How exactly is Maralen of the Mornsong meant to lock down people's mana generation?

@TheExaltedFox
The opponent has to pay 3 life and search their library for a card instead of drawing. In most games I've played, they generally search up things other than land. Even if they do spend their tutor on a land, I have multiple ways of hitting land drops each turn while searching for something else. It doesn't lock them out of searching for mana, but my experience is that they feel discouraged from doing so. Mishra's Helix and Nettlevine Blight put the hurt on the mana they do fetch once my board is in a good state.

Okay, so it's more of a psychological thing. I can get with that. I might drop the two discard spells, though, for a Temporal Extortion and a one-sided boardwipe, specifically in the vein of Plague Wind , especially because you can precisely control your mana production, thanks to Maralen of the Mornsong . I'd also consider dropping something for an Eon Hub , so you can fish it out if you're confident in your board position. And you can always remove your Maralen of the Mornsong if you need to draw again.

@ exalted fox, marleen's effect takes place in the draw step so i don't see eon hub being good, unless i missed something. Absorb Vis in the deck is also confusing, just to make sure you get your third land drop? looks like solemn could get a place just for the land fetch, and sol ring ismissing. I like the deck, pretty brutal if your playing first but it seems like you might die to early ramp. In my metta Search for Tomorrow , Rampant Growth , Farseek ,Sol Ring all see lots of play. if those hit before mara it looks tough to get back.Maybe throw in some extra land destruction to really lock people out. or Contamination

At my friend's prompt, we both played an unknown EDH deck at more of less random. I chose yours just based on the art, of which card I was not previously aware of. We allowed ourselves the luxury of viewing the decklist and page in play. Your deck won. It was fun to play. I got the Maralen of the Mornsong out T1.

@kamarupa
How cool! What kind of deck were you up against? What was your strategy?

it went up against a green creature deck. I can't remember it very well now. I recall that my strategy was to ramp into spells like Consume Spirit. I got Crypt Ghast out pretty quick. Since I got Maralen of the Mornsong out T1, my friend's life total dropped pretty quickly. Like other cards that make everyone lose life, once one player get's behind, it's hard to get back.

Oh, and I also started with Sheoldred, Whispering One in my opening hand. After the mana ramp got going, I was able to bring it out as a finisher. As I am now recalling, my friend's deck was splashed with black, and he had a Swamp out.

Vedalken Orrery is a good card for this deck as being the first person to tutor is amazing. It may slowdown your tutoring a bit but it is worth it to be the first to use her ability.

nfcnorth: I don't think the Orrery is worth adding to get Maralen out first. I really aim to have her out by turn 3.
That said, however, it might have other uses, but the only really strong one I see is Nettlevine Blight-ing a creature or land right before that player's end step so they don't have an opportunity to destroy it before they have to sac. If Maralen cost more, or the Orrery cost less, I could see running it.
Thanks for the input, though.

Well the way I figure it a lot players who have played against your deck a bunch or people who just want to stop others from tutoring will tutor either for removal or a board wipe that will kill her. The orrery becomes a lot better for casting her the second or third times.

Not saying you absolutely but just something to keep in mind about the orrery and your general's interaction as I do think she is a general you want to cast multiple times and she does have a tendency to be a big target for removal. That's all I am saying.

That said it still is your deck to do what ever you want with.

nfcnorth Oh, absolutely. In games where that's the case, I use Endless Whispers. Once it becomes pointless to kill Maralen, people stop targeting her.

nice deck but i would recommend always getting some removal spell first in case an opponent tutors up and throws down an Aven Mindcensor