If a creature has a -1/-1 counter on it and it gets a +1/+1 counter, does it have both counters (and thus a persist creature would still die), or does it have no counters, and the persist creature would live??
Phyrexian Obliterator really looked like a bomb to me, I know he's not coming down t4, but if he comes down on t6-8 he can still be a major player. Does that just make him to slow to be considered a bomb??
Urafever, I thought about taking mostly artifacts once I saw tezz, and really only focus on black for removal and strong creatures, and pick up whatever blue I could find, in hindsight I think I did abandon that plan too early, at the time I felt I was taking too big of a risk on something I was unsure about.
Does anyone have any other comments on stuff I maybe valued too high? Is Contagion Clasp first pick material? Was there likely something better in that pack for first pick?
Also is there a way to record my picks in live drafts? Is it appropriate to take some notes on the other picks in the pack so I can evaluate it later?
Hey I'm a newcomer at drafting. Here is my second live draft in a while, I got an amazing bomb, still went 1-2. I'm unsure of the best way to record a live draft (Didn't see a read-me), I can't remember what other options I had in most these packs, but I did take a pic of the cards in order so I know which ones I picked when.
I made what in retrospect looks like a few bad moves, I passed a late Spread the Sickness cause I thought I had 2 already, yet I think I should have taken it and ran it even if it was the third, can someone tell me if that's right? Instead I took Phyrexian Rager.
Also not having Ichorclaw Myr in my deck was a mistake, I think I was underestimating his power, even though I 3rd and 4th picked him! Also I feel Leeching Bite should have been in my main deck, didn't really know where to put it.
And once I got Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas it seemed that blue was already being picked on either side of me (turns out both players next to me). So I didn't feel I could use him, tried to pick up a bit more artifacts then normal, but with no blue I didn't see it working.
Absolutely, I didn't say the deck can't be done, I said with the cards you mentioned it would be inherently weaker. Rancor would actually be a good addition to a GU ninja deck.
If you want to make the deck go for it, sleeper posted his version of the idea with deathtouch creatures, I think that would be a nice addition, unlike Vedalken Ghoul the deathtouch creatures (almost) always trade).
I actually liked the other version you had up before your edit better, with Acidic Slime and Uktabi Drake. This one seems like it will run out of steam far too early.
I can see you generating a lot of tokens in the first 5 turns, then swinging with all to get your ninjas in, but if they block and kill a few tokens your next turn is going to be very weak and its quite unlikely your ninjas will get through, unless you get a Shadow Rift off, which will only net you a couple extra points of damage + a ninja effect.
I think you need to either add in some cards that really utilize those 1/1 tokens, or go back to a more control build with Acidic Slime, Uktabi Drake build. Maybe adding in Thornweald Archer or River Boa.
Tell me if you get a chance to run it, I could be wrong, but I just can't see this doing 20 damage.
Sure you can make this deck, if it wins your kitchen table games great, I imagine some of the interactions of the "guessing game" could be quite fun.
However you don't see it often because giving your opponent the "lesser of 2 evils" is giving them choices, once they know what ninjas are in your deck they can look at the board and assess which would be worse for them, the -4 life by the Vedalken Ghoul, or the 2 damage and draw from Ninja of the deep hours; Most the time killing your 1/1 and taking 4 life is always going to be the better option. Sure you can bluff, etc, but you are losing some control over the situation. And once they do block your guys, and get rid of them for a small penalty, your ninjas are going to be very hard to get out.
Thanks for the reply, I'm glad you like the RU variant.
You are right about Psionic Blast and mana leak they just slow me down tempo wise, when I really need all the tempo I can get. They are out now to make room for Fire/Ice and Electrolyze (you are right on with the cantrip idea). I'm still worried about artifact, enchantment, and planeswalker based threats.
Shrieking Drake can provide some interesting interactions, but I can't see taking out Thalakos Seer for him, and Augury Owl is questionable, but then that only leaves me room for 2 Shrieking Drake. The Seer is absolutely amazing drawing me a couple cards and getting ninjas through easy. I may take out the Owl for the Drake, I'll definitely try both builds, I don't see room for 4x of them though. Or I may take out Walker of Secret Ways for the drake, that might be the best option.
I think now I'm looking at a problem of too many Ninja targets and too few ninjas, although Flametongue Kavu is not a target in the same way as the other ones are, so it's more like 10 targets.
Alright here is my build for a Red/Blue ninja deck with burn to take care of the blockers, also abusing the ETB and LTB effects of Flametongue Kavu and Thalakos Seer.
So far I've played 6 games with this deck, it hasn't fared so well.
I won vs a janky spirit deck that had little defense vs flyers. I lost vs a sick elf deck that used glimpse of nature, I just could not burn the elves fast enough to stop the deck from going off. Loss vs a blue/red control deck, that had some flying defense and a couple 0/4 walls, I could not burn his creatures fast enough to get mine through. And a loss vs a red/black discard based deck, 2 reason's for this loss, a lot of his creatures had ETB abilities so Mistblade Shinobi was rendered useless, and Ninja's really relies on being able to keep my hand and not having to dump it quickly.
Right now I'm unsure on the mana leak's becuase I really do spend my mana quickly, but if a card comes out that I need to get rid of, and I can't burn it, it's not going away. Flametongue Kavu is amazing, and I'm strongly considering another copy in here, only reason I have 3 is he seemed like a high costed ninja target at first, but his effect is just too good. Walker of Secret Ways can really shine with it's second ability using it to pop my ETB guys repeatedly, but drawing a second can be rather useless.
Any advice is welcome, but I will not consider changing the colors, Thanks guys.
I don't get why everyone is fussing over this card, sure they are stomping on blue a bit too much, but this is not even close to the worst of it, if this gets played in more than just a couple sideboards I'll be surprised. It dosen't fit in a mono green sideboard, maybe a GB control SB.
Blue is getting hated on right now though, I can't find a MUC build thats playable without lorowyn, but this card has little impact on it.
I was hoping these lands would be better but w/e, atleast they're making an effort to make some uncommon duals, they could have easily been printed with 2 life and only been played in budget decks.
The artifact is good, I can think of a few fun extended decks this would fit in, not too much for standard and I doubt it will become competitive.
Funny flavor on the octopus, not very useful, but I'm sure he'll show up in some casual decks.
That is a great mana accelerator, with turn 2 this, and turn 3 fetchland, T4 he activates, and activates landfall twice, great card I'll defiantly be playing it.
I don't get how there can only be reminder text like this on 1 card implying it is not a new keyword. and how can we be reminded about something we don't know o0.
Purge The Earth - 5GG
Instant (M)
Remove all creatures in all graveyards from the game.
put X 2/2 wolf creature tokens into play, where X is equal to the amount of mana symbols in all the removed creatures mana costs. Flavor text coming soon
If a creature has a -1/-1 counter on it and it gets a +1/+1 counter, does it have both counters (and thus a persist creature would still die), or does it have no counters, and the persist creature would live??
Edit:
Guess so, thanks.
Urafever, I thought about taking mostly artifacts once I saw tezz, and really only focus on black for removal and strong creatures, and pick up whatever blue I could find, in hindsight I think I did abandon that plan too early, at the time I felt I was taking too big of a risk on something I was unsure about.
Does anyone have any other comments on stuff I maybe valued too high? Is Contagion Clasp first pick material? Was there likely something better in that pack for first pick?
Also is there a way to record my picks in live drafts? Is it appropriate to take some notes on the other picks in the pack so I can evaluate it later?
Phyrexian Obliterator
Blind Zealot
Gremlin Mine
Grim Affliction
Mutagenic Growth
Spined Thopter
Leeching Bite
Parasitic Implant
Death-Hood Cobra
Slash Panther
Caress of Phyrexia
Maul Splicer
Scrapyard Salvo
War Report
Land
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Phyrexian Digester
Phyrexian Juggernaut
Dross Ripper
Scourge Servant
Spread the Sickness
Hexplate Golem
blightwidow
Phyrexian Rager
Bladed Sentinel
Rox Wolf
Silverskin Armor
Fuel for the Cause
Gore Vassal
Caustic Hound
Land
Contagion Clasp
Untamed Might
Ichorclaw Myr
Ichorclaw Myr
Instil infections
Necrogen Scrudder
Ezuri's Archers
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Contagious Nim
Nim spellbomb
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Corrupted Harvester
Scrapdiver Serpent
Land
1x Ichorclaw Myr
1x Death-Hood Cobra
1x Phyrexian Digester
1x Contagious Nim
1x Blind Zealot
1x Necrogen Scrudder
1x Phyrexian Rager
1x Rox Wolf
2x Tel-Jihad Fallen
1x Blightwidow
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Phyrexian Juggernaut
1x Gremlin Mine
1x Grim Affliction
1x Instill Infection
1x Parasitic Implant
1x Spread the Sickness
Utility
1x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Mutagenic Growth
1x Contagion Clasp
1x Caress of Phyrexia
1x Untamed Might
Lands
10x Swamp
7x Forest
Ezuri's Archers
Ichorclaw Myr
Leeching Bite
Spined Thopter
Tel-Jilad Defiance
Slash Panther
Dross Ripper
Scourge Servant
Caustic Hound
Corrupted Harvester
Mual Splicer
Hexplate Golem
I made what in retrospect looks like a few bad moves, I passed a late Spread the Sickness cause I thought I had 2 already, yet I think I should have taken it and ran it even if it was the third, can someone tell me if that's right? Instead I took Phyrexian Rager.
Also not having Ichorclaw Myr in my deck was a mistake, I think I was underestimating his power, even though I 3rd and 4th picked him! Also I feel Leeching Bite should have been in my main deck, didn't really know where to put it.
And once I got Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas it seemed that blue was already being picked on either side of me (turns out both players next to me). So I didn't feel I could use him, tried to pick up a bit more artifacts then normal, but with no blue I didn't see it working.
If you want to make the deck go for it, sleeper posted his version of the idea with deathtouch creatures, I think that would be a nice addition, unlike Vedalken Ghoul the deathtouch creatures (almost) always trade).
I can see you generating a lot of tokens in the first 5 turns, then swinging with all to get your ninjas in, but if they block and kill a few tokens your next turn is going to be very weak and its quite unlikely your ninjas will get through, unless you get a Shadow Rift off, which will only net you a couple extra points of damage + a ninja effect.
I think you need to either add in some cards that really utilize those 1/1 tokens, or go back to a more control build with Acidic Slime, Uktabi Drake build. Maybe adding in Thornweald Archer or River Boa.
Tell me if you get a chance to run it, I could be wrong, but I just can't see this doing 20 damage.
However you don't see it often because giving your opponent the "lesser of 2 evils" is giving them choices, once they know what ninjas are in your deck they can look at the board and assess which would be worse for them, the -4 life by the Vedalken Ghoul, or the 2 damage and draw from Ninja of the deep hours; Most the time killing your 1/1 and taking 4 life is always going to be the better option. Sure you can bluff, etc, but you are losing some control over the situation. And once they do block your guys, and get rid of them for a small penalty, your ninjas are going to be very hard to get out.
You are right about Psionic Blast and mana leak they just slow me down tempo wise, when I really need all the tempo I can get. They are out now to make room for Fire/Ice and Electrolyze (you are right on with the cantrip idea). I'm still worried about artifact, enchantment, and planeswalker based threats.
Shrieking Drake can provide some interesting interactions, but I can't see taking out Thalakos Seer for him, and Augury Owl is questionable, but then that only leaves me room for 2 Shrieking Drake. The Seer is absolutely amazing drawing me a couple cards and getting ninjas through easy. I may take out the Owl for the Drake, I'll definitely try both builds, I don't see room for 4x of them though. Or I may take out Walker of Secret Ways for the drake, that might be the best option.
I think now I'm looking at a problem of too many Ninja targets and too few ninjas, although Flametongue Kavu is not a target in the same way as the other ones are, so it's more like 10 targets.
Updated:
4x Mistblade Shinobi
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
2x Walker of Secret Ways
2x Higure, the Still Wind
Ninja Targets 15:
4x Ornithopter
4x Thalakos Seer
3x Shrieking Drake
4x Flametongue Kavu
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Electrolyze
4x Fire/Ice
Land 22:
4x Cascade Bluffs
9x Island
5x Mountain
4x Shivan Reef
edit:
Ok I changed my mind, Owls and a 1x walker is out, Drake is in.
4x Mistblade Shinobi
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
3x Walker of Secret Ways
2x Higure, the Still Wind
Ninja Targets:
4x Ornithopter
4x Thalakos Seer
2x Augury Owl
3x Flametongue Kavu
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Flame Slash
2x Psionic Blast
Other:
3x Mana Leak
Land:
4x Cascade Bluffs
7x Island
4x Mountain
4x Shivan Reef
3x Terramorphic Expanse
So far I've played 6 games with this deck, it hasn't fared so well.
I won vs a janky spirit deck that had little defense vs flyers. I lost vs a sick elf deck that used glimpse of nature, I just could not burn the elves fast enough to stop the deck from going off. Loss vs a blue/red control deck, that had some flying defense and a couple 0/4 walls, I could not burn his creatures fast enough to get mine through. And a loss vs a red/black discard based deck, 2 reason's for this loss, a lot of his creatures had ETB abilities so Mistblade Shinobi was rendered useless, and Ninja's really relies on being able to keep my hand and not having to dump it quickly.
Right now I'm unsure on the mana leak's becuase I really do spend my mana quickly, but if a card comes out that I need to get rid of, and I can't burn it, it's not going away. Flametongue Kavu is amazing, and I'm strongly considering another copy in here, only reason I have 3 is he seemed like a high costed ninja target at first, but his effect is just too good. Walker of Secret Ways can really shine with it's second ability using it to pop my ETB guys repeatedly, but drawing a second can be rather useless.
Any advice is welcome, but I will not consider changing the colors, Thanks guys.
Updated:
4x Mistblade Shinobi
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
2x Walker of Secret Ways
2x Higure, the Still Wind
Ninja Targets 15:
4x Ornithopter
4x Thalakos Seer
3x Shrieking Drake
4x Flametongue Kavu
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Electrolyze
4x Fire/Ice
Land 22:
4x Cascade Bluffs
9x Island
5x Mountain
4x Shivan Reef
Blue is getting hated on right now though, I can't find a MUC build thats playable without lorowyn, but this card has little impact on it.
The green one is nicely powered.
Wow I forgot about that trap, lol thats just funny.
The artifact is good, I can think of a few fun extended decks this would fit in, not too much for standard and I doubt it will become competitive.
That is a great mana accelerator, with turn 2 this, and turn 3 fetchland, T4 he activates, and activates landfall twice, great card I'll defiantly be playing it.
I don't get how there can only be reminder text like this on 1 card implying it is not a new keyword. and how can we be reminded about something we don't know o0.
Instant (M)
Remove all creatures in all graveyards from the game.
put X 2/2 wolf creature tokens into play, where X is equal to the amount of mana symbols in all the removed creatures mana costs.
Flavor text coming soon