TypicalTimmy on Card creation challenge
2 weeks ago
Ace Up The Sleeve
Instant
Search your library for a card. You may reveal it and cast it without paying its mana value if it's mana value is 3 or less. Otherwise put it into your hand. Shuffle your library.
Not really a card dedicated to the entire suit of spades, but the ace up the sleeve is so iconic that I had to. We typically always see it as the Ace of Spaces.
If you think that works, wild
If you don't think that works, repeat
vorpalaxe on Boros Heroic
2 weeks ago
This look like a very fun and aggressive deck. The mana cost is so low i am thinking 20 lands. Lots of people use the Heartfire Hero also. I really like the Clockwork Percussionist. good luck!
legendofa on Raggadragga the druid addict
2 weeks ago
One angle I like with Raggadragga is Living Lands + Yedora, Grave Gardener. Lands don't lose their mana abilities when they become creatures, and your land-creatures get pumped by RaggaD. When a creature (including a land-creature) dies, it's not a token, so Yedora brings it back as a land, so it goes right back to being a land-creature. Nature's Revolt and Natural Emergence are good, too, but they're less budget friendly or have build-around requirements.
Plus, you can burn out your opponents' Forests with a Pyroclasm or whatever, if you're into mass land destruction.
7r1ck573r on Formatting a deck to have …
2 weeks ago
It already separates the deck into instants sorceries, etc but I would like to do that as well as have separate sections. I am building modular commander decks and right now I have the modules in the description but I would like them as part of the list. Danny Modular Deck Test
legendofa on Card creation challenge
2 weeks ago
Don't know how funny this will, but the name made me smile.
Neil the Grass Titan
Legendary Creature - Giant Scientist
Neil the Grass Titan's power is equal to the number of Forests you control and its toughness is equal to the number of Islands you control.
, : Exile target enchantment.
, : Scry 2.
?/?
Riffing on pop astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Create a card based on one of the playing card suits.
MirkUmezawa on Mono Blue Enchantments
2 weeks ago
Just so you know, this is the coolest mono-blue commander deck I've ever seen.
RiotRunner789 on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
I would point out, that at least in commander, basic land tutors such as Rampant Growth tend to be benign. Players may notice excessive ramping but rarely get upset at the tutoring itself.
Personally, I think tutors (outside above mentioned) make my decks less fun to play. I'd rather include another good card than a tutor. Even my combo deck has minimal tutors and prefers to rely on card draw. Decks that play too consistently (looking at you Relentless Rats deck), even when not good, get boring to play quickly in a casual setting.
Niko9 on Oddly Venturing
2 weeks ago
Maybe I would also play Dungeon: Tomb of Annihilation against a noncreature deck, I've never really played versus something like that with this deck. I honestly don't get to play this too much, I wanted to make a gimmicky way to power up the dungeon cards but it ended up being a pretty oppressive control deck. It's super fun in a multiplayer casual table though.
DreadKhan on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
While I think tutoring can be fine in Commander, but I'm pretty sure most groups would prefer limited tutoring in decks if they could vote on it (and I say this as a person who has multiple tutor based decks, including 2 'tutor in the CZ' decks). VERY few groups outside cEDH are fine with consistently ending games turn 4, most people would openly say that people who play that way (without being open about it!) are the biggest problem the format has, ymmv.
Tutors have a BIG effect on competitive play, arguably one of the biggest, tons of cEDH decks used to run one way to win the game, and they'd run tutors to find it (then we got Breach among other things). Tutors let decks be way more 'all in' on something like Ad Naus (or Flash back in the day) because they could count on finding it early consistently. For more casual games, every tutor you include is a card that 'does nothing', meaning you're only running 98 cards in the 99 if you run a Demonic Tutor, thus a higher percentage of your deck will have to be staples, because 'you always run the staples'. The less tutors you use the more likely you are to have a unique deck, in part because you are less likely to be combo dependent.
I hope this doesn't seem too disagreeable, but I don't know how you can argue Commander doesn't have some fairly strict rules about decks... I have multiple Stax decks, I understand I have to mention that before I play with those decks (outside cEDH), same with my Chaos/Wipes deck, this is why my Meren deck shaved a BUNCH of Merciless Executioner family cards (and avoided Grave Pact stuff), it was too consistently 'doing the thing', at which point nobody was having fun anymore, now I can just sit down and play with the deck.
I agree that part of improving most Commander decks is increasing their consistency (many popular decks are shockingly inconsistent, even with tutors Commander is a nuts format to play), but I think most people who give into their inner Chaos Goblin end up having a lot more fun playing Commander (but they're also more likely to be up until 3AM because their pod is terrible at winning games).
TLDR Tutoring has it's place in competitive play, but I think most people prefer to play Commander in a less competitive manner. Most pods would be happier if people only ran bad tutors, or just skipped them.
Epicurus on Card creation challenge
2 weeks ago
Bresedion, AEther's Folly
Legendary Creature - Spirit Wizard Horror
~ costs less to cast for each player with less than half of their starting life total
Whenever a player casts a creature spell, counter that spell unless it's controller pays 5 life
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses a creature they control, then return each other creature they control to their owners' hands
0/3
5-color stax, FTW!!!!
Wild again. Be funny, if possible, without being an un-card.
BallisticJello on Gruul Valakut Ramp
2 weeks ago
I'm revisiting this deck list. It's been one of my most successful and fun to play modern decks. I will be rebuilding it soon with the changes I've been making to the list. I may include a one off zuran orb to synergize with Drownyard Temple. This can create a simple but powerful landfall loop in mid to late game scenarios. With Ancient Greenwarden and a lotus cobra on the battlefield the net cost to sacrifice Drownyard Temple and return it to the battlefield is only 1 mana. The addition of a second cobra creates a net positive mana condition allowing you to infinitely sac and return Drownyard Temple to the battlefield.
This is just one possible change that could dynamically change game play and pull wins out of seemingly nowhere.
I've removed crucible of world's in favor of conduit of worlds for its ability to pull keystone pieces out of the graveyard back onto the battlefield. This builds resilience to removal or disruption heavy play patterns.
Including Wrenn and Seven along with a couple of Life from the Loam seems like another mid/late game way to generate multiple landfall triggers without the need to specifically have a land to play in hand. This minimizes the need to have/hold on to Grull Turf for multiple bounce landfall triggers.
Fabled Passage might be better off being replaced by Rivateers Overlook or another of the auto fetches from Streets of New Capenna. The auto fetches have the ability to not only generate a landfall trigger but also gain you one, possibly more, points of life. It is unclear if Ancient Greenwarden would have an impact on how this type of fetch would resolve. A judges ruling would be needed to see if any additional benefit would occur. Given the nature of the auto fetches it would arguably still be an improvement over Fabled Passage in that the auto fetch would end up residing in the graveyard allowing it to be recurred using Wrenn and Seven, Ancient Greenwarden or Conduit of worlds.
I've added Realms Uncharted as an instant speed way to access generic lands. If strategically played this can allow access to much needed utility lands both in the hand and in the graveyard. This again synergizes well with Wrenn and Seven as well as the core strategy of the deck.
The sideboard is now more complete than in prior iterations. I am leaning into an aggro approach with Omnath Locus of rage which can be used to overwhelm opponents in a more go wide strategy. I've also opted to include two scapeshift in the sideboard. I recognize the power of scapeshift and it is a truly viable win condition which has many variations of its own deck. In this list however I feel like it is best suited as a potential game three ace being able to pull a win almost literally out of thin air.
Also included in this sideboard list is Thoughts of Ruin which if played strategically will absolutely ham string opponents that are reliant on a more complex mana base in mid to late games. Since land recursion is an integral part of the play pattern of this deck sacrificing a few lands of your own has minimal impact on the play pattern expected from this deck list. If Thoughts of Ruin is allowed to resolve at the correct time on your turn the results can be akin to a one sided Armageddon leaving you with a significant board state advantage for the upcoming turn(s).
I'm still not seeing anything viable for any turn one plays that create a net positive or have lasting impact on the expected play pattern for this deck list. The closest I've found has been the inclusion of either elvish reclaimer or expedition map. While both have the ability to influence how many lands you have available I cannot seem to find any cards in the current list that hold a potentially lower play value.
I have experimented with both Arboreal Grazer and Sakura-Tribe Scout as well as other variations of similar cards. The impact is minimal at best. Typically cards of the ilk of Arboreal Grazer end up being a dead card in hand if it cannot be played out on turn one. The crippling limitation in these cases is that the cards specify the land is to be played from the hand. This limitation is only further highlighted once any of the graveyard recursion pieces are in play on the battlefield.
I am still open to any suggestions that could benefit the play pattern of this deck list and welcome any feedback. This has been a great community and look forward to reading any and all responses.
MikkiHart on Card Draw Group Hug!
2 weeks ago
Um, you have 2x Kami of the Crescent Moon in the deck's creature list
Horkus_Wormslurper on Kinnan CEDH
2 weeks ago
KongMing That's a great suggestion! Thank you so much. I think Silver Myr would be the perfect mana dork for that combo.
z2aaa on Karn got nothing on me
2 weeks ago
Idoneity ty it's a old deck i dismantled when leovold came out kinda miss it
TheForsakenOne on Can I get Some Help?
2 weeks ago
I'd replace one of the Soul Warden effects with Guide of Souls, since it's got a better statline and gives you energy that can be turned into +1/+1 counters and flying. Sure it doesn't do any creature like they do but I think the tradeoff is worth it.
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath is just bad. It's too much mana for not enough impact and there are just better things you could be doing. And Gonti's Machinations just doesn't do enough despite its low mana investment. I'd recommend cutting them both for more ramp, you've got a lot of 4 drops that you'd love to get out a turn earlier.
Peer into the Abyss should definitely be added in from the maybeboard. With your commander out you're going to gain a shit ton of life and kill multiple players. If you add more ramp like my earlier suggestion then it'll be a lot more feasible to hit that 7 mana number.
Idoneity on The Octopus Emperor
2 weeks ago
Oh yeah. We can improve these octopi. I have enjoyed Sea-Dasher Octopus, Elder Deep-Fiend, and Acquisition Octopus seem to be high-ish on the small heap.
Also also, get a Tamiyo, the Moon Sage in here! Seems very strong as a sorcery.
Idoneity on Karn got nothing on me
2 weeks ago
A classic deck! I would highly recommend Thundertrap Trainer, Spellseeker, and Kitsa, Otterball Elite.
Additionally, if you are already on Alhammarret's Archive, I further recommend Teferi's Ageless Insight.
Gidgetimer on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
plakjekaas I'm going to need you to explain to me how tutors have anything to do with the card pool at all. They reduce the effective number of cards in your deck (not even the true number of cards in the deck) they do nothing to the format's card pool. Tutors ARE NOT antithetical to the the philosophy of the format. Prescribing a way that players should build their deck (like not including tutors) IS antithetical to the philosophy of the format.
I'm not saying that 100 card singleton wasn't a choice to make decks less consistent. What I am saying is that accepting that there will be variance, but attempting to minimize it is as valid a way to play as going full chaos goblin is.
KongMing on Kinnan CEDH
2 weeks ago
Pemmin's Aura and Freed from the Real will give you infinite mana with Kinnan and any mana dork that produces .
Niko9 on Oddly Venturing
2 weeks ago
Bookrook I've never used tomb of annihilation, and the only thing I can think of is if I really wanted to get to a completed dungeon to hit some triggers, maybe? Most of the time I'm using the dungeons to get small value and hit target triggers for Willbreaker and the tomb just doesn't do much of that for the deck.
Could maybe come up one day. The plan of this deck was to stall and steal and game states get really weird when I play it : )
plakjekaas on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
Gidgetimer Still, a 100 card singleton deck was a choice over a 60 card with 4-ofs deck. That will, by definition and by design, make your decks less consistent, because you're now playing 60 different cards instead of 10-15. In the commander format philosophy is explicitly mentioned that format management decisions are made to maximize the available card pool. Every card that doesn't do anything itself except getting you another card in your deck, is literally minimalizing the card pool, and therefor antithetical to the philosophy of the format, wether you have fun with it or not. If playing the same 2/3 cards to win over and over again every game you play is your jam, there's better formats for you than commander to do so, that's all that says. And that's the part where cEDH becomes a subset of commander itself, because in that format, parts of the philosophy are ignored intentionally, like the part where they mention decisions are made to "promote an environment where players are not pressured to conform to any specific method of deckbuilding."
DemonDragonJ the shuffling part is not for you. You are not the only one to please while designing the game. There's people playing magic who are physically unable to shuffle well (because of things like hand injuries), that's why Yorion, Sky Nomad was banned in Modern, where your deck is shuffled 10 times a game due to the amount of Fetchlands being played there. It's very insensitive to call this showing of empathy to the less fortunate who still enjoy the game "Ridiculous" just because you have no problems with the issue.
wallisface on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
Gidgetimer agree - but I believe the singleton-card nature of commander was created for a reason (i.e, there’s a reason the format deviated from the norm of allowing 4-of a card), same goes for having decks being 100 cards over any pre-existing number which would lead to higher-deck-consistency.
I’m not trying to poop on how anyone plays the game at all - and people are entitled to play however they want. My observation was that commanders rules appear specifically in-place to create more variance and chais, as opposed to consistency/reliability. At face value, tutors represent a way to circumvent that high level of variance (for better or worse).
plakjekaas on Rules Change to Combat
2 weeks ago
Icbrgr what trample does with deathtouch is that to not take any combat damage from the creature, you need as many blockers as it's power. So if you give trample to a 6/6 deathtouch creature, you can put down 3 different 9/9s in front, and still 3 damage tramples over. Without trample, all remaining damage is dealt to the last creature in the blocking order.
DemonDragonJ weren't you the one stating in another thread this week that creatures are your favourite card type? Worried that interaction on the stack would disappear after reading most people like permanents in play? WotC emphasizing a single change in an article or post dedicated to that change does not mean the whole game is just that change afterwards. even when they say people like permanents more than spells, Wizards printed and released over 800 instants and sorceries out of the 4000 cards printed and released in just the past year.
In 99% of all combat, this rule change won't matter, and combat will look the same. In the one percent where it's different, the blowout-potential of the situation has been deflated, and the outcome will be more fair. It's easier and more clear, less to keep track of. It will lead to less discussion about combat math, an easier explanation to new players, and a higher quality of life while playing. So yeah, it's probably a good thing.
Gidgetimer on Why is WotC Reducing the …
2 weeks ago
I realize that you don't play EDH wallisface, but I don't like to let this sentiment go unchallenged no matter who says it.
Tutors are not "against the ethos of commander" (or "against the spirit" or any other way of saying antithetical to the format). The commander format is about having fun and this is what makes it possibly the hardest format to regulate. Everyone's fun looks different, to some people "fun" might in fact be embracing the high variance caused by the formats rules. Others may find "fun" in making a deck as consistent as possible while operating inside the format's rules. Fun is in what you make of it and "high variance, board wipe once per round turns 4-6, battlecruiser" is one way to play EDH, but "Ramp, tutor, ramp, tutor, win turn 4" is an equally valid way to play EDH. You just have to make sure that everyone's expectations are the same within a pod.
nbarry223 on Viga-BOOM! (Scapeshift + Analyst)
2 weeks ago
As fun as Springheart Nantuko is, I've opted to just add a second Malevolent Rumble. There's not many spots that I want Springheart Nantuko in today's metagame unfortunately, I will leave all the lines in the deck description though.
wallisface on What Card Should ReplaceSpidersilk Armor?
2 weeks ago
DemonDragonJ 6 mana dorks is quite a low number considering your mana curve. Furthermore, there's no reason to run 2-mana creatures with this effect when there are a lot of 1-mana creatures that will just do the job better. Shadow in the Warp is not a good way to do anything, imo... 3 mana is too clumsy for this kind of effect
Caran_Lyg on Rise of the Griffins
2 weeks ago
Bookrook I’m gonna stop replying. Cool combo that doesn’t move the game state is pointless.
RiotRunner789 on Should I Keep Steelbane Hydra …
2 weeks ago
I'd say redundancy is good but the crawler and fertalid are also sufficiently different. Crawler stores mana and fertalid ramps out basics. There accomplishing the same goal but differently. Though, generally ramping lands is better both for thinning and resiliency. Keep both.
You should find room for the ancient, it's just too good (unless you want less efficient). Start looking at 5cmc creatures then if unwilling to cut, take a look at your sorceries and artifacts starting at high cmc and going down.
Flarhoon13 on Going wide and smashing, Jor …
2 weeks ago
May 3, 2024 I started a new quest. Having built 52 decks, I endeavoured to play them all, in roughly the same order as I created them.
Going wide and smashing, Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer Died to Olivia, Opulent Outlaw precon 3-3 .500
TypicalTimmy on Rules Change to Combat
2 weeks ago
DemonDragonJ, from a strategic stand point, sure attacking largely is what wins most games. Without trying to sound snobbish by accident, we have to recognize infinite combos, milling and alternate win strategies are a small fraction of how most games are won with regards to all formats. Yes Vintage and Legacy have T0 combos and yes cEDH usually wins by an infinite combo, but with regards to Standard, Modern, Draft and normal EDH it's mostly combat damage.
Playing defensively is good and all but defensively doesn't win you the game.
When you have timed, sanctioned events you don't have the privilege of stalling an opponent for an hour and a half.
So from a logistical point of view, combat damage is what closes out most games and therefore combat damage is what WOTC will invest in.
Anything that isn't "combat damage", could be swept up in "defensive strategies".
Flarhoon13 on Uril, the Miststalker Destroys Everything
2 weeks ago
May 3, 2024 I started a new quest. Having built 52 decks, I endeavoured to play them all, in roughly the same order as I created them.
Uril, the Miststalker Destroys Everything won, strangely, Kurtis played kingmaker. Ben could have killed my mana dork, Sanctum Weaver, and Uril would never have been cast. Instead, 3-2 .600
Flarhoon13 on Fiery Sacrifices: Embracing Ziatora's Flame
2 weeks ago
May 3, 2024 I started a new quest. Having built 52 decks, I endeavoured to play them all, in roughly the same order as I created them.
Ziatora demands sacrifices, now more than ever: Blaine on OG Krenko, Mob Boss won turn 4: 2-2 .500
DemonDragonJ on What Card Should ReplaceSpidersilk Armor?
2 weeks ago
wallisface, I have six creatures in that deck that generate mana, all of which cost only 2 mana to cast, so how is that not a good way to provide mana for my creatures? And I think that Shadow in the Warp is a great way to make it easier to cast those spells.
Flarhoon13 on Tetsuo Umezawa's Parachute Pants and …
2 weeks ago
May 3, 2024 I started a new quest. Having built 52 decks, I endeavoured to play them all, in roughly the same order as I created them. My first commander deck led by Zur the Enchanter *f-etch* blew out and demoralized my opponents. Rubinia Soulsinger gained the upper hand and all opponents conceded 2-0
Tetsuo Umezawa's Parachute Pants and Infinite Mana: lost long game to Isshin, Two Heavens as One. Possibly could have won... Tired, two opponents dead, I attacked, which killed me on a board where I was safe after having Cyclonic Rifted and kicked Rite of Replication on Champions of Minas Tirith 2-1. Kess, Dissident Mage will be the commander going forward
DemonDragonJ on Korn: the 30th Anniversary
2 weeks ago
This year is the 30th anniversary of Korn's self-titled debut album, which many music historians regard as the first nu-metal album. Korn's debut album was a significant milestone in music history, as it introduced an entirely new style to the world, combining the dreary, heavily-downtuned sound of grunge with the aggression of heavy metal, as well as lyrics that focused very heavily on personal and social issues, including social ostracization, domestic violence, substance abuse, and feelings of isolation and worthlessness. The band's sound was delivered via the tortured and haunting vocals of frontman Jonathan Davis and complimented by the intensity of their instruments, most notably the buzzsaw shredding of guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch, as well as the ferocious rumble of bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu. Many of the songs on Korn's debut album remain some of the band's most popular compositions to this day, including Blind, Ball Tongue, Shoots and Ladders, and Daddy, a deeply personal narrative about Davis's experiences in being abused by his father during his childhood.
Most music historians now regard Korn's debut album as being the first, or one of the first, nu metal albums, and that sentiment does seem to hold some truth, since numerous other nu metal bands, most notably Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and Drowning Pool, show clear influence from Korn in their early releases, in terms of both instrumental sound and lyrical content.
I am not a major fan of Korn, but shall admit that I was somewhat fond of them during my middle and high school years, since they were still a new and very popular band, at that time, and their lyrics spoke to me, as an adolescent who was seeking to find my place in the world, but I lost interest them after I graduated and went to college, which is when I began to listen to classic heavy metal bands, such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, and so forth, but I still believe that it would be only proper to recognize this milestone, given Korn's importance and influence in music history.
I believe that Korn did already have a tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their debut album, which is very good, as that albums definitely deserves to be honored. How does everyone else feel about this year being the 30th anniversary of Korn's debut album?
Flarhoon13 on Rubinia Soulsinger
2 weeks ago
May 3, 2024 I started a new quest. Having built 52 decks, I endeavoured to play them all, in roughly the same order as I created them. My first commander deck led by Zur the Enchanter *f-etch* blew out and demoralized my opponents. Rubinia Soulsinger gained the upper hand and all opponents conceded 2-0
