MTG Salvation

Battlebond review is below. I am only going to discuss new cards, not reprints, though I'm pretty pumped about the value in the set. I'll discuss possible additions to the deck. Let me know if I missed any or what you're excited to try!

• The new lands: Bountiful Promenade and Sea of Clouds seem really good, even if they lack the basic land subtype.
• Archon of Valor's Reach: This seems really powerful. Although we play all card types, we can benefit by blinking this guy, casting our spells, and then having the Archon return and put a stop to that kind of spell.
• Spellseeker: this card seems to be very powerful. Its usefulness in this deck likely depends on your choice of spells, but I could definitely see this guy being amazing.
• Arena Rector: Although this would not be good in my list, I've seen a number of Roon decks that focus on walkers. In this decks, this would obviously be incredibly strong.
• Long Road Home: I'm not a fan of one-shot blink effects, but if you like them, this would be a solid role player.
• Bramble Sovereign: This guy is extremely powerful and definitely deserves a spot in the deck.

Why run mana rocks over ETB ramp creatures? I would consider Wood Elves better than something like Chromatic Lantern in a deck with this much blink.

That’s a good point. I suppose I wanted to diversify my ramp, and AFAIK Wood Elves is the only ETB mana ramp at 3cmc or less that I don’t run. I used to have it in there, but replaced it with Farhaven Elf since it gets any of my 3 colors, while Wood Elves can only get me two (and that’s split amongst 4 cards - two shocks, two ABU duals). I should probably reconsider that switch though, thanks for the feedback!

Wood Elves also gets it untapped, which can have its uses with stuff like Deadeye and multi-spell turns in the early game.

I also think you're missing Mystic Snake. It combos so well with so many cards in the deck. I also like the card Draining Whelk but I dont think its completely necessary to run that.

Ghostway is cool, might be win more. Combos well with your Wrath effects.

Trinket Mage is sweet as it can be an ETB ramp creature in a deck with the sweet 0-1 drop ramp artifacts you're running.

Quote from XeroxedFool »

Wood Elves also gets it untapped, which can have its uses with stuff like Deadeye and multi-spell turns in the early game.

I also think you're missing Mystic Snake. It combos so well with so many cards in the deck. I also like the card Draining Whelk but I dont think its completely necessary to run that.

Ghostway is cool, might be win more. Combos well with your Wrath effects.

Trinket Mage is sweet as it can be an ETB ramp creature in a deck with the sweet 0-1 drop ramp artifacts you're running.

Sorry for the delayed response, I thought I responded a month ago but must have closed the browser before replying!

My issue with Mystic Snake and Draining Whelk is that most of my blink abilities, including Roon, return at end of turn, not immediately, which makes these much less useful. Granted I do have Deadeye Navigator and Eldrazi Displacer, but I cannot justify needing to have one of those two on the field to turn the Snake or Whelk into anything more than an overcosted Counterspell.

I used to run Ghostway and some other one-shot blinks, but over time I felt like I needed more value out of my cards. Those one-shot blink spells gave way to other repeatable blink sources. It's still a very solid card in this build and I wouldn't fault anyone for running it.

I like Trinket Mage. Getting Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Mana Crypt, or Sensei's Divining Top is a powerful effect. I will consider adding it.

Core Set 2019 Set Review:

Below are a list of cards I think warrant a discussion for inclusion in this deck. If you think I missed anything, or just want to talk about these cards, please don't be scared to comment! There are a lot of ETB creatures in this set, so while technically they could be added, I will only be listing the ones I think are unique or might make the deck better.

• Cleansing Nova: This is a really good. A versatile sweeper is great, even if it's not quite as good as Austere Command. It probably will not make the cut in my list, but it's worth considering as a sweeper in any deck playing white.
• Militia Bugler: My current list would have 20 targets. I think the chances are pretty good of hitting at least one of them in the top 4, and this card is worth considering for that reason.
• Suncleanser: This won't be going into my list, but I wanted to include it because it is a versatile hatebear with some good value in certain metas. In my groups that I play with this would not be relevant, but if you're playing against a lot of experience commanders (ahem Meren of Clan Nel Toth), then this might be worth considering.
• Elvish Rejuvenator: Pretty good land tutor ETB, though it's just from the top 5 and it comes into play tapped. This is a decent choice, but probably not better than things like Wood Elves.
• Meteor Golem: Very powerful ETB effect, though the ability is expensive. However, the card type to be destroyed is not limited, which makes this quite versatile.

I understand where you're coming from. Normally I would never run something like Mystic Snake in a counterspell slot. I just like it in this type of deck because you can search it up with Survival or other creature tutors. I also run Teferi + Seedborn as one of my wincons so I like the plan of Seedborn + Deadeye. Mystic Snake kinda synergizes with this type of gameplan.

Quote from ketoglutarate »

hey! thanks to your suggestions i think i improved my list, which now looks like this:


(snip)

what do you say? there are a couple of new additions i'm not sure about, but overall the deck seems tricky.

I would gladly switch one elvish rejuvenator for a nephalia smuggler in case i needed more blinking. Also mystic remora is gas when i can blink it and reset its counters each turn.

Hey Keto, list looks great! Just a couple of small things I'd change. I see you added Nezahal, Primal Tide. He's a good control finisher, and a solid source of card draw, but how has he been performing for you? For creature-based card draw, I'd probably opt for Prime Speaker Zegana, as he's blinkable for additional card draw, he's 1 mana cheaper, and he's pretty cheap to pick up since he was printed in a commander product. I'd probably run Supreme Verdict over Day of Judgment as they're the same CMC but Verdict is uncounterable. And if you're in an agro-heavy meta, I could see Ghostly Prison and Propaganda performing well, but otherwise I'd probably replace them.

I think you're good on blink enablers (I see 5 currently), so I'd keep the Elvish Rejuvenator in your list over Nephalia Smuggler. However, one great thing about the smuggler is that it returns the creature back immediately, which would make your Mystic Snake and some other creatures better.

Hey ketoglutarate, another blinking option could be angel of condemnation. It is more expensive, but it can be used to exile troublesome threats.

Quote from ketoglutarate »

@manugl84 thanks for the input, the card is now surely on my radar! I was hoping to find some creature or permanent with a repeatable effect that makes the creature return immediately (just like eldrazi displacer), because that's the only way to get multiple ETB triggers in a turn

Well, I play Brago, King eternal, and I like him so far. I know he needs to connect, but I like to untap my tapped signets, crypt or sol ring to reuse them later in the turn.

For the same reason I like Felidar Guardian. It can untap my Gaea's Cradle or Birthing Pod. Its really sweet.

@Keto:

Great looking list!

In terms of making space for those cards you like, I think there are a few cards I’d consider cutting. Resolute Archangel is a good card, and can help incredibly in agro-heavy metas. However, unless you’re facing tons of agro decks, and I know Edgar decks are everywhere, I’d consider replacing it. It’s a high CMC card and you have another life gain source in Thragtusk, and you have multiple ways to tutor him when you need him.

And considering that your list looks like you’re concerned about agro decks, you might want to keep them. But I think Propaganda and Ghostly Prison are still worth cutting, since the other cards you want to fit in are more in light with your game plan (abusing ETB triggers).

I can see how Resolute Archangel could be great. If you feel the need for any other 7 drops, I'd strongly consider Angel of Serenity. It doubles as recursion or GY removal in a pinch.

I recently built Roon and he's so much better than I thought. My list is more creature heavy than yours and missing some expensive stuff like Drake, but what are your thoughts on Recruiter of the Guard? Also, I have Avenger of Zendikar, but I'm discovering he's mostly being used to block. Is Luminarh Primordial just a better choice?

For reference, here's myCoast

Quote from Ifloopthepig »

I recently built Roon and he's so much better than I thought. My list is more creature heavy than yours and missing some expensive stuff like Drake, but what are your thoughts on Recruiter of the Guard? Also, I have Avenger of Zendikar, but I'm discovering he's mostly being used to block. Is Luminarh Primordial just a better choice?

If you have good targets, I think Recruiter of the Guard is an amazing addition to a creature-heavy Roon deck.

I think Avenger of Zendikar and Luminate Primordial are used for different purposes. Avenger should generally be used as a finisher, blinking him to make a ton of plants, dropping lands to pump up those plants, and swinging with an army of small plants. On the other hand, the primordial is used as removal, and I prefer him for the exile (rather than destroy), as I see a ton of recursion in EDH. It’s the same reason I prefer Duplicant over other removal-based creatures.

Edit: Ravnica Allegiance set review should be done today! Lots to talk about.

Ravnica Allegiance set review below. I'll list cards that I think at least warrant discussion about inclusion in any version of this deck. I will disregard any reprints.

• Angel of Grace: that ETB is a very powerful effect, but in my playgroup, I suspect it won't save me. The biggest issue is that when you need that effect, you likely need it at instant speed, and unfortunately many of my blink sources return the creature at end of turn. However, the ability is appealing and there exist enough blink effects that return the creature immediately to make a solid argument to include this card.
• Civic Stalwart: in a creature-heavy Roon list, or one that likes to spam tokens, this might be OK. I wouldn't run it myself, but it's not terrible.
• Forbidding Spirit: This is a really cool card. The ability is written such that you can time your blink to make it most useful, and it's great in that it allows your opponents to attack each other, but only tax to pay you. I like that it's a creature and not the enchantment version of this effect (Ghostly Prison, Propaganda) and in a very control-oriented version of Roon I can definitely see this seeing play.
• Justicar's Portal: I am not a fan of one-shot blink effects, but they have a purpose and can do some great work in Roon decks. If you play them, this is another option, and I wouldn't fault someone for playing it.
• Lumbering Battlement: This card is hard to evaluate for me. If you're playing a creature heavy version of Roon, but your meta uses a lot of board wipes, this could be a decent defensive creature. It doesn't have flash for the first cast, which is a shame.
• Smothering Tithe: This card is not on-theme in a Roon deck, so I probably will not run it. But this card seems to be very powerful and I expect to see it at a lot of EDH tables after its release.
• Watchful Giant: this is very expensive for the effect. I think if you want this type of effect, you should run Blade Splicer and other cards long before this Giant.
• Mesmerizing Benthid: this is a really cool card. In a creature heavy meta, this guy can muck up combat and make it very unprofitable to attack into you.
• Sage's Row Savant: Another two drop that will help fix draws, but I don't think it does enough to warrant a slot.
• Biogenic Ooze: Ok, probably not a good fit in any Roon decks, but this card is just so cool!
• End-Raze Forerunners: Good in a creature heavy build of Roon, also will do a decent impression of Crafterhoof Behemoth in decks that are looking to combo out using Avenger of Zendikar and the like.
• Guardian Project: pretty neat, will be an "ok" source of card draw. Probably not as good as creature-based card draw like Mulldrifter.
• Silhana Wayfinder: I don't think this does enough to warrant a slot, but in a heavy creature build this might be decent.
• Wilderness Reclamation: Roon decks are mana hungry, and more control-oriented builds could take advantage of the extra mana. I'm not sure that we need this since we already should use Seedborn Muse, which is simply better for our deck.
• Biomancer's Familiar: This card is good, and will probably slot well into most Roon builds. Makes Roon's ability free, and reduces other useful activated abilities like Mistmeadow Witch and Eldrazi Displacer very reasonable.
• Deputy of Detention: This is an amazing card for this deck and will definitely be going in. Exiles the card, can be reset to get higher value targets later on, and is a creature so it is easily tutorable and recurrable.
• Frilled Mystic: This is a pretty good card, but the mana cost will be difficult. Mystic Snake is in many Roon lists, and I will be surprised if this isn't the same. As is my complaint with the Snake, the ability to reliably blink this card to count another spell does not happen very often.
• Prime Speaker Vannifar: This seems like a great card. Birthing Pod is extremely powerful in my Roon deck, and this would functionally be a second copy. I will try to make room for her.
• Repudiate//Replicate: Seems good in a more controlling build.

What do you think? Are there any other cards that you're excited to try in your Roon build, or do you have a different opinion on some cards? Feel free to share your thoughts!

Prime Speaker Vannifar is probably the first card I'd be looking to slot in for any Bant deck. Having a second copy of Birthing Pod, albeit fleshy and much more easily removed, is simply too good to pass up methinks.

I'd just like to point out that Lumbering Battlement can be used to effectively let you trigger instant-speed ETB effects from your other creatures since they come back as soon as he leaves. Makes things like Mystic Snake and the like MUCH more valuable.

Quote from benjameenbear »

Prime Speaker Vannifar is probably the first card I'd be looking to slot in for any Bant deck. Having a second copy of Birthing Pod, albeit fleshy and much more easily removed, is simply too good to pass up methinks.

I agree, the card is really good. Thankfully I picked up two copies over the weekend!

Quote from Xxarien »

I'd just like to point out that Lumbering Battlement can be used to effectively let you trigger instant-speed ETB effects from your other creatures since they come back as soon as he leaves. Makes things like Mystic Snake and the like MUCH more valuable.

That’s a very good point. Too often I skip over a creature because its ETB ability is more relevant when done at instant speed, and this would help make those more useful. Since it is not written like O-ring, I believe there’s no way that someone could stack triggers to permanently exile our creatures. Pretty neat trick.

I wish I had some play by play to go over. Last night, one is the commanders was Muldrotha. I was the target of their non stop strip mine.... twice a turn. I lived off of 2 lands and a sol ring. Due to pod, CoC, evolution, and protean hulk (with flash), I was able to chain my way up to victory. Everyone else had 10+ lands, but me with 2 was the threat lol.

Yup, Birthing Pod is very powerful. I haven’t yet drawn Prime Speaker Vannifar, but I’m excited to have two repeatable sources of that effect.

War of the Spark set review below. I'll list cards that I think at least warrant discussion about inclusion in any version of this deck. I will disregard any reprints. There were a lot of ETB effects in this set, so plenty to choose from, so I will only include here unique or very powerful abilities. So cards like Bulwark Giant, while relevant for an ETB-focused deck, will not be discussed here.

• Finale of Glory: The discussion about having a finisher in this deck comes up often enough. Some people get bored with Craterhoof Behemoth and Avenger of Zendikar. For those people, I think you'd be fine using this finale, even if it's not quite on theme.
• Spark Double: What a powerful card! If you choose to copy a creature, you can blink it to "reset" the card to something different later. What's more, you can just copy your commander and have two blink abilities. This seems very strong and I will test it in the deck.
• God-Eternal Keftnet: This card will not fit in my build, but I've seen Roon builds where he'd be great. My control cards are focused more on counter magic, but if your control build focuses more on spot removal or spell-based card draw, you might consider this card as a difficult-to-remove source of card advantage.
• Finale of Devastation: This card seems very powerful in EDH. It doubles as either a finisher or a recursion spell. And unlike some of the other finale cards, this one does not self-exile, so it is good value to recur your Eternal Witness from the yard, recur your finale with the E-witness's trigger, and then cast the finale later for lethal damage.
• God-Eternal Rhonas: For decks that are very creature-heavy, this could be a great finisher and reduce your reliance on Craterhoof Behemoth. This card can be blinked for repeated value over the course of a few turns, and is also very hard to remove.
• Vivien's Arkbow: I'm not very impressed. This costs a card from hand and only hits creatures. We already have two cards that do this better (Birthing Pod, Prime Speaker Vannifar).
• Neoform: Better than the Arkbow above, but still worse than Pod or Vannifar. On the plus side, it's a 2cmc "activation" of pod, and the creature enters with a +1/+1 counter; however, it is more susceptible to counter magic. If an opponent counters Neoform, you lose the spell AND the creature you sacrificed.
• Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner: Depending on your deck, this could be a useful card. Creature-heavy decks that use beefy creatures might find this to be a great source of card draw, and the untap loyalty ability means you can use it on Roon to blink multiple times in a turn.
• Elite Guardmage: There have been many cards like this at the 4cmc slot, and this one is respectable. I still prefer Mulldrifter in that slot.
• Blast Zone: Removal on a land, even if it is an expensive one like this, is valuable. In a deck like Roon, we are often left leaving mana up to respond via blinks or spells, and given that playstyle, I think leaving mana open to also have the chance to uptick Blast Zone could be useful.
• Teferi, Time Raveler: Wow, what a powerhouse. This protects everything you cast on your turn from counter magic, can give your sorceries flash (think wraths, Green Sun's Zenith, or Rite of Replication), and can set you up for those by bouncing your stuff back to your hand...which is what this deck already wants to be doing. I will be testing him in the deck.
• Time Wipe: A neat boardwipe, and allows you to save a creature from it, which works well since most of your creatures have ETB effects. This is a great setup card with the above Teferi, and also works great with your commander: blink your best creature, cast Time Wipe, return Roon or your other best creature to hand. By the time your end step arrives, you should be way ahead.

What do you think? Are there any other cards that you're excited to try in your Roon build, or do you have a different opinion on some cards? Feel free to share your thoughts!

I was just taking a nice long look in here because of the random deck thread. I noticed you have Armada Wurm listed as "beef", the idea being that adding 5 power for every flicker will close the game a some point. I'd like to give a plug to one of my favorite cards, Precursor Golem. The downside of the golem comparing those to cards is that it's fragile to targeted removal (both for creatures and artifacts), but Roon or mistmeadow Witch can at least protect the original and restart the process; also, it's 9 non-trampling power instead of 10 trampling power. The upsides are not insignificant though. Precursor Golem costs one less mana without a tough color requirement, it makes an extra power spread across multiple bodies with every flicker, and its Radiate effect has some interesting interactions with cards you're already playing, namely Rite of Replication, Path to Exile, and Oblation. And I guess if I'm listing every fringe benefit, it triggers Aura Shards 3 times instead of 2, and its weakness to removal can actually be a strength when your opponent's spot removal is also things like Path, Swords, Oblation, Beast Within, and Chaos Warp, to name a few.