MTG Combo: Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Walking Ballista

ThousandOaks on Elenda - Life After Death

3 years ago

iplayBANJO provides a lot of good feedback. In many instances, I agree with the feedback provided.

I see two main items that need to be improved. First, your deck is very unfocused. Second, you don't have much interaction.

*Adding Focus*

You have too many themes. It's unclear if you want to go Vampire Tribal, Aristocrats, Graveyard, Tokens, or Recursion. As a starting place for your first build, it's not a bad starting place, but we can definitely tighten up your direction. The best next step for you is to pick one theme and building around that. You can "splash" some other themes by adding utility cards like Priest of Forgotten Gods that contribute to your main theme, but dips into other themes consequentially.

ARISTOCRATS

I'm going to assume you're building aristocrats. For any build, it's very important to figure out your mana base. Some may disagree with me, but the utility of the mana base is one of the most important starting places when building any new deck. So for each build you make, identify at least your utility lands that support your build. Then use basic lands as place holders.

If you are running aristocrats, consider the following feedback.

Utility Lands: High Market and Phyrexian Tower . These are great sac outlets that can provide you added value. Command Beacon and Memorial to Folly are cheap utility lands that will help you avoid commander tax later in the game.

Value Engines: Take advantage of death triggers. (Death triggers are triggered abilities when a creature dies; e.g., hits the graveyard.) As the previous post discuss, you need to demand value from things dying. Ask your self the question "what value am I getting" when something dies. A few items I don't see above:

Grave Pact is great for you. With your aristocrats package out, you're generating value and removing your opponents board. It also gets around indestructible and hexproof.

Razaketh, the Foulblooded . This is an "I-Win" card in an aristocrats deck. It allows you to tutor and find answers as soon as it resolves.

Skullclamp will allow you to draw a metric butt-load of cards.

Teysa Karlov doubles the value of your death triggers.

Kokusho, the Evening Star is a great nuclear deterrent. It gives you a flyer, solid 5/5 body, and in a pinch, you can sacrifice it to get 15 life and deal out 15 damage.

*Interaction*

Interaction refers to your ability to respond to threats at instant speed. Currently, this is very crucial weak point in your build. This partially goes back to Focusing the deck. I would recommend first picking a single theme and rebuilding around that theme. Then, as you're rebuilding, as yourself the following questions for EVERY card you add:

Does this card do something when it resolves?

Identify what value the card gives you as it resolves. There's no right or wrong answer here, but we want to know what we're getting out of the mana we spend. Is it a 1/1 body I get? Or is it a 1/1 body with a trigger of some sort?

Keep in mind. Every time a card resolves (for example a combo piece), if it doesn't give you immediate value when it resolves, it's an opportunity for your opponents to remove it. How will you protect those combo pieces from removal? Teferi's Protection , Flawless Maneuver , Cosmic Intervention .

Does this card, by itself, have synergy with my theme or commander?

With Elenda at the helm, sometimes you're just putting fodder on the field for her. And that's perfectly okay, so long as you're playing at the broader synergy. Remember, with Aristocrats, you're probably not going to win by swinging a big beefy 50/50 Elenda, the Dusk Rose at someone's face. (She doesn't even have trample.) You're most likely going to win by all the triggers from Blood Artist , Cruel Celebrant , Falkenrath Noble , Zulaport Cutthroat , Bastion of Remembrance , Syr Konrad, the Grim , and Vindictive Vampire .

What value do I want out of this card, and how many other pieces do I need to get that value?

Again. No right or wrong answer here. Sometimes, it's just fun to play a card for the hell of it. Looking at you Choice of Damnations .

What is the range of the card? (Early/Opener, Mid-Range, Late Game/Close)

Have an idea of when you plan for a card to be most impactful. Is it a card that is strong early game, mid-game, or late game? How will it impact your state or the overall board when it resolves?

FINAL THOUGHTS

My immediate recommendation is to pick a single theme. I would move away from "perfect world" value situations. This refers to those situations where you're convincing yourself of value. For example, if you want to play Card X because you'll win if you also have Card Y on the field, and Card Z in your graveyard, then I wouldn't play Card X.

Next, I wouldn't run a single combo besides the following: Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Triskelion or Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Walking Ballista . Mikeaus by himself brings so much value to an aristocrats build. It essentially allows you to sacrifice each of your non-token creatures twice, including Elenda. With Triskelion or Walking Ballista, Mikaeus creates an infinite damage combo and wins you the game... also infinitely triggering your aristocrat triggers.

Finally, I would remove all the "lord" effects. Lord effects refer to effects that buff a certain creature type. Again, if you're running Aristocrats, you're not going to win because you have big creatures, you're going to win because you're forcing the most value from the death of your creatures.

All food for thought. Feel free to take or decline any suggestions. Happy brewing!