Intro: I know there are a lot TON of Rafiq decks out there already, which is why I haven’t posted mine before this… that being said, I’ve had this deck together for a while and I absolutely love it. It focuses on the Exalted mechanic a lot so there’s some little dudes in here that don’t do much else but most of the creatures in the deck have multiple jobs (beats + removal, steal, pump, etc.). Feel free to comment if you’d like; suggestions are always welcome!
Cards that I’m not sold on or have underperformed in the past:
Tolsimir Wolfblood – Pumps a bit and makes a ghetto wolf, meh Bear Umbra – I love this card but I’m not sure it does enough for me in this deck. The ramp is nice, but I’m thinking about replacing it with something that gives me more card advantage. This deck has such a low mana curve that more often than not, I’m left with an empty hand and more mana than I know what to do with.
Also, I’m trying to decide whether or not Bloom Tender deserves a place in this deck…
I'd say cull out some of the little dudes for a few other fatties and some tricks. And Tooth and Nail to put the fatties in (or Eladamri's Call).
I've run a friends Rafiq a few times and really enjoyed it, you've already got the main stuff I look for (finest hour, rector, witness, E-tutor, Shards, Wake)
@Bloom Tender: I think it depends on what your goal is. If you want to power out Rafiq a turn early, then he's fine, but there are plenty of other 2cc ramp spells (Signets, Rampant Growth, Farseek, etc) that work just as well.
You definitely need some more bullets for your Sovereigns package.
- Eldrazi Conscription is a must-have.
- Shield of the Oversoul is another good one I've seen some local Rafiq players use.
- Corrupted Conscience might be fun to try out.
- At the very least, I'd suggest doing a search on Gatherer for Bant-colored Auras.
Other cards you might consider picking up:
- Knotvine Paladin: because exalted guys are generally left untapped.
- Green Sun's Zenith: you can build a pretty nice little package around this card. It already digs up Rafiq, E-Witness, and some Disenchant creatures. I'm sure you could add some more utility guys if you search Gatherer.
- Asceticism: cuz it's extremely underrated and exactly the kind of card that Rafiq needs.
For cuts, I'd take another look at some of your exalted creatures. A few of them (Ethercaste Knight, Knight of Infamy, Akrasan Squire, etc) are probably a little too underwhelming for this format. If your only excuse for playing a certain card is the word "exalted", cut it. Granted, there are a couple exceptions (Sublime Archangel).
I would also cut Glorious Anthem. That card is only good in a token deck, and this isn't a token deck.
Agree on cutting Tolsimir, but not sure if new Isperia is what this deck wants. I'd save that slot for another Sovereigns target instead.
Agreed on cutting the Anthem, but Skullclamp isn't really the answer either...it works best in a token deck with a lot of small guys, and this isn't that kind of deck. Don't get me wrong, I love the card, but it just doesn't fit here.
Agreed on cutting Wrath, because there are lots of better options, but I'd replace it with a better sweeper (such as Cataclysm, or more recently, Divine Reckoning). If you need more spot removal, find another slot for it. Maybe replace Condemn with Path, since it doesn't have to wait for the combat step to remove something.
Cultivate is one of those cards that's always good, even on turn 10. I would put Eladamri's Call in for Worldly Tutor, since they fill the same role, but Call is just a little bit better.
Agree on cutting Tolsimir, but not sure if new Isperia is what this deck wants. I'd save that slot for another Sovereigns target instead.
Agreed on cutting the Anthem, but Skullclamp isn't really the answer either...it works best in a token deck with a lot of small guys, and this isn't that kind of deck. Don't get me wrong, I love the card, but it just doesn't fit here.
Agreed on cutting Wrath, because there are lots of better options, but I'd replace it with a better sweeper (such as Cataclysm, or more recently, Divine Reckoning). If you need more spot removal, find another slot for it. Maybe replace Condemn with Path, since it doesn't have to wait for the combat step to remove something.
I love me some Fact or Fiction, but I wouldn't cut Praetor's Counsel for it. See if you can fit both in there somehow.
Cultivate is one of those cards that's always good, even on turn 10. I would put Eladamri's Call in for Worldly Tutor, since they fill the same role, but Call is just a little bit better.
Aight, lemme play test these changes and see how it flows and I'll see about making more changes...
Skullclamp is usually the first target I tutor with Stoneforge Mystic, Trinket Mage or Tezzeret The Seeker. The value is amazing, though I think I have more targets for it. Praetor's Counsel on the other hand is card I usually add in every green deck I'm building, but eventually end up cutting it. I don't think it gives enough value for eight mana.
Skullclamp is usually the first target I tutor with Stoneforge Mystic, Trinket Mage or Tezzeret The Seeker. The value is amazing, though I think I have more targets for it. Praetor's Counsel on the other hand is card I usually add in every green deck I'm building, but eventually end up cutting it. I don't think it gives enough value for eight mana.
Ya, I always him and haw about Praetor's Counsel but finally end up finding a slot for it. I've had way to many games where I play it and my opponent(s) just scoop because they can't handle me replaying everything they just spent 3 turns destroying. The main problem with the card is there are very few ways to cheat it in so you end up with a dead card in your hand until late game, but on the other hand, you really don't normally have enough in your gy until late game to make it worth playing... As far a Skullclamp goes, there's only 6 insta-kill targets for it in the deck but most of my creatures, left unanswered, can be pretty scary so I think that it could still provide a steady flow of draw. I might decide to take it out later for something different but for now ima leave it in.
Yeah I would totally keep the clamp in the deck, as you can sac your guys with high market too. Also Birthing Pod could be nice inclusion in your deck, as it plays well with the clamp and feeds your grave with guys you can later use again with Praetor's Counsel.
Hmm, I have one of those in my binder that I've never used... My brother swears by it but I've never gotten it to combo right. I'll have to think about trying it out
Pod seems counter-productive in an exalted deck...you wouldn't want to sacrifice a creature with an exalted trigger; they need to stay alive to trigger exalted. Furthermore, you don't have very many ways of reanimating the guys that you Pod-ed away.
Ya, I always him and haw about Praetor's Counsel but finally end up finding a slot for it. I've had way to many games where I play it and my opponent(s) just scoop because they can't handle me replaying everything they just spent 3 turns destroying. The main problem with the card is there are very few ways to cheat it in so you end up with a dead card in your hand until late game, but on the other hand, you really don't normally have enough in your gy until late game to make it worth playing... As far a Skullclamp goes, there's only 6 insta-kill targets for it in the deck but most of my creatures, left unanswered, can be pretty scary so I think that it could still provide a steady flow of draw. I might decide to take it out later for something different but for now ima leave it in.
You would really need more sac outlets, 1 toughness creatures, or more creatures with built-in sac options to make Skullclamp viable.
Pod seems counter-productive in an exalted deck...you wouldn't want to sacrifice a creature with an exalted trigger; they need to stay alive to trigger exalted. Furthermore, you don't have very many ways of reanimating the guys that you Pod-ed away.
He would just need to add Birthing Pod, Reveillark, and Body Double to be able to start bringing in bombs like Sovereigns, Putrefax, what not
Personally, I have a rafiq deck that revolves around cheap threats that do something when they hit- creatures in the vein of trygon predator, cold eyed selkie, avenging druid, cephalid constable.
You'd be surprised how much damage a single augury adept can do with rafiq out, and a piece of equipment. Plus you're drawing 2 cards and likely gaining ~ 6 life.
The new cipher ability only adds to that (Cast the 6 cc blue clone spell, cipher onto a guy, then double strike for an additional two copies). This style i think, ensures your deck always has something to do, and doesn't really mind board wipes.
At the very least, you might consider faith's reward or twilight angel.
Personally, I have a rafiq deck that revolves around cheap threats that do something when they hit- creatures in the vein of trygon predator, cold eyed selkie, avenging druid, cephalid constable.
You'd be surprised how much damage a single augury adept can do with rafiq out, and a piece of equipment. Plus you're drawing 2 cards and likely gaining ~ 6 life.
The new cipher ability only adds to that (Cast the 6 cc blue clone spell, cipher onto a guy, then double strike for an additional two copies). This style i think, ensures your deck always has something to do, and doesn't really mind board wipes.
At the very least, you might consider faith's reward or twilight angel.
I was really surprised by how garbage-y Trygon has always been for me in Rafiq. It seemed like an obvious auto-include, but it never once even got to attack for me. For artifact/enchantment hate, Harmonic Sliver is insaaaanely better (again, counterintuitive) because a) it doesn't rely on getting through in combat b) it does it right away instead of waiting a turn (very important!!!) and c) Clone effects are so sexy with the sliver
lotTON of Rafiq decks out there already, which is why I haven’t posted mine before this… that being said, I’ve had this deck together for a while and I absolutely love it. It focuses on the Exalted mechanic a lot so there’s some little dudes in here that don’t do much else but most of the creatures in the deck have multiple jobs (beats + removal, steal, pump, etc.). Feel free to comment if you’d like; suggestions are always welcome!1 Rafiq of the Many
Creatures (26):
1 Academy Rector
1 Battlegrace Angel
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Eternal Witness
1 Frontline Sage
1 Gilded Drake
1 Giltspire Avenger
1 Harmonic Sliver
1 Jenara, Asura of War
1 Karmic Guide
1 Knight of Glory
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Meddling Mage
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Prophet of Kruphix
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Sovereigns of Lost Alara
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Stoic Angel
1 Sublime Arcangel
1 Sun Titan
1 Trygon Predator
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Yosei, the Morning Star
Non-Creature Artifacts (4):
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Angelic Benediction
1 Angelic Destiny
1 Ardent Plea
1 Aura Shards
1 Bear Umbra
1 Defense of the Heart
1 Eldrazi Conscription
1 Finest Hour
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Greater Good
1 Mirari’s Wake
1 Privileged Position
1 Rhystic Study
1 Spectra Ward
1 Story Circle
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Treachery
Instants (8):
1 Condemn
1 Eladamri's Call
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Fact of Fiction
1 Krosan Grip
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Worldly Tutor
Sorceries (7):
1 Austere Command
1 Bribery
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Kodama’s Reach
1 Praetor’s Councel
1 Regrowth
1 Tooth and Nail
3 Plains
3 Island
4 Forest
1 Breeding Pool
1 Brushland
1 Cathedral of War
1 Command Tower
1 Flooded Grove
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 High Market
1 Homeward Path
1 Krosan Verge
1 Maze of Ith
1 Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Mystic Gate
1 Razorverge Thicket
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Rishadan Port
1 Savannah
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Strip Mine
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Temple Garden
1 Vesuva
1 Wooded Bastion
1 Yavimaya Hollow
Exalted Cards:
1 Cathedral of War - Land
1 Angelic Benediction - Enchantment
1 Ardent Plea - Enchantment
1 Finest Hour - Enchantment
1 Battlegrace Angel - Creature
1 Frontline Sage - Creature
1 Giltspire Avenger - Creature
1 Knight of Glory - Creature
1 Noble Hierarch - Creature
1 Qasali Pridemage - Creature
1 Sovereigns of Lost Alara - Creature
1 Sublime Arcangel - Creature
Cards that I’m not sold on or have underperformed in the past:
Tolsimir Wolfblood – Pumps a bit and makes a ghetto wolf, mehBear Umbra – I love this card but I’m not sure it does enough for me in this deck. The ramp is nice, but I’m thinking about replacing it with something that gives me more card advantage. This deck has such a low mana curve that more often than not, I’m left with an empty hand and more mana than I know what to do with.
Also, I’m trying to decide whether or not Bloom Tender deserves a place in this deck…
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Prophet of Kruphix
1 Praetor’s Councel
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Spectra Ward
Removes:
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Tolaria West
1 Isperia, Supreme Judge
1 Knotvine Paladin
1 Reveillark
1 Asceticism
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
You've pretty much identified the greatest weakness I see with this list. 1vs1 you'd be ok but against a table you WILL run out of steam
BRGrenzo, Dungeon Warden EDH
GAzusa, Always in a Rush EDH
GWUDerevi, Empyrial Warlord EDH
Trade thread on MOTL
I've run a friends Rafiq a few times and really enjoyed it, you've already got the main stuff I look for (finest hour, rector, witness, E-tutor, Shards, Wake)
Terastodon and Woodfall Primus come to mind for a little fat with extra value (much better than Trygon, imo)
Eldrazi Conscription is a whoopin.
Voidslime is a useful/versatile card.
Gilded Drake is some repeatable fun and can be a serious beast.
Banner by Nakamura, Thanks!
EDH Math
EDH Decks:
Ghost Council: The Magic Mafia of Orzhova
BB Drana: Down with the Sickness
Rasputin: Reality is Broken
Vish Kal Bleeder: Bloody Kisses
Teysa, Orzhov Dominatrix
Stonebrow: Breaking Things
BWR Kaalia Punisher: Heaven's on Fire
Grimgrin: Dead Reckoning
You definitely need some more bullets for your Sovereigns package.
- Eldrazi Conscription is a must-have.
- Shield of the Oversoul is another good one I've seen some local Rafiq players use.
- Corrupted Conscience might be fun to try out.
- At the very least, I'd suggest doing a search on Gatherer for Bant-colored Auras.
Other cards you might consider picking up:
- Knotvine Paladin: because exalted guys are generally left untapped.
- Green Sun's Zenith: you can build a pretty nice little package around this card. It already digs up Rafiq, E-Witness, and some Disenchant creatures. I'm sure you could add some more utility guys if you search Gatherer.
- Asceticism: cuz it's extremely underrated and exactly the kind of card that Rafiq needs.
For cuts, I'd take another look at some of your exalted creatures. A few of them (Ethercaste Knight, Knight of Infamy, Akrasan Squire, etc) are probably a little too underwhelming for this format. If your only excuse for playing a certain card is the word "exalted", cut it. Granted, there are a couple exceptions (Sublime Archangel).
I would also cut Glorious Anthem. That card is only good in a token deck, and this isn't a token deck.
Yeva (88/92 foils)
Raff
Scarab
Rakdos
Wort ($50 budget, 94/97 foils)
Trostani
- Tolsimir Wolfblood
+ Isperia, Supreme Judge
- Grand Abolisher
+ Gilded Drake
- Glorious Anthem
+ Skullclamp
- Wrath of God
+ Path to Exile
- Praetor's Counsel
+ Fact or Fiction
- Cultivate
+ Eladamri's Call
- Akrasan Squire
+ Woodfall Primus
- Aven Squire
+ Knotvine Paladin
- Ethercaste Knight
+ Green Sun's Zenith
- Mystical Tutor
+ Eldrazi Conscription
- Rhox Charger
+ Asceticism
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Agree on cutting Tolsimir, but not sure if new Isperia is what this deck wants. I'd save that slot for another Sovereigns target instead.
Agreed on cutting the Anthem, but Skullclamp isn't really the answer either...it works best in a token deck with a lot of small guys, and this isn't that kind of deck. Don't get me wrong, I love the card, but it just doesn't fit here.
Agreed on cutting Wrath, because there are lots of better options, but I'd replace it with a better sweeper (such as Cataclysm, or more recently, Divine Reckoning). If you need more spot removal, find another slot for it. Maybe replace Condemn with Path, since it doesn't have to wait for the combat step to remove something.
I love me some Fact or Fiction, but I wouldn't cut Praetor's Counsel for it. See if you can fit both in there somehow.
Cultivate is one of those cards that's always good, even on turn 10. I would put Eladamri's Call in for Worldly Tutor, since they fill the same role, but Call is just a little bit better.
Yeva (88/92 foils)
Raff
Scarab
Rakdos
Wort ($50 budget, 94/97 foils)
Trostani
Aight, lemme play test these changes and see how it flows and I'll see about making more changes...
I will make a tweak:
- Worldly Tutor
+ Praetor's Counsel
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Banner by Nakamura, Thanks!
EDH Math
EDH Decks:
Ghost Council: The Magic Mafia of Orzhova
BB Drana: Down with the Sickness
Rasputin: Reality is Broken
Vish Kal Bleeder: Bloody Kisses
Teysa, Orzhov Dominatrix
Stonebrow: Breaking Things
BWR Kaalia Punisher: Heaven's on Fire
Grimgrin: Dead Reckoning
I've got a soft spot for that guy but I sadly always cut him for something with an ability other than flying.
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Ya, I always him and haw about Praetor's Counsel but finally end up finding a slot for it. I've had way to many games where I play it and my opponent(s) just scoop because they can't handle me replaying everything they just spent 3 turns destroying. The main problem with the card is there are very few ways to cheat it in so you end up with a dead card in your hand until late game, but on the other hand, you really don't normally have enough in your gy until late game to make it worth playing... As far a Skullclamp goes, there's only 6 insta-kill targets for it in the deck but most of my creatures, left unanswered, can be pretty scary so I think that it could still provide a steady flow of draw. I might decide to take it out later for something different but for now ima leave it in.
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Yeva (88/92 foils)
Raff
Scarab
Rakdos
Wort ($50 budget, 94/97 foils)
Trostani
You would really need more sac outlets, 1 toughness creatures, or more creatures with built-in sac options to make Skullclamp viable.
He would just need to add Birthing Pod, Reveillark, and Body Double to be able to start bringing in bombs like Sovereigns, Putrefax, what not
BRGrenzo, Dungeon Warden EDH
GAzusa, Always in a Rush EDH
GWUDerevi, Empyrial Warlord EDH
Trade thread on MOTL
You'd be surprised how much damage a single augury adept can do with rafiq out, and a piece of equipment. Plus you're drawing 2 cards and likely gaining ~ 6 life.
The new cipher ability only adds to that (Cast the 6 cc blue clone spell, cipher onto a guy, then double strike for an additional two copies). This style i think, ensures your deck always has something to do, and doesn't really mind board wipes.
At the very least, you might consider faith's reward or twilight angel.
I was really surprised by how garbage-y Trygon has always been for me in Rafiq. It seemed like an obvious auto-include, but it never once even got to attack for me. For artifact/enchantment hate, Harmonic Sliver is insaaaanely better (again, counterintuitive) because a) it doesn't rely on getting through in combat b) it does it right away instead of waiting a turn (very important!!!) and c) Clone effects are so sexy with the sliver
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Prophet of Kruphix
1 Praetor’s Councel
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Spectra Ward
Removes:
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Tolaria West
1 Isperia, Supreme Judge
1 Knotvine Paladin
1 Reveillark
1 Asceticism
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted