Kiora's Follower is my favorite card. So often, curving Follower into Demon is good game. Also, untapping things can be quite important. Tidebinder Mage becomes much less a big deal.
I know Corpsejack and Kalonian Hydra seem janky, but they're so fun, and they actually do a lot of work:
A: Raptor into caryatid/follower into Menace gives 3/4 flyer (and likely to get bigger).
B: caryatid/follower into Menace into Kalonian gives swing on turn 5 with 24/24 trampler.
C: Whip of Erebos gives extra bites at Magical Christmas land. My favorite so far is two Menace's out, top decking Whip, play and whip out Hydra, swing for 80 trample.
D: Kalonian Hydra by itself usually kills in two attacks. Sometimes one attack if you have a Raptor or Troll with counters.
Nevertheless, replacing the Menace and Hydra with some number of Polukranos, Reaper, Sphinx might be more consistent.
I saw another BUG list posted here, but it was nothing like what I came up with, so I hope it's okay to post this BUG midrange list in a separate thread.
I originally built this deck as U/G around Master Biomancer as a means to get the Kalonian Hydra out in a condition safe from Mizzium Mortars (and there were some other cards that cared about counters), but when Kiora's Follower came out, I knew I could expand into another color. Eventually I saw that Corpsejack Menace was almost strictly better at the Biomancer's job. It's a much more respectable 4/4 instead of 2/4, boosts a Raptor by two if it comes down after the Raptor (much more likely), and makes Hydra ridiculous (comes down as 8/8, first swing as 24/24).
The star of this deck is the Follower. It makes a 4 drop on turn three almost certain, gives pseudo vigilance to Desecration Demon, makes casting spells captured by Specter much more likely (especially with the caryatid), etc.
I suppose you can make this deck more competitive by converting:
Corpsejack Menace -> Polukranos, World Earer, and
Kalonian Hydra -> some mix of planeswalkers such as Jace, Garruk, Vraska, or Kiora,
but where's the fun in that? Just winning is over-rated.
Honestly, I think the Follower is going to have a serious target on it's back, so the deck may need a few more three drops. Possibilities include Boon Satyr, Dreg Mangler, Varolz, the Scar-Striped (weak with Raptor, Caryatid, but awesome with Demon, Polukranos), or the new Courser of Kruphix
Also, is there any advantage to swapping a Reaper of the Wilds in for one or two of those four-drops?
Finally, the most important question is: what would you sideboard against mono-black devotion?
Underworld Connections + Follower is probably never going to happen (not even in BUG, UG -> BB1 with terrible mana in this format).
I think you're wrong here. With just 12 land sources of black (Overgrown Tomb,Watery Grave, Temple of Deceit ) plus 4 Sylvan Caryatid, that's sixteen fairly safe sources. Add in 4 Followers and that's essentially twenty. Also, notice the synergies between the Follower and monoblack's best cards: Desecration Demon (comes out turn 3, pseudo vigilance) Nightveil Spectre (chances of casting captured spells is high, pseudo vigilance) Underworld Connections(duh) Gray Merchant of Asphodel(not so much with the Follower, but with Retraction Helix you get re-use.
Clearly the Follower is going to have a big target on it's back.
The problem with Vorel is that he needs specific other cards to be good. Consider:
Turn 1: Cloudfin Raptor
Turn 2: Kiora's Follower, swing for 1
Turn 3: Vorel of the Hull Clade, swing for 2
Turn 4: swing for 8 in the air
Turn 5: swing for 32 in the air
I don't think you missed much that matters, given how miserable most Inspired creatures are. Triggering Pain Seer is mostly worthless too, BUG has better things to do if it plays this.
Siren of the Silent Song seems like a possibility. At first I thought that the mill one card was kind of random, but then I realized it totally screws Scry! Consider:
[opponent's upkeep] "Thassa triggers, Scry, I'll keep it on top"
[you] "Tap Follower, Untap Siren, you drop a card and mill that one you liked"
Note: this also works if they are out of cards, just Untap after their draw and before their main phase.
I was actually considering this for a U/G deck that cared about counters (Zameck Guildmage, Vorel or the Hull Clade). Eat a Caryatid or an Omenspeaker and you've got a 5/5 trample (or three extra cards?). This could be fun for FNM, but I don't think it will be consistent enough to be competitive.
I like to play one Barrage of Expendables in addition to Tymaret because 1: sometimes you just don't draw Tymaret, 2: Tymaret can't shoot at creatures, and 3: sometimes you want to sacrifice Tymaret in response to exile effects (Anger of the Gods, Detention Sphere) or simply to get that last point of damage.
So I agree with those who say the Ooze can be good and the Deathrite is probably underpowered without something like fetch lands.
That said, there seems to be a new graveyard enabler that turns out to be playable: Pack Rat. The shaman can make excellent use of those pitched-for-rat cards, like allowing two activations at 5 mana, or 2 extra damage from that late-game thought seize.
Scavenging Ooze is going to be the nemesis (ahem) of your deck. I think you want two more fast answers in your main. Probably -2 putrefy, +2 Doom Blade, or possibly 2 more Abrupt Decay.
Varolz, the Scar-Striped would probably also work for you here. You can lay down your Vipers and such. Then, if you need them for "mana" you can sack them, play the Nemesis, and then scavenge them back on when appropriate.
Deathrite Shaman can help gain back the life lost with shock lands and thoughtseize. Thoughtseize can feed both Shaman and Ooze. Flames can be removal and Phoenix retrieval at the same time. Rackdos' Return: see thoughtseize and Flames.
Has anyone tried Witchstalker in the 3-drop slot? I'm planning on changing from the Mangler to the Stalker mostly because I want a blocker against mono-red aggro that doesn't die to Lightning Strike. Seems like hexproof is also pretty good against anything with lots of spot removal. Also makes that sideboard Gift of Orzhova pretty tempting. Golgari Charm keeps him from getting swept by sweepers.
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Kiora's Follower
4 Cloudfin Raptor
4 Lotleth Troll
4 Desecration Demon
3 Corpsejack Menace
4 Kalonian Hydra
1 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Reaper of the Wilds
3 Whip of Erebos
Spells
2 Curse of the Swine
2 Far and Away
Land
4 Temple of Mystery
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Breeding Pool
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Watery Grave
2 Forest
2 Island
Observations:
Kiora's Follower is my favorite card. So often, curving Follower into Demon is good game. Also, untapping things can be quite important. Tidebinder Mage becomes much less a big deal.
I know Corpsejack and Kalonian Hydra seem janky, but they're so fun, and they actually do a lot of work:
A: Raptor into caryatid/follower into Menace gives 3/4 flyer (and likely to get bigger).
B: caryatid/follower into Menace into Kalonian gives swing on turn 5 with 24/24 trampler.
C: Whip of Erebos gives extra bites at Magical Christmas land. My favorite so far is two Menace's out, top decking Whip, play and whip out Hydra, swing for 80 trample.
D: Kalonian Hydra by itself usually kills in two attacks. Sometimes one attack if you have a Raptor or Troll with counters.
Nevertheless, replacing the Menace and Hydra with some number of Polukranos, Reaper, Sphinx might be more consistent.
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If you want to run Phenax, I think your best mill deck is gonna look an awful lot like ramp aggro. I'm thinking:
Because most of the creatures do not have any evasion abilities, standoffs are likely, in which case Phenax shines.
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Here is the FNM version I've been playing.
4 Cloudfin Raptor
4 Kiora's Follower
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Desecration Demon
4 Corpsejack Menace
4 Kalonian Hydra
1 Thassa, God of the Sea
Other
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Far/Away
2 Curse of the Swine
1 Whip of Erebos
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Breeding Pool
4 Watery Grave
4 Temple of Mystery
4 Temple of Deceit
2 Forest
2 Island
I originally built this deck as U/G around Master Biomancer as a means to get the Kalonian Hydra out in a condition safe from Mizzium Mortars (and there were some other cards that cared about counters), but when Kiora's Follower came out, I knew I could expand into another color. Eventually I saw that Corpsejack Menace was almost strictly better at the Biomancer's job. It's a much more respectable 4/4 instead of 2/4, boosts a Raptor by two if it comes down after the Raptor (much more likely), and makes Hydra ridiculous (comes down as 8/8, first swing as 24/24).
The star of this deck is the Follower. It makes a 4 drop on turn three almost certain, gives pseudo vigilance to Desecration Demon, makes casting spells captured by Specter much more likely (especially with the caryatid), etc.
I suppose you can make this deck more competitive by converting:
Corpsejack Menace -> Polukranos, World Earer, and
Kalonian Hydra -> some mix of planeswalkers such as Jace, Garruk, Vraska, or Kiora,
but where's the fun in that? Just winning is over-rated.
Honestly, I think the Follower is going to have a serious target on it's back, so the deck may need a few more three drops. Possibilities include Boon Satyr, Dreg Mangler, Varolz, the Scar-Striped (weak with Raptor, Caryatid, but awesome with Demon, Polukranos), or the new Courser of Kruphix
Also, is there any advantage to swapping a Reaper of the Wilds in for one or two of those four-drops?
Finally, the most important question is: what would you sideboard against mono-black devotion?
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I think you're wrong here. With just 12 land sources of black (Overgrown Tomb,Watery Grave, Temple of Deceit ) plus 4 Sylvan Caryatid, that's sixteen fairly safe sources. Add in 4 Followers and that's essentially twenty. Also, notice the synergies between the Follower and monoblack's best cards:
Desecration Demon (comes out turn 3, pseudo vigilance)
Nightveil Spectre (chances of casting captured spells is high, pseudo vigilance)
Underworld Connections(duh)
Gray Merchant of Asphodel(not so much with the Follower, but with Retraction Helix you get re-use.
Clearly the Follower is going to have a big target on it's back.
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(Bonus synergy:Elixir of Immortality)
Underworld Connections
Deathrite Shaman
Retraction Helix: this one might be a thing.
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The problem with Vorel is that he needs specific other cards to be good. Consider:
Turn 1: Cloudfin Raptor
Turn 2: Kiora's Follower, swing for 1
Turn 3: Vorel of the Hull Clade, swing for 2
Turn 4: swing for 8 in the air
Turn 5: swing for 32 in the air
True, like turn 3 Desecration Demon. Drawback? What drawback?
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[opponent's upkeep] "Thassa triggers, Scry, I'll keep it on top"
[you] "Tap Follower, Untap Siren, you drop a card and mill that one you liked"
Note: this also works if they are out of cards, just Untap after their draw and before their main phase.
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Nykthos (mentioned)
Bow of Nylea
Vorel of the Hull Clade
Trading Post(hope springs eternal ...)
Ratchet Bomb
Any 4-drop fatty that you would like to attack and block with.
What else?
[adding later additions here]
Deathrite Shaman
Retraction Helix
Underworld Connections
Elixir of Immortality
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That said, there seems to be a new graveyard enabler that turns out to be playable: Pack Rat. The shaman can make excellent use of those pitched-for-rat cards, like allowing two activations at 5 mana, or 2 extra damage from that late-game thought seize.
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Varolz, the Scar-Striped would probably also work for you here. You can lay down your Vipers and such. Then, if you need them for "mana" you can sack them, play the Nemesis, and then scavenge them back on when appropriate.
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I haven't tried this, but I've been thinking about it a fair amount. Cards you might want to consider include Deathrite Shaman, Thoughtseize, Flames of the Firebrand, Rackdos' Return, Lightning Strike, Magma Jet, Shock, Wasteland Viper, Sylvan Caryatid. (Pack Rat?, Pyrewild Shaman?, Tymaret, the Murder King?
Deathrite Shaman can help gain back the life lost with shock lands and thoughtseize. Thoughtseize can feed both Shaman and Ooze. Flames can be removal and Phoenix retrieval at the same time. Rackdos' Return: see thoughtseize and Flames.
Good luck,
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Just sayin
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