Hey coastie....I'm in Reno, and a friend and I have been looking to get another player in on our sessions, since we find ourselves playing 1v1 more often than not. My name is Scott. Let me know if you're interested....we tend to game into the wee hours due to our schedules and being night owls.
Cyclonic Rift is, in itself, a gamebreaker (when overloaded). And the other colors do, in fact, have counterspells. Yes, there are cards that seem really OP, but there are very few that have NO answer for them, and of those, they aren't really that much of a gamebreaker in multiplayer. One-sided boardwipes like Rift aren't effective, usually, unless you've allowed that player to build a big enough army to take out multiple opponents in one swing. Rise of the Dark Realms and Living Death aren't usually effective enough to win on the same turn they're played without help from a haste enabler. As for Omniscience, Enter the Infinite, etc...well, sometimes ya just have let a jank card give a jank win. Next time you see that player pull that deck out, get your counterspells ready.
I'm currently running a Naya deck with the same theme. Some of the cards you have listed are cards I need (Crawlspace and Rage Nimbus, for example).....but here some you might like as well:
The idea is to get Iroas/Lightmine out asap with creature/enchantment tutors and then attack with impunity while your opponents' creatures are killed off before you even have to declare blockers. For Voltron-type decks, and others where they only run a few creatures, Aurification, Sphere of Safety, any of the Vows, or Pacifism-type cards work as well.
tdkb...I'm putting one together right now. Just been waiting on some key pieces for it in the mail. As soon as I'm able to, I'll put up a decklist. It's themed around theft w/ stuff like Insurrection, Mass Polymorph, etc.
I understand how effective Mikaeus is in general. I'm just speaking in terms of my meta, where board wipes seem to happen, on average, about 4-5 times...per game. We usually play in groups of 4, but sometimes as many as 6. So in that environment, I'm looking at attacking with Marchesa and her fellow Homo Sapiens, then hoping they don't get Wrathed or Murdered more than once until it's my turn again. I really need Sage of Fables...LOL Currently, I'm compensating with quite a bit of graveyard recursion, like Hell's Caretaker, Phyrexian Reclamation, etc.
Anybody else having an issue with the "Human Wizard" nonbo with Mikaeus the Unhallowed's Undying ability? That came out weird...what I mean is: In my deck, and in the majority of other decklists I've seen, there seems to be a heavy Human Wizard tribal theme going on...but Mikaeus only gives undying to NON-humans, thereby taking away the synergy with Marchesa. I considered Conspiracy...maybe just switch all my creatures to pure "Wizard", and that way, things that interact with them Sage of Fables, Azami, Lady of Scrolls], etc. are still able to function...any input/advice?
Yeah, unfortunately, that's a drawback to playing Grixis colors. Not a lot of options to give ALL your creatures vigilance. Just did a Gatherer search, and there are only 3 cards that do it:
Akroma's Memorial - As was pointed out, it's kind of counter-productive when you want to target your own creatures. Synchronous Sliver - Cool, but requires you to run Conspiracy or Xenograft. Angel's Trumpet - Maybe the most viable of the 3, but it pretty much forces you to attack every turn, and gives your opponents' creatures vigilance as well. Used in conjunction with Crawlspace, it could lead to some laughs, but then you're using up another card slot (or more, depending on how much you want to play around the Trumpet).
Yeah, I'll admit, my meta runs ALOT of counterspells, so I try to find cards and combos that cheat multiple permanents out on the same turn.
Urabrask is one of a few cards on the OP's decklist I don't have, along with Sneak Attack, so I'm going with what I can use in the meantime. I guess the thing I like about the Battledriver over Urabrask is, he's cheaper, he's a target for the transmuters, and he gives that extra +2 punch to everything that comes out.
Trying to get a somewhat competitive Marchesa build going myself. I've read through all 20 pages of this deck's conversation, and I'm stoked to try out some of the suggestions.
The scenario: I had Marchesa, the Ogre, and Chasm Skulker on the field, then played Rhystic Study and passed turn. Through 3 opponents, I was able to accumulate 8 counters on the Skulker. Back to my turn...I play Ghisa, and since she's hasted by the Ogre, I sac the Skulker to her, thereby giving myself 8 3/1 squids and 9 4/2 zombies with haste.....oh, wait...no, make that 8 4/2 squids and 9 5/3 zombies on the attack. Hilarity ensued.
Another nice thing to pair up with Helm of Possession is Deathrender...just make sure you get the +1/+1 counter on both the stolen AND equipped creature to maximize the effectiveness!
ADD ON: Just going through my random piles and found a couple nice answers for Bojuka Bog, Relic of Progenitus, etc.: Voidmage Husher and Trickbind
I can't see how you're ever going to catch someone holding a Cage using Night Terrors.
I've seen several people bringing up the scenario of the Cage being tutored up w/ a Trinket Mage...they have to spend the 3 mana to get the Mage out in the first place, so chances are, the Cage will be in their hand for one more turn.
Look...I'm not trying to say Night Terrors is a bomb card, or even the preferred answer to the Cage.....but it (and Memoricide) ARE options for mono-black decks to sideboard in if the Cage turns into a deck-hoser for them.
What black player would ever want to run night terrors? What purpose do they serve ever?
In this particular instance.....it serves the potential purpose of getting rid of a card (Grafdigger's Cage) that hoses your entire deck (IF your entire deck relies on graveyard and library shenanigans, that is). Not saying you'd want to use it as a 1st-choice, but for those mono-black players who don't have Memoricide or Surgical Extraction as options...it's there as a possible answer. Also, it's within the block, and it's a common, so there are no legality issues with it whatsoever.
You might get more responses if you throw out a couple of your ideas first...
Blade of Selves...?
Hey coastie....I'm in Reno, and a friend and I have been looking to get another player in on our sessions, since we find ourselves playing 1v1 more often than not. My name is Scott. Let me know if you're interested....we tend to game into the wee hours due to our schedules and being night owls.
Seems like a fun toy for Meren of Clan Nel Toth to play with....
Cyclonic Rift is, in itself, a gamebreaker (when overloaded). And the other colors do, in fact, have counterspells. Yes, there are cards that seem really OP, but there are very few that have NO answer for them, and of those, they aren't really that much of a gamebreaker in multiplayer. One-sided boardwipes like Rift aren't effective, usually, unless you've allowed that player to build a big enough army to take out multiple opponents in one swing. Rise of the Dark Realms and Living Death aren't usually effective enough to win on the same turn they're played without help from a haste enabler. As for Omniscience, Enter the Infinite, etc...well, sometimes ya just have let a jank card give a jank win. Next time you see that player pull that deck out, get your counterspells ready.
I'm currently running a Naya deck with the same theme. Some of the cards you have listed are cards I need (Crawlspace and Rage Nimbus, for example).....but here some you might like as well:
Angel's Trumpet
Lightmine Field
Iroas, God of Victory
Vigor
The idea is to get Iroas/Lightmine out asap with creature/enchantment tutors and then attack with impunity while your opponents' creatures are killed off before you even have to declare blockers. For Voltron-type decks, and others where they only run a few creatures, Aurification, Sphere of Safety, any of the Vows, or Pacifism-type cards work as well.
tdkb...I'm putting one together right now. Just been waiting on some key pieces for it in the mail. As soon as I'm able to, I'll put up a decklist. It's themed around theft w/ stuff like Insurrection, Mass Polymorph, etc.
I understand how effective Mikaeus is in general. I'm just speaking in terms of my meta, where board wipes seem to happen, on average, about 4-5 times...per game. We usually play in groups of 4, but sometimes as many as 6. So in that environment, I'm looking at attacking with Marchesa and her fellow Homo Sapiens, then hoping they don't get Wrathed or Murdered more than once until it's my turn again. I really need Sage of Fables...LOL Currently, I'm compensating with quite a bit of graveyard recursion, like Hell's Caretaker, Phyrexian Reclamation, etc.
Anybody else having an issue with the "Human Wizard" nonbo with Mikaeus the Unhallowed's Undying ability? That came out weird...what I mean is: In my deck, and in the majority of other decklists I've seen, there seems to be a heavy Human Wizard tribal theme going on...but Mikaeus only gives undying to NON-humans, thereby taking away the synergy with Marchesa. I considered Conspiracy...maybe just switch all my creatures to pure "Wizard", and that way, things that interact with them Sage of Fables, Azami, Lady of Scrolls], etc. are still able to function...any input/advice?
Yeah, unfortunately, that's a drawback to playing Grixis colors. Not a lot of options to give ALL your creatures vigilance. Just did a Gatherer search, and there are only 3 cards that do it:
Akroma's Memorial - As was pointed out, it's kind of counter-productive when you want to target your own creatures.
Synchronous Sliver - Cool, but requires you to run Conspiracy or Xenograft.
Angel's Trumpet - Maybe the most viable of the 3, but it pretty much forces you to attack every turn, and gives your opponents' creatures vigilance as well. Used in conjunction with Crawlspace, it could lead to some laughs, but then you're using up another card slot (or more, depending on how much you want to play around the Trumpet).
Yeah, I'll admit, my meta runs ALOT of counterspells, so I try to find cards and combos that cheat multiple permanents out on the same turn.
Urabrask is one of a few cards on the OP's decklist I don't have, along with Sneak Attack, so I'm going with what I can use in the meantime. I guess the thing I like about the Battledriver over Urabrask is, he's cheaper, he's a target for the transmuters, and he gives that extra +2 punch to everything that comes out.
A couple cards I have in mine that have exploded with fun (for me) that I haven't seen here:
Ghoulcaller Gisa
Ogre Battledriver
The scenario: I had Marchesa, the Ogre, and Chasm Skulker on the field, then played Rhystic Study and passed turn. Through 3 opponents, I was able to accumulate 8 counters on the Skulker. Back to my turn...I play Ghisa, and since she's hasted by the Ogre, I sac the Skulker to her, thereby giving myself 8 3/1 squids and 9 4/2 zombies with haste.....oh, wait...no, make that 8 4/2 squids and 9 5/3 zombies on the attack. Hilarity ensued.
Another nice thing to pair up with Helm of Possession is Deathrender...just make sure you get the +1/+1 counter on both the stolen AND equipped creature to maximize the effectiveness!
ADD ON: Just going through my random piles and found a couple nice answers for Bojuka Bog, Relic of Progenitus, etc.:
Voidmage Husher and Trickbind
I've seen several people bringing up the scenario of the Cage being tutored up w/ a Trinket Mage...they have to spend the 3 mana to get the Mage out in the first place, so chances are, the Cage will be in their hand for one more turn.
Look...I'm not trying to say Night Terrors is a bomb card, or even the preferred answer to the Cage.....but it (and Memoricide) ARE options for mono-black decks to sideboard in if the Cage turns into a deck-hoser for them.
In this particular instance.....it serves the potential purpose of getting rid of a card (Grafdigger's Cage) that hoses your entire deck (IF your entire deck relies on graveyard and library shenanigans, that is). Not saying you'd want to use it as a 1st-choice, but for those mono-black players who don't have Memoricide or Surgical Extraction as options...it's there as a possible answer. Also, it's within the block, and it's a common, so there are no legality issues with it whatsoever.