It seems like cEDH isn't really my thing because combo isn't really my jam, unless it's a combo that's pretty straightforward and designed to do something like "I play a bunch of creatures, buff them all and then attack everyone for 5,000 damage!" or "Okay, ping for 1 until everyone is dead". I'd really prefer if I win a game via combat damage, burn/drain, using lifegain to do stuff like Aetherflux Reservoir, or the cards that make you win if you have over a certain amount of life, or chaining together some sort of infinite token creature, infinite combat steps, or infinite ping combo (Godo + Helm, or Adarkar Valkyrie + Aurelia, the Warleader + sac outlet or some line like that). I like creatures, auras, and equipment, and having some fatties at the top of my curve for beats, be they angels (my favorite), dragons, dinosaurs, demons, or eldrazi. The sort of creatures you'd have in a typical Stompy or creature-based Tron list in another format. Really what I guess I'm looking for is not a cEDH deck, but a creature, creature with planeswalker support, or creatures + burn deck that is of the competitive-casual sort of variety. 75% or 80%ish, so it is more at the level of the rest of the people in my play group, who almost always stomp me. I also have a Starke of Rath theft/stax sort of build that I hate playing against because he pretty much always steals, kills, or steals and sacrifices anything good that I put down, be it a fattie or my commander in a Voltron deck. It's like the deck was designed specifically to piss off Timmies like me. I'll need Homeward Path type effects and protections for my big creatures. My decks tend to look a lot scarier than they really are.
The Archangel Avacyn stax deck that PhroX pointed me to looks awesome, but I'd need to build it on a budget... maybe like $20 per card first, and then add stuff like the swords later. The expensive mana rocks are a no. I'd also have to replace Armageddon with something like Vandalblast or Hour of Revelation for social reasons. I also like the idea of having creatures to sacrifice to flip Avacyn, and possibly some blink, like adding Cloudburst to my Sunforger package.
I also really like the idea of making a deck for Jenara, Sigarda, either Aurelia, or either Gisela. I want to keep the deck 1-3 colors and I am very open to playing Selesnya or Bant to give me easier access to the things that Boros sucks at. Also, a change from Boros might make it much easier to build a deck that's both within my budget and strong enough to compete. All the ones I listed look good, so which would best suit my needs? Note that I do own a Gaea's Cradle, but that's the only really expensive card I have.
I've never built a cEDH deck before for multiplayer, but it seems that I'm going to need one for the GP I'm going to in December. I'd like to make a tempo deck if it's viable in multiplayer. I'd like to make it Boros angels, but I have no idea where to start. The Boros angels deck that I've been playing is fun, but it isn't particularly competitive. The commander is Archangel Avacyn and in the deck's current form, I've never gotten her to flip. I've won maybe 3 games out of over 100 playing it, and I'm usually taken out first because people overestimate the threat level of such a deck. I've had the same trouble with the Selesnya Voltron deck that I use that's also been posted here with Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith as commander. So, I need to find an angels deck that has as much bite as it does bark and that can win or place well at a GP, or I need to look for other options. I'm running on a tight budget, and I need some direction. I don't really own many cards outside of what are in my two decks Any help is appreciated.
I finally have a list for Tajic, Legion's Edge. I went with a Boros semi-midrange version of a white weenie type deck with mentor and other +1/+1 counters effects. I overhauled a deck that JumboCommander posted to YouTube, removing the high CC cards, the banned cards, and stuff I didn't think would do well in Duel. The average CMC is 2.75.. which I don't know if that's where I want to be or not. The current list is $600ish, and I'd like to have a deck with that budget as a starting point so that I can build up as I go likely to an eventual budget of $1200. I want it to be able to compete in a tournament environment with Izzet Walkers, Saskia the Unyielding, Abzan tempo, U/X control decks, Najeela, the Blade Blossom, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, etc.
I know this deck is far from perfect, and any advice is wonderful. I'd like this deck, like I said, to perform in the same sort of ballpark as Kari Zev. This version has a budget mana base, which I can improve a lot with more fetches, Plateau, Mana Confluence, etc. Without further ado:
This is an updated version of what was posted before, including many changes. Any advice you can give is appreciated. I'd also like to add Chance for Glory and Cosmotronic Wave because I think they're really good for this deck. I might be wrong, but I know from prerelease that both are fun.
I got rather excited after acquiring Tajic, Legion's Edge and Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice at the prerelease, and having them lead me to a 3-0-1 record. Are these cards and others from Guilds of Ravnica enough make Boros viable in French Duel Commander? I see the new mentor mechanic as having some merits and the idea of mixing sort of a white weenie strategy with something like how you'd build Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, just in Boros, or possibly Boros hatebears, something that utilizes mentor more fully with pump spells to make mentor even better, or possibly something more midrange-y as all being options. Or a mix of some of the above. Having access to cards like Lightning Helix and Boros Charm appeals to me a lot. I know I need to really focus to build a good duel deck. I'm looking for something that's pretty competitive, the tournaments I go to are full of very competitive and tuned decks. I consider myself a good player, I usually go 2-1 or 2-0-1 in those tournaments with Kari Zev, and I'd want to build something somewhere in that ballpark in power level. An occasional 3-0 would be nice. My meta is usually Izzet walkers, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow in a faerie tribal with the odd ninja shell, and U/X control decks. Occasionally we get the odd white weenie, Abzan tempo, Saskia the Unyielding or green ramp/stompy deck. I'd like to use both the new Tajic and the new Aurelia, if at all possible, and I see one of the two being the commander, and the other inside the deck.
What direction do you think would be most fruitful to these ends? I'll keep playing Kari Zev, because she's fun and effective. I've pretty much put the other ideas I've posted pretty far on the back burner, and likely won't build any of them at this point. Any ideas? My deckbuilding skill is questionable, so help would be much appreciated.
All that makes a lot of sense. How about the fetch lands? Do they thin the deck any? In a 100 card deck it likely wouldn't be much, and you're not using them for color fixing. There must be a really good reason they're in there.
I've posted two decks here on the forums, and I was told by 3drinks that I should come here to get my deck fixed up. I think I did quite well for $150, but apparently it can be much better. I've gone 2-1 or 2-0-1 several times at the local tournament, and the occasional disappointing 0-3. My deck is posted at: https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/forum-1-vs-1-duel-commander/796888-kari-zev-french-duel-commander-sligh . My local meta consists of Rowan Kenrith and Will Kenrith walkers, Saskia, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow fairies/ninjas, and we get the occasional green hard ramp, white weenie,U and U/X control decks, and Abzan Tempo. True-Name Nemesis, Umezawa's Jitte and large amounts of planeswalkers in the walkers deck get played and they usually wreck me. I really like the deck in the OP, and it would cost me around $350 to build it if I take my Kari Zev deck apart for parts. My only questions are: Would you recommend the deck in the OP for my meta? What purpose do the fetchlands serve? Why Mox Amber instead of Ruby Medallion or Fire Diamond? I know it's essentially a Mox Ruby when Kari Zev or Zurgo is out, but there are very few legendary creatures in it besides Kari Zev. Why no Skullcrack? I'm not really questioning your ability to build a deck, but answers to these questions will make me a better player and deck builder. Any help is appreciated.
Even this deck seems a little weak. I lose miserably to Arahbo, and if someone steals Selvala, or uses Lignify or Darksteel Mutation on her then I'm pretty much toast. Not so sure how it will fare against control decks, Saskia the Unyielding, and Najeela, the Blade-Blossom which is pretty much what my meta is. Any suggestions on how to update this list, without making the deck cost more than it does ($400 US)? Also, I already play Kari Zev, Skyship Raider. Would Selvala be as good as her in my local meta? Also, should I add a snow-covered land, Mouth of Ronom, Scrying Sheets package?
I'm looking at the decks on mtgtop8.com for French Duel Commander, and I'm looking to make a Selvala, Heart of the Wilds mono-green elfball deck, so big creatures will be the name of the game. I have a decklist from the site of what I'm looking to build, and it's going to cost around $400 to put together. I know this is already considered "budget" for this format, but I want to build something along the same lines that's cheaper than that.. maybe $100-$200 so that I can have a playable deck in a couple months, as opposed to buying every card for the finished deck and not playing until I have them all. I know certain things are necessary for the deck to function, but I don't know which expensive cards are absolutely necessary, and what I can replace the ones I can replace with. Dark Depths can be replaced pretty easily with just another forest, a Treetop Village or a Pendelhaven. The decklist does not have Cavern of Souls in it.. I may add that too eventually, bringing the price of the deck to $500... or I can change to snow forests, and because Dark Depths is also snow, and so is Boreal Druid I might put in Mouth of Ronom and Scrying Sheets. I know Selvala herself is expensive, but that cost is already a given. Besides Selvala and Dark Depths, these are the cards in the deck that are currently over $10:
I know that ramp, big creatures and being able to tutor for what you need are key to this strategy, but finding creatures to fit the deck and preserve the mana curve is eluding me, as is how many tutors and which ones absolutely can't be cut. Any help in this is greatly appreciated.
I know there is already a thread about a Kari Zev, Skyship Raider deck, but I consider my deck and building philosophy different enough to warrant a separate thread. I wanted to compete in French Duel Commander, but I only had $150 to spend on a deck. I contemplated my options, and looked a lot of tournament decks, and I determined that white weenie and something like Sligh or Red Deck Wins were my best options for my budget. After talking to a couple people about the local meta I determined that fast aggro was very viable, and that Kari Zev was a decent substitute for Zurgo Bellstriker. I may still build Kytheon, Hero of Akros white weenie at some point when I get together more money, but I really like playing burn (My first deck ever and my first tournament deck were both mono-red burn), and I couldn't generate a decklist for Kytheon that came in at under $200 that I was confident could compete with very well-tuned multi-thousand dollar decks. I looked at many Kari Zev and Zurgo tournament decks for inspiration, and after about a week put together my own decklist using the tournament decks I found as inspiration, and adjusting slightly for my meta, avoiding pricey cards that weren't strictly necessary, like Wasteland and Gemstone Caverns. So far my deck has done fairly well in the small tournaments at my local game store, which are 3 rounds with anywhere from 4 to 10 people, putting up 2-1 pretty consistently, and once 2-0-1. I find that the only matchups that are unfavorable for me are Will Kenrith/Rowan Kenrith superfriends and Grand Warlord Radha land destruction. A first turn Black Vise with a third turn Arcane Laboratory and then fourth turn Stasis lock combo wrecked me pretty bad when I was playing against Teferi, Temporal Archmage, but I usually win that matchup. Next game, I mulliganed down to four and only came up with one land.. I lost that match too. An early True-Name Nemesis with an Umezawa's Jitte is also really bad for me. Any advice on how to shore up those weaknesses is appreciated (I know there was nothing I could do in that round against Teferi, luck was just totally for him and against me). I've given enough background, so now the deck:
I really think the deck has the potential to go 3-0, so that will be my next goal to meet. So far it puts a smile on my face to do so well against very competitive and very expensive decks. Anyhow, tell me what you think. I'm considering adding a Sunscorched Desert for more free uncounterable damage, and a Wasteland and possibly a Blood Moon when I can afford it.
Now that I've finally gotten some time to work on my deck again, I've gathered together all the cards that I have that might be relevant to the deck, and I'll list them now so we can maybe talk about which ones are relevant. I've decided I want to go human tribal.
I think I'll go with Alesha first, partly because I already have some Mardu staples to put into the deck, and partly because I relate to her story on a personal level. I started a "Let's Brew" thread about her, and I've been taking those ideas into consideration. I've been busy, so I haven't gotten around to making a deck list yet, and I likely want to ask another question or two before I dive in. Human tribal is looking good for her, but I might throw out the tribal theme entirely if the power level of a non-human Alesha deck is a lot more than that of a human tribal, but it is still like... around 75%, causal, and fair (No MLD, no fast combos, etc.) In general, I spend around $50US on Magic every month, and I want a deck that I can have mostly assembled before too much time has passed, and I can always upgrade pieces as I go along if I really like the deck.
So ideally, I'd like to have a version I can build for $100 or less, and then another that's $300 or under, so I can take it gradually and build, work on improving a deck or two at once. I'll likely build a barebones Alesha build next so that I have three decks I can play with, and because I'm excited at the prospect of having the Alesha deck. Then I can choose which deck to focus on for a given month, or buy whatever cards are available for whatever of my three decks my LGS happens to have the cards to improve. Decks that I can build on a budget and then gradually scale up are ideal for me, and knowing what direction I want to take the build when I improve it is a very good thing, too.
For your commander, you can use any legendary creature, and you can also use any of the 5 planeswalkers from the preconstructed decks that say "You may use this card as your commander", like for example, the white one would be Nahiri, the Lithomancer.
After some suggestions and now reading Alesha's story on the Wizards website, I've decided that it's about time I started thinking about building an Alesha deck. My Archangel Avacyn deck is also based on the lore, so I thought it might be a lot of fun to have an Alesha warrior tribal deck with a reanimation sub-theme.
I can see removal like Ride Down being good, and Boros Charm seems like an auto-include.
I want a build that is strong, but not oppressive, and I do not want to use mass land destruction, and also I am on a budget, so a deck that I can put together for a relatively small amount of money and then upgrade as I go is ideal. Also, I'm a Timmy, so I'd like to have a couple ways in which I can end the game with a bang. I guess wanting to build decks based on the lore makes me a bit of a Johnny too. Alesha is such a cool character, and her story has parallels to my life, so I want the deck to be really fun to play because of the meaning it has for me. Anyhow, any help would be much appreciated.
The Archangel Avacyn stax deck that PhroX pointed me to looks awesome, but I'd need to build it on a budget... maybe like $20 per card first, and then add stuff like the swords later. The expensive mana rocks are a no. I'd also have to replace Armageddon with something like Vandalblast or Hour of Revelation for social reasons. I also like the idea of having creatures to sacrifice to flip Avacyn, and possibly some blink, like adding Cloudburst to my Sunforger package.
I also really like the idea of making a deck for Jenara, Sigarda, either Aurelia, or either Gisela. I want to keep the deck 1-3 colors and I am very open to playing Selesnya or Bant to give me easier access to the things that Boros sucks at. Also, a change from Boros might make it much easier to build a deck that's both within my budget and strong enough to compete. All the ones I listed look good, so which would best suit my needs? Note that I do own a Gaea's Cradle, but that's the only really expensive card I have.
I know this deck is far from perfect, and any advice is wonderful. I'd like this deck, like I said, to perform in the same sort of ballpark as Kari Zev. This version has a budget mana base, which I can improve a lot with more fetches, Plateau, Mana Confluence, etc. Without further ado:
1 Tajic, Legion's Edge
Creature (40)
1 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider (2 CMC)
1 Sun Titan (6 CMC)
1 Adorned Pouncer (2 CMC)
1 Goblin Guide (1 CMC)
1 Recruiter of the Guard (3 CMC)
1 Imperial Recruiter (3 CMC)
1 Falkenrath Gorger (1 CMC)
1 Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice (4 CMC)
1 Aven Mindcensor (3 CMC)
1 Bastion Protector (3 CMC)
1 Boros Swiftblade (2 CMC)
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos (3 CMC)
1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit (2 CMC)
1 Dark-Dweller Oracle (2 CMC)
1 Fencing Ace (2 CMC)
1 Grand Abolisher (2 CMC)
1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser (2 CMC)
1 Lightning Serpent (1 CMC)
1 Bloodlust Inciter (1 CMC)
1 Hanweir Militia Captain (2 CMC)
1 Iroas, God of Victory (4 CMC)
1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros (1 CMC)
1 Legion Loyalist (1 CMC)
1 Kor Firewalker (2 CMC)
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (2 CMC)
1 Mentor of the Meek (3 CMC)
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch (1 CMC)
1 Mirran Crusader (3 CMC)
1 Mother of Runes (1 CMC)
1 Gisela, the Broken Blade (4 CMC)
1 Spark Elemental
1 Prophetic Flamespeaker (3 CMC)
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Soldier of the Pantheon (1 CMC)
1 Stoneforge Mystic (2 CMC)
1 Tajic, Blade of the Legion (4 CMC)
1 Dragon Hunter (1 CMC)
1 Tilonalli's Summoner (2 CMC)
1 Truefire Captain (4 CMC)
1 Walking Ballista (variable CMC)
1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride (3 CMC)
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant (4 CMC)
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance (4 CMC)
1 Nahiri, the Harbinger (4 CMC)
Enchantments (2)
1 Duelist's Heritage (3 CMC)
1 Legion's Landing (1 CMC)
Sorcery (3)
1 Fiery Confluence (4 CMC)
1 Collective Effort (3 CMC)
1 Reckless Abandon (1 CMC)
Instant (10)
1 Boros Charm (2 CMC)
1 Path of Exile (1 CMC)
1 Lightning Bolt (1 CMC)
1 Smash to Smithereens (2 CMC)
1 Swords to Plowshares (1 CMC)
1 Justice Strike (2 CMC)
1 Risk Factor (3 CMC)
1 Rift Bolt (1 CMC)
1 Chain Lightning
1 Lightning Helix
Artifact (5)
1 Boros Signet (2 CMC)
1 Swiftfoot Boots (2 CMC)
1 Lightning Greaves (2 CMC)
1 Sword of Fire and Ice (2 CMC)
1 Umezawa's Jitte (2 CMC)
Land (35)
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Command Tower
1 Eiganjo Castle
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Inspiring Vantage
1 City of Brass
8 Mountain
1 Needle Spires
13 Plains
1 Rugged Prairie
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Arid Mesa
1 Flooded Strand
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Cavern of Souls
If you want to see stats on my deck, you can find it on Tapped Out. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/tajic-mentor11-counters-build/?cb=1539055616
This is an updated version of what was posted before, including many changes. Any advice you can give is appreciated. I'd also like to add Chance for Glory and Cosmotronic Wave because I think they're really good for this deck. I might be wrong, but I know from prerelease that both are fun.
What direction do you think would be most fruitful to these ends? I'll keep playing Kari Zev, because she's fun and effective. I've pretty much put the other ideas I've posted pretty far on the back burner, and likely won't build any of them at this point. Any ideas? My deckbuilding skill is questionable, so help would be much appreciated.
1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
LANDS
1 Crystal Vein
1 Dark Depths
1 Eye of Ugin
31 Forest
1 Hickory Woodlot
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Wirewood Lodge
CREATURES
1 Arbor Elf
1 Arborback Stomper
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Boreal Druid
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
1 Devoted Druid
1 Elderscale Wurm
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Emrakul, the Promised End
1 Eternal Witness
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Fierce Empath
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Great Sable Stag
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Mistcutter Hydra
1 Myr Superion
1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
1 Phyrexian Soulgorger
1 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Priest of Titania
1 Primalcrux
1 Primeval Titan
1 Quirion Ranger
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Regal Force
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Sheltering Ancient
1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
1 Sylvan Caryatid
1 Sylvan Primordial
1 Thragtusk
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Thunderfoot Baloth
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
1 Wirewood Symbiote
1 Woodland Bellower
1 World Breaker
1 Aspect of Hydra
1 Chord of Calling
1 Eldritch Evolution
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Primal Command
1 Summoner's Pact
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Worldly Tutor
OTHER SPELLS
1 Birthing Pod
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Hall of Gemstone
1 Skullclamp
1 Song of the Dryads
1 Staff of Domination
1 Umbral Mantle
1 Wild Growth
Even this deck seems a little weak. I lose miserably to Arahbo, and if someone steals Selvala, or uses Lignify or Darksteel Mutation on her then I'm pretty much toast. Not so sure how it will fare against control decks, Saskia the Unyielding, and Najeela, the Blade-Blossom which is pretty much what my meta is. Any suggestions on how to update this list, without making the deck cost more than it does ($400 US)? Also, I already play Kari Zev, Skyship Raider. Would Selvala be as good as her in my local meta? Also, should I add a snow-covered land, Mouth of Ronom, Scrying Sheets package?
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
1 Emrakul, the Promised End
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
1 Primeval Titan
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary - (might replace this with Elvish Archdruid or Wall of Roots)
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
1 Chord of Calling
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Birthing Pod
1 Hall of Gemstone
1 Staff of Domination
I know that ramp, big creatures and being able to tutor for what you need are key to this strategy, but finding creatures to fit the deck and preserve the mana curve is eluding me, as is how many tutors and which ones absolutely can't be cut. Any help in this is greatly appreciated.
1 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
Lands (37)
1 Buried Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Great Furnace
1 Mirrorpool
31 Mountain
1 Ramunap Ruins
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
Artifacts (5)
1 Ankh of Mishra
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
1 Ruby Medallion
1 Smuggler's Copter
1 Winter Orb
Enchantments (2)
1 Pyrostatic Pillar
1 Seal of Fire
Instants (14)
1 Abrade
1 Burst Lightning
1 Char
1 Guerrilla Tactics
1 Incinerate
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Pulse of the Forge
1 Rhystic Lightning
1 Searing Blood
1 Shard Volley
1 Shock
1 Skullcrack
1 Sonic Burst
1 Thunderbolt
1 Incendiary Flow
1 Cave-In
1 Chain Lightning
1 Fiery Confluence
1 Firebolt
1 Flame Jab
1 Forked Bolt
1 Landslide
1 Lava Spike
1 Raze
1 Reckless Abandon
1 Rift Bolt
1 Slagstorm
1 Spitting Earth
Planeswalkers (2)
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Jaya Ballard
Creatures (25)
1 Abbot of Keral Keep
1 Ash Zealot
1 Bedlam Reveler
1 Bomat Courier
1 Captain Lannery Storm
1 Chandra's Phoenix
1 Firebrand Archer
1 Goblin Guide
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Guttersnipe
1 Hellspark Elemental
1 Longhorn Firebeast
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Monastery Swiftspear
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Scab-Clan Berserker
1 Slith Firewalker
1 Soul-Scar Mage
1 Spark Elemental
1 Territorial Hellkite
1 Thermo-Alchemist
1 Young Pyromancer
1 Zo-Zu the Punisher
1 Zurgo Bellstriker
I really think the deck has the potential to go 3-0, so that will be my next goal to meet. So far it puts a smile on my face to do so well against very competitive and very expensive decks. Anyhow, tell me what you think. I'm considering adding a Sunscorched Desert for more free uncounterable damage, and a Wasteland and possibly a Blood Moon when I can afford it.
1 Anguished Unmaking
1 Mortify
1 Terminate
1 Luminous Bonds
1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
Recursion
1 Unburial Rites
1 Phyrexian Reclamaition
Combat Stuff
1 Master Warcraft
1 Rogue's Passage
Graveyard Hate
1 Bojuka Bog
Draw and Card Advantage
1 Read the Bones
1 Costly Plunder - also a sac outlet
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Promise of Power
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Diabolic Tutor
Ramp
1 Oketra's Monument
1 Bontu's Monument
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Chromatic Lantern
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Fellwar Stone
1 Sphere of the Suns
Creatures
1 Master of Cruelties
1 Boros Guildmage
1 Anger
Mana and Fetch Lands
1 Rupture Spire
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Jund Panorama
1 Nomad Outpost
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Blood Crypt
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Sulfurous Springs
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Stone Quarry
So ideally, I'd like to have a version I can build for $100 or less, and then another that's $300 or under, so I can take it gradually and build, work on improving a deck or two at once. I'll likely build a barebones Alesha build next so that I have three decks I can play with, and because I'm excited at the prospect of having the Alesha deck. Then I can choose which deck to focus on for a given month, or buy whatever cards are available for whatever of my three decks my LGS happens to have the cards to improve. Decks that I can build on a budget and then gradually scale up are ideal for me, and knowing what direction I want to take the build when I improve it is a very good thing, too.
After some suggestions and now reading Alesha's story on the Wizards website, I've decided that it's about time I started thinking about building an Alesha deck. My Archangel Avacyn deck is also based on the lore, so I thought it might be a lot of fun to have an Alesha warrior tribal deck with a reanimation sub-theme.
In addition to warriors I also see small creatures with beneficial effects and/or tricks attached as being very good (Disciple of Bolas, Karmic Guide, Ravenous Chupacabra, Mentor of the Meek, Master of Cruelties, Nekrataal, Burnished Hart, Kor Cartographer, etc.)
I also see the need for sac outlets in a deck like this, as well as discard outlets and effects like Buried Alive. Red card draw that pitches things into your graveyard is good too (Cathartic Reunion, Faithless Looting, Nahiri, the Harbinger, wheels.) I also see Final Parting from Dominaria as being especially good. Throwing things into the graveyard and getting them back with Alesha, Sun Titan, Reveillark, Karmic Guide, etc.
I think I want to stay more in the warrior tribal theme, so I want most, but not all, of the creatures to be warriors, and I know I want the main theme to be reanimation, because that will work even without Alesha, it will just work better if she's on the battlefield. Also warriors-matters cards like Lovisa Coldeyes, Blood-Chin Rager, Arashin Foremost, Mardu Strike Leader, Raider's Spoils, Herald of Dromoka, Boldwyr Intimidator.
Things to protect Alesha are also going to be critical. Iroas, God of Victory, Lightning Greaves, Reconnaissance, and board wipes that can leave her on the board: Slaughter the Strong, Kindred Dominance, Austere Command.
I can see removal like Ride Down being good, and Boros Charm seems like an auto-include.
I want a build that is strong, but not oppressive, and I do not want to use mass land destruction, and also I am on a budget, so a deck that I can put together for a relatively small amount of money and then upgrade as I go is ideal. Also, I'm a Timmy, so I'd like to have a couple ways in which I can end the game with a bang. I guess wanting to build decks based on the lore makes me a bit of a Johnny too. Alesha is such a cool character, and her story has parallels to my life, so I want the deck to be really fun to play because of the meaning it has for me. Anyhow, any help would be much appreciated.