The deck looks like it operates really well with your commander. Have you considered some equipment protection for him (her? them?)? Maybe Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, or Darksteel Plate? The F&S player in my group has a different build than yours, so the plate is more relevants (lots of Earthquake variants), but I wonder if boots/greaves might be worth it since your commander seems pretty important to making your deck work.
That is super funny how it worked out that way. I mean you do have the perfect colors for creature removal though, so I would think you could Gamble into a card to get rid of that Archon. But I've had similar things happen to me, or I had the perfect setup and just forgot to use one card at the right time.
I do like my build, it's super fun to play, and the constant discard and draw screws up momentum on control decks, while the Mana Flare and Oath of Lieges screw up tempo for agro players and offer some great targets to gain life off of.
I may try the build you are doing online, but I've had the worst luck with Sunforger constantly getting destroyed the second I play it. I use it now just to waste opponents removal and counter spells so they don't kill the cards I'm going to use to do massive damage to them in one turn.
I have a sequence where I will go for Helm of the Host if I get an equipment tutor, to try and throw off opponents a bit on the Sunforger plan. If I just go straight for the Sunforger then they know exactly what is up.
So Helm of the Host is too see if removal is around.
The other thing is that I have a lot of instant speed equipment attach methods, so I can afford to be patient and make sure I can "cast" AND equip AND have the SunforgerWR to cast a protection spell if an opponent goes for removal.
Obviously this would be very mana intensive, so really with Brass Squire, Kazuul's Toll Collector, Balan, Wandering Knight, Auriok Windwalker to make the equip less mana intensive, and Stoneforge Mystic and Godo, Bandit Warlord can put it into play at reduced costs.
So because my deck is so specialized, I am able to pull off Sunforger plays more consistently, than a deck that just adds it by itself along with some instant for it to target.
Don't get me wrong I will get games where my opponents have my number, literally destroying it on site, and I've been behind too much to go for a completely protection plan.
I also have Buried Ruin and Sequestered Stash as ways to get it back from graveyard, and Mistveil Plains is an efficient way to shuffle it back into the library, as I have so many equipment tutors, I tend to get it back quite quickly if it does go to graveyard via removal.
The deck looks like it operates really well with your commander. Have you considered some equipment protection for him (her? them?)? Maybe Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, or Darksteel Plate? The F&S player in my group has a different build than yours, so the plate is more relevants (lots of Earthquake variants), but I wonder if boots/greaves might be worth it since your commander seems pretty important to making your deck work.
I mean I did literally get Firesong and Sunspeaker removed every single turn last night, before I could get any use out of them. I was using all my mana to cast with commander tax, so was always at the mercy of removal.
But I'm not even sure how much Lightning Greaves would have helped me in that spot anyway, as I pretty sure it was always into open mana, and the opponents removal was instant speed.
I honestly don't mind that much casting a big damage spell that would kill Firesong and Sunspeaker, because at that stage you've probably pulled off what you wanted to do. Often gaining several hundred life (not joking), so you just have this incredible buffer, and will always have the time to cast out again for further antics.
I guess the only other thing I'll add, is that Firesong and Sunspeaker is important to your game plan, but it's not like you're trying to cast them out as quickly as possible and get value off them every turn. It's this case of you want the board to fill up with creatures before you pull off a big damage spell. Often I'll find games where the actually race is between you casting one of your big damage spells, or an opponent often casting a big creature removal spell first. So because you're often trying to wait till the board gets a threshold of enough creatures before you go for it, often I'll find an opponent beats me to it, with say a Decree of Pain, Wrath of God, etc.
This is where is super nice having the Sunforger plan, as I can Boros Charm, Teferi's Protection in response to these, so instead of being crippled altogether by other mass removal decks, I can turn this to my advantage.
I considered going off the deep end with Sunforger too, but I'm already playing a pretty hefty Sunforger package in my Zedruu (who can arguably get more mileage out of it due to the deck's idea and access to Sunforgered counterspells).
Still, started leaning towards more midrange-y direction than just raw spellslinging, and I'm feeling pretty good about the deck.
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I considered going off the deep end with Sunforger too, but I'm already playing a pretty hefty Sunforger package in my Zedruu (who can arguably get more mileage out of it due to the deck's idea and access to Sunforgered counterspells).
Still, started leaning towards more midrange-y direction than just raw spellslinging, and I'm feeling pretty good about the deck.
I did have Mizzix's Mastery and Past in Flames in my deck at some stage, but I ended up cutting them as they required too much of a setup and my spells were too reactive anyway.
Benevolent Offering is an interesting one. Sunforger searchable and fills the quota for giving opponents creatures, for the alpha strike damage spell. Will have to give it a try at least.
I found Radiate extremely difficult to setup. You need a lot of stars to align unfortunately. Even if you look at Oblation, card draw is not this decks forte as far as mana to cast spells, so opponents might benefit a lot more than you. Then Chaos Warp is pretty dubious given that there are quite a few non-permanent spells in the deck, so once again might just give opponents a massive advantage.
Pretty much it just goes great with Lightning Helix, Intimidation Bolt, Warleader's Helix, but even then you're waiting for the threshold of creatures on the board before you want to fire it off. So I just found myself waiting on things to happen to much.
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Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsSo Helm of the Host is too see if removal is around.
The other thing is that I have a lot of instant speed equipment attach methods, so I can afford to be patient and make sure I can "cast" AND equip AND have the Sunforger WR to cast a protection spell if an opponent goes for removal.
Obviously this would be very mana intensive, so really with Brass Squire, Kazuul's Toll Collector, Balan, Wandering Knight, Auriok Windwalker to make the equip less mana intensive, and Stoneforge Mystic and Godo, Bandit Warlord can put it into play at reduced costs.
So because my deck is so specialized, I am able to pull off Sunforger plays more consistently, than a deck that just adds it by itself along with some instant for it to target.
Don't get me wrong I will get games where my opponents have my number, literally destroying it on site, and I've been behind too much to go for a completely protection plan.
I also have Buried Ruin and Sequestered Stash as ways to get it back from graveyard, and Mistveil Plains is an efficient way to shuffle it back into the library, as I have so many equipment tutors, I tend to get it back quite quickly if it does go to graveyard via removal.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
I mean I did literally get Firesong and Sunspeaker removed every single turn last night, before I could get any use out of them. I was using all my mana to cast with commander tax, so was always at the mercy of removal.
But I'm not even sure how much Lightning Greaves would have helped me in that spot anyway, as I pretty sure it was always into open mana, and the opponents removal was instant speed.
I honestly don't mind that much casting a big damage spell that would kill Firesong and Sunspeaker, because at that stage you've probably pulled off what you wanted to do. Often gaining several hundred life (not joking), so you just have this incredible buffer, and will always have the time to cast out again for further antics.
I guess the only other thing I'll add, is that Firesong and Sunspeaker is important to your game plan, but it's not like you're trying to cast them out as quickly as possible and get value off them every turn. It's this case of you want the board to fill up with creatures before you pull off a big damage spell. Often I'll find games where the actually race is between you casting one of your big damage spells, or an opponent often casting a big creature removal spell first. So because you're often trying to wait till the board gets a threshold of enough creatures before you go for it, often I'll find an opponent beats me to it, with say a Decree of Pain, Wrath of God, etc.
This is where is super nice having the Sunforger plan, as I can Boros Charm, Teferi's Protection in response to these, so instead of being crippled altogether by other mass removal decks, I can turn this to my advantage.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
I considered going off the deep end with Sunforger too, but I'm already playing a pretty hefty Sunforger package in my Zedruu (who can arguably get more mileage out of it due to the deck's idea and access to Sunforgered counterspells).
Still, started leaning towards more midrange-y direction than just raw spellslinging, and I'm feeling pretty good about the deck.
I know what you mean, I do have a Jeskai Sunforger deck that literally has all the counterspells that Sunforger can search; Counterflux, Double Negative, Ionize, Izzet Charm, Suffocating Blast, Absorb, Offering to Asha, Ojutai's Command, Render Silent.
But I actually like being the underdog, and having to use janky counterspells like Lapse of Certainty and Mages' Contest. It's quite satisfying being able to effectively stop a powerful spell in Boros colors, nobody is really expecting it.
Benevolent Offering is an interesting one. Sunforger searchable and fills the quota for giving opponents creatures, for the alpha strike damage spell. Will have to give it a try at least.
About the only new toy I've added to the deck is Unbreakable Formation.
Added
+ Unbreakable Formation
+ Benevolent Offering
Removed
- Radiate
- Faithless Looting
I found Radiate extremely difficult to setup. You need a lot of stars to align unfortunately. Even if you look at Oblation, card draw is not this decks forte as far as mana to cast spells, so opponents might benefit a lot more than you. Then Chaos Warp is pretty dubious given that there are quite a few non-permanent spells in the deck, so once again might just give opponents a massive advantage.
Pretty much it just goes great with Lightning Helix, Intimidation Bolt, Warleader's Helix, but even then you're waiting for the threshold of creatures on the board before you want to fire it off. So I just found myself waiting on things to happen to much.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith