I was convinced by a friend to build and play a Pauper deck, so here's my first attempt. I was looking at the creatures' cardpool and the Rebel tribe caught my attention (my first deck was a UW Rebels, back in 2000). So I assembled a W/B build that uses the 2 guys (as said in the title, I'll use the Modern cardpool, since my playgroup uses it due to balancing issues) that fetch Rebels, which are Blightspeaker and Amrou Scout, combined with Rathi Trapper and enchantment-based removal to make a Prison effect and stall aggro decks.
As this list is a Midranged one, the Sideboard features instant removal and protection (Doom Blade and Undying Evil) in case it faces a faster aggro list, and Duress when facing control/combo lists.
Here's my 2nd try at a Commander deck... It's a mixed aggro/control build, with an Equipment subtheme / Sunforger toolbox, and some multiple attack/turn effects to minimize Ruhan's random effect. Also there's a minor recursion with Reveillark/Karmic Guide/Sun Titan, and Galepowder Mage/Venser, the Sojourner to recur ETB effects from Titans and other creatures.
It's been a while since I don't post on the MTG Forums, so... It's nice to be back.
Anyway, this deck has a mixed 1v1 - multiplayer approach. Go For the Throat seems a little inefficient for Multiplayer, but it's a helluva removal. Any thoughts to improve Multiplayer matchups?
I was trying to build a CipherMill deck as well (I know, it's a bad mechanic), but ended up with the same issue of extracting value from a potential 2-1 trade.
I'll still use the CipherMill name (sounds good =D), but I'm thinking about taking away the Cipher mechanic (and most of the Mill too) in order to make a more like U/B control shell.
My list is geared up for Duels, but still uses some good MP cards:
One of the deck's synergies lies in stealing cards with Nightveil Specter, and using them against their former owner. Shimmering Grotto, Thespian's Stage and Chromatic Lantern help with other mana colors (thus the fact that you can actually play lands exiled with it).
Theros spoilers also have some good cards to use with this mechanic, like Psychic Intrusion and the new PW, Ashiok.
I also use some mill in the form of Jace + Duskmantle Guildmage, which can whack 20 points of life loss in turn 6 if left unchecked. Mind Grind can also be a finisher by itself.
As you're using Distortion Strike, you should already realized that targeting one of the copied Golems from Precursor Golem also targets ALL of them, not only the tokens produced by it.
So, in that case, I believe you need more reliable protection like Indomitable Archangel or the like.
Like, there is absolutely no good way to handle her. What, do you cast 2 kill spells on her?
Mom saved my skin lots of times... She can hold enemies and avoid removal (at late game it's unlikely your enemy will cast 2-3 spells to whack her - except to win the game on swing). I suggest her too.
If possible, use StP over Dispatch. I used Dispatch and found it too situational as well. And StP can fetch you life in a pinch (in one of these famous Championships, a guy piloting a Control deck vs. Burn StP'ed his pumped Mishra's Factory to gain 3 life and survive to kill in the next turn).
Well... There are 8 tutor copies and 3 equip copies. If your games are fast, this is not a bad choice. If games tend to last longer, you'll end up drawing dead cards late game. Let's see what your test results will tell.
I run a similar deck and I run Molten Psyche. The two already mentioned only target one while the one i said targets everyone. If you would go with Molten Psyche, i would include a set of artifact lands to help with metalcraft.
Good call. But Molten Psyche need global draw that happens in your turn, such as Mikokoro, Jace Beleren and Temple Bell to boast its full effect. Counting with the cards that are on players' hands alone is suboptimal, considering that you're giving them gas to play against you.
As I saw, Doubling Season doubles the counters all spirits gain as they ETB, but does nothing else. Token effect is marginal outside Sekki and Drover.
In that sense, I believe Phantom Nantuko is superior due to his standalone value. Twilight Drover is good too. But the other spirits (except Sekki and the Nishoba) need a counter engine.
White doesn't have much draw options... You either splash a color into it (not budget-wise) or rely on tutoring / card advantage (not necessarily by drawing).
Some tutor examples are Knight of the White Orchid and Ranger of Eos (in case you decide to use Mom). Squadron Hawk can also tutor himself, but I won't include him because he loses most of his relevance without pumping effects.
If they attack you after playing lots of spells, some Wing Shards are a wonderful rattlesnake effect.
Most of your dudes are mana-heavy. Are you thinking in a wat to early cheat them into play or ramp all the way to them?
As you said before, your mana is Wrath-heavy... So I believe speed won't be an issue. Of course, you can pack your own control kit of card draw/creature hate to ensure that.
I was convinced by a friend to build and play a Pauper deck, so here's my first attempt. I was looking at the creatures' cardpool and the Rebel tribe caught my attention (my first deck was a UW Rebels, back in 2000). So I assembled a W/B build that uses the 2 guys (as said in the title, I'll use the Modern cardpool, since my playgroup uses it due to balancing issues) that fetch Rebels, which are Blightspeaker and Amrou Scout, combined with Rathi Trapper and enchantment-based removal to make a Prison effect and stall aggro decks.
Since Rebels can fetch the pseudo-removal Bound in Silence, I'll use other enchantments (Journey to Nowhere and Oblivion Ring) to pump up Ethereal Armor and explore Steadfast Guard's Vigilance, Aven Riftwatcher's Flying and Zealot Il-Vec's Shadow to finish the other player.
As this list is a Midranged one, the Sideboard features instant removal and protection (Doom Blade and Undying Evil) in case it faces a faster aggro list, and Duress when facing control/combo lists.
Here's my list:
8 Plains
2 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Orzhov Guildgate
2 Orzhov Basilica
2 Quicksand
Creatures (24)
4 Amrou Scout
4 Blightspeaker
4 Rathi Trapper
4 Steadfast Guard
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Zealot Il-Vec
4 Ethereal Armor
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Bound in Silence
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Doom Blade
4 Duress
2 Undying Evil
2 Divine Offering
2 Echoing Decay
1 Apostle's Blessing
Any suggestions/improvements (considering Modern cardpool, of course)?
Here's my 2nd try at a Commander deck... It's a mixed aggro/control build, with an Equipment subtheme / Sunforger toolbox, and some multiple attack/turn effects to minimize Ruhan's random effect. Also there's a minor recursion with Reveillark/Karmic Guide/Sun Titan, and Galepowder Mage/Venser, the Sojourner to recur ETB effects from Titans and other creatures.
Any suggestions/changes?
1 Ruhan of the Fomori
Lands
2 Plains
2 Mountain
2 Island
1 Arid Mesa
1 Flood Plain
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Command Tower
1 Opal Palace
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Steam Vents
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Rugged Prairie
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Mystic Gate
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Shivan Reef
1 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Temple of Triumph
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Boros Garrison
1 Mistveil Plains
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Halimar Depths
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Academy Ruins
1 High Market
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Archetype of Aggression
1 Archetype of Courage
1 Galepowder Mage
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Lightning Angel
1 Windborn Muse
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Mulldrifter
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Karmic Guide
1 Reveillark
1 Urabrask the Hidden
1 Aurelia, the Warleader
1 Medomai the Ageless
1 Inferno Titan
1 Sun Titan
1 Frost Titan
1 Godo, Bandit Warlord
1 Duplicant
1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Mana Sources
1 Sol Ring
1 Azorius Signet
1 Boros Signet
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Chromatic Lantern
1 Gilded Lotus
Utility
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Hinder
1 Spell Crumple
1 Fabricate
1 Propaganda
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Bident of Thassa
1 Cryptic Command
1 Master Warcraft
1 Wild Ricochet
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Condemn
1 Oblation
1 Orim's Thunder
1 Return to Dust
Mass Removal
1 Vandalblast
1 Paraselene
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Hallowed Burial
1 Terminus
1 Austere Command
Equipment
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Champion's Helm
1 Sunforger
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Batterskull
Planeswalker
1 Venser, the Sojourner
Anyway, this deck has a mixed 1v1 - multiplayer approach. Go For the Throat seems a little inefficient for Multiplayer, but it's a helluva removal. Any thoughts to improve Multiplayer matchups?
15 Swamp
3 Evolving Wilds
2 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2 Bojuka Bog
Creatures [29]
4 Viscera Seer
4 Kalastria Highborn
4 Bloodghast
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Bloodline Keeper
2 Vampire Nocturnus
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Erebos, God of the Dead
4 Go for the Throat
3 Phyrexian Arena
2 Whip of Erebos
I'll still use the CipherMill name (sounds good =D), but I'm thinking about taking away the Cipher mechanic (and most of the Mill too) in order to make a more like U/B control shell.
My list is geared up for Duels, but still uses some good MP cards:
4 Dimir Guildgate
1 Encroaching Wastes
6 Island
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Shimmering Grotto
1 Thespian's Stage
6 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
1 Consuming Aberration
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Duskmantle Guildmage
4 Duskmantle Seer
1 Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker
Other Spells
2 Chromatic Lantern
4 Devour Flesh
1 Dimir Charm
2 Far // Away
2 Grim Return
2 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Liliana of the Dark Realms
1 Mind Grind
1 Opportunity
2 Spell Rupture
1 Stolen Identity
2 Warped Physique
1 Undercity Plague
One of the deck's synergies lies in stealing cards with Nightveil Specter, and using them against their former owner. Shimmering Grotto, Thespian's Stage and Chromatic Lantern help with other mana colors (thus the fact that you can actually play lands exiled with it).
Theros spoilers also have some good cards to use with this mechanic, like Psychic Intrusion and the new PW, Ashiok.
I also use some mill in the form of Jace + Duskmantle Guildmage, which can whack 20 points of life loss in turn 6 if left unchecked. Mind Grind can also be a finisher by itself.
So, in that case, I believe you need more reliable protection like Indomitable Archangel or the like.
Intangible Virtue doesn't hurt as well.
Mom saved my skin lots of times... She can hold enemies and avoid removal (at late game it's unlikely your enemy will cast 2-3 spells to whack her - except to win the game on swing). I suggest her too.
If possible, use StP over Dispatch. I used Dispatch and found it too situational as well. And StP can fetch you life in a pinch (in one of these famous Championships, a guy piloting a Control deck vs. Burn StP'ed his pumped Mishra's Factory to gain 3 life and survive to kill in the next turn).
Good call. But Molten Psyche need global draw that happens in your turn, such as Mikokoro, Jace Beleren and Temple Bell to boast its full effect. Counting with the cards that are on players' hands alone is suboptimal, considering that you're giving them gas to play against you.
In that sense, I believe Phantom Nantuko is superior due to his standalone value. Twilight Drover is good too. But the other spirits (except Sekki and the Nishoba) need a counter engine.
Jace Beleren is good to the deck as well, and as you're drawing a ****load of cards you need Reliquary Tower too.
Ebony Owl Netsuke is too slow to kill on its own... It must be backed up with a nice splash in the form of Underworld Dreams and Bloodgift Demon. Some players may also splash red for Sudden Impact and Runeflare Trap.
Some examples of 1-x cards are Blade Splicer, Geist-Honored Monk, Captain of the Watch, Lingering Souls, Precinct Captain, Sun Titan.
Some tutor examples are Knight of the White Orchid and Ranger of Eos (in case you decide to use Mom). Squadron Hawk can also tutor himself, but I won't include him because he loses most of his relevance without pumping effects.
If they attack you after playing lots of spells, some Wing Shards are a wonderful rattlesnake effect.
As you said before, your mana is Wrath-heavy... So I believe speed won't be an issue. Of course, you can pack your own control kit of card draw/creature hate to ensure that.
Like land hate (Kor Haven, Maze of Ith, Mystifying Maze (more controllish), Quicksand), there's always Blade Splicer and his colorless Golem pet. Equip him with Basilisk Collar and you'll keep his Crusader at bay =D