There isn't much to tell you. Your decklist isn't too good, its really all over the place. Too many 2 ofs and 1 ofs, and the creatures themselves aren't good. So here is an example Golgari BLOCK list. Remember building a deck is all about consistency. You want your deck to play the same or play well everytime you play it.
Decklist
Anyways this is what I think looks ok in BLOCK constructed. If your talking about standard of course there are lots of changes to be made here.
This is primarily a reanimation Deck fueled through Whip of Erebos. Some good synergies here.
Commune with the gods fills up your graveyard. Read the bones helps smooth out your draws.
Nemesis of Mortals - I didn't really find anything that would go better in this spot. Centaur Battlemaster needs heroic... plus this does become a lot better in a reanimation deck, allowing you to cast it as a 5/5 for 2 on occassion.
Pharika's Mender - Good card, lets you get back things that fall into the graveyard unexpectedly.
Hero's Downfall - You had no spot removal at all in your list. Shame on you.
Abhorrent Overlord - This is the primary wincon. get some 1/1 flyers and try to race your opponent. With whip you can hit his devotion ability twice which is nice.
Gray Merchant - Very nice, nice reanimation target. Can hit them and heal twice.
Why? Because t1 land elvish mystic t2 land bte into sylvan. You now have 3 cards in hands 2 ramp creatures and a vanilla 2/2. I'd rather have the 2 rampers and 4 cards in hand. This is why bte does not grant card advantage. And the sylvan can block bte.
Anyways mystic into sylvan into xenagos with 8+ mana on t4? That's the deck I'd like to play. I am hating on bte because in a deck like this I'd simply rather have better creatures. I'd rather have another hydra or a dragon than no card in hand and a 2/2 on the field. My opinion.
I am pretty damn sure you don't even understand words you have just wrote, don't you? You just wanted to sound smart. It didn't worked well.
Also, this thread is about RDW and Gruul Deck Wins. Those decks are considered to be a core of Aggro archetype.
Wow I hope your not serious. But I'll reply to your well thought out critique.
First good job on the insults and name calling when all I did was state an opinion to which I might add you didn't explain why I was wrong.
And for your statement that this thread is about aggro and red/green deck wins I regret to inform you that 3 lists that include dragons hydras and planeswalkers are not aggro decks or Rdw archetype decks.
Also insulting someone's intelligence with statements like it didn't worked well. And those decks are considered core aggro archetype doesn't make you sound very smart. Oh and the classic you don't even understand words you just wrote.
Anyways my point with bte is this. He is good with other good 2 drops so you can force through more damage with a free 2/2 body. In a midrange deck which is what every one of these lists are, a vanilla 2/2 is not exactly wow factor. He doesn't offer lasting ramp such as the sylvan offers. He doesnt mana fix. He is good when played as a 2/2 on turn 2 and only then when you have a free spell to play afterwards. The sylvan in turn enables t3 dragons and hydras.
If you still disagree I'd like to hear why I'm wrong instead of baseless insults and name calling. Thank you.
And if anyone has any comments on my decklist id like to hear them.
Bte is a trap because he tricks you into playing an inconsequential card that doesn't grant card advantage. He is good with certain card combos and aggro but he is very limited other then that. I feel comparing a 2/2 vanilla that doesn't actually mana ramp with a 0/3 defender hexproof that taps for all colors is rather... silly.
Also bte belongs in aggro decks where you get value and bodies not in midrange decks With numerous 4 and 5 drops.
Yea I was looking at it in an attempt to help you buti forgot the event decks have Pretty much no synergy whatever they Claim. So anyways I think for a deck called enabling heroics thats the way to go.
+ fabled hero(4 of)
+ soldier of the pantheon(4 of)
+battlewise hoplite (4 of)
+aequos form(4 of)
+artisan of forms
+gods willing (heroic enabler, removal protection and evasion granter. Great with fabled hero aequos form 6-8)
+thassa
+detention sphere
+elspeth
Maybe
+triton tactics
+ordeal of thassa
+daxos
+ supreme verdict
Yea what I'm thinking so far. I haven't even touched Ravnica that's all theros. But it's a start. Room for more good 1 and 2 drops like imposing sovereign. Basically my thoughts are make a wu aggro deck with heroic enabled unblockable double strikers. I'll give some more thoughts and post a full list
It was in an SCG premium video, I'm not sure what the rules are about posting those decklists. It was based off of the trading post deck by Cuneo which he has been screwing around with on MTGO. In his opinion it's a bad deck (but he holds that opinion of most decks) that's just good for screwing around with, in Brads opinion it's a good deck because it uses Trading Post.
This is Cuneo's list, which keep in mind is MTGO so it's pre rotation, Brad updated it a bit for rotation. It loses virtually nothing so that's not hard to do.
Brad swapped out what was rotating for their closest approximations. The deck is more or less unchanged but he didn't really innovate anything new for it. The swaps are fairly obvious like Dissolve for Dissipate and Detention Sphere for Oblivion Ring.
I haven't liked Chandra (or any walker) in the list because you don't have much in the way of protection. Your opponent usually doesn't have a totally empty board so planeswalkers are tough to keep alive. If you were going to run one, Jace AoT would be the best choice. Chandra's exile clause doesn't play well with this deck while Jace digs and saves you some damage.
If you want to go mill, the only constructed playable option is Jace MA. If you're in blue/black you can use Dimir Charm every turn to essentially Fateseal 1 every turn by recycling the card but it requires a lot of mana. You'll have to get to 12 mana minimum with two Trading Posts active in order to start winning (you'll then need 10 turns past that point).
While it's just as slow to get started you can go B/R with Slaughter Games and accomplish the same thing as Dimir Charm by removing every non land card from your opponents deck. That still leaves them with cards, so it's not pure mill but it's a really unfun way to win the game (for your opponent).
That's the entire point of the shredder. You mill yourself, then spend 5 and bring back a card from your graveyard. It's not meant to mill your opponent out, but rather to put more cards into your hand. Just like Nephalia Drownyard was used more often than not to mill yourself until very late in the game. If you're trying to mill offensively there's much better card options like Jace, MA. The card as it plays is basically just a reusable Think Twice.
As for beating the Jund deck, that was more due to Todd's deck being absolutely terrible rather than the mill deck being good. It was midrange with poor midrange cards. A much better, and more realistic matchup for the first couple weeks would have been post vs r/x aggro decks which is where it's much weaker (and why I favor the u/w/r lists).
Thank you I don't have scg premium so I had no reference. you've done a nice job explaining. On the planeswalkers debate I will say with detention sphere Chained to the rocks and access to three board wipes you have a lot of protection. Also planeswalkers can act like expensive fogs which could be good in this deck. A turn where they attack your wallet... I mean walkers is a turn they don't attack you. They add more options which is nice.
I hate when people say I saw decklist by X and don't post a link to what they are talking about. As your 7th grade, 8th grade, 9-12th grade and college professors will tell you... CITE YOUR SOURCES.
That said, seems like an interesting deck, and the interaction between Prophetic Prism and trading post is interesting as a Card draw mechanism. I'm not entirely sold on it, as generally speaking, a combo should be game ending or provide insurmountable tempo to be considered good. Trading post does have a lot of versatility though, so I'll reserve judgement for now.
Optimally I think you should add red, and run anger of the gods and Chandra.
Just my thoughts from the start. I think Jace and Chandra will help you with card advantage, and getting your posts online. I also think Planeswalkers are good in this deck because they provide more and more wincons.
Other cards I'd consider would be Magma Jet for the Scry and Mizzium Mortars. Although that could be unneccesarry. I would also consider +4 Chained to the Rocks if you run red. In fact Chained to the Rocks might be the only spot removal you need other than Detention Sphere.
EDIT:
For mill Don't forget Traumatize came out in M14. It's never been the best card but It might work :?
I completely disagree. Elspeth+Purphuros hits for 6 the turn Elspeth comes down, 6 the next turn, and probably 6 the following turn for 18. It doesn't actually kill until the fourth turn when you hit for another 6, but on that turn Elspeth is giving your other 9 tokens +2/+2 and flying anyways so you're getting in for lethal no matter what.
The synergy is there, but it's very win more. Just Elspeth already does what Elspeth+Purphuros do. At best it speeds you up by a turn. That doesn't seem good enough for a card that otherwise does nothing.
But he doesn't otherwise do nothing. He can come online, and the pump ability isn't irrelevant. But I understand that most people don't think he's playable. To which my only answer is playtest him. Maybe your right, and maybe he will surprise you
Oh yea I definitely agree. In fact in such a creature light deck it's easily one of the most questionable cards on the list.
My thoughts on him are pretty simple though.
1. It's a late game mana sink at the very worst. pumping your creatures for +4 or +5 damage can win you the game.
2. Amazing synergy with Elspeth. I don't think anyone disagrees, and if Elspeth wasn't in the deck I would never consider this card.
3. It isn't impossible for him to become a creature. With all the card draw and etc, It might actually happen fairly often. basically you have to have one reckoner on the field and either planeswalker.
Any other thoughts on the decklist as a whole? recommendations or criticisms are always welcome
So, if you find yourself in the incredibly rare situation where your opponent has 1 self-sacrificing non-land permanent on the board, and sacrifices that permanent before O-Ring resolves (in either a terrible misplay, or in an attempt to make you o-ring one of your own permanents), you can then pay 2WU and (effectively) discard a card for a 2/2 flying creature with flash?
That sounds horrendous.
In a vast majority of eternal applications, Spell Pierce will do the same things as this card without giving your opponent a clock (and still be more versatile, hitting planeswalkers and artifacts). Flusterstorm will be better in the applications Spell Pierce is not.
Esperblade won't play it.
RUG delver won't play it.
BUG doesn't need it.
Reanimator won't play it.
TES isn't touching it.
Show & Tell could possibly play it (mostly for the mirror & humility.dec)
Omni-Show won't play, pact is better
In modern you want to hit cranial plating, birthing pod, Karn, blood moon, thoughtseize, scapeshift and splinter twin. Pierce hits all of these, Swansong hits half. Of the half swansong even hits, pierce is usually just as good. I could see it possibly being better than pierce against Scapeshift. That's too narrow a choice for too little a percentage of the field.
Vintage Oath is about the only place I'd agree this card is solid.
Even in standard, there are better options.
I don't think I was quoting an impossible situation. And the scenario was no more than an example. I never said the creature had to be self sacrificing.
So three things about your response.
1. The Oring is already lost.
2. Your not discarding a card. Your casting a 1 mana spell for a 2/2 flyer.
3. This situation was for a specific deck at a specific time in standard. I feel the versatility represented here would Have worked well in a cawblade deck.
But since my oring idea was to specific for you how about this one.
You cast lingering soul's.
It's canceled.
You could Counter the counter and get 2 1/1s or counter your own spell and take the 2/2 flyer.
I'm saying the card gives you options. That's not a terrible thing.
Yep that's whyi won't be running him personally. As I've pointed out before ashen rider/whip of Erebos is much worse than venser/spine of ishshah and they never saw competitive play.
Decklist
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
3 Nemesis of Mortals
3 Reaper of the Wilds
3 Abhorrent Overlord
2 Pharika's Mender
2 Erebos, God of the Dead
2 Polukranos, World Eater
4 Hero's Downfall
4 Commune With the Gods
3 Read the Bones
Enchantments
3 Whip of Erebos
12 Swamp
11 Forest
Anyways this is what I think looks ok in BLOCK constructed. If your talking about standard of course there are lots of changes to be made here.
This is primarily a reanimation Deck fueled through Whip of Erebos. Some good synergies here.
Commune with the gods fills up your graveyard. Read the bones helps smooth out your draws.
Nemesis of Mortals - I didn't really find anything that would go better in this spot. Centaur Battlemaster needs heroic... plus this does become a lot better in a reanimation deck, allowing you to cast it as a 5/5 for 2 on occassion.
Pharika's Mender - Good card, lets you get back things that fall into the graveyard unexpectedly.
Hero's Downfall - You had no spot removal at all in your list. Shame on you.
Abhorrent Overlord - This is the primary wincon. get some 1/1 flyers and try to race your opponent. With whip you can hit his devotion ability twice which is nice.
Gray Merchant - Very nice, nice reanimation target. Can hit them and heal twice.
Anyways hoped I helped you.
Anyways mystic into sylvan into xenagos with 8+ mana on t4? That's the deck I'd like to play. I am hating on bte because in a deck like this I'd simply rather have better creatures. I'd rather have another hydra or a dragon than no card in hand and a 2/2 on the field. My opinion.
Wow I hope your not serious. But I'll reply to your well thought out critique.
First good job on the insults and name calling when all I did was state an opinion to which I might add you didn't explain why I was wrong.
And for your statement that this thread is about aggro and red/green deck wins I regret to inform you that 3 lists that include dragons hydras and planeswalkers are not aggro decks or Rdw archetype decks.
Also insulting someone's intelligence with statements like it didn't worked well. And those decks are considered core aggro archetype doesn't make you sound very smart. Oh and the classic you don't even understand words you just wrote.
Anyways my point with bte is this. He is good with other good 2 drops so you can force through more damage with a free 2/2 body. In a midrange deck which is what every one of these lists are, a vanilla 2/2 is not exactly wow factor. He doesn't offer lasting ramp such as the sylvan offers. He doesnt mana fix. He is good when played as a 2/2 on turn 2 and only then when you have a free spell to play afterwards. The sylvan in turn enables t3 dragons and hydras.
If you still disagree I'd like to hear why I'm wrong instead of baseless insults and name calling. Thank you.
And if anyone has any comments on my decklist id like to hear them.
Also bte belongs in aggro decks where you get value and bodies not in midrange decks With numerous 4 and 5 drops.
Just my opinion.
Also I'll repost this list over there Thank you
2 Domri Rade
2 Xenagos the Reveler
Creatures 23
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 kalonian Hydra
4 Stormbreath Dragon
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
3 Boon Satyr
4 Mizzium Mortars
4 Magma Jet
Enchantments 2
2 Primeval Bounty
Land 23
9 Forest
7 Mountain
4 Stomping Ground
3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Oh burning tree emissary is a trap don't run it.
+ fabled hero(4 of)
+ soldier of the pantheon(4 of)
+battlewise hoplite (4 of)
+aequos form(4 of)
+artisan of forms
+gods willing (heroic enabler, removal protection and evasion granter. Great with fabled hero aequos form 6-8)
+thassa
+detention sphere
+elspeth
Maybe
+triton tactics
+ordeal of thassa
+daxos
+ supreme verdict
Yea what I'm thinking so far. I haven't even touched Ravnica that's all theros. But it's a start. Room for more good 1 and 2 drops like imposing sovereign. Basically my thoughts are make a wu aggro deck with heroic enabled unblockable double strikers. I'll give some more thoughts and post a full list
Thank you I don't have scg premium so I had no reference. you've done a nice job explaining. On the planeswalkers debate I will say with detention sphere Chained to the rocks and access to three board wipes you have a lot of protection. Also planeswalkers can act like expensive fogs which could be good in this deck. A turn where they attack your wallet... I mean walkers is a turn they don't attack you. They add more options which is nice.
That said, seems like an interesting deck, and the interaction between Prophetic Prism and trading post is interesting as a Card draw mechanism. I'm not entirely sold on it, as generally speaking, a combo should be game ending or provide insurmountable tempo to be considered good. Trading post does have a lot of versatility though, so I'll reserve judgement for now.
Optimally I think you should add red, and run anger of the gods and Chandra.
So I think
-3 Ratchet Bomb
-1 Keyrune
-2 Blind Obedience
-2 Divination
+3 Anger of the Gods
+1 Chandra, Pyromaster
+2 Jace, Architect of Thought
+2 Steam Augury
Just my thoughts from the start. I think Jace and Chandra will help you with card advantage, and getting your posts online. I also think Planeswalkers are good in this deck because they provide more and more wincons.
Other cards I'd consider would be
Magma Jet for the Scry and Mizzium Mortars. Although that could be unneccesarry. I would also consider +4 Chained to the Rocks if you run red. In fact Chained to the Rocks might be the only spot removal you need other than Detention Sphere.
EDIT:
For mill Don't forget Traumatize came out in M14. It's never been the best card but It might work :?
Itd be rather hard for him too because it doesn't make sense.
But he doesn't otherwise do nothing. He can come online, and the pump ability isn't irrelevant. But I understand that most people don't think he's playable. To which my only answer is playtest him. Maybe your right, and maybe he will surprise you
My thoughts on him are pretty simple though.
1. It's a late game mana sink at the very worst. pumping your creatures for +4 or +5 damage can win you the game.
2. Amazing synergy with Elspeth. I don't think anyone disagrees, and if Elspeth wasn't in the deck I would never consider this card.
3. It isn't impossible for him to become a creature. With all the card draw and etc, It might actually happen fairly often. basically you have to have one reckoner on the field and either planeswalker.
Any other thoughts on the decklist as a whole? recommendations or criticisms are always welcome
I don't necessarily agree. Besides the main interaction I'd be going for is elspeth plus god. The ping from aetherling is just bonus.
Resolved god elspeth and aetherling is 8 direct damage a turn plus the 5+ aetherling swings for. So idk I def think it's worth playtesting at least
I don't think I was quoting an impossible situation. And the scenario was no more than an example. I never said the creature had to be self sacrificing.
So three things about your response.
1. The Oring is already lost.
2. Your not discarding a card. Your casting a 1 mana spell for a 2/2 flyer.
3. This situation was for a specific deck at a specific time in standard. I feel the versatility represented here would Have worked well in a cawblade deck.
But since my oring idea was to specific for you how about this one.
You cast lingering soul's.
It's canceled.
You could Counter the counter and get 2 1/1s or counter your own spell and take the 2/2 flyer.
I'm saying the card gives you options. That's not a terrible thing.