Ever since I saw Hostage Taker, I knew I wanted to build with it. Heartless Summoning seems to really fit the bill, since it reduces costs for both things. Gonti, Lord of Luxury looks like he would also fit in nicely with the double cost reduction, assuming I flop a creature.
I'm also thinking I want to avoid Havengul Lich, since I've done that before. Games and decklists seemed to focus in a bit too much on that aspect. Instead, I want to try The Scarab God, which seems like a great follow-up to Heartless Summoning, in its place. Those are really the only slots I care about.
Right now, I've got a nonbo in the deck with the Baleful Strix and Heartless Summoning - my thought is that I want a relevant play on 2, and if I've got Heartless Summoning, I'm probably doing okay. I'm definitely open to replacements though.
I like Dark Ritual in general but not in this deck since most of your cards are weak/actively bad to cheat out. Turn 1 Arena is great and turn 4 Sire is bonkers but none of your other cards make sense to power out. Hostage Taker, Scarab God, Gray Merchant, these are cards that rely on having other things happen before they provide significant value so you don't want to be slamming them on turns 2-3. If you had more mass card draw it would be fine but since you don't I'd cut them.
I have a love/hate relationship with cards like HS and Aether Vial in multiplayer. If you draw exactly one on turn 2 on the card is broken and wins the game on its own. If you fail to draw one and/or if it gets removed then your deck feels wildly unplayable. Moreover, you'll often draw 2-3 and since multiples are essentially mulligans you'll lose plenty of games due to a lack of action (another reason to remove the Dark Rituals btw). This is why my HS decks tend to have a lot of creatures that draw/tutor cards so I can always default to chaining Rune-Scarred Demons and "Clones" if need be.
Strix seems like too much of a nonbo to me. I get your perspective of "I'm happy doing anything on turn 2" and I partially agree with it but MP games typically run long and so you're going to be "cycling" a lot of Strixes with a HS in play. That's a FeelsBadMan right there. Don't forget that you also have Preordain to further increase your chances of seeing one early on and that with the free MP mulligan you can ship opening hands that don't have a HS. Were I playing this deck I'd replace them with something else, even if it wasn't a 2 drop because if I'm building around a 2 CMC 4-of that I'm going to actively mulligan + Preordain for in every game then I don't want another 4-of in my deck to be a heinous nonbo with it.
Okay, so I may have gone a little ham on recent suggestions, but I also want to know what strategies work well with each other. So, for instance, the thought of discarding a fatty to my bounceland / borderpost, playing scope, and then animating the fatty seems like a sweet line. On the other hand, equipping dagger to a looter il-kor feels pretty bonkers too. Then I can still pitch unnecessary pieces if the need should arise.
My question is if I have enough top-end currently to justify all the ramp / what the balance should be.
Okay, so I may have gone a little ham on recent suggestions, but I also want to know what strategies work well with each other. So, for instance, the thought of discarding a fatty to my bounceland / borderpost, playing scope, and then animating the fatty seems like a sweet line. On the other hand, equipping dagger to a looter il-kor feels pretty bonkers too. Then I can still pitch unnecessary pieces if the need should arise.
My question is if I have enough top-end currently to justify all the ramp / what the balance should be.
I agree with the "bit too ham" sentiment. I like these cards but you have too many combos going on. Personally I'd cut the Daggers and save those for something with more than 7 creatures that can attack.
I'm also thinking I want to avoid Havengul Lich, since I've done that before. Games and decklists seemed to focus in a bit too much on that aspect. Instead, I want to try The Scarab God, which seems like a great follow-up to Heartless Summoning, in its place. Those are really the only slots I care about.
Here's a rough starting point!
1 Treasure Cruise
4 Heartless Summoning
4 Dark Ritual
4 Phyrexian Arena
3 Mulldrifter
2 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
4 Hostage Taker
3 The Scarab God
2 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
2 Sire of Stagnation
4 Watery Grave
4 Polluted Delta
5 Island
6 Swamp
Right now, I've got a nonbo in the deck with the Baleful Strix and Heartless Summoning - my thought is that I want a relevant play on 2, and if I've got Heartless Summoning, I'm probably doing okay. I'm definitely open to replacements though.
I have a love/hate relationship with cards like HS and Aether Vial in multiplayer. If you draw exactly one on turn 2 on the card is broken and wins the game on its own. If you fail to draw one and/or if it gets removed then your deck feels wildly unplayable. Moreover, you'll often draw 2-3 and since multiples are essentially mulligans you'll lose plenty of games due to a lack of action (another reason to remove the Dark Rituals btw). This is why my HS decks tend to have a lot of creatures that draw/tutor cards so I can always default to chaining Rune-Scarred Demons and "Clones" if need be.
Strix seems like too much of a nonbo to me. I get your perspective of "I'm happy doing anything on turn 2" and I partially agree with it but MP games typically run long and so you're going to be "cycling" a lot of Strixes with a HS in play. That's a FeelsBadMan right there. Don't forget that you also have Preordain to further increase your chances of seeing one early on and that with the free MP mulligan you can ship opening hands that don't have a HS. Were I playing this deck I'd replace them with something else, even if it wasn't a 2 drop because if I'm building around a 2 CMC 4-of that I'm going to actively mulligan + Preordain for in every game then I don't want another 4-of in my deck to be a heinous nonbo with it.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
3 Baleful Strix
1 Hostage Taker
1 The Scarab God
2 Archfiend of Ifnir
1 Sire of Stagnation
2 Nezahal, the Primal Tide
2 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
1 Manifold Insights
1 Recurring Insight
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Revel in Riches
4 Animate Dead
1 Life/Death
4 Surveyor's Scope
4 Mistvein Borderpost
1 The Immortal Sun
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Drowned Catacombs
5 Island
4 Swamp
1 Inventor's Fair
Okay, so I may have gone a little ham on recent suggestions, but I also want to know what strategies work well with each other. So, for instance, the thought of discarding a fatty to my bounceland / borderpost, playing scope, and then animating the fatty seems like a sweet line. On the other hand, equipping dagger to a looter il-kor feels pretty bonkers too. Then I can still pitch unnecessary pieces if the need should arise.
My question is if I have enough top-end currently to justify all the ramp / what the balance should be.
I agree with the "bit too ham" sentiment. I like these cards but you have too many combos going on. Personally I'd cut the Daggers and save those for something with more than 7 creatures that can attack.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
4 Baleful Strix
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Ophiomancer
1 The Scarab God
3 Archfiend of Ifnir
1 Sire of Stagnation
2 Nezahal, Primal Tide
2 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
1 Recurring Insight
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Bonehoard
1 Revel in Riches
4 Animate Dead
1 Recurring Nightmare
4 Surveyor's Scope
4 Mistvein Borderpost
1 The Immortal Sun
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Drowned Catacomb
5 Island
4 Swamp
1 Inventor's Fair