From my point of view, Simic Nissa is of the best Planeswalkers I've ever seen. She's versatile as hell and fits in almost every strategy, from aggro to midrange, control or ramp. her three abilities are great and topdecking her would never be a problem: on turn 3 she can improve your next two draws; on turn 8 the moment she enters the battlefield you can attack for 10 damage by air. She has to be dealt with ASAP.
Imagine this scenario:
T1: Forest, Attune with Aether
T2: Island, Let's say, longtusk cub
T3: Land, Nissa, +2 her, put a land on top and a 3 CMC creature (Rishkar, Peema renegade, Rhonas, the indomitable) second on top, attack with Cub
T4: Land you draw, Nissa's 0, put Rhonas in play, then cast Bristling Hydra.
Then you have a 4/4 Cub, Rhonas and Hydra in play. I think that's pretty awesome.
Hi everyone! I've seen several decks around the Gearhulks-soul separator/reanimator synergy and I wanted to show my take. I think there's no need to go Mardu or Jund when we have great cards in Red and White, along with plenty of resources to discard, draw, burn and destroy.
The star is, of course, Refurbish. Bring back a Gearhulk on turn 4 becomes plausible and pretty common. The idea is control the board with burn spells and draw like crazy to refurbish a dude from the graveyard. There's also a couple copies of Goblin dark-dwellers to refurbish again if necessary, or recast a burn spell. I chose incendiary flow over galvanic bombardment to hit planeswalkers by sacrificing instant speed. Speaking of planeswalkers, Nahiri is my choice here. gets dudes in the graveyard and destroys artifacts and enchantments (also, her ultimate ability is Da bomb). To my surprise, the new Chandra got cut out from the main 60.
Honestly, all the changes we make to the deck will depend exclusively on the meta we are playing, as all the cards you mentioned have an ability that shines against especific matchups.
In the case of Gonti, lord of luxury, i also love him but i don't think he fits in the deck .
Why not? The only reason I would not play him in a control deck it's because of sweepers (I mean sweepers I'd play), but Languish rotates out
Gotta try him to see the potential hehe.
I'd say give him a try. At first I was skeptical, but when I read two o three times I realized it says ANY SPELL, every turn if you want, and you can keep playing it even if Gonti dies. Awesome.
Honestly, all the changes we make to the deck will depend exclusively on the meta we are playing, as all the cards you mentioned have an ability that shines against especific matchups.
In the case of Gonti, lord of luxury, i also love him but i don't think he fits in the deck .
Why not? The only reason I would not play him in a control deck it's because of sweepers (I mean sweepers I'd play), but Languish rotates out
I love the deck, but maybe you're a little too invested in Torrential gearhulk; although he's great, you might consider Noxious gearhulk (harder to block, kills and lifegain), or Demon of dark schemes (flies, sweeps and reanimates). Maybe a ratio 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 would give more versatility to the deck.
That's potential 40 damage on turn 5 guys. Not counting on the new Chandra, bristling hydra, arborback stomper, burn spells...I'm SOOO playing this deck.
Hi guys, I feel completely off on this. So I have to pay ten bucks to play a shortened version of Magic where I'd have to pay more if I want to get good cards? Is there just a free database of cards where I can make my own decks and practice with them to see if I actually want to buy them?
How often is that going to happen? Imo Youths is only good on turn 3 with madness. Everywhere else it is really mediocre. A 4/3 body with no evasion really isn't that scary with so many eldrazi around. The other thing is the madness cost is 3cmc. That means that you have to play mediocre cards like Bloodseeker just to enable more free discard. Apart from Neonate (which nobody runs) and Heir (great card) there is no other good options for discard free of cost. Olivia requires creatures to enter the battlefield in order for you to discard a card. This means you have to cast at the very least a 1cmc vamp and hope you have 4 mana available to cast Youths for madness. The more likely scenario is casting a 2cmc vamp which means youre going to need 5 mana available. In a super fast aggro deck like this that just isn't the case a lot of the time. I also don't see what's so great about bloodseeker. Given my stance on the pretty mediocre madness cards I dont see why you would run this guy. A 3/1 body with no haste or evasion. Really average imo. You can't even discard multiple times cause his ability is +2/-2.
I think if you're going to play this deck your madness cards need to be either cheap (1-2cmc) or really really good (nothing stands out atm), or you have fast, evasive threats with cheap madness as an added bonus. That's why in my list I've gone for 15 fliers and 8 1cmc(madness) 3dmg spells.
When I first looked at the list I too thought bloodseeker and youths would be insane but the more I thought about it the less I liked it. I guess we'll have to see when the set releases but I really don't think it's going to happen
I agree that Bloodseeker is mediocre, but is exactly as mediocre as Aquamoeba was back in Oddyssey block, and it showed on every deck. He's just useful. He allows you to activate madness for free every turn, and what this mechanic is about. Call the bloodline or lightning axe you have to spend one mana, Tormenting voice is two mana and Olivia needs you to play a creature as you said. This deck must have several ways of activate madness for free, hence bloodseeker, Liliana, Heretical Healer (transformed) and Insolent neonate. Neonate is an unblockable 1/1 and an auto-replaceable, madness-enabler blocker when needed. Heir is pretty good, but it only allows madness once per copy. She's a solid beater when transformed but not a madness enabler.
IMO not playing Incorrigible Youths is wrong. The card is the big Madness payoff (along with Temper and Alms). It has the opportunity to put some serious pressure on your opponent.
You make some good points, but it's not easy to leave three mana open on this deck when Incorrigible youths can be relevant (by turn 4). I'll test it anyway by removing both copies of Tormenting voice and I'll let you know how it went.
I'm not completely convinced on many of the Vampires it's usual to see in this kind of decks, such as falkenrath gorger, Heir of falkenrath or Incorrigible Youths. I don't think they're bad, but I prefer to try other cards, like my beloved Sin prodder. The thing with this little guy is he puts a lot of pressure on the opponent's side, forcing him to take several poinst of damage while he's beaten by tiny creatures and suffering spells to the face. Another great thing I found out is how easy is to gain life with this deck. From Liliana, to Alms of the vein or call the bloodline tokens, facing aggro decks won't be a problemm with the right timing.
I wanted to make sure I had enough discard outlets that didn't need mana to be activated, and I came up with 10 cards, being Liliana, Heretical healer the real star: While she stays on board she's a solid beater with lifelink, but when she transforms...free madness every turn, and the opponent loses a card. Or use her second ability to get on board Sin prodder or Insolent neonate to sac him again and draw.
The deck has 14 cards with madness, all of them quite resourceful played at the end of the opponent's turn. Of course the main concern of such a mechanic is not having any cards on hand on turn 4-5, and that's why Prodder, Asylum Visitor (Phyrexian Arena with legs, and look: if the opp doesn't have any cards, you ALSO draw on his turn) and tormenting voice are for.
Still tweaking the manabase, but 22 lands seem enough. Will update with sideboard ASAP.
This is basically a ZOO deck: Minimum mana cost, almost infinite resources and every tiny creature is a threat on its own. I added my beloved Den protector for recursion and of course she is unblockable most of the time. Also Kytheon is a must-kill within 2 turns, otherwise he becomes a beast that makes creatures indestructible. Slab hammer and molten vortex are the tech when topdecking -which is most of the time from turn 4- and they work very well together.
First of all, this deck is super fun and super competitive. It runs 13 counterspells, 9 removal and 26 lands which I think is the perfect number with so much cantrip tech via Dig through time (Oh my God!), Ojutai's Command, Jace or Narset. I'm completely sold on Tragic arrogance, it is painful for a lot of decks and absolutely destroys some others. I think 1 main/1 side is the way to go. I also side 2 copies of Displacement wave against token swarm, Stubborn denial against burn, Hangarback walker plus Silumgar's scorn against mirror and Ugin against everyone
I don't quite undersand the point of the deck. You run a bunch of Allies, but you also run fatties that seem totally out of place. Felidar Sovereign and no lifegain? Woodland wanderer is great, but by turn 4 wouldn't you prefer to cast Gideon or Munda instead? Also, Abbot of Keral keep? Why?
27 lands is preferable in control decks. You play midrange aggro and you only have one card that costs more than 4. Cut at least 3 lands and decide how are you going to play.
PS: In my opinion, i'd cut red and add black for more consistency, or stay with red to add burn and increase speed.
The best part is it says ''if A creature''. Any creature. OP's creatures also. So...could it fit in Rakdos Beatdown or Control black?
Imagine this scenario:
T1: Forest, Attune with Aether
T2: Island, Let's say, longtusk cub
T3: Land, Nissa, +2 her, put a land on top and a 3 CMC creature (Rishkar, Peema renegade, Rhonas, the indomitable) second on top, attack with Cub
T4: Land you draw, Nissa's 0, put Rhonas in play, then cast Bristling Hydra.
Then you have a 4/4 Cub, Rhonas and Hydra in play. I think that's pretty awesome.
EDIT: Also, she works extremely well with Rashmi, eternities crafter.
2 combustible gearhulk
2 goblin dark-dwellers
2 Nahiri, the harbinger
2 soul separator
3 kozilek's return
2 lightning axe
3 cathartic reunion
2 tormenting voice
2 fragmentize
2 collective defiance
3 incendiary flow
1 fumigate
25 lands
4 inspiring vantage
4 stone quarry
4 evolving wilds
2 drownyard temple
1 blighted gorge
7 mountain
3 plains
Hi everyone! I've seen several decks around the Gearhulks-soul separator/reanimator synergy and I wanted to show my take. I think there's no need to go Mardu or Jund when we have great cards in Red and White, along with plenty of resources to discard, draw, burn and destroy.
The star is, of course, Refurbish. Bring back a Gearhulk on turn 4 becomes plausible and pretty common. The idea is control the board with burn spells and draw like crazy to refurbish a dude from the graveyard. There's also a couple copies of Goblin dark-dwellers to refurbish again if necessary, or recast a burn spell. I chose incendiary flow over galvanic bombardment to hit planeswalkers by sacrificing instant speed. Speaking of planeswalkers, Nahiri is my choice here. gets dudes in the graveyard and destroys artifacts and enchantments (also, her ultimate ability is Da bomb). To my surprise, the new Chandra got cut out from the main 60.
Let me know your thoughts/advice/criticism folks
I'd say give him a try. At first I was skeptical, but when I read two o three times I realized it says ANY SPELL, every turn if you want, and you can keep playing it even if Gonti dies. Awesome.
Why not? The only reason I would not play him in a control deck it's because of sweepers (I mean sweepers I'd play), but Languish rotates out
Also, thre's some of favorites I'd like to point: ceremonious rejection (perfect fit on SB, denies from smuggler's copter to skysovereign, consul flagship to ANY Eldrazi!! for one mana), deadlock trap (a nice way to use energy and the only resource to deal with planeswalkers) and Gonti, lord of luxury (OMG, steal collective defiance, gearhulks, reflector mage, planeswalkers...)
T1 Toolcraft exemplar
T2 servo exhibition
T3 Pia Nalaar
Thats five creatures on turn three and a lot of pressure.
T2 Voltaic brawler
T3 Lathnu hellion
T4 fleetwheel cruiser
T5 Verdurous Gearhulk
That's potential 40 damage on turn 5 guys. Not counting on the new Chandra, bristling hydra, arborback stomper, burn spells...I'm SOOO playing this deck.
I agree that Bloodseeker is mediocre, but is exactly as mediocre as Aquamoeba was back in Oddyssey block, and it showed on every deck. He's just useful. He allows you to activate madness for free every turn, and what this mechanic is about. Call the bloodline or lightning axe you have to spend one mana, Tormenting voice is two mana and Olivia needs you to play a creature as you said. This deck must have several ways of activate madness for free, hence bloodseeker, Liliana, Heretical Healer (transformed) and Insolent neonate. Neonate is an unblockable 1/1 and an auto-replaceable, madness-enabler blocker when needed. Heir is pretty good, but it only allows madness once per copy. She's a solid beater when transformed but not a madness enabler.
You make some good points, but it's not easy to leave three mana open on this deck when Incorrigible youths can be relevant (by turn 4). I'll test it anyway by removing both copies of Tormenting voice and I'll let you know how it went.
4 insolent neonate
4 asylum visitor
4 sin prodder
3 ravenous bloodseeker
3 Liliana, heretical healer
4 Fiery temper
4 Alms of the vein
3 Duress
2 Lightning axe
2 Murderous compulsion
2 Tormenting voice
3 call the bloodline
22 Lands
I'm not completely convinced on many of the Vampires it's usual to see in this kind of decks, such as falkenrath gorger, Heir of falkenrath or Incorrigible Youths. I don't think they're bad, but I prefer to try other cards, like my beloved Sin prodder. The thing with this little guy is he puts a lot of pressure on the opponent's side, forcing him to take several poinst of damage while he's beaten by tiny creatures and suffering spells to the face. Another great thing I found out is how easy is to gain life with this deck. From Liliana, to Alms of the vein or call the bloodline tokens, facing aggro decks won't be a problemm with the right timing.
I wanted to make sure I had enough discard outlets that didn't need mana to be activated, and I came up with 10 cards, being Liliana, Heretical healer the real star: While she stays on board she's a solid beater with lifelink, but when she transforms...free madness every turn, and the opponent loses a card. Or use her second ability to get on board Sin prodder or Insolent neonate to sac him again and draw.
The deck has 14 cards with madness, all of them quite resourceful played at the end of the opponent's turn. Of course the main concern of such a mechanic is not having any cards on hand on turn 4-5, and that's why Prodder, Asylum Visitor (Phyrexian Arena with legs, and look: if the opp doesn't have any cards, you ALSO draw on his turn) and tormenting voice are for.
Still tweaking the manabase, but 22 lands seem enough. Will update with sideboard ASAP.
4 Scythe Leopard
4 Makindi sliderunner
4 Monastery swiftspear
4 Abbot of keral keep
2 den protector
2 Kytheon, hero of akros
spells & tech (17)
4 Atarka's command
1 swell of growth
4 Fiery impulse
2 exquisite firecraft
3 valorous stance
2 slab hammer
2 molten vortex
4 wooded foothills
2 Arid mesa
1 windswept heath
4 Cinder glade
4 stomping ground
1 canopy vista
1 fertile thicket
4 Mountain
2 plains
This is basically a ZOO deck: Minimum mana cost, almost infinite resources and every tiny creature is a threat on its own. I added my beloved Den protector for recursion and of course she is unblockable most of the time. Also Kytheon is a must-kill within 2 turns, otherwise he becomes a beast that makes creatures indestructible. Slab hammer and molten vortex are the tech when topdecking -which is most of the time from turn 4- and they work very well together.
I hate the manabase, can you guys help me?
Any feedback is much appreciated.
4 Horribly awry
3 Clash of wills
3 Swift Reckoning
2 Valorous Stance
3 Scatter to the winds
3 Dig through time
3 Ojutai's Command
3 Planar Outburst
1 Tragic Arrogance
Creatures (7)
4 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
3 Dragonlord Ojutai
2 Narset transcendent
Lands (26)
4 Prairie Stream
4 Tranquil cove
4 Flooded Strand
2 Haven of the Spirit dragon
1 polluted delta
1 Windswpt heath
7 Island
3 Plains
1 Tragic arrogance
2 displacement Wave
3 Stasis Snare
1 Ugin, the spirit dragon
3 Stubborn denial
3 Silumgar's Scorn
2 Hangarback walker
First of all, this deck is super fun and super competitive. It runs 13 counterspells, 9 removal and 26 lands which I think is the perfect number with so much cantrip tech via Dig through time (Oh my God!), Ojutai's Command, Jace or Narset. I'm completely sold on Tragic arrogance, it is painful for a lot of decks and absolutely destroys some others. I think 1 main/1 side is the way to go. I also side 2 copies of Displacement wave against token swarm, Stubborn denial against burn, Hangarback walker plus Silumgar's scorn against mirror and Ugin against everyone
27 lands is preferable in control decks. You play midrange aggro and you only have one card that costs more than 4. Cut at least 3 lands and decide how are you going to play.
PS: In my opinion, i'd cut red and add black for more consistency, or stay with red to add burn and increase speed.