I was casual-playing last night and was getting consistent turn 3 kills using the original decklist minus the Gitaxian Probes which are on their way in the mail.
I would remove pyrectic ritual and desperate ritual. they just don't add enough mana. I could almost make the same argument for lotus petal (I keep thinking lion's eye diamond myself). Now, with all those gone, you could then add in 4 infernal tutor to just go fetch what you need, whether it's another ritual or to empty your hand and go get the dragonstorm finish. It seems a good idea in BR dragonstorm.
Infernal Tutor seems like a solid suggestion. I've been thinking a lot on that one. In regards to Lion's Eye Diamond, can it be activated while Tutoring on an empty hand? Otherwise how could it be used in this deck?
I agree Pyretic Ritual is pretty much trash. Desperate Ritual is pretty decent if you can get 2 in hand, which happens every now and then.
Yeah, just realized that if you draw some dragon things get ugly.
past in flames is not to get around counters, it simply gives more consistency since you could replay some cards
To make a combo you need to set clear what you need to win:
- 4 storm count
- 8R mana
- dragonstorm
- no more than 1 dragon on hand
Now you start checking the conditions
-Since you need only 4 storm, getting storm count isn't a problem
-To achieve 9 mana you'll need a lot of mana ramp, I'm thinking even on dwarven ruins, sandstone needle, ebon stronghold and peat bog. Maybe even lake of the dead. This helps getting treshold for cabal ritual. Another way is running rain of filth
-with burning wish you get 7 copies of dragonstorm to play. With just the 2 cantrips could be enoughh, but you'll have to test if you can goldfish consistenly
-you could try running more dragons, but I think 5 is ok, since even if you don't win on the spot, at least you kill them next turn.
I only need 3 dragons to win on the spot if I fetch Karrthus, doing 10 damage with Hellkites plus another 17 from combat with Haste. This has actually made me consider running 4 dragons total instead of 5 (3 hellkites and Karrthus).
The lands sandstone needle & peat bog interest me but heavily diminish chances of turn 1 kills and mana fixing, but would probably make turn 3 much more consistent.
As a player coming back to Magic after a very long hiatus (last time I went to a FNM / Draft was during the Mirrodin block), and someone who has interest in playing both Legacy and Modern, I figured I would add my 2 cents in here.
At first glance I knew I preferred Legacy as a format just because most of my collection was older cards. However, after doing a bunch of reading online, I realized that competitive Legacy decks are very finely tuned, generally very fast, and unforgiving. I had really no idea what I was getting into. Dragons have always been a favorite of mine ever since I opened my first packs of Magic as a kid, so I decided to build a Dragonstorm Legacy deck. It's not optimal or top tier by any means and there's still at least $500 worth of cards in there, when half of the deck is one-dollar cards.
I am also working on a Modern B/G deck, because I want to have option to play both formats when I'm ready to throw down at the local store. But it's just about the same story as the Legacy deck I have, where the cost is fine until you start hitting the mana bases. Yes, you don't -need- fetches, but you also don't -need- to win.... Coming from someone who just bought 8x Fetchlands, I really wish Wizards would reprint these cards for the sake of both formats. Really, that's all they need. I can live without playing Dark Confidants and Tarmogoyfs, but every deck needs a mana base, and when your lands are 40 bucks a pop it's just not accessible anymore.
First thing is how you're going to find Dragonstorm. You need some card drawing engine, otherwise you'll be durdling around waiting to draw what you need. Try running some Faithless Looting, Night's Whisper or even Sign in Blood.
I am apprehensive about adding too much card draw due to the possibilities of drawing a Dragon or another Dragonstorm / Burning Wish. I thought Manamorphose and Gitaxian Probes, along with the Fetches would be just the right amount of deck acceleration.
I am in agreement that Rite of Flame on the wishboard isn't good. I am having a hard time understanding potential scenarios where Past in Flames would even be playable, however. If my ramp is stopped/countered, how am I going to get a 4 mana card (technically 5 needed to restart the ramp) draw out on the board to restart the combo? I would consider wishboarding it also, but that just tacks on another turn and/or 2 mana. I would like to think that the better solution to FoWs and such would be to hate them out turn 1 instead of having added insurance.
And about protection: first you need to be sure your deck is good enough. Duress a Force of Will will not help if that means your combo will set back for 2 turns because you had to sac a Lotus Petal or Manamorphose to get black. After you get nice consistency, then you can start playing around hate.
Lotus Petal and manamorphose wouldn't be necessary for a Duress/Thoughtseize turn 1 as all of my lands produce black mana.
I really do appreciate the advice and apologize if my response sounds argumentative. I am just beginning to learn the format.
Hey guys, I am a newbie that has not played in a long time. I am building a casual Legacy deck based off of Dragonstorm. I realize it is not nearly the best Storm combo around, but please critique and help me optimize!
I realize I should probably be main-boarding some hate. Looking for suggestions of what to move in and out. Also trying to figure out a better secondary target for Burning Wish, currently it's Rite of Flame which is why there's one sideboarded.
I was casual-playing last night and was getting consistent turn 3 kills using the original decklist minus the Gitaxian Probes which are on their way in the mail.
Infernal Tutor seems like a solid suggestion. I've been thinking a lot on that one. In regards to Lion's Eye Diamond, can it be activated while Tutoring on an empty hand? Otherwise how could it be used in this deck?
I agree Pyretic Ritual is pretty much trash. Desperate Ritual is pretty decent if you can get 2 in hand, which happens every now and then.
I only need 3 dragons to win on the spot if I fetch Karrthus, doing 10 damage with Hellkites plus another 17 from combat with Haste. This has actually made me consider running 4 dragons total instead of 5 (3 hellkites and Karrthus).
The lands sandstone needle & peat bog interest me but heavily diminish chances of turn 1 kills and mana fixing, but would probably make turn 3 much more consistent.
At first glance I knew I preferred Legacy as a format just because most of my collection was older cards. However, after doing a bunch of reading online, I realized that competitive Legacy decks are very finely tuned, generally very fast, and unforgiving. I had really no idea what I was getting into. Dragons have always been a favorite of mine ever since I opened my first packs of Magic as a kid, so I decided to build a Dragonstorm Legacy deck. It's not optimal or top tier by any means and there's still at least $500 worth of cards in there, when half of the deck is one-dollar cards.
I am also working on a Modern B/G deck, because I want to have option to play both formats when I'm ready to throw down at the local store. But it's just about the same story as the Legacy deck I have, where the cost is fine until you start hitting the mana bases. Yes, you don't -need- fetches, but you also don't -need- to win.... Coming from someone who just bought 8x Fetchlands, I really wish Wizards would reprint these cards for the sake of both formats. Really, that's all they need. I can live without playing Dark Confidants and Tarmogoyfs, but every deck needs a mana base, and when your lands are 40 bucks a pop it's just not accessible anymore.
I am apprehensive about adding too much card draw due to the possibilities of drawing a Dragon or another Dragonstorm / Burning Wish. I thought Manamorphose and Gitaxian Probes, along with the Fetches would be just the right amount of deck acceleration.
I am in agreement that Rite of Flame on the wishboard isn't good. I am having a hard time understanding potential scenarios where Past in Flames would even be playable, however. If my ramp is stopped/countered, how am I going to get a 4 mana card (technically 5 needed to restart the ramp) draw out on the board to restart the combo? I would consider wishboarding it also, but that just tacks on another turn and/or 2 mana. I would like to think that the better solution to FoWs and such would be to hate them out turn 1 instead of having added insurance.
Lotus Petal and manamorphose wouldn't be necessary for a Duress/Thoughtseize turn 1 as all of my lands produce black mana.
I really do appreciate the advice and apologize if my response sounds argumentative. I am just beginning to learn the format.
4 Burning Wish
3 Rite of Flame
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Seething Song
2 Pyretic Ritual
4 Manamorphose
1 Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
4 Badlands
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Blood Crypt
3 Gemstone Mine
1 Dragonstorm
1 Rite of Flame
1 Geosurge
1 Utvara Hellkite
1 Hellkite Tyrant
1 Rorix Bladewing
4 Red Elemental Blast
4 Duress
1 Tormod's Crypt
I realize I should probably be main-boarding some hate. Looking for suggestions of what to move in and out. Also trying to figure out a better secondary target for Burning Wish, currently it's Rite of Flame which is why there's one sideboarded.