I love to steal and copy stuff in EDH, so I used to run Sen Triplets. That thing draws an unimaginable level of hate though, and people would make all sorts of assumptions about my deck. Furthermore it slowed down the game a lot when I had to choose a player and would spend too much time figuring out what to do with a brand new hand.
I looked around a little for other generals that copy and steal, and lo and behold there was one that looked awesome in my colors Halfdane. I have been testing him out and he has actually been a blast to play with. Nothing quite like swinging for 21 with your general in WUB.
This is mostly the same shell that my Sen Triplets deck used, although Halfdane has a lot of trouble breaking through blockers, so Elspeth and Loxodon Warhammer were added.
Right now I am looking at other things to make sure Halfdane gets through for general damage, while still being really good in the deck even if he gets Hindered or the like, or if his cost becomes way too high. Current ideas I have for this are: Mask of Riddles Sword of Fire and Ice Sword of Light and Shadow Shield of Kaldra (This one only helps me get damage through after a wrath, and typically it would have to be me doing the wrathing, otherwise Halfdane would be tiny on my turn, but its really good even if Halfdane isn't out, so I am really on the fence on this one.)
I didn't like the Helm of Kaldra too much, because it seems like it would only be good on Halfdane, and even then only for trample (Haste on Halfdane isn't that great).
I really want to find more ideas to help Halfdane push through for damage other than equipment, so I was wondering if anybody here has some hidden gems or the like for it in these colors.
Other things I am thinking about:
Card Draw. With Sen Triplets as a general I essentially always had cards to play for as along as my opponents did, I'm not sure if there is enough in the deck now that I have gone with a more manly general.
Ravnica bouncelands. Whats your opinion on them? Do they slow you down too much? Too big of a target for LD? Is the CA and mana fixing they generate worth it?
What to take out! Pointing out any weak links is really helpful. Right now I feel that my list is pretty tight so I need an outside perspective to try and fit new things into the deck.
EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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It seems like an OK deck, but it doesn't really fit his theme. You should probably be running some more big creatures of your own, if your opponents don't have anything out that's very big then it might be nice to run some large stuff of your own. It would also give you more things to use the mana excel things that you have on. Also, I have never had real problems with the ravnica bounce lands myself. Yes, they get destroyed, but my deck doesn't run many troublesome lands compared to some other people in my playgroup, so my lands are pretty low on the destroy list.
It seems like an OK deck, but it doesn't really fit his theme. You should probably be running some more big creatures of your own, if your opponents don't have anything out that's very big then it might be nice to run some large stuff of your own. It would also give you more things to use the mana excel things that you have on. Also, I have never had real problems with the ravnica bounce lands myself. Yes, they get destroyed, but my deck doesn't run many troublesome lands compared to some other people in my playgroup, so my lands are pretty low on the destroy list.
I really don't want to run big guys, as its kind of like a goal with this deck to win with my opponents stuff. That, and with the games I have played with him your opponents all have to be losing to you if there isn't at least a 7/7 out, giving him a really speedy 3 turn clock... if he can punch through as a vanilla guy. And right now I am looking for help on that.
I'll try putting the Ravnica bounce lands in to save me some cards, I may just be a little too wary of LD *looks att Volraths Stronghold, Academy Ruins, Kor Haven, Riptide Lab, Cabal Coffers* I suppose that if my opponents go after those then at least I have utility lands.
EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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I don't know man. This seems a lot like my Merieke deck and it's hard to beat unless you play a super awesome combo deck. If you put in a Thousand Year Elixir and Puppet Strings it's an almost exact duplicate of my deck.
I think that sower of temptation would be worth running since you are going for a copy/steal theme. Also as far as stealing you can't really go wrong with Keiga, the Tide Star or Empress Galina since Keiga pretty much ensures you get to hit in or they kill it and you get a creature.
I have tried playing both Sower and Keiga in the past. Sower doesn't work in my meta because ALOT of people just hate from some sort of experience in T2 last year or something. It is killed by anyone that can muster a spell to do so, whether or not they are the opponent affected by the little bugger. Completely bewilders me as Dominating Licid is largely left unmolested. Its like some sort of faerie shellshock.
Keiga is a card that seems great on paper, but it has never really gotten me a creature. No sane opponent is going to kill it off, so it just waits on defense, blocking a token or something as I get overrun by creatures with less than 5 power, and finally dies to a wrath. Its sad, because I always feel that this card should work.
I will try out Empress Galina when I stumble across one. I'm not sure if it will be too big of a target to function, but at the very least I will be able to grab one thing should I untap with it.
@utgartha. This is supposed to be a theft/copy themed deck, so I imagine it will have some similarities with a general in the same colors that steals stuff :P. Also, I am choosing a slightly weaker general on purpose, stronger ones just scare the crap out of everyone and makes them think I am running a very cutthroat deck, when I am not. In these colors almost everyone thinks you are going to run combos or something if you are running Merieke, Sen Triplets, or Sharuum.
I am just trying to run an on theme general in my colors without getting flak for it. Also, Halfdane is the manliest general in these colors, and is actually a blast to play with. I am still looking for stuff to try to make him punch through for the damage though. Right now Glory actually looks like a solid choice, considering I try to leave mana open during other peoples turns anyway it blanks out removal spells along with bursting through any number of colored creatures with the dane (or an alpha strike with other stolen/ copied creatures).
So I tossed Glory in the deck and a Sword of Fire and Ice to help him punch through a little more. The sword also helps me draw more cards which I was kind of worried about too. I took out Sorin and the Magister Sphinx for them, considering I should be able to get through with general damage for people that have infinite life a little more reliably now.
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Whispersilk Cloak just seems really bad when its not on Halfdane, and even then it doesn't seem super because there isn't a P/T boost. It just doesn't feel like it does enough.
Also, I found a copy of Empress Galina. So far I have only got her out in one game (and she didn't last long) but it really showed me how many legendary permanents are out on the board in EDH. I can get mana acceled off of one of the many lands that are legendary that people play, I can steal a general, and then there are plenty of really good cards that people play that are legendary anyway (Mirari, Kiki-Jiki). It feels like she is really underrated for all she does (or at least thats what I thought before). Thanks for the advice Partisan.
Also, speaking of legendary cards that are really good, I finally found a copy of Minamo, and I also found out that Shizo, Death's Storehouse exists, which is something that I think will be great for helping Halfdane push through for damage, and to top it all off it doesn't even take up a slot in the deck.
Right now I want to find some cards to cut to put in a copy of Mnemonic Wall and Emrakul for when I get them at the prerelease, but I am having a hard time thinking of what to cut. Anyone have suggestions on anything to cut? Anything look weird or out of place to you?
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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Yes, actually I have. To be honest its won me more games than any other card in the deck. Its a great political tool, it can send someone with a strong board position down to the single digits to be killed easily, it gives lifegain decks a massive headache, and its the perfect revenge spell. That and when someones has been picked on a little unfairly you can put them back into the game. Furthermore it has ALWAYS resolved. Red decks can't fiddle with it by copying it (since yours is on the bottom of the stack its the only one that really matters) and it can't be redirected because there are no targets. And in EVERY game that I have played, the blue players typically are among the lowest life totals, meaning worst case scenario they don't lose enough life for it to be worth countering. Its really a top notch spell, and I have worked to put in on the top 35 list for white that DC manages.
That and as you said it fits with the theme of theft, because I am literally stealing someone else's life total.
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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I just realized that Shapesharer works with Halfdane, which is pretty awesome and might warrant an inclusion in the deck. Anybody have any thoughts on what I should take out?
Also, removed Empress Galina from the deck because its just too hard to make her stick, and she doesn't steal your opponents best permanents either. Even if you get her out there and doing her thing without being stopped, its still seven mana to steal your first permanent, and at best it tends to be a general, the rest of the time I am stealing junk like Okina Temple to the Grandfathers. In its place I put in a Mnemonic Wall.
And one last thing, I want to try out Winding Canyons. Anybody have any experience with this card? By looking at it it feels like it should go into almost every EDH deck, does it flop horribly or do people just not put it in lists because they aren't aware of it?
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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Winding Canyons is pretty legit, I'm just not sure if you have enough ramp for it to really shine. It's really at it's best in mono G rofellos, where it can combine with Seedborn Muse or Patron of the Orochi to very nearly give you an extra turn on each of your opponent's turns.
I'd suggest trying out Dakkon Blackblade. He's a pretty huge fattie who doesn't cost too much.
I think you can do better than Mind's Eye since you are in both blue and black. Necrologia, Necropotence, Rhystic Study or Mystic Remora could replace it. Rhystic Study isn't very consistent at drawing you cards since it lets your opponents decide whether or not to pay but it is going to be very rare someone will pay an extra 4 for Mystic Remora so it should draw you more cards over the course of a few turns than Mind's Eye for less mana.
Wow, actually Mystic Remora is a lot better than I thought it was. A guy in my playgroup uses it all the time, but we have always used the printed text of "target opponent" so when it comes into play he targets somebody and only gets draws off that guy playing spells. Now that I know the oracle text the card is really, REALLY good.
I am probably not going to run Necropotence because it makes you a prime suspect to kill when you are drawing a bajillion cards. Necrologia doesn't seem nearly as good in a deck that can also run FoF and the like, it would be worth it if I didn't have to cast it during my end phase.
As soon as I find a copy of Mystic Remora its going straight into the deck instead of
Minds Eye.
As to adding Dakkon, believe it or not Halfdane is always huge despite the fact that I essentially only have tiny utility guys. He is typically in the 7/7 range, and if you have a guy running Omnath or Kresh or the like he will get enormous. I actually frequently one-shot people with my general, because huge creatures are so common in EDH, and Halfdanes P/T change includes things like +1/+1 counters, equipment, etc. So as long as someone is running a Lord of Extinction/ Hamletback Goliath/ other ridiculously large fat he does pretty well.
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
I looked around a little for other generals that copy and steal, and lo and behold there was one that looked awesome in my colors Halfdane. I have been testing him out and he has actually been a blast to play with. Nothing quite like swinging for 21 with your general in WUB.
1 Halfdane
Creatures
1 Trinket Mage
1 Wrexial, the Risen Deep (F)
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Stone Cloaker (F)
1 Gilded Drake
1 Sakashima the Impostor
1 Vesuvan Doppleganger
1 Mulldrifter (F)
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1 Dominating Licid
1 Reviellark
1 Memnarch
1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor (F)
1 Body Double (F)
1 Willbender (F)
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter (F)
1 Mnemonic Wall (F)
1 Glory (F)
1 Eight and a Half Tails
1 Mischievous Quanar (F)
Removal
1 Hallowed Burial (F)
1 Mortify (F)
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Vindicate (F)
1 Austere Command (F)
1 Rout
1 Oblation (F)
1 Swords to Plowshares
Counterspells
1 Desertion
1 Force of Will
1 Crytpic Command (F)
1 Hinder (F)
1 Intuition
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor (F)
1 Mystical Teachings (F)
1 Vampiric Tutor
Misc.
1 Knowledge Exploitation
1 Blatant Thievery
1 Commandeer
1 Bribery
1 Rite of Replication (F)
1 Memory Plunder (F)
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Reverse the Sands (F)
1 Time Warp
Enchantments
1 Debtors Knell (F)
1 Future Sight
1 Treachery (F)
1 Ghostly Prison (F)
1 Confiscate (F)
Artifacts
1 Sensei's Divining Top (F)
1 Sol Ring
1 Darksteel Ingot (F)
1 Gilded Lotus (F)
1 Expidition Map (F)
1 Crystal Shard (F)
1 Lightning Greaves (F)
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Sword of Fire and Ice.
Lands
1 Coastal Tower (F)
1 Scrublands
1 Flood Plain
1 Marsh Flats (F)
1 Mystic Gate
1 Fetid Heath
1 Vivid Meadow (F)
1 Plains (F)
1 Arcane Sanctum (F)
1 Sejiri Refuge (F)
1 Wanderwine Hub (F)
1 Vesuva (F)
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Bad River
1 Academy Ruins
1 Volraths Stronghold
1 Kor Haven
1 Winding Canyons
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Vivid Creek (F)
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Underground Sea
1 Celestial Collonade (F)
1 Creeping Tar Pits
1 Bojuka Bog (F)
1 Island (F)
1 Jwar Isle Refuge (F)
1 Tolaria West
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Drowned Catacombs (F)
1 Vivid Marsh (F)
1 Sunken Ruins (F)
1 Reliquary Tower (F)
1 Watery Grave
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Minamo, School at Waters Edge
1 Shizuo, Deaths Storehouse
Right now I am looking at other things to make sure Halfdane gets through for general damage, while still being really good in the deck even if he gets Hindered or the like, or if his cost becomes way too high. Current ideas I have for this are:
Mask of Riddles
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Shield of Kaldra (This one only helps me get damage through after a wrath, and typically it would have to be me doing the wrathing, otherwise Halfdane would be tiny on my turn, but its really good even if Halfdane isn't out, so I am really on the fence on this one.)
I didn't like the Helm of Kaldra too much, because it seems like it would only be good on Halfdane, and even then only for trample (Haste on Halfdane isn't that great).
I really want to find more ideas to help Halfdane push through for damage other than equipment, so I was wondering if anybody here has some hidden gems or the like for it in these colors.
Other things I am thinking about:
Card Draw. With Sen Triplets as a general I essentially always had cards to play for as along as my opponents did, I'm not sure if there is enough in the deck now that I have gone with a more manly general.
Ravnica bouncelands. Whats your opinion on them? Do they slow you down too much? Too big of a target for LD? Is the CA and mana fixing they generate worth it?
What to take out! Pointing out any weak links is really helpful. Right now I feel that my list is pretty tight so I need an outside perspective to try and fit new things into the deck.
Thanks for in advance for any help you can give.
Stuff removed/added
-Sorin Markov
-Magister Sphinx
-Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
-Empress Galina
-Elsepeth, Knight Errant
+Eight and a half Tails
+Sword of Fire and Ice
+Glory
+Empress Galena
+Mnemonic Wall
Cards I would love to find room for, but haven't been able to yet: Knowledge Exploitation, Helm of Possession, Time Stop.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
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Under ConstructionEDH-W Wrath of the Angels
U Arcanis Goodstuff
B The Baron's Vampires
R Smashing Mirrors
G The Snakes Rising
RG The Grand Feast
UBR The Lord's Zombies
Nom
Thanks to Kracked Graphics for the signature!
[Limited]
I really don't want to run big guys, as its kind of like a goal with this deck to win with my opponents stuff. That, and with the games I have played with him your opponents all have to be losing to you if there isn't at least a 7/7 out, giving him a really speedy 3 turn clock... if he can punch through as a vanilla guy. And right now I am looking for help on that.
I'll try putting the Ravnica bounce lands in to save me some cards, I may just be a little too wary of LD *looks att Volraths Stronghold, Academy Ruins, Kor Haven, Riptide Lab, Cabal Coffers* I suppose that if my opponents go after those then at least I have utility lands.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
I'm not sure if the transmute would be very helpful. Nothing else in his deck has a CMC of 9 I don't think...
Under ConstructionEDH-W Wrath of the Angels
U Arcanis Goodstuff
B The Baron's Vampires
R Smashing Mirrors
G The Snakes Rising
RG The Grand Feast
UBR The Lord's Zombies
Nom
Thanks to Kracked Graphics for the signature!
[Limited]
Like smashing face? Like not worrying about pitiful tokens or life gain? Check out Stonebrow, Krosan Hero for all your face smashing needs
Keiga is a card that seems great on paper, but it has never really gotten me a creature. No sane opponent is going to kill it off, so it just waits on defense, blocking a token or something as I get overrun by creatures with less than 5 power, and finally dies to a wrath. Its sad, because I always feel that this card should work.
I will try out Empress Galina when I stumble across one. I'm not sure if it will be too big of a target to function, but at the very least I will be able to grab one thing should I untap with it.
@utgartha. This is supposed to be a theft/copy themed deck, so I imagine it will have some similarities with a general in the same colors that steals stuff :P. Also, I am choosing a slightly weaker general on purpose, stronger ones just scare the crap out of everyone and makes them think I am running a very cutthroat deck, when I am not. In these colors almost everyone thinks you are going to run combos or something if you are running Merieke, Sen Triplets, or Sharuum.
I am just trying to run an on theme general in my colors without getting flak for it. Also, Halfdane is the manliest general in these colors, and is actually a blast to play with. I am still looking for stuff to try to make him punch through for the damage though. Right now Glory actually looks like a solid choice, considering I try to leave mana open during other peoples turns anyway it blanks out removal spells along with bursting through any number of colored creatures with the dane (or an alpha strike with other stolen/ copied creatures).
So I tossed Glory in the deck and a Sword of Fire and Ice to help him punch through a little more. The sword also helps me draw more cards which I was kind of worried about too. I took out Sorin and the Magister Sphinx for them, considering I should be able to get through with general damage for people that have infinite life a little more reliably now.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Also, I found a copy of Empress Galina. So far I have only got her out in one game (and she didn't last long) but it really showed me how many legendary permanents are out on the board in EDH. I can get mana acceled off of one of the many lands that are legendary that people play, I can steal a general, and then there are plenty of really good cards that people play that are legendary anyway (Mirari, Kiki-Jiki). It feels like she is really underrated for all she does (or at least thats what I thought before). Thanks for the advice Partisan.
Also, speaking of legendary cards that are really good, I finally found a copy of Minamo, and I also found out that Shizo, Death's Storehouse exists, which is something that I think will be great for helping Halfdane push through for damage, and to top it all off it doesn't even take up a slot in the deck.
Right now I want to find some cards to cut to put in a copy of Mnemonic Wall and Emrakul for when I get them at the prerelease, but I am having a hard time thinking of what to cut. Anyone have suggestions on anything to cut? Anything look weird or out of place to you?
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Like smashing face? Like not worrying about pitiful tokens or life gain? Check out Stonebrow, Krosan Hero for all your face smashing needs
That and as you said it fits with the theme of theft, because I am literally stealing someone else's life total.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Also, removed Empress Galina from the deck because its just too hard to make her stick, and she doesn't steal your opponents best permanents either. Even if you get her out there and doing her thing without being stopped, its still seven mana to steal your first permanent, and at best it tends to be a general, the rest of the time I am stealing junk like Okina Temple to the Grandfathers. In its place I put in a Mnemonic Wall.
And one last thing, I want to try out Winding Canyons. Anybody have any experience with this card? By looking at it it feels like it should go into almost every EDH deck, does it flop horribly or do people just not put it in lists because they aren't aware of it?
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
I'd suggest trying out Dakkon Blackblade. He's a pretty huge fattie who doesn't cost too much.
Currently 62/265 cards.
I am probably not going to run Necropotence because it makes you a prime suspect to kill when you are drawing a bajillion cards. Necrologia doesn't seem nearly as good in a deck that can also run FoF and the like, it would be worth it if I didn't have to cast it during my end phase.
As soon as I find a copy of Mystic Remora its going straight into the deck instead of
Minds Eye.
As to adding Dakkon, believe it or not Halfdane is always huge despite the fact that I essentially only have tiny utility guys. He is typically in the 7/7 range, and if you have a guy running Omnath or Kresh or the like he will get enormous. I actually frequently one-shot people with my general, because huge creatures are so common in EDH, and Halfdanes P/T change includes things like +1/+1 counters, equipment, etc. So as long as someone is running a Lord of Extinction/ Hamletback Goliath/ other ridiculously large fat he does pretty well.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Currently 62/265 cards.