Since Engulf the Shore was spoiled, I decided to make a mono blue control deck, using Sphinx of the Final Word as a finisher.
Here is the decklist I came up with:
Pieces of the Puzzle fetches us our next counterspell/boardwipe and tosses the rest in the graveyard, and Epiphany at the Drownyard keeps our hand full as well. Through casting instants and sorceries, or putting them into our graveyard, Send to Sleep will almost always have spell mastery enabled. Shorecrasher Elemental can function as a finisher as well, but its not as effective as the Sphinx. Only running 8 counterspells at the moment, but I have a lot of board control instead. Any suggestions are appreciated.
I have a question about a possible scenario including Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero, and the current "legend rule." If I controlled one copy of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero on the battlefield and I had at least one other copy in my library, and my opponent targets the copy on the field with any spell that would destroy it, can I use Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero's first ability to search my library for another copy of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero and put it onto the battlefield, then select the copy that was targeted by my opponent to be placed in my graveyard due to the legend rule, and so my opponent's removal spell would have no legal target and would be countered, and I would be left with the copy of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero that I placed on the battlefield from my library?
Okay. Kind of a complete overhaul..... I'm thinking of making a sideboard to switch to more of
An Esper Control mill with some aggro left over. How's this:
ANY SUGGESTIONS WELCOME. BTW I DIDNT ADD 4 OF EACH CARD SUGGESTED PREVIOUSLY IS BECAUSE THEY SEEMED MORE FOR A DECK WITH CIPHER EFFECTS. I DON'T AND PROBABLY WILL NOT USE PARANOID DELUSIONS.
Inspiration: This deck idea came to me when I got my first Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis in a booster pack. I hunted through my collection for all the exalted cards I had. At first I thought they were weak, but once I realized that they all support one creature in combat (and leave the rest as blockers), I took the idea of a budget exalted deck to heart, and proceeded to look all over for the cards to finish my deck at my
high school, and then resorted to the internet for the cheap rares.
Card Choices: Gift of Orzhova can turn any weak card into an evasive beater with lifelink! Sadly, I only have 2 of it. Murder seemed the most effective, unconditional removal spell in standard for black. White's best removal is Oblivion Ring. Tired of getting killed when I could have won with one more turn, I added Safe Passage. It also protects all my exalted creatures. Angelic Benediction helps by tapping their blockers, and is more exalted. Guardians of Akrasa is the ideal defender for exalted. Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis is the biggest creature in the deck, with evasion and removal included. Knights (Knight of Glory and Knight of Infamy) are good at dodging removal and are all-around good 2-drops. Tormented Soul is an unblockable beater. Servant of Nefarox is more fodder for the exalted mechanic. Duskmantle Prowler is an element of surprise, and Vampire Nighthawk is an amazing beater card when pumped up by exalted. Duty-Bound Dead is the one-drop exalted we all need, and his flying counterpart 2-drop, Aven Squire, is good and evasive. Evolving Wilds helps with mana fixing and deck thinning. Vault of the Archangel is my favorite card in the deck. It is rather irrelevant that it gives deathtouch and lifelink to all my creatures, since I'm attacking with only one, but it's good for when you block. Plains and Swamp are in there for mana. As if you didn't know that. Phew. Glad that's over.
Win Condition: Either outlasting your opponent with lifelink, or simply smashing face with evasive beaters for the win.
Sideboard: None
*** THE DECKLIST ***
TIMESTAMP: 6/16/2013 @ 1500 (Deck completed, sleeved up and ready to play)
Just getting into Standard. I want this deck to be able to hold out against
other budget standard decks. Semi-competitive for Friday Night Magic.
BUDGET AFTER WHAT I HAVE HERE = $50
Edit: 6/26/2013-- Higher budget limit and more 4-ofs. Also, more Shock Lands and m13 lands. Added another Jace and artful dodges. Great ideas folks, keep those suggestions coming!
My first attempt at an artifact deck in vintage.
Intended for casual, yet semi-competitive play in vintage format.
(Legacy format without the card Mishra's Workshop)
It is semi budget because of Mishra's Workshop.
Strategy and combos below decklist.
The Strategy: Stall (with Tangle Wire or cheap blockers) until you get one of these combos out and overwhelm opponent:
Infinite Mana Combo: Rings of Brighthearth and Basalt Monolith --> Tap Monolith for 3 mana, untap itself with that mana, pay 2 mana of your own from lands to replicate untap, then tap twice for 6 mana, use 5 to untap twice, tap for 6, etc, etc.
Infinite Creatures/Direct Damage: Pair infinite mana combo with Doubling Season and Pentavus to get infinite tokens --> Pay mana to move a +1/+1 counter onto battlefield. Because of doubling season, there are two tokens, move the two tokens back onto pentavus creating 4 +1/+1 counters, etc, etc... You can also use Bioshift to move infinite counters from Pentavus to Triskelavus, create a ton of tokens and sacrifice for infinite damage.
Infinite Power/Toughness Clockwork Dragon: Use infinite mana combo to give him infinite +1/+1 counters. Kind of obvious...
Strategy is to block with tokens to stall, and then to attack with my more powerful creatures. I have been playing this in Casual at my school for a while (It won a lot of games), and I would like to know how to make it better.
Here is the decklist I came up with:
4 Engulf the Shore
4 Epiphany at the Drownyard
2 Hydrolash
24 Island
4 Ojutai's Breath
4 Pieces of the Puzzle
4 Send to Sleep
2 Shorecrasher Elemental
4 Sphinx of the Final Word
4 Void Shatter
Pieces of the Puzzle fetches us our next counterspell/boardwipe and tosses the rest in the graveyard, and Epiphany at the Drownyard keeps our hand full as well. Through casting instants and sorceries, or putting them into our graveyard, Send to Sleep will almost always have spell mastery enabled. Shorecrasher Elemental can function as a finisher as well, but its not as effective as the Sphinx. Only running 8 counterspells at the moment, but I have a lot of board control instead. Any suggestions are appreciated.
I'll Focus more on aggro:
4 Watery Grave
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Nephalia Drownyard
6 Island
6 Swamp
CREATURES (12)
2 Consuming Aberration
2 Duskmantle Seer
4 Wight of Precinct Six
4 Jace's Phantasm
2 Jace, Memory Adept
SORCERIES (12)
2 Mind Grind
4 Mind Sculpt
2 Essence Harvest
2 Artful Dodge
2 Whispering Madness
INSTANTS (12)
4 Devour Flesh
4 Psychic Strike
4 Dream Twist
2 Essence Harvest
2 Consuming Aberration
2 Thought Scour
2 Duskmantle Guildmage
1 Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
1 Evil Twin
2 Paranoid Delusions
3 Dimir Charm
Thank you all! I appreciate your feedback!
An Esper Control mill with some aggro left over. How's this:
4 Watery Grave
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Nephalia Drownyard
6 Island
6 Swamp
CREATURES (16)
4 Consuming Aberration
4 Jace's Phantasm
4 Wight of Precinct Six
2 Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
2 Duskmantle Guildmage
4 Mind Sculpt
2 Whispering Madness
2 Essence Harvest
2 Artful Dodge
2 Mind Grind
INSTANTS (8)
4 Devour Flesh
4 Dream Twist
PLANESWALKERS (2)
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Glacial Fortress
4 Plains
2 Azorius Charm
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
3 Pacifism
ANY SUGGESTIONS WELCOME. BTW I DIDNT ADD 4 OF EACH CARD SUGGESTED PREVIOUSLY IS BECAUSE THEY SEEMED MORE FOR A DECK WITH CIPHER EFFECTS. I DON'T AND PROBABLY WILL NOT USE PARANOID DELUSIONS.
Inspiration: This deck idea came to me when I got my first Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis in a booster pack. I hunted through my collection for all the exalted cards I had. At first I thought they were weak, but once I realized that they all support one creature in combat (and leave the rest as blockers), I took the idea of a budget exalted deck to heart, and proceeded to look all over for the cards to finish my deck at my
high school, and then resorted to the internet for the cheap rares.
Card Choices: Gift of Orzhova can turn any weak card into an evasive beater with lifelink! Sadly, I only have 2 of it. Murder seemed the most effective, unconditional removal spell in standard for black. White's best removal is Oblivion Ring. Tired of getting killed when I could have won with one more turn, I added Safe Passage. It also protects all my exalted creatures. Angelic Benediction helps by tapping their blockers, and is more exalted. Guardians of Akrasa is the ideal defender for exalted. Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis is the biggest creature in the deck, with evasion and removal included. Knights (Knight of Glory and Knight of Infamy) are good at dodging removal and are all-around good 2-drops. Tormented Soul is an unblockable beater. Servant of Nefarox is more fodder for the exalted mechanic. Duskmantle Prowler is an element of surprise, and Vampire Nighthawk is an amazing beater card when pumped up by exalted. Duty-Bound Dead is the one-drop exalted we all need, and his flying counterpart 2-drop, Aven Squire, is good and evasive. Evolving Wilds helps with mana fixing and deck thinning. Vault of the Archangel is my favorite card in the deck. It is rather irrelevant that it gives deathtouch and lifelink to all my creatures, since I'm attacking with only one, but it's good for when you block. Plains and Swamp are in there for mana. As if you didn't know that. Phew. Glad that's over.
Win Condition: Either outlasting your opponent with lifelink, or simply smashing face with evasive beaters for the win.
Sideboard: None
*** THE DECKLIST ***
TIMESTAMP: 6/16/2013 @ 1500 (Deck completed, sleeved up and ready to play)
8 Plains
8 Swamp
4 Evolving Wilds
2 Vault of the Archangel
4 Duty-Bound Dead
4 Aven Squire
2 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Duskmantle Prowler
2 Servant of Nefarox
2 Tormented Soul
2 Knight of Infamy
2 Knight of Glory
3 Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis
2 Guardians of Akrasa
2 Gift of Orzhova
3 Murder
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Safe Passage
CURVE (0-1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6+): 6 / 8 / 17 / 4 / 0 / 3
AVERAGE CMC: 3
TYPE: BDC10 ($10.00 LIMIT)
CURRENT COST: $9.40
REMAINING BUDGET: $0.60
other budget standard decks. Semi-competitive for Friday Night Magic.
BUDGET AFTER WHAT I HAVE HERE = $50
7 Swamp
2 Nephalia Drownyard
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Watery Grave
4 Consuming Aberration
4 Mind Sculpt
4 Dream Twist
2 Whispering Madness
2 Mind Grind
2 Essence Harvest
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Artful Dodge
4 Wight of Precinct Six
2 Psychic Strike
4 Jace's Phantasm
4 Devour Flesh
Edit: 6/26/2013-- Higher budget limit and more 4-ofs. Also, more Shock Lands and m13 lands. Added another Jace and artful dodges. Great ideas folks, keep those suggestions coming!
Intended for casual, yet semi-competitive play in vintage format.
(Legacy format without the card Mishra's Workshop)
It is semi budget because of Mishra's Workshop.
Strategy and combos below decklist.
7 Island
7 Forest
5 Swamp
4 Mishra's Workshop
Creatures (20):
2 Pentavus
2 Triskelavus
2 Arcbound Worker
2 Cathodion
1 Su-Chi
2 Ornithopter
2 Memnite
2 Epochrasite
1 Clockwork Dragon
1 Darksteel Colossus
1 Steel Overseer
1 Draco
1 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Tangle Wire
2 Rings of Brighthearth
2 Basalt Monolith
1 Glasses of Urza
Enchantments (3):
3 Doubling Season
Instants (7):
2 Brainstorm
2 Bioshift
3 Murder
The Strategy: Stall (with Tangle Wire or cheap blockers) until you get one of these combos out and overwhelm opponent:
Infinite Mana Combo: Rings of Brighthearth and Basalt Monolith --> Tap Monolith for 3 mana, untap itself with that mana, pay 2 mana of your own from lands to replicate untap, then tap twice for 6 mana, use 5 to untap twice, tap for 6, etc, etc.
Infinite Creatures/Direct Damage: Pair infinite mana combo with Doubling Season and Pentavus to get infinite tokens --> Pay mana to move a +1/+1 counter onto battlefield. Because of doubling season, there are two tokens, move the two tokens back onto pentavus creating 4 +1/+1 counters, etc, etc... You can also use Bioshift to move infinite counters from Pentavus to Triskelavus, create a ton of tokens and sacrifice for infinite damage.
Infinite Power/Toughness Clockwork Dragon: Use infinite mana combo to give him infinite +1/+1 counters. Kind of obvious...
Also... Infinite mana helps with summoning Draco and Darksteel Colossus.
ANY SUGGESTIONS? I am looking for ways to make it faster/or stronger/or with more combos.
I played with it and it is very fast.
24 Plains
1 Fountain of Cho
3 Goldmeadow Harrier
2 Preeminent Captain
3 Wizened Cenn
3 Ballyrush Banneret
1 Cenn's Tactician
2 Mosquito Guard
3 Kithkin Zephyrnaut
3 Knight of Meadowgrain
3 Kithkin Rabble
3 Springjack Knight
2 Armored Ascension
1 Prison Term
2 Surge of Thoughtweft
1 Militia's Pride
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Pollen Lullaby
1 Temple of the False God
1 Homeward Path
1 Gods' Eye, Gate to the Reikai
20 Plains
1 Crusader of Odric
2 Phantom General
1 Thraben Sentry // Thraben Militia
1 Warclamp Mastiff
1 Droning Bureaucrats
1 Serra Angel
2 Elite Vanguard
1 Requiem Angel
1 Pride Guardian
1 Angelic Wall
1 Deathless Angel
1 Soltari Crusader
1 Attended Knight
1 Ballista Squad
1 Crowd Favorites
1 Elguad Inquisitor
1 Terashi's Verdict
1 To Arms!
1 Curse of Exhaustion
1 Spiritual Visit
1 Trostani's Judgment
1 Increasing Devotion
1 Arrest
1 Midnight Haunting
1 Solemn Offering
1 Captain's Call
1 Excise
1 Akroma's Memorial
2 Plow Through Reito
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Knightly Valor
1 Angel's Mercy
1 Mirror Strike
1 Safe Passage
1 Nearheath Pilgrim
1 Vanguard's Shield
2 Captain's Call
1 Arrest
1 Voice of the Provinces
1 Angelic Wall
1 Zealous Strike
1 Righteous Blow
1 Lingering Souls
1 Eyes in the Skies
1 Seller of Songbirds
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Spiritual Visit
1 Attended Knight