Because Mana Crypt is one of the 15 most powerful cards ever printed (in my opinion one of the 3 most powerful cards ever printed)
I'm sorry to not really add anything as I don't particularly care for commander cards which it has pretty well been stated this was designed for. But I'm more curious about what the top 15 cards are in your opinion. If you don't mind.
It could be a 2/2 for only G if the ability says all other creatures have haste. Still functionally the same card as the crossroads and magus combined. Crossroads never gave itself haste except under very situational circumstances.
I'm assuming you aren't looking for anything that top tier and just looking for something fun. You are red and black so maybe have a few Unlicensed Disintegration? Also K.Command would be good in here to debut your win condition or sac outlet.
Idea of this deck is constantly point direct damage to the opponents face. Allow your health to get low, but not to the point where you will die. It's okay to aim damage spells to the opponents creatures if necessary.
Then when the coast is clear cast Madcap to get the mirror to refill your hand. The cost is really high. You end up shuffling everything into your deck and basically just getting your hand. But there is a plan. You only want to do this when you can produce 5 Mana without using your land drop. This way you can play the land and cast Madcap OR cast Madcap and then play the land. That gives you 2 Mana. Your rituals can ramp you up to 3 or even 4 Mana to deploy all your newly drawn burn spells.
Atarka's Command has a hidden mode that this deck actually uses. The putting a land onto the battlefield mode. This deck uses that very well. Eot burn for 3 and then bolt them. If you don't have actual bolt then cast it main phase to be able to cast bump, skewer, spike, etc.
The trigger for the Mirror goes off when it enters the battlefield. This means there is no point where the opponent can destroy it in response if you took lethal off the Madcap.
You can and do sometimes play a Mirror before going off. This is especially interesting if you manage to Madcap the other one. You get 2 triggers and can respond in-between them. So any rituals you draw will only add Mana to the pool for the second hand.
This is mostly made to be a fun deck but can actually put up some numbers.
I've had a few games where the opponent cast StoneForge getting Batterskull. I cast Atarka's Command eot and then bolted the Mystic to get ramp and basically free damage.
The deck can be tweaked in different metas, but large cheap creatures are hard to deal with.
If you expect lots of affinity or cookbooks then you can main Destructive Revelry and side in Smash to Smithereens. The Revelry almost made it main deck since there are lots of targets one way or the other. Only issue is Monkey and other fast decks do not tend to have lots of targets. Meta dependent.
Mayael is this even legal in modern? I'd suggest cutting all the enters play abilities that don't win the game. Once you go off then you should win. If not the combo really isn't worth doing IMO. I'd cut all the cute stuff out and focus on doing that thing first. Once you have that optimized then I'd build the rest of the deck.
Best answer I can give you is what one card wins if you have the combo of looping the two legends? If it's possible to be a land then that's even better as it doesn't take up a spell slot. If not then you have basically a three card combo deck that needs two identical cards to be effective. Not good.
If you can put everything into play at one time then I'd maybe suggest a card that makes it hard or impossible for the opponent to play spells that turn. Can be the knight from MH1 or defense grid or Teferi the 3 drop. You'll need a few of these to prevent them from making a mess of the situation.
Just remember you are playing a slow 3 card combo deck in a focused format. Where 1 card combo decks exist or you can be killed on turn 3. Build accordingly or switch to something better.
I don't under this. Why post when there hasn't been a deck list in almost two years? I'm pretty sure the meta shifted since then. IJS
Could you give a deck list and maybe we can work it from there?
I'd also agree that the wall is better than tutor in this deck. Not only can it tutor the alarm or the nest, but it can also tutor for the general. As well as force Incase you want protection while going off... Or can be pitched to force if you already have it.
While not a squirrel if you are wanting to put infinite power and toughness into play with intruder alarm then Sprout Swarm is your best bet. Don't need all that Dryad arbor, nest combo either. If you want squirrels then just add a ChatterFang, Squirrel General to the mix and there ya go.
Deranged Hermit isn't in modern but we do have Deep Forest Hermit. This combined with Alarm allows you to go infinite with SS BTW.
I was going to suggest Noose Constrictor. Almost an upgraded Mongrel. Which is pretty good.
We can probably do better if we had a deck list or something better describing what you are asking about.
Nice cards. I like that the dragon is terrible. Shows not every custom cards needs to be format defining. Could easily see print. Hopefully in a set with Brand or similar effects.
The other spell is also weak. Which is again a good thing.
This does not feel like a model spell. Both effects seem like they can and should exist on individual cards. And the second one should cost 1 more Mana. The first one should be Boros colors. I know justice strike or whatever y'all talked about. Magic has made cards then just made better cards afterwards. This would be just another example.
I also enjoyed the read. But I think you did a few things wrong. #1 equip should be endurance A+. They will probably always have equips in every set or block and there is no way they will ever run out of ideas for the keyword. #2 Banding should have been #1. I mean come on man.
Should probably say choose one exile and then do the action.
I'm sorry to not really add anything as I don't particularly care for commander cards which it has pretty well been stated this was designed for. But I'm more curious about what the top 15 cards are in your opinion. If you don't mind.
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lava Spike
1 Bump in the Night
2 Flame Rift
4 Atarka's Command
4 Lightning Helix
1 Rift Bolt
4 Skewer the Critics
2 Slagstorm
Rituals
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Pyretic Ritual
1 Vessel of Volatility
Tutors
4 Madcap Experiment
Tutor Targets
2 Lich's Mirror
Lands
4 Arid Mesa
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Blood Crypt
2 Stomping Ground
1 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Mountain
1 Den of the Bugbear
Idea of this deck is constantly point direct damage to the opponents face. Allow your health to get low, but not to the point where you will die. It's okay to aim damage spells to the opponents creatures if necessary.
Then when the coast is clear cast Madcap to get the mirror to refill your hand. The cost is really high. You end up shuffling everything into your deck and basically just getting your hand. But there is a plan. You only want to do this when you can produce 5 Mana without using your land drop. This way you can play the land and cast Madcap OR cast Madcap and then play the land. That gives you 2 Mana. Your rituals can ramp you up to 3 or even 4 Mana to deploy all your newly drawn burn spells.
Atarka's Command has a hidden mode that this deck actually uses. The putting a land onto the battlefield mode. This deck uses that very well. Eot burn for 3 and then bolt them. If you don't have actual bolt then cast it main phase to be able to cast bump, skewer, spike, etc.
The trigger for the Mirror goes off when it enters the battlefield. This means there is no point where the opponent can destroy it in response if you took lethal off the Madcap.
You can and do sometimes play a Mirror before going off. This is especially interesting if you manage to Madcap the other one. You get 2 triggers and can respond in-between them. So any rituals you draw will only add Mana to the pool for the second hand.
This is mostly made to be a fun deck but can actually put up some numbers.
I've had a few games where the opponent cast StoneForge getting Batterskull. I cast Atarka's Command eot and then bolted the Mystic to get ramp and basically free damage.
The deck can be tweaked in different metas, but large cheap creatures are hard to deal with.
If you expect lots of affinity or cookbooks then you can main Destructive Revelry and side in Smash to Smithereens. The Revelry almost made it main deck since there are lots of targets one way or the other. Only issue is Monkey and other fast decks do not tend to have lots of targets. Meta dependent.
Best answer I can give you is what one card wins if you have the combo of looping the two legends? If it's possible to be a land then that's even better as it doesn't take up a spell slot. If not then you have basically a three card combo deck that needs two identical cards to be effective. Not good.
If you can put everything into play at one time then I'd maybe suggest a card that makes it hard or impossible for the opponent to play spells that turn. Can be the knight from MH1 or defense grid or Teferi the 3 drop. You'll need a few of these to prevent them from making a mess of the situation.
Just remember you are playing a slow 3 card combo deck in a focused format. Where 1 card combo decks exist or you can be killed on turn 3. Build accordingly or switch to something better.
Could you give a deck list and maybe we can work it from there?
Deranged Hermit isn't in modern but we do have Deep Forest Hermit. This combined with Alarm allows you to go infinite with SS BTW.
We can probably do better if we had a deck list or something better describing what you are asking about.
The other spell is also weak. Which is again a good thing.