I am not a big fan of the Pacts in a lot of decks, personally, as I think they put your back to the corner or are dead too often. I dropped Beseech for Infernal Tutor + Draw and I gets some insane turns out of it. Remand, imo, slows down more threats and gives me draw too. Lastly, SSG was just not worth running for me just for the very rare chance of a turn 2 win.
My big issue still remains that this combo is too disruptable. I have enough tutor and draw to make the combo reliable, but if they cast an extirpate on a Myr in the yard then I am SOL if I don't have a counter in my hand. Sure, a hard counter might be a decent SB choice for this, but it is not really perfect. Really, any of the MANY grave disruption spells reams the deck because this is not an instant speed combo. So unless I want to SB in Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir (LOL), then this combo is just too slow (as much as I like the deck).
Lastly, I really think you ought to look at Spellskite in your 75 somewhere. It really has helped me quite a bit.
Pact of Negation has won me about half of my games. That card is incredible in this deck. I don't see how it backs me into a corner, and rarely is it dead.
Here is my updated decklist. I'm not worried about Extirpate, because people don't play it. Surgical Extraction is a thing, but thats what 4 dispel in the sideboard are for.
I agree about SSG, but not sure what Spellskite would be useful for.
Turn 1: Faithless Looting/Serum Visions to setup the hand
Turn 2: Remove SSG, Drop Heartless Summoning, Selhoff Oculist, and The 2 Myr Combo
Infernal Tutor is a great way to get that elusive second Myr.
Muddle duels as a tutor and counter Backup
Beseech can also grab any card you need for the combo.
Enchanted creature and all creatures with the same name as enchanted creature can't attack or block.
At the beginning of enchanted creature's upkeep, that creature's controller loses 1 life for each creature they control with the same name as enchanted creature.
No matter how hard you try, spending 4 mana to draw a land is not good, even if it comes on a PW. At the end of the day it's just not impactful enough when your opponents are casting hasty fliers or drawing 6 and gaining 6.
So you're basically saying Jace, Architect of Thought isn't good either.
I think this is just another attempt to try and make Mutilate (which is pretty much worse than Supreme Verdict) and Liliana of the Dark Realms (Might as well be Garruk Relentless IMO) look somewhat playable.
I don't like playing four mana planeswalkers that my opponents can readily ignore. Drawing lands is cool, but doesn't Jace just do it far better? I think the only thing Lily has going for her in this incarnation is the ability to pump a Nighthawk, but I see none of those here. Abrupt decay is an instant, btw. Card is pretty good.
But this deck does make Mutilate and Liliana actually good, because they are extremely powerful in a deck with 16 black duels.
Mutilate becomes Supreme Judgement basically, and Liliana is a main win condition, especially if the opponent ignores her. Jace isn't better than Liliana here, as Liliana's +1 is getting you exactly what land you need to play the most powerful cards in the format, while Jace's card advantage is a -2 that doesn't get you any color you need.
This deck would definitely have at least 3 nighthawk in the sideboard.
It would look more powerful without bad cards like Liliana and Vraska.
Vraska, maybe, but Liliana is incredible in a deck like this, you kiddin? It is the engine of the deck.
Insane card advantage/mana fixing, removal, and can +X+X for the win or Ultimate with Rakdo's Return, Bonfire of the Damned and Sphinx's Revelation for the win.
You really should consider Archaeomancer if you want to lock some decks out of the game. You speak of the deck as though it will just give you limitless tokens/fog effects, but in reality, those Snapcaster's exile your 4 good fog spells.
There are 2 Archaeomancer's in here.
Playing smart with your Snaps is key here, but if used correctly, you want 4.
Can't help but think that you're taking a step back from your last SCP deck: there is no way that Fog is a better two-drop than Syncopate.
I actually tried your last deck and although I spoke out against Garruk at the time, I found it to be quite good in testing. Having a PW with a potent ultimate is just what this deck needs. 2 copies of Entreat was just was this deck needed for additional finishers.
I don't see Restoration Angel working if what you want is blinking Thragtusk. Cackling Image seems like it wants to be a 4-of. I also object to bringing the land count down; it seems like this new deck wants more regularity.
The Fog/DD idea seems more like a SB option against aggro than a dedicated strategy. Syncopate/Tide/Sweepers just seems like a better MB strategy than Fogs.
After testing, I agree with some of your points but disagree with others.
I believe that fog is an upgrade over the non-fog variant. With this deck, you can consistently fog for turn after turn, until drawing into something that will give you major card advantage.
Resto Angel has been solid but a little clunky, and although it also works great with Snapcaster, it isn't necessary here.
I upped the land count to 24, and Dissipate to 3 maindeck.
Garruk is pretty huge, especially with the fogging allowing him to ultimate, although tapping 5 mana on our turn is not something this deck wants to do unless it is to get back into the game against aggro with a Thragtusk. I will use Garruk as a 1-of, for now.
Getting flooded with Cackling Counterparts and no targets is an issue, thus the reason it is a 3 of.
2 Archaeomancer seems like it should work, so I will test them out.
'Fogging' is an interesting effect in Magic. It has no effect on any card in play, it essentially gives you a free turn. Taking more turns means you will definitely be drawing more cards. By taking advantage the drawing of extra cards coupled with the stockpiling of mana, can we abuse 'fogging' effects?
With this deck, you can take advantage of these "free turn" Fog effects like the namesake and Druid's Deliverance, as well as Azorius Charm. Flashing Back these cards with Snapcaster Mage gives you more 'free turns'. Cackling Counterpart your Snapcaster Mage? More free turns! Soon, you have 5-7 lands in play and should be drawing into cards such as Terminus to clear the board of everything for W, Entreat the Angels to win the game with 6 Mana, Sphinx's Revelation to give you infinite fogs, Thragtusk because he is fluckin Thragtusk. With Cackling Counterpart, you got Thragtusks for eons. Who doesn't love populating Thragtusks, and Snapcaster Mages?
Also, as pointed out by PrideOfTheClouds, the 3-card combo of Cackling Counterpart, Druid's Deliverance and Archaomancer is an endless cycle of fogging.
This is not a fun deck for aggro.
Fog's can start on turn 1 (although unnecessary in current standard), and chain for a very long time.
An example of a draw that curves nicely:
Turn 2: Fog.
Turn 3: Snapcaster the Fog.
Turn 4: Druid's Deliverance, and Azorius Charm or Think Twice
Turn 5: Cackle a Snap, recast Druid Deliverance, kill a guy with Snap
Now it's turn 6, you are at 20, and you probably can do any number of things.
Against control, the matchup is trickier.
Rule #1: Never, ever, tap out with a counter in hand. Rakdos's Return is a brutal card, and needs to be feared whenever black and red are able to be produced the the opponent.
Rule #2: Don't forget about Sphinx's Revelation, which is also exceptional, and thus the reason we run it.
Entreat the Angels is home-run hitter, and how you will win many games. There are cards out there that take care of it, but they are basically limited to board wipes, Mizzium Mortars, Detention Sphere, and Sever the Bloodline. Counter backup is the nuts.
Post sideboard, this deck is in much better position against control. 6Counters to handle pesky things like Planes walkers and Rakdos's Return, and eventually you should get off a nice Entreat the Angels or Sphinx's Revelation late in the game with counter backup.
Pact of Negation has won me about half of my games. That card is incredible in this deck. I don't see how it backs me into a corner, and rarely is it dead.
Here is my updated decklist. I'm not worried about Extirpate, because people don't play it. Surgical Extraction is a thing, but thats what 4 dispel in the sideboard are for.
I agree about SSG, but not sure what Spellskite would be useful for.
4 Heartless Summoning
4 Myr Retriever
Kills: 6
3 Selhoff Occultist
3 Grapeshot
Tutor/Draw/Filte/Acceleration: 19
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Faithless Looting
4 Serum Visions
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Sleight of Hand
3 Infernal Tutor
3 Pact of Negation
1 Pact of Negation
4 Dispel
3 Duress
2 Pyroclasm
4 Echoing Truth
1 Bitter Ordeal
A really good draw has gotten me a turn 2 Kill.
4 Heartless Summoning
4 Myr Retriever
Kills: 7
4 Selhoff Occultist
3 Grapeshot
4 Faithless Looting
4 Serum Visions
4 Muddle the Mixture
3 Infernal Tutor
4 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Beseech the Queen
3 Pact of Negation
The turn 2 kill would go something like this:
Turn 1: Faithless Looting/Serum Visions to setup the hand
Turn 2: Remove SSG, Drop Heartless Summoning, Selhoff Oculist, and The 2 Myr Combo
Infernal Tutor is a great way to get that elusive second Myr.
Muddle duels as a tutor and counter Backup
Beseech can also grab any card you need for the combo.
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Breeding Pool
3 Temple Garden
2 Pendelhaven
1 Plains
1 Forest
Creatures: 24
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Birds of Paradise
2 Spellskite
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Cephalid Constable
4 Cold Eyed Selkie
3 Silverblade Paladin
2 Sublime Archangel
1 Rafiq of the Many
4 Rancor
3 Vines of the Vastwood
2 Lightning Greaves
Utility: 5
3 Path to Exile
2 Spell Snare
3 Gaddock Teeg
1 Spell Snare
1 Path to Exile
2 Spellskite
2 Quasali Pridemage
3 Pithing Needle
3 Kor Firewalker
This is a tempo deck that can secure the game early with a nice Cephalid Constable or Cold-Eyed Selkie hit.
Turn 1: Hope for a Noble Hierarch, Birds works too. Turn 1 ramp is not necessary for this deck to go off early, but it helps.
Turn 2: Either run out a 3 drop and hope it lives, or play it safe with a Spellskite or Lightning Greaves.
Turn 3: Equip Lightning Greaves with hopeful Vines of Vastwood or Spellskite backup. Possibly attack from anywhere between 1/1 and 6/4 trample.
Turn 4: Sublime Archangel with a Rancor is a probably game over.
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Baneslayer Angel
3 Thragtusk
2 Sigarda, Host of Herons
4 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Heartless Summoning
3 Farseek
Utility: 13
4 Thoughtseize
4 Path to Exile
3 Rancor
2 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Acidic Slime
3 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Stony Silence
2 Obstinate Baloth
3 Spellskite
Pretty simple... I want to make this deck but don't want to waste my time/money/resources if it won't be competitive.
However, with so much life-gain and early access to monster creatures, I feel it could be very effective in the current metagame.
Any thoughts, suggestions, or improvements?
1WB
Enchantment - Aura
Enchanted creature and all creatures with the same name as enchanted creature can't attack or block.
At the beginning of enchanted creature's upkeep, that creature's controller loses 1 life for each creature they control with the same name as enchanted creature.
So you're basically saying Jace, Architect of Thought isn't good either.
But this deck does make Mutilate and Liliana actually good, because they are extremely powerful in a deck with 16 black duels.
Mutilate becomes Supreme Judgement basically, and Liliana is a main win condition, especially if the opponent ignores her. Jace isn't better than Liliana here, as Liliana's +1 is getting you exactly what land you need to play the most powerful cards in the format, while Jace's card advantage is a -2 that doesn't get you any color you need.
This deck would definitely have at least 3 nighthawk in the sideboard.
Vraska, maybe, but Liliana is incredible in a deck like this, you kiddin? It is the engine of the deck.
Insane card advantage/mana fixing, removal, and can +X+X for the win or Ultimate with Rakdo's Return, Bonfire of the Damned and Sphinx's Revelation for the win.
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Godless Shrine
4 Blood Crypt
4 Watery Grave
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Glacial Fortress
Creatures: 5
4 Thragtusk
1 Griselbrand
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Liliana of the Dark Realms
2 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Vraska the Unseen
1 Nicole Bolas, Planeswalker
Sorcery: 17
4 Farseek
2 Dreadbore
4 Mutilate
2 Terminus
2 Rakdos's Return
2 Bonfire of the Damned
2 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Abrupt Decay
Artifact: 3
2 Chromatic Lantern
1 Door to Nothingness
What do you guys think about something like this? It looks powerful.
There are 2 Archaeomancer's in here.
Playing smart with your Snaps is key here, but if used correctly, you want 4.
Swarm strategies are very good right now. I've played Feeling of Dread enough to know it isn't as effective in this deck.
After testing, I agree with some of your points but disagree with others.
I believe that fog is an upgrade over the non-fog variant. With this deck, you can consistently fog for turn after turn, until drawing into something that will give you major card advantage.
Resto Angel has been solid but a little clunky, and although it also works great with Snapcaster, it isn't necessary here.
I upped the land count to 24, and Dissipate to 3 maindeck.
Garruk is pretty huge, especially with the fogging allowing him to ultimate, although tapping 5 mana on our turn is not something this deck wants to do unless it is to get back into the game against aggro with a Thragtusk. I will use Garruk as a 1-of, for now.
Getting flooded with Cackling Counterparts and no targets is an issue, thus the reason it is a 3 of.
2 Archaeomancer seems like it should work, so I will test them out.
SNAP----------CACKLE-----------POP
'Fogging' is an interesting effect in Magic. It has no effect on any card in play, it essentially gives you a free turn. Taking more turns means you will definitely be drawing more cards. By taking advantage the drawing of extra cards coupled with the stockpiling of mana, can we abuse 'fogging' effects?
With this deck, you can take advantage of these "free turn" Fog effects like the namesake and Druid's Deliverance, as well as Azorius Charm. Flashing Back these cards with Snapcaster Mage gives you more 'free turns'. Cackling Counterpart your Snapcaster Mage? More free turns! Soon, you have 5-7 lands in play and should be drawing into cards such as Terminus to clear the board of everything for W, Entreat the Angels to win the game with 6 Mana, Sphinx's Revelation to give you infinite fogs, Thragtusk because he is fluckin Thragtusk. With Cackling Counterpart, you got Thragtusks for eons. Who doesn't love populating Thragtusks, and Snapcaster Mages?
Also, as pointed out by PrideOfTheClouds, the 3-card combo of Cackling Counterpart, Druid's Deliverance and Archaomancer is an endless cycle of fogging.
4 Temple Garden
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Glacial Fortress
1 Island
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Grove of the Guardian
1 Moorland Haunt
Creatures/Walkers: 10
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Archaeomancer
3 Thragtusk
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Fog
4 Druid's Deliverance
3 Think Twice
3 Azorius Charm
3 Cackling Counterpart
3 Dissipate
1 Sphinx's Revelation
Sorcery: 7
2 Farseek
1 Supreme Verdict
2 Terminus
2 Entreat the Angels
2 Fog
1 Selesnya Charm
2 Purify the Grave
3 Negate
2 Sundering Growth
1 Azorius Charm
2 Detention Sphere
1 Thragtusk
1 Terminus
This is not a fun deck for aggro.
Fog's can start on turn 1 (although unnecessary in current standard), and chain for a very long time.
An example of a draw that curves nicely:
Turn 2: Fog.
Turn 3: Snapcaster the Fog.
Turn 4: Druid's Deliverance, and Azorius Charm or Think Twice
Turn 5: Cackle a Snap, recast Druid Deliverance, kill a guy with Snap
Now it's turn 6, you are at 20, and you probably can do any number of things.
Against control, the matchup is trickier.
Rule #1: Never, ever, tap out with a counter in hand. Rakdos's Return is a brutal card, and needs to be feared whenever black and red are able to be produced the the opponent.
Rule #2: Don't forget about Sphinx's Revelation, which is also exceptional, and thus the reason we run it.
Entreat the Angels is home-run hitter, and how you will win many games. There are cards out there that take care of it, but they are basically limited to board wipes, Mizzium Mortars, Detention Sphere, and Sever the Bloodline. Counter backup is the nuts.
Post sideboard, this deck is in much better position against control. 6Counters to handle pesky things like Planes walkers and Rakdos's Return, and eventually you should get off a nice Entreat the Angels or Sphinx's Revelation late in the game with counter backup.