Hey everyone Sadly when commander came out I chose the zedruu deck which sucks and i think i will like riku way better. Im open to all suggestions, but would like to keep these combos in the deck
time warp + riku's ability + various recursion
It That Betrays + Keldon Firebombers
So the first bit of advice I can give you is to head over and have a gander at SuperSonik's Riku Primer thread. Primers are threads that hold an immense amount of knowledge and serve as a resource for those seeking to build something similar. SuperSonik has taken extra measures and goes over almost any card you could ever want in a Riku thread. It's a good place to start.
You have a very split deck between creatures and spells, while this is ok for an adaptive build, the deck tends to be much smoother and stronger when you focus on one or the other. There are several reasons for this:
Focusing the deck on either side allows you to run more synergistic spells. For example, Clone has less effect if you have many spells in hand, whereas Mirari would be better in that situation. By spliiting your list in two between spells and creatures, you lessen the effectiveness of clone and Wild Ricochet a bit (though those cards obviously remain good regardless of build).
Focusing the deck can focus your mana base a lot more. Copying creatures requires green, copying spells requires red, by focusing more to one side or another, you can focus your mana base more to get more out of it every turn.
Focusing the deck increases the effectiveness of card-specific tutors, a Spell deck will have more options available to it for a Mystical Tutor, and a creature deck more answers available via worldly tutor, fauna shaman or Birthing Pod.
That said, focused decks are also weaker to direct targeted hate. A creature only deck would have problems against an Aether Flash, for example.
Card specifics: Magus of the Vineyard - I don't like helping opponents. I definitely don't like helping them before I get helped, since the last guy in line might kill him before my next turn, so everyone but me got some fun. Gilded Lotus - In riku, I would rather have creatures or spells. You can't copy this fatty. For the same mana cost you can get and copy either a farhaven elf, or a Cultivate, while both options only give you 2 mana into play, they also give 2 creatures which can then be used as a resource, or two lands in hand, and lands are less prone to destruction. Solemn Simulacrum - With access to green, this guy is just good, not great. You have access to better (I feel). Look over my $50 Riku list for budget cheap land-grabbers. While they don't draw a card on their own, they have the advantage of being cheaper. Dropping a 3 drop land grabber lets you drop Riku the next turn. Vivid lands - I just hate these. They are limited in off-color production, come in tapped, and you can't tutor for them. I would rather (and do) fix my mana via green creature or spell ramp.
Most of your other card choices are pretty decent, but in a lot of cases I feel other cards would work better. Have a look through Sonik's list for other wrath variants, especially creature based ones.
I'm not a huge hater of him, as I have before clone him to excess which allowed quick wrath recovery, but I feel that you're better off with the cheaper options first, as they will actively get Riku out a turn sooner.
I personally use this set of creatures in my budget list:
though I'll be the first to admit that without budget, one of the 4 drops (rootcaster likely) would be immediately replaced by solemn, or something else (primeval titan?)
Do you prefer the spell aspect, or the creature idea?
In creatures, Coiling Oracle has been surprisingly good for me. He's either a 2 drop land ramp, or a glorified Elvish Visionary, but he gains incredible use after Riku is out. Yavimaya Dryad is also not bad, giving that extra mana bump early, and can carry equipment around pretty well.
In spells, you're notably missing Kodama's Reach, skyshroud claim, and a few others that are escaping me at the moment. Sonik's list has a huge amount of them.
I'd replace the other two cards first, probably with options from this list.
Also, I forgot to mention the big mana options: green and red have access to all the mana-doublers in existence. You can do some pretty crazy things running green ramp and mana reflection, as another option.
maybe even vorinclex
i think i can also make room for ondu giant and viridian emissary
as for kodama's reach, i already have cultivate
is it true when you copy harrow with riku, you sac 1 once, then search for 4?
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Standard: UB Control
Modern: UWR Control
EDH: Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Phelddagrif
Glissa, the Traitor
Rosheen Meanderer
maybe even vorinclex
i think i can also make room for ondu giant and viridian emissary
as for kodama's reach, i already have cultivate
is it true when you copy harrow with riku, you sac 1 once, then search for 4?
Yes. Sacrificing a land is part of the cost, just like you don't have to pay the mana cost for a copy, you don't have to pay additional costs either. It simply copies the effect of the spell.
If you entwine or kick a spell with kicker, that will be copied by Riku's spell copy as well, since Riku copies spells on the stack. Note that this is different with creatures, since you copy the creature once it enters the battlefield, the Riku copy of a creature with Kicker will not be kicked.
For your copy effects, I would include Phantasmal Image first over anything else. And then I'd include Sakashima or Sakashima's Student.
Some of your choices seem VERY random:
Essence Warden - Unless there is a sort of creature combo here, he's not needed.
Chandra - She seems very underwhelming with either general.
Vision Skeins - This is a card that gives EVERYONE advantage and that's not good.
Howling Mine - Same as Skeins, everyone will benefit from this. This should be a sorcery or instant to make better use of your general.
Warp World - If you were focused on token generation, this card can be completely game changing.
I would suggest: Spelltwine, Tooth and Nail, Bribery, Recurring Insight, Fact or Fiction, Reiterate, Turnabout, Worldgorger Dragon (if you play Riku), etc.
And Garruk Relentless can't be in this deck, he turn's black on the flip side and you need to keep your deck UGR.
time warp + riku's ability + various recursion
It That Betrays + Keldon Firebombers
Thanks, and without further ado my deck idea
1 Riku, of the Two Reflections
1 Intet, the Dreamer
Ramp (9)
1 Somberwald Sage
1 Magus of the Vineyard
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Wood Elves
1 Harrow
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Cultivate
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Farhaven Elf
Fatties/Game Changers (10)
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 It That Betrays
1 Keldon Firebombers (combos with It That Betrays)
1 Seedborn Muse
1 Hellkite Charger
1 Primordial Hydra
1 Terastodon
1 Insurrection
1 Overwhelming Stampede
Copying Effects (4)
1 Quicksilver Gargantuan
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Wild Ricochet
1 Redirect
1 Eternal Witness
1 Praetor’s Council
1 Regrowth
1 Nature’s Spiral
1 Reclaim
Destruction (7)
1 Acidic Slime
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Decimate
1 Chaos Warp
1 Beast Within
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Essence Warden
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Chandra, the Firebrand
1 Time Warp
1 Vision Skeins
1 Parallel Lives
1 Warp World
1 Death by Dragons
1 Preordain
1 Arcane Melee
1 Venser’s Journal
1 Howling Mine
1 Glen Elandra Archmage
1 Elgaud Shieldmate
1 Deadeye Navigator
1 Spell Crumble
1 Dissipate
1 Voidslime
1 Repulse
1 Whisper Cloak
1 Magebane Armor
1 Swiftfoot Boots
Lands (41)
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Command Tower
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Gruul Turf
1 Izzet Moilerworks
13 Forests
8 Mountains
7 Islands
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Sulfur Falls
Modern: UWR Control
EDH: Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Phelddagrif
Glissa, the Traitor
Rosheen Meanderer
RIP Jimmy foREVer
You have a very split deck between creatures and spells, while this is ok for an adaptive build, the deck tends to be much smoother and stronger when you focus on one or the other. There are several reasons for this:
That said, focused decks are also weaker to direct targeted hate. A creature only deck would have problems against an Aether Flash, for example.
Card specifics:
Magus of the Vineyard - I don't like helping opponents. I definitely don't like helping them before I get helped, since the last guy in line might kill him before my next turn, so everyone but me got some fun.
Gilded Lotus - In riku, I would rather have creatures or spells. You can't copy this fatty. For the same mana cost you can get and copy either a farhaven elf, or a Cultivate, while both options only give you 2 mana into play, they also give 2 creatures which can then be used as a resource, or two lands in hand, and lands are less prone to destruction.
Solemn Simulacrum - With access to green, this guy is just good, not great. You have access to better (I feel). Look over my $50 Riku list for budget cheap land-grabbers. While they don't draw a card on their own, they have the advantage of being cheaper. Dropping a 3 drop land grabber lets you drop Riku the next turn.
Vivid lands - I just hate these. They are limited in off-color production, come in tapped, and you can't tutor for them. I would rather (and do) fix my mana via green creature or spell ramp.
Most of your other card choices are pretty decent, but in a lot of cases I feel other cards would work better. Have a look through Sonik's list for other wrath variants, especially creature based ones.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
bob, what do you recommend for a solemn simulacrum replacement?
Modern: UWR Control
EDH: Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Phelddagrif
Glissa, the Traitor
Rosheen Meanderer
RIP Jimmy foREVer
I personally use this set of creatures in my budget list:
2 Coiling Oracle - .37
3 Farhaven Elf - .19
3 Yavimaya Dryad - .26
3 Wood elves - .23
4 Quirion Trailblazer - .12
4 Centaur Rootcaster - .13
4 Ondu Giant - .11
though I'll be the first to admit that without budget, one of the 4 drops (rootcaster likely) would be immediately replaced by solemn, or something else (primeval titan?)
Do you prefer the spell aspect, or the creature idea?
In creatures, Coiling Oracle has been surprisingly good for me. He's either a 2 drop land ramp, or a glorified Elvish Visionary, but he gains incredible use after Riku is out. Yavimaya Dryad is also not bad, giving that extra mana bump early, and can carry equipment around pretty well.
In spells, you're notably missing Kodama's Reach, skyshroud claim, and a few others that are escaping me at the moment. Sonik's list has a huge amount of them.
I'd replace the other two cards first, probably with options from this list.
Also, I forgot to mention the big mana options: green and red have access to all the mana-doublers in existence. You can do some pretty crazy things running green ramp and mana reflection, as another option.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
i think i can also make room for ondu giant and viridian emissary
as for kodama's reach, i already have cultivate
is it true when you copy harrow with riku, you sac 1 once, then search for 4?
Modern: UWR Control
EDH: Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Phelddagrif
Glissa, the Traitor
Rosheen Meanderer
RIP Jimmy foREVer
Yes. Sacrificing a land is part of the cost, just like you don't have to pay the mana cost for a copy, you don't have to pay additional costs either. It simply copies the effect of the spell.
If you entwine or kick a spell with kicker, that will be copied by Riku's spell copy as well, since Riku copies spells on the stack. Note that this is different with creatures, since you copy the creature once it enters the battlefield, the Riku copy of a creature with Kicker will not be kicked.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Some of your choices seem VERY random:
And Garruk Relentless can't be in this deck, he turn's black on the flip side and you need to keep your deck UGR.