I would consider Chalice of the Void at 1, Ground Seal, Counterbalance, and other preemptive answers to extirpate to be really bad in a deck like gifts. I'd rather just have them extirpate the card I got than try to stop them by paying 2 mana to have an otherwise useless artifact/enchantment that also stops myself from playing other important spells (well, not the counterbalance, but the counterbalance isn't even guaranteed to stop extirpate).
I guess I realized half way through, this isn't necessarily a MILL deck. My point isn't to win by milling the opponent. The whole deck revolves around Duskmantle Guildmage. It's either Guildmage + Mindcrank. Or Guildmage + Jace. I just have to stall until then. I should have enough spell counters to protect him, especially with Spellskite. Here is my revised deck.
I realized after playing many games, that the Evolving Wilds and such were useless. There was never a time I NEEDED to search for a specific color. I always had at least 1 Swamp, and 1 Island and that's all you need. With the exception of Jace, and my newly added Archive Trap. So I swapped all of them out for basic lands.
Okay, so I built this deck and played my friend. My field was always empty. It was rare for me to get any creatures on the field to defend myself, and when I did, they were destroyed by spells; and I couldn't cast counter spells because my mana was always tapped from casting mill spells!
I combo'd him 1 time, then got rolled the next 4 games in a row.
if you play duskmantles you would add Mindcrank for infinite mill/damage combo!
How effective is Crypt Ghast with just 3 swamps?
You must have been looking at this thread before I edited it I edited my post for my new deck.
Wait... So with regards to Mindcrank, let me get this right... With Duskmantle Guildmage, Jace, Memory Adept, and Mindcrank on the board, you can tap Duskmantle, activate Jace's 0 ability, opponent takes 10 damage, then Mindcrank mills 5 more cards, Duskmantle deals 5 more damage, then Mindcrank mills 5 more cards, then Duskmantle deals 5 more damage, then gg?
Do all the effects really resolve in that order? Please tell me this is the case. I will laugh so hard, and will go build this deck right now. Or am I missing something?
[U/B] MAKING MILL VIABLE IN CONSTRUCTED SINCE 2013
*** BACKGROUND ***
I realized something about mill. It's a ton of fun to play, and really frustrating for the opponent, but it's never really viable in standard constructed. Problem is, straight mill cards don't do anything to affect the board, and as such you tend to get crushed by opposing threats. So the way I figured out to make it work, is to use cards that have mill stapled onto them or have other functions in the deck like blocking or dealing damage. I also really think Lazav can be a fun card to have in a deck (plus he is the same price as a mcdonald's chicken sandwhich right now). Add in a control framework for removal and counterspells, and we have a good shot at making everything work out.
KEY CARDS & INTERACTIONS:
1) Rogue's Passage + Consuming Aberration: So you have this huge Aberration that get's chumped all day long. Solution? Unblockable.
2) Lazav, Dimir Mastermind + Dimir Charm: Arrange the top 3 cards however you like, leave them a land and drop their bomb in the graveyard for Lazav to impersonate.
3) Prognostic Sphinx + Bane Alley Broker: Swing with Sphinx, set up your draw then tap Broker and get what you need.
Is this a casual deck? Because a lot of the cards you listed are not Standard playable.
Oh, does that mean it's not playable in tournaments? But yea, I don't mind taking out cards to make it standard, as long as it doesn't mess with the whole structure of the deck.
My other friend said it's cause my mana curve is bad. I only have 1 or 2 cards that are 1 cost.
I stress tested this deck and I could never get my combo out. I would always die before I could even start. Maybe incorporate more stall cards? Or add more copies of the cards I need? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
(I would like to keep this deck below $50 if possible.)
Good point. Makes sense.
My friend runs Extirpate however. How can I deal with this? I researched it and found Chalice of the Void and possibly Voidmage Apprentice.
What do you think?
I realized after playing many games, that the Evolving Wilds and such were useless. There was never a time I NEEDED to search for a specific color. I always had at least 1 Swamp, and 1 Island and that's all you need. With the exception of Jace, and my newly added Archive Trap. So I swapped all of them out for basic lands.
Here's my new deck, what do you think?
Deck: Death by Mill combo
4 Duskmantle Guildmage
2 Jace's Phantasm
3 Wight of Precinct Six
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Fog Bank
1 Spellskite
2 Go for the Throat
4 Mindcrank
3 Turn Aside
4 Mana Leak
3 Memory Sluice
1 Archive Trap
2 Mind Grind
3 Tome Scour
4 Dimir Aqueduct
12 Island
8 Swamp
I combo'd him 1 time, then got rolled the next 4 games in a row.
Deck: Mill you to Death
4 Jace's Phantasm
2 Jace, Memory Adept
3 Psychic Strike
3 Mindcrank
4 Turn Aside
4 Mana Leak
4 Memory Sluice
4 Mind Grind
4 Tome Scour
4 Dimir Guildgate
4 Evolving Wilds
5 Island
4 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse
Any more recommendations?
You must have been looking at this thread before I edited it I edited my post for my new deck.
Wait... So with regards to Mindcrank, let me get this right... With Duskmantle Guildmage, Jace, Memory Adept, and Mindcrank on the board, you can tap Duskmantle, activate Jace's 0 ability, opponent takes 10 damage, then Mindcrank mills 5 more cards, Duskmantle deals 5 more damage, then Mindcrank mills 5 more cards, then Duskmantle deals 5 more damage, then gg?
Do all the effects really resolve in that order? Please tell me this is the case. I will laugh so hard, and will go build this deck right now. Or am I missing something?
How about this?
Deck: Mill you to Death
4 Duskmantle Guildmage
2 Fog Bank
4 Jace's Archivist
2 Jace's Phantasm
Spells
3 Mind Crank
4 Dimir Keyrune
4 Dream Twist
1 Jace, Memory Adept
4 Memory Sluice
4 Mind Grind
4 Tome Scour
4 Dimir Aqueduct
4 Dimir Guildgate
3 Esper Panorama
4 Evolving Wilds
3 Island
3 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse
//Lands
4 Dimir Aqueduct
4 Dimir Guildgate
4 Esper Panorama
4 Evolving Wilds
3 Island
3 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse
//Spells
1 Curse of the Bloody Tome
4 Dimir Keyrune
4 Dream Twist
1 Jace, Memory Adept
4 Memory Sluice
4 Mind Grind
4 Tome Scour
//Creatures
4 Duskmantle Guildmage
2 Fog Bank
4 Jace's Archivist
2 Jace's Phantasm
Display deck statistics
Any recommendations?
What do you guys think?
This is what I'm currently at.
Deck: Mill you to Death
4 Jace's Phantasm
3 Psychic Strike
3 Mindcrank
4 Turn Aside
4 Mana Leak
2 Jace, Memory Adept
4 Memory Sluice
4 Mind Grind
4 Tome Scour
4 Dimir Guildgate
4 Evolving Wilds
5 Island
4 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse
Try to keep budget low if possible. Thanks!
I like it What are some replacements you would suggest to make it LESS budget? I don't mind dishing out a little more.
Edit: I think I'll add Jace, Memory Adept. It'll be a pretty deadly combo with Duskmantle Guildmage. Cheap instant minus 10 life
Oh, does that mean it's not playable in tournaments? But yea, I don't mind taking out cards to make it standard, as long as it doesn't mess with the whole structure of the deck.
My other friend said it's cause my mana curve is bad. I only have 1 or 2 cards that are 1 cost.
15 Island
15 Plains
Creatures
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Boros Elite
1 Keening Apparition
1 Simic Manipulator
3 Sage's Row Denizen
2 Keymaster Rogue
1 Angel of Glory's Rise
1 Mindeye Drake
1 Odric, Master Tactician
2 Angelic Skirmisher
1 Luminate Primordial
1 Incursion Specialist
1 Angel of Jubilation
1 Sapphire Drake
1 Delver of Secrets
1 Zarichi Tiger
1 Diluvian Primordial
1 Clinging Anemones
1 Steel of the Godhead
1 Ring of Thune
1 Banishing Stroke
1 Smite
1 Spell Rupture
1 Cancel
1 Aerial Maneuver
1 Shielded Passage
1 Knight Watch
1 Voidwalk
1 Zealous Strike
1 Syncopate
The idea of the deck is to Cipher Voidwalk onto Keymaster Rogue, then every time Keymaster Rogue attacks, it will exile Diluvian Primordial. When it comes back, it can cast anything in the graveyard. Then rinse and repeat.
I was thinking of using Augur of Bolas to peek at my deck, before I mill with Sage's Row of Denizen.
I was also thinking of adding something like Worldfire or Cruel Ultimatum for my Primordial to cast Or replacing Keymaster Rogue with Invisible Stalker
I stress tested this deck and I could never get my combo out. I would always die before I could even start. Maybe incorporate more stall cards? Or add more copies of the cards I need? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
(I would like to keep this deck below $50 if possible.)