So the plan for this thread over the next couple of days is to go through each color and color combination and get everyone's opinion on what the best general is.
Lets start with White.
I will tally up the votes 24 hours from now and then move on to the next color.
Not sure how effective a poll is, but I'd go with Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero. Tutor, card advantage, and can go aggro, combo, or control depending on what the situation calls for.
In multiplayer? I'd say that an Aggro/Life Gain build around Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant is severely underrated.
In duels, absolutely Lin Sivvi. Tutoring and card advantage is just too wonderful.
It should really be specified in the OP whether we're voting for best duel or multiplayer general, since these decks are built on very different mentalities.
Haven't played it myself, but I've seen some mean Kemba, Kha Regent decks recently, so it gets my vote.
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Akroma is a pretty solid beater, but my vote has to go for Mageta. He has a constant wrath on a stick, a not terrible body, and his wrath ability requires you to discard cards which sets you up for recursion tricks (Reveillark, Karmic Guide, and Sun Titan anyone?).
I'm actually going to stray from the norm and vote for Hokori, Dust Drinker. I think there is a lot of potential there. And once you tap into Hokori's hidden potential, he makes sure it STAYS tapped.
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To address peoples question: I am thinking primarily for 1v1 though at the same time, most of the high class 1v1 generals are also excellent MP generals even though the decks themselves are quite different.
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The devil's in the detail. BSkithiryx, the Blight DragonB GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
I don't agree that "good duel deck" necessarily translates to "good multiplayer deck." My concern about bringing a finely tuned 1v1 deck into a multiplayer game is "reputation." If you bring a Sharuum deck to a table of 3 players who love their big splashy spells and playing 4 hour matches, you're going to be facing a 3v1 situation pretty quickly, even if perhaps you just made a Sphinx tribal deck. You'll be dead before you can prove it. Same goes for generals like Uril, Arcum, Skittles, etc.
Maybe my group here is a bit odd, but the difference between a good multiplayer deck and a good duel deck is HUGE. It's the difference between "if you don't disrupt me, you will die every game within 5 turns" and "man, if anyone shows signs of wanting to win in 5 turns before I can assemble my really janky 12 piece splashy combo, I'm gonna campaign hard to convince everyone to counter and kill all his shiz." Blue is certainly prominent enough that this "campaign to hate the griefy deck" is always a dependable strategy in multiplayer.
For multiplayer, I might even make a case for Linvala, since she shuts down most of the deadliest generals (and the best utility creatures.. and thus, all the abuse/dependability that you can count on in your "Hey, I win now" strategy) so handily. I might, if she didn't cause so much grief and get gang-raped because no one likes their cards to be disabled, and certainly not multiple someones.
Hokori assumes a really bad group of players who don't run a low curve (or a fair amount of tuck, spot removal, and ramp). So, a bad playgroup.
The vast majority of decks I encounter are multicolor, and have answers/removal in all those colors PLUS colorless removal. Iona really isn't all that busted, especially when you can see her coming from a mile away. Mono-colored decks have their own problems enough.
Mageta is similarly unimpressive, or at least would be in my playgroup. There are so many alternate win plans here that don't require creatures that he would just be counter-productive in a white deck that obviously wants to run creatures to get ahead.
Akroma is super slow without access to good ramp, super counterable, and not at all effective when telegraphed.
In all likelihood, 8.5 tails won't be remotely useful until you get to 5 mana, at which point you're probably already dead before you made any impact in a duel. In multiplayer.. who cares? Board wipes rule the day.
Lets start with White.
I will tally up the votes 24 hours from now and then move on to the next color.
My vote goes to Eight and a Half Tails.
RESULTS:
White: Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero
Blue: Vendilion Clique
Black: Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
Red: Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Green: Azusa, Lost but Seeking
Colorless: Karn, Silver Golem
Azorius: Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Dimir: Oona, Queen of the Fae
Rakdos: Wort, Boggart Auntie
Gruul: Wort, the Raidmother
Selesnya: Captain Sisay
Orzhov: Teysa, Orzhov Scion
Boros: Brion Stoutarm
Izzet: Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" target="blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Simic: Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Golgari: Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
Esper: Sharuum the Hegemon
Grixis: Thraximundar
Jund: Adun Oakenshield
Naya: Uril, the Miststalker
Bant: Rafiq of the Many
Wedge Colors: Numot, the Devastator
TASTE THE RAINBOW: Scion of the Ur-Dragon
BSkithiryx, the Blight DragonB
GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
Commander/EDH:
WU Hanna, Ship's Navigator WU
GW Saffi Eriksdotter GW
BW Selenia, Dark Angel BW
W Heliod, God of Sun W
Retired:
Jenara, Asura of War Thada Adel, Acquisitor Jaya Ballard, Task Mage Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero Lyzolda, the Blood Witch Akroma, Angel of Wrath Nath of the Gilt-Leaf Tajic, Blade of the Legion Selvala, Explorer Returned Maga, Traitor to Mortals
Tiny Leaders:
W Mangara of Corondor W
I vote for Akroma, Angel of Wrath. Plays well in any deck type and is one of, if the BEST beater in EDH.
WUBRGScion of the Ur-DragonWUBRG
BBBChainer, Dementia MasterBBB
WUGAracades SabbothWUB
Legacy Deck:
BBBThe GateBBB
In duels, absolutely Lin Sivvi. Tutoring and card advantage is just too wonderful.
It should really be specified in the OP whether we're voting for best duel or multiplayer general, since these decks are built on very different mentalities.
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(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
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I'm intrigued by Rune Tail, I might try a build around him.
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WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
UWU/W BlinkUW
BMono-Black ControlB
Commander:
GWUJenaraGWU
BGeth MBCB
RGXenagosRG
WUBSharuumWUB (retired)
Modern:
xAffinityx (starting)
Standard:
Ha! That's a good one.
EDH:
W Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
GB Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
All day, erry day.
Answers problems more easily than 8.5 or Akroma, and isn't a very linear strategy in comparison.
EDH:
RNorin the WaryR <-Link! (Primer - Mono Red Control)
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestUG <- Link! (Mini-Primer - Dredge)
Duel Commander:
WUGeist of Saint TraftUW <- Link! (Aggro-Control)
BGSkullbriar, the Walking GraveGB <- Link! (Aggro)
BUGDamia, Sage of StoneGUB <- Link! (Extinction Control)
Church of the Wary
Sharuum the Hegemon
Mayael the Anima
Wort, Boggart Auntie
Sliver Overlord
Drana Kalastria Bloodchief
99 mountain Ashling
BG Savra, Queen of the Golgari
I want to second this vote. and third it if possible.
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
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RUG Riku, Two is Better Than One
UB [PRIMER] Wrexial, Classic Control
RG Radha, Ramp's Theme Goes With Everything
White is the weakest color in EDH. Only Hokori, Dust Drinker could annoy someone...
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Modern: Kuldotha Red
Legacy: Pox, Oath
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Pauper: Pestilence, UG Threshold
EDH: Karn, Roon, Sliver Queen, Xiahou Dun, Arcanus
BSkithiryx, the Blight DragonB
GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
Wort/ Jor Kadeen/ Rasputin/BWG Karador/ Rakdos/ Edric/ Dralnu/ BBMikaeus
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Maybe my group here is a bit odd, but the difference between a good multiplayer deck and a good duel deck is HUGE. It's the difference between "if you don't disrupt me, you will die every game within 5 turns" and "man, if anyone shows signs of wanting to win in 5 turns before I can assemble my really janky 12 piece splashy combo, I'm gonna campaign hard to convince everyone to counter and kill all his shiz." Blue is certainly prominent enough that this "campaign to hate the griefy deck" is always a dependable strategy in multiplayer.
For multiplayer, I might even make a case for Linvala, since she shuts down most of the deadliest generals (and the best utility creatures.. and thus, all the abuse/dependability that you can count on in your "Hey, I win now" strategy) so handily. I might, if she didn't cause so much grief and get gang-raped because no one likes their cards to be disabled, and certainly not multiple someones.
Hokori assumes a really bad group of players who don't run a low curve (or a fair amount of tuck, spot removal, and ramp). So, a bad playgroup.
The vast majority of decks I encounter are multicolor, and have answers/removal in all those colors PLUS colorless removal. Iona really isn't all that busted, especially when you can see her coming from a mile away. Mono-colored decks have their own problems enough.
Mageta is similarly unimpressive, or at least would be in my playgroup. There are so many alternate win plans here that don't require creatures that he would just be counter-productive in a white deck that obviously wants to run creatures to get ahead.
Akroma is super slow without access to good ramp, super counterable, and not at all effective when telegraphed.
In all likelihood, 8.5 tails won't be remotely useful until you get to 5 mana, at which point you're probably already dead before you made any impact in a duel. In multiplayer.. who cares? Board wipes rule the day.
COME ON, GUYS!
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