For the upcoming Midweek Magic Event on Arena next week, I tried my hand at a new (for me) deck to field, instead of my usual lifegain thing I use for those events. Blinking Prototypes was the idea I settled on. Originally, I wanted to use the green ones, but my main focus landed on Hulking Metamorph, and blinking stuff is more the domain of blue and white.
For those not in the know, the Artisan format only allows commons and uncommons, no rares nor mythics, so the really juicy prototypes are not available. It's also hard to test the meta, since Artisan is only a supported format on Arena in those 3 days of a Midweek Magic event, with month in between. From what I remember from the last few instances, life gain is a recurring thing, as are reanimator, some storm combos, black "removal tribal", aggro in many forms obviously, aura Boggles, shrines, etc. In light of that, some of my card choices should make more sense.
Here's the deck as I have tested it in actual Historic with surprising success (though the matchmaker is mostly giving me "easy" opponents due to the lack of rares and mythics in the deck). It's also currently Explorer legal, no Historic only cards in the deck anymore.
I'm using mostly newer cards, since my Arena collection is somewhat lacking in regards to pre-Zendikar Rising cards, though wildcards are not an issue. Just haven't found anything intriguing yet to craft for this deck. But there are way to many cards for me to sift through, so I likely overlooked something many things. So if anyone has any ideas for me to make this better, I'm all ears. It also won't be a one time run with the deck, as I plan to field it in later Artisan events as well, maybe even in more regular Historic games for funsies. Meaning, that even after this particular event, I will still welcome your input.
If you want to go Historic, it's all about Soulherder. 1's and 2's, even the non-synergistic Thraben Inspector, get stronger with it. Historic also has Cloudshift. For Explorer, I would start with these changes:
-4 Justiciar's Portal
+4 Essence Flux
Flux is cheaper.
-3 Cloudkin Seer
-1 Inspiring Overseer
+4 Reflector Mage
All the 3's do the same thing. Reflector Mage is obnoxious with Metamorph and works immediately.
-4 Dawnbringer Cleric
+4 Professor of Symbology
Professor is worse at stopping them, but better at pushing you. This is just my preference.
EDIT: For the event, might as well use Razortide Bridge in the lands as a copy target versus removal-heavy decks. I tried an Ingenious Smith build a few times, but found it wanted to animate, not blink.
Thanks a lot. I didn't know, Cloudshift was in Arena; I knew of the card, just not that it got implemented in Arena. I take that over Essence Flux for now, since I need UU for the Metamorph, and so am more likely to have access to a W than another U.
Soulherder looks intriguing, though I worry about it being too fragile to last long enough to matter. Replacing Cloudkin Seer is something I agree on, though, but I do like the card draw. Can't go too low on that.
I'll stick to the Dawnbringer Cleric for now, as I like the disrupting abilities more than the pushing effect of the Professor. It is one of my latest additions precicely because it handles enchantments, graveyards, and burn on a cheap body. In looking for the Soulherder, I also stumbled upon Jubilant Skybonder, which could be a nice way to protect the Metamorph while also getting that nice 7/7 flyer out of that.
A couple games into the event shows an extreme weakness to lifegain decks. The inability to deal with the high number of 1 toughness lifegain creatures (Soul Warden, Prosperous Innkeeper, Lunarch Veteran) means, that I will eventually fall to the big hitters after having exhausted all chump blocks. So I probably need a somewhat repeatable means to at least ping a target for 1 damage. I've found a few artifact options but none look appealing enough to even try to squeeze in. But I probably will have to choose one of them as a 1-of or 2-of at least.
I tried Razortide Bridge before the event in normal Historic, and the ETB tapped clause was just too clunky, the indestructibility hardly ever even being a worthwhile consideration. So I dropped it again. But I did try out first one then two Access Tunnels to get some damage through. Was useful now and then.
A singleton Jubilant Skybonder hasn't shown up enough to give a verdict, but it's probably not nessessary, and will have to make room for whatever solution I latch on to for the life gain dorks.
The few red aggro decks I faced so far were usually unable to overcome the blink and life gain I'm packing and simply succumbed to the evergrowing card disparity once they ran out of gas.
Also faced an aura deck that put a lot of pressure on me for quite a while, but my Dawnbringer Clerics, blinked and copied, eventually made them succumb. Though my opponent was one lucky topdeck away from winning (one trample or unblockability effect would have sufficed). So, I can battle the strategy, but am likely on the backfoot against it.
I also faced a couple other strategies, but mana screw on my part or theirs doesn't really let me assess the matchups.
My very first match was against lifegain with the Presence of Gond + Famished Paladin + Lunarch Veteran combo, and blinking Dawnbringer Cleric saved me. I've seen a good target for it in many games, but I've also drawn 3 with nothing for them to do. Fleeting Spirit has been the iffy card for me so far as Metamorph worked without it, but I haven't played much. I'm considering Portable Hole/Glass Casket because they're also cool Metamorph targets. I don't know if removal + copy is enough to shut down lifegain or if they need to be outclassed/ignored with bigger stuff like Momentary Blink + Mulldrifter, cheesed with Tempest Caller, or whatever. Activating Monoskelion every turn with arena's enhanced Dueling Coach sounds suspect. I'm playing your posted list, but with Essence Flux, Cloudshift, and the Reflector Mage change, and a different land mix (6 tap lands, 9 Plains, 10 Island). Reflector Mage has been great. Copying it, then blinking cleans so much off the board.
Soulherder's fragility can be mitigated in a lot of cases. 2 + 3 + Soulherder + Cloudshift lets you get an immediate blink if they tap out, or play the 3 and set up for next turn. At that point, it's usually an auto-win if they try to remove it with a single spell, but an auto-loss if they're playing something that can ignore it, like Merfolk. I don't like the games it creates, so I avoid it, but it's strong. The danger of targeting your creatures
Thanks for posting these lists. You've given me an appreciation for clones, and that Chariot deck is one of my all-time favorites.
Monoskelion is the solution to the life gain dorks I'm trying out myself right now, and I put in the full set of Soulherders instead of the Fleeting Spirit. The later work quite well for me, but cuts have to be made somewhere. Maybe I'll squeeze a few of them back in later. Multiple Soulherders are nasty, and they are seemingly not as fragile as I feared. Overall, I feel more vulnerable against red and black now, but not as helpless as before against some strategies. Well, except the adventures deck, which I faced multiple times today. Edgewall Innkeeper and Lucky Clover simply outvalue me way too much.
Glad you like my decks. I'm posting them here as much to give inspiration as to get help improving them.
With the event nearing its end, here's my (semi)final list, which was somewhat successful. But considering some of the concoctions I've faced, it's more of a meme than a powerhouse. Still, quite a fun pile to pilot. One of my opponents brought Elite Guardmage to my attention, and I'm trying it out in the Overseer's place. It is probably the better card for the deck. Overall, there's still a lot to improve on, like adding more artifact hate; the Oni-Cult Anvil decks are such a pain to deal with, for example.
I benefited from soft competition and great draws, but it highlighted the power of prototype, especially Metamorph. Notes:
I mostly used Touch the Spirit Realm as removal because I often needed only 0-1 blink to get a temporary advantage, which forced bad plays to create a permanent advantage.
Being able to shift between control and beatdown with most any draw was key, but that's the style of play I'm most comfortable with.
Professor preemptively got Reduce to Memory against synergies, and usually Inkling Summoning otherwise. Allowing Metamorph to get its own source of evasion let 7/7 Metamorph close quickly or skip flying and copy utility. I also felt safer playing fewer tap lands with Environmental Sciences available (The fetches can become duals without Fleeting Spirit).
Whirler Rogue and Bridge/Inkling/Metamorph beat removal. Copy Reflector/Professor (for a second Reduce to Memory), then blink to a 7/7 Portable Hole killed synergies.
Control decks turn anti-aggro cards into liabilities, so they need extra consideration when playing something like Dawnbringer Cleric or Reflector Mage.
A lot of opponents played removal around Spell Pierce instead of Essence Flux, so I kept up blue when possible, preferring Cloudshift while they were tapped out. Those blowouts are bound to happen since no one knows what's in Historic.
Professor, Reflector, and the prototypes were all stand-outs, followed by Whirler Rogue as a go-big or go-wide finisher.
Professor's broad, inefficient effect combined well with narrow, efficient cards (Hole/Reflector/Cloudshift). Along with blink and Metamorph, the deck could get a lot of what it needed most.
Portable Hole and Overseer were the weakest, but I was light on early plays and Hole's narrowness was balanced by Overseer's universal card advantage. Overseer is most replaceable, the only card that's not powerful even when it works as intended.
I think an optimal list uses Soulherder, possibly dropping Hole, Overseer, 1-2 land, and 1-2 blink spells for Spirited Companion, while swapping Expanded Anatomy for another Environmental Sciences in the side.
I found the deck fun and tricky, and was impressed by the power and multi-functionality of the prototypes. What did you think of them? Also, did Monoskelion help you get ahead, or only keep up?
Monoskelion had its uses now and then, but was overall not that helpful for the task I added it in. I think, Portable Hole might be the better solution, since it also answers the Oni-Cult Anvil, Fynn, the Fangbearer, an out of proportions grown Ajani's Pridemate and similar, the life gain dorks, etc. I will try that the next time a Historic Artisan event comes around.
The Metamorph pretty much got to copy every other creature in the deck, depending on the game state. Having that 7/7 flyer or 7/7 double striker in a format not really meant to feature such beasts, and having it rather early in the game, tickles my inner Timmy. Even the "small" 3/3 double striker is a threat to be reckoned with. Especially with that Access Tunnel. I might try a Whirler Rogue or two as well next time.
For those not in the know, the Artisan format only allows commons and uncommons, no rares nor mythics, so the really juicy prototypes are not available. It's also hard to test the meta, since Artisan is only a supported format on Arena in those 3 days of a Midweek Magic event, with month in between. From what I remember from the last few instances, life gain is a recurring thing, as are reanimator, some storm combos, black "removal tribal", aggro in many forms obviously, aura Boggles, shrines, etc. In light of that, some of my card choices should make more sense.
Here's the deck as I have tested it in actual Historic with surprising success (though the matchmaker is mostly giving me "easy" opponents due to the lack of rares and mythics in the deck). It's also currently Explorer legal, no Historic only cards in the deck anymore.
10 Plains
7 Islands
4 Obscura Storefront
4 Brokers Hideout
4 Dawnbringer Cleric
4 Fleeting Spirit
4 Inspiring Overseer
3 Cloudkin Seer
4 Combat Thresher
4 Hulking Metamorph
4 Justiciar's Portal
4 Planar Incision
4 Touch the Spirit Realm
I'm using mostly newer cards, since my Arena collection is somewhat lacking in regards to pre-Zendikar Rising cards, though wildcards are not an issue. Just haven't found anything intriguing yet to craft for this deck. But there are way to many cards for me to sift through, so I likely overlooked
somethingmany things. So if anyone has any ideas for me to make this better, I'm all ears. It also won't be a one time run with the deck, as I plan to field it in later Artisan events as well, maybe even in more regular Historic games for funsies. Meaning, that even after this particular event, I will still welcome your input.Thanks a bunch and Happy new year.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
-4 Justiciar's Portal
+4 Essence Flux
Flux is cheaper.
-3 Cloudkin Seer
-1 Inspiring Overseer
+4 Reflector Mage
All the 3's do the same thing. Reflector Mage is obnoxious with Metamorph and works immediately.
-4 Dawnbringer Cleric
+4 Professor of Symbology
Professor is worse at stopping them, but better at pushing you. This is just my preference.
Keep Whirler Rogue and Cloudblazer in mind if you want to go bigger, and Spirited Companion to go smaller. I don't know if there are too many 3's or blink spells.
EDIT: For the event, might as well use Razortide Bridge in the lands as a copy target versus removal-heavy decks. I tried an Ingenious Smith build a few times, but found it wanted to animate, not blink.
Soulherder looks intriguing, though I worry about it being too fragile to last long enough to matter. Replacing Cloudkin Seer is something I agree on, though, but I do like the card draw. Can't go too low on that.
I'll stick to the Dawnbringer Cleric for now, as I like the disrupting abilities more than the pushing effect of the Professor. It is one of my latest additions precicely because it handles enchantments, graveyards, and burn on a cheap body. In looking for the Soulherder, I also stumbled upon Jubilant Skybonder, which could be a nice way to protect the Metamorph while also getting that nice 7/7 flyer out of that.
Razortide Bridge, now there is an idea I can fully get behind.
The number of blink effects in the deck seems fine. If it is not ideal, it is at least close to that already.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
I tried Razortide Bridge before the event in normal Historic, and the ETB tapped clause was just too clunky, the indestructibility hardly ever even being a worthwhile consideration. So I dropped it again. But I did try out first one then two Access Tunnels to get some damage through. Was useful now and then.
A singleton Jubilant Skybonder hasn't shown up enough to give a verdict, but it's probably not nessessary, and will have to make room for whatever solution I latch on to for the life gain dorks.
The few red aggro decks I faced so far were usually unable to overcome the blink and life gain I'm packing and simply succumbed to the evergrowing card disparity once they ran out of gas.
Also faced an aura deck that put a lot of pressure on me for quite a while, but my Dawnbringer Clerics, blinked and copied, eventually made them succumb. Though my opponent was one lucky topdeck away from winning (one trample or unblockability effect would have sufficed). So, I can battle the strategy, but am likely on the backfoot against it.
I also faced a couple other strategies, but mana screw on my part or theirs doesn't really let me assess the matchups.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
Soulherder's fragility can be mitigated in a lot of cases. 2 + 3 + Soulherder + Cloudshift lets you get an immediate blink if they tap out, or play the 3 and set up for next turn. At that point, it's usually an auto-win if they try to remove it with a single spell, but an auto-loss if they're playing something that can ignore it, like Merfolk. I don't like the games it creates, so I avoid it, but it's strong. The danger of targeting your creatures
Thanks for posting these lists. You've given me an appreciation for clones, and that Chariot deck is one of my all-time favorites.
Glad you like my decks. I'm posting them here as much to give inspiration as to get help improving them.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
8 Plains
7 Islands
4 Obscura Storefront
4 Brokers Hideout
2 Access Tunnel
4 Dawnbringer Cleric
4 Monoskelion
4 Soulherder
4 Elite Guardmage
4 Combat Thresher
4 Hulking Metamorph
4 Cloudshift
4 Essence Flux
4 Touch the Spirit Realm
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
9 Plains
10 Island
4 Razortide Bridge
2 Tranquil Cove
Creature (20)
4 Professor of Symbology
2 Inspiring Overseer
4 Reflector Mage
4 Combat Thresher
4 Hulking Metamorph
2 Whirler Rogue
3 Portable Hole
4 Cloudshift
4 Essence Flux
4 Touch the Spirit Realm
1 Environmental Sciences
2 Reduce to Memory
2 Inkling Summoning
1 Expanded Anatomy
1 Introduction to Prophecy
I mostly used Touch the Spirit Realm as removal because I often needed only 0-1 blink to get a temporary advantage, which forced bad plays to create a permanent advantage.
Being able to shift between control and beatdown with most any draw was key, but that's the style of play I'm most comfortable with.
Professor preemptively got Reduce to Memory against synergies, and usually Inkling Summoning otherwise. Allowing Metamorph to get its own source of evasion let 7/7 Metamorph close quickly or skip flying and copy utility. I also felt safer playing fewer tap lands with Environmental Sciences available (The fetches can become duals without Fleeting Spirit).
Whirler Rogue and Bridge/Inkling/Metamorph beat removal. Copy Reflector/Professor (for a second Reduce to Memory), then blink to a 7/7 Portable Hole killed synergies.
Control decks turn anti-aggro cards into liabilities, so they need extra consideration when playing something like Dawnbringer Cleric or Reflector Mage.
A lot of opponents played removal around Spell Pierce instead of Essence Flux, so I kept up blue when possible, preferring Cloudshift while they were tapped out. Those blowouts are bound to happen since no one knows what's in Historic.
Professor, Reflector, and the prototypes were all stand-outs, followed by Whirler Rogue as a go-big or go-wide finisher.
Professor's broad, inefficient effect combined well with narrow, efficient cards (Hole/Reflector/Cloudshift). Along with blink and Metamorph, the deck could get a lot of what it needed most.
Portable Hole and Overseer were the weakest, but I was light on early plays and Hole's narrowness was balanced by Overseer's universal card advantage. Overseer is most replaceable, the only card that's not powerful even when it works as intended.
I think an optimal list uses Soulherder, possibly dropping Hole, Overseer, 1-2 land, and 1-2 blink spells for Spirited Companion, while swapping Expanded Anatomy for another Environmental Sciences in the side.
I found the deck fun and tricky, and was impressed by the power and multi-functionality of the prototypes. What did you think of them? Also, did Monoskelion help you get ahead, or only keep up?
Sorry about the heavy edits.
The Metamorph pretty much got to copy every other creature in the deck, depending on the game state. Having that 7/7 flyer or 7/7 double striker in a format not really meant to feature such beasts, and having it rather early in the game, tickles my inner Timmy. Even the "small" 3/3 double striker is a threat to be reckoned with. Especially with that Access Tunnel. I might try a Whirler Rogue or two as well next time.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)