The difference is the sheet they are printed on. There is a reason Steamflogger Boss was printed on the Land sheet (the only other black bordered cards in Unstable). They just don't want to do multiple sheets with different rarity allocations to get the packs to work right. At least with Lands, they are always on their own sheet anyway so throwing an extra card on there isn't a big deal. Trying to do that to half the set and still keep the right rarity ratios either ends up with a set twice as big as they want it or just messes with the ratios entirely.Quote from awesomer phantasm »I get why they wanted to designate half the cards or so to be Commander legal by default. Aside from just selling more packs of cards, it lets players enjoy them in lots of new ways, so that seems like a solid choice. My only question is, why the stamps? Wouldn't it be more straight-forward to just have some cards have silver borders and some have black borders? I mean, remember Steamflogger Boss? That was a black bordered card that you could open in an Un-set... so what's the difference here?
That's not to say they won't do what you suggest. But this isn't really evidence in support of that as the explanation is a bit simpler.
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That $174 is on paper and unrealized until it is sold. If the card is too expensive, it will sit in their inventory and produce no revenue for them.
These days, if a LGS relies only on cards/sealed produce as revenue while their other costs rise (rent, etc.), that business would eventually go bankrupt. I see more and more LGSes turning into gaming cafes rather than just sell product. I think it's perfectly viable to sell product at a smaller profit margin as a driver to come to the store and buy other things or sit down and game and buy food.
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Wizards will not crash prices. They cannot publicly acknowledge the secondary market, but it is evident by the way they handle their reprint equity that they do care about secondary market prices to some extent.
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Wall of Reverence as well.
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But, it's also a $4-$5 rare. Not worth opening a $14 pack for.
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I would argue that a $20 deckbuilder's toolkit might be of better value for new players as there are some card multiples in those products.
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This is my semi-casual Kaalia of the Vast deck for multiplayer. I was inspired by 3drinks 1 vs. 1 version and made some modifications for a casual multiplayer environment.
What's My Meta
My meta is a casual 4-person group with family and friends with slightly modified pre-constructed Commander decks or homegrown Commander decks. I probably have the most optimized deck of the group.
If your meta is more competitive or cutthroat, your Kaalia multiplayer deck composition will likely be different than my list.
Deck Design
This deck looks like an aggro deck, but it plays more like a mini-combo deck in an unknown meta. The reason is because with 3 opponents in a typical multiplayer Commander/EDH game, it's difficult to win with creatures traditionally associated with aggro strategies. Aggro strategies work in 1 vs. 1 games, but they don't scale with an increased number of opponents. You simply can't deal enough combat damage across 3 opponents in a reasonable number of turns. Thus, in this deck, you are using Kaalia to cheat a creature in that affects the board state, a defending opponent, or all opponents significantly. Therefore, simply using an angel, demon, or dragon with high power and toughness will not likely help you win the game. Thus, preference is given to creatures with tactical value beyond dealing large amounts of combat damage. Most creatures in this deck have enter the battlefield abilities or have triggered abilities when dealing combat damage. In addition, to provide this deck some staying power, I am using quite a number of cards that reanimate creatures or other permanents back to the battlefield. Lastly, the mana curve of most creatures is kept at around 5-6 to allow the deck to function without Kaalia. Any creatures costing more than 6 really needs a strong ability for inclusion in the deck.
I have chosen to avoid unfun strategies such as mass land destruction and infinite combos. By playing this way, I have found that my playgroup isn't upset with my deck. My playgroup knows the deck is strong, but as long as I don't always win with Kaalia's abilities, they feel fine to play against this deck in the future. Consider this a more sociable Kaalia deck. However, if you are going into a competitive meta, you should bring in whatever cards you need to address your meta.
No Tucking
It is important to note that putting a commander into its owner's library is no longer a reliable strategy. The EDH rules committee recently revised the rules, so that whenever a commander moves to its owner's library, its owner's hand, or the exile zone, that commander's owner may put that card back into his or her command zone. Because of this rules change, certain commanders have become more potent, including Kaalia.
Budget
This is not a budget deck, but it's not the most expensive Kaalia deck I have encountered (excluding foil cards). I started assembling this deck when Kaalia was released as a Commander deck, so many cards in my deck were relatively affordable at that time.
Other Kaalia Decks
If you are looking for a very competitive Kaalia multiplayer deck, please refer to 3drinks's 1 vs. 1 deck, linked above, which also has suggested multiplayer card changes.
The Decklist
Number preceding the card name is the mana cost.
4 Kaalia of the Vast
Creatures
8 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
8 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
7 Resolute Archangel
7 Lord of the Void
7 Rune-Scarred Demon
7 Angel of Despair
7 Balefire Dragon
7 Overseer of the Damned
7 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
6 Kothophed, Soul Hoarder
6 Sire of Insanity
6 Steel Hellkite
6 Hellkite Tyrant
6 Sun Titan
5 Basandra, Battle Seraph
5 Bloodgift Demon
5 Thundermaw Hellkite
5 Karmic Guide
5 Baneslayer Angel
4 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
4 Angel of Finality
2 Grand Abolisher
Equipment
2 Swiftfoot Boots
2 Lightning Greaves
Artifacts
4 Quicksilver Amulet
2 Defense Grid
2 Boros Signet
2 Rakdos Signet
2 Orzhov Signet
2 Talisman of Indulgence
1 Sol Ring
1 Elixir of Immortality
5 Beacon of Unrest
4 Wrath of God
4 Damnation
4 Cataclysm
3 Toxic Deluge
3 Council's Judgment
3 Vindicate
3 Read the Bones
2 Sign in Blood
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Night's Whisper
1 Reanimate
Instants
3 Chaos Warp
3 Hero's Downfall
3 Anguished Unmaking
3 Wear // Tear
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tithe
1 Path to Exile
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
Enchantments
4 Sneak Attack
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necromancy
2 Dragon Tempest
2 Animate Dead
2 Dance of the Dead
2 Earnest Fellowship
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
Land (38)
0 Mountain
0 Snow-Covered Mountain
0 Swamp
0 Snow-Covered Swamp
0 Plains
0 Snow-Covered Plains
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Canyon Slough
0 Smoldering Marsh
0 Blood Crypt
0 Dragonskull Summit
0 Scalding Tarn
0 Sulfurous Springs
0 Sacred Foundry
0 Clifftop Retreat
0 Battlefield Forge
0 Arid Mesa
0 Godless Shrine
0 Isolated Chapel
0 Caves of Koilos
0 Marsh Flats
0 Command Tower
0 City of Brass
0 Mana Confluence
0 Reflecting Pool
0 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
0 Cavern of Souls
0 Windswept Heath
0 Polluted Delta
0 Rugged Prairie
0 Fetid Heath
0 Strip Mine
0 Homeward Path
0 Phyrexian Tower
0 Arcane Lighthouse
0 Exotic Orchard
0 Vault of the Archangel
0 Hall of the Bandit Lord
Deck Strategy
This deck focuses on reanimating creatures, because the deck attempts to have enough staying power to reach the middle and late game.
The early game is spent setting up mana artifacts, and if there is an opening, you will cast Kaalia and attack to launch your creatures. Otherwise, you can cheat them in with Quicksilver Amulet or Sneak Attack. Because the deck has very few low-casting cost creatures, you will be vulnerable in the early game, so you need to use your spells to stop early threats.
Core Cards
These are the cards you most likely want in your deck for this particular Kaalia build. Note: I have excluded ABUR dual lands and Grim Tutor due to cost. If you can afford them, you certainly want to make room for them in the deck.
Reanimation
These are the core reanimation cards. Cards can grab creatures from your graveyard or another player's graveyard. Volrath's Stronghold also helps bring back creatures, but you will need a draw effect to get the returned card faster. Remember that Necromancy can be cast as an instant for a temporary reanimation, so it can be used for combat shenanigans or to abuse enter the battlefield abilities on your creatures.
Animate Dead, Necromancy, Dance of the Dead, Volrath's Stronghold, Phyrexian Reclamation are retrievable by Sun Titan, allowing further reuse.
Haste
These cards give Kaalia or just about any creature haste. The nonland cards have low mana costs, so you can cast them early while you work your way up to casting Kaalia. Hall of the Bandit Lord allows Kaalia to attack immediately if you use its mana to summon Kaalia. Originally, Hall of the Bandit Lord was considered a bad card by most players, so there wasn't much demand. Putting this card into the Kaalia deck generates a nasty surprise for opponents. Unfortunately, this card gained popularity, so the price went up.
Sneak Attack is for situations when Kaalia is not viable, but you need play a creature to take advantage of its ability.
Protection
Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots are low-cost cards that make Kaalia not targetable by opponents. Cavern of Souls is used primarily against blue-based opponents. You almost always want to name "Human" to make Kaalia uncounterable.
Earnest Fellowship helps protect Kaalia and other creatures in the deck and helps them attack unblocked. This card provides a symmetrical effect, meaning your opponents benefit from it as well. However, if you cast this at the right time, Kaalia will do a lot of harm to your opponents. Remember, that Earnest Fellowship grants Kaalia protection from red, black, and white, which are the top three colors for creature removal spells and abilities.
Removal
These cards remove various permanents.
Mana Acceleration
All these cards provide extra mana or land.
Creatures
This is the primary pool of creatures that you will use to make your Kaalia deck. These are all creatures that provide some value beyond combat power. You probably want to have somewhere between 16-20 creatures in your Kaalia deck.
Tutoring
These cards allow you to reach for cards in your library.
Card Drawing
These cards let you draw extra cards.
Slowdown
These cards provide you with some means of slowing down combo players or counterspell-based players. Unfortunately, RBW does not have many persistent means of dealing with combo and permission decks, so these are among the best inhibitors of combo and counterspell strategies.
Viable Secondary Cards
Creatures
This is the secondary pool of creatures that you can use to make your Kaalia deck. These creatures also have abilities beyond combat power, but their abilities are more situational and dependent on your meta.
Mana Acceleration
Tutoring
Card Drawing
Necropotence is a very powerful card draw mechanism. Consequently, it has drawbacks, but paying enough life to fill your hand keeps you from running out of gas.
Skeletal Scrying is instant speed card draw that costs you life and cards in your graveyard. This card goes against the reanimation strategy to some extent, but that is why many of my reanimation cards can target any graveyard.
Reanimation
If you need additional reanimation cards, you can try these. If new reanimation cards get released, always evaluate whether it targets any graveyard or not.
Removal
These are other removal card choices you can use, especially if you can't get more expensive removal cards listed in the Core Cards section.
Other
These cards rotate in and out of the deck depending on the meta or my mood.
Elixir of Immortality is a card to recycle my graveyard in the case of a long game and to gain a little life. It's a junk card to most players, but for me it is a reusable Feldon's Cane
Jeweled Amulet: A combo involving Hall of the Bandit Lord, some dual lands, and Jeweled Amulet is the only known way to cast a hasted Kaalia by turn 3, although I'm not using Jeweled Amulet in my build.
Havoc Festival: This is a card that few players expect, but it fits in a Kaalia deck. Since dealing 40 regular damage or 21 Commmander damage to any opponent is a big task in multiplayer for a Kaalia deck, Havoc Festival makes that task easier. Cast it at an opportune moment as it does make you a big target.
Cards I'm Definitely Not Using
Sensei's Diving Top is a nice card, but I have decided I would rather replace this with cards that draw more cards. If you had all the fetchlands that retrieve one of the three land types of this deck, you might be justified in adding Sensei's Divining Top.
Dragon Mage gives all players cards, so it is not an appealing creature for this particular Kaalia deck. In multiplayer, you are giving cards to multiple opponents (i.e. you draw 7 cards, but your three opponents draw a total of 21 cards), which increases the probability your opponents will draw answers or threats.
Reya Dawnbringer is an old card, and I consider it too weak in the current card pool. While it has a reanimation upkeep triggered ability, it has no immediate impact to the board state, and its power and toughness is very low compared to its hefty 9-mana cost.
Diabolic Tutor is a bit too slow at 4 mana.
Akroma, Angel of Wrath and Akroma, Angel of Fury have relevant protection and combat abilities, but I'm looking for creatures that affect the board state immediately. In some metas, these cards may be useful.
Rogue's Passage: I dropped this card, because it was too mana intensive to make a creature unblockable.
Whispersilk Cloak: I took this out, because it requires 5 mana to cast and equip it on Kaalia on my turn. If I cast it and then wait to equip on my next turn, that gives my opponents time to answer it. In addition, since equip is performed at sorcery speed, an opponent can use instant-based effects to interfere with the equip process.
Avoiding Flameblast Syndrome Cards
I'm not using any creature with "Flameblast Syndrome" except for Rakdos the Defiler. Coined by 3drinks, Flameblast Syndrome is any creature who has an ability that triggers upon being declared as an attacker. Here are some cards with Flameblast Syndrome.
Because Kaalia's ability is triggered after the Declare Attackers step, any creature with Flameblast Syndrome will not have its ability triggered. In a 4-player game, you would have to wait 3 turns after cheating them in to get to use their attack trigger. This provides ample time for your opponents to act. The same goes for hardcasting them, except for Aurelia, which has haste. If you are going to use any Flameblast creature, you should focus on ones that have haste, so you can hardcast them and attack with them the same turn.
Rakdos the Defiler is a creature with Flameblast Syndrome. However, putting Rakdos the Defiler onto the battlefield via Kaalia's ability actually avoids Rakdos the Defiler's "whenever this creature attacks" triggered ability, which has a negative outcome on you.
Potential Weaknesses of the Deck
1) In a more competitive meta, mass land destruction will ruin you unless Kaalia is on the battlefield to bring out your other creatures. If you think you will encounter mass land destruction, you should use cards like Crucible of Worlds or even Terra Eternal. Otherwise, you should pack your own land destruction cards into the deck and inflict land destruction on your own terms. Get Kaalia out, and then destroy all lands. Armageddon and Impending Disaster are your primary land destruction cards.
2) Because of the reanimation theme of this deck, this deck is vulnerable to graveyard exiling cards or effects. Cards like Night Soil, Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void, and Scavenging Ooze can mess up the reanimation package, so it is best to get rid of those cards as soon as possible. Of course, Bojuka Bog and Tormod's Crypt will also ruin your day. Thus, I find it important to choose reanimation cards that grab from any graveyard, not just your own.
3) The effectiveness of this deck without Kaalia also depends how fast your meta is. If your opponents are faster than you or are trying to combo out, you probably won't survive. If opponents are teaming up on you, you can consider defensive (known in game lingo as "pillowfort") cards, such as Ghostly Prison, No Mercy, or Karmic Justice. If you can afford Moat, that is your best defensive card.
4) There are quite a few non-basic lands in my deck. Blood Moon and Ruination can mess up your strategy. However, there are some basic lands in this deck, so you won't be completely be stopped by non-basic land hate.
5) Although discard effects are rarer in multiplayer, you may be targeted in a game. You will need your reanimation cards to get any discarded creatures back.
6) Tucking a commander is no longer possible in normal Commander games. Therefore, Kaalia is more dangerous than before. Despite that, my deck tries to keep mana costs of its creatures distributed to prevent holding too many high-casting cost creatures in my hand. There are enough mana artifacts to get you to 6 mana, where there is a large number of creatures available to be cast. The reanimation package can keep your creatures around longer.
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Other Multiplayer Kaalia Strategies in Multiplayer
These are other multiplayer strategies that I have seen in multiplayer.
High-Damage Output/All-In Aggro
This strategy tries to deal as much (combat) damage as possible to opponents to win. Generally, you see a lot of cards like Akroma, Angel of Wrath (also its red counterpart Akroma, Angel of Fury) and other high-power/high toughness cards. Other cards you may see in this strategy are Fervor and Mass Hysteria to give everything you hard cast haste and Aggravated Assault to obtain multiple combat phases.
This strategy will work in casual and underdeveloped metas, since opponents don't pack enough spot and mass removal and often can't race the Kaalia player's big creatures.
However, this strategy does poorly against competitive multiplayer metas, since decks in that meta often have mass creature removal, counterspells, and control/lockdown cards. In addition, this strategy doesn't scale very well in competitive metas. You may be able to take down one opponent, but you will often find that your deck does not have enough cards left against the remaining opponents.
Reanimation
In this strategy, the Kaalia player devotes a number of cards to resurrecting our own creatures or taking someone else's creatures, because he or she is expecting creatures to be destroyed often, whether by spot removal or mass removal. The Kaalia player tries to extend the longevity of the deck through recursion, because beating up 3 opponents is going to take some time. In addition, when using this strategy, the Kaalia player is not just using the A/D/D with the highest power and toughness. A lot of A/D/D creatures in this strategy have enters-the-battlefield (ETB) or leaves-the battlefield (LTB) abilities. If an opponent manages to destroy one of your creature, you can just resurrect it and reuse the ability.
A weakness of this strategy is if an opponent manages to wipe out graveyards (Rest in Peace, Bojuka Bog), making it more difficult to resurrect anything.
Pillowfort
This is the complete opposite of the aggro strategy. The Kaalia player dedicates cards to protect from being attacked as much as possible while trying to build up enough mana to launch a Kaalia attack. Cards seen in this strategy include No Mercy, Ghostly Prison, and the expensive Moat. This strategy generally works in casual metas, but in competitive ones, it's probably not strong enough to hold its own. Opponents will probably try to take you out first if you play too many pillowfort cards.
Lockdown/Stax
This strategy uses a lot of lockdown cards that mess with the board state, such as Winter Orb. Because you're dedicating a lot of your deck to lockdown cards, the deck consequently doesn't use a lot of A/D/D creatures. The reasoning here is that you only really cast Kaalia after you lock the board down. As such, the lockdown/stax strategy requires a lot of skill to make sure you are not as adversely affected by your lockdown cards as your opponents. Also, I think you would end up spending a lot of money to buy the lockdown cards needed for this strategy. Using this strategy means that your Kaalia deck doesn't look like an aggro deck or A/D/D deck anymore. It is more like a control/lockdown deck with a small Kaalia package.
I've seen a few Kaalia decklists that mix and match aggro and pillowfort strategies. Kaalia decks using the lockdown/stax strategy might have a few pillowfort cards, but on the whole don't mix with the other strategies.
Sunforger Package
I have seen and I used to have a build that used Sunforger and a whole bunch of relevant instants. You may want to play this if you want some additional versatility.
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Wizards have been known to drop the ball before. They might save Serra for future Commander deck.
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