I attack with Zur, the Enchanter, I use his ability to fetch Thassa, God of the Sea. At this point do I still have priority? Can I use Thassa's ability to make Zur unblockable?
With Marath now on the watch list I've been thinking a lot about my next commander. But I love this deck so much. To that end I have been wondering about replacing Marath with Gahiji, Honored One and keeping the deck mostly the same with some tweaks to capitalize more on Gahiji's strengths and weaknesses.
What do you guys think about Gahiji as a replacement? Or am I going to be further ahead jumping ship to another color identity altogether.
What are your plans for the future once we most likely can't use Marath as our commander any more?
Hey, guys!
I've been working on my own deck list for a few weeks, and last 5 tournaments I went in 3-1 against a lot of different decks
Here is the deck list: http://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/327233#paper
I'm pretty proud, what do you think?
How is Drown in Sorrow for you? I would love a 3 mana sweeeper in my deck but I just cant see -2/-2 getting it done against Goyf, Wild Nacatl, Kird Ape, Scooze, Flinthood Boar, the list goes on. (why cant anger of the gods just be black)
Yes you can bounce the Stronghold back to your hand in this scenario.
But I wouldn't recommend playing the Ravnica Bounce Lands. They are a huge tempo loss, a premium Wasteland target, and the scenario you described has too many if's and mights, that it's really not worth it.
On a side node if you want to do something in this regard check out the Modern Summer Bloom deck, as it kinda does just what you described.
I tested this out tonight and was already able to pull it off and finish the game in a hurry by doing so. As a one of I don't mind running a bounceland for this purpose, I find myself with a lot of mana available in a lot of games so I feel like this is going to be something I can pull off with some regularity.
Question about Primeval Titan...when he enters if I were to bring in Boros Garrison and Slayers' Stronghold could I bounce the stronghold to my hand? or since they enter at the same time would I have to choose a land previously in play?
If I hadn't played a land yet for the turn and was then able to play Stronghold and activate it (assuming i have other mana open after primetime hits the field), then attacking with an 8/6 vigilance trampler and getting 2 more lands seems pretty good.
Monastery Mentor cannot be grabbed with Ojutai's Command. It can only get 2CMC, not 2 power. So the only interaction would be a Prowess trigger. Mentor can be brought back with Kolaghan's Command though.
Dur my bad. Get out Monastery Mentor no wonder I don't play you.
I've been playing a deck similar to the current iteration of Dark Jeskai Dragons, essentially throwing in 4 Thunderbreaks and 2 Kologhan's Storm Fury's to get value from Draconic Roar, and also have a disgusting curve if they don't interact with you. Draconic Roar is either absolutely incredible value or completely dead. Do you think Dark Jeskai Dragons is a bit of a pipe dream at this point and that the traditional Jeskai Black lists are just overall more effective? I've found Dark Jeskai Dragons to really suffer against control game one although it can be okay against Esper dragon's, sometimes your removal is dead, sometimes not, but you can still get value with Crackling Doom and you can somewhat keep even with card advantage; against Temur type decks however, I've found the deck to struggle a lot. It feels like if you 1 for 1 tap out against Temur their threats are just scarier than yours. A 6/6 Vigilant Trampler for 4, ferocious with Sarruk, they're also running Thunderbreaks, and they can still play the control game with Stubborn Denial up.
My question is, is the value in a dragon package not worth the effort despite how scary it can be if you curve out?
The value is great imo. Draconic Roar, into mantis/doom, into thunderbreak is sexy.
Like all sexy things it's difficult to attain. I tried this deck but the mana was way to sketchy. Curving out often just didn't happen because double red with our fetches isn't awesome.
Also Kolaghan isn't where I would go with Dragons when we have ojutai and silumgar at our disposal. We don't typically have an abundance attackers to really benefit from Kolaghan.
Self Inflicted Wound has done good work for me in the past. The problem with G/W/x is they just sac Den Protector or Raptor and then get it back. Could be pretty awesome with Jace, but it doesn't fully synergize with Soulfire. Really though we need to exile against them. Complete Disregard, Utter End, Brutal Expulsion, Horribly Awry, Spell Shrivel are all good against G/W/x. Stay away from Silkwrap and its cousins, they are garbage vs G/W.
I find Utter End is my go to for this and a lot of other matches. I run 1 main and 2 in the side, and I am considering a 4th. Also Jeskai Charm library mode.
What is the interaction between O-Command and Mentor?
Also, I agree with pretty much everything you said for that. Would gearing the deck to a more control shell be better if the meta is heavier GWx? Upping the Spell Shrivels, Horribly Awrys to make the deck reactive, maybe board wipes?
Self Inflicted Wound has done good work for me in the past. The problem with G/W/x is they just sac Den Protector or Raptor and then get it back. Could be pretty awesome with Jace, but it doesn't fully synergize with Soulfire. Really though we need to exile against them. Complete Disregard, Utter End, Brutal Expulsion, Horribly Awry, Spell Shrivel are all good against G/W/x. Stay away from Silkwrap and its cousins, they are garbage vs G/W.
I find Utter End is my go to for this and a lot of other matches. I run 1 main and 2 in the side, and I am considering a 4th. Also Jeskai Charm library mode.
What is the interaction between O-Command and Mentor?
Also, I agree with pretty much everything you said for that. Would gearing the deck to a more control shell be better if the meta is heavier GWx? Upping the Spell Shrivels, Horribly Awrys to make the deck reactive, maybe board wipes?
The interaction with Mentor and O Command is just the gy recursion.
And I think I'd lean more to Complete Disregard and Utter End than the counters. Though 1 each of Horribly Awry and Spell Shrivel could be good. I've found in testing that Horribly Awry is awful in the main but Spell Shrivel is fairly good due to only needing 1 blue. As for sweepers I think Radiant Flames is good enough no need currently for anything bigger, though this could change as the meta develops.
Why Kolaghan's Command? Jace being your only creature I would think this card isn't worth it. Splashing white for Ojutai's Command in its place would be better I think.
I am never a fan of Clash of Wills I find its to unreliable. I did see an Esper List on channelfireball that was playing 3 Mage-Ring Network which made it seem much more viable, also they were able to play 2x Ugin, the spirit Dragon main with that. You could very likely play it here and get good mileage out of it as well.
Self Inflicted Wound has done good work for me in the past. The problem with G/W/x is they just sac Den Protector or Raptor and then get it back. Could be pretty awesome with Jace, but it doesn't fully synergize with Soulfire. Really though we need to exile against them. Complete Disregard, Utter End, Brutal Expulsion, Horribly Awry, Spell Shrivel are all good against G/W/x. Stay away from Silkwrap and its cousins, they are garbage vs G/W.
I find Utter End is my go to for this and a lot of other matches. I run 1 main and 2 in the side, and I am considering a 4th. Also Jeskai Charm library mode.
i all. looking to a side board plan of the deck (pro tour top 8 list). if anyone can wrote is side board against GW megamorph, mirror, abzan , esper dragon or no dragon and all top tiers deck.
Thanks
If you google "Jeskai Black Deck Tech" you will find some sideboard guides in the articles that come up
So I played a tasigur-less build last night and hated it. I played Todd Anderson's list from States and while I loved DTT, I missed Tasigur. Should I really be afraid of valorous stance that much? And I really want some planar outbursts in the side so I can side out my mantis riders and go complete control. Am I just a bad magic player?
Put Tasigur back in, he's such a boss. We put so much in our grave that casting him for 1 is no problem a lot of the time. And I dunno about you but I love card advantage. You can easily play Dig and Tasigur together, go hard.
Also Planar Outbursts are a pretty good plan for the side, I go End Hostilities personally because there is a lot of awaken in my meta and I want to kill lands as well.
I'm not so convinced by Yavimaya Dryad cause we don't play Solemn Simulacrum for ramp, surely to take a basic but primarily because it is good with pod and makes we draw. Anyway i can understand your choice.
I play Sylvan Caryatid and i love it but your poin of view is right. If we don't win with combo we need a lot of creature for attack. But remember, this is a midrange combo deck.
Titania, Protector of Argoth is one of my favourite card and is very good against control deck but, like you said: "by the time I have 5 mana I feel like I have better things to be doing."
Worldly Tutor is very good. It finds our combo pieces and bullets. I play it. I've won quite a few games by flashing Resto and Worldly Tutor end of turn. I see a lot of lists not playing it, which I think is fine. It is card disadvantage. I have never been unhappy with the card, sometimes it wins the game, sometimes it disrupts my opponent, and sometimes it just gets me a Birds of Paradise when I need one.
So Lightning Bolt is great. I've replaced Oracle of Mul Daya with Solemn Simulacrum for better value/Pod target...running PtE and StP as well. I really miss Crop Rotation vs. all these blue-control decks...any thoughts? (obviously a T2 Marath on the play is ideal, Teeg, etc.). Obvious thought is all-out combo but I just had my Lark stifled with VBR and Kiki in the yard so there's that :(. I know things like that will happen but just seems like we have a tough time with blue in general. I don't think Vexing Shusher or Grand Abolisher warrant spots. I want to run more instants to force removal on opponent's turn but don't know what's worth it. Currently I'm running Chord, Eladamri's Call, Bolt, PtE, StP, Worldly Tutor, and Nature's Claim. Maybe I'm taking the wrong approach. Grinding isn't really an option cause their card advantage is too great and then they drop a bomb/overwhelm with counters/bounce/removal.
I'm really back and forth on Stoneforge Mystic too. Sure against aggro that Collar is great and Clamp is great anytime but is it enough? I don't want to play her T2. For lists running Sword of X & Y (FF and FI) maybe but I don't think those are worth it either.
I've added Purphy back too. He seems to be doing alright. Good pod target (unless I'm trying to combo with the 4-drop) and good value overall. Still on the fence there.
Fiend Hunter: what's everyone's thought there? I don't know that I've ever gone for him with Pod/Chord/Recruiter. Doesn't mean he's not good and he has a purpose but is worth considering other options? I think every single decklist runs but we have Peddler, Collar, OUR GENERAL, Bolt, StP, PtE, Kavu, etc.. Don't like the WW either.
Sylvan Caryatid: usually we don't want to play him on T2 and he doesn't work with Priest of Titania. Hexproof is nice but dies to Anger and any other white sweepers. Thoughts there?
Xenagos, the Reveler is typically AWESOME but he's dead without creatures although the ultimate wins games. Idk if he's what we want on T3/4. He is not someone I'm considering removing though I'd be willing to put thought into it.
Titania, Protector of Argoth: obviously Elemental is great but with a board wipe she does nothing (well maybe an extra Wasteland/Cradle). I know she's for the midrange approach but how's she working for everyone?
I tried Domri Rade again and gosh I just can't ever seem to get him to be productive. No space atm but I can see his upside. Obviously better with Library in play but that doesn't always happen. I wish it was more like new Nissa's +1 :(. Fight is useful occasionally.
Ahhhh that's a lot. Please help! I'd love feedback
Overall, I think the deck is doing really well. Some tough matchups (blue & Sidisi) but other than that very solid.
I replaced Solemn Simulacrum in my list with Yavimaya Dryad and I have loved it. Comes down a turn earlier, which is huge, I find that by the time I can drop Simulacrum I want to be doing something more aggressive, I found myself not casting Simulacrum a lot of the time, not so with Dryad. Dryad is also skullclampable. Fetching a forest is better than fetching a basic. And forestwalk is great against a lot of opponents.
Fiend Hunter I find him to be a necessary card in my list. I tutor for him a lot. I also run Banisher Priest for redundancy. I have been considering dropping Banisher just to tighten up my list with other cards, but I really like having both of them. Removal built into a body is something I am always happy with in Marath.
Sylvan Caryatid is nice for Hexproof and the fixing, but he doesn't attack, so for me that's a deal breaker. Everything in my list needs to be running double duty. Blockers are not what I want.
Xenagos, the Reveler has been such an amazing card for me. With all the dorks we run having him not be active for mana when he comes down is rare. Winning the game if he sticks for even one turn, definitely not rare.
Titania, Protector of Argoth seems good. But very dependant on having used a fetchland...which we run 9 of so its pretty realistic that this could ramp you, and give you two 5/3 bodies on the turn it comes out. But by the time I have 5 mana I feel like I have better things to be doing.
Domri Rade is exactly what I want in my list. T2 Card advantage, removal, and win con. But if you put it in your list make sure you put Courser and Oracle of Mul Daya back in. They are best friends with Domri.
What do you guys think about Gahiji as a replacement? Or am I going to be further ahead jumping ship to another color identity altogether.
What are your plans for the future once we most likely can't use Marath as our commander any more?
How is Drown in Sorrow for you? I would love a 3 mana sweeeper in my deck but I just cant see -2/-2 getting it done against Goyf, Wild Nacatl, Kird Ape, Scooze, Flinthood Boar, the list goes on. (why cant anger of the gods just be black)
I tested this out tonight and was already able to pull it off and finish the game in a hurry by doing so. As a one of I don't mind running a bounceland for this purpose, I find myself with a lot of mana available in a lot of games so I feel like this is going to be something I can pull off with some regularity.
If I hadn't played a land yet for the turn and was then able to play Stronghold and activate it (assuming i have other mana open after primetime hits the field), then attacking with an 8/6 vigilance trampler and getting 2 more lands seems pretty good.
Dur my bad. Get out Monastery Mentor no wonder I don't play you.
The value is great imo. Draconic Roar, into mantis/doom, into thunderbreak is sexy.
Like all sexy things it's difficult to attain. I tried this deck but the mana was way to sketchy. Curving out often just didn't happen because double red with our fetches isn't awesome.
Also Kolaghan isn't where I would go with Dragons when we have ojutai and silumgar at our disposal. We don't typically have an abundance attackers to really benefit from Kolaghan.
The interaction with Mentor and O Command is just the gy recursion.
And I think I'd lean more to Complete Disregard and Utter End than the counters. Though 1 each of Horribly Awry and Spell Shrivel could be good. I've found in testing that Horribly Awry is awful in the main but Spell Shrivel is fairly good due to only needing 1 blue. As for sweepers I think Radiant Flames is good enough no need currently for anything bigger, though this could change as the meta develops.
I am never a fan of Clash of Wills I find its to unreliable. I did see an Esper List on channelfireball that was playing 3 Mage-Ring Network which made it seem much more viable, also they were able to play 2x Ugin, the spirit Dragon main with that. You could very likely play it here and get good mileage out of it as well.
Monastery Mentor can also be found of Ojutai's Command
Self Inflicted Wound has done good work for me in the past. The problem with G/W/x is they just sac Den Protector or Raptor and then get it back. Could be pretty awesome with Jace, but it doesn't fully synergize with Soulfire. Really though we need to exile against them. Complete Disregard, Utter End, Brutal Expulsion, Horribly Awry, Spell Shrivel are all good against G/W/x. Stay away from Silkwrap and its cousins, they are garbage vs G/W.
I find Utter End is my go to for this and a lot of other matches. I run 1 main and 2 in the side, and I am considering a 4th. Also Jeskai Charm library mode.
If you google "Jeskai Black Deck Tech" you will find some sideboard guides in the articles that come up
Put Tasigur back in, he's such a boss. We put so much in our grave that casting him for 1 is no problem a lot of the time. And I dunno about you but I love card advantage. You can easily play Dig and Tasigur together, go hard.
Also Planar Outbursts are a pretty good plan for the side, I go End Hostilities personally because there is a lot of awaken in my meta and I want to kill lands as well.
Worldly Tutor is very good. It finds our combo pieces and bullets. I play it. I've won quite a few games by flashing Resto and Worldly Tutor end of turn. I see a lot of lists not playing it, which I think is fine. It is card disadvantage. I have never been unhappy with the card, sometimes it wins the game, sometimes it disrupts my opponent, and sometimes it just gets me a Birds of Paradise when I need one.
I replaced Solemn Simulacrum in my list with Yavimaya Dryad and I have loved it. Comes down a turn earlier, which is huge, I find that by the time I can drop Simulacrum I want to be doing something more aggressive, I found myself not casting Simulacrum a lot of the time, not so with Dryad. Dryad is also skullclampable. Fetching a forest is better than fetching a basic. And forestwalk is great against a lot of opponents.
Fiend Hunter I find him to be a necessary card in my list. I tutor for him a lot. I also run Banisher Priest for redundancy. I have been considering dropping Banisher just to tighten up my list with other cards, but I really like having both of them. Removal built into a body is something I am always happy with in Marath.
Sylvan Caryatid is nice for Hexproof and the fixing, but he doesn't attack, so for me that's a deal breaker. Everything in my list needs to be running double duty. Blockers are not what I want.
Xenagos, the Reveler has been such an amazing card for me. With all the dorks we run having him not be active for mana when he comes down is rare. Winning the game if he sticks for even one turn, definitely not rare.
Titania, Protector of Argoth seems good. But very dependant on having used a fetchland...which we run 9 of so its pretty realistic that this could ramp you, and give you two 5/3 bodies on the turn it comes out. But by the time I have 5 mana I feel like I have better things to be doing.
Domri Rade is exactly what I want in my list. T2 Card advantage, removal, and win con. But if you put it in your list make sure you put Courser and Oracle of Mul Daya back in. They are best friends with Domri.