I'm new to the forums, so in advance I apologize for any discrepancies or misspellings.
I've been taking a break from my ravager affinity legacy deck and rediscovering the beauty of creative deck creation and experimentation. I'm not only looking for thoughts and input, but potentially solutions to some of the recurring issues with a deck I've been toying with that abuses the cycling mechanic. It seems to run some efficient t3 kills, but it's point of weakness appears to be bad opening draws. The deck is as follows:
The win con revolves around getting a Fluctuator into play by turn 2 or 3 then cycling into an island and laboratory maniac at the end of your opponents turn 3 or 4. When you enter your main phase the following turn you play your island and cycle through your entire deck then stick laboratory maniac and cycle or Gitaxian probe triggering his effect ftw. Obviously it is sucebtible to several hate cards and single points of failure can break its potential to win, thus the casual classification.
Thoughts and positive input are greatly appreciated. Questions welcome, and I look forward to being an active part of the community.
Edit*
Following CrispyLink's advice I took to experimenting with the decks cycle cards to come up with a delay/long term strategy in the event you don't have Fluctuator in your opening. This is the deck in its second iteration:
Since this deck is not cycling creatures to power out a big Songs of the Damned, I don't think it is necessary to play a bunch of creatures like Bloated Toad or Disciple of Grace which have little utility otherwise. You could try replacing some of the creatures with other cyclers like: Miscalculation, Rescind, Swat, Unburden, etc.
If you have a Fluctuator in your opening hand, you can still combo off as usual; but, in situations where you don't have Fluctuator, it might be more useful to have some cards which give more options to play the long game. Some decks aren't particularly bothered by 1-2 power creatures with protection (ie. combo decks, sweepers, evasion creatures, artifact decks, etc).
You could always keep those creatures for the sideboard, and bring them in only if they have the relavent protection from your opponent's colors (eg. Disciple of Law/Rune of Protection: Red vs. mono red).
Thank you I'll look into these revisions and give them a run. I had only considered the creeps to be fodder or unearth with protection in the long game, but what you said definitely alters my opinion on that matter. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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I've been taking a break from my ravager affinity legacy deck and rediscovering the beauty of creative deck creation and experimentation. I'm not only looking for thoughts and input, but potentially solutions to some of the recurring issues with a deck I've been toying with that abuses the cycling mechanic. It seems to run some efficient t3 kills, but it's point of weakness appears to be bad opening draws. The deck is as follows:
4x Drifting Meadow
1x Island
4x Polluted Mire
4x Remote Isle
4x Slippery Karst
4x Smoldering Crater
3x Bloated Toad
4x Cloud of Faeries
4x Disciple of Grace
4x Disciple of Law
4x Disciple of Malice
1x Laboratory Maniac
4x Street Wraith
1x Clear
1x Rapid Decay
1x Repopulate
Sorceries (8)
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Unearth
Artifacts (4)
4x Fluctuator
The win con revolves around getting a Fluctuator into play by turn 2 or 3 then cycling into an island and laboratory maniac at the end of your opponents turn 3 or 4. When you enter your main phase the following turn you play your island and cycle through your entire deck then stick laboratory maniac and cycle or Gitaxian probe triggering his effect ftw. Obviously it is sucebtible to several hate cards and single points of failure can break its potential to win, thus the casual classification.
Thoughts and positive input are greatly appreciated. Questions welcome, and I look forward to being an active part of the community.
Edit*
Following CrispyLink's advice I took to experimenting with the decks cycle cards to come up with a delay/long term strategy in the event you don't have Fluctuator in your opening. This is the deck in its second iteration:
4x Drifting Meadow
1x Island
4x Polluted Mire
4x Remote Isle
4x Slippery Karst
4x Smoldering Crater
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Creatures (5)
4x Street Wraith
1x Laboratory Maniac
4x Sicken
Spells (26)
4x Expunge
4x Miscalculation
4x Rescind
4x Swat
1x Rapid Decay
1x Rebuild
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Unburden
3x Fluctuator
1x Bloated Toad
1x Disciple of Grace
1x Disciple of Law
1x Disciple of Malice
1x Rapid Decay
1x Rebuild
1x Tormod's Crypt
2x Undead Gladiator
4x Unearth
2x Decree of Pain
The removal suite is effective against Aggro and single target threats while also continuing the chain when the combo goes off.
Since this deck is not cycling creatures to power out a big Songs of the Damned, I don't think it is necessary to play a bunch of creatures like Bloated Toad or Disciple of Grace which have little utility otherwise. You could try replacing some of the creatures with other cyclers like: Miscalculation, Rescind, Swat, Unburden, etc.
If you have a Fluctuator in your opening hand, you can still combo off as usual; but, in situations where you don't have Fluctuator, it might be more useful to have some cards which give more options to play the long game. Some decks aren't particularly bothered by 1-2 power creatures with protection (ie. combo decks, sweepers, evasion creatures, artifact decks, etc).
You could always keep those creatures for the sideboard, and bring them in only if they have the relavent protection from your opponent's colors (eg. Disciple of Law/Rune of Protection: Red vs. mono red).