakdos guildgate
2x Mutavault
4x Blood Crypt
7x Mountain
7x Swamp
I almost wanna try to fit Death-rite shaman in there somewhere... Mostly cause it was one of the first good play-sets I collected and I never get to use it anywhere.. Can't believe a card that is viable in every format has depreciated in value since I bought it, meh.
Yeahhhh I don't know man the Saber just might not be good enough anywhere to really steal the slot... I like this kinda deck though seems like it could blow some people out.. I like it more than mono R think.. Don't see slitherhead often. Maybe G/B for Varolz would be something? I need to get some MTGO cards to test there.. Or just DL cockatrice again,
While a 5/2 vigilant first striker is nice, keep in mind that equipment does not trigger Heroic. This is another instance in which Madcap Skills out-shines Civic Saber.
Well it doesn't really matter anyways. I put together a bunch of different concepts last night and the only ones that worked were the ones where anax & cymede had a civic saber and the opponent didn't have removal.
Besides - everyone argues that a&c doesn't work if you don't trigger heroic, but a&c is a pretty good creature regardless. It just doesn't have a home right now.
This may be off topic, but I have seen Anax and Cymede function well in American Hero’s (WUR Heroic). The deck is right on the verge of being a tier 2 deck but will probably have to wait until Journey Into Nyx before it is consistent enough to be compeditive.