As for Shivan Wurm I did see it when I was looking through the search results for Wurms, but I didn't feel like I'll get much benefit from playing it. I don't have many ETB triggers to abuse. Perhaps playing it to bounce a Voracious Wurm would be useful later in the game so I can recast Voracious Wurm after gaining some life, or to recast Pelakka Wurm. It kinda depends how you want to play the deck. If you're not running as many tutors then I'd put in some more early drops.
Anyways I appreciate the suggestions, but I'd also appreciate some reasons to run abc over xyz.
In case your Enter The Infinite gets dealt with. Have you considered running Demonic Consultation as an alternative way to get your Laboratory Maniac to trigger for the win? Let's say a few turns later you have Leyline of Anticipation out so you flash in Maniac at the end of your opponent's turn and during your upkeep you play consultation naming some imaginary card and poof your deck is gone. Maniac triggers during your draw step and the game is over. This is a risky way to win though.
Random stuff: Stonehewer Giant for all the equipment Tradewind Rider Magosi, the Waterveil + Rings of Brighthearth infinite turns
(It's a cute combo, and requires a bit of setup. You play Magosi, use 2 untap triggers from Derevi's ability after combat damage resolves from 2 of your creatures. 1st trigger resolves and untaps Magosi. Pay a blue and put an Eon counter on Magosi. 2nd trigger resolves and untaps Magosi. Tap Magosi for the 4th effect to take an extra turn. Now copy the ability with Rings to take 2 extra turns which the 1st will be cancelled by Magosi's skip your next turn effect, but you'll get the 2nd extra turn. During that turn just repeat the combo.) Palliation Accord Skyward Eye Prophets Storm Spirit
These are really awesome suggestions. I looked into double strike, but the only viable double strike card for this deck would be Fireshrieker. @Lexandur, Rafiq is crazy good but I feel that the tutor capabilities of black, in general, are stronger, Diabolic Revelation is just too good to pass up in a deck like this, thanks for the suggestion though!
Depends on what you need to tutor for. There a plenty of creature tutors in Bant which infect creatures are all you usually need to tutor. The Phyrexian Rafiq list in my sig is an example of Bant infect. As for BUG generals the already mentioned Mimeoplasm is the best option for infect. He is far too useful at grabbing the best critters available from any graveyard to become a killing machine.
I'm just gonna warn you now. Your current list is a little slow for 1v1 and your strategy is a bit unfocused with token creatures and infectors. Mostly this can be seen from using deck stats to analyze your mana curve which is 4.15 casting cost on average, and speaking of mana this deck stats tool is a good way to figure out how many lands of which color you need based on the number of colored mana symbols in the cost of your spells. I took the liberty of uploading your current list. Check it out here: Display deck statistics
For many other deck lists to research ideas from there are several 1v1 lists in the first post of the French Mega-Thread. (Also compare the ban list in the French Mega Thread to the regular one)
Lastly, a cute combo in your colors is: Laboratory Maniac + Demonic Consultation You just need to get the Maniac on the field and cast the consultation during your upkeep naming a card that isn't in your deck and you'll have nothing to draw during your draw step. This is a very risky combo, but it's hilarious when it works. You can do the whole thing after your draw step if you have another effect that will cause you to draw a card.
P.P.S Oh yea. What kind of budget do you have for your EDH deck? That would be helpful to know. I probably spammed you with a ton of super expensive options.
Last night I spent time trying to fix my signature so it would not scroll, but failed to get it just right. Maybe I can get it right tonight. It's only off by a small amount. I'm having fun using the quote and float tags to clean up the first post in my threads.
With Commander being supported rather heavily now, I think this was a silly blunder by Wizards.
Sadly it wasn't a blunder. I lost the link but it's been said on Mark Rosewater's blog that they would of liked it to be legendary but it was impossible as the type/subtype text would not fit on the card with the addition of the word "Legendary". It has also been mentioned that there are no other legendary enchantment creatures within the block except for the Gods due to this same reason; creature type "God" barely fit.
I think we all would of loved the Chromanticore as a potential general. Sigh.
So after reading your remark about Mark Rosewater's blog stating stuff about Chromanticore. I did a google search to try and find it. Searching for "Mark Rosewater's blog Chromanticore" got me this: Chromanticore music video.
Thanks for the suggestion trancekat. I wasn't sure about it at first, but recently I saw a post in a different thread by sonofabith who shared photos of his Stanley FatMax with decks in it and all. I'm a very visual person so I like to see things in action before I decide if I want to try it or not. So based on his pictures I've ordered a couple of these to try out. I got them for a decent price at ToolBarn's site even though I wanted to get my free 2-day shipping at Amazon they didn't have any available for prime shipping.
I too would like to cast my vote for the Stanley FatMax Professional Organizer. It comes with 12 small removable compartments that are well suited for a deck, and 2 double-sized compartments, which can hold 2 decks each (for a total of 16 decks) or what I like to use them for is for oversized cards like Vanguard, Archenemy schemes, or Planechase planes. I bought two of these cases, so I can swap the double-sized compartments out for 16 individual compartments.
On top of each deck I put a clear plastic toploader to make sure the cards stay put and don't slip around when I'm carrying the box.
I will probably move copies of his pictures to my photobucket and then add those images to the OP as examples of what this thing really looks like with all your cards in it.
I don't know if anyone else has brought these up, but in the military we have a standard first aid kit that we use. The case makes a really neat deckbox:
As you can see, it's pretty snug if you put four decks single-sleeved) into it. The dividers are just cardstock that you use as backers for comics that you sleeve. Since you have to make dividers yourself, you could easily alter them for single, double, or triple-sleeved, dice, tokens, etc. I wouldn't recommend the setup that I have shown, because you have to be careful closing it to avoid bending the corners of the front two decks. I don't actually use it currently, but eventually I plan on painting some blood splatter on it, and inside will be my 200 card horde deck, zombie tokens, and dice for the horde deck.
Very stylish find cryogen. I'll be adding this first aid option and the FatMax to the OP.
Also I've recently been using Ultra Pro - Pro Satin Towers (what a mouthful :weird2:) for a few decks and I gotta say they're my favorite solution for holding a one deck in single or double-sleeves bar none. So if you only have one deck to tote around pick this thing up for ~$10 it is amazing! They've got like 8 or more colors now I believe.
I love KMC perfect size sleeves, and I use them for protecting a lot of my cards as well as for holding paper print outs of digitally rendered proxies for cards I don't have extra copies of. It's just color printed paper laying over a basic land in a KMC perfect size sleeve, but it looks really nice. This way other people know I'm not using a real card while having something nicer than scrap paper being written on, a low resolution print out from magiccards.info, permanent marker on a land, etc. Plus I get to show off cool looking art instead of the original card. I only use these for cards I already own a copy of such as dual lands, fetches, berserk, demonic tutor, etc.
However, if I'm taking an EDH deck to a new location or a competitive environment I always sleeve the original copies until I've met the people I'll be playing with to find out their stance on proxies. Usually they're all okay with it once I show them my EDH binders, and explain that I find this much easier than switching cards between decks over and over.
So really I just do whatever is called for depending on the situation, but I prefer proxies over swapping cards between decks. Also because this way I can lend an extra deck to a friend if needed.
Geist of Saint Traft has hexproof so I'd say he's too strong to replace since he is harder to answer especially with equipment on him. Personally I'd replace Cephalid Constable because he will often get answered, and without a decent number of cheap pump effects it's hard to get him to bounce more than one thing. If you go for the quick win of casting Rafiq the turn after resolving Cephalid Constable it gets very risky because you're typically out of mana to play any counter-magic or removal to get a blocker out of the way. I love the synergy that those two have together, but in most cases I feel that resolving True-Name Nemesis instead of Cephalid Constable will increase your chances of victory since he is an all-around solid creature.
One of the local shops has finally started running Duel Commander events, but only on the last Saturday of each month. I attended the first event in January and I ran Fluxuate's Rafiq list. I won against a Memnarch deck (this person was not prepared for the Duel Commander meta) and against a Geist of Saint Traft. However, I lost to Krenko (once because of mana issues) and Zur (who is thankfully banned). Some of the other commanders I noticed at the event were Ruric Thar, the Unbowed and Radha, Heir to Keld. Who knows what the meta will be at the shop next time though. I believe the Memnarch player is already testing a Skullbriar, the Walking Grave list for next time.
As for the next event I'm thinking of running infect Rafiq. I'm trying to tweak the deck again.
Some new options that I'm considering: Centaur Garden is an interesting option that I noticed in Khymera's Varolz list. So I'm thinking about testing it even though I may not have threshold as often, but sometimes the game lasts long enough for it to be useful. Savage Summoning seems like a decent option as well to possible circumvent the control player from countering my infect critters or Rafiq. It could also just catch a player off-guard seeing an Infect creature hit the board at the end of their turn. Gods Willing another instant speed protection with Scry 1. Rogue's Passage sometimes you just need to get through Moorland Haunt dead creatures become chump blockers or Skullclamp targets.
My main concern at the moment is should the deck remain focused on trying to win with pump spells, or should it become control with infect as its win condition.
As a pump combo style it seems a bit fragile. Sometimes you swing for the win and the creature gets exiled, destroyed, tucked, etc. Sometimes the protection spells will keep you from being able to play pump spells which slows you down, or it may cause you to 2-for-1 yourself as you go to pump they respond with Beast Within, you give the creature pro-green, and your pump now has an invalid target. You have to worry about blockers a fair amount of the time. I feel like the French list that won back in 2011 was more of an aggro list with some pump spells, more removal, and lots of ways to draw cards.
As a control list the deck can run a lot more counter-magic and removal to have a more consistent game plan, but it wins at a slower pace.
I really need to start play-testing on Cockatrice.
So far I'm loving these. They shuffle like butter and are pretty tough.
As for Shivan Wurm I did see it when I was looking through the search results for Wurms, but I didn't feel like I'll get much benefit from playing it. I don't have many ETB triggers to abuse. Perhaps playing it to bounce a Voracious Wurm would be useful later in the game so I can recast Voracious Wurm after gaining some life, or to recast Pelakka Wurm. It kinda depends how you want to play the deck. If you're not running as many tutors then I'd put in some more early drops.
Anyways I appreciate the suggestions, but I'd also appreciate some reasons to run abc over xyz.
Stonehewer Giant for all the equipment
Tradewind Rider
Magosi, the Waterveil + Rings of Brighthearth infinite turns
(It's a cute combo, and requires a bit of setup. You play Magosi, use 2 untap triggers from Derevi's ability after combat damage resolves from 2 of your creatures. 1st trigger resolves and untaps Magosi. Pay a blue and put an Eon counter on Magosi. 2nd trigger resolves and untaps Magosi. Tap Magosi for the 4th effect to take an extra turn. Now copy the ability with Rings to take 2 extra turns which the 1st will be cancelled by Magosi's skip your next turn effect, but you'll get the 2nd extra turn. During that turn just repeat the combo.)
Palliation Accord
Skyward Eye Prophets
Storm Spirit
For some kind of Elves build:
Immaculate Magistrate
Wellwisher
Priest of Titania
Timberwatch Elf
Wirewood Channeler
Voice of the Woods
Gilt-leaf Archdruid for all their lands
Depends on what you need to tutor for. There a plenty of creature tutors in Bant which infect creatures are all you usually need to tutor. The Phyrexian Rafiq list in my sig is an example of Bant infect. As for BUG generals the already mentioned Mimeoplasm is the best option for infect. He is far too useful at grabbing the best critters available from any graveyard to become a killing machine.
I'm just gonna warn you now. Your current list is a little slow for 1v1 and your strategy is a bit unfocused with token creatures and infectors. Mostly this can be seen from using deck stats to analyze your mana curve which is 4.15 casting cost on average, and speaking of mana this deck stats tool is a good way to figure out how many lands of which color you need based on the number of colored mana symbols in the cost of your spells. I took the liberty of uploading your current list. Check it out here: Display deck statistics
The first thing I noticed in the deck stats is that your list only has 99 cards.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth would be a great land to have especially to make Liliana of the Dark Realms more relevant.
I'd suggest taking a peak at some Mimeoplasm lists and see what you think about those:
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/forum-1-vs-1-commander-decklists/527311-mimeoplasm-legendary-combo-ooze
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/forum-1-vs-1-commander-decklists/205977-mimeoplasm-infection-edh
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/forum-1-vs-1-commander-decklists/206272-the-mimeoplasm-the-better-vorosh
Solid options in your colors: Toxic Deluge, Nature's Claim, Sylvan Library, Rancor, Ancestral Visions, Invigorate, Vines of the Vastwood, Livewire Lash, Skullclamp, Fleshbag Marauder, Gitaxian Probe, Distortion Strike, Entomb, Buried Alive, Maelstrom Pulse, Hymn to Tourach, Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek, Victim of the Night, Putrefy, Dismember, Grasp of Darkness, Go for the Throat, Crop Rotation, Diabolic Edict, Devour in Shadow, Beast Within, Abrupt Decay, Seal of Primordium, Phyrexian Arena, Birds of Paradise, Brainstorm, Counterspell, Mana Leak, Negate, Remand, Delay, Spell Pierce, Force Spike, Daze, Voidslime, Damnation, Explore, Nature's Lore, Life from the Loam, Forbid, Ponder, Preordain, Regrowth, Noxious Revival, Treasured Find,
Other infect creatures to consider: Blackcleave Goblin, Blight Mamba, Blighted Agent, Contagious Nim, Cystbearer, Flensermite, Flesh-Eater Imp, Ichor Rats, Glistener Elf, Ichorclaw Myr, Necropede, Phyrexian Digester, Phyrexian Vatmother, Plague Stinger, Plague Myr, Reaper of Sheoldred, Rot Wolf, Septic Rats, Spinebiter, Tangle Angler, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Viridian Betrayers, and Viridian Corrupter.
For some other ideas in similar colors check out Khymera's list for Varolz, the Scar-Striped
For many other deck lists to research ideas from there are several 1v1 lists in the first post of the French Mega-Thread. (Also compare the ban list in the French Mega Thread to the regular one)
Lastly, a cute combo in your colors is: Laboratory Maniac + Demonic Consultation You just need to get the Maniac on the field and cast the consultation during your upkeep naming a card that isn't in your deck and you'll have nothing to draw during your draw step. This is a very risky combo, but it's hilarious when it works. You can do the whole thing after your draw step if you have another effect that will cause you to draw a card.
P.S. Which ban list is your LCS using for its event? If it is the regular ban list then there are other cards you should consider as well such as: Ancient Tomb, Crucible of Worlds, Mana Crypt, Mana Drain, Mind Twist, Natural Order, Vampiric Tutor, Winter Orb, Strip Mine, Sensei's Divining Top, Oath of Druids, Mana Vault, and Grim Monolith. Also if you switch to a deck that plays white then toss in a Serra Ascendant. Heck, if your store is using the regular ban list then you can build a Derevi, Empyrial Tactician deck or if you want to really show your LCS why there is a Duel Commander (aka French) ban list you can build the Hermit Druid deck to wreck the meta.
P.P.S Oh yea. What kind of budget do you have for your EDH deck? That would be helpful to know. I probably spammed you with a ton of super expensive options.
So after reading your remark about Mark Rosewater's blog stating stuff about Chromanticore. I did a google search to try and find it. Searching for "Mark Rosewater's blog Chromanticore" got me this: Chromanticore music video.
Thanks for the suggestion trancekat. I wasn't sure about it at first, but recently I saw a post in a different thread by sonofabith who shared photos of his Stanley FatMax with decks in it and all. I'm a very visual person so I like to see things in action before I decide if I want to try it or not. So based on his pictures I've ordered a couple of these to try out. I got them for a decent price at ToolBarn's site even though I wanted to get my free 2-day shipping at Amazon they didn't have any available for prime shipping.
Here is what sonofabith had to say about them:
I will probably move copies of his pictures to my photobucket and then add those images to the OP as examples of what this thing really looks like with all your cards in it.
Very stylish find cryogen. I'll be adding this first aid option and the FatMax to the OP.
Also I've recently been using Ultra Pro - Pro Satin Towers (what a mouthful :weird2:) for a few decks and I gotta say they're my favorite solution for holding a one deck in single or double-sleeves bar none. So if you only have one deck to tote around pick this thing up for ~$10 it is amazing! They've got like 8 or more colors now I believe.
However, if I'm taking an EDH deck to a new location or a competitive environment I always sleeve the original copies until I've met the people I'll be playing with to find out their stance on proxies. Usually they're all okay with it once I show them my EDH binders, and explain that I find this much easier than switching cards between decks over and over.
So really I just do whatever is called for depending on the situation, but I prefer proxies over swapping cards between decks. Also because this way I can lend an extra deck to a friend if needed.
Well I've put together a 1st attempt at a control build. The list is in the original post now. Please offer any suggestions you may have.
One of the local shops has finally started running Duel Commander events, but only on the last Saturday of each month. I attended the first event in January and I ran Fluxuate's Rafiq list. I won against a Memnarch deck (this person was not prepared for the Duel Commander meta) and against a Geist of Saint Traft. However, I lost to Krenko (once because of mana issues) and Zur (who is thankfully banned). Some of the other commanders I noticed at the event were Ruric Thar, the Unbowed and Radha, Heir to Keld. Who knows what the meta will be at the shop next time though. I believe the Memnarch player is already testing a Skullbriar, the Walking Grave list for next time.
As for the next event I'm thinking of running infect Rafiq. I'm trying to tweak the deck again.
Some new options that I'm considering:
Centaur Garden is an interesting option that I noticed in Khymera's Varolz list. So I'm thinking about testing it even though I may not have threshold as often, but sometimes the game lasts long enough for it to be useful.
Savage Summoning seems like a decent option as well to possible circumvent the control player from countering my infect critters or Rafiq. It could also just catch a player off-guard seeing an Infect creature hit the board at the end of their turn.
Gods Willing another instant speed protection with Scry 1.
Rogue's Passage sometimes you just need to get through
Moorland Haunt dead creatures become chump blockers or Skullclamp targets.
My main concern at the moment is should the deck remain focused on trying to win with pump spells, or should it become control with infect as its win condition.
As a pump combo style it seems a bit fragile. Sometimes you swing for the win and the creature gets exiled, destroyed, tucked, etc. Sometimes the protection spells will keep you from being able to play pump spells which slows you down, or it may cause you to 2-for-1 yourself as you go to pump they respond with Beast Within, you give the creature pro-green, and your pump now has an invalid target. You have to worry about blockers a fair amount of the time. I feel like the French list that won back in 2011 was more of an aggro list with some pump spells, more removal, and lots of ways to draw cards.
As a control list the deck can run a lot more counter-magic and removal to have a more consistent game plan, but it wins at a slower pace.
I really need to start play-testing on Cockatrice.