So. Just taught a family member how to play magic, and we had our first go at commander a few nights ago. Neither of us has used either of the decks, and we both used completely unmodified pre-constructed legends decks. I used arm for battle, opponent was using reap the tides.
I lost the game 45 to nothing....did I just have bad luck or do I not understand how to use the deck? It seemed arm for battle was vastly underpowered in the match up.
Essentially, I was able to start playing artifact/auras from turn 2, played commander on turn 4. The issue i ran into is that opponent returned the commander to my hand both subsequent attempts at playing him, and I did not draw another creature (of which there are very few in the deck) the entire game.
What gives? *****ty deck? *****ty draws? Or am I just *****ty at MTG? Ultimately opponent played several kraken type creatures and just demolished my life total over a few turns. I did have about 10 artifacts on the board though, but all useless equipment since I didn't have any creatures to put them on.
The two decks didn't seem to be constructed with concern for the other to me, so it could very well be that you bought a Scissors and a Rock. Both decks kind of stand up on their own as far as multiplayer games go, and I suspect the green/blue deck does worse in multiplayer just because the commander itself is a lot more important for three other players to remove while also being pretty expensive. The other deck is an equipment-matters deck which is a kind of a handicap, and is boros which is another kind of a handicap, but for what it is the deck is pretty okay.
Thanks for the response. When comparing deck lists the issue I am describing becomes very obvious. The reap the tides deck has 30 creature cards. Arm for battle has 11 creature cards. So, 1 out of every 10 cards might be a creature, so how the hell is this deck supposed to work reliably when my opponent has 3 8/8 kraken played by the time I've even drawn a second or 3rd creature? Am I missing something with the deck being soooo low on the creature count?
Am I missing something with the deck being soooo low on the creature count?
The commander is pretty low-cost so it's like every time he dies you drew another creature you can play, so there's that. I think the idea is that you suit him up and smack face before the krakens come down. There's also concessions to instants in the deck for a Sunforger package, which can actually be pretty strong. You're still up against Simic ramp+draw cards good stuff so it's an uphill battle. There's also cards in the deck that don't make any sense whatsoever like Comet storm. You can cut the instants like Comet Storm and Word of Seizing (That don't do anything with Sunforger) if you want to make room for more creatures, more creature generating tools, instants that do work with sunforger, or even more equipment. Some of the clunky auras can go. And finally I think 40 lands is too much for a low-curve commander deck, and I would play 36 at the most. I'd trim the curve down and add Skullclamp and Puresteel Paladin. Steelshaper's Gift and Stoneforge Mystic are expensive but are probably the best additions to an equipment deck. Any red or white instants that cost 3 or 4 are interesting with Sunforger if you want to go deep.
So, had a rematch last night, same exact decks. I was able to pull of a win due to 21 commander damage pretty quickly. All it took was a sol ring and brass squire.
Cast my commander turn 3, using brass squire was able to attach several equipment pieces to the commander that provided power buffs, and just about everything else under the books (vigilance, hexproof, haste, trample, first strike, indestructible, etc.) Also had an enchantment which granted double strike. This quick damage, along with the commanders draw cards ability meant a quick death for my opponent....but all seemed to hinge on my sol ring and brass squire, so we shall see about future matches with these decks.
I lost the game 45 to nothing....did I just have bad luck or do I not understand how to use the deck? It seemed arm for battle was vastly underpowered in the match up.
Essentially, I was able to start playing artifact/auras from turn 2, played commander on turn 4. The issue i ran into is that opponent returned the commander to my hand both subsequent attempts at playing him, and I did not draw another creature (of which there are very few in the deck) the entire game.
What gives? *****ty deck? *****ty draws? Or am I just *****ty at MTG? Ultimately opponent played several kraken type creatures and just demolished my life total over a few turns. I did have about 10 artifacts on the board though, but all useless equipment since I didn't have any creatures to put them on.
The commander is pretty low-cost so it's like every time he dies you drew another creature you can play, so there's that. I think the idea is that you suit him up and smack face before the krakens come down. There's also concessions to instants in the deck for a Sunforger package, which can actually be pretty strong. You're still up against Simic ramp+draw cards good stuff so it's an uphill battle. There's also cards in the deck that don't make any sense whatsoever like Comet storm. You can cut the instants like Comet Storm and Word of Seizing (That don't do anything with Sunforger) if you want to make room for more creatures, more creature generating tools, instants that do work with sunforger, or even more equipment. Some of the clunky auras can go. And finally I think 40 lands is too much for a low-curve commander deck, and I would play 36 at the most. I'd trim the curve down and add Skullclamp and Puresteel Paladin. Steelshaper's Gift and Stoneforge Mystic are expensive but are probably the best additions to an equipment deck. Any red or white instants that cost 3 or 4 are interesting with Sunforger if you want to go deep.
Cast my commander turn 3, using brass squire was able to attach several equipment pieces to the commander that provided power buffs, and just about everything else under the books (vigilance, hexproof, haste, trample, first strike, indestructible, etc.) Also had an enchantment which granted double strike. This quick damage, along with the commanders draw cards ability meant a quick death for my opponent....but all seemed to hinge on my sol ring and brass squire, so we shall see about future matches with these decks.