Pretty solid LD list. Entourage of Trest looks like a good choice to alleviate the main problem of LD which is running out of gas. If double Red in cost isn't too much of a problem I would suggest looking at Molten Rain or Roiling Terrain over Stone Rain to help close out games faster.
If you're using Gut Shot for faeries then you might want to use Sandstorm of Aerial Volley instead. Gut shot is a nice free spell, but the other options give more value.
There was a thread that had some great discussions and contributions to this archetype a few years ago. It can be found here! While it is dated it features almost all the cards you have and even includes cards that were, at the time, only legal online (thanks to the merging of online and paper you can use any of the cards discussed).
Overall, your deck could use more discard outlets than just Wild Mongrel. Mongrel is the best one there is, but it can't carry the deck alone. Aquamoeba is another option. It's not great, but it's probably the second best creature with an instant speed discard ability.
Deep Analysis is okay, but overall it can hurt Threshold and even help opposing Anglers in the race against you with the life loss. Careful Study might be worth testing in its place.
Circular Logic and/or Foil can give you some protection and fight against control decks, although Foil might require more Islands to be effective.
I also suggest a Moldervine Cloak or two to swap with some Rancors. Cloak can get you to Threshold fast and allows your most your creatures to trade or even swallow an Angler.
Aerial Volley can still handle Skyfishers and Glint Hawks. If you're looking for something that can handle Arcum's Astrolabe as well then maybe try Crushing Vines. Take Down is also pretty flexible since it can deal with faeries as well as bigger flying threats. Against decks that run the Skyfisher plan I'd probably go with Hidden Spider over Penumbra Spider since the 3 power is more relevant against 3 toughness.
Ashnod's Altar should be popping up somewhere in a combo deck. It's still a bit early to tell what will stand out.
This is complicated, but: Altar + Auramancer with Kaya's Ghostform then use Initiates of the Ebon Hand to turn the colorless mana to black mana. Sac Auramancer when it's enchanted, then return Ghostform and cast it for 1 mana. You end up netting one mana each time. Consume Spirit can use all that mana.
Defile is definitely going into my MBC deck. It's cheap and is relevant throughout the game while skirting around indestructible and regen plus it can target any creature.
Gilded Light is good tech against burn if you cast it on their upkeep to stop sorcery speed burn spells. It's also good against edict effects. This will see some sideboard play.
With recent bans in Pauper it seems Delver decks have a few slots to fill. Faerie Seer might find a place there. It helps Spellstutter Sprite and Scrying is good. Although if it doesn't replace itself then maybe it won't be used in Delver.
I think you might have misread Charmed Stray. The first copy can eventually become a 4/4 (if you cast all four copies in your deck). The last one you cast can only ever be a 1/1. Each new Stray puts counters on all other ones already in play. The potential for a 2/2 lifelink swinging 2nd turn is good, but how often will that happen?
@Upkeep: Does Kronch Wrangler look like a good addition to your mono-Green Beasts deck you've used on your channel before? It definitely would be nice to include more creatures in that deck, and he can get pretty beefed up in that deck too!
Also, I never considered Arena's BO1 match style affecting the design of modal cards like you pointed out. That does make things look good for sideboard choices in the future of the format.
Overall, I agree we didn't get anything that will impact the format in a big way. We did get some solid options for archetypes that already exist. Aristocrats seems to be the most notable one to benefit from this set, but did it really need more options?
[quote from="Skios »" url="/forums/the-game/other-formats/paper-pauper-and-peasant/807702-war-of-the-spark-spoiler-discussion?comment=16"]It's too bad that the commons in this set are just good, but not incredibly format changing, because many of the uncommons are really off the walls! Vivien's Grizzly is definitely interesting, I will be trying to squeeze it into a mono green tron build to test its mettle. Maybe use Explorer's Scope for top card identification? What are other good ones people can think of?
I definitely see Grizzly in an all creatures shell with mana dorks and other other good green creatures. Alongside Lead the Stampede you can have some solid card advantage. Whether or not that will actually fit into the meta is another question, but that seems to be the best home for it if someone wants to use it.
I agree with @micah1 on what he said about your list. Have you had a chance to test it in the meta? How does it feel to you?
@micah1 Guardian Idol was actually really good in most match ups! The ramp helped a lot plus the extra reach in damage worked in a fair amount of games. The only issue is Pristine Talisman competes for that slot since they both start working turn 3 and ramp. Talisman works better in the meta since Burn is big now, so that won over Idol.
Skred also manages to help against Anglers and Fissure is good as a single copy to help there too even though it costs a lot.
Watching Upkeep's channel (which I try to do every weekday when he updates) when he ran his list showed that Flurry of Horns is a great inclusion for the deck! There were rarely any moments when it wasn't a welcome draw.
Lazotep Reaver looks pretty good for a Mono-Black Aggro, since it seems like the black Goblin Instigator. But later copies might not result in more bodies since you'll have to put a counter on your token if it's still in play. It might be best in an Aristocrats build.
I really like this list! When I get a chance (and some extra cash) I might look into picking up the cards I'm missing to make a slight variant. It would be great if there was a way to fit Whip of Erebos in there to bring back threats, but too little will inevitably get pitched and too many will take up too much space. Maybe Genesis is worth testing but it would increase the budget a bit.
My favorite Magic card would have to be Bloodgift Demon! It's a demon (which those are always pretty cool), it supplies card advantage since it's a Phyrexian Arena on a stick and it can fly over other creatures to beat face! What more do you want from a black creature?
If you're using Gut Shot for faeries then you might want to use Sandstorm of Aerial Volley instead. Gut shot is a nice free spell, but the other options give more value.
Overall, your deck could use more discard outlets than just Wild Mongrel. Mongrel is the best one there is, but it can't carry the deck alone. Aquamoeba is another option. It's not great, but it's probably the second best creature with an instant speed discard ability.
Deep Analysis is okay, but overall it can hurt Threshold and even help opposing Anglers in the race against you with the life loss. Careful Study might be worth testing in its place.
Circular Logic and/or Foil can give you some protection and fight against control decks, although Foil might require more Islands to be effective.
I also suggest a Moldervine Cloak or two to swap with some Rancors. Cloak can get you to Threshold fast and allows your most your creatures to trade or even swallow an Angler.
Aerial Volley can still handle Skyfishers and Glint Hawks. If you're looking for something that can handle Arcum's Astrolabe as well then maybe try Crushing Vines. Take Down is also pretty flexible since it can deal with faeries as well as bigger flying threats. Against decks that run the Skyfisher plan I'd probably go with Hidden Spider over Penumbra Spider since the 3 power is more relevant against 3 toughness.
This is complicated, but: Altar + Auramancer with Kaya's Ghostform then use Initiates of the Ebon Hand to turn the colorless mana to black mana. Sac Auramancer when it's enchanted, then return Ghostform and cast it for 1 mana. You end up netting one mana each time. Consume Spirit can use all that mana.
Gilded Light is good tech against burn if you cast it on their upkeep to stop sorcery speed burn spells. It's also good against edict effects. This will see some sideboard play.
Magmatic Sinkhole looks pretty good for my mono red control deck.
With recent bans in Pauper it seems Delver decks have a few slots to fill. Faerie Seer might find a place there. It helps Spellstutter Sprite and Scrying is good. Although if it doesn't replace itself then maybe it won't be used in Delver.
I'd rather have Flame Slash over Jaya's Greeting since Slash is more mana efficient and can deal with more threats.
@Upkeep: Does Kronch Wrangler look like a good addition to your mono-Green Beasts deck you've used on your channel before? It definitely would be nice to include more creatures in that deck, and he can get pretty beefed up in that deck too!
Also, I never considered Arena's BO1 match style affecting the design of modal cards like you pointed out. That does make things look good for sideboard choices in the future of the format.
Overall, I agree we didn't get anything that will impact the format in a big way. We did get some solid options for archetypes that already exist. Aristocrats seems to be the most notable one to benefit from this set, but did it really need more options?
I definitely see Grizzly in an all creatures shell with mana dorks and other other good green creatures. Alongside Lead the Stampede you can have some solid card advantage. Whether or not that will actually fit into the meta is another question, but that seems to be the best home for it if someone wants to use it.
@micah1 Guardian Idol was actually really good in most match ups! The ramp helped a lot plus the extra reach in damage worked in a fair amount of games. The only issue is Pristine Talisman competes for that slot since they both start working turn 3 and ramp. Talisman works better in the meta since Burn is big now, so that won over Idol.
Skred also manages to help against Anglers and Fissure is good as a single copy to help there too even though it costs a lot.
Watching Upkeep's channel (which I try to do every weekday when he updates) when he ran his list showed that Flurry of Horns is a great inclusion for the deck! There were rarely any moments when it wasn't a welcome draw.
Banehound looks pretty good for Suicide Aggro.
Spellgorger Weird might be good for the Red Control build as a good threat.