With the amount of aggro decks running around prison decks seem like they are in a really good place, and pw would certainly be a strong top end. If you ran green you'd get birds/hierarch to ramp you into turn two ghostly prison. And you could have oath of Nissa as a way to dig for your ghostly prisons early game and your pw late game.
edit: I thought that Oath could grab enchantments, the actual card is not as beneficial to the build you are considering
Just a thought on the overall idea of superfriends, Venser, the Sojourner plus Gideon Jura can create a pretty solid lock against most creature decks if you can live long to get them both out. Especially if you already have a oath of Gideon out. I know that with eldrazi aggro crawling everywhere right now a slow superfriends deck has no prayer in modern but I'm going to keep trying to brainstorm as I think the archetype could have promise. Basically, I think Oath of Nissa is for PW what eye and temple are for eldrazi, there's not quite enough for it at first printing, but down the line it'll work very well w/ some new things that get printed, and I think as more pw get printed every set we're bound to see the archetype eventually.
Not quite. Oath of Nissa is primarily built to hit creatures/lands. From a lot of testing when I used to play a lot of these types of decks, the upper limit on PW's you can put in a deck is about 8, and then you need an ample selection of removal. Oath is ok, but in a real Superfriends list it's usually going to find you a land not a walker.
I should have clarified, I don't mean that it matches the tutoring ability or ramp of eye/temple, just that it considerably helps in enabling the archetype, super-friends seems much more powerful when you can conceivably go turn 1 oath, turn 2 skite, turn 3 lili, and turn four ajani vengeant. I feel the color fixing is nearly as relevant as the ponder ability. Mind you I'm not saying the card is bonkers powerful, just that it gives a potential super-friends deck more options in terms of build and what pw can be included.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I should have clarified, I don't mean that it matches the tutoring ability or ramp of eye/temple, just that it considerably helps in enabling the archetype, super-friends seems much more powerful when you can conceivably go turn 1 oath, turn 2 skite, turn 3 lili, and turn four ajani vengeant. I feel the color fixing is nearly as relevant as the ponder ability. Mind you I'm not saying the card is bonkers powerful, just that it gives a potential super-friends deck more options in terms of build and what pw can be included.
It's a very bad idea to rely on an early Oath to get your color fixing in. 55% of the time you draw a Liliana and want to cast it on T3 you won't have an Oath to power it. Liliana is definitely powerful but she's the wrong color and a single color fixer isn't going to change that, she also doesn't quite do what a PW deck is trying to do. Liliana is best when backed up by a clock and PW decks don't really have clocks. Nissa, Voice of Zendikar blocks just as well as Liliana does and is in color. I think the flip Nissa is stronger though.
More than either though I would probably look to block with Hordeling Outburst, Krenko's Command, and Dragon Fodder, alongside some Birds of Paradise and Jace to flashback blockers.
I should have clarified, I don't mean that it matches the tutoring ability or ramp of eye/temple, just that it considerably helps in enabling the archetype, super-friends seems much more powerful when you can conceivably go turn 1 oath, turn 2 skite, turn 3 lili, and turn four ajani vengeant. I feel the color fixing is nearly as relevant as the ponder ability. Mind you I'm not saying the card is bonkers powerful, just that it gives a potential super-friends deck more options in terms of build and what pw can be included.
It's a very bad idea to rely on an early Oath to get your color fixing in. 55% of the time you draw a Liliana and want to cast it on T3 you won't have an Oath to power it. Liliana is definitely powerful but she's the wrong color and a single color fixer isn't going to change that, she also doesn't quite do what a PW deck is trying to do. Liliana is best when backed up by a clock and PW decks don't really have clocks. Nissa, Voice of Zendikar blocks just as well as Liliana does and is in color. I think the flip Nissa is stronger though.
More than either though I would probably look to block with Hordeling Outburst, Krenko's Command, and Dragon Fodder, alongside some Birds of Paradise and Jace to flashback blockers.
Yeah the scenario I outlined is a christmas-land draw, I do agree that we want to be base green ramp. That's an interesting point about Liliana as well, and is a good argument for not playing powerful cards just because we can. As of right now I think we are still waiting on another cmc 3 pw to be printed
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I suspect Xenagos the Reveler can also be played (I would rather have Chandra, Pyromaster though), because he fits the criteria of making mana and blocking but not making blue mana is a little problematic (though mana rather than land tends to want red more than blue anyways for removal).
In the end I agree that a 3 mana PW is required but it's a little more specific than that. It needs to be a 3 mana PW that isn't already being played. That would mean Garruk, Jace, Kiora, Ral Zarek, and Sarkhan can't be that 3 mana PW.
I would probably start with something like this right now for Superfriends (no consideration to the current meta, just what cards work), though it's a first draft. It probably needs more 1 mana spells to work with PW mana.
Learning that Sunscour is a card makes me think there's another viable shell for this deck. White based. Squadron Hawk to cast Sunscour and block, plus I once heard Kitchen Finks is a pretty incredible blocker for Planeswalkers. Then you get Elspeth, Knight-Errant, and Gideon Jura. Then you have options in every other color as a secondary.
The whole reason for PW's that can make mana and block is because you need to protect them when they come down rather than just tap out and die but a 0 mana wrath completely changes the game. The more expensive walkers pitch early and get cast late and it becomes easy to tap out for one and then protect it.
I just realized this is possible a few minutes ago but I really think there's something to it as an alternative to the RUG route... and it even opens up Oath of Gideon. The black route would probably be my first pick, but that's because Sorin, LoI is among my favorite cards in all of Magic and he's just so good with Lingering Souls.
I agree that sunscour plus squadron hawk is a pretty cool combo. I am still leaning towards green as the other color since we get ramp, oath of Nissa, easier casting of finks and Beast Within as removal for anything that presents a problem. lingering souls is an incredible magic card though. When I was brainstorming ideas for superfriends I considered abzan as we get abrupt decay, discard, and souls to protect ourselves but I think that may be too much going on. I really like the idea of utopia sprawl in this sort of deck as it ramps us but doesn't get killed by sweepers.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I was also thinking of a Superfriends/prison deck, posted something in the Green Devotion thread yesterday.
If you're interested here's an older Abzan list from last year. Some Oath of Nissa would definitely go inside:
Doubling Season is probably too expensive for this super aggro meta, could be switched for Hornet Nest, Intangible Virtue or even better the new Nissa (have yet to test her, but eople in the Devotion thread say she's amazing)
I agree that sunscour plus squadron hawk is a pretty cool combo. I am still leaning towards green as the other color since we get ramp, oath of Nissa, easier casting of finks and Beast Within as removal for anything that presents a problem. lingering souls is an incredible magic card though. When I was brainstorming ideas for superfriends I considered abzan as we get abrupt decay, discard, and souls to protect ourselves but I think that may be too much going on. I really like the idea of utopia sprawl in this sort of deck as it ramps us but doesn't get killed by sweepers.
With the Sunscour engine I lean towards a two color deck with the second color only being a splash. It becomes pretty important for most cards to be white. I suppose the real answer to what's the best secondary color would be in answering the question of what Walkers most benefit from Oath of Gideon. I will point out that 3 CMC Ajani could play well with both halves of the Oath and my money is on Sorin LoI as benefiting the most (can -2 twice in a row for double anthem). For that matter, every Ajani plays well with tokens so it's purely a question of curve (Souls+Oath is a lot of 3's)
The idea is early game attrition and blocks with wall of omens, then survive until I can clear the board or resolve a planeswalker. The package I chose mainly is to deal with creature-heavy meta. However, I would find myself dying to control or combo builds. Any tips or suggestions?
I did a recent update to this deck but unfortunately Genesis Hydra is bugged and doesn't allow you to reveal any card to put in play =/
I'm not playing it anymore because not being able to cast Hydra against control deck is frustrating...thanks wizards.
Here is my take on Superfriends. Idea is to set up a mana wall to hide Planeswalkers behind. Use tokens as fodder. Ultimate with Doubling Season or plow through with huge tokens. Almost every Planeswalker is a win condition on its own with our without DS. Lots of cool interaction/combos between the Planeswalkers - and timing can mean everything. Been playing locally for about a month and plan to unveil at my next FNM.
edit: I thought that Oath could grab enchantments, the actual card is not as beneficial to the build you are considering
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Not quite. Oath of Nissa is primarily built to hit creatures/lands. From a lot of testing when I used to play a lot of these types of decks, the upper limit on PW's you can put in a deck is about 8, and then you need an ample selection of removal. Oath is ok, but in a real Superfriends list it's usually going to find you a land not a walker.
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
It's a very bad idea to rely on an early Oath to get your color fixing in. 55% of the time you draw a Liliana and want to cast it on T3 you won't have an Oath to power it. Liliana is definitely powerful but she's the wrong color and a single color fixer isn't going to change that, she also doesn't quite do what a PW deck is trying to do. Liliana is best when backed up by a clock and PW decks don't really have clocks. Nissa, Voice of Zendikar blocks just as well as Liliana does and is in color. I think the flip Nissa is stronger though.
More than either though I would probably look to block with Hordeling Outburst, Krenko's Command, and Dragon Fodder, alongside some Birds of Paradise and Jace to flashback blockers.
Yeah the scenario I outlined is a christmas-land draw, I do agree that we want to be base green ramp. That's an interesting point about Liliana as well, and is a good argument for not playing powerful cards just because we can. As of right now I think we are still waiting on another cmc 3 pw to be printed
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
In the end I agree that a 3 mana PW is required but it's a little more specific than that. It needs to be a 3 mana PW that isn't already being played. That would mean Garruk, Jace, Kiora, Ral Zarek, and Sarkhan can't be that 3 mana PW.
I would probably start with something like this right now for Superfriends (no consideration to the current meta, just what cards work), though it's a first draft. It probably needs more 1 mana spells to work with PW mana.
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Stomping Ground
1 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
3 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Wandering Fumarole
1 Blighted Gorge
2 Lotus Cobra
4 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
Planeswalkers 9
2 Ral Zarek
2 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Sarkhan Unbroken
Spells 20
3 Hordeling Outburst
4 Dragon Fodder
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Forked Bolt
4 Mana Leak
3 Roast
Or an alternative approach, play up the Goblin aspect a bit more and use Goblin Grenade as a powerful 1 mana option.
Something like
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Stomping Ground
1 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
3 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Wandering Fumarole
1 Blighted Gorge
2 Mogg War Marshal
2 Lotus Cobra
4 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
Planeswalkers 9
2 Ral Zarek
2 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Sarkhan Unbroken
3 Hordeling Outburst
4 Dragon Fodder
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Forked Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Goblin Grenade
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad or Sorin, Solemn Visitor to go black
Venser, the Sojourner, and maybe Narset Transcendant to go blue
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes to go green
Ajani Vengeant to go red
The whole reason for PW's that can make mana and block is because you need to protect them when they come down rather than just tap out and die but a 0 mana wrath completely changes the game. The more expensive walkers pitch early and get cast late and it becomes easy to tap out for one and then protect it.
I just realized this is possible a few minutes ago but I really think there's something to it as an alternative to the RUG route... and it even opens up Oath of Gideon. The black route would probably be my first pick, but that's because Sorin, LoI is among my favorite cards in all of Magic and he's just so good with Lingering Souls.
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
If you're interested here's an older Abzan list from last year. Some Oath of Nissa would definitely go inside:
4 Arbor Elf
Spells
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Beast Within
2 Explore
4 Path to Exile
2 Maelstrom Pulse
Enchantments
3 Doubling Season
1 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Ghostly Prison
4 Utopia Sprawl
2 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Lands
2 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
2 Overgrown Tomb
6 Forest
3 Plains
1 Sunpetal Grove
2 Swamp
2 Temple Garden
2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
1 Woodland Cemetery
Doubling Season is probably too expensive for this super aggro meta, could be switched for Hornet Nest, Intangible Virtue or even better the new Nissa (have yet to test her, but eople in the Devotion thread say she's amazing)
With the Sunscour engine I lean towards a two color deck with the second color only being a splash. It becomes pretty important for most cards to be white. I suppose the real answer to what's the best secondary color would be in answering the question of what Walkers most benefit from Oath of Gideon. I will point out that 3 CMC Ajani could play well with both halves of the Oath and my money is on Sorin LoI as benefiting the most (can -2 twice in a row for double anthem). For that matter, every Ajani plays well with tokens so it's purely a question of curve (Souls+Oath is a lot of 3's)
2x Breeding Pool
1x Faerie Conclave
3x Flooded Strand
1x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
3x Hallowed Fountain
2x Island
3x Lumbering Falls
1x Mystic Gate
3x Plains
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Temple Garden
3x Windswept Heath
Enchantment (1)
1x Detention Sphere
Instant (14)
2x Beast Within
2x Cryptic Command
2x Fog
1x Immolating Glare
2x Ojutai's Command
4x Path to Exile
1x Sphinx's Revelation
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1x Gideon Jura
2x Jace, Architect of Thought
1x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Sorcery (6)
3x Serum Visions
3x Supreme Verdict
Creature (9)
3x Eternal Witness
2x Geist of Saint Traft
1x Snapcaster Mage
3x Wall of Omens
1x Engineered Explosives
2x Kor Firewalker
2x Leyline of Sanctity
2x Qasali Pridemage
1x Rest in Peace
1x Shadow of Doubt
2x Spellskite
2x Stony Silence
2x Vendilion Clique
The idea is early game attrition and blocks with wall of omens, then survive until I can clear the board or resolve a planeswalker. The package I chose mainly is to deal with creature-heavy meta. However, I would find myself dying to control or combo builds. Any tips or suggestions?
RIP: GWU Midrange (2012-2013) | GWR Ally (2014-2016)
I did a recent update to this deck but unfortunately Genesis Hydra is bugged and doesn't allow you to reveal any card to put in play =/
I'm not playing it anymore because not being able to cast Hydra against control deck is frustrating...thanks wizards.
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
15 Forest
Enchantments
4 Doubling Season
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Oath of Nissa
Sorcery
4 Genesis Wave
Creatures
4 Overgrown Battlement
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Carven Caryatid
1 Eternal Witness
2 Genesis Hydra
1 Ajani Steadfast
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Kiora, Master of the Depths
1 Sarkhan Vol
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Nissa, Worldwaker
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Narset Transcendent
1 Gideon Jura
1 Vraska the Unseen
2 Genesis Hydra
4 Sun Droplet
3 Seal of Primordium
3 Thragtusk
1x Arlinn Kord
3x Garruk Wildspeaker
4x Jace, Architect of Thought
1x Kiora, Master of the Depths
1x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1x Ral Zarek
1x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1x Vraska the Unseen
Enchantments
4x Doubling Season
3x Ghostly Prison
4x Oath of Nissa
Walls
4x Fog Bank
3x Overgrown Battlement
3x Wall of Omens
4x Sylvan Caryatid
1x Breeding Pool
2x Ghost Quarter
2x Forest
1x Godless Shrine
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Island
1x Overgrown Tomb
2x Plains
4x Simic Growth Chamber
1x Stomping Ground
2x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Ajani Steadfast
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2x Hurkyl's Recall
4x Leyline of Sanctity
2x Rest in Peace
3x Simic Charm
2x Stony Silence