Like many of my builds, this one showcases the power of a particular card. Here, that card is Ephemerate.
With the release of Ephemerate, Ice-Fang Coatl, Force of Negation, and Archmage's Charm, Bant Draw-Go and Tempo strategies have been supercharged. Your permission wall can be up starting on turn 1 and stay up indefinitely with the strong card draw, and all of your creatures have flash.
Cards like Ephemerate, Archmage's Charm, Snapcaster Mage, and Serum Visions give you an abundance of options each turn. Force of Negation is easy to pitch because most cards are blue and your card draw is fantastic.
Ephemerate gets busted easily, as you can flash in a creature EOT to block, blink it, and get two ETB effects out of it. Similarly, you can blink in response to removal and get two ETBs. This is basically a 3-for-1 for W at instant speed, or one of the closest things we have to Ancestral Recall in the format.
The fact that it gives you great options pushes it over the edge. Ice-Fang Coatl gives you extra cards, Vendilion Clique totally shreds the opponent's hand, Spell Queller can counter a critical spell, and Snapcaster Mage can do almost anything two more times, such as refilling your hand with used Archmage's Charms.
EDIT: Updated the sideboard to include Collector Ouphe and Kitchen Finks instead of Stony Silence and Leyline of Sanctity.
I'm still not really sold on Ephemerate as "rebound" doesn't really work that well with the blink effect since it takes a creature off th board for 2 turns which is quite a luxury unless you're far ahead already and don't really need it in combat.
I'd probably rather play more interaction instead: Mana Leak/Logic Knot, Spell Snare/Prohibit or Vapor Snag.
I've always prefered Resto to Cloudshift (Essence Flux/Momentary Blink) type effects as it has a reasonable body and isn't a dead card on an empty board and also isn't blown out by a well timed removal spell.
I tried Restoration Angel and Frilled Mystic. You don't really need Resto's body and you tend to have more options than the mana to cast all of them, so 4cc is a lot. Same reason why there's no Cryptic Command, and also Frilled Mystic, which is even more strict on the mana.
Nimble Obstructionist is fine, but I prefer the 4th Vendilion Clique because it's busted against control and combo if you Ephemerate it, you can pitch extras to Force of Negation or use them as surprise blockers, or bypass drawing them with Serum Visions.
I'm still not really sold on Ephemerate as "rebound" doesn't really work that well with the blink effect since it takes a creature off the board for 2 turns which is quite a luxury unless you're far ahead already and don't really need it in combat.
Ephemerate can help in combat though, since you can save a blocker before damage is assigned while reaping extra benefits. You can also Ephemerate a Snapcaster Mage to flashback a Path to Exile or Archmage's Charm (steal a 1-drop creature). Also, if you just can't beat them in combat with what you have, sometimes it's worth it to use Ephemerate to dig. Post-board, it helps you find Settle the Wreckage or a Snapcaster to flash it back.
Try testing it a few times on Cockatrice and you'll see how often you have more counterspells than you know what to do with. The Xerox properties of the deck are very good at making sure you have enough. In fact, with 4x Remand, 4x Pact of Negation, 4x Archmage's Charm, 4x Spell Queller, and 4x Snapcaster Mage, you effectively have 20 permission spells before you even factor in all the card draw.
I'll also note that I originally had Spell Pierce and Spell Snare, but found that they were dead too often past the first few turns. I tried Force of Negation and Archmage's Charm instead and haven't looked back. Pact is much better at protecting you at all times and you always have an extra card to pitch. Charm is just an incredibly strong and versatile spell that is excellent with Snapcaster if the game goes long since you can use it to refill your hand.
I've always prefered Resto to Cloudshift (Essence Flux/Momentary Blink) type effects as it has a reasonable body and isn't a dead card on an empty board and also isn't blown out by a well timed removal spell.
Restoration Angel is great. It's just that 4 is a lot in a deck that draws as many cards as this one and Snapcaster or counterspell + 1cc spell are already your "big plays."
Also, the thing with Ephemerate that makes it stand out is the fact that it only costs W and you get two uses out of it. In fact, I designed this entire deck around abusing Ephemerate, with a basic goal of lots of cheap ETB creatures with flash. The 1-mana cost and double blink really put it in a class of its own, and the deck wouldn't be nearly as powerful with any of the other options.
The sideboard isn't something I've put much thought into, but Leyline of Sanctity is to help against burn and discard strategies.
You could also use Absorb or something. Any suggestions?
Your mana base looks painful as all get-out with its 8 shocklands and 8 fetchlands. The only deck where I play that many shocklands is UGrx Scapeshift (because it needs the Mountains). I'd replace 2 Breeding Pool with 2 Botanical Sanctum and 2 Hallowed Fountain with 2 Seachrome Coast. It's OK to have more fetchlands than fetchable lands.
Your mana base looks painful as all get-out with its 8 shocklands and 8 fetchlands. The only deck where I play that many shocklands is UGrx Scapeshift (because it needs the Mountains). I'd replace 2 Breeding Pool with 2 Botanical Sanctum and 2 Hallowed Fountain with 2 Seachrome Coast. It's OK to have more fetchlands than fetchable lands.
Fair enough. I haven't yet optimized the mana base for minimal damage, but will do so. Thanks.
Wow, I must have read the card over 10 times and was only seeing what I THOUGHT it said! Thanks for pointing that out! At least all of those snow lands will be painless!
Brineborn Cutthroat is next on my to-test list! However, it's just a beater and doesn't play as well with Ephemerate, nor does it have evasion, nor is it great at ambushing attackers, so I'm skeptical of it making the cut.
Opt over Serum Visions is totally your call. I originally ran a split, but found myself wanting the extra digging power more, especially in the early game. It helps you bypass extra copies of Vendilion Clique, make your land drops, keep your card draw engine going, keep at least one permission spell in hand at all times, dig for a needed Path to Exile, etc. Usually when I flashback a spell with Snapcaster Mage, it's a Path, Force, or Charm, and if I do need to flashback a Visions, doing it on my own turn hasn't been a big deal.
Still, it's totally fine to run Opt if you feel more comfortable with it. You might need to include an extra land though.
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4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Breeding Pool
4x Flooded Strand
4x Misty Rainforest
2x Celestial Colonnade
2x Snow-Covered Island
INSTANTS: (20)
4x Path to Exile
4x Ephemerate
4x Remand
4x Force of Negation
4x Archmage's Charm
4x Snapcaster Mage
4x Ice-Fang Coatl
4x Vendilion Clique
4x Spell Queller
SORCERIES: (4)
4x Serum Visions
4 Rest in Peace
4 Collector Ouphe
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Settle the Wreckage
Like many of my builds, this one showcases the power of a particular card. Here, that card is Ephemerate.
With the release of Ephemerate, Ice-Fang Coatl, Force of Negation, and Archmage's Charm, Bant Draw-Go and Tempo strategies have been supercharged. Your permission wall can be up starting on turn 1 and stay up indefinitely with the strong card draw, and all of your creatures have flash.
Cards like Ephemerate, Archmage's Charm, Snapcaster Mage, and Serum Visions give you an abundance of options each turn. Force of Negation is easy to pitch because most cards are blue and your card draw is fantastic.
Ephemerate gets busted easily, as you can flash in a creature EOT to block, blink it, and get two ETB effects out of it. Similarly, you can blink in response to removal and get two ETBs. This is basically a 3-for-1 for W at instant speed, or one of the closest things we have to Ancestral Recall in the format.
The fact that it gives you great options pushes it over the edge. Ice-Fang Coatl gives you extra cards, Vendilion Clique totally shreds the opponent's hand, Spell Queller can counter a critical spell, and Snapcaster Mage can do almost anything two more times, such as refilling your hand with used Archmage's Charms.
EDIT: Updated the sideboard to include Collector Ouphe and Kitchen Finks instead of Stony Silence and Leyline of Sanctity.
Why not go with 2x Restoration Angel or 2x Nimble Obstructionist instead ?
Frilled Mystic is also pretty decent but the mana cost is a bit rough.
I'm still not really sold on Ephemerate as "rebound" doesn't really work that well with the blink effect since it takes a creature off th board for 2 turns which is quite a luxury unless you're far ahead already and don't really need it in combat.
I'd probably rather play more interaction instead: Mana Leak/Logic Knot, Spell Snare/Prohibit or Vapor Snag.
I've always prefered Resto to Cloudshift (Essence Flux/Momentary Blink) type effects as it has a reasonable body and isn't a dead card on an empty board and also isn't blown out by a well timed removal spell.
Also, why 4x Leyline in the SB ?
I tried Restoration Angel and Frilled Mystic. You don't really need Resto's body and you tend to have more options than the mana to cast all of them, so 4cc is a lot. Same reason why there's no Cryptic Command, and also Frilled Mystic, which is even more strict on the mana.
Nimble Obstructionist is fine, but I prefer the 4th Vendilion Clique because it's busted against control and combo if you Ephemerate it, you can pitch extras to Force of Negation or use them as surprise blockers, or bypass drawing them with Serum Visions.
Ephemerate can help in combat though, since you can save a blocker before damage is assigned while reaping extra benefits. You can also Ephemerate a Snapcaster Mage to flashback a Path to Exile or Archmage's Charm (steal a 1-drop creature). Also, if you just can't beat them in combat with what you have, sometimes it's worth it to use Ephemerate to dig. Post-board, it helps you find Settle the Wreckage or a Snapcaster to flash it back.
Try testing it a few times on Cockatrice and you'll see how often you have more counterspells than you know what to do with. The Xerox properties of the deck are very good at making sure you have enough. In fact, with 4x Remand, 4x Pact of Negation, 4x Archmage's Charm, 4x Spell Queller, and 4x Snapcaster Mage, you effectively have 20 permission spells before you even factor in all the card draw.
I'll also note that I originally had Spell Pierce and Spell Snare, but found that they were dead too often past the first few turns. I tried Force of Negation and Archmage's Charm instead and haven't looked back. Pact is much better at protecting you at all times and you always have an extra card to pitch. Charm is just an incredibly strong and versatile spell that is excellent with Snapcaster if the game goes long since you can use it to refill your hand.
Restoration Angel is great. It's just that 4 is a lot in a deck that draws as many cards as this one and Snapcaster or counterspell + 1cc spell are already your "big plays."
Also, the thing with Ephemerate that makes it stand out is the fact that it only costs W and you get two uses out of it. In fact, I designed this entire deck around abusing Ephemerate, with a basic goal of lots of cheap ETB creatures with flash. The 1-mana cost and double blink really put it in a class of its own, and the deck wouldn't be nearly as powerful with any of the other options.
The sideboard isn't something I've put much thought into, but Leyline of Sanctity is to help against burn and discard strategies.
You could also use Absorb or something. Any suggestions?
Wow, I must have read the card over 10 times and was only seeing what I THOUGHT it said! Thanks for pointing that out! At least all of those snow lands will be painless!
Also, why not go with Opt over Serum Visions ?
Brineborn Cutthroat is next on my to-test list! However, it's just a beater and doesn't play as well with Ephemerate, nor does it have evasion, nor is it great at ambushing attackers, so I'm skeptical of it making the cut.
Opt over Serum Visions is totally your call. I originally ran a split, but found myself wanting the extra digging power more, especially in the early game. It helps you bypass extra copies of Vendilion Clique, make your land drops, keep your card draw engine going, keep at least one permission spell in hand at all times, dig for a needed Path to Exile, etc. Usually when I flashback a spell with Snapcaster Mage, it's a Path, Force, or Charm, and if I do need to flashback a Visions, doing it on my own turn hasn't been a big deal.
Still, it's totally fine to run Opt if you feel more comfortable with it. You might need to include an extra land though.