So I'm planning on building Helm of Obedience + Leyline of the Void for Vintage. I recognize that first turn and starting hand is everything. I also recognize that being able to get one of my combo pieces out for free is huge, especially first turn and even more so when it hoses so many cards and archetypes.
Thus, with all this in mind, I'm seriously considering a playset of Serum Powder. I've never liked the dead draw factor of the card (as is the point, I'm sure), but when Mulling is such a huge element of my strategy, I can't help but feel like a free, quasi-Partial Paris Mulligan is the way to go. (Yes, I realize the cards are permanently exiled. It'll be worth it in the cases where I opt to use the effect.)
As a sidenote, I do plan on running a playset of Transmute Artifact, so having a 3 cost target isn't completely irrelevant.
What are the community's thoughts on Serum Powder? Has anyone run it? Would it be worth it?
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I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
You might be better off building a "white trash" deck that utilizes RIP and helm. White trash has a placed well in the past. http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=2545&d=216541 with 9 land destruction effects and anti-search cards shutting down fetch lands and other tutors the deck has decent match ups. Building your helm combo around it would also give you an alternate win condition.
Another option would be running enlightened tutor, your combo, and a series of silver bullet enchantments/artifacts.
Serum Powder's main usage in vintage is in Dredge decks (used to be called Ichorid decks after the creature, but few use that creature anymore and primarily use the mechanic 'Dredge' and Bazaar of Baghdad). In those decks it's mainly crucial to get a Bazaar in your opening hand, and essentially you are looking for only 1 "combo" piece.
I have seen them a bit in Belcher builds but almost nowhere else.
It's actually worse than a mulligan at fixing your hand, since you're more likely than not to draw a Powder and a combo piece.
You are allowed to take a normal mulligan if you want, though. If you have a hand with Serum Powder and 6 cards that have to be in there because you must have a 60 card deck, then it's a very good thing.
Thanks for all the replies, guys. I tested it and didn't care for the performance. I'll probably put the deck up until/unless I find a way to make it make consistent.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
Thus, with all this in mind, I'm seriously considering a playset of Serum Powder. I've never liked the dead draw factor of the card (as is the point, I'm sure), but when Mulling is such a huge element of my strategy, I can't help but feel like a free, quasi-Partial Paris Mulligan is the way to go. (Yes, I realize the cards are permanently exiled. It'll be worth it in the cases where I opt to use the effect.)
As a sidenote, I do plan on running a playset of Transmute Artifact, so having a 3 cost target isn't completely irrelevant.
What are the community's thoughts on Serum Powder? Has anyone run it? Would it be worth it?
I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
Cubes:
Modern Banlist Cube
Monocolor Budget Cube
Another option would be running enlightened tutor, your combo, and a series of silver bullet enchantments/artifacts.
I have seen them a bit in Belcher builds but almost nowhere else.
You are allowed to take a normal mulligan if you want, though. If you have a hand with Serum Powder and 6 cards that have to be in there because you must have a 60 card deck, then it's a very good thing.
I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
Cubes:
Modern Banlist Cube
Monocolor Budget Cube