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[SIZE=6][COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]I would like to start this out with a shout-out to [COLOR=Blue]ISBPathfinder[/COLOR], [COLOR=Blue]G[/COLOR][SIZE=2][COLOR=Blue]elf[/COLOR],[COLOR=Blue] bobthefunny[/COLOR], [COLOR=Blue]Xeroxed[/COLOR][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][COLOR=Blue]F[/COLOR][/SIZE][COLOR=Blue]ool[/COLOR], and everyone else whose idea[SIZE=2]s and creativi[SIZE=2]ty I stole in order to make th[SIZE=2]is better organized, more [SIZE=2]visually appealing, and who blazed the trails [SIZE=2]for t[SIZE=2]h[SIZE=2]ese types of EDH threads. Your work does not go unno[SIZE=2]ti[SIZE=2]ced or unapprec[SIZE=2]iated[SIZE=2]. Thanks guys.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE]
:1mana::symg::symw::symu: Rafiq of the Many :symu::symw::symg::1mana:
[B] [SIZE=5][FONT=Georgia]Intro[/FONT][/SIZE][/B]
My first competitive EDH deck was very similar to [URL="http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=311261"]ISBPathfinder's Jenara list[/URL]. After a while, I got bored of winning the same way. Jenara is a general who lends herself best to a "bant good cards" list, as she is very solid and versatile, but with no key attributes to build toward. Rafiq really jumped off the page as a general who truly lends himself to the unique nature of EDH, and I had been wanting to build around him even before my Jenara deck was complete. I began to make the transition over to Rafiq, and many of the strategies for BantGoodCards.dec ended up being clunky and unfriendly with Rafiq's unique personality and strength. Many of the engines for the old deck gave way to the streamlined, lethal, vicious nature of Rafiq of the Many. Over time I tested and tuned his combat abilities in conjunction with various attackers and equipment. I tried going all-in on the curve-out combat gambit. When taken to the full extreme, I found the deck to be powerful, threatening, and full of upside, but maddeningly inconsistent, and somewhat flaccid in the end-game or when playing from behind. After being introduced to a different metagame, full of proactive, powerful decks, I realized that most of my opponents were winning with UG/x strategies that chained extra turns together. Since Rafiq is, indeed, UG/x, it seemed only natural to take what I had learned and apply it to my own deck. This solved the late game issues, and increased Rafiq's ability to win out of nowhere in come-from-behind fashion. As such, I have tailored this deck to reflect those main concepts, crafting a powerful early game with staying power and high end capacity. This solved the typical major critque of a Rafiq deck: that while it is lethal early, it cannot take out an entire table. My aim is to continue to adapt and evolve this fun, flavorful general in a competitive environment, and share my techniques and experiences with everyone else who is captivated by Rafiq of the Many, or at least curious to try him out. Rafiq of the Many: many sigils, one purpose. Crush your opponents and leave the table with a smile.
[SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][B][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black]Why choose Rafiq?[/COLOR][/FONT][/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]
Choosing Rafiq as your commander comes down to a [SIZE=2]few basic choices:
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[LIST]
[*][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]color identity[/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[*][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]power[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[*][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]st[SIZE=2]rategy.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][COLOR=RoyalBlue][COLOR=Black][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=5][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Black][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][U][SIZE=2][COLOR=SeaGreen]C[COLOR=Yellow]o[/COLOR][/COLOR][COLOR=RoyalBlue]l[/COLOR][COLOR=SeaGreen]o[/COLOR][COLOR=Yellow]r[/COLOR][COLOR=RoyalBlue]s[/COLOR][/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2][COLOR=RoyalBlue]: [COLOR=Black]Rafiq puts [SIZE=2]you into[SIZE=2] t[SIZE=2]he Ban[SIZE=2]t color-scheme [SIZE=2]:symg::symw::symu:[/SIZE]. These are very advantageous colors to have [SIZE=2]at [SIZE=2]your disposal. [SIZE=2]The be[SIZE=2]st strate[SIZE=2]gy in Magic is to take more turns tha[SIZE=2]n your opponent. B[SIZE=2]lue and green allow you to do just that, while white provides cheap[SIZE=2], versatile answers and powerful tutoring.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE]
[COLOR=SeaGreen][SIZE=2]Gr[SIZE=2]een[COLOR=Black] is the color [SIZE=2]of ramp and mana[SIZE=2]-[/SIZE]fixing. [SIZE=2]By accelerating your land drops and mana production with green, you are effectively [SIZE=2]breaking the rules of Magic which limit you to one land each turn. This allows [SIZE=2]you to be turns ahead of your opponents, making your crucial plays before they can make theirs, and[SIZE=2] applying continuous pressure[/SIZE]. [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR]Green also grants access to [SIZE=2]three differ[SIZE=2]ent Ophidian effe[SIZE=2]cts.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][COLOR=RoyalBlue]
Blue [/COLOR] [COLOR=Black]is the c[SIZE=2]o[SIZE=2]lor of card draw and instan[SIZE=2]t[SIZE=2]-speed answers. Drawing extra cards[SIZE=2] allows you to effectively break the one-card-per-turn rule in M[SIZE=2]agic. Seeing more [SIZE=2]cards th[SIZE=2]an your oppo[SIZE=2]nents means that you will have a higher chance of finding your answers and allows for optimal play. Additional[SIZE=2]ly, the ability to play [SIZE=2]spells at instant sp[SIZE=2]eed puts you half[SIZE=2] a t[SIZE=2]ur[SIZE=2]n into the future. Rather than making your [SIZE=2]dec[SIZE=2]isions during your turn, you get to peer into the crystal ball and see what your opponents have to offer before you ma[SIZE=2]ke your de[SIZE=2]ci[SIZE=2]sion o[SIZE=2]n how to spend your limited [SIZE=2]resources o[SIZE=2]f cards and mana. Blue also has the spells with the text "take extra turn", which[SIZE=2] an enormous advan[SIZE=2]ta[SIZE=2]ge.
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=Yellow]White[/COLOR] allows you to remov[SIZE=2]e from the game any problem[SIZE=2]atic creature at instant speed for [SIZE=2]a[SIZE=2] ridiculously undercosted inve[SIZE=2]st[SIZE=2]ment of just one mana (see both Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile). It additiona[SIZE=2]lly gives you access to mass removal, tuck effects, and graveyard recursion. Topping that off, particu[SIZE=2]larly in terms of Rafiq, is white's a[SIZE=2]bility to find equip[SIZE=2]ment quickly[SIZE=2] and reliabl[SIZE=2]y, and even to get equip[SIZE=2]ment into play through counterspell protection[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2].
[SIZE=2][SIZE=2][B]Comparing Rafiq[/B][SIZE=2][B] with other Bant [/B][SIZE=2][B]options:[/B]
[SIZE=2]Angus Mackenzie[SIZE=2] is the lord of turbofog[SIZE=2]. He is a complete 180 from what this[SIZE=2] deck is trying to do. If you want a guy with a buil[SIZE=2]t-in fog ability, you are likely on the wrong thread.[SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]
[SIZE=2]Arcades Sabboth[/SIZE] has [SIZE=2]fanstas[SIZE=2]tic flavor, being one of the original Eld[SIZE=2]er Dragon[SIZE=2]s w[SIZE=2]ho [SIZE=2][SIZE=2]are the na[SIZE=2]mesake of EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander). However, with an expensive [SIZE=2]cmc, [SIZE=2]an upkeep requirement, and a relatively ineffective ability, this is not a good [SIZE=2]option for the type of competitive setting in which I am ai[SIZE=2]ming to utilize this deck.[SIZE=2][SIZE=2]
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Jenara[/SIZE], Asura of [SIZE=2]War[/SIZE] lends herself very well to the Bant good cards strategy. Jenara herself lacks a singular defining characteristic or [SIZE=2]flavor as a gen[SIZE=2]eral, and as such is not a ge[SIZE=2]neral who [SIZE=2]lends herse[SIZE=2]lf to interactive deck build[SIZE=2]ing. [SIZE=2]Jenara is very solid in early, mid, and late ga[SIZE=2]me situations, but stands out in none of them. [SIZE=2]Placing Jenara on the table as your ge[SIZE=2]neral informs your[SIZE=2] opponents that you are playing a good cards style deck, [SIZE=2]whereas placing [SIZE=2]Rafiq on the tab[SIZE=2]le tells yours opponent[SIZE=2]s you are playing [SIZE=2]an aggressive deck. In my opin[SIZE=2]ion, that is why Jenara lends herself better to the good cards decks, because she attracts little attention early, w[SIZE=2]hereas Rafiq[SIZE=2], with his uniq[SIZE=2]ue abilit[SIZE=2]ies and flavor, lends [SIZE=2]himself better to aggressive strate[SIZE=2]gies.
[SIZE=2]Phelddagrif [SIZE=2]is a fun silly card. But th[SIZE=2]is list is meant for compet[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]itive play
[SIZE=2]Ragnar[SIZE=2] has a cool name and a [SIZE=2]terrible ability. M[SIZE=2]oving on.
[SIZE=2]Rubinia Soulsinger has a cool ability and very good typing for tribal play. I don't think she is a[SIZE=2]s good as Jenara for a mid-ra[SIZE=2]nge good cards strate[SIZE=2]gy, as [SIZE=2]she doesn't come down early and might attract more hate than the innocuous Asura, and she is certainly not as good in aggressive decks as Rafiq.
[SIZE=2]Treva, the Renewe[SIZE=2]r[/SIZE][SIZE=2] is ****ing terrible.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
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[U][B]POWER[/B][/U] Raf[SIZE=2]iq is one of[SIZE=2] the best front-r[SIZE=2]unners of all generals.[SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2] When playing Rafiq, you can at times[SIZE=2] make games all but aca[SIZE=2]dem[SIZE=2]ic on t[SIZE=2]urn [SIZE=2]th[SIZE=2]ree.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2] On top of th[SIZE=2]at, Rafiq's ability to draw cards without expending mana allows for [SIZE=2]a full compliment[SIZE=2] of Time Walk effects to function in the deck, often with counter backup.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2] Be ready for Rafiq to attract an immense amount of hatred [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]:mob:. It is VERY important to[SIZE=2] best utilize your mulligans wi[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]th this deck. Ofte[SIZE=2]n the first few turns can be the difference between a route for you and a stretched-out game of frustration and attrition won by your opponent[SIZE=2]. This is the reason for the amoun[SIZE=2]t of countermagi[SIZE=2]c you see in my Rafiq list. Make a threat, play Rafiq, and[SIZE=2], until you are forc[SIZE=2]ed to, [SIZE=2]there is no reason to play another main phase spell [SIZE=2]until you are going [SIZE=2]for the kill. Rafiq is devastating when he applies pressure, so the deck is built to [SIZE=2]drop deadly threats, and force [SIZE=2]your opponents to deal with them [SIZE=2]while you sit back and [SIZE=2]gain cards. As they slowly fade from the pace you set, drop the finishing blow (often a sword) with counter back up.
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[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE] [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][B]Stra[SIZE=2]t[/SIZE]egy [/B]The most important thing to remember with Rafiq is that you need to be the player forcing the action. Even if you are not getting in for damage, you need to be forcing your opponents to react. Once you start [SIZE=2]using your turns to an[SIZE=2]swer your opponents threats and stop [SIZE=2]threatening with your own creat[SIZE=2]ures and engines, [SIZE=2]you can only hope [SIZE=2]the top of the deck is kinder to you than it is to you[SIZE=2]r opponents.[SIZE=2][SIZE=2] Other Ba[SIZE=2]nt decks utilize a lot of midrange tactics and mid-to-late game card advantage engines such Birthing Pod, Reveillark, and Survival of the Fittest[SIZE=2]. Rafiq [SIZE=2]only dabbles in such things because in multiplayer games it is not practical to expect to kill everyone before [SIZE=2]at least one player can begin their mid-game [SIZE=2]trickery. Rafiq c[SIZE=2]omes in quick and powerful, and rather than lett[SIZE=2]ing [SIZE=2]other players set up those tactics, forces them to be on their heel, [SIZE=2]playing to survive rather than to develop. [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2]If you pre[SIZE=2]fer to play a proactive style and [SIZE=2]aim to end games,[SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2] this deck may be for you. If you like to sit back, play classic control or midrange, or aim to super-combo out[SIZE=2], this may be a fun breath of fresh a[SIZE=2]ir for you, but it will perhaps not connect with your soul as it has with mine.
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[U][B]Basic:[/B][/U] 16
Ideally this deck would play all basic lands. Painless, hard to hate, and easy to search, if the 3-color mana-base could swing it, all of the land slots would be basics. Reality, of course, paints a much different picture. So when looking at the number of basic lands in the deck, understand that every land slot that is not particularly advantageous as a non-basic should be a basic. The goal is not to have as many good non-basics as possible, but rather to cut every non-basic that doesn't sufficiently enhance our strategy.
Of the available basic slots, green initiates the ramp and fixing and is most important to have early (turn one or two!). As such, [COLOR=SeaGreen]forests[/COLOR] lead the way for basic land count. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Blue[/COLOR] in the deck provides protection and reload elements, as well a few key beaters and engine pieces. Blue is important to focus on mid-game, and there are a number of :symu::symu: mana costs in this, so blue takes spot number two. [COLOR=Yellow]White[/COLOR] is mostly needed as a one-of early, and not heavily until the later game, with cards like Sun Titan. As such, white has the lowest allotted number of basic land slots.
[U][B]Search:[/B][/U] 8
Rafiq loves search lands. Absolutely adores them. Between needing to reliably hit both :symu::symu: and :symg::symg: by turn 2-3, and needing access to :1mana::symg::symw::symu: by turn 3-4 to cast Rafiq of the Many, having our pick of lands is incredibly important.
The raw number of search lands to run is very difficult to reach conclusively, and I have gone about it through repeated testing rather than formula or any other fine science. Shuffle effects are terrific in the deck, with both Sylvan Library and Sensei's Divining Top allowing us to manipulate the content of our draws, so search lands provide additional value to their natural mana fixing.
[U][B]Multi: [/B][/U]10
This is both the strength and the crutch of the deck. This deck has tremendous ability to get its colors on spot and very early. However, it NEEDS to do it as well. This is a deck that does not want to operate under a Blood Moon or Back to Basics type of effect. As such, if you are conscious of your opponents ability to use those types of effects on you, make sure to search for as many basics as your draw will allow you to use. Just because you can fetch a fun, expensive dual land does not mean that you should. Do not set yourself up to get hurt when it is not necessary.
Now, as for the individual choices, this build runs the customary Command Tower, the full set of playable Ravnica karoo lands, and both the Ravnica and original dual lands. Command Tower, strangely enough, is the closest to the cutting block in my mind. While it is ostensibly the most versatile colored mana producing land in the deck, it cannot be searched for with our suite of eight fetch lands, and is not able to utilize the trickery and card advantage that the karoo lands possess. The karoo lands, while risky depending on your meta (if you encounter a lot of land hate, absolutely cut them. They are abysmal if they are targeted for removal) they provide card advantage and potential tricks. The saving grace in this deck is that effects like Acidic Slime and similar cards cannot profitably target our land base if our opponents want to live. Too much power coming straight at them. The karoo lands let you do pretty gross things with cards like Sakura-Tribe Scout and Burgeoning. Understand that they allow you to have an extra card in your hand because you are getting two lands-worth of mana out of one land. One more additional note is to remember not to fetch your original duals over your Ravnica duals if you are not going to use the mana immediately. Getting the ones with the drawback, but without having to face the drawback means that your topdecks are better later in the game.
[U][B]Utility:[/B][/U] 5
First and foremost, R.I.P. to the beloved (or detested, depending on your side of the table) Primeval Titan. Titan was the utility land's best friend. I will quickly cover the perhaps conspicuously absent Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers, Eiganjo Castle, and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. Common logic dictates that these are simply better than their basic counterparts. In reality, unless your gameplan heavily involves using these lands (and perhaaaaps a case could be made for Okina), they are liabilities to non-basic hate, legend rule, and they are not fetchable.
Strip Mine and Wasteland accomplish essentially the same task: getting rid of your opponents utility lands, pot-shotting them off of critical colors, or picking off a karoo land for massive tempo advantage. With our deck not running Crucible of Worlds shenanigans, they are all but interchangable. Never feel rushed to use these, remember that they tap for and do not have to self-destruct if it is not profitable. Wait for problematic lands or use it to keep your opponents off of certain land counts or mana combinations, but never pop them just for the sake of popping them. It is important to recognize which lands will become an issue and answer them quickly. We do not want to deal with a Boseiju, Who Shelters All.
Academy Ruins is just the bee's knees. There's no two ways about it. This land is phenomenal. It makes hating off our swords simply not work. If your opponents answers your Skullclamp engine, you smirk, drop the Ruins you drew from clamping, and go back to work. Like with Kor Haven, this also allows you to legend rule off your opponents Ruins, however in this instance, barring a recursion effect in your hand (like Eternal Witness or Sun Titan), it is often better to dig for a Strip Mine effect before playing it.
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[SIZE=4][COLOR=DimGray][U][B][FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium]Artifacts, Ench[SIZE=4]antments, and 'Walkers[/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/U][/COLOR][/SIZE][spoiler]
[U][B]Plainswalkers:[/B][/U] This slot is probably just as much about who isn't here as who is. I guess we can start with the lone inclusion, Tezzeret the Seeker. Tezz is an all-around beast. This deck is very equipment hungry, and the ability to get any one of your choice into play is pretty important. Tezz comes into play with four loyalty, and our swords cost :3mana:, leaving one loyalty around for Sol Ring, Skullclamp, or Sensei's Divining Top. Also, if you choose to use artifact lands in your build (perhaps replace a couple utility lands or basics with them, or if you don't have all of the expensive fetch lands) Tezz turns into another ramp guy, as well as a mana fixer. Tezz also grabs Swiftfoot Boots or Lightning Greaves if the situation calls for it, although those are more awkward to navigate with the cost leaving you with 2 loyalty counters, meaning you probably have to use the untap ability next turn to get up to the all-important 3 counters. If you so choose to build the deck with Birthing Pod, Tezz also suicides into pod. Oblivion Stone is another good option if you so happen to run it, but only in a pinch because it will blow up Tezz and anything he's brought into play.
This build originally ran Venser, the Sojourner as well, but since Rafiq favors a lot of creatures with combat triggers over ETB abilities, I found I did not get enough value out of him for :3mana::symw::symu:. Not counting clone effects, the deck runs 12 ETB abilities, and while they are very good, they are not as abusable in this decks as they are in other Bant decks (although blinking Sphinx of Uthuun is fun in any deck). That said, the -1 unblockable ability is nice, but I find the deck is very good at making creatures unblockable already with the sword arsenal, and if I were looking for a dedicated effect I would likely opt for Rogue's Passage or the easily tutorable Whispersilk Cloak or Trailblazer's Boots.
None of the Garruk iterations seem particularly attractive in this deck, although Garruk, Primal Hunter might see consideration if he cost :3mana::symg::symg: instead of :2mana::symg::symg::symg:. However, until the deck is already rolling and we want out protective magic up and to move to instant-speed effects, we usually don't have a particularly attractive creature here, making it seem heavily a win-more card in my opinion.
It's hard to ever too heavily argue against Jace, the Mind Sculptor. He has an awfully strong effect, and certainly would operate well when we are trying to sit behind counterspells and answers, but he is a bit of an awkward piece of the curve, and also takes a turn away from our main goal.
[B][U]Enchantments:[/U][/B] 2
Burgeoning is a piece off acceleration bliss. Dropping this gem on turn one can all but win games by itself. It is important to realize, however, that unlike most of the ramp spells that see EDH play, you are not replacing your initial investment, and so we are sacrificing card advantage for the purpose of tempo. Burgeoning stays surprisingly relevant throughout the game, with the full suite of Ophidian effects and draw spells. Burgeoning can be a blowout card even when our main gameplan does not come to fruition by simply out-ramping other decks so hard that our draw spells keep fueling our continued ramping until we have too many cards and too much land for our opponents to combat. In these games it effectively turns us into a Bant deck similar to a Jenara deck in terms of play style. It is important to always understand what out gameplan is and how we can best utilize our resources to win, so Burgeoning can make for some difficult decision-making, until you are fully comfortable with all of its facets.
Sylvan Library needs very little introduction. It controls what you draw like a Sensei's Divining Top, can trade your extra life (you start at 40, ya know) for up to two extra draws every turn (EVERY TURN!!!), and somehow still looks unassuming enough to often not draw immediate hatred. It is a card perfectly designed for EDH as a format, effectively halving the pain of using it and playing into a cuddly political role. While it does not scream "Rafiq!" in any manner in particular, it is a low-costed amazing engine that turns almost any draw into a good draw. Add fetchlands and watch it go to work.
[U][B]Artifacts - Rand[/B][B]om:[/B][/U] 2
Since we just finished discussing Sylvan Library, Sensei's Divining Top seems like a perfect place to pick up. Top lacks the raw draw power of Sylvan Library, but is unbelievably resilient. Add to this that it is tutorable with Tezzeret and Trinket Mage, and thus vicariously tutorable with any of our creature tutors, and we have a phenomenal piece for the deck. It is even more abusable with fetch lands than Library, as you can activate it before and after however many searches you may do in any given turn (another instance where Burgeoning gets you even more mileage by allowing you to stack fetch lands before an EOT activation), giving you amazing digging capabilities if you are looking for a specific card or type of card (i.e.
counterspell, tutor, etc). Don't forget that it can be activated between first strike and regular combat damage with Rafiq in play to see an extra card with your Ophidian guys.
That brings us to Sol Ring. I won't waste your time. Sol ring is probably the best card in the format. Even more so in a deck that values ramping as much as Rafiq. Let's move on.
[U][B]Equipment:[/B][/U] 6
Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots are similar enough that we can cover them at once. This deck REALLY loves haste, and puts a premium on protecting its threats. This makes both halves of these two pieces of equipment incredibly valuable. The only decks that want these two more are probably straight combo generals that are looking for insurance to go off. The differences between the two are the equip cost on the Boots vs. the upgrade from shroud to hexproof. It is important to remember to equip Lightning Greaves AFTER equipping swords, as shroud actually prevents you from any further equipping to that creature. This is a somewhat rare problem, as more often than not you will have at least a second creature in play to move the Greaves to, but if only one creature is in play, you can really pee in your own Cornflakes by equipping in the wrong order.
Skullclamp is the absolute cat's pajamas :lorax:. This is one of the true engines in the deck. This list runs 11 immediately 'clampable creatures, with two more with sacrifice effects that love carrying the clamp (Glen Elendra Archmage counters a spell and draws two cards(!!!!!) and Qasali Pridemage does his thing and takes two for the team). Clamp is easy to search for, recurs with Sun Titan, and can become bananas with Titan and Eternal Witness (clamp Witness, then recur it every attack with Titan to get goodies back plus two cards :chewie:). Even without a one-toughness creature, Skullclamp sits on your guy as insurance, and given time-stamp rules, even draws you cards if a catch-all sweeper like Oblivion Stone or Akroma's Vengeance nukes them both at once.
Sword of Feast and Famine is pure insanity. This card is out-of-this-world good in most decks. Add to it Rafiq of the Many and things get extra wacky. With Rafiq you can play any of your instants (read: draw spells) for "free" in between first strike and regular combat damage. If you have an active Alchemist's Refuge this simply means you can play anything for "free". Additionally, your opponent has to discard two cards. Add to all of this that it gives protection from and :symb:, the colors of fatties and removal (:symg: is easily one of, if not the most-played colors, as well), and is thusly unblockable by anything that casts for and you have nightmare for your opponents. Especially opponents. This is typically the first equipment I tutor for, unless the relevant protections dictate otherwise or I need some cards from Skullclamp.
Sword of Fire and Ice is nuts for a couple of key reasons. Probably first and foremost, it punishes our opponents for tapping for :symu:. That is virtually reason enough to play a card. Blue mages really, REALLY hate this card (obviously mages even more (that means you, Niv-Mizzet and Nin, the Pain Artist)). However, SwoFI is good against absolutely every deck it can connect against. Both effects are very useful, the card draw being incredible and the shock, while worse in EDH than in 60-card magic, is often very relevant (an extra 2-4 to the dome, or picking off 1-2 targets depending on Rafiq). Additionally, hitting opponents with SwoFI AND Rafiq on the table is pure insanity. If Rafiq himself is carrying the sword, it means 12 general damage, 4 additional damage that can be spread out between two targets, and two extra cards. If one of our Ophidian guys is carrying the sword with Rafiq, it means four additional draws each turn (drawing 5 cards per turn actually allows you to 1-for-1 your opponents profitably in most multiplayer games). If Cold-Eyed Selkie is carrying the sword, our opponents get to pick up their cards and shuffle up for next game to the tune of us drawing 10 extra cards each turn (1/1 + 2/2 from the sword + 1/1 from exalted makes a 4/4 double strike to grab 8 cards, plus 2 SwoFI activations for a total of 10). This card is pure value, however often the protections are not as relevant as those of Feast and Famine. Still, if you are up against players of the relevant protections, or your opponents have no blockers, few cards that cast for are as game-changing as Sword of Fire and Ice.
Sword of Light and Shadow in my opinion is the easy choice for weakest sword in the deck. Probably the weakest overall equipment in the deck, given our love for haste and untargetability. This is not a critique of the sword, however, simply perspective on how good Rafiq is with equipment. The biggest deciding factor for me to include SwoLaS was the protection from white. It adds another tool to the equipment toolbox. Against players running white, even when it is a splash (as in another Bant deck, for instance), often their only, or at the very least their most prominent source of spot-removal casts for :symw:. That means Feast and Famine doesn't hit them, as our creature puts it down and picks up some plowshares instead. I like smashing face more than farming, so it occurred to me that having pro-white as an option is pretty keen. Mono white decks have almost no answer to this card, as it is typically fetched up with counter back up for their Akroma's Vengeance-style tricks. Against mono white, simply make sure not to play the sword into danger if you don't have to. Our deck is much faster than theirs, and can typically afford to be cautious, since we just win an absurd percentage of games against them in which SwoLaS sticks. This is also a good tool against mono black (and obviously :orzhov:), but against mono black I prefer Feast and Famine. As for the actual abilities, the life gain is more often than not irrelevant, but it truly can come through in a pinch, especially since Rafiq doubles it to six. The recursion theme is also nice, but situational, which leaves this as typically the third sword to come off the weapon rack.
As a brief reminder when it comes our cache of swords, remember that Stoneforge Mystic cheats them into play around counters AND for less than hard-casting them. This is not important most games, but I have lost a game by attempting to resolve SwoFI against a mage rather than cheating it in (d'oh!!!) and it made me feel very [/spoiler]
[SIZE=4][COLOR=DarkOrange][U][B][FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium][SIZE=4][SIZE=4]Dude[/SIZE]s[/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/U][/COLOR][/SIZE][spoiler]
Noble Hierarch is probably the best turn-one play this deck has. There is an argument for suspending Ancestral Visions if you don't have a classic Rafiq-style "accelerant, combat trigger, Rafiq" draw, but ultimately this deck want to start off with gas. This guy taps for all of our colors and for some silly reason has exalted. That is some major value. This is literally everything the deck wants (acceleration, bonus for combat, aggressive cost, color-fixing, and vicariously card advantage) in one package. This guy simply does all the things.
Birds of Paradise wants to be packaged into the Noble Hierarch analysis, but simply doesn't have the cred. I have always love Birds as a card, but it is not quite as good in this deck as its potential indicates. Because of EDH rules, it only taps for :symg::symw::symu: (that is still quite good, though!) instead of giving access to all colors. It is important to remember that our little aviary accelerant DOES fly, though, and as such can carry a sword very effectively in a pinch. This was a fun little trick I learned back when extended was a format while playing Rock decks. So don't sleep on the Birds or they will attack you with lethal weapons.
Llanowar Elf. Man do I not know if this guy's here to stay. Very poor Birds of Paradise, as he taps for only :symg:, has no evasion for sword-carrying purposes, and... well that's basically it. What he [I]does [/I]do is help ensure we hit by turn two. Perhaps an arguments could be made for Arbor Elf, but I have no idea if the forest-base would allow for it. I'd imagine so because of all the fetches and duals, and the only land that plays him in-tempo without being a forest is Command Tower. Huh. You know how sometimes you don't realize something until you try to explain it to somebody? This guy is gonna end up being an Arbor Elf.
Sakura-Tribe Scout and Skyshroud Ranger are, for all intents and purposes, the exact same card. This fortuitously allows us to break the EDH singleton rule :). These guys are fantastic, as they allow us to ramp our lands into play. They are a different style of acceleration than we see in most decks, as they do not themselves add mana, and can be seen as card-disadvantage compared to other ramp guys. That is not in issue in our deck, however, as we are truly only trying to ramp until once and if we hit :1mana::symug::symug: on turn two and :1mana::symg::symw::symu: on turn three, we have succeeded. Afterward these guys simply fuel our ridiculous Skullclamp engine. If you have these guys hanging around mid to late game, they work well off of our draw spells to allow our continuing ramp. While our deck does not have the high-end threats that other decks ramp into, it instead makes our lower-costed threats as or more dangerous as expensive threats and desperately wants mana open to protect them, meaning that no amount of mana is too much. Especially with the prevalence of draw spells we run.
Sakura-Tribe Elder is another soldier the Sakura-Tribe offered our deck. We really love the snakey goodness offered by these Kamigawa mana-rampers. Tribe Elder is nice because he gives us ramp, a shuffle effect, a Clamp target, a pinch blocker, and once in a blue moon a Sword carrier. He is not in an ideal curve spot, but this guy is to good to pass up.
Qasali Pridemage is a very good card for this deck. He comes down early to maximize our exalted triggers, and he sticks around exactly until his sac ability (bonus if he is Clamped! Don't forget to do this) becomes more advantageous than his exalted trigger. If you are playing against a deck that maximizes value off of their enchantments (like that dirty, dirty wizard Zur the Enchanter) he may be worth holding so our opponents cannot force a sacrifice before dropping their actual threats. Weigh this against their propensity for countermagic to optimize the play. While Pridemage does not have an ETB ability, early game he does not need it due to his coming down and pumping exalted, and late game he may as well have one since playing and activating him is the same CMC as other options for the same effect such as Harmonic Sliver, Krosan Grip, and he is actually cheaper than Aura Shards (both in mana and cards) since you do not have to play an additional card afterward.
If every draw contained Stoneforge Mystic it would not be enough. This card is pure business. Aggressively costed with a built-in tutor effect this deck cannot get enough of and a ridiculous cheat effect to boot. This little 2CMC guy (gal!) makes countermagic not work to stop our swords, makes them cost less to get into play, and makes them instants. All after tutoring for them. What? Yeah. If you drop her in-curve she is good. If you drop her later, she is good. She makes my head explode. Moving on.
Snapcaster Mage does for a second time whatever effect we want most out of our deck, then bites it to Skullclamp for two more cards. Then he comes back off of Sun Titan and washes, rinses, and repeats. This hits removal, card draw, extra turns... too much good for one card to possess. And since we almost always have potential access to Skullclamp, it is so much value. Don't be afraid to shuffle this guy back in from your opening hand. Do not view him as a curve guy. He is a nasty little trick that grabs an extra counterspell or otherwise ruins our opponents' day for a simple :1mana::symu: investment. With the all of the Time Walk effects, Snapcaster gets a whole ton of mileage in our deck.
Phantasmal Image rounds out our two-drops. This guy is nuts. My favorite use for him is probably to come in and copy Archaeomancer, Eternal Witness, or Snapcaster Mage to hit Time Walk spells once the ball gets rolling. The only additional comment this guy needs for this deck is to note that he can copy our exalted-trigger guys (NOT RAFIQ!!!!) to get an additional couple damage through if the situation calls for it. This can be the difference between an opponent living or dying, or it can mean extra cards off of Cold-Eyed Selkie or extra bounces off of Cephalid Constable. However, unless it is game-changing, do not waste him for this effect. And remember, he CANNOT be equipped.
Eternal Witness does for us everything that Eternal Witness does. This is not a new card. The play of note to remember is that you can fall ass-backwards into an infinite loop with Witness, Skullclamp, Sun Titan, and Time Warp. Play Time Warp, Witness it back, Clamp the Witness, play Time Warp, attack with Titan recurring Witness, Witness trigger hits Time Warp, ad infinitum. This is not something to work toward setting up, but if you have it or are a card away, keep in mind it simply ends the game, as is a loop that is resilient through countermagic assuming Titan is already in play (he gets back Clamp and Witness, Witness then gets back Time Warp).
Harmonic Sliver is a terrific card for this deck. This slot is best spent explaining the advantage over Trygon Predator, Krosan Grip, and Aura Shards in my opinion. Of the aforementioned card, Sliver is the only one who dies to Skullclamp. Trygon Predator requires you to hit in combat, and even then it takes at least one turn to take effect. I loved the idea of Predator for this deck. I rushed out and bought one and it went into my auto-include pile. And then something strange happened. After countless games and countless hours, he never ONCE hit someone he needed to hit. Not once. Not a single time. While clearly that streak would not hold up forever, it gives a good idea of how fragile his effect if, and if you need to blow up a permanent, you damn well need to blow it up. Not maybe in a turn or so blow it up. He can't touch O-Stones or Nev Discs. These are big problems. Krosan Grip is incredibly reliable, but it doesn't carry swords, die to clamps, or recur as well as creatures in this deck. It cannot block. And because it exists, most of the scenarios in which it shines can be played around by good players (split second doesn't overrule priority :(). Shards requires you to play another creature afterward, meaning it takes more mana and more cards, still doesn't die to clamp or carry swords. Doesn't work as well off of Titan or get copied with clone effects. Can't be hit off of Chord of Calling or Eladamri's Call. Sliver is simply the best option here.
Trinket Mage may be at its best in this deck. Very few other decks are as greedy for Skullclamp as this deck. He can grab top. He can grab artifact lands if you decide to run them. He grabs the amazing Sol Ring. If you feel Sol Ring is only good turn one, I highly suggest you try grabbing it whenever and remember just what all it enabled over the course of the game. Even if all this guy did was grab Skullclamp it would be worth the slot.
Wood Elves and Farhaven Elf are very similar in this deck. Wood Elves is almost always better because the deck has four forest/x lands to grab and his ability brings them into play untapped. Farhaven grabs basics, which is better under Back to Basics and Blood Moon effects, since he fixes colors where Wood Elves cannot. Both of these guys come down, eat it to Clamp, and go about their business in Elf Heaven. Or whatever.
Thada Adel, Acquisitor is a card I have not yet tested. Islandwalk is great evasion, and the thought of stealing all of a deck's mana rocks early on sounds very delectable. First hit takes the deck's Sol Ring, subsequent hits take the rest. Two stones each turn if Rafiq joins the fray. Sounds pretty good. We'll find out.
Ohran Viper is Ophidian with venom. This guys is nuts, because Rafiq gives him first strike damage making him a real bear to block, and makes him hit for two cards. He wears swords like a champ, and is very difficult to play around.
Cold-Eyed Selkie may be the nastiest card in the deck. He draws so many cards you often have to try to lose. He has island walk. He casts for hybrid :symug:. If you are simply viewing him at a glance, realize [B]he draws a card for [U][I]each[/I][/U] point of damage[/B] he does. So just him and Rafiq is four cards extra every turn. Arguably no creature in the deck carries swords better than Selkie, but there does exist a disgusting argument for...
Cephalid Constable. This guy wins games. His ability is grotesque. He is obviously insanity in the early game, but late game he is typically hitting for upwards of eight or more permanents, making him a bomb whenever he hits the table. Each player must be able to account for him at all times or they can instantly lose the game. Late he comes out of nowhere wearing Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots and punishes into game-ending exile whoever was silly enough to not respect the power of our deck. He quickly picks up 2-3 swords and finishes business. I feel dirty every time I connect with him, and after long EDH sessions sometimes have to take a long, cold shower to clean the grime off. In case you didn't bother with the math, a double-sworded Constable with Rafiq in play hits for 12 permanents, double-activates the swords (if it has Sword of Feast and Famine, you can stack it so they discard before or after the bounce effect), and elicits rage-quits. In all seriousness, remember that if you beat someone with Constable, they may hold a grudge for multiple games afterward.
Lu Xun, Scholar General is an Ophidian effect with incredible evasion (uh, who blocks horsemanship again?). He has the downside of falling at the absolute wrong part of the curve, competing with Rafiq of the Many. Not many guys compete with Rafiq, especially since you will often have an Ophidian guy in play already. This is a bit of a sketchy slot, because he is good with a non-ideal draw, but does not actively work toward advancing our main goal. Plus mine is Chinese and thus totally baller
Glen Elendra Archmage can make an argument for the single best creature in EDH. It is not the most proactive, but this guy is almost impossible to play around, and a deck that already has an advantage (read: Rafiq) can simply shut doors by resolving this guy. He holds clamp incredibly well, then comes back for seconds. This guy is a good clone target, and if you have a Phantasmal Image in play with him alongside a Sun Titan, your opponents better be able to beat you without resolving another non-creature spell for the rest of the game.
Archaeomancer is a card I initially cut from the deck, but once we added in the extra turn cards, this guy was right on their heels. He gets a ton of milage out of being clone-able, bounce-able, and just generally the business. We don't want to see him too often before we are trying to go the extra turn route; he is clunky in the early game, but once we hit the first Time Walk, this guy really helps close out games. If he dies, we can Body Double him. If he sticks around we can clone him. If he gets bounced, we replay him. And unlike Snapcaster Mage, when he targets a spell, it doesn't get RFG'd afterward. The efficacy of this little bugger let's us truly appreciate how nuts Eternal Witness really is.
Phyrexian Metamorph is probably the best clone effect in Magic. I would lean toward Phantasmal Image because of the casting cost, but Metamorph also clones artifacts (see our equipment list and collapse into a pile of lulz). So, kill a general, copy the best creature in play, become a Gilded Lotus or simply become sword number two and begin quadruple sword activations with Rafiq. Yes, please, I'll take one of those. [/discussion]
Mulldrifter is a card I really like. I almost never don't want more cards. He flies, which makes him good with swords. I can see an argument to cut him given the glut of other card draw and evasive options in the deck. I will begin to really track which games he actually gets me out of a jam in and which games he is simply win-more. Probably worth at least testing something with a bit more power in this slot.
Ixidron is the go-to "Wrath" effect for this deck. We are very good at tutoring creatures, but a bit lacking for disparate tutor mechanisms. He is fantastic at trapping generals on the board, nullifying them until their owners find a way to kill them with their own resources. That is a win-win. He does hurt the efficacy of our swords, unfortunately, as the protections become irrelevant in lieu of facedown critters. This is a guy we do not want to see in our opening hands.
Body Double would be incredible if he could only utilize our graveyard. Instead he turns our opponents The Mimeoplasm decks into our own private reanimator decks. Buried Alive for Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger? Thank you, sir. This guy is also clutch as he keeps our extra turn chains going by coming in as Archaeomancers, Eternal Witnesses, and Snapcaster Mages. Keep in mind that we can Skullclamp to death our Witnesses and Snapcasters before we play him/tutor for him in order to keep the chains alive.
Sun Titan is an unbelievably good card. He shines even more now that he is out of Primeval Titan's shadow (may he rest in peace). I have already covered a number of scenarios in which he is incredible. He reuses fetch lands and strip mine effects. Most of our deck is in his rez range. He gets back swords, clamps, and legend ruled off lands. Him plus Phantasmal Image means you can lock an opponent completely off of their general. Oh yeah, and he's huge and has vigilance.
Sphinx of Uthuun tops out our curve. This guy is terrific. Fact or Fiction on a beat stick. I love flipping him off of an EOT Fact or Fiction. On top of it all he is a big threat who has evasion an thus carries swords well.
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[SIZE=4][COLOR=Navy][U][B][FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium][SIZE=4]Instants and Sorcerie[SIZE=4]s[/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/U][/COLOR][/SIZE][spoiler]
[U][B]Extra Turns:[/B][/U] 4
Time Warp allows you to take more turns. That rules.
Temporal Manipulation is a functional reprint of Time Warp. Therefor, according to the transitive property, it rules.
Walk the Aeons is, for all intents and purposes, Time Warp/Tempy Nips + in our deck. I have toyed with the idea of adding Crucible of Worlds and Oracle of Mul Daya to the deck, which would be fantastic in combination with this guy, leading to nearly a hard-lock. Until then, the buyback cost is going to be few and far between for us. Oracle and Crucible [I]do [/I]play other key roles in the deck, though, so they will see testing at some point, and if they stick, Walk the Aeons will dramatically improve.
Savor the Moment is a really garbage card in most decks. In our deck, however, with our propensity to connect with Sword of Feast and Famine, it often becomes a three mana copy of Time Warp and Tempy Nips. So far I have been fond of Savor, but testing will indicate whether this becomes an additional Time Walk once I grab a copy of Capture of Jingzhou or the card it replaces.
Seedtime is a fun little trick for those pesky mages. This is a fun Snapcaster target as well. I have not tested it at all yet, and hope to have some results (preferably good results!) to add soon.
[U][B]Removal:[/B][/U] 4
Path to Exile removes a problem for a single at instant speed at the cost of a basic land. That is a worthy transaction. This works even better against cards with "when this creature dies" effects. Also key against whatever your swords are not allowing you to swing through.
Swords to Plowshare does the same thing, but gives your opponent a pittance of life instead of advancing their tempo. Even better.
[U][B]Tutors:[/B][/U] 4
Steelshaper's Gift is a fantastic tutor for this deck. It has been explained at length how greedy we are for equipment. This gets any of them for a single :symw:. Just don't make the same mistake I made and try to play it at instant speed. It is, indeed, a sorcery
Mystical Tutor has mad versatility. It is important to plan ahead with this card or play it end of turn, because it takes a draw phase to make it happen. Despite losing a little card advantage, Mystical tutor provides sooo much in the ability to pick up removal, other tutors, draw spell, etc. and can be cast with Ophidian triggers on the stack to maximize value. It is very satisfying to play this for a draw spell with a card draw stacked and a Sword of Feast and Famine untap still on the way.
Eladamri's Call is great. Instant speed so you can end of turn it or get Snapcaster Mage at a moment's notice, gets whatever you want, and costs a measly :symg::symw:. Value! Extra nuts with Alchemist's Refuge in play.
Chord of Calling is another silly-good creature tutor at our disposal. While we often don't run out tons of guys at once to aid convoke, this gives extra value to our cheap acceleration dorks. Also, because for most combats we only need one untapped creature, it allows us to really extend with Chord of Calling. A personal favorite use is to grab Stoneforge Mystic end of turn, then cheat in whichever equipment she found and crack.
[B][U]Counters:[/U][/B] 7
Pact of Negation is an incredibly card. It saves your buns on tap-out turns, and all but ensures you will win counter-battles. It backs up the draw spells and allows for general debauchery. While this is the best of the "free" counterspells in my mind, its impact is making me want to test Force of Will, although I find one-for-twoing our opponents to be suboptimal in multiplayer games, and Misdirection. My thinking for why these card-disadvantageous but free counters will work in this deck is that they will be used to protect strong engines of card advantage, which should make up for the initial investment within a turn of attacking.
Counterspell is pretty stupendous, and for my money one of the few playable two CMC counters in EDH (the elusive Mana Drain being the other prominent member). Counterspell is as old as Magic, and needs little explanation. This deck really wants a Mana Drain, I just do not currently own one.
Spell Crumple/Hinder accomplish the same task, and each has their advantages. Both are devastating tuck-counters for opposing generals, and generally good counters to have given the amount of graveyard abuse that sees play in EDH. Hinder has the advantage of being a target for Snapcaster Mage, while Spell Crumple can be reused through tutoring and card draw. Also, in rare instances, you can Hinder to the top a spell that is not relevant in order to ruin your opponents next draw. This occurs almost exclusively right before you go for the kill.
Dream Fracture is a reasonable counter choice at :1mana::symu::symu:, as it allows us to keep drawing and negates a spell. It is distasteful to allow the opponent to draw as well, but the card has tested well for me. It's in a sticky spot where I want more countermagic but the available spells are not ideal. I like it better than Dismiss because every counts when you are talking about mana we cannot spend on our turn. This allows our cards to come down a turn earlier, meaning if we wait the extra turn for an option like Dismiss, they get the extra card anyway.
Dissipate was the first choice beyond the core of Counterspell, Pact, Hinder, and Spell Crumple. Dissipate is extra good at countering spells that are not generals. While it still works for generals, it makes it lose the extra "oomph" of exiling the card instead.
Bant Charm could easily have been in the removal section, but I the deck values counters over removal, typically. This is an incredibly versatile card, with three good effects, seemingly designed for EDH play. The :symg::symw::symu: casting cost can be a bit prohibitive when using this as a counter, but this card is just terrific, and whether you want to use it as a situational counter, a tuck spot-removal spell, or to remove problematic artifacts, the world is your oyster with Bant Charm.
[U][B]Draw:[/B][/U] 5
Hunter's Insight allows us to turn any of our creatures into our best Rafiq creature (Cold-Eyed Selkie) for one turn. That is enough. This draws an absurd number of cards. It also goes to show how nutty Selkie is. Insight is typically best used of Rafiq himself, allowing for at least 8 cards worth of draw. This is a card that works very well on Savor the Moment turns, as often our primary attacker is tapped, and Rafiq untapped in that scenario.
Fact or Fiction has my vote for the best designed card of all-time. It is interactive, skill-intensive, and favors the better player. It is ideally costed, and just a tremendous card. I cannot imagine playing a deck that taps for without including Fact of Fiction. Worst-case scenario this card is Impulse for one extra card-worth of digging. Add in bluffs, and the ability to pretend you are digging for a counter, and you often get a four-for-one at instant speed. If you don't need anything in particular, you can just EOT it and take the pile with three cards.
Sphinx's Revelation/Stroke of Genius/Blue Sun's Zenith (in that order) are very effective weapons in this deck. Once we make a threat, our goal is to sit behind open mana and play counters and end of turn spells. Stroke is the easiest to play, although only BSZ ever seems to be at all cost-prohibitive. Even :symu::symu::symu: is rarely an issue, and these are not early game spells. The ability to keep things rolling by drawing tons of cards really makes this deck difficult to beat. It doesn't take a ton of turns to kill with an active Rafiq, so filling up on answers is really devastating. Sphinx's Rev has the added bonus of being a rare source of life gain in the deck. This makes it a prime tutor target, and a valuable card to have on hand. [/spoiler][/spoiler]
[B][FONT=Fixedsys][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5]W[/SIZE]ish List:[spoiler][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zps235a1ac0.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zps5db17639.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zpsce1013c0.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zpsa25d73f9.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zps26049110.jpeg[/IMG][/spoiler][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Fixedsys][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5]Cards in consideration:[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][B][FONT=Fixedsys][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][spoiler][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/Imageashx_zps7c8b68a4.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/orac_zps3de93077.jpeg[/IMG][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/MrCoupon/cruc_zps1929c3f8.jpeg[/IMG][/spoiler] [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
Thanks in advance to everyone who views, contributes, and has fun with this thread.
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Well, since I didn't bother to make this segment until today, this will be a big one. (3-3-13)
-Austere Command
Ancestral Vision
Desertion
Stonehewer Giant
Kor Haven
Alchemist's Refuge
Cyclonic Rift
Hallowed Burial
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Acidic Slime
Solemn Simulacrum
+Hunter's Insight
Temporal Manipulation
Seedtime
Savor the Moment
Walk the Aeons
Forest
Plains
Archaeomancer
Ixidron
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Llanowar Elves
Cards that have been cut:
Kor Haven is a wonderful tool that allows us to deal with problematic generals. It also allows us to legend-rule off our opponents Kor Havens, which are tremendous weapons against exalted decks (re: Rafiq). The loss of Prime Time does put a dent in Kor Haven, but it is such a valuable tool to have at our disposal, and the deck can afford this to be a colorless mana slot. Lost too much after the banning of Primeval Titan
Alchemist's Refuge is probably the utility land hit the hardest by the banning of the Titan. It allows for some really phenomenal moments (double striking with Sword of Feast and Famine after activating Refuge during the first main phase allows for a "free" untap between first strike and regular combat damage in which we can play... well, anything), but I am heavily leaning toward testing without it. Lost too much after the banning of Primeval Titan
Cyclonic Rift is powerful yet I believe it is often overrated. Good decks typically place a premium on ETB abilites, and Rifting on a turn you are not planning on winning, or Rifting defensively just lets them reuse all of their ETB effects. However, this is still a ridiculous blowout card and a catch-all answer when necessary, so begrudgingly I play it due to raw power. It does have the versatility of being able to hardcast for :1mana::symu: and is fun with Snapcaster Mage. In decks with Archaeomancer and blink effects (see: Jenara) I think this is a much more abusive card. As is it is a solid spot-holder at worst, and a game-winning dagger at best. Never seemed to fit the deck. Neither a particularly good defensive or offensive card for us. Disappointing.
Hallowed Buriel would likely not see play in a duel version of this deck. However, it is multiplayer, and we must accommodate. This card is terrific if someone gets off to a better start than us, or if too many opponents run out their generals at once. Aside from that, I don't think I need to explain the ins-and-outs of Wrath effects. Just note that this is a tuck effect rather than a bury effect, so it gets just everything, including indestructible. We just don't want to wrath often enough to justify this slot
Austere Command provides incredible versatility. It hits what we want, when we want. It is extra good in this deck, as most other decks try to even the playing field against our 3cmc sword carriers by playing high-costed fatties. Unfortunately Rafiq sits at 4, and thus dies to this spell, but he comes back next turn since we have shown access to six mana. This is also a brutal beating when cast against us, killing our creatures and our swords. Counter this spell. This card off of Boseiju, Who Shelters All is a real kick in the nads. I hated to make this cut, but since I don't want to wrath creatures often enough, and since Rafiq puts us on the 3 under, 4 up border, I always hit something I want. Not good enough just as mass art/ench removal, especially at six mana. We can better use Oblivion Stone as a big sweeper due to tutor effects/recursion if it ends up being necessary
Desertion is one of the most likely to be cut cards in the deck once I get my hands on Force of Will, Misdirection, and/or Mana Drain. The effect is powerful, and it counters any spell regardless of if you want the Spelljack effect, but the mana cost is on the prohibitive side. While this deck doesn't mind sitting behind open mana, with :3mana::symu::symu: open you are often threatening multiple counters, and just Desertion feels a bit naked. Still, countering a Gilded Lotus or any manner of nasty creature with this spell is awfully enticing. Too expensive. Deck doesn't want this much mana open
Edric, Spymaster of Trest is the first and most interesting of our Ophidian effect. He has interesting versatility in that he allows us to legend rule off opposing generals, but mainly because he actually allows us to completely 180 our gameplan. He gives us a swarm option where typically that is not what we want. He also comes down and aides our Rafiq guys who are already in play. All of a sudden Ohran Viper is hitting for four cards. Edric can be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, because while he is a fantastic political play, he can also nullify the card advantage we gain by allowing our opponents to utilize his card draw ability. This is a card that requires a lot of analysis before dropping onto the battlefield. Too sucky. Lets opponents draw so many cards. We are not an Edric deck. I had to learn that.
Stonehewer Giant is a card I have a very difficult relationship with. He does not have an ETB effect, and can thus be cherry-picked off before he does any work for us. We rarely want to use him for his true full value which resides in attacking with him and using his ability because of his vigilance. Still, he brings out of nowhere an uncounterable and cheap, reusable source of equipment. Just nuts if it gets online. Must be answered immediately. As such, he often is. Because of the full-color sword protections every opponent has to be able to answer him, and typically at least one of them can. Still... sigh. Such a hard card to accurately assess. Amazing in theory. Just never worked. Eh, win some lose some.
Acidic Slime is fantastic. He kills whatever needs dying. He has deathtouch. He is at a very playable casting cost. Access to cards like this means we need fewer silver-bullet style cards, allowing us more content and consistency in our deck. Just not proactive enough. I want 5 mana to do more!
Solemn Simulacrum was a card I was skeptical of when putting this deck together, but it turns out he simply is that good. He does for us what he does for everyone else. He needs no introduction. If only he died to clamp Love the guy, just out of curve, and too late for us to be ramping
Ancestral Vision is bonkers early in the game. As long as you can afford to wait for the resolution, this is simply Ancestral Recall. Now, having it at sorcery speed and giving your opponents four turns to accrue a counter if they so desire is a little bit distasteful, but the risk/reward of this card is off the charts. If you lack an ideal speed opening, this becomes your best turn one play. Not what we want to do early. Not a good late card, due to suspend.
Got another chance to take the deck for a whirl yesterday, managed to go 2-1. Frustratingly, none of the games went at all according to plan. In all three I played last, and everyone hit their acceleration but me. Albeit a small sample size, it does make me wonder if I should play a little more early ramp. None of the 1-drop option I am not playing seem particularly viable, the exception being Exploration which I REALLY don't want to drop the money for given my skepticism. If anyone has any suggestions, they would be very welcome! Getting off to a proactive start is SO important to this deck.
Game 1 was against Niv-Mizzet and The Mimeoplasm. They bot hit t1 Sol Ring and I hit t1 Ancestral Vision, but no ramp. By the time I could play my threats, I already had to keep insurance against Niv comboing out, and The Mimeoplasm hit an early entomb for Sheoldred, the Whispering One. It took a lot of resources to battle through a Mimeo'd Sheoldred, and while I was tapped out combating that threat, Niv-Mizzet resolved alongside Swiftfoot Boots and Curiosity. Life totals were low enough for that to be game.
Game two started out similarly, although the board was empty of creatures when I went to resolve Cold-Eyed Selkie. Selkie was hit by Niv's Remand (I did NOT know that saw EDH play...), which in turn allowed Mimeo's Buried Alive to resolve after I passed the turn. Now I was sitting on counterspells and removal and forced to be reactive again, not wanting to replay Selkie into another possible counter which would let Mimeo or Niv-Mizzet hit. There was a brief stand still, some of the details are fuzzy, but eventually Sheoldred was reanimated AGAIN (seriously, Niv player, c'mon!), with a Volrath's Shapeshifter and an Acidic Slime next to it and an O-Stone in Mimeo's control as well. Vorinclex was in the bin, and Mims took the turn after me, so I knew I had to force the stone. I had Rafiq and Qasali Pridemage, with Sword of Feast and Famine on the board. The shapeshifter was blank, and therefor blue, so upkeep I Chord of Calling'd out Stoneforge Mystic grabbing Sword of Fire and Ice, and sac'd the Mystic to Sheoldred's trigger. I equipped the Pridemage (he was holding the other sword at the time) with my final and cracked in, forcing the O-Stone. I was holding Tezzeret the Seeker, Selkie, and Swiftfoot Boots. Mimeo drew, Mind Twisted Niv for 6 (entire hand) and passed. Niv went draw-go. Er, shoot, I was actually drew Tezz for the turn, he wasn't in my had before... anyway, dropped Selkie, Boots, Tezz'd for Sword of Light and Shadow, cracked Mimeo down to 4 or 5... Niv-Mizzet resolved on his turn. I dropped Rafiq, cracked Mimeo for lethal, and Niv Scooped after I sent a Sword to Plowshares (off the top like a boss) at his general.
Third game I was reallllllllly drunk, so it's all types of Hazy. New opponents (2 of them, Niv was still there) in mono black and Edric. Basically mono black got a t3 Contamination lock, dropped a guy for the turn, then a Skeletal Vampire (the hell???) for a full lock. I was going last and didn't hit ramp again so I didn't have 3 mana for the counter -___- Eventually the table was saved by Niv drawing and resolving All is Dust. From there I hit Fire+Ice and Feast+Famine on Ohran Viper with Rafiq out, and after a couple of counters to protect the game state, it was down to just me and Edric (with pointless board) and the game was quickly conceded.
Conclusions: Although I don't love the card in EDH in general, I think I want to test Force of Will in the deck, as well as Misdirection. This deck is at its most vulnerable when it taps out early-game to drop its threat, and at that point Pact of Negation is not online yet. Also want to know if I am missing any t1 ramp spells. I have tried Search for Tomorrow and was quite displeased. Llanowar Elf is not to my liking. Maybe Exploration? I am really quite open to suggestion here, as I do NOT like getting out-ramped early, and while I have five one-drop accelerants, that is still only 1/20 cards...
Lmao, you are correct about the three main components of the deck. I guess the main theme of the deck is creatures who interact profitably with Rafiq's built-in abilities. I want this to be a "Rafiq" deck, not a "good cards bant" deck with Rafiq as the general. Also, Rafiq's abilities are ridiculous, especially when combined with abusive cards.
The next focus is on taking additional turns. This is where cards like Archaeomancer make the cut for this build where they were not in my previous build (before the extra turn theme). This is a very powerful theme, and most often if I resolve one of the Time Walk spells, the game is over.
Now, once those two themes are combined is where Savor the Moment comes into play. Because of the Rafiq theme, the deck likes to play a Rafiq guy, then Rafiq, then sit back with open mana and respond to attempts to dispel my board position. Because of that, and the fact that I try very hard to resolve Sword of Feast and Famine, Savor the Moment goes from being a really bad card to a really good card. With Feast and Famine in play, it is my best Time Walk. Without it, it is typically still very functional, but probably the worst of the bunch. Because I am aiming to only have one creature attacking, Savor allows me to transfer my equipment over to Rafiq or any other guy I have in play and get an additional attack (as well as an additional draw phase). It also puts it in my grave so it can be used again later. With Feast and Famine it is just silly abusive.
The third focus of the deck is to play the best cards available for the remaining slots, and those tend to be ETB guys. I need a certain amount of versatility even though I maintain a very proactive approach. Card like Harmonic Sliver serve multiple purposes, as they come in and have an immediate effect off of Chord of Calling or whenever they hit play if I tutor for/play/reanimate them. Then they die to Skullclamp for more cards. Ixidron is a tutorable wrath and general-screw card, and Sphinx of Uthuun is just amazing.
It's funny, you caught me in a really awkward window in which I have changed around the thread, updated my decklist, deleted my intro, and added a change log but have not put anything in it yet. I have been a bit on the lazy side as far as the update. but I only changed it two days ago, and no one had commented on the thread in... ever, so I felt it was safe to be lazy
Edit: I should have this thread finished within the next few days. Finally have a couple days off of work to find time to complete it.
Updates! Changes to decklist, updated card choices section accordingly, added change log, added new intro, added reasons (in blue) for the cards that have been cut section, and revamped the formatting. Let me know what ya think!
How are the draw X spells working for you? What does X usually end up being?
Do you ever wish it was something like Thirst for Knowledge, Recurring Insight, or Consecrated Sphinx? I realize the latter two arent instants, but they are still bomby spells that draw absurd amounts of cards. Or even Merchant Scroll just for more consistency.
Your creature curve looks great, it screams to me that it wants to try out Birthing Pod.
Dream Fracture bothers me.
Have you already considered-
[cards]Voidslime
Foil
Cryptic Command
Memory Lapse
Remand[/card]
Abeyance isnt bad to timewalk someone or keep the blue player off your back when you go to take all your turns.
EDIT actually I just looked over your list again, did you go out of your way to make sure you couldnt take infinite turns?
How are the draw X spells working for you? What does X usually end up being?
Do you ever wish it was something like Thirst for Knowledge, Recurring Insight, or Consecrated Sphinx? I realize the latter two arent instants, but they are still bomby spells that draw absurd amounts of cards. Or even Merchant Scroll just for more consistency.
Your creature curve looks great, it screams to me that it wants to try out Birthing Pod.
Dream Fracture bothers me.
Have you already considered-
[cards]Voidslime
Foil
Cryptic Command
Memory Lapse
Remand[/card]
Abeyance isnt bad to timewalk someone or keep the blue player off your back when you go to take all your turns.
EDIT actually I just looked over your list again, did you go out of your way to make sure you couldnt take infinite turns?
To address the last part first, no I did not, I simply did not go out of my way to work towards infinite turns. I can typically hit functionally infinite turns, which is the same in practice. Additionally it is possible to hit infinite turns with this list. It goes roughly: Sun Titan, Eternal Witness, Time Walk, Sword of Fire and Ice or Skullclamp. Play Time Warp, play witness returning it. Attack with SwoFI'd Titan/clamp Witness then attack. Recur Witness with Titan's attack trigger. Wash, rinse, repeat. This sounds obscure, but it is fairly easy to hit, as I play a plethora of Time Walks, Clamp is a card I aim to play every game, and Witness and Titan are easy to draw into/tutor for. Are there a few particular cards you see that would enable easy infinite loops? Deadeye Navigator, obviously, but I don't like him in this list outside of trying to go infinite.
I agree with you on Dream Fracture. It is likely to become Arcane Denial. I think that Voidslime would be a good replacement as well, but I would like to push the lower mana cost theme. Voidslime might replace Dissipate, but I don't know if the added versatility is better than the exile. I have somewhat neglected to optimize my counterspells because without Force of Will to at least test and Mana Drain, I know I can't fully optimize them at the moment. Cryptic Command I don't own, and I don't like having to leave open triple :symu:. It's a hell of a card, though. Good call on the suboptimal counters, though, I have been very lazy about them.
Birthing Pod is a card I cut because it was very clunky in my build. I am a bit too aggressive to utilize it enough to warrant its inclusion, in my opinion. It was in the initial build. Also, so many of my cards aim for functional redundancy, and that nips the efficacy Pod.
I have so many card draw engines, that I rarely find myself wishing my giant draw spells were anything other than what they are. They are mainly annoying in multiples or early on (I always mulligan them away). I don't like Recurring Insight because I have to tap out mainphase for it, and that is the reason I don't play cards like Mindspring or Braingeyser. The draw spells are meant to fit in around the Rafiq+Rafiq beater theme, so I really emphasize instant speed. Also, with Sword of Feast and Famine, I can pop instant-speed draw spells in between the sword's first strike trigger and regular damage trigger.
To answer your other question in regard to the X spells, X is typically 4 the first time. After that, it can get crazy. There are a lot of ways to ramp in this list, especially when you are drawing multiple lands/turn. Additionally, Stoke of Genius can kill those pesky Hermit Druid decks while they are trying to combo out, which is pretty tits.
Too much blue at the tables I play at for Con Sphinx, or he'd be in the list in a heartbeat. He's so good when unopposed, but I see too many clones, Body Doubles, and Mimeoplasms (3 Mimeo decks).
Merchant Scroll is interesting, and if in my testing I find I am not reliably drawing my Time Walks when I need them, I will certainly keep that in mind.
Abeyance is interesting and something I have not considered, but it feels a bit narrow to me. At the same cmc, Seedtime fills the same role, while also being able to be utilized if someone tries an EOT spell on my turn.
The main thing, and this is something I should probably address in my initial post, is that goal #1 is to beat down with Rafiq guys. The rest of the strategies fall into place around that, or in the case of poor draws, in lieu of that. The Time Walk theme is there because it is otherwise difficult to clear a full table with a Rafiq beatdown strategy. I sputtered and ran out of gas after about two kills all too often before adding that theme.
Edit: Honestly, it's possible Recurring Insight really is just that good to where it is exempt from my rules for card draw. I think I'll at least give it a test.
Why don't you run Halimar Depths? Even though it ETBT, it's a free deck manipulation that you can reuse with your bouncelands. Also, Faerie Trickery is another Dissipate you could run.
If you're on the fence with Sword of Light and Shadow, have you considered swapping it with Sword of War and Peace? You'll still get the pro-white, but now you also deal more damage to your opponent, and give yourself a little boost in life total.
Lastly, I'm not sure why you'd cut Cyclonic Rift. Being able to bounce their boards while you're taking extra turns can be brutal.
Why don't you run Halimar Depths? Even though it ETBT, it's a free deck manipulation that you can reuse with your bouncelands. Also, Faerie Trickery is another Dissipate you could run.
If you're on the fence with Sword of Light and Shadow, have you considered swapping it with Sword of War and Peace? You'll still get the pro-white, but now you also deal more damage to your opponent, and give yourself a little boost in life total.
Lastly, I'm not sure why you'd cut Cyclonic Rift. Being able to bounce their boards while you're taking extra turns can be brutal.
Well, on Halimar Depths, I really don't want more ETBT lands. I'm on the fence about cutting the karoo lands, although I really do like them. They are left-overs from when Primetime was still legal, netting me extra mana and allowing me to get, say, Wasteland + Karoo land, Karoo bounces Wasteland, play Wasteland for the turn and nuke whatever I need to hit. I have kept them because they enable me to play 2 land hands, but if I added Depths, I'd likely add it in place of a Karoo as to not encumber my tempo any farther. My early game is so important, and due to the nature of cards like Burgeoning, Sakura-Tribe Scout, and Skyshroud Ranger I can make up for some of the lost tempo off of Karoo lands if I can drop one of those guys turn one. To me ramping is more important to this deck than card selection, as I have added so many redundant abilities to my decklist.
Faerie Trickery is a card I have considered, but because my goal is to replace some of my counters with Mana Drain and at least test Force of Will, I have been holding off on really worrying about my counters at this stage, as all the work will be for nought when I get my hands on those (I'm hoping within the next couple months). That said, it would be good work toward understanding a budget version of this deck. I do plan on testing Arcane Denial as a means of keeping that counter curve low. Adding in Mana Drain as a 2 and Force of Will as a second 0 cost leaves those 3 cost counters (not named Hinder and Spell Crumple) looking pretty impotent.
I'm fairly sold on Light and Shadow over War and Peace because if I am getting through for combat damage, strangely enough damage is typically the least of my worries. As a deck that has struggled with staying power in larger games, I feel I need strong engines more than out-of-nowhere damage. Also, the pro is much more relevant than the pro at least in my meta. Pro does a lot more (again at least in my meta) to ensure that somewhere on the table I can get in to activate the sword's abilities.
Cyclonic Rift just never did what I wanted it to do. There were time where it bailed me out short-term, but never enough to come back and win. I had to deal with everyone's ETB crap again. It has so much potential, but I rarely need it to get through for damage due to the sword suite, and then I can typically rely on my spot removal instead. It's not that Rift was never good, but it was never the game-changing card it wants to be. I don't know if it is just my deck, my isolated experiences, or what. I think it's better in a passive deck, because it hurts aggressive decks much more with the tempo (unless they have lots of haste) than decks that are trying to play defense. And once the extra turns start flowing, Rifting is the last thing on my mind. I just kill chumps!
Edit: SwoLaS also enable infinite turn tricks given Eternal Witness/Skullclamp/Time Walk, Witness/SwoFI/Time Walk, Archaeomancer/SwoFI/Time Walk and extends turn chains with Snapcaster(in bin or + Skullclamp)/Timewalk(s), Archaeomancer orWitness(in bin)/Time Walk and probably other scenarios. Those are just off the top of my head.
Cyclonic Rift is just the nuts. Doing it in thier EOT to force mass discard is the strongest play I'd have to argue... or when someone casts Wheel of Fortune.. then its hilarious.
I love the effect depths gives, but cipt lands just dont cut it. Karoo lands are the only exception IMHO, and thats only because they ensure you another land drop- and because i like to be able to reuse Bojuka Bog.. and this is WUG
Have you ever considered cutting out white and going with Edric? I mean, Im assuming you like the raw power of rafiq, its what kept me from going to edric, but you play a lot more unblockable types than I used to. It would enable you to play Craterhoof Behemoth (which just isnt the same in an exalted deck, but I guess could be an alt wincon w/ the amount of dorks you play) who Ive loved since he was printed.
Have you tried Crystal Shard at all? Reusing your important ETB effects are good, and as an added bonus you can catch people mistapping their mana sometimes- even more often if you make room for Rhystic Study
Cyclonic Rift is just the nuts. Doing it in thier EOT to force mass discard is the strongest play I'd have to argue... or when someone casts Wheel of Fortune.. then its hilarious.
I love the effect depths gives, but cipt lands just dont cut it. Karoo lands are the only exception IMHO, and thats only because they ensure you another land drop- and because i like to be able to reuse Bojuka Bog.. and this is WUG
Have you ever considered cutting out white and going with Edric? I mean, Im assuming you like the raw power of rafiq, its what kept me from going to edric, but you play a lot more unblockable types than I used to. It would enable you to play Craterhoof Behemoth (which just isnt the same in an exalted deck, but I guess could be an alt wincon w/ the amount of dorks you play) who Ive loved since he was printed.
Have you tried Crystal Shard at all? Reusing your important ETB effects are good, and as an added bonus you can catch people mistapping their mana sometimes- even more often if you make room for Rhystic Study
I think that it is very much likely that given what I want to do with the deck (use creatures to draw lots of cards, use card advantage to ensure counters, etc) Edric has potential to make a stronger deck. That said, I feel as if Edric is more "all-in" than Rafiq; getting blown out to mass removal/tuck effects, or rolling people when things go according to plan. Rafiq does not lose as much to sweepers (we play fewer creatures at once, and our creatures are typically higher quality than Edric's swarms) or tuck effects (again, higher quality guys in a vacuum). So I feel we are a bit more resilient, albeit with slightly less potential to just roll *****es. The main reason I am playing Rafiq (aside from my love of Rafiq, which is first and foremost) is that there are 3 Edric decks already in my playgroup. (aside: my Simic Opposition deck (see my sig) uses very much an Edric-esque strategy of tokens and small guys, and it loves Craterhoof :D)
Crystal Shard was in my initial build but got cut for being clunky. I have tried very hard to streamline this deck. The issue with shard is that there are always ways I want to spend my mana, and those involve advancing my position. I am not here to win a war of attrition by reusing my ETB guys for value until someone puts an end to it. I am here to drop righteous fury on people's domes until they are dead.
GSZ/Arbor is interesting. I never really considered it because it is such an Edric strategy, but it really is just good ramp. I'll definitely mull that one around. I don't know where the slots will necessarily come from. With the Arbor it essentially is a come into play tapped land, so does it replace a spell or a land? And GSZ obviously has uses other than just ramp, but do I replace a creature tutor with it, or add it in alongside them? Also, my favorite guys to tutor in this deck are and (mainly Stoneforge Mystic for :symw:, but I LOVE hitting Chord of Calling for her). But typically who I want to tutor for is Archaeomancer, Phantasmal Image, Snapcaster Mage, Ixidron, Glen Elendra Archmage, and in high mana occasions, Sphinx of Uthuun. I'd probably need quality higher cmc guys like Zegana to make that work. It'd be a whole package thing. I'll stew on it.
I don't know what else to say about Cyclonic Rift. I played it for the majority of the history of the deck, and it played itself out of the decklist. I really like it as a card, and I play it in other decks, but natural selection is a B, and it went extinct.
Why not just play Sensei's Divining Top?
Advantages:
His effect is just as Halimar, but reusable.
It doesn't waste a land drop.
It costs 1 mana, so it's just like a land entering tapped.
Disadvantages:
You can't play it without mana.
I played Halimar Depths but it just didn't fit in this kind of deck. You need to be much faster and I already work hard with my budget landbase that has quite a few cards entering tapped that I can't wait to replace.
Yeah, I agree, I think it's just not a good fit for a deck this aggressive. Although I honestly didn't know that card existed before this discussion and I'll probably have to pick up a copy for my deck.
The tuck effects are definitely amplified in this deck versus when it started out as Jenara. Jenara didn't care at all if she got tucked (outside of the free CA of being able to play a card from the command zone). However, a large reason why my list is designed as it is, is for functionality and consistency throughout, which is amplified by, by not contingent upon, having Rafiq in play. When he gets tucked, the gameplan stays mostly the same, simply more emphasis is put on getting the Sword game going. Even without doublestrike, getting the Ophidian guys going is a nasty engine, especially with Sword of Fire and Ice. The deck has a ton of built-in "free" sources of card advantage, so I look to utilize those to keep me rolling. Realistically, though, before I try to set up a kill, I will try to find Rafiq again. But the continuous CA from the deck keeps it in games even without the explosive nature of the general. Also, it should be noted, that with some of the card selection engines (SDT/Sylvan Library with a crud ton off shuffles, the ability with Burgeoning and the Tribe Scout/Ranger ability to stack fetch lands) finding the cards you need, or the cards you need to get the cards you need, is often a relatively easy task.
Using the last paragraph to extrapolate, that is why my build decided to go against efficient damage engines like you mentioned and instead into card advantage engines. Not as many out-of-nowhere kills, but the ability to keep a full hand and seemingly always have answers (once the ball gets rolling) is too much in my DNA to pass up.
Edit: To expand on the tuck point -
Chord of Calling
Eladamri's Call
Mystical Tutor
Find Rafiq directly, or in the case of Mystical tutor find the card that finds him.
Cards that more indirectly find him, either via drawing lots of cards or by setting up card selection
Sphinx's Revelation
Blue Sun's Zenith
Stroke of Genius
Hunter's Insight
Fact or Fiction
Sphinx of Uthuun
Trinket Mage (for Divining Top)
Sylvan Library
Sensei's Divining Top
Additionally, with the plethora of shuffle effects (19 direct sources, and potentially more depending on game state, such as Archaeomancer, Snapcaster, Eternal Witness, Body Double, Phantasmal Image, Metamorph, Sun Titan) the card on the bottom of the deck is not the card on the bottom of the deck for very long.
Well, I got a couple games in the other day. Lost a 2HG in which my partner had by FAR the worst deck of the quartet, but it still exposed that I think we want some cheap card draw to smooth things out if we lose our t2 beater before we get any results. I plan on testing Recurring Insight and Arcane Denial, although Insight is not cheap card draw. Arc Denial fits the bill to some extent, but forces either a suboptimal counter or for us to counter our own spell. Compulsive Research may be test-worthy, but I am far from excited about it. Any suggestions for cheap card draw to test? Or rather than getting tunnel vision, any suggestions on how to recover from a quick removal spell when our hand is not otherwise loaded?
The second game I got in was a 3-player in which I got all three swords early (SwoFI got removed before the other 2 came down) and my opponents were mono Chainer (my deck from my sig) and Kaalia (or however it's spelled) so the swords made that game a flippin' breeze.
Game 3 was 1v1 against Chainer and again I wrecked face and learned nothing interesting about the deck. It's not a fair 1v1 match up, really (very few (multiplayer) decks can regularly compete with Rafiq 1v1).
have you tried any regrowth effects yet? also why are you using those 3 cipt lands and not the filter lands?
I guess it depends on how literally you mean on the regrowth effects. If you mean Regrowth and functional reprints, then no. However, I play Eternal Witness, Archaeomancer, Sun Titan, and Snapcaster Mage all of whom recur from my bin. The important factor here is that they are all creatures, and thus easily tutorable and sword carriers.
The filter lands are unimpressive imo. The karoo lands add card advantage to the deck as well as fixing, which to me is better than just fixing. The karoos also have synergy with a number of effects in the deck, namely Burgeoning, Sakura-Tribe Scout, and Skyshroud Ranger.
I guess it depends on how literally you mean on the regrowth effects. If you mean Regrowth and functional reprints, then no. However, I play Eternal Witness, Archaeomancer, Sun Titan, and Snapcaster Mage all of whom recur from my bin. The important factor here is that they are all creatures, and thus easily tutorable and sword carriers.
The filter lands are unimpressive imo. The karoo lands add card advantage to the deck as well as fixing, which to me is better than just fixing. The karoos also have synergy with a number of effects in the deck, namely Burgeoning, Sakura-Tribe Scout, and Skyshroud Ranger.
ok that makes sense now... how often do you daisy chain your extra turn effects?
ok that makes sense now... how often do you daisy chain your extra turn effects?
That's a good question. I haven't spent a lot of time analyzing how often I simply "go off" with them, but typically simply hitting the first is enough to make the difference to allow me to break the game open. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of ways in which the deck can chain them, and that happens with relative frequency, but probably most often it's something more along the lines of: kill one to two problematic players, load up on cards, sculpt as close to perfect hand as possible, allow the game to continue at a giant advantage.
I am loving this list and idea's... hence me asking and make suggestions... I did an infect list that was very successful and always loved doing different builds then others run...
I am loving this list and idea's... hence me asking and make suggestions... I did an infect list that was very successful and always loved doing different builds then others run...
I appreciate it. I love getting new suggestions, and even if I hear a suggestion I don't like or I have to defend why I chose a card, it makes me explain my reasoning, which at times can be faulty.
I'm glad you like the concept and the list. It's one that I find to be loads of fun, so my goal is to make it as competitive as possible within the parameters of what I want to do. I don't have any intention on compromising what my goals are with this deck in order to make it win a higher percentage of games in a vacuum. Winning is good, but EDH is about fun (obviously imo, not a blanket statement). I have to meld winning with fun in order to get the best experience, personally.
What do you feel about sublime archangel? Sovereigns of lost Alara? Etc? What are your worst matchups? Is there a way you stop ramp? What turns do you try winning by?
I feel as if Sublime has a philosophical issue with the way my deck runs. I try to maximize value out of my cards by using Rafiq's ability to commit as little to the board as possible while maintaining a very threatening status. Sublime works entirely opposite to this, and would largely be situationally good only when I have my few other exalted guys on board. Otherwise I like to hold my threats until my current threat is dealt with.
Sovereigns is simply not a card for this style of list. At 6 mana it does almost nothing off the bat, forces me to run auras instead of equipment (worse general card advantage) in my pump slots, and forces me to commit to the board (if I get wrathed with a pile of enchantments they all go to the bin :(), leaving me a bit more vulnerable than I care to be.
I feel as if both are very fine cards in a different play-style of Rafiq and in a different meta than the ones I play. You have to build significantly differently than I have in order to get value out of those cards, but don't let my philosophical approach to Rafiq keep you from trying them!
The worst match-ups (single deck) are decks that have consistent early-game removal. This deck is crazy once the ball gets rolling, but if StP or PtE hit our card-advantage beater before an attack gets off, we can really stall. Now, this deck can still win out of nowhere or restart the engine, but it's a real kick in the nads.
A more relevant poor match up is really table dependant. If the whole table is big-mana control-ish decks, it's gonna take some finesse to wipe them all out. This is where you need to find leverage to resolve an extra turn spell, then try to turn-chain them out while you have a window of counter-free opportunity. Setting that scenario up takes patience and understanding that come only from experience in those situations. It is very rewarding to win in this manner, because it really forces you to maximize you value out of everything, often forces you to feint, and brings the best out of your Magic ability.
You stop ramp by forcing them to address your situation instead of ramping. This deck threatens mad card advantage, and if ramp ignores that, it loses to the board as you stock up on counters and new threats. Additionally, this deck is capable of ramping hard, although our ramp is more draw-dependant than classic big-mana :symu::symg:/:xmana: good-cards.
The hardest question to answer here is what turn do I try to win by. This is so, so very dependant upon what else is on the table. It can win insanely fast through damage (during a chaos game the other day I played t2 Rafiq off of t1 Burgeoning, cracked next turn for 10 general after casting Qasali Pridemage and Hunter's Insight to reload, drew scoops from the table the turn after by Chord of Calling for Stoneforge Mystic for Sword of Fire and Ice). This deck is built with three major focuses: Rafiq-interaction, Time Walks, Good Cards. Understanding which direction to go in given a specific draw and set of opponents is very key. However, because the deck is aggressive, I try not to air on the side of caution, and go for the kill when it looks available. This does not mean walking into obvious traps, or even clever traps, but if it's a coin-toss decision, opt for aggression as a rule of thumb.
Interesting, I like your take on Rafiq. Hmm have you thought of fusing it with the infect mechanic? Would it make it more deadly or faster?
Oh, I have absolutely thought about it. Probably Grafted Exoskeleton would be my first move in that direction should I choose to go that route. My main concern right now is on shoring up the resiliency. I'm re-examining my mana ramp at the moment to try to give a little more late-game presence for when our initial burst is rebuffed. I think my rough testing cuts at the moment are:
-Blue Sun's Zenith
-Dissipate
-Lu Xun
-Thada
+Cultivate
+Kodama's Reach
+Skyshroud Claim
+Oracle of Mul Daya (this guy is almost definitely going to stay. I should never have cut him. I also need to find a second copy of Crucible of Worlds to stick in the deck given the propensity we have to drop Fetches, Strip Mines, Wastelands. Crucible + Oracle should be bananas, especially with a Top in play)
4 Rafiq of the Many
Lands - 37
7 Forest
5 Island
4 Plains
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Wooded Foothill
1 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats (will be Windswept Heath)
1 Flooded Strand
1 Command Tower
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Breeding Pool
1 Temple Garden
1 Tundra
1 Tropical Island
1 Savannah
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
1 Academy Ruins
Plainswalkers - 1
5 Tezzeret the Seeker
Enchantments - 2
1 Burgeoning
2 Sylvan Library
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Skullclamp
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
Sorceries - 5
1 Steelshaper's Gift
3 Savor the Moment
5 Time Warp
5 Temporal Manipulation
6 Walk the Aeons
Instants - 18
0 Pact of Negation
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Mystical Tutor
2 Eladamri's Call
2 Counterspell
2 Seedtime
3 Spell Crumple
3 Hinder
3 Dream Fracture
3 Dissipate
3 Bant Charm
3 Chord of Calling
3 Hunter's Insight
3x Sphinx's Revelation
3x Stroke of Genius
3x Blue Sun's Zenith
4 Fact or Fiction
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Llanowar Elf
1 Sakura-Tribe Scout
1 Skyshroud Ranger
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Phantasmal Image
3 Eternal Witness
3 Harmonic Sliver
3 Trinket Mage
3 Wood Elves
3 Farhaven Elf
3 Ohran Viper
3 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
3 Cephalid Constable
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
4 Lu Xun, Scholar General
4 Archaeomancer
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
5 Mulldrifter
5 Ixidron
5 Body Double
6 Sun Titan
7 Forest
5 Island
4 Plains
Search: 8
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
1 Flooded Strand
1 Command Tower
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Breeding Pool
1 Temple Garden
1 Tundra
1 Tropical Island
1 Savannah
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
1 Academy Ruins
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Enchantments - 2
1 Burgeoning
1 Sylvan Library
--------------
Random: 2
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
Equipment: 6
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Skullclamp
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Noble+Hierarch"]Noble Hierarch[/URL]
1 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Birds+of+Paradise"]Birds of Paradise[/URL]
1 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Llanowar+Elf"]Llanowar Elf[/URL]
1 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Sakura-Tribe+Scout"]Sakura-Tribe Scout[/URL]
1 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Skyshroud+Ranger"]Skyshroud Ranger[/URL]
2 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Sakura-Tribe+Elder"]Sakura-Tribe Elder[/URL]
2 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Qasali+Pridemage"]Qasali Pridemage[/URL]
2 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Stoneforge+Mystic"]Stoneforge Mystic[/URL]
2 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Snapcaster+Mage"]Snapcaster Mage[/URL]
2 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Phantasmal+Image"]Phantasmal Image[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Eternal+Witness"]Eternal Witness[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Harmonic+Sliver"]Harmonic Sliver[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Trinket+Mage"]Trinket Mage[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Wood+Elves"]Wood Elves[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Farhaven+Elf"]Farhaven Elf[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Ohran+Viper"]Ohran Viper[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Thada+Adel%2C+Acquisitor"]Thada Adel, Acquisitor[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Cephalid+Constable"]Cephalid Constable[/URL]
3 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Cold-Eyed+Selkie"]Cold-Eyed Selkie[/URL]
4 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Lu+Xun%2C+Scholar+General"]Lu Xun, Scholar General[/URL]
4 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Archaeomancer"]Archaeomancer[/URL]
4 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Glen+Elendra+Archmage"]Glen Elendra Archmage[/URL]
4 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Phyrexian+Metamorph"]Phyrexian Metamorph[/URL]
5 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Mulldrifter"]Mulldrifter[/URL]
5 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Ixidron"]Ixidron[/URL]
5 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Body+Double"]Body Double[/URL]
6 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Sun+Titan"]Sun Titan[/URL]
7 [URL="http://www.magiccards.info/query?q=%21Sphinx+of+Uthuun"]Sphinx of Uthuun[/URL]
--------------------------
Extra Turns: 5
2 Seedtime
3 Savor the Moment
5 Time Warp
5 Temporal Manipulation
6 Walk the Aeons
Removal: 2
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Eladamri's Call
1 Chord of Calling
Counters: 7
1 Pact of Negation
1 Counterspell
1 Spell Crumple
1 Hinder
1 Dream Fracture
1 Dissipate
1 Bant Charm
1 Hunter's Insight
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
BBCode Render failed due to reaching MaxNestingDepth(80) for Tag: size
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
-Austere Command
Ancestral Vision
Desertion
Stonehewer Giant
Kor Haven
Alchemist's Refuge
Cyclonic Rift
Hallowed Burial
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Acidic Slime
Solemn Simulacrum
+Hunter's Insight
Temporal Manipulation
Seedtime
Savor the Moment
Walk the Aeons
Forest
Plains
Archaeomancer
Ixidron
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Llanowar Elves
Cards that have been cut:
Alchemist's Refuge is probably the utility land hit the hardest by the banning of the Titan. It allows for some really phenomenal moments (double striking with Sword of Feast and Famine after activating Refuge during the first main phase allows for a "free" untap between first strike and regular combat damage in which we can play... well, anything), but I am heavily leaning toward testing without it. Lost too much after the banning of Primeval Titan
Cyclonic Rift is powerful yet I believe it is often overrated. Good decks typically place a premium on ETB abilites, and Rifting on a turn you are not planning on winning, or Rifting defensively just lets them reuse all of their ETB effects. However, this is still a ridiculous blowout card and a catch-all answer when necessary, so begrudgingly I play it due to raw power. It does have the versatility of being able to hardcast for :1mana::symu: and is fun with Snapcaster Mage. In decks with Archaeomancer and blink effects (see: Jenara) I think this is a much more abusive card. As is it is a solid spot-holder at worst, and a game-winning dagger at best. Never seemed to fit the deck. Neither a particularly good defensive or offensive card for us. Disappointing.
Hallowed Buriel would likely not see play in a duel version of this deck. However, it is multiplayer, and we must accommodate. This card is terrific if someone gets off to a better start than us, or if too many opponents run out their generals at once. Aside from that, I don't think I need to explain the ins-and-outs of Wrath effects. Just note that this is a tuck effect rather than a bury effect, so it gets just everything, including indestructible. We just don't want to wrath often enough to justify this slot
Austere Command provides incredible versatility. It hits what we want, when we want. It is extra good in this deck, as most other decks try to even the playing field against our 3cmc sword carriers by playing high-costed fatties. Unfortunately Rafiq sits at 4, and thus dies to this spell, but he comes back next turn since we have shown access to six mana. This is also a brutal beating when cast against us, killing our creatures and our swords. Counter this spell. This card off of Boseiju, Who Shelters All is a real kick in the nads. I hated to make this cut, but since I don't want to wrath creatures often enough, and since Rafiq puts us on the 3 under, 4 up border, I always hit something I want. Not good enough just as mass art/ench removal, especially at six mana. We can better use Oblivion Stone as a big sweeper due to tutor effects/recursion if it ends up being necessary
Desertion is one of the most likely to be cut cards in the deck once I get my hands on Force of Will, Misdirection, and/or Mana Drain. The effect is powerful, and it counters any spell regardless of if you want the Spelljack effect, but the mana cost is on the prohibitive side. While this deck doesn't mind sitting behind open mana, with :3mana::symu::symu: open you are often threatening multiple counters, and just Desertion feels a bit naked. Still, countering a Gilded Lotus or any manner of nasty creature with this spell is awfully enticing. Too expensive. Deck doesn't want this much mana open
Edric, Spymaster of Trest is the first and most interesting of our Ophidian effect. He has interesting versatility in that he allows us to legend rule off opposing generals, but mainly because he actually allows us to completely 180 our gameplan. He gives us a swarm option where typically that is not what we want. He also comes down and aides our Rafiq guys who are already in play. All of a sudden Ohran Viper is hitting for four cards. Edric can be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, because while he is a fantastic political play, he can also nullify the card advantage we gain by allowing our opponents to utilize his card draw ability. This is a card that requires a lot of analysis before dropping onto the battlefield. Too sucky. Lets opponents draw so many cards. We are not an Edric deck. I had to learn that.
Stonehewer Giant is a card I have a very difficult relationship with. He does not have an ETB effect, and can thus be cherry-picked off before he does any work for us. We rarely want to use him for his true full value which resides in attacking with him and using his ability because of his vigilance. Still, he brings out of nowhere an uncounterable and cheap, reusable source of equipment. Just nuts if it gets online. Must be answered immediately. As such, he often is. Because of the full-color sword protections every opponent has to be able to answer him, and typically at least one of them can. Still... sigh. Such a hard card to accurately assess. Amazing in theory. Just never worked. Eh, win some lose some.
Acidic Slime is fantastic. He kills whatever needs dying. He has deathtouch. He is at a very playable casting cost. Access to cards like this means we need fewer silver-bullet style cards, allowing us more content and consistency in our deck. Just not proactive enough. I want 5 mana to do more!
Solemn Simulacrum was a card I was skeptical of when putting this deck together, but it turns out he simply is that good. He does for us what he does for everyone else. He needs no introduction. If only he died to clamp Love the guy, just out of curve, and too late for us to be ramping
Ancestral Vision is bonkers early in the game. As long as you can afford to wait for the resolution, this is simply Ancestral Recall. Now, having it at sorcery speed and giving your opponents four turns to accrue a counter if they so desire is a little bit distasteful, but the risk/reward of this card is off the charts. If you lack an ideal speed opening, this becomes your best turn one play. Not what we want to do early. Not a good late card, due to suspend.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
Game 1 was against Niv-Mizzet and The Mimeoplasm. They bot hit t1 Sol Ring and I hit t1 Ancestral Vision, but no ramp. By the time I could play my threats, I already had to keep insurance against Niv comboing out, and The Mimeoplasm hit an early entomb for Sheoldred, the Whispering One. It took a lot of resources to battle through a Mimeo'd Sheoldred, and while I was tapped out combating that threat, Niv-Mizzet resolved alongside Swiftfoot Boots and Curiosity. Life totals were low enough for that to be game.
Game two started out similarly, although the board was empty of creatures when I went to resolve Cold-Eyed Selkie. Selkie was hit by Niv's Remand (I did NOT know that saw EDH play...), which in turn allowed Mimeo's Buried Alive to resolve after I passed the turn. Now I was sitting on counterspells and removal and forced to be reactive again, not wanting to replay Selkie into another possible counter which would let Mimeo or Niv-Mizzet hit. There was a brief stand still, some of the details are fuzzy, but eventually Sheoldred was reanimated AGAIN (seriously, Niv player, c'mon!), with a Volrath's Shapeshifter and an Acidic Slime next to it and an O-Stone in Mimeo's control as well. Vorinclex was in the bin, and Mims took the turn after me, so I knew I had to force the stone. I had Rafiq and Qasali Pridemage, with Sword of Feast and Famine on the board. The shapeshifter was blank, and therefor blue, so upkeep I Chord of Calling'd out Stoneforge Mystic grabbing Sword of Fire and Ice, and sac'd the Mystic to Sheoldred's trigger. I equipped the Pridemage (he was holding the other sword at the time) with my final and cracked in, forcing the O-Stone. I was holding Tezzeret the Seeker, Selkie, and Swiftfoot Boots. Mimeo drew, Mind Twisted Niv for 6 (entire hand) and passed. Niv went draw-go. Er, shoot, I was actually drew Tezz for the turn, he wasn't in my had before... anyway, dropped Selkie, Boots, Tezz'd for Sword of Light and Shadow, cracked Mimeo down to 4 or 5... Niv-Mizzet resolved on his turn. I dropped Rafiq, cracked Mimeo for lethal, and Niv Scooped after I sent a Sword to Plowshares (off the top like a boss) at his general.
Third game I was reallllllllly drunk, so it's all types of Hazy. New opponents (2 of them, Niv was still there) in mono black and Edric. Basically mono black got a t3 Contamination lock, dropped a guy for the turn, then a Skeletal Vampire (the hell???) for a full lock. I was going last and didn't hit ramp again so I didn't have 3 mana for the counter -___- Eventually the table was saved by Niv drawing and resolving All is Dust. From there I hit Fire+Ice and Feast+Famine on Ohran Viper with Rafiq out, and after a couple of counters to protect the game state, it was down to just me and Edric (with pointless board) and the game was quickly conceded.
Conclusions: Although I don't love the card in EDH in general, I think I want to test Force of Will in the deck, as well as Misdirection. This deck is at its most vulnerable when it taps out early-game to drop its threat, and at that point Pact of Negation is not online yet. Also want to know if I am missing any t1 ramp spells. I have tried Search for Tomorrow and was quite displeased. Llanowar Elf is not to my liking. Maybe Exploration? I am really quite open to suggestion here, as I do NOT like getting out-ramped early, and while I have five one-drop accelerants, that is still only 1/20 cards...
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
The next focus is on taking additional turns. This is where cards like Archaeomancer make the cut for this build where they were not in my previous build (before the extra turn theme). This is a very powerful theme, and most often if I resolve one of the Time Walk spells, the game is over.
Now, once those two themes are combined is where Savor the Moment comes into play. Because of the Rafiq theme, the deck likes to play a Rafiq guy, then Rafiq, then sit back with open mana and respond to attempts to dispel my board position. Because of that, and the fact that I try very hard to resolve Sword of Feast and Famine, Savor the Moment goes from being a really bad card to a really good card. With Feast and Famine in play, it is my best Time Walk. Without it, it is typically still very functional, but probably the worst of the bunch. Because I am aiming to only have one creature attacking, Savor allows me to transfer my equipment over to Rafiq or any other guy I have in play and get an additional attack (as well as an additional draw phase). It also puts it in my grave so it can be used again later. With Feast and Famine it is just silly abusive.
The third focus of the deck is to play the best cards available for the remaining slots, and those tend to be ETB guys. I need a certain amount of versatility even though I maintain a very proactive approach. Card like Harmonic Sliver serve multiple purposes, as they come in and have an immediate effect off of Chord of Calling or whenever they hit play if I tutor for/play/reanimate them. Then they die to Skullclamp for more cards. Ixidron is a tutorable wrath and general-screw card, and Sphinx of Uthuun is just amazing.
It's funny, you caught me in a really awkward window in which I have changed around the thread, updated my decklist, deleted my intro, and added a change log but have not put anything in it yet. I have been a bit on the lazy side as far as the update. but I only changed it two days ago, and no one had commented on the thread in... ever, so I felt it was safe to be lazy
Edit: I should have this thread finished within the next few days. Finally have a couple days off of work to find time to complete it.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
Do you ever wish it was something like Thirst for Knowledge, Recurring Insight, or Consecrated Sphinx? I realize the latter two arent instants, but they are still bomby spells that draw absurd amounts of cards. Or even Merchant Scroll just for more consistency.
Your creature curve looks great, it screams to me that it wants to try out Birthing Pod.
Dream Fracture bothers me.
Have you already considered-
[cards]Voidslime
Foil
Cryptic Command
Memory Lapse
Remand[/card]
Abeyance isnt bad to timewalk someone or keep the blue player off your back when you go to take all your turns.
EDIT actually I just looked over your list again, did you go out of your way to make sure you couldnt take infinite turns?
Mimeoplasm Midrange, CHAINER CHAINER HIGH VOLTAGE
Rafiq of the Astral Slide, 67land.dec Child of Alara, Gisela <3 Sunforger
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Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper, Phage the Uncastable, Azusa Lost but Stompy, Crosis Combo Breaker, All-In-Skullbriar, Rafiq/Jenara ETB army, Hazezon Swarm, Glissa Voltron!, Jarad Zombie Tribal, Zedruu Pillowfort, Reaper King Artifact Shenanagains
To address the last part first, no I did not, I simply did not go out of my way to work towards infinite turns. I can typically hit functionally infinite turns, which is the same in practice. Additionally it is possible to hit infinite turns with this list. It goes roughly: Sun Titan, Eternal Witness, Time Walk, Sword of Fire and Ice or Skullclamp. Play Time Warp, play witness returning it. Attack with SwoFI'd Titan/clamp Witness then attack. Recur Witness with Titan's attack trigger. Wash, rinse, repeat. This sounds obscure, but it is fairly easy to hit, as I play a plethora of Time Walks, Clamp is a card I aim to play every game, and Witness and Titan are easy to draw into/tutor for. Are there a few particular cards you see that would enable easy infinite loops? Deadeye Navigator, obviously, but I don't like him in this list outside of trying to go infinite.
I agree with you on Dream Fracture. It is likely to become Arcane Denial. I think that Voidslime would be a good replacement as well, but I would like to push the lower mana cost theme. Voidslime might replace Dissipate, but I don't know if the added versatility is better than the exile. I have somewhat neglected to optimize my counterspells because without Force of Will to at least test and Mana Drain, I know I can't fully optimize them at the moment. Cryptic Command I don't own, and I don't like having to leave open triple :symu:. It's a hell of a card, though. Good call on the suboptimal counters, though, I have been very lazy about them.
Birthing Pod is a card I cut because it was very clunky in my build. I am a bit too aggressive to utilize it enough to warrant its inclusion, in my opinion. It was in the initial build. Also, so many of my cards aim for functional redundancy, and that nips the efficacy Pod.
I have so many card draw engines, that I rarely find myself wishing my giant draw spells were anything other than what they are. They are mainly annoying in multiples or early on (I always mulligan them away). I don't like Recurring Insight because I have to tap out mainphase for it, and that is the reason I don't play cards like Mindspring or Braingeyser. The draw spells are meant to fit in around the Rafiq+Rafiq beater theme, so I really emphasize instant speed. Also, with Sword of Feast and Famine, I can pop instant-speed draw spells in between the sword's first strike trigger and regular damage trigger.
To answer your other question in regard to the X spells, X is typically 4 the first time. After that, it can get crazy. There are a lot of ways to ramp in this list, especially when you are drawing multiple lands/turn. Additionally, Stoke of Genius can kill those pesky Hermit Druid decks while they are trying to combo out, which is pretty tits.
Too much blue at the tables I play at for Con Sphinx, or he'd be in the list in a heartbeat. He's so good when unopposed, but I see too many clones, Body Doubles, and Mimeoplasms (3 Mimeo decks).
Merchant Scroll is interesting, and if in my testing I find I am not reliably drawing my Time Walks when I need them, I will certainly keep that in mind.
Abeyance is interesting and something I have not considered, but it feels a bit narrow to me. At the same cmc, Seedtime fills the same role, while also being able to be utilized if someone tries an EOT spell on my turn.
The main thing, and this is something I should probably address in my initial post, is that goal #1 is to beat down with Rafiq guys. The rest of the strategies fall into place around that, or in the case of poor draws, in lieu of that. The Time Walk theme is there because it is otherwise difficult to clear a full table with a Rafiq beatdown strategy. I sputtered and ran out of gas after about two kills all too often before adding that theme.
Edit: Honestly, it's possible Recurring Insight really is just that good to where it is exempt from my rules for card draw. I think I'll at least give it a test.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
If you're on the fence with Sword of Light and Shadow, have you considered swapping it with Sword of War and Peace? You'll still get the pro-white, but now you also deal more damage to your opponent, and give yourself a little boost in life total.
Lastly, I'm not sure why you'd cut Cyclonic Rift. Being able to bounce their boards while you're taking extra turns can be brutal.
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Well, on Halimar Depths, I really don't want more ETBT lands. I'm on the fence about cutting the karoo lands, although I really do like them. They are left-overs from when Primetime was still legal, netting me extra mana and allowing me to get, say, Wasteland + Karoo land, Karoo bounces Wasteland, play Wasteland for the turn and nuke whatever I need to hit. I have kept them because they enable me to play 2 land hands, but if I added Depths, I'd likely add it in place of a Karoo as to not encumber my tempo any farther. My early game is so important, and due to the nature of cards like Burgeoning, Sakura-Tribe Scout, and Skyshroud Ranger I can make up for some of the lost tempo off of Karoo lands if I can drop one of those guys turn one. To me ramping is more important to this deck than card selection, as I have added so many redundant abilities to my decklist.
Faerie Trickery is a card I have considered, but because my goal is to replace some of my counters with Mana Drain and at least test Force of Will, I have been holding off on really worrying about my counters at this stage, as all the work will be for nought when I get my hands on those (I'm hoping within the next couple months). That said, it would be good work toward understanding a budget version of this deck. I do plan on testing Arcane Denial as a means of keeping that counter curve low. Adding in Mana Drain as a 2 and Force of Will as a second 0 cost leaves those 3 cost counters (not named Hinder and Spell Crumple) looking pretty impotent.
I'm fairly sold on Light and Shadow over War and Peace because if I am getting through for combat damage, strangely enough damage is typically the least of my worries. As a deck that has struggled with staying power in larger games, I feel I need strong engines more than out-of-nowhere damage. Also, the pro is much more relevant than the pro at least in my meta. Pro does a lot more (again at least in my meta) to ensure that somewhere on the table I can get in to activate the sword's abilities.
Cyclonic Rift just never did what I wanted it to do. There were time where it bailed me out short-term, but never enough to come back and win. I had to deal with everyone's ETB crap again. It has so much potential, but I rarely need it to get through for damage due to the sword suite, and then I can typically rely on my spot removal instead. It's not that Rift was never good, but it was never the game-changing card it wants to be. I don't know if it is just my deck, my isolated experiences, or what. I think it's better in a passive deck, because it hurts aggressive decks much more with the tempo (unless they have lots of haste) than decks that are trying to play defense. And once the extra turns start flowing, Rifting is the last thing on my mind. I just kill chumps!
Edit: SwoLaS also enable infinite turn tricks given Eternal Witness/Skullclamp/Time Walk, Witness/SwoFI/Time Walk, Archaeomancer/SwoFI/Time Walk and extends turn chains with Snapcaster(in bin or + Skullclamp)/Timewalk(s), Archaeomancer orWitness(in bin)/Time Walk and probably other scenarios. Those are just off the top of my head.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
I love the effect depths gives, but cipt lands just dont cut it. Karoo lands are the only exception IMHO, and thats only because they ensure you another land drop- and because i like to be able to reuse Bojuka Bog.. and this is WUG
You've got BoP and Noble Hierarch, but no Green Sun's Zenith and Dryad Arbor?
Have you ever considered cutting out white and going with Edric? I mean, Im assuming you like the raw power of rafiq, its what kept me from going to edric, but you play a lot more unblockable types than I used to. It would enable you to play Craterhoof Behemoth (which just isnt the same in an exalted deck, but I guess could be an alt wincon w/ the amount of dorks you play) who Ive loved since he was printed.
Have you tried Crystal Shard at all? Reusing your important ETB effects are good, and as an added bonus you can catch people mistapping their mana sometimes- even more often if you make room for Rhystic Study
Mimeoplasm Midrange, CHAINER CHAINER HIGH VOLTAGE
Rafiq of the Astral Slide, 67land.dec Child of Alara, Gisela <3 Sunforger
TRADE!?WUBRGMy Pauper Cube
Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper, Phage the Uncastable, Azusa Lost but Stompy, Crosis Combo Breaker, All-In-Skullbriar, Rafiq/Jenara ETB army, Hazezon Swarm, Glissa Voltron!, Jarad Zombie Tribal, Zedruu Pillowfort, Reaper King Artifact Shenanagains
I think that it is very much likely that given what I want to do with the deck (use creatures to draw lots of cards, use card advantage to ensure counters, etc) Edric has potential to make a stronger deck. That said, I feel as if Edric is more "all-in" than Rafiq; getting blown out to mass removal/tuck effects, or rolling people when things go according to plan. Rafiq does not lose as much to sweepers (we play fewer creatures at once, and our creatures are typically higher quality than Edric's swarms) or tuck effects (again, higher quality guys in a vacuum). So I feel we are a bit more resilient, albeit with slightly less potential to just roll *****es. The main reason I am playing Rafiq (aside from my love of Rafiq, which is first and foremost) is that there are 3 Edric decks already in my playgroup. (aside: my Simic Opposition deck (see my sig) uses very much an Edric-esque strategy of tokens and small guys, and it loves Craterhoof :D)
Crystal Shard was in my initial build but got cut for being clunky. I have tried very hard to streamline this deck. The issue with shard is that there are always ways I want to spend my mana, and those involve advancing my position. I am not here to win a war of attrition by reusing my ETB guys for value until someone puts an end to it. I am here to drop righteous fury on people's domes until they are dead.
GSZ/Arbor is interesting. I never really considered it because it is such an Edric strategy, but it really is just good ramp. I'll definitely mull that one around. I don't know where the slots will necessarily come from. With the Arbor it essentially is a come into play tapped land, so does it replace a spell or a land? And GSZ obviously has uses other than just ramp, but do I replace a creature tutor with it, or add it in alongside them? Also, my favorite guys to tutor in this deck are and (mainly Stoneforge Mystic for :symw:, but I LOVE hitting Chord of Calling for her). But typically who I want to tutor for is Archaeomancer, Phantasmal Image, Snapcaster Mage, Ixidron, Glen Elendra Archmage, and in high mana occasions, Sphinx of Uthuun. I'd probably need quality higher cmc guys like Zegana to make that work. It'd be a whole package thing. I'll stew on it.
I don't know what else to say about Cyclonic Rift. I played it for the majority of the history of the deck, and it played itself out of the decklist. I really like it as a card, and I play it in other decks, but natural selection is a B, and it went extinct.
Yeah, I agree, I think it's just not a good fit for a deck this aggressive. Although I honestly didn't know that card existed before this discussion and I'll probably have to pick up a copy for my deck.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
What happens when Rafiq gets tucked?
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The tuck effects are definitely amplified in this deck versus when it started out as Jenara. Jenara didn't care at all if she got tucked (outside of the free CA of being able to play a card from the command zone). However, a large reason why my list is designed as it is, is for functionality and consistency throughout, which is amplified by, by not contingent upon, having Rafiq in play. When he gets tucked, the gameplan stays mostly the same, simply more emphasis is put on getting the Sword game going. Even without doublestrike, getting the Ophidian guys going is a nasty engine, especially with Sword of Fire and Ice. The deck has a ton of built-in "free" sources of card advantage, so I look to utilize those to keep me rolling. Realistically, though, before I try to set up a kill, I will try to find Rafiq again. But the continuous CA from the deck keeps it in games even without the explosive nature of the general. Also, it should be noted, that with some of the card selection engines (SDT/Sylvan Library with a crud ton off shuffles, the ability with Burgeoning and the Tribe Scout/Ranger ability to stack fetch lands) finding the cards you need, or the cards you need to get the cards you need, is often a relatively easy task.
Using the last paragraph to extrapolate, that is why my build decided to go against efficient damage engines like you mentioned and instead into card advantage engines. Not as many out-of-nowhere kills, but the ability to keep a full hand and seemingly always have answers (once the ball gets rolling) is too much in my DNA to pass up.
Edit: To expand on the tuck point -
Cards that more indirectly find him, either via drawing lots of cards or by setting up card selection
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
The second game I got in was a 3-player in which I got all three swords early (SwoFI got removed before the other 2 came down) and my opponents were mono Chainer (my deck from my sig) and Kaalia (or however it's spelled) so the swords made that game a flippin' breeze.
Game 3 was 1v1 against Chainer and again I wrecked face and learned nothing interesting about the deck. It's not a fair 1v1 match up, really (very few (multiplayer) decks can regularly compete with Rafiq 1v1).
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
I guess it depends on how literally you mean on the regrowth effects. If you mean Regrowth and functional reprints, then no. However, I play Eternal Witness, Archaeomancer, Sun Titan, and Snapcaster Mage all of whom recur from my bin. The important factor here is that they are all creatures, and thus easily tutorable and sword carriers.
The filter lands are unimpressive imo. The karoo lands add card advantage to the deck as well as fixing, which to me is better than just fixing. The karoos also have synergy with a number of effects in the deck, namely Burgeoning, Sakura-Tribe Scout, and Skyshroud Ranger.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
ok that makes sense now... how often do you daisy chain your extra turn effects?
That's a good question. I haven't spent a lot of time analyzing how often I simply "go off" with them, but typically simply hitting the first is enough to make the difference to allow me to break the game open. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of ways in which the deck can chain them, and that happens with relative frequency, but probably most often it's something more along the lines of: kill one to two problematic players, load up on cards, sculpt as close to perfect hand as possible, allow the game to continue at a giant advantage.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
I appreciate it. I love getting new suggestions, and even if I hear a suggestion I don't like or I have to defend why I chose a card, it makes me explain my reasoning, which at times can be faulty.
I'm glad you like the concept and the list. It's one that I find to be loads of fun, so my goal is to make it as competitive as possible within the parameters of what I want to do. I don't have any intention on compromising what my goals are with this deck in order to make it win a higher percentage of games in a vacuum. Winning is good, but EDH is about fun (obviously imo, not a blanket statement). I have to meld winning with fun in order to get the best experience, personally.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
Just a few questions!
What do you feel about sublime archangel? Sovereigns of lost Alara? Etc? What are your worst matchups? Is there a way you stop ramp? What turns do you try winning by?
Sovereigns is simply not a card for this style of list. At 6 mana it does almost nothing off the bat, forces me to run auras instead of equipment (worse general card advantage) in my pump slots, and forces me to commit to the board (if I get wrathed with a pile of enchantments they all go to the bin :(), leaving me a bit more vulnerable than I care to be.
I feel as if both are very fine cards in a different play-style of Rafiq and in a different meta than the ones I play. You have to build significantly differently than I have in order to get value out of those cards, but don't let my philosophical approach to Rafiq keep you from trying them!
The worst match-ups (single deck) are decks that have consistent early-game removal. This deck is crazy once the ball gets rolling, but if StP or PtE hit our card-advantage beater before an attack gets off, we can really stall. Now, this deck can still win out of nowhere or restart the engine, but it's a real kick in the nads.
A more relevant poor match up is really table dependant. If the whole table is big-mana control-ish decks, it's gonna take some finesse to wipe them all out. This is where you need to find leverage to resolve an extra turn spell, then try to turn-chain them out while you have a window of counter-free opportunity. Setting that scenario up takes patience and understanding that come only from experience in those situations. It is very rewarding to win in this manner, because it really forces you to maximize you value out of everything, often forces you to feint, and brings the best out of your Magic ability.
You stop ramp by forcing them to address your situation instead of ramping. This deck threatens mad card advantage, and if ramp ignores that, it loses to the board as you stock up on counters and new threats. Additionally, this deck is capable of ramping hard, although our ramp is more draw-dependant than classic big-mana :symu::symg:/:xmana: good-cards.
The hardest question to answer here is what turn do I try to win by. This is so, so very dependant upon what else is on the table. It can win insanely fast through damage (during a chaos game the other day I played t2 Rafiq off of t1 Burgeoning, cracked next turn for 10 general after casting Qasali Pridemage and Hunter's Insight to reload, drew scoops from the table the turn after by Chord of Calling for Stoneforge Mystic for Sword of Fire and Ice). This deck is built with three major focuses: Rafiq-interaction, Time Walks, Good Cards. Understanding which direction to go in given a specific draw and set of opponents is very key. However, because the deck is aggressive, I try not to air on the side of caution, and go for the kill when it looks available. This does not mean walking into obvious traps, or even clever traps, but if it's a coin-toss decision, opt for aggression as a rule of thumb.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
Modern Esper Midrange
EDH Jenara ETB
Oh, I have absolutely thought about it. Probably Grafted Exoskeleton would be my first move in that direction should I choose to go that route. My main concern right now is on shoring up the resiliency. I'm re-examining my mana ramp at the moment to try to give a little more late-game presence for when our initial burst is rebuffed. I think my rough testing cuts at the moment are:
-Blue Sun's Zenith
-Dissipate
-Lu Xun
-Thada
+Cultivate
+Kodama's Reach
+Skyshroud Claim
+Oracle of Mul Daya (this guy is almost definitely going to stay. I should never have cut him. I also need to find a second copy of Crucible of Worlds to stick in the deck given the propensity we have to drop Fetches, Strip Mines, Wastelands. Crucible + Oracle should be bananas, especially with a Top in play)
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer