I am firmly on this deck right now, and I feel that with some of the sideboard options given to us by Origins, it has a healthy chance against all the best decks in the format. I'll highlight some of the cards that I feel are stand-outs.
Ajani Steadfast: Amazing card in this deck. Targeting Deathmist Raptors and Dragonlord Ojutais with the +1 ability is SOOOOO good, and often times either allows you to stay in a game when your life total is low, or just straight up finish the opponent off. The sad thing is that the other abilities seem to never be used, and if your board is clear Ajani is pretty bad.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros: I'm honestly not sure how good this might be yet, but I like the versatility the Planeswalker side gives, and I thought it would be a good idea to have another 1-drop besides Elvish Mystic. Especially one that can turn this deck into straight aggro if you follow it up with Fleecemane Lion and Deathmist Raptor. Testing the one-of right now.
Stratus Dancer: The one thing I've learned from playing this deck (and the reason that 2 Stratus Dancer are now in the list) is that disrupting a single play on your opponent's side at some point in the mid-game is often the difference between a win and a loss. Before I had these in the deck, I would find myself always hoping to draw a counterspell at some point, and if I didn't, I lost. The fact that this guy not only accomplishes this task, but also then beats for 3 in the air a turn makes it great. I cut a Den Protector for the 2nd one, because I didn't want a glut of cards that were 2-drops, but really 3-drops, but REALLY cards you want to cast when you reach 5 mana. Another advantage of playing these (and the singleton Rattleclaw Mystic) is that you really keep your opponent guessing what your morph is. It's fun to watch them agonize when you have 2 down and they're trying to decide which to target with removal. (If one of them is this, that removal is likely to get blanked anyway.) As far as a meta-play, this is going to be the ideal card to have in play if the opponent is playing Languish. Just make sure to leave mana open for it.
Boon Stayr: The miser's Satyr is there because of the surprise factor of slamming through extra damage or turning an innocuous Courser of Kruphix into a major threat. Who knows? Maybe you could flash it in after attacking with your Dragonlord Ojutai when they try to Stoke the Flames it. However, the main interaction with this card is when you put it on a Den Protector. 7/4 Unblockable anyone? Cuts right through Elspeth's solider tokens and random Hornets. Only Dragonlord Atarka can really hang.
Disdainful Stroke: Again, stopping your opponent from doing something they want to do in the mid-game is SOOO important with this deck. I tried a split in the maindeck between this and Negate, but I found that being able to stop big creatures is absolutely necessary with so much Devotion out there. This still stops problem cards for the deck like Elspeth, Xenagos and Perilous Vault, and, although low-cost targeted removal like Abzan Charm is still annoying, we now have Stratus Dancer to help with that.
Sideboard
Evolutionary Leap: Any deck that runs mass removal like Languish, Crux of Fate, End Hostilities, Perilous Vault, or possibly even Anger of the Gods, deserves consideration to have this sided in. If you play smart and keep some green mana available, you can ensure that you never run out of threats to play against your opponent. And every targeted removal spell they play essentially just turns into a bounce spell. What makes this especially cool is that rather than spells exiling your Deathmist Raptors, now they put them in the graveyard where they belong. As another added benefit: Is there a particular creature you are looking for? Sac that Elvish Mystic you don't need anymore and dig for it. OR: About to flip up a Megamorpher? Go ahead and sac your Raptor. Value, value, value.
Gaea's Revenge: This card just seems to house UB or UW control. (If the thopter version of UW control takes off though, this may not be as valid a statement.) They can't counter it, and unless they have a Crux of Fate, End Hostilities or Perilous Vault to answer it immediately, the opponent just dies. I saw an SCG video where this resolved and the UB player revealed that his hand was all counters and targeted removal after Gaea's Revenge beat him down, which would've have have easily been enough for him to win if not for this card.
Tragic Arrogance: This card is the one I think really was the last piece of the puzzle for the coming metagame. I actually want to find a way to fit 3 in the board. If you want to beat devotion, this is the best way to do it. If you can't control the board effectively and they fill it up and then resolve a big Genesis Hydra, Hornet Queen, Or Dragonlord Atarka, this just saves the whole game for you, while also cutting their Nykthos mana dramatically. "I'll keep Ojutai as my creature, Courser as my enchantment, and Ajani as my Planeswalker. You can keep Courser as your creature, Courser as your enchantment, and Xenagos. I'll attack and kill Xenagos with my vigilant lifelinking hexproof flyer and Anticipate. GG."
Would love to have your thoughts. I think this deck is quite competitive and should really be being played more heavily. Thanks!
...other Kolaghan's Commands, Blood Moon, Izzet Staticaster. The card seems good in a mirror too.
Also, Molten Rain, Etched Champion, Merrow Reejery, Kira, Great Glass Spinner, Dismember, Master of Etherium, Eternal Witness, Beast Within, Lingering Souls, Fulminator Mage, Magus of the Moon, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Wild Defiance, Knight of the Reliquary, Living End Cascade cards, Spectral Procession, Vedalken Shackles, Unflinching Courage, Swords of Blank and Blank, Scion of Oona
I'm really surprised that this deck is not already represented here. I know some people probably dismissed this deck following the banning of Treasure Cruise, but it's actually still totally viable, as Dig Through Time still gets the deck rolling and helps find Force of Will more reliably when going off. Those with SCG platinum can check out Sam Black's playthrough with his post-ban build in their premium section. Here's his decklist:
For those not in the know, the deck tries to drop a Jeskai Ascendancy as soon as possible and then tries to go off by playing cantrip effects while continually untapping lands with Fatestitcher or Wind Zendikon. Eventually the deck plays so many spells that the Ascendancy makes 1 or 2 creatures large enough to kill the opponent. Before attacking, Fatestitcher can tap down the opponent's blockers. Some builds also use Faerie Conclave or Young Pyromancer as a kill condition. Pyromancer can even be brought in out of the board to replace Fatestitcher when you believe that your opponent will be siding in graveyard hate.
Regarding the list above, I will note that some people don't like cards like Gut Shot and Faithless Looting because they do not cantrip. I've seen other people recommend cards like Obsessive Search or Manamorphose as "free" cantrips that are good to draw when going off.
I've tried this deck out for a bit and not only is it competitive, but it's pretty fun if you don't mind keeping track of all the Ascendancy triggers.
Has anyone else tried this deck out? What were your impressions? Any thoughts on card selection?
Since you're playing a more controlling build, have you ever considered a singleton Dig Through Time? Seems like your deck should fill the yard fairly quickly with cards you'd rather not reanimate.
I am currently working on a Gu Devotion build, because Profaner of the Dead is a pretty sick way to end the game. It includes Yisan, the Wanderer Bard, and seems pretty dang fun thus far, but still needs to be tested for top tier viability. Against other Devotion strategies it seems pretty good, because once you reset their board with Profaner, you can pretty much just steamroll them the next turn, as they have to once again set up. Biggest problems for the deck are Planeswalkers (What can I do to control them in a green/blue deck?), and possibly super aggressive decks (still need to test the matchup more).
Yeah. Italy is a blackhole/quicksand. That and North Carolina. I won't ship to either. But, if he's sending $750 worth of cards, paying for insurance and delivery, and properly filling out the paper work it does make it a lot safer.
I gotta defend Italy here - my experiences with the Italian mail system have all been positive. That's all been in sending from Italy, though - I've never sent anything there.
I second this. There are a lot of big time Italian traders on Pucatrade. I've sent lots of cards to Italy with very minimal trouble. Also, I currently have 3 Force of Will and 1 Wasteland coming from an Italian trader, so they're serious MtG traders and I'm glad they're there.
Anyone got a more efficient way of tracking your collection/sales for upload to Puca? I have thousands of cards where this would be perfect, but the prospect of spending days cataloging isn't very appealing.
You can copy and paste text of your collection or import a CSV file. Just click on 'Import' under the 'Have' menu.
The Khans prices at SCG are bewildering. It's almost as if people will pay any price just for the convenience of shopping with SCG.
Many cards are "sold out" every time I look.
That's the power of branding. While MTG cards are all the same, condition and level of service stores offer vary widely. While everyone complains about their prices all you ever hear is praise for the level of service they offer and how tight their grading is. The perception many people have is that SCG's offers the best service and tightest grading in the industry along with unparalleled stock. Sounds kinda like people paying more for shirts with a guy riding a horse.
I agree about SCG's grading. I bought 40 MP Revised Duals from them in June, but I think most of them actually skew more towards SP/LP. There is a little dirt on the white borders, but the edges are in good condition and there isn't any whitening on the faces or backs.
I can speak to their service too. When I received the package from them, that Taigas were missing. I contacted them over the phone and told them the situation. The Taigas were in the mail within 24 hours, no questions asked. (I figure they checked their inventory and realized that they had 4 more than they should have.) Anyway, I'm sure the tracked shipping to Hong Kong (where I live) cost them a bit, but they didn't seem to mind at all.
Any tips on playing around common hate cards?
4 Deathmist Raptor
3 Den Protector
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Fleecemane Lion
1 Rattleclaw Mystic
1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
3 Courser of Kruphix
2 Dragonlord Ojutai
1 Boon Satyr
2 Stratus Dancer
Spells: 10
2 Ajani Steadfast
3 Dromoka’s Command
3 Disdainful Stroke
2 Valorous Stance
2 Mana Confluence
4 Windswept Heath
3 Flooded Strand
4 Temple of Plenty
3 Plains
1 Island
4 Forest
4 Yavimaya Coast
2 Hornet Nest
1 Mastery of the Unseen
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Negate
1 Plummet
1 Valorous Stance
1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
2 Gaea’s Revenge
1 Dromoka’s Command
1 Feed the Clan
2 Tragic Arrogance
1 Glare of Heresy
Hi all,
I am firmly on this deck right now, and I feel that with some of the sideboard options given to us by Origins, it has a healthy chance against all the best decks in the format. I'll highlight some of the cards that I feel are stand-outs.
Ajani Steadfast: Amazing card in this deck. Targeting Deathmist Raptors and Dragonlord Ojutais with the +1 ability is SOOOOO good, and often times either allows you to stay in a game when your life total is low, or just straight up finish the opponent off. The sad thing is that the other abilities seem to never be used, and if your board is clear Ajani is pretty bad.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros: I'm honestly not sure how good this might be yet, but I like the versatility the Planeswalker side gives, and I thought it would be a good idea to have another 1-drop besides Elvish Mystic. Especially one that can turn this deck into straight aggro if you follow it up with Fleecemane Lion and Deathmist Raptor. Testing the one-of right now.
Stratus Dancer: The one thing I've learned from playing this deck (and the reason that 2 Stratus Dancer are now in the list) is that disrupting a single play on your opponent's side at some point in the mid-game is often the difference between a win and a loss. Before I had these in the deck, I would find myself always hoping to draw a counterspell at some point, and if I didn't, I lost. The fact that this guy not only accomplishes this task, but also then beats for 3 in the air a turn makes it great. I cut a Den Protector for the 2nd one, because I didn't want a glut of cards that were 2-drops, but really 3-drops, but REALLY cards you want to cast when you reach 5 mana. Another advantage of playing these (and the singleton Rattleclaw Mystic) is that you really keep your opponent guessing what your morph is. It's fun to watch them agonize when you have 2 down and they're trying to decide which to target with removal. (If one of them is this, that removal is likely to get blanked anyway.) As far as a meta-play, this is going to be the ideal card to have in play if the opponent is playing Languish. Just make sure to leave mana open for it.
Boon Stayr: The miser's Satyr is there because of the surprise factor of slamming through extra damage or turning an innocuous Courser of Kruphix into a major threat. Who knows? Maybe you could flash it in after attacking with your Dragonlord Ojutai when they try to Stoke the Flames it. However, the main interaction with this card is when you put it on a Den Protector. 7/4 Unblockable anyone? Cuts right through Elspeth's solider tokens and random Hornets. Only Dragonlord Atarka can really hang.
Disdainful Stroke: Again, stopping your opponent from doing something they want to do in the mid-game is SOOO important with this deck. I tried a split in the maindeck between this and Negate, but I found that being able to stop big creatures is absolutely necessary with so much Devotion out there. This still stops problem cards for the deck like Elspeth, Xenagos and Perilous Vault, and, although low-cost targeted removal like Abzan Charm is still annoying, we now have Stratus Dancer to help with that.
Sideboard
Evolutionary Leap: Any deck that runs mass removal like Languish, Crux of Fate, End Hostilities, Perilous Vault, or possibly even Anger of the Gods, deserves consideration to have this sided in. If you play smart and keep some green mana available, you can ensure that you never run out of threats to play against your opponent. And every targeted removal spell they play essentially just turns into a bounce spell. What makes this especially cool is that rather than spells exiling your Deathmist Raptors, now they put them in the graveyard where they belong. As another added benefit: Is there a particular creature you are looking for? Sac that Elvish Mystic you don't need anymore and dig for it. OR: About to flip up a Megamorpher? Go ahead and sac your Raptor. Value, value, value.
Gaea's Revenge: This card just seems to house UB or UW control. (If the thopter version of UW control takes off though, this may not be as valid a statement.) They can't counter it, and unless they have a Crux of Fate, End Hostilities or Perilous Vault to answer it immediately, the opponent just dies. I saw an SCG video where this resolved and the UB player revealed that his hand was all counters and targeted removal after Gaea's Revenge beat him down, which would've have have easily been enough for him to win if not for this card.
Tragic Arrogance: This card is the one I think really was the last piece of the puzzle for the coming metagame. I actually want to find a way to fit 3 in the board. If you want to beat devotion, this is the best way to do it. If you can't control the board effectively and they fill it up and then resolve a big Genesis Hydra, Hornet Queen, Or Dragonlord Atarka, this just saves the whole game for you, while also cutting their Nykthos mana dramatically. "I'll keep Ojutai as my creature, Courser as my enchantment, and Ajani as my Planeswalker. You can keep Courser as your creature, Courser as your enchantment, and Xenagos. I'll attack and kill Xenagos with my vigilant lifelinking hexproof flyer and Anticipate. GG."
Would love to have your thoughts. I think this deck is quite competitive and should really be being played more heavily. Thanks!
...other Kolaghan's Commands, Blood Moon, Izzet Staticaster. The card seems good in a mirror too.
Also, Molten Rain, Etched Champion, Merrow Reejery, Kira, Great Glass Spinner, Dismember, Master of Etherium, Eternal Witness, Beast Within, Lingering Souls, Fulminator Mage, Magus of the Moon, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Wild Defiance, Knight of the Reliquary, Living End Cascade cards, Spectral Procession, Vedalken Shackles, Unflinching Courage, Swords of Blank and Blank, Scion of Oona
This seems like a great call. Noxious Revival should be excellent in this deck.
As far as the non-graveyard version post-sideboard: Have you tried this out, and is it effective/reliable without Dig Through Time?
Sam Black runs 2 in the version he made an SCG premium video with. Seems like they work well.
Here's his post-ban list:
2 Island
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
1 Chrome Mox
4 Lotus Petal
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
2 Wind Zendikon
4 Brainstorm
4 Dig Through Time
4 Force of Will
2 Gut Shot
4 Mental Note
4 Thought Scour
2 Deep Analysis
2 Faithless Looting
4 Gitaxian Probe
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sulfur Elemental
1 Echoing Truth
2 Flusterstorm
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Pyroblast
3 Swords to Plowshares
Same reason I couldn't find it. Didn't come up in search.
2 Island
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
1 Chrome Mox
4 Lotus Petal
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
2 Wind Zendikon
4 Brainstorm
4 Dig Through Time
4 Force of Will
2 Gut Shot
4 Mental Note
4 Thought Scour
2 Deep Analysis
2 Faithless Looting
4 Gitaxian Probe
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sulfur Elemental
1 Echoing Truth
2 Flusterstorm
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Pyroblast
3 Swords to Plowshares
For those not in the know, the deck tries to drop a Jeskai Ascendancy as soon as possible and then tries to go off by playing cantrip effects while continually untapping lands with Fatestitcher or Wind Zendikon. Eventually the deck plays so many spells that the Ascendancy makes 1 or 2 creatures large enough to kill the opponent. Before attacking, Fatestitcher can tap down the opponent's blockers. Some builds also use Faerie Conclave or Young Pyromancer as a kill condition. Pyromancer can even be brought in out of the board to replace Fatestitcher when you believe that your opponent will be siding in graveyard hate.
Regarding the list above, I will note that some people don't like cards like Gut Shot and Faithless Looting because they do not cantrip. I've seen other people recommend cards like Obsessive Search or Manamorphose as "free" cantrips that are good to draw when going off.
I've tried this deck out for a bit and not only is it competitive, but it's pretty fun if you don't mind keeping track of all the Ascendancy triggers.
Has anyone else tried this deck out? What were your impressions? Any thoughts on card selection?
Here's my decklist:
4 Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
2 Prophet of Kruphix
2 Profaner of the Dead
4 Kiora's Follower
4 Courser of Kruphix
1 Hornet Queen
1 Foe-Razer Regent
3 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Archetype of Imagination
1 Sidisi's Faithful
1 Reclamation Sage
3 Genesis Hydra
1 Temur Sabertooh
3 Rattleclaw Mystic
1 Temur War Shaman
4 Yavimaya Coast
4 Temple of Mystery
1 Mana Confluence
1 Thornwood Falls
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
5 Forest
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
3 Nylea's Disciple
2 Reclamation Sage
3 Nissa Worldwaker
1 Hornet Nest
1 Whisperwood Elemental
1 Thassa, God of the Sea
1 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
3 Negate
I think I may want to work in a 2nd copy of Sidisi's Faithful, since it has performed really well in testing. Your thoughts are welcome.
I second this. There are a lot of big time Italian traders on Pucatrade. I've sent lots of cards to Italy with very minimal trouble. Also, I currently have 3 Force of Will and 1 Wasteland coming from an Italian trader, so they're serious MtG traders and I'm glad they're there.
Who are you trying to contact and for what purpose?
You can copy and paste text of your collection or import a CSV file. Just click on 'Import' under the 'Have' menu.
I agree about SCG's grading. I bought 40 MP Revised Duals from them in June, but I think most of them actually skew more towards SP/LP. There is a little dirt on the white borders, but the edges are in good condition and there isn't any whitening on the faces or backs.
I can speak to their service too. When I received the package from them, that Taigas were missing. I contacted them over the phone and told them the situation. The Taigas were in the mail within 24 hours, no questions asked. (I figure they checked their inventory and realized that they had 4 more than they should have.) Anyway, I'm sure the tracked shipping to Hong Kong (where I live) cost them a bit, but they didn't seem to mind at all.