I've been looking into supporting mono-color themes in my cube. The mana in peasant can be inconsistent and I'm hoping that introducing some mono-color archetypes will open up options for more consistent manabases, especially for the early turns of the game. It also allows you to play some cool but traditionally omitted cards, such as gatekeeper of malakir.
I also wonder what asfan would be necessary for these archetypes to create the feeling that the strategy exists, without relegating too many cards to the "only castable in mono-color" space.
I would stay away from most aggressive CC cards, as they hurt 2 coloured aggro decks significantly while (generally) not being that much better than the 1C option in mono coloured.
Aggressive mono R and mono W shells aren't that rare in my experience, so Ball Lightning and Celestial Crusader are both pretty reasonable payoffs while also not being too exclusive for decks that are mono coloured with a splash.
Also TIL Ball Lightning is an uncommon in Renaissance, which wasn't printed in English.
In my experience aggro G decks are pretty dependent on support from another aggressive colour, so I'd stay away from aggressive mono G. Though mana dorks do help CC costs.
Gatekeeper of Malakir being a Nekrataal-esque effect locked behind CCC is interesting, but I'm not really confident it's good if you can't reliably kick it by t5 or so.
From what I'm seeing the biggest incentive to go mono coloured is for having a consistent aggro mana base (particularly mono W or R). Some of the cards are decent enough, but none of them would make me go mono coloured instead of just trying to pick up good aggro lands. As for the non-aggressive decks, most of them just don't have multiple significant payoffs; mono B is probably the closest with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, but it needs another significant payoff before I'd consider going out of my way to be mono B.
I would stay away from most aggressive CC cards, as they hurt 2 coloured aggro decks significantly while (generally) not being that much better than the 1C option in mono coloured.
IMO I'm not sure sprinking in a few CC cards will hurt existing archetypes that much, especially given how low-drop heavy mono-red and mono-white already are. I like the idea of diversifying the aggro strategy to call into question whether you really need that second color, or whether mono-color would be better. It would help make aggro draft about more then just how many 2 mana 3/1s and burn spells did you see in your packs.
Aggressive mono R and mono W shells aren't that rare in my experience, so Ball Lightning and Celestial Crusader are both pretty reasonable payoffs while also not being too exclusive for decks that are mono coloured with a splash.
Also TIL Ball Lightning is an uncommon in Renaissance, which wasn't printed in English.
I agree on Crusader, not so sure how I feel about Ball Lightning (even though I did suggest it). I'm not sure peasant decks can be all-in enough to make ball lightning good.
In my experience aggro G decks are pretty dependent on support from another aggressive colour, so I'd stay away from aggressive mono G. Though mana dorks do help CC costs.
Fair enough. Leatherback baloth is just so tempting.
Gatekeeper of Malakir being a Nekrataal-esque effect locked behind CCC is interesting, but I'm not really confident it's good if you can't reliably kick it by t5 or so.
That's the idea no? Bad outside of mono black? A payoff card.
From what I'm seeing the biggest incentive to go mono coloured is for having a consistent aggro mana base (particularly mono W or R). Some of the cards are decent enough, but none of them would make me go mono coloured instead of just trying to pick up good aggro lands. As for the non-aggressive decks, most of them just don't have multiple significant payoffs; mono B is probably the closest with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, but it needs another significant payoff before I'd consider going out of my way to be mono B.
That's fair. It's quite awkward and difficult trying to build equal archetype distribution across colors when certain colors are viable mono-color and others are not.
IMO I'm not sure sprinking in a few CC cards will hurt existing archetypes that much, especially given how low-drop heavy mono-red and mono-white already are. I like the idea of diversifying the aggro strategy to call into question whether you really need that second color, or whether mono-color would be better. It would help make aggro draft about more then just how many 2 mana 3/1s and burn spells did you see in your packs.
Even without CC 2 drops you should already be considering making 1 and 2 drops in aggro all the same colour. Imo adding CC cards that have slight upgrades over the 1C version isn't worth the difficulty aggro has with them when they don't have the cards to go mostly mono coloured. If there's something really powerful (or isn't played on t2) I don't have an issue with it, but there just aren't many of those at peasant.
I agree on Crusader, not so sure how I feel about Ball Lightning (even though I did suggest it). I'm not sure peasant decks can be all-in enough to make ball lightning good.
Ball Lightning is basically just a CCC Keldon Champion, right? Having your top end be 3cmc in aggro is also really nice since you can go 1-2-3-Ball Lightning + 1cmc removal. I may be underestimating how much it doesn't get through, but our burn suite is strong enough that dropping your opp to the 6-8 range on t4 probably lets you burn them out.
That's the idea no? Bad outside of mono black? A payoff card.
I just don't really think Gatekeeper of Malakir is good enough to justify including if it's only playable in mono B; it's possible I'm overly low on sac effects in general.
This is what I've brainstormed so far:
Mono Red Aggressive
Foundry Street Denizen
Slaying Fire
Fanatic of Mogis
Shrine of Burning Rage
Anax, Hardened in the Forge
Jaya, Venerated Firemage
Cinder Pyromancer?
Ball Lightning?
Mono Green Midrange
Strangleroot Geist
Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
Barkhide Troll
Leatherback Baloth
Overrun
Bellowing Tanglewurm?
Outmuscle?
Tower Above?
Mono Green Ramp?
Karametra's Acolyte
Llanowar Tribe
Once and Future
Mono White Aggressive
Consul's Lieutenant
Kor Aeronaut
Spectral Procession
Celestial Crusader
Daybreak Chimera?
Court Street Denizen?
Ballyknock Cohort?
Brave the Elements?
Mono White Lifegain
Ajani's Pridemate
Griffin Aerie
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
Knight of Meadowgrain
Mono Blue ???
Callaphe, Beloved of the Sea?
Merfolk Trickster?
Drowner Initiate?
Mono Black Stax
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Gifted Aetherborn
Drag to the Underworld
Mogis's Marauder?
Tyramet, Chosen from Death?
Thoughts? Cards I may have overlooked?
I also wonder what asfan would be necessary for these archetypes to create the feeling that the strategy exists, without relegating too many cards to the "only castable in mono-color" space.
Aggressive mono R and mono W shells aren't that rare in my experience, so Ball Lightning and Celestial Crusader are both pretty reasonable payoffs while also not being too exclusive for decks that are mono coloured with a splash.
Also TIL Ball Lightning is an uncommon in Renaissance, which wasn't printed in English.
In my experience aggro G decks are pretty dependent on support from another aggressive colour, so I'd stay away from aggressive mono G. Though mana dorks do help CC costs.
Gatekeeper of Malakir being a Nekrataal-esque effect locked behind CCC is interesting, but I'm not really confident it's good if you can't reliably kick it by t5 or so.
Primal Bellow, Howl of the Night Pack, Defile, Flow of Ideas, and Charge Across the Araba are some other decent incentives to go mono coloured while not being entirely unplayable in 2 coloured decks.
From what I'm seeing the biggest incentive to go mono coloured is for having a consistent aggro mana base (particularly mono W or R). Some of the cards are decent enough, but none of them would make me go mono coloured instead of just trying to pick up good aggro lands. As for the non-aggressive decks, most of them just don't have multiple significant payoffs; mono B is probably the closest with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, but it needs another significant payoff before I'd consider going out of my way to be mono B.
IMO I'm not sure sprinking in a few CC cards will hurt existing archetypes that much, especially given how low-drop heavy mono-red and mono-white already are. I like the idea of diversifying the aggro strategy to call into question whether you really need that second color, or whether mono-color would be better. It would help make aggro draft about more then just how many 2 mana 3/1s and burn spells did you see in your packs.
I agree on Crusader, not so sure how I feel about Ball Lightning (even though I did suggest it). I'm not sure peasant decks can be all-in enough to make ball lightning good.
Fair enough. Leatherback baloth is just so tempting.
That's the idea no? Bad outside of mono black? A payoff card.
Hmm, good catch. I missed these.
That's fair. It's quite awkward and difficult trying to build equal archetype distribution across colors when certain colors are viable mono-color and others are not.