So thoughts on this deck, it is different than some of the decks floating around on here but we have some lists that are close. Going with no paths in the 75 seems... bold but it is a very pure take on the deck.
I like using Commune in some other decks I have on turn 2 to pull a Hooting Mandrills. Love me a 4/4 Trample on turn two if it works out right.
Hooting mandrills seems like a really bad Nonbo with KoTR, what with exiling your graveyard, especially because most decks have very low spell density so you are almost forced to exile lands to get a fast Mandrills.
So i've played the deck some more and i think i would like to stay away from the little kid variant and don't want to play red. So i'm thinking about a value version with restoration angel, eternal witness and a few more value creature. Anyone tried something like that, is it any good?
Also i'd love to play vendilion clique. The card seems amazing at clearing the coast for the combo and catching problem cards, and they would beat real well with exalted triggers. The problem is double blue cost, it seems like a real stretch for this deck's mana base so it probably is an impossible love...
I have tested a Flicker based version of the deck on cockatrice, the decklist is here. I have moved away from it though because it just performed worse in testing than the tempo version that I listed above. It just felt slow and clunky a fair amount of the time, though the sea of 3/3 golems was nice when the deck got going. Obviously there are better version of a flicker variant but I dont see it as the best direction to take the deck.
It should be Serum Visions but I have Sleight of hand already so I was going to use that as a stopgap until I get around to buying Serum Visions. Bad reason I know, but I do think SoH is almost as good in certain situations, just not in that deck.
So far this is the deck that I have been testing on Cockatrice lately and it has been putting up good results for me. I wanted to test out a 4 color "Counter Cat" Style of deck just to see how well the combo could work in a more tempo oriented strategy, since that is my preferred way to play. While I know that Cockatrice is not the epitome of competition the deck has felt very powerful, especially If I am able to curve Nactl into Pyromancer. Both are must answer threats that draw removal away from KoTR, they also punish stumbling from my opponent very effectively, since if I eve manage to stick both with counterspell back up the game is pretty quickly over.
The combo may seem a little out of place in the deck but the ability to just win on turn 4+ adds another dimension to the strategy besides just beating down then going for the bolt-snap-bolt finish. Overall I've been impressed with the deck and am waiting until I can test it out at FNM, since an IQ is coming up in the area soon that I want to take this deck to.
So thoughts on this deck, it is different than some of the decks floating around on here but we have some lists that are close. Going with no paths in the 75 seems... bold but it is a very pure take on the deck.
Hooting mandrills seems like a really bad Nonbo with KoTR, what with exiling your graveyard, especially because most decks have very low spell density so you are almost forced to exile lands to get a fast Mandrills.
I have tested a Flicker based version of the deck on cockatrice, the decklist is here. I have moved away from it though because it just performed worse in testing than the tempo version that I listed above. It just felt slow and clunky a fair amount of the time, though the sea of 3/3 golems was nice when the deck got going. Obviously there are better version of a flicker variant but I dont see it as the best direction to take the deck.
It should be Serum Visions but I have Sleight of hand already so I was going to use that as a stopgap until I get around to buying Serum Visions. Bad reason I know, but I do think SoH is almost as good in certain situations, just not in that deck.
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Wild Nacatl
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Knight of the Reliquary
Spells 23
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
3 Retreat to Coralhelm
2 Lightning Helix
2 Remand
2 Mana Leak
2 Gitaxian Probe
2 Sleight of Hand
1 Spell Snare
1 Simic Charm
4 Flooded Strand
1 Breeding Pool
1 Forest
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Steam Vents
1 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Sejiri Steppe
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
3 Windswept Heath
3 Wooded Foothills
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Celestial Purge
1 Negate
2 Dispel
2 Stony Silence
1 Crumble to Dust
1 Mirran Crusader
1 Sanctimony
1 Vendillion Clique
So far this is the deck that I have been testing on Cockatrice lately and it has been putting up good results for me. I wanted to test out a 4 color "Counter Cat" Style of deck just to see how well the combo could work in a more tempo oriented strategy, since that is my preferred way to play. While I know that Cockatrice is not the epitome of competition the deck has felt very powerful, especially If I am able to curve Nactl into Pyromancer. Both are must answer threats that draw removal away from KoTR, they also punish stumbling from my opponent very effectively, since if I eve manage to stick both with counterspell back up the game is pretty quickly over.
The combo may seem a little out of place in the deck but the ability to just win on turn 4+ adds another dimension to the strategy besides just beating down then going for the bolt-snap-bolt finish. Overall I've been impressed with the deck and am waiting until I can test it out at FNM, since an IQ is coming up in the area soon that I want to take this deck to.
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/knight-combo-1/
I think that maybe replacing a dismember or both with Chord for consistency might be a better approach but I am not sure, its a tough call.