So this question has been plaguing me for a while now:
What could we play in the wishboard to make 5 mana and a Burning Wish something other than passing the turn in hopes of getting another mana source off the top next turn?
I definitely think this deck has some potential now that Fevered Visions is a thing. I have no idea why Saffron Olive didn't even mention it during the deck tech. I think it is the obvious new core of the deck. I hope to assemble and test this bad boy when I get the chance. Probably going to be playing Thing in the Ice.
I another note, I ran some numbers on a whim to find the maximum potential damage output in a single turn. You know, for S&G's. Check me. (Note that this is for my build which runs a single Manamorphose.)
I used to play Izzet/Grixis Blitz a lot and I would jump into multiplayer games, kill two players and then get hosed by everyone. Every time. It's not very fun for that sort of thing for anyone involved.
Rhymer, I like all of those decks. With grixis I don't like the bauble or sleight of hand, could drop them for apostle's blessing, distortion strike/slip through space or aphotic wisps.
I agree. I've tried Bauble in decks, and Bauble is better than most folks think, but not the right fit for this deck. Slight helps you get your pieces, but often at the cost of a turn or two. This type of deck is too fast for that heavy of a digging suite. Apostle's is certainly a must.
Great report and congratulations. This variation is a lot closer to my comfort zone I think. I've been testing out [[Noxious Revival]] myself. How has it been working for you? What do you usually target with it? Creatures post-removal? Spells to recast? I imagine Strobe, Rift, Revival, Rift is a pretty boss turn 3.
I didn't see much discussion of it here, but what are your feelings on the Death's Shadow Aggro (aka Suicide Zoo) build that showed up at Pro Tour OGW?
I guess none of these builds play Nivmagus Elemental, but a big part of my following this thread and these other decks is wanting to see what builds perform best in the meta, especially when it comes to Nivmagus Elemental and Death's Shadow. How do you guys think our multicolor elemental buddy stacks up to Delve-ier strategies? I can't seem to overcome how nuts awesome Kiln Fiend is, but with Elemental Shotgun do Nivmagus Elemental and Death's Shadow just - sorry, not sorry - overshadow him?
I've played a few. Mono B, mono C, and UW. Not enough to really know the real balance, but suffice to say it's not a super great matchup. Thought-Knot Seer is bad news and usually takes either a Kiln Fiend or a Temur Battle Rage. It's hard to save a creature from a Dismember without Apostle's Blessing, and Apostle's Blessing is bad against every other card in their deck. Eldrazi Displacer is really hard to deal with unless you have sided in and drawn removal, and it pretty much stops you from comboing off while they have three mana available. Chalice of the Void is a huge pain. Their blockers are also huge and harder to trample over with lethal.
I consider it winnable, but not favored. I have yet to win a match against Eldrazi.
The other reason for bringing in alternate evasion (Rouse the Mob) is because Apostle's Blessing is terribad against eldrazi. I'm also testing one Satyr Hoplite to see how it is when the game turns less blitz and more shotgun. Having multiple is not good because you have to target them to get the value, so if two are on the field only one is getting pumped.
I will be testing out some number of Rouse the Mob for added trampling "evasion". Goes well with Assault Strobe when they have a creature. Works like Temur Battle Rage but with added pump.
Bringing in the Bolts and Smashes is definitely my preferred route against pesky wrenches in our plans, but I will reiterate that I think cutting Assault Strobe too hastily can often be a mistake. Double strike is not only our primary win con, but is also good for helping clear away their creatures. Desperate Ritual, Gitaxian Probe, and Mutagenic Growth are regularly first on the chopping block for me before Assault Strobe, in that order.
It's also important to share that a Chalice doesn't necessarily lock you out. Casting for triggers alone really does work, and I have won games where all of my 1-drops were countered by one.
I have tested it and I would advise against the Paradise Mantle trap. It's cool when it happens and your Blistercoil Weird survives, but it's a little too gimicky for this deck and doesn't always get you there. If you want that, go check out the deck built around it. It's a super fun deck, but it really needs a huge stack of cards that cantrip, which this deck does not offer. The new cantrips from OGW help with it too.
What could we play in the wishboard to make 5 mana and a Burning Wish something other than passing the turn in hopes of getting another mana source off the top next turn?
Turn 1
Mountain
Monastery Swiftspear
Gitaxian Probe x4
Mutagenic Growth x4
= 17 damage
On Turn 2 (on the play)
(Mountain, Monastery Swiftspear)
Mountain
Gitaxian Probe x4
Manamorphose
Assault Strobe
Brute Force
Mutagenic Growth x3
= 38 damage
On Turn 2 (on the draw)
(Mountain, Monastery Swiftspear)
Mountain
Gitaxian Probe x4
Manamorphose
Assault Strobe
Brute Force
Mutagenic Growth x4
= 44 damage
Turn 3 (on the play)
(Mountain)
(Mountain, Kiln Fiend)
Gitaxian Probe x4
Manamorphose
Assault Strobe
Brute Force
Mutagenic Growth x4
= 90 damage
Turn 3 (on the draw)
(Mountain)
(Mountain, Kiln Fiend)
Gitaxian Probe x4
Manamorphose
Desperate Ritual
Assault Strobe
Brute Force
Mutagenic Growth x4
= 96 damage
If I were running the playset of Manamorphose, the last one would be 108 damage on the play, and 114 on the draw.
Blue gets you Artful Dodge, Slip Through Space, Distortion Strike, Clout of the Dominus, Nivix Cyclops, Wee Dragonauts, Thing in the Ice//Awoken Horror, Serum Visions, Sleight of Hand (Nivmagus Elemental is already available in mono red, but worth noting here).
Black gets you Death's Shadow, Tainted Strike, Vampire's Bite, Inquisition of Kozilek.
Green gets you Vines of Vastwood, Groundswell, Might of Old Krosa, Become Immense.
Blue has the best payoff IMO.
Probably more to come.
Great report and congratulations. This variation is a lot closer to my comfort zone I think. I've been testing out [[Noxious Revival]] myself. How has it been working for you? What do you usually target with it? Creatures post-removal? Spells to recast? I imagine Strobe, Rift, Revival, Rift is a pretty boss turn 3.
4 Blistercoil Weird
4 Kiln Fiend
3 Titan's Strength
4 Brute Force
2 Rouse the Mob
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Assault Strobe
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Apostle’s Blessing
3 Desperate Ritual
1 Manamorphose
16 Mountain
1 Noxious Revival
1 Gutshot
1 Electrickery
2 Lightning Bolt
1 Dismember
2 Blood Moon
2 Young Pyromancer
1 Dragon's Claw
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Fury Charm
1 Molten Rain
1 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Death's Shadow
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Goblin Guide
1 Godless Shrine
2 Lightning Bolt
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Mutagenic Growth
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
4 Street Wraith
1 Tarmogoyf
4 Temur Battle Rage
3 Thoughtseize
3 Verdant Catacombs
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Forest
2 Hooting Mandrills
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Lightning Helix
1 Natural State
1 Phyrexian Unlife
1 Pyroclasm
2 Stony Silence
1 Tarmogoyf
There is also this Grixis Battle Rage deck that popped up in an SCG article.
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Stubborn Denial
3 Mutagenic Growth
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Death's Shadow
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Mishra's Bauble
1 Blood Crypt
2 Steam Vents
1 Watery Grave
4 Serum Visions
1 Flooded Strand
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Polluted Delta
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Dismember
4 Spellskite
4 Thoughtseize
3 Leyline of the Void
1 Swamp
1 Duress
I guess none of these builds play Nivmagus Elemental, but a big part of my following this thread and these other decks is wanting to see what builds perform best in the meta, especially when it comes to Nivmagus Elemental and Death's Shadow. How do you guys think our multicolor elemental buddy stacks up to Delve-ier strategies? I can't seem to overcome how nuts awesome Kiln Fiend is, but with Elemental Shotgun do Nivmagus Elemental and Death's Shadow just - sorry, not sorry - overshadow him?
I consider it winnable, but not favored. I have yet to win a match against Eldrazi.
Took this list to the tournament:
4 Blistercoil Weird
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Titan’s Strength
4 Brute Force
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Assault Strobe
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Apostle’s Blessing
3 Desperate Ritual
1 Manamorphose
16 Mountain
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Dismember
2 Blood Moon
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Smash to Smithereens
1 Molten Rain
Currently testing the following build:
3 Blistercoil Weird
1 Satyr Hoplite
4 Kiln Fiend
3 Titan's Strength
4 Brute Force
2 Rouse the Mob
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Assault Strobe
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Apostle’s Blessing
3 Desperate Ritual
1 Manamorphose
16 Mountain
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Dismember
2 Blood Moon
3 Young Pyromancer
1 Spellskite
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Fury Charm
1 Molten Rain
The other reason for bringing in alternate evasion (Rouse the Mob) is because Apostle's Blessing is terribad against eldrazi. I'm also testing one Satyr Hoplite to see how it is when the game turns less blitz and more shotgun. Having multiple is not good because you have to target them to get the value, so if two are on the field only one is getting pumped.
I will be testing out some number of Rouse the Mob for added trampling "evasion". Goes well with Assault Strobe when they have a creature. Works like Temur Battle Rage but with added pump.
I am also considering Fury Charm as more versatile artifact hate, since Smash to Smithereens is dead if if they don't draw the Chalice of the Void, Aether Vial, or Batterskull you brought them in for.
It's also important to share that a Chalice doesn't necessarily lock you out. Casting for triggers alone really does work, and I have won games where all of my 1-drops were countered by one.
I have tested it and I would advise against the Paradise Mantle trap. It's cool when it happens and your Blistercoil Weird survives, but it's a little too gimicky for this deck and doesn't always get you there. If you want that, go check out the deck built around it. It's a super fun deck, but it really needs a huge stack of cards that cantrip, which this deck does not offer. The new cantrips from OGW help with it too.