I'm relativly new to the commander format, my play group has recently bought the new precons and we've literly played 3 games of commander thus far. The format seems really fun and interesting and now i'm looking to improve on the Mirror Mastery precon that I have and would appreciate some guidance.
I'm posting my changes below, this is just from a brief sweep through my files and all suggestions are welcome. I'm not looking for any instant "I win" combos, I preffer more interaction.
Your initial changes look mostly good, the big exception being Primordial Hydra. Sadly, it doesn't work with Riku. X is only copied on a spell, when the spell is on the stack, everywhere else is 0. Riku copies a creature when it is on the battlefield, your copied hydra will have no counters (counters are not a copyable attribute) on it and die to being a 0/0. (Same is true of the whelk)
other than that, I would recommend slowly replacing some of the weaker precon cards with some stronger ones as time goes on:
Some examples:
Armillary Sphere -> any kind of actual spell that ramps, that way you get stuff in play, and you can copy it too.
Nucklavee -> I have found him in general to be expensive and underwhelming. Izzet chronarch gives more range of options to choose from.
Rapacious one -> I don't know if you consider him a threat or mana, but theres better in both categories.
Spitebellows -> has to die to work, and its a 6/1 otherwise, I have found it underwhelming. Flametongue Kavu has worked better for me.
Valley Rannet -> is eaither a bad craw wurm, or a bad land search, both sides there are better spells you can use.
Krosan Tusker -> see above. My main gripe is that you cant copy the cycling triggers. The creatures are also underwhelming.
Trench Gorger -> is actually really strong, but your copy will only be a 6/6. The modifed stat will not be copied.
Overall you also have a lot of legendary creatures in the deck, which lowers your copyable targets. Not every creature needs to be copied, but every one that isn't, is a creature that's not using your general.
Take out the hydra and Draining Whelk. Also, take out Disaster Radius, Rapacious One, Valley Rannet, and 1 of the signets.
Suggestions: Mystic Snake - if you need a creature/counterspell Sakishima the Imposter - if 1 Riku is fun, 2 Rikus or Kiki-Jiki's should be more fun. Inferno Titan - 6 damage if copied should be pretty good as a sorcery-type "burn" spell. Plow Under - Screws tempo of an opponent or two. Temporal Spring - Also another tempo changer. Regrowth Coiling Oracle - basically like "Explore"
The posters above have made some suggestions that I would have given, so I'll only contribute Cauldron of Souls + Oran-Rief, the Vastwood. Once Riku hits the table, he is going to be a target. The Cauldron helps to keep him around, gives a chance to reuse your other creatures' enters-the-battlefield abilities, and can let you copy creatures again with Riku. Creatures with built-in persist are also quite good, notably Woodfall Primus and Glen Elendra Archmage.
Thanks for the replys everyone, some really interesting thoughts here.
I'm going to have to do some serious digging through my files to come up with some nice replacements for the things bob mention I should take out. I agree they aren't great cards to use.
I really like the Cauldron of Souls + Oran-Rief, the Vastwood synergy. My group is quite new to the format so needless to stay no ones commander survives very long. More of a problem for my Riku then say their Zedruu and friends.
On to my second round of changes. I'm a little cautious about replacing creatures with spells, I suppose it depends on the situation. I still encourage comments and advice, loving the format.
Not too sure what to replace Armillary Sphere with, keeping my eyes open.
Anything. Seriously. Even Rampant Growth would be better than Armillary Sphere. And you can copy it to get two lands into play later on if you need to...
I've just discovered (pardon the pun) Journey of Discovery unless thats too mana intensive?
You had the same thought I did, but it is still too intensive. Nature's Lore, Farseek, and Skyshroud Claim is more in the range that you should be thinking of. You could probably also run Harrow if you aren't scared of the control game.
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I'm relativly new to the commander format, my play group has recently bought the new precons and we've literly played 3 games of commander thus far. The format seems really fun and interesting and now i'm looking to improve on the Mirror Mastery precon that I have and would appreciate some guidance.
I'm posting my changes below, this is just from a brief sweep through my files and all suggestions are welcome. I'm not looking for any instant "I win" combos, I preffer more interaction.
Edit: 2nd Round of changes in post 8
1 Æthersnipe
1 Animar, Soul of Elements
1 Artisan of Kozilek
1 Avatar of Fury
1 Flametoungue Kavu
1 Seedborn Muse
1 Deadwood Treefolk
1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
1 Elvish Aberration
1 Keiga, the Tide Star
1 Fierce Empath
1 Hydra Omnivore
1 Intet, the Dreamer
1 Izzet Chronarch
1 Magmatic Force
1 Primordial Hydra
1 Rumbling Slum
1 Simic Sky Swallower
1 Trench Gorger
1 Veteran Explorer
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Armillary Sphere
1 Brainstorm
1 Call the Skybreaker
1 Chain Reaction
1 Bribery
1 Cultivate
1 Capsize
1 Disaster Radius
1 Electrolyze
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Evacuation
1 Firespout
1 Gruul Signet
1 Hull Breach
1 Hunting Pack
1 Gather Specimines
1 Izzet Signet
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Prophetic Bolt
1 Druidic Satchel
1 Ray of Command
1 Rite of Replication
1 Savage Twister
1 Simic Signet
1 Sol Ring
1 Spell Crumple
1 Tribute to the Wild
1 Vengeful Rebirth
1 Vow of Flight
1 Defence of the Heart
1 Vow of Wildness
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Blatant Theivery
1 Cauldron of Souls
1 Rolling Thunder
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
11 Forest
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Fungal Reaches
1 Gruul Turf
1 Homeward Path
7 Island
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Kazandu Refuge
8 Mountain
1 Rupture Spire
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Temple of the False God
1 Vivid Crag
1 Vivid Creek
1 Vivid Grove
1 Tectonic Edge
-1 Invigorate
-1 Collective Voyage
-1 Colossal Might
-1 Fire/Ice
-1 Forest
-1 Vow of Lightning
-1 Prophetic Prism
-1 Magus of the Vineyard
-1 Baloth Woodcrasher
-1 Faultgrinder
-1 Chartooth Cougar
-1 Conundrum Sphinx
-1 Ruination
-1 Death by Dragons
+1 Tectonic edge
+1 Draining Whelk
+1 Seedborn Muse
+1 Druidic Satchel
+1 Rite of Replication
+1 Evacuation
+1 Gather Specimines
+1 Defence of the Heart
+1 Capsize
+1 Keiga, the Tide Star
+1 Primordial Hydra
+1 Bribery
+1 Tooth and Nail
+1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
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Staffother than that, I would recommend slowly replacing some of the weaker precon cards with some stronger ones as time goes on:
Some examples:
Armillary Sphere -> any kind of actual spell that ramps, that way you get stuff in play, and you can copy it too.
Nucklavee -> I have found him in general to be expensive and underwhelming. Izzet chronarch gives more range of options to choose from.
Rapacious one -> I don't know if you consider him a threat or mana, but theres better in both categories.
Spitebellows -> has to die to work, and its a 6/1 otherwise, I have found it underwhelming. Flametongue Kavu has worked better for me.
Valley Rannet -> is eaither a bad craw wurm, or a bad land search, both sides there are better spells you can use.
Krosan Tusker -> see above. My main gripe is that you cant copy the cycling triggers. The creatures are also underwhelming.
Trench Gorger -> is actually really strong, but your copy will only be a 6/6. The modifed stat will not be copied.
Overall you also have a lot of legendary creatures in the deck, which lowers your copyable targets. Not every creature needs to be copied, but every one that isn't, is a creature that's not using your general.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Suggestions:
Mystic Snake - if you need a creature/counterspell
Sakishima the Imposter - if 1 Riku is fun, 2 Rikus or Kiki-Jiki's should be more fun.
Inferno Titan - 6 damage if copied should be pretty good as a sorcery-type "burn" spell.
Plow Under - Screws tempo of an opponent or two.
Temporal Spring - Also another tempo changer.
Regrowth
Coiling Oracle - basically like "Explore"
I'm going to have to do some serious digging through my files to come up with some nice replacements for the things bob mention I should take out. I agree they aren't great cards to use.
I really like the Cauldron of Souls + Oran-Rief, the Vastwood synergy. My group is quite new to the format so needless to stay no ones commander survives very long. More of a problem for my Riku then say their Zedruu and friends.
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StaffRetired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
-Nucklavee As mentioned and now from some experience, I've found the limitations of what I can bring back too narrow, especially after adding spells like Tooth and Nail
-Rapacious one
-Spitebellows
-Valley Rannet
-Krosan Tusker
-Forrest
-Draining Whelk While I do like this card it may have been a little over the top, still looking to acquire a Mystic Snake
+Blatant Thievery Looked too interesting to pass up.
+Rumbling Slum
+Izzet Chonarch
+Cauldron of Souls
+Rolling Thunder
+Oran-Rief the Vastwood
+Flametoungue Kavu
Not too sure what to replace Armillary Sphere with, keeping my eyes open.
Anything. Seriously. Even Rampant Growth would be better than Armillary Sphere. And you can copy it to get two lands into play later on if you need to...
Maybe Expedition Map? Gets any land.
Viperion
You had the same thought I did, but it is still too intensive. Nature's Lore, Farseek, and Skyshroud Claim is more in the range that you should be thinking of. You could probably also run Harrow if you aren't scared of the control game.