A little brewski I've been mulling over. The overall function of the deck is something like this: cycle lands + Blood Sun + World Shaper + Ramunap Excavator = an incredibly powerful overall draw mechanic that essentially lets you cycle through the deck while not penalizing you for dumping all of those cards in the yard, and bringing all those juicy duals in untapped. Play sticky, hard to deal with threats and reanimation spells to cycle through the deck, reach Ascension on lands alone and hopefully ramp into being able to "land" yourself the ability to Mastermind's Acquisition anything you might need out of the sideboard. In the classic Jund style, we're playing a heavy amount of removal spells and grinding our opponent out of opportunities. I have included a few off color lands since I'll have the ability to toss them to the yard if I don't need them, but I can play splashed-in cards from all 5 colors and masterminds acquisition them out of the board, when in need. The list is not yet final, and is definitely not completely refined. I'm looking for any feedback, as long as it's constructive in some manner. Here's a quick breakdown of the core of the deck:
Blood Sun - My inspiration for the deck, and what this whole thing centers around. I wanted to find a way to abuse it, and cycle lands seem to be the best way to do that. Brings all of our duals in untapped, and allows us to play a huge amount of color symbols in the Mana pool. It also draws a card, so hell yeah to that. Oh. And a nice punch in the face for all of those flip lands and deserts with abilities that other people might be playing.
World Shaper: A new addition from RIX that allows me to get some value from any cycling that occurs, and possibly adds multiple lands at a time to my board. It also helps mill some of these recursive threats to the yard to be brought back later. It plays well with the excavator. I want to at least try it out and see if it shapes the world to my imagination.
Ramunap Excavator
: This fits on curve, has an okay body for it's cost, and allows me to cycle a land from my hand, draw a card, and then just play the land from the yard, hopefully untapped.
The above cards turn everything I play into a draw spell, essentially. I'm purchasing a one-way ticket to Valuetown, and hoping to live the dream!
The Grind Package: A Breakdown.
Rekindling Phoenix: Arguably the best Phoenix to hit standard in years, from the looks of it. Essentially an automatic 2 for 1, (disregard Vraska's Contempt, it doesn't see play) this Phoenix threatens heavy damage in the skies for turns on end. The perfect grindy creature for a Jund list.
Tetzimoc, Primal Death: Just read the name. Plenty of death to be dealt wherever this monster can be found. A great Mana sink for those extra lands we've got. Oh, and a 6/6 deathtoucher for 6. More of that good, grindy value. Wipe their board, then swing unrestricted for 6.
Angrath, the Flame-Chained: Angry + Wrath = Angrath. Need I say more? This guy puts a clock on the opponent, and on their hand. He can steal any threat and let's you swing with it, then consequently kill about half the creatures you're going to steal in an average game of magic. If you get to ultimate, you'll probably auto-win. Exactly what I'm looking for in a Rakdos-flavored walker. I'll take two, to start.
Vraska, Relic Seeker: Worth every Mana spent, she comes in at a total of 8 loyalty, if you don't have anything to remove, which also nets you something to protect her already-too-high loyalty count. Got a problem permanent on the field? -3 and get yourself a little extra multi-colored mana while taking care of that problematic Azor, the Lawbringer, or pesky Cast Out. Her ultimate is pretty self-explanatory. While the 6-mana investment will pay itself off, it does mean that we have to limit our intake, so only 1 makes the cut in this first-round draft.
Nissa, Vital Force: A classic Nissa +1 ability, which provides us with a body to protect her with, put pressure on our opponent with, or just simply "ramp" a little with. -3 nets us a card from the yard, bringing back any one of those other pesky threats we're running. Her ultimate, which can happen the turn after you play her, reads (in this deck, at least),"cycle a land, draw a card, still play that land untapped, and then go ahead and draw another card. 'Cuz why the hell not?" She may be too valuable to only run 1, but the risk is steep with this one, as playing Nissa puts a big target on her. We'll see how playtesting goes with her.
Removal: A Sweet Suite
Fatal Push: If I could push someone that hard, you'd best bet I would do it as often as possible. Turns out that I cannot, so I'll just choose to live vicariously through this always-4-of removal spell.
Vraska's Contempt: As you can tell from Vraska herself, she seems to be correct in her belief that she's above all others. An answer-all kill spell that gains me life, to at instant speed. I'm sold. I am considering revising this to 2-3 of and adding a little Unlicensed Disintegration into the mix, however.
Abrade: Two mana lightning strike with options. I like options. They're my favorite. I also hate artifacts. It's perfect!
Lightning Strike: It's Lightning Strike. However, I'm open to options on this one since I already have Abrade. This just provides the option of going to the dome, which can be clutch in some games. Three-of, for now.
My Favorite Part of the Deck: Acquiring Things
Mastermind's Acquisition: Great minds do think alike, but masterminds tend to actually acquire the things that great minds can only think of. A reasonable rate tutor, it also provides those aforementioned options that I so love. Ended up nabbing that U/B cycle land? Why not tutor up a Nicol Bolas from nowhere and start beating your opponent over the head with a card they never expected from your Jund deck? Since I'm running additional colors in my cycle land Mana base, I figured this card could come in handy, fetching me a much needed tetzimoc board-wipe, or something from the SB that could start wrapping up a game that I thought out of reach. It grabs me any answer I need from anywhere.
The Final Chapter: What do we need?
The point of the deck is to abuse blood sun as much as possible, so anything that fits within that general theory is welcome here!
Mostly, I'm really looking for that big boom. Whatever it is that I can spend all my Mana on,and win games. The functional theory of the deck seems put together, but I'm still not entirely sure what it is that I'm working towards. So far, Mastermind's Acquisition is all I have come up with, to tutor up things like Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh, Zacama, Primal Calamity, Approach of the Second Sun, Boneyard Parley, and so on. Any ideas are greatly appreciated!
P.S. The Maybeboard is nowhere near complete. I'm considering a plethora of cards for this deck. Any ideas given will probably make it to that list.
