Hey all! This is my girlfriend Sarah's first alter. She is an amazing artist, and I think this is a pretty awesome first attempt! More to come in the future!
I don't feel overly reliant on card draw in this deck. I feel that it can just use the tokens to it's advantage and avoid overextending. An Enlightened Tutor is definitely something I would like to get a hold of one of these days though. Instead of just relying on Skullclamp (especially because I don't run enough other equipment to warrant the use of those other guys) I would rather find room for a Sylvan Library and maybe another card or two.
I noticed you only run one of the three possible Signets in your list. Why not just make it a Darksteel Ingot? Better yet, since you're in green, why not play one of the many other green ramp spells that are just plain better than a single Signet?
You are right, those are better choices. I will be getting a Return to Dust and a Artifact Mutation in here as well for additional artifact and enchantment removal.
I do like where the Boros Signet sits in the curve better than Darksteel Ingot though. That way I can drop a four drop on turn 3, in addition to not having another spell in the three drop spot. I'll keep that under consideration though.
I don't understand why people are getting so upset. Sure, the lack of win condition is bothersome, because it seems like the desk doesn't want to do ANYTHING but constantly wipe the board.
However, there is no reason he needs to be criticized for running this deck. I would be no more annoyed by this deck than just about any mono-blue deck.
As far as the deck is concerned, you'll definitely want to make sure you are running Man lands and possibly the Genju/Zendikon spells for getting some damage in there. You absolutely HAVE to run Crucible of Worlds in here and will probably want to run and Life from the Loam.
Ok, so my build will probably look pretty similar to most Savra decks. On a relative budget... Have had this deck together for about 2 years so it's been a slow accumulation.
So basically the title says it all. This deck is VERY mana intensive. Combine that with the fact that the deck likes lands in the graveyard, for the deck MVP, Worm Harvest (contends with Corpse Dance) and things get a little conflicted. I think I need to get a bit more ramp in here... Possibly looking at something like this:
Obviously this deck fears graveyard hate, a lot. I do want to get a bit more discard in here if I can. Obviously there is Sadistic Hypnotist, which I will likely include but have been trying to avoid due to cheesiness.
Obviously the mana base could use a lot of work. Other than that, I would like to find a way to get some earlier token generation going if possible. To become more competitive I will probably eventually have to stray from attempting to be solely Soldiers, Goblins and Saprolings.
I actually find it rather funny that a lot of people who run Rafiq of the Many kind of only select him for the colors and don't exploit him for his true power.
There is some great art for sure. I don't know why Raymond Swanland wasn't commissioned to do more art. That is seriously disappointing. Then they go and get this Ryan Pancoast kid whose style is way too cartoony (though I do like Brass Squire). Treasure Mage honestly has the worst art I have seen in a while.
I think that you could definitely consider some of the cards from the Umbra cycle, particularly Snake Umbra which works well with a Double Striking attacker. In general I feel that your Aura selections seem rather weak. Have you considered the removal type Auras such as Arrest, Faith's Fetters or Prison Term?
Other very good enchantments: Glare of Subdual - Puts your non-attackers to good use. Mirari's Wake Ardent Plea - Great card advantage with even 1 Enchantress on the board.
I don't feel overly reliant on card draw in this deck. I feel that it can just use the tokens to it's advantage and avoid overextending. An Enlightened Tutor is definitely something I would like to get a hold of one of these days though. Instead of just relying on Skullclamp (especially because I don't run enough other equipment to warrant the use of those other guys) I would rather find room for a Sylvan Library and maybe another card or two.
I will be giving this guy a try for sure once I get one.
You are right, those are better choices. I will be getting a Return to Dust and a Artifact Mutation in here as well for additional artifact and enchantment removal.
I do like where the Boros Signet sits in the curve better than Darksteel Ingot though. That way I can drop a four drop on turn 3, in addition to not having another spell in the three drop spot. I'll keep that under consideration though.
I would rather not run a ton of ramp spells in this deck. It doesn't particularly need more than 8 mana at any given point.
However, there is no reason he needs to be criticized for running this deck. I would be no more annoyed by this deck than just about any mono-blue deck.
As far as the deck is concerned, you'll definitely want to make sure you are running Man lands and possibly the Genju/Zendikon spells for getting some damage in there. You absolutely HAVE to run Crucible of Worlds in here and will probably want to run and Life from the Loam.
1 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
Artifacts:
1 Mox Diamond
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Sol Ring
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
Creatures:
1 Hermit Druid
1 Bone Shredder
1 Eternal Witness
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Necroplasm
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Stronghold Assassin
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Spike Weaver
1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
1 Mitotic Slime
1 Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
1 Shriekmaw
1 Duplicant
1 Tar Fiend
1 Mournwhelk
1 Terastodon
1 Verdant Force
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1 Raven's Crime
1 Naturalize
1 Krosan Grip
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Putrefy
1 Barter in Blood
1 Grave Pact
1 Mutilate
Card Draw & Tutor:
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Sylvan Library
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Harmonize
1 Momentous Fall
1 Reprocess
1 Praetor's Council
Token Generator & Misc:
1 Life from the Loam
1 Corpse Dance
1 Cultivate
1 Far Wanderings
1 Harrow
1 Primal Growth
1 Victimize
1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
1 Lilianna Vess
1 Living Death
1 Syphon Flesh
1 Worm Harvest
1 Barren Moor
1 Bayou
1 Khalni Garden
1 Lake of the Dead
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Verdant Catacombs
So basically the title says it all. This deck is VERY mana intensive. Combine that with the fact that the deck likes lands in the graveyard, for the deck MVP, Worm Harvest (contends with Corpse Dance) and things get a little conflicted. I think I need to get a bit more ramp in here... Possibly looking at something like this:
+ Explosive Vegetation
+ Kodama's Reach
However, if I get the engine going (Life from the Loam, cycle lands, Hermit Druid, Worm Harvest), things get out of hand fast.
Obviously this deck fears graveyard hate, a lot. I do want to get a bit more discard in here if I can. Obviously there is Sadistic Hypnotist, which I will likely include but have been trying to avoid due to cheesiness.
Other cards I know I need are:
+ Damnation
+ Creakwood Liege
If anyone has any suggestions, that would be great.
1 Rith, the Awakener
Artifacts:
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Skullclamp
1 Boros Signet
1 Khalni Gem
Creatures:
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Twilight Drover
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Loxodon Hierarch
1 Wilt-Leaf Liege
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Knight-Captain of Eos
1 Mycoloth
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Silklash Spider
1 Thelonite Hermit
1 World Queller
1 Captain of the Watch
1 Nemata, Grove Guardian
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Tolsimir Wolfblood
1 Verdeloth, the Ancient
1 Terastodon
1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Elspeth Tirel
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Sarkhan Vol
Spells:
1 Banefire
1 Condemn
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Aura Mutation
1 Echoing Courage
1 Fight to the Death
1 Hull Breach
1 Naturalize
1 Martial Coup
1 Cultivate
1 Harrow
1 Naya Charm
1 Primal Growth
1 Harmonize
1 Momentous Fall
1 Wrath of God
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Overrun
1 Collective Unconscious
1 Kirtar's Wrath
1 Hour of Reckoning
1 Titanic Ultimatum
1 Goblin Bombardment
1 Aura Shards
1 Beastmaster Ascension
1 Rise of the Hobgoblins
1 Fires of Yavimaya
1 Goblin Assault
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Glare of Subdual
1 Marshal's Anthem
1 Verdent Embrace
Non-Basic Lands:
1 Arid Mesa
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree
1 Windbrisk Heights
1 Wooded Bastion
Obviously the mana base could use a lot of work. Other than that, I would like to find a way to get some earlier token generation going if possible. To become more competitive I will probably eventually have to stray from attempting to be solely Soldiers, Goblins and Saprolings.
Suggestions and comments appreciated.
1 Rafiq of the Many
Artifact:
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mox Diamond
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
Creatures:
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
1 Dauntless Escort
1 Eternal Witness
1 Jenara, Asura of War
1 Spawnwrithe
1 Trygon Predator
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Clone
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Stoic Angel
1 Mulldrifter
1 Acidic Slime
1 Battlegrace Angel
1 Karmic Guide
1 Putrefax
1 Reveillark
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Duplicant
1 Sun Titan
1 Terastodon
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Seal of Removal
1 Dust to Dust
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Day of Judgement
1 Return to Dust
1 Wrath of God
1 Rout
1 Treachery
1 Blatant Thievery
Card Draw/Tutor:
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Skullclamp
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Sylvan Library
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Wargate
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Harmonize
1 Time Spiral
Beat-MORE-Face!:
1 Rancor
1 Snake Umbra
1 Might of Oaks
1 Finest Hour
1 Eldrazi Conscription
1 Counterspell
1 Cultivate
1 Redirect
1 Absorb
1 Bant Charm
1 Treva's Charm
1 Sleep
Non-Basic Land:
1 Adakar Wastes
1 Breeding Pool
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Mystic Gate
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Razorverge Thicket
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Strip Mine
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Wooded Bastion
1 Yavimaya Coast
I actually find it rather funny that a lot of people who run Rafiq of the Many kind of only select him for the colors and don't exploit him for his true power.
I have a mini-theme of card advantage through recursion using Sun Titan, Reveillark and Sword of Light and Shadow. Some of these cards are purely for fun, like Spawnwrithe, who can get out of hand if drawn early.
Insta-Kills assuming unblocked:
Might of Oaks or Finest Hour on Rafiq of the Many - both possible by turn 4.
Any of the above, including Rafiq of the Many can power Putrefax for a single kill. Also each possible by turn 4.
Some cards I intend to eventually try and fit in:
Voidslime
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Glen Elendra Archmage
Sower of Temptation
Sovereigns of Lost Alara
Simic Sky Swallower
Open to suggestions or comments.
There is some great art for sure. I don't know why Raymond Swanland wasn't commissioned to do more art. That is seriously disappointing. Then they go and get this Ryan Pancoast kid whose style is way too cartoony (though I do like Brass Squire). Treasure Mage honestly has the worst art I have seen in a while.
Reveillark is definitely something to consider, as well as Karmic Guide to go with it.
Other very good enchantments:
Glare of Subdual - Puts your non-attackers to good use.
Mirari's Wake
Ardent Plea - Great card advantage with even 1 Enchantress on the board.
All I got for now.