I'm not understanding where you are going with this deck. Rafiq is a very aggressive general and pending on you dropping a T1 Mana creature (Llanowar, BoP, Hierarch, etc) for a Turn 2 Beat (Viper, Troll, Predator, etc), Turn 3 Rafiq.
So, even if I play *all* of the one-mana accelerant-men in the format, I still have 31% of chance of having one in my starting hand. That is not sufficient to be something to rely on, legacy storm has better win chance turn 1 and it won't rely on winning turn 1 either. We need more.
Let's add Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth.
1-(90/99)^5 = 0.379078679, ~38%
We *could* rely on that, but it still wouldn't be beneficial. For the record, it's less than the chances of a 60-card deck to draw one of it's 4 Birds of Paradise turn 1. (39.95%.) Now, we of course also would need to compute having one 3-mana-beater in hand, and enough lands to cast RafiQ turn 3. The probability drops to somewhere around 20%.
If I am going to dilute my deck hard for *each turn* after turn 5 I would really, really want something more than 20% chance of a god-draw that doesn't even win the game on it's own, but replaces the card advantage I lost to my acceleration which is worthless lategame.
You have creatures in your deck you need to hold mana back for (Mystic Snake, Plaxmanta, Venser, etc). Dump the cuteness and go effective beaters. If this is 1v1 based, no reason not to run the best creatures in the colors. Goyf, War Monk, Exalted Angel, etc.
That Venser, 'manta or Snake can keep RafiQ on board for one round longer, effectively dealing 8 damage. That is more than just about any other creature would do, and it's *general damage*. War monks, Goyfs and Exalted Angels need to hit for 40. RafiQ needs to hit for 21. Even if I had Goyf, War Monk AND Exalted Angel on board, the goyf would need to have 7 power for these to win as fast as RafiQ does alone. And you read the statistics? To get effective beaters I would have to run around 8 of them. I can solve this by running RafiQ, who even if dealt with is coming back and generates card advantage as he does.
The creatures in here aren't to deal 40 damage, they are here to help RafiQ deal 21. I chose creatures over spells as there is a chance that RafiQ gets dealt with, in which case I have to resort to some creature wielding SoFI or somesuch and hoping that it'd win the game.
If you like the cuteness that is all the CitP ability critters, you should consider running Crystal Shard. This card could make your opponent pay for over extending, and also use it as an Engine.
The problem: It is dead on it's own. Aggro decks work on the principle that there are no wrong threats, only wrong answers. They work on the principle that no matter what you cast your opponent needs to have an answer. I grant you that this isn't a pure aggro deck, but aggro-control one, but that just means that I run answers of my own to keep up tempo and deny key cards (And gives me a game against combo.). It doesn't mean that I start running slow engines that generate card advantage on cost of tempo. It'd be like playing Jayemdae Tome in Ichorid. Sure, it is cool late-lategame, but if the game gets there you are losing anyway.
In EDH aggro decks aim at somewhere around turns 4-8, when your opponents do not have their engines available yet and a few disruption spells can rip them of the few bombs they could cast.
You have to run Reviellark, even if you don't run the rest of the critters for the combo. His ability to bring back the nasties is too good not to play.
Beating the dead horse, and not giving a serious argument for that card. Lark is borderline in how playable it is. If I need it to get back my threats it means I am probably losing, as I don't have a board presence. Effectively it's an insurance against sweepers. "Sweep me and I still have a few dudes on board." I've been going back and forth on that card, and I'm still not sure if he belongs. Most of the time I'd rather have a counterspell for that sweeper.
I'll give spawnwrite a whirl to see how it works. I doubt it's effectiveness, though - Turn 3 Spawnwrithe => Turn 4 RafiQ wins just as fast as Turn 4 RafiQ. (0, 0, 0, 4, 6, 12, 24 vs 0, 0, 0, 0, 8, 8, 8.) I suppose it forces a sweeper, though.
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The Sage is occupied with the unspoken
and acts without effort.
Teaching without verbosity,
producing without possessing,
creating without regard to result,
claiming nothing,
the Sage has nothing to lose.
Beating the dead horse, and not giving a serious argument for that card. Lark is borderline in how playable it is. If I need it to get back my threats it means I am probably losing, as I don't have a board presence. Effectively it's an insurance against sweepers. "Sweep me and I still have a few dudes on board." I've been going back and forth on that card, and I'm still not sure if he belongs. Most of the time I'd rather have a counterspell for that sweeper.
So, just as an example, you'd prefer just to get wiped and hope to have stuff in your hand instead of getting wiped and having, at worst, two 2 power dudes in play on top of what you had in your hand?
If you want a counter of the sweeper, that's fine, but you should also have the Reveillark. It will win you more games more often than a lot of the other cards you have in your deck.
So, just as an example, you'd prefer just to get wiped and hope to have stuff in your hand instead of getting wiped and having, at worst, two 2 power dudes in play on top of what you had in your hand?
If you want a counter of the sweeper, that's fine, but you should also have the Reveillark. It will win you more games more often than a lot of the other cards you have in your deck.
In most cases it comes down to this.
Turn 5-7. 5 open mana. My opponent could have a sweeper or removal for RafiQ, if he doesn't I win.
Do I want to tap out to cast 'lark or have a counterspell? Obviously the latter. Those two 2-power dudes don't hit for general damage, and if that sweeper happened to be Hallowed Burial? Well, sucks for me. Further, there are times when I don't even have 2 2-power dudes in the graveyard yet.
The whole point is to seize the advantage. I have advantage pre-sweepers, as I can keep on attacking and harassing them while we trade cards 1:1. I am in the winning position, here.
If, however, I tap out to cast lark, he taps out to cast sweeper, I *need* to tap out to recast RafiQ. He now has opportunity to drop a finisher that will totally screw me over. Worse yet, he's generating virtual CA based on the fact that I am tapping out and my counterspells are lying around my hand being useless.
If I tap out later in the game, it needs to seize the advantage before they have it. I cannot compete in lategame CA-enginewankery with Thraximundar. Hell, I'd rather not try. Lark is just that: It doesn't discourage sweepers because of netting tempo advantage, but because of card advantage. Card advantage is only important as long as I have card quality to match 1:1. This deck, lategame, doesn't have it. Therefore card advantage is only important early on, where it can be stored and used to seize the advantage until it becomes obsolete.
If the effect of 'lark was as big as Caller of the Claws was in elves it would be awesome. If the amount of creatures was 10 instead of 2, yes, it would be awesome. Right now it is just tapping out for proactive reactivity. Those 2 2/x's are not going to kill anyone. Anyone. Especially not in EDH where you start with 40 life.
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The Sage is occupied with the unspoken
and acts without effort.
Teaching without verbosity,
producing without possessing,
creating without regard to result,
claiming nothing,
the Sage has nothing to lose.
Forgive me for asking, but what exactly is your philosophy when playing this deck? From what I can tell, you generally seem to want to play a creature on turn 2 or 3, then play Rafiq, and then attack and hope that your opponent dies? From your last post, it seems like you rely too much on an early Rafiq and if your opponent is able to draw a sweeper, some sort of disruption, etc., then recovering is extremely difficult. You mention things like not being able to keep up with the late game card advantage that other generals have, and say that you don't even want to try. I respect that if your plan is to solely kill them early on. But, the way that the deck is built, along with your posts, speak otherwise say that you don't want all your eggs in one basket. I would like to see some gameplay examples so I can get a better feel of what's going on when you play the deck. I'm not asking for videos or anything, but if you could post what happens in the first few turns of the game, I would be grateful.
Consider Cataclysm, Parallax Tide, Rising Waters, Hokori, Dust Drinker and Parallax Wave, sorted by how effective I think they might be. Not really sure about the last three honestly (just throwing them out there), but the first two, resolved, will win you the game on the spot with Rafiq out.
So, even if I play *all* of the one-mana accelerant-men in the format, I still have 31% of chance of having one in my starting hand. That is not sufficient to be something to rely on, legacy storm has better win chance turn 1 and it won't rely on winning turn 1 either. We need more.
Let's add Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth.
1-(90/99)^5 = 0.379078679, ~38%
We *could* rely on that, but it still wouldn't be beneficial. For the record, it's less than the chances of a 60-card deck to draw one of it's 4 Birds of Paradise turn 1. (39.95%.) Now, we of course also would need to compute having one 3-mana-beater in hand, and enough lands to cast RafiQ turn 3. The probability drops to somewhere around 20%.
If I am going to dilute my deck hard for *each turn* after turn 5 I would really, really want something more than 20% chance of a god-draw that doesn't even win the game on it's own, but replaces the card advantage I lost to my acceleration which is worthless lategame.
You have completely left out any consideration of the most important EDH Rule in terms of Rafiq Aggro's true power: The EDH Mulligan Rule.
Out of your first 7 cards you keep whatever land/mana accelerators you get/need, dump the rest if you don't get the acceleration for turn 2-3 Rafiq, and draw that many minus 1. Then you do it again. Try that 10 times with 6-8 accelerators and tell us how many times you didn't cast turn 1 accel turn 2 beater turn 3 Rafiq turn 4 and 5 beat with Rafiq for the win.
Opening hand statistics with EDH Mulligans are BETTER than 60 card constructed mulligan odds. There is no reason not to play Rafiq as fast as you can following up with protection/evasion spells and getting the game over turn 5 in a 1v1 situation.
In multiplayer it is a bit different, but only after 4 or more players. In many 3 player MUs you can get out of the gate fast enough to kill the player who would threaten your style most first and then take your time beating the third player.
I won last week in a three round event podded into 3 player games. Round 2 and 3 were literal 2v1's but I protected Rafiq early and each game went for the throat of the player most equipped removal wise to deal with me, both times it proved successful. Round 2 I took out the Wort player 1st because I got an early Sword of fire and Ice out on Rafiq making Goblins unable to block and knowing that he had plenty of Black removal and that in a longer game Wort would get ugly.
My accelerators are as follows: Noble hierarch, BoP, Chrome Mox, Mox Diamond, Elvish Spirit Guide, Magus of the Vineyard, Burgeoning (I play more multiplayer and this wins me every game I drop it turn one), Bloom Tender, Quirion Elves, and Oracle of Mul Daya. I Always play Rafiq by turn 3, and sometimes can do it turn 2. I play both the Eriksdotter and the Dauntless Escort giving him more chances to survive for at least one attack off the first casting of him. Running the Accelerators does not lead to a worse mid-game because it allows me to recur Rafiq faster as well. It is not uncommon for me to win games after casting Rafiq 4+ times. Every time he drops he is a must answer card, so having the mana to recast him forces opponents to play around it and it slows them down.
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Currently Playing:
Standard:
U/G TurboTitans
B/G TurboNixilis
Extended:
Preeminant Watch
RDW
(trying to hatch an Extended deck to abuse Emrakul...)
Legacy:
Vial Goblins mono red
Trisomy 21- Loam Control
EDH:
Brion Stoutarm- Fling Drazi
Rafiq of the Many Huge Show and Tell Dudes
Peasant:
MBC
Bant aggro
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Llanowar Elves, Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch, Boreal Druid, Fyndhorn Elves
Chance to have one of them in my starting hand:
1-(92/99)^5 = 0.3069522407, ~31%
So, even if I play *all* of the one-mana accelerant-men in the format, I still have 31% of chance of having one in my starting hand. That is not sufficient to be something to rely on, legacy storm has better win chance turn 1 and it won't rely on winning turn 1 either. We need more.
Let's add Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth.
1-(90/99)^5 = 0.379078679, ~38%
We *could* rely on that, but it still wouldn't be beneficial. For the record, it's less than the chances of a 60-card deck to draw one of it's 4 Birds of Paradise turn 1. (39.95%.) Now, we of course also would need to compute having one 3-mana-beater in hand, and enough lands to cast RafiQ turn 3. The probability drops to somewhere around 20%.
If I am going to dilute my deck hard for *each turn* after turn 5 I would really, really want something more than 20% chance of a god-draw that doesn't even win the game on it's own, but replaces the card advantage I lost to my acceleration which is worthless lategame.
That Venser, 'manta or Snake can keep RafiQ on board for one round longer, effectively dealing 8 damage. That is more than just about any other creature would do, and it's *general damage*. War monks, Goyfs and Exalted Angels need to hit for 40. RafiQ needs to hit for 21. Even if I had Goyf, War Monk AND Exalted Angel on board, the goyf would need to have 7 power for these to win as fast as RafiQ does alone. And you read the statistics? To get effective beaters I would have to run around 8 of them. I can solve this by running RafiQ, who even if dealt with is coming back and generates card advantage as he does.
The creatures in here aren't to deal 40 damage, they are here to help RafiQ deal 21. I chose creatures over spells as there is a chance that RafiQ gets dealt with, in which case I have to resort to some creature wielding SoFI or somesuch and hoping that it'd win the game.
Maybe, although I often do not have enough cards in hand lategame to fuel it.
The problem: It is dead on it's own. Aggro decks work on the principle that there are no wrong threats, only wrong answers. They work on the principle that no matter what you cast your opponent needs to have an answer. I grant you that this isn't a pure aggro deck, but aggro-control one, but that just means that I run answers of my own to keep up tempo and deny key cards (And gives me a game against combo.). It doesn't mean that I start running slow engines that generate card advantage on cost of tempo. It'd be like playing Jayemdae Tome in Ichorid. Sure, it is cool late-lategame, but if the game gets there you are losing anyway.
In EDH aggro decks aim at somewhere around turns 4-8, when your opponents do not have their engines available yet and a few disruption spells can rip them of the few bombs they could cast.
Beating the dead horse, and not giving a serious argument for that card. Lark is borderline in how playable it is. If I need it to get back my threats it means I am probably losing, as I don't have a board presence. Effectively it's an insurance against sweepers. "Sweep me and I still have a few dudes on board." I've been going back and forth on that card, and I'm still not sure if he belongs. Most of the time I'd rather have a counterspell for that sweeper.
I'll give spawnwrite a whirl to see how it works. I doubt it's effectiveness, though - Turn 3 Spawnwrithe => Turn 4 RafiQ wins just as fast as Turn 4 RafiQ. (0, 0, 0, 4, 6, 12, 24 vs 0, 0, 0, 0, 8, 8, 8.) I suppose it forces a sweeper, though.
and acts without effort.
Teaching without verbosity,
producing without possessing,
creating without regard to result,
claiming nothing,
the Sage has nothing to lose.
So, just as an example, you'd prefer just to get wiped and hope to have stuff in your hand instead of getting wiped and having, at worst, two 2 power dudes in play on top of what you had in your hand?
If you want a counter of the sweeper, that's fine, but you should also have the Reveillark. It will win you more games more often than a lot of the other cards you have in your deck.
Commander BLOG: The Crazy 99
Gonti ; Sissay
In most cases it comes down to this.
Turn 5-7. 5 open mana. My opponent could have a sweeper or removal for RafiQ, if he doesn't I win.
Do I want to tap out to cast 'lark or have a counterspell? Obviously the latter. Those two 2-power dudes don't hit for general damage, and if that sweeper happened to be Hallowed Burial? Well, sucks for me. Further, there are times when I don't even have 2 2-power dudes in the graveyard yet.
The whole point is to seize the advantage. I have advantage pre-sweepers, as I can keep on attacking and harassing them while we trade cards 1:1. I am in the winning position, here.
If, however, I tap out to cast lark, he taps out to cast sweeper, I *need* to tap out to recast RafiQ. He now has opportunity to drop a finisher that will totally screw me over. Worse yet, he's generating virtual CA based on the fact that I am tapping out and my counterspells are lying around my hand being useless.
If I tap out later in the game, it needs to seize the advantage before they have it. I cannot compete in lategame CA-enginewankery with Thraximundar. Hell, I'd rather not try. Lark is just that: It doesn't discourage sweepers because of netting tempo advantage, but because of card advantage. Card advantage is only important as long as I have card quality to match 1:1. This deck, lategame, doesn't have it. Therefore card advantage is only important early on, where it can be stored and used to seize the advantage until it becomes obsolete.
If the effect of 'lark was as big as Caller of the Claws was in elves it would be awesome. If the amount of creatures was 10 instead of 2, yes, it would be awesome. Right now it is just tapping out for proactive reactivity. Those 2 2/x's are not going to kill anyone. Anyone. Especially not in EDH where you start with 40 life.
and acts without effort.
Teaching without verbosity,
producing without possessing,
creating without regard to result,
claiming nothing,
the Sage has nothing to lose.
Edit: and Sunder
Rasputin Dreamweaver EDH
You have completely left out any consideration of the most important EDH Rule in terms of Rafiq Aggro's true power: The EDH Mulligan Rule.
Out of your first 7 cards you keep whatever land/mana accelerators you get/need, dump the rest if you don't get the acceleration for turn 2-3 Rafiq, and draw that many minus 1. Then you do it again. Try that 10 times with 6-8 accelerators and tell us how many times you didn't cast turn 1 accel turn 2 beater turn 3 Rafiq turn 4 and 5 beat with Rafiq for the win.
Opening hand statistics with EDH Mulligans are BETTER than 60 card constructed mulligan odds. There is no reason not to play Rafiq as fast as you can following up with protection/evasion spells and getting the game over turn 5 in a 1v1 situation.
In multiplayer it is a bit different, but only after 4 or more players. In many 3 player MUs you can get out of the gate fast enough to kill the player who would threaten your style most first and then take your time beating the third player.
I won last week in a three round event podded into 3 player games. Round 2 and 3 were literal 2v1's but I protected Rafiq early and each game went for the throat of the player most equipped removal wise to deal with me, both times it proved successful. Round 2 I took out the Wort player 1st because I got an early Sword of fire and Ice out on Rafiq making Goblins unable to block and knowing that he had plenty of Black removal and that in a longer game Wort would get ugly.
My accelerators are as follows: Noble hierarch, BoP, Chrome Mox, Mox Diamond, Elvish Spirit Guide, Magus of the Vineyard, Burgeoning (I play more multiplayer and this wins me every game I drop it turn one), Bloom Tender, Quirion Elves, and Oracle of Mul Daya. I Always play Rafiq by turn 3, and sometimes can do it turn 2. I play both the Eriksdotter and the Dauntless Escort giving him more chances to survive for at least one attack off the first casting of him. Running the Accelerators does not lead to a worse mid-game because it allows me to recur Rafiq faster as well. It is not uncommon for me to win games after casting Rafiq 4+ times. Every time he drops he is a must answer card, so having the mana to recast him forces opponents to play around it and it slows them down.
Standard:
U/G TurboTitans
B/G TurboNixilis
Extended:
Preeminant Watch
RDW
(trying to hatch an Extended deck to abuse Emrakul...)
Legacy:
Vial Goblins mono red
Trisomy 21- Loam Control
EDH:
Brion Stoutarm- Fling Drazi
Rafiq of the Many Huge Show and Tell Dudes
Peasant:
MBC
Bant aggro