You're cheating on lands. Run less than 38 at your own risk. Also I suggest against running the artifact lands because they're going to get swept out from under you via Planar Cleansing or Oblivion Stone every time. I know they're tutorable off trinket mage but I dont think it makes them good enough to play.
The artifact lands are fine against those two sweepers. They say nonland permanents and the artifact lands are still lands.
Foreword:To be honest I'm a huge fan of Zedruu and he's definitely going to be my general. Your list is the shell of what I want a Zedruu deck to be so my recommendations are going to be somewhat based around what I'm going to include.
Master Warcraft is a house, Reiterate you can pay buyback for which is sweet. Sometimes you can Mirrorweave an insane beater or a small token to win or save the game. While offering to asha is conditional, into the core requires two artifacts to even cast and hindering light has the same problem as offering.
Tuck Effects are totally fine, I'm a little on the fence with spell crumple however another Hinder is totally cool with me. It looks like your opponents generals need backup from counters or some greaved up protection with all your general hate.
Equipment is also pretty much fine, I'd consider Whispersilk Cloak over the new equipment if only to protect any creature you have and not just legendary ones.
Planeswalkers are in massive abundance, Ajani Vengeant and Elspeth, Knight Errant are the only ones I see as unimpressive in this deck build. I suppose with Knight Errant you can make tokens and donate them for some unimposing card draw however I would recommend those slots turn into more creatures or stall cards like Gideon Jura or possibly even Lightmine Field. Though not changing them is still totally fine too.
I love Puca's Mischief it's great for the deck and does wonderfully wacky things. If you want to go all out combo here I recommend adding things like Hive Mind which you could instantly win with a Sunforged out Pact of the Titan against non-red decks. Though that's something I plan on doing you might not be a fan of the instant wins. (I'll also be playing Splinter Twin just for extra rudeness).
Creatures
Now this seems to be the most exchangable slot. Especially because some of these you want to exchange around and get back with Homeward Path for super silly things, a what's yours is mine and what's mine is still mine.
Though Sunblast is an exceptionally good card in EDH I've found that players don't typically like to turn their guys sideways unless they go for the kill, at least later in the game when multiple people are threatening. So it's effect doesn't work so much. With Adarkar it's more of a conditionally met creature control effect. I would recommend having your opponents do your work for you and this is where Chromeshell Crab does wonders. Though if you play with the same playgroup theyll know it's the crab so you may want to add in things like Quicksilver Dragon or Fortune Thief if you go that route. Also Frost Titan seems underwhelming as far as the titans go in edh.
I'll also be playing with the Kiki-Jiki combos which I only really ever drop if the game has gone on for too long or someone else is overtly degenerate.
Note: Of all of the cards mentioned I highly recommend you add Stonehewer Giant if only to be able to tutor for Sunforger at will. That card is too insane to not use constantly.
Lands:
I recommend at least Glacial Fortress as well as Prahv, Spires of Order and Nivix, Aerie of the Firemind. Also to respond to your post above this one, no I don't think getting triple red would be hard for you at all as long as you don't play too many colorless lands. Especially considering you have thawing glaciers, the filter lands, signets, each shockland and painlands.
Also it couldn't hurt to play Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, it's good enough without Pestermite or Deceiver Exarch in this build to warrant some inclusion. Considering most of your creatures have CIP effects.
I've got a red/blue chaos deck that just causes silly game states. I was hoping to incoporate Bazaar Trader. Anything especially good to include? I already use him with threated effects but I wanted something a bit more chaotic/spikey.
Blue Cards in Main:
3x Venser
-Total 3 U mana symbols
Lands/Artifacts that produce blue:
4x Darkslick Shores
4x Seachrome Coast
4x Sphere of the Suns
5x Island
I would say this deck isn't so much esper control as it's B/W splash u for venser. Granted you have the Volition Reigns in the sideboard however I would replace them with another Memoricide and Phyrexian Revoker.
I'm going to assume the reason you play Reigns is against control matchups, however in my experience the control matchups have many ways to destroy any Volition Reins play.
1. Blinking their own permanent with Venser
2. Disperse
3. Not having any good targets that you need to beat down with.
I could probably go on about volition reigns but
TLDR: Drop the islands, up your plains and swamp count. Drop Volition Reigns from the board and add a Memoricide and Phyrexian Revoker.
Though we'll have to see, I'm actually going to be piloting a list very similar to this, with the addition of Hero of Oxid Ridge and Red Sun's Zenith for a little extra reach, with a trade-off for explosivity.
Also, I've always found Savra has trouble finishing people off too.
I never really found a solution though, so I can't really help.
I've always found that the best way to do it is just throwing in Sorin Markov. One of the best black finishers, typically you can throw him down late game and take someone out right then.
May I recommend Fecundity as typically the card advantage you gain will be much more than your opponents.
Also may I highly recommend Golgari Germination as you already have Phyrexian Altar and Nether Traitor. You can generate infinite mana pretty easily that way (Not to mention a bunch of sacrificing of black and green creatures).
Best tutor for Savra = Diabolic Intent Hadn't seen it was in the mail =P
Golgari Germination > Carrion
Fecundity > Culling Dais
Sadistic Hypnotist > Possessed Portal
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf > Deathgreeter
Best of all these cards aren't very expensive at all.
Mostly with this deck you can afford to cut the lifegain mostly, I've found playing Savra you don't really need to worry a bunch starting with 40 and having the general provide the gains.
I would like to make a RB EDH with Kaervek that is fairly competitive. However I want to be able to do it focusing on a few different themes.
1. Heavily Multiplayer Focused: I want to be able to run cards like Oppression, Manabarbs, Spiteful Visions, just as an example. I need cards that change my opponents options of playing, preferable enchantments or creatures with very bomby effect.
Tempered Steel+Steel Oveerser+Voltaic Key and 0 Drop artifacts can easily win nasty fast. Especially where, if it goes to turn 5, you can just drop Venser and make your whole field unblockable. I don't know why everyone is putting him in control, he's obviously for artifact aggro, hell even minus abilities all scream it. Unblockable? Ultimate that exiles every time you play a spell (0 cost artifacts.....)? Even his plus one ability works as a voltaic key! People are looking at him all wrong. They see blue white and think control while forgetting the whole purpose of the set and how well this guy works with aggressive artifacts.
Thank god someone isn't thinking in the.. oh these decks are what works right now mentality. That seems really good, highly approve.
It definitely has potential. In a deck with a load of crappy O cmc artifacts, if you have a lot of (especially cheap CMC) slots to fill with pumping abilities. The deck starts to get a bit insane, and hella fast.
It's almost akin to saying that in Boros Landfall your deck is a combo deck when you play your land.
My friends don't believe me too often when I tell them this is true.
The artifact lands are fine against those two sweepers. They say nonland permanents and the artifact lands are still lands.
If someone plays fracturing gust, creeping corrosion, or austere command I would be more worried.
Recommended Additions/Subtractions
Starting with sunforger targets:
+Master Warcraft
+Reiterate
+Mirrorweave
-Offering to Asha
-Into the Core
-Hindering Light
Master Warcraft is a house, Reiterate you can pay buyback for which is sweet. Sometimes you can Mirrorweave an insane beater or a small token to win or save the game. While offering to asha is conditional, into the core requires two artifacts to even cast and hindering light has the same problem as offering.
Tuck Effects are totally fine, I'm a little on the fence with spell crumple however another Hinder is totally cool with me. It looks like your opponents generals need backup from counters or some greaved up protection with all your general hate.
Equipment is also pretty much fine, I'd consider Whispersilk Cloak over the new equipment if only to protect any creature you have and not just legendary ones.
Planeswalkers are in massive abundance, Ajani Vengeant and Elspeth, Knight Errant are the only ones I see as unimpressive in this deck build. I suppose with Knight Errant you can make tokens and donate them for some unimposing card draw however I would recommend those slots turn into more creatures or stall cards like Gideon Jura or possibly even Lightmine Field. Though not changing them is still totally fine too.
Artifacts
+Darksteel Ingot
Even if you only take out a Signet having a mana enabler that stays around is really good in general.
Enchantments
+Puca's Mischief
I love Puca's Mischief it's great for the deck and does wonderfully wacky things. If you want to go all out combo here I recommend adding things like Hive Mind which you could instantly win with a Sunforged out Pact of the Titan against non-red decks. Though that's something I plan on doing you might not be a fan of the instant wins. (I'll also be playing Splinter Twin just for extra rudeness).
Creatures
Now this seems to be the most exchangable slot. Especially because some of these you want to exchange around and get back with Homeward Path for super silly things, a what's yours is mine and what's mine is still mine.
+Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
+Pestermite
+Deceiver Exarch
+Glen Elendra Archmage
+Chromeshell Crab
+Bazaar Trader
+Phyrexian Ingester // Duplicant
+Stonehewer Giant
-Adarkar Valkryie
-Sunblast Angel
-Frost Titan
Though Sunblast is an exceptionally good card in EDH I've found that players don't typically like to turn their guys sideways unless they go for the kill, at least later in the game when multiple people are threatening. So it's effect doesn't work so much. With Adarkar it's more of a conditionally met creature control effect. I would recommend having your opponents do your work for you and this is where Chromeshell Crab does wonders. Though if you play with the same playgroup theyll know it's the crab so you may want to add in things like Quicksilver Dragon or Fortune Thief if you go that route. Also Frost Titan seems underwhelming as far as the titans go in edh.
I'll also be playing with the Kiki-Jiki combos which I only really ever drop if the game has gone on for too long or someone else is overtly degenerate.
Note: Of all of the cards mentioned I highly recommend you add Stonehewer Giant if only to be able to tutor for Sunforger at will. That card is too insane to not use constantly.
Other cards in general to think about would be
Followed Footsteps
Evacuation
Crystal Shard
Relic of Progenitus
Rite of Replication
Oblivion Stone
Lands:
I recommend at least Glacial Fortress as well as Prahv, Spires of Order and Nivix, Aerie of the Firemind. Also to respond to your post above this one, no I don't think getting triple red would be hard for you at all as long as you don't play too many colorless lands. Especially considering you have thawing glaciers, the filter lands, signets, each shockland and painlands.
Also it couldn't hurt to play Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, it's good enough without Pestermite or Deceiver Exarch in this build to warrant some inclusion. Considering most of your creatures have CIP effects.
Check out the full prerelease info
Blue Cards in Main:
3x Venser
-Total 3 U mana symbols
Lands/Artifacts that produce blue:
4x Darkslick Shores
4x Seachrome Coast
4x Sphere of the Suns
5x Island
I would say this deck isn't so much esper control as it's B/W splash u for venser. Granted you have the Volition Reigns in the sideboard however I would replace them with another Memoricide and Phyrexian Revoker.
I'm going to assume the reason you play Reigns is against control matchups, however in my experience the control matchups have many ways to destroy any Volition Reins play.
1. Blinking their own permanent with Venser
2. Disperse
3. Not having any good targets that you need to beat down with.
I could probably go on about volition reigns but
TLDR: Drop the islands, up your plains and swamp count. Drop Volition Reigns from the board and add a Memoricide and Phyrexian Revoker.
2. Sideboard needs Phyrexian Revoker (it'll help with ratchet bomb, planeswalkers, necrotic ooze, and spikeshot elder.)
3. I fear this decks potential against a few cards.. Slagstorm, Black Sun's Zenith, and Ratchet Bomb.
Though we'll have to see, I'm actually going to be piloting a list very similar to this, with the addition of Hero of Oxid Ridge and Red Sun's Zenith for a little extra reach, with a trade-off for explosivity.
I've always found that the best way to do it is just throwing in Sorin Markov. One of the best black finishers, typically you can throw him down late game and take someone out right then.
May I recommend Fecundity as typically the card advantage you gain will be much more than your opponents.
Also may I highly recommend Golgari Germination as you already have Phyrexian Altar and Nether Traitor. You can generate infinite mana pretty easily that way (Not to mention a bunch of sacrificing of black and green creatures).
Best tutor for Savra = Diabolic Intent
Hadn't seen it was in the mail =PGolgari Germination > Carrion
Fecundity > Culling Dais
Sadistic Hypnotist > Possessed Portal
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf > Deathgreeter
Best of all these cards aren't very expensive at all.
Mostly with this deck you can afford to cut the lifegain mostly, I've found playing Savra you don't really need to worry a bunch starting with 40 and having the general provide the gains.
I would like to make a RB EDH with Kaervek that is fairly competitive. However I want to be able to do it focusing on a few different themes.
1. Heavily Multiplayer Focused: I want to be able to run cards like Oppression, Manabarbs, Spiteful Visions, just as an example. I need cards that change my opponents options of playing, preferable enchantments or creatures with very bomby effect.
2. Small Discard Theme: I'd like to end up being able to use things like Quest for the Nihil Stone and Necrogen Mists.
3. Punish Opponents for Attacking/Not Attacking: Such as War's Toll, Ensnaring Bridge, and Keldon Twilight
4. Mostly Enchantments: This is so I can run multiple board sweeps and not be affected by losing creatures.
Any suggestions?
Potential instant speed 4 damage is insane for one red.
The black guy is great in the fast artifact aggro deck.
New masticore actually has synergy with pitching cards for once. At being just more awesome in general, while being slightly fixed
Thank god someone isn't thinking in the.. oh these decks are what works right now mentality. That seems really good, highly approve.
It's almost akin to saying that in Boros Landfall your deck is a combo deck when you play your land.