Hello everyone, I'm looking for some advice on my Sygg, River Cutthroat Voltron deck. Before I get to the deck, though, I'd like to point out a few things:
About Sygg:
This is my first Commander deck ever, however, I have read a lot regarding this format and researched different Commanders and decks. With that in mind, I am aware that Sygg is an odd choice for a Voltron commander, especially when there are others out there with abilities that readily make them forces to be reckoned with. Be this as it may, I don't want to play with Jenara, Rafiq, or any of the other "established" Voltron commanders. I believe in Syggs and I enjoy the things Blue and Black do.
About the deck:
This deck is built to tutor up answers to the enemies' actions, control their resources, and play the "politics" game; it accomplishes this through a wide array of tutors, counters, graveyard exploitation, and the abuse of well protected creatures. Additionally, the equipment package serves as both a means to end the game with Sygg or any of the other creatures in the deck.
Well, now that that is out of the way, here's the decklist:
With three (or more) opponents to kill, and Sygg starting with 1 power, you're going to need a lot of things to pump his power up lest it take way way too long to kill someone with general damage.
Now, you have quite a few equipment but apart from that, nothing else really supports this goal. And from the equipment you have, the only really powerful one is Runechanter's Pike. The rest give from +1/+X to +3/+X, which just isn't enough. Not only that, but you barely have any evasion, so it hardly seems like Sygg will even get in for beats. Same goes for protecting Sygg.
I foresee you getting Sygg out early, swinging for one again, swinging for one again, maybe swinging for three or four, hoping you don't just get chump-blocked, hopefully you get some protection out, maybe dealing 10-15 general damage...essentially, being an annoyance for whatever opponent you're targeting. And if anything gets close to bad for them, they start figuring out how to deal with him turns early. Or, they just kill you.
Now, how to actually make this plan work? I'm not sure. Sygg isn't the best choice for Voltron. He's got 1 power and no inbound way to pump. You'd be just as good with a vanilla 1/3, actually.
What made you choose Sygg of all commanders for voltron?
It looks like you're on a budget, so I'll keep my suggestions cheap.
Telemin Performance, Gather Specimen, and Spelltwine are cute tricks, but they don't kill them sygg. I'd run 3 hard counters over these along the lines of Counterspell, Dissipate, Undermine
Strata Scythe (You're running 2 colours, but with 24 islands, this thing will give a massive boost) Cranial Plating (Strictly better than Golem skin) Empyrial Plate (UB draw a lot, so this'll probably be good) Loxodon Warhammer (Trample, +3/+o are good enough, the lifelink is bonus) Cloak and Dagger (Not great, but interesting considering Sygg is a rogue) Whispersilk Cloak (The ideal combination of evasion and protection. I would swap it for another of your protective equipment. Careful though once you've equipped this, you wont be able to equip any other equipment)
Tutoring is good in EDH, but running every transmuter is overkill and will likely piss off opponents while you search through your deck.
Arcane Melee is dangerous as it helps your opponents, likely before you (considering you'll likely have to tap out to play thr enchantment) Painful Quandary paints a massive target on your head.
About Sygg:
This is my first Commander deck ever, however, I have read a lot regarding this format and researched different Commanders and decks. With that in mind, I am aware that Sygg is an odd choice for a Voltron commander, especially when there are others out there with abilities that readily make them forces to be reckoned with. Be this as it may, I don't want to play with Jenara, Rafiq, or any of the other "established" Voltron commanders. I believe in Syggs and I enjoy the things Blue and Black do.
About the deck:
This deck is built to tutor up answers to the enemies' actions, control their resources, and play the "politics" game; it accomplishes this through a wide array of tutors, counters, graveyard exploitation, and the abuse of well protected creatures. Additionally, the equipment package serves as both a means to end the game with Sygg or any of the other creatures in the deck.
Well, now that that is out of the way, here's the decklist:
1 Sygg, River Cutthroat
- Creatures
2 Vedalken Aethermage
3 Dimir Doppelganger
4 Trinket Mage
5 Glen Elendra Archmage
6 Venser, Shaper Savant
7 Voidmage Husher
8 Havengul Lich
9 Puppeteer Clique
10 Deadeye Navigator
11 Chancellor of the Spires
12 Rune-Scarred Demon
- Transmute / Tutors
13 Tolaria West
14 Dizzy Spell
15 Dimir Infiltrator
16 Muddle the Mixture
17 Shred Memory
18 Dimir Machinations
19 Drift of Phantasms
20 Perplex
21 Clutch of the Undercity
22 Dimir House Guard
23 Brainspoil
24 Ethereal Usher
25 Netherborn Phalanx
27 Fabricate
28 Diabolic Tutor
29 Mystical Teachings
- Mass Removal
30 Evacuation
31 Inundate
32 Sudden Spoiling
33 Life's Finale
34 Plague Wind
- Opponent Spell Exploitation
35 Memory Plunder
36 Telemin Performance
37 Gather Specimens
38 Spelltwine
39 Commandeer
40 Knowledge Exploitation
- Counters
41 Spell Burst
42 Hinder
43 Spell Crumple
- Miscellaneous
44 Preordain
45 Notorious Throng
- Enchantments
46 Declaration of Naught
47 Leyline of Anticipation
48 Arcane Melee
49 Painful Quandary
50 Volition Reins
51 Basilisk Collar
52 Darksteel Axe
53 Golem-Skin Gauntles
54 O-Naginata
55 Inquisitor's Flail
56 Mask of Memory
57 Mask of Riddles
58 Nim Deathmantle
59 Runechanter's Pike
60 Swiftfoot Boots
61 Champion's Helm
62 Darksteel Plate
63 Sword of Vengeance
- Mana Rocks
64 Dimir Signet
65 Fellwar Stone
66 Star Compass
67 Talisman of Dominance
68 Darksteel Ingot
- Lands
69 Command Tower
70 Dimir Aqueduct
71 Halimar Depths
72 Jwar Isle Refuge
73 Rupture Spire
Now, you have quite a few equipment but apart from that, nothing else really supports this goal. And from the equipment you have, the only really powerful one is Runechanter's Pike. The rest give from +1/+X to +3/+X, which just isn't enough. Not only that, but you barely have any evasion, so it hardly seems like Sygg will even get in for beats. Same goes for protecting Sygg.
I foresee you getting Sygg out early, swinging for one again, swinging for one again, maybe swinging for three or four, hoping you don't just get chump-blocked, hopefully you get some protection out, maybe dealing 10-15 general damage...essentially, being an annoyance for whatever opponent you're targeting. And if anything gets close to bad for them, they start figuring out how to deal with him turns early. Or, they just kill you.
Now, how to actually make this plan work? I'm not sure. Sygg isn't the best choice for Voltron. He's got 1 power and no inbound way to pump. You'd be just as good with a vanilla 1/3, actually.
What made you choose Sygg of all commanders for voltron?
Telemin Performance, Gather Specimen, and Spelltwine are cute tricks, but they don't kill them sygg. I'd run 3 hard counters over these along the lines of Counterspell, Dissipate, Undermine
Some of your equipment needs to go
Basilisk Collar (No Synergy)
O-Naginata (Deal card without another equipment)
Darksteel Axe (Boring)
Golem Skin Gauntlets (Variable boost, too unreliable)
Mask of Memory, Mask of Riddles (Running UB, you don't need any tricks to draw)
Strata Scythe (You're running 2 colours, but with 24 islands, this thing will give a massive boost)
Cranial Plating (Strictly better than Golem skin)
Empyrial Plate (UB draw a lot, so this'll probably be good)
Loxodon Warhammer (Trample, +3/+o are good enough, the lifelink is bonus)
Cloak and Dagger (Not great, but interesting considering Sygg is a rogue)
Whispersilk Cloak (The ideal combination of evasion and protection. I would swap it for another of your protective equipment. Careful though once you've equipped this, you wont be able to equip any other equipment)
Tutoring is good in EDH, but running every transmuter is overkill and will likely piss off opponents while you search through your deck.
On the other hand, in terms of cheap tutors, you're missing Increasing Ambition, Diabolic Intent, Praetor's Grasp (sort of a tutor, I love this card)
Arcane Melee is dangerous as it helps your opponents, likely before you (considering you'll likely have to tap out to play thr enchantment) Painful Quandary paints a massive target on your head.
You should run Rhystic Study and Phyrexian Arena, both are early draw bombs.
Preordain is really weak draw.