The fact there are non standard packs in there are interesting. Wonder if they are legit or some sort of scam reseals like most "mystery boxes" seem to be?
Well, I'm just saying that was the first 3 turns. This is always best on the play. But so what they get a relentless into the yard that stays. A second copy will just dig it out.
Then again, what do you do next turn? Either play on with a geralfs or hold onto any number of your own removal. Dismember Go for the throat, etc. If it becomes a war of attrition you might lose tempo for the first turn or two at the expense of recursive creatures. They spent turns removing something that comes back. Remember removal doesn't increase board presence for the remover. People seem to forget that. And I didn't say my deck didn't contain my own removal.
The two latest versions of liliana sync up very well too as a 3 drop. Flip Lilliana would probably eat the first removal. And if it doesn't, well you have an easy way to bring it back. Also, getting it back and recasting it are two different things.
Diregraf ghoul /grave crawler followed by a relentless dead is pretty hard to get rid of permanently by turn 3 unless you have exile effects. (I'm not even going into removal or discard stuff, just these 1 and 2 drops and their effects on some archetypes).
Zombies against burn is favorable if you have any sort of lifegain, because burning your zombies is wothless and it has to basically all go to the head instead of being used as removal.
A good opening with zombies can pressure ramp decks while establishing a hard to get rid of board presence.
Hatebears probably wouldn't like to see a horde of undying 2/2s.
1 relentless dead in the yard and one on the field with 3 mana = One useless removal for your opponent and one zombie going back to your hand from the yard.
Basically, relentless dead is the real deal as far as a zombie 2 drop goes and it has good 1 drops prior to it.
Additionally,
Obliterators without non damage removal are like instant board stalls for the opponent, and for a mono black/black splash blue or green it's still very easy to cast even at 4 black. Dipping half and half or tri color is bad, but dear god, if you don't have a heroes downfall or dismember or something...
Grandeur will be in the set with all of the lavish opulence that middle eastern palaces and merchant towns are known for.
Why do I think this?
Fuels delirium.
The problem with Grandeur as a named mechanic is that it isn't a limited-friendly strategy to encourage. You'll only have so many cards of the same name in your deck, and in a block without Madness you won't want to be discarding valuable creature cards most of the time. The flavor is also weird; why do you have to discard a card of the same name, specifically?
1.) the flavor is evocative of rich princes and nobility as what kaladesh seems to be, a middle eastern/Persian/Indian type of affair. Seems to fit flavor at least in my opinion. But...
2.) limited friendly? Processors and Meld say hi.
Right now, no one is playing a sweeper that can hit this guy. So, they can ult price it...and kill their entire team. They can dec stone it...and exile their entire team.
Or they could Titan's Strength it and pump their entire team and just go wide
I said the exact same thing in the standard forums. This card is nuts.
Mirrrowing Dragon - tells languish, Gisela, incendiary flow to outright shove off. Oh yea. Unflipped Avacyn doesn't trade. Oh, well you want to murder it? Say goodbye to your team. Turns Titans strength into a blowout with any weenies you have.
I have very nasty plans in modern for this as well, but man, why people are sleeping on this card is beyond me. A creatureless deck in standard seems very unlikely you will not benefit from an attempted murder on your dragon.
And Bedlam Reveler will be nuts in a red based Aggro shell with any of the red removal now available.
I hope no one seriously thought we would get a new of the veil.
But I was looking at this and was all like... Bunk. It really feels like wizards is pushing graveyard matters. Maybe in standard, but this to me at first glance seems weak in modern and totally outclassed in legacy for graveyard shenanigans.
Oh yes, abrupt decay.
Her oath is pretty nice. "Each opponent". Seems like that was thrown in for commander. Not that it's bad or anything.
Reflector Mage in U/W midrange value decks in modern? Oh lord, restoration Angels have two targets, Snapcaster and this guy now. Super valuable. That new rare spoiled for shadows that blinks your whole party will be bonkers in standard.
It may sound strange, but I've been trying out Lightning Berserker and Figure of Destiny as a couple of one drops and it can be nice! Neither is a Guide replacement, but both can catch your opponent off guard, especially Berserker if they tapped out. At worst, they get spot removed, which can happen to Guide too.
I know this is burn, but I love your idea of the figure of destiny for long running games as a mana sink.
In a similar regard, Stonewright is also a fantastic mana sink, or even a good way to drop mana without having to cast a burn spell if your board is clear.
Or Dragons Mantle. Replaces itself too. Gotta love cantrips.
Geist Honored is pretty crummy in this deck as a finisher now when Elspeth and Hero are both still standard legal. I mean if you havent either won or lost with this deck by the time a Geist monk comes out then something is wrong in my experience.
Tamiyo has that title.
Then again, what do you do next turn? Either play on with a geralfs or hold onto any number of your own removal. Dismember Go for the throat, etc. If it becomes a war of attrition you might lose tempo for the first turn or two at the expense of recursive creatures. They spent turns removing something that comes back. Remember removal doesn't increase board presence for the remover. People seem to forget that. And I didn't say my deck didn't contain my own removal.
The two latest versions of liliana sync up very well too as a 3 drop. Flip Lilliana would probably eat the first removal. And if it doesn't, well you have an easy way to bring it back. Also, getting it back and recasting it are two different things.
Zombies against burn is favorable if you have any sort of lifegain, because burning your zombies is wothless and it has to basically all go to the head instead of being used as removal.
A good opening with zombies can pressure ramp decks while establishing a hard to get rid of board presence.
Hatebears probably wouldn't like to see a horde of undying 2/2s.
1 relentless dead in the yard and one on the field with 3 mana = One useless removal for your opponent and one zombie going back to your hand from the yard.
Basically, relentless dead is the real deal as far as a zombie 2 drop goes and it has good 1 drops prior to it.
Additionally,
Obliterators without non damage removal are like instant board stalls for the opponent, and for a mono black/black splash blue or green it's still very easy to cast even at 4 black. Dipping half and half or tri color is bad, but dear god, if you don't have a heroes downfall or dismember or something...
1.) the flavor is evocative of rich princes and nobility as what kaladesh seems to be, a middle eastern/Persian/Indian type of affair. Seems to fit flavor at least in my opinion. But...
2.) limited friendly? Processors and Meld say hi.
Why do I think this?
Fuels delirium.
I said the exact same thing in the standard forums. This card is nuts.
I have very nasty plans in modern for this as well, but man, why people are sleeping on this card is beyond me. A creatureless deck in standard seems very unlikely you will not benefit from an attempted murder on your dragon.
And Bedlam Reveler will be nuts in a red based Aggro shell with any of the red removal now available.
But I was looking at this and was all like... Bunk. It really feels like wizards is pushing graveyard matters. Maybe in standard, but this to me at first glance seems weak in modern and totally outclassed in legacy for graveyard shenanigans.
Oh yes, abrupt decay.
Her oath is pretty nice. "Each opponent". Seems like that was thrown in for commander. Not that it's bad or anything.
Especially for a token based deck.
But if you want a permanent to sink mana into? Some of the new eldrazi have some possibilities.
Better not play any good decks anymore. They are killing modern. Control doesn't exist. They are removing combo and turning things into yugioh.
I know this is burn, but I love your idea of the figure of destiny for long running games as a mana sink.
In a similar regard, Stonewright is also a fantastic mana sink, or even a good way to drop mana without having to cast a burn spell if your board is clear.
Or Dragons Mantle. Replaces itself too. Gotta love cantrips.
I love the deck idea, been toying with something similar but it feels like a few more triggers would help add more gas to the tank.