MTG Salvation

Obligatory Goblin Game suggestion.

Have you heard of the 8x8 philosophy? Pick 8 effects you want, and then get 8 of those effects. It's not always perfect (or doable) but it's a good starting point for a commander deck before you start removing some and adding others.

Quote from Gashnaw »

Why is everyone nergasming over the partners? The partners are crap and should only be put in the 99. There is no reason to play Ikra and Ishai over Atraxa. You want 4 colors, play one of the four colored generals or don't play 4 color.

Vial is the only one that is viable and he is fine on his own, no need for extra colors.

I agree! Stupid casuals playing this casual format all casual-like. It's disgraceful!

On a more serious note, I low key think that Akiri, Line-Slinger is gonna be insane in the right deck. In something like a R/W/B deck with Kraum, Ludevic's Opus for access to blue you can end up with a very potent artifact focused beat down deck with cards like Jor-Kadeen, The Prevailer being very synergistic with Akiri. I mean yeah she's a 0/3 out of the gate, but with just 3 artifacts you've got a solid 3/3 First Strike Vigilance that only gets bigger the more stuff you play, and Kraum isn't the most reliable card draw, but he's a decently big body and can be used to put on some good pressure. I really think there's a deck somewhere in there.

I support Zedruu as well because it gets you access to Red, the color of passion. I know there's Red legendaries that are actually couples in love like Anax and Cymede and [/card]Pia and Kiran Nalaar[/card]. Prince was extremely passionate ABOUT love. I think finding other Red cards that explore that would be a fun way to take the deck as well. I'm also going to second Swan Song. That's about all I've got for now, but I think you're on the right track.

So your first paragraph is a little unclear, but from what I'm gathering your goal is to get Fleeting Memories out onto the field, amass a gallon of clue tokens, then play Tragic Arrogance and mill them out? Assuming best case scenario you end up with Fleeting Memories on the field and have 5 mana and a Tragic Arrogance in hand on turn 5, You'd still need 17~ clue tokens to mill them for their full 60. That seems like kind of a tall order. I don't have to to look now but maybe some permanents that can investigate repeatedly? Bygone Bishop springs to mind but I don't think you're running enough creatures to merit that, but something along those lines.

I really wish I could remember some of the cards that were in the deck, but I played against a really cool u/W mill deck last night. I know it had Narset Transcendent, startled awake and Jace, Vryn's Prodigy for a ridiculous combo that let him essentially cast Startled Awake 4 times with one copy of the card. Other than that, I'm not sure how other mill cards are looking right now.

Well I mean I guess you'd be technically correct. I don't know how to play around having all my creatures exploded the second they begin existing while the control player plays no creatures so the numerous removal spells I run are dead draws. It's a very frustrating thing, but I mean even when it goes my way and I win it just feels frustrating. It just feels like it's not dynamic or exciting. It's just...a lot of emptiness because the control player doesn't play anything except reactionary spells or spells that make me discard or something. They just sit and wait for me to do something and then say "No." And then the board continues to sit there in a state of perpetual ennui. This isn't a matter of being sore about losing. I lose all the time. It's just a matter of the game not being exciting. Not getting to assess the board and play accordingly, and watch for my opponents cool plays and stuff, or being able to build my own board state. It's the other player strictly and only playing their 'nope' spells whenever I so much as tap a land. That to me is neither dynamic nor exciting. I fully understand it's beatable, it's just not fun getting there. I'd rather just concede and go do something else.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a perfectly valid way to play. It's just so...unrewarding to play against. I play a creature/enchantment/artifact/dream. It either gets blown up immediately or outright countered. We continue to stare at each other across an empty board. Repeat for 50 turns until my opponent plays his win con. It's just...ugh. I just don't get any kind of interaction I enjoy. I can't play any of my own removal, and my creatures permanents never get their own chance to shine. It's just a constant state of emptiness and it's frustrating and long and grindy and boring. I'm not even an aggro player. I really prefer tempo. I like thinking on my toes every turn and drumming up cool combos and trying to put those combo pieces together and also seeing what cool stuff other people come up with. Not just "You don't get to play that, or that, or that, or that, or that, or that, or that, or that, or that, or that. By the way you're going to take 5 damage a turn for 4 turns now." It's just...ugh. Its frustrating.

Has anyone thought about running one copy of Chandra Flamecaller? She's got some pretty subtle synergy with the Indulgent Aristocrat, and could be really turn the game around if it were unlucky enough to go that long. +1 of course creates creatures to attack with, but more importantly it creates creatures that can be sacced to Indulgent Aristocrat's ability to make everyone bigger. 0 is an obvious madness enabler as well as really strong draw for this deck in particular since it always wants to be blazing through its cards, and her -X can be used in conjunction with her +1 and Indulgent Aristocrat. Make everyone beefy enough to survive her -X and then use it to wipe the board and swing for the fences. Yeah it's slow, which is why I'm suggesting only one of her, but for the game that went awry and lasted far longer than it should have it could definitely win out a board stall and the game.

It's time again for another Q&A article. Once again, all subjects are fair game--the format, stuff in my life, movies, music, school, literature, etc. I'm currently working on a research paper called "Coming to Terms: Un-Frenching the English in Henry V," so you can imagine what I'm spending my time reading. You can post questions in this thread and I'll answer them in an SCG article next week or the week following.

Speaking of stuff in my life, some of you who follow me on social media know that I was diagnosed with throat cancer just before Thanksgiving. The silver lining in this very dark cloud is that because I'm not a smoker (and never have been), doctors tell me that my chances of a cure are decent. I'm also lucky enough to live near one of the country's best treatment facilities. I tell you this mostly because the topic is not off limits--and also because I refuse to allow it to dominate everything I do. It is obviously going to be a very large part of my personal experience over the next several months if not years, but I will not be reduced to a single thing. Sure, there have been some dark days in the last month, but I have a remarkable partner in my wife Gretchyn and a superior support team of close friends, not to mention a great broader network of Magic friends. You will all help me get through what will no doubt be a difficult time. Thanks for listening and thanks in advance for your good wishes.

I agree. They used to seem special now theyve flooded the market. Especially this set with the 2 versions of each #makeplaneswalkersgreatagain

Maybe they should retire Planeswalkers if they can only reiterate the same design over and over again these days.

I used to have faith in western society.

Then we elected a racist, hateful, misogynistic, corrupt rapist who doesn't believe in science and built his campaign on hate and anger. Welp.

I hear New Zealand is nice this time of year.

Entombing an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre to prevent someone exiling my graveyard. While an opponent had a Lazav, Dimir Mastermind in play....

No, not a troll. Just my thoughts on the partners. Being critical doesn't equal whining, though it's easy to dismiss it that way I guess.

I was playing Alesha, Who Smiles at Death and my opponent had Defense of the Heart out. In my turn, I methodically cut down my creature count to two by sacrificing everything else for as much value as I could gain out of it and felt quite pleased with myself. I then played a couple of enchantments and artifacts. Before ending the turn, I thought to myself, so what am I gonna do with that three mana I have left? Oh well, might as well play my Commander.

He proceeded to wreck me. Horribly. While laughing.

Umm, Bruna, the Fading Light and Gisela, the Broken Blade...

B/R Vamp Madness doesn't need alot of removal or burn. It's primarily an aggro deck with a tinge of mid range with T Regent/Kalitas.

Check out this thread to see what I mean: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/standard-type-2/standard-new-card-discussion/675976-r-b-vampire-madness-this-could-be-a-thing

B/R already has solid removal and burn with Lightning Axe, Fiery Temper, Grasp of Darkness, ulimate price, that concoction enchanntment, fiery impulse. These spells are great at supporting the aggro plan since they clear the way for your creatures to attack.

The power level on burn and removal has come down since Theros rotated. Read the bones is quite good still and with R/B, you have tormenting voice.