@pthomas625 DON'T DROP THE LANTERNS. The lanterns are key for ramping AND fixing. Turn 4 Gilded Lotus is possible, which makes turn 5 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker possible. And of course, the fixing is of incredible importance as well.

If you want to cut something for Cyclonic Rift , I would suggest either Mystic Retrieval or card:Rakdos's Return. Return is just a general-purpose card that doesn't serve a critical role, while Mystic Retrieval helps get more value out of kill cards and such, but Cyclonic Rift would replace that value quite well.

I've read all of your daily dose of standard articles and am literally dying to check this deck out. I am seriously loving it in playtesting.

I have basically one question for you. If money was no option, what direction would you take with this deck. I know the cheap cost was one thing that drew me in here and got me started playing it but now I'm just sorta wondering how it could be tweaked.

The mana base has been talked about previously, but I'm honestly wondering if it's even wise to mess with it. I don't mulligan too often with this deck and I seem to get fairly good hands, even when I go to 6 or 5. The lanterns seem wonderful for fixing any mana problems as does Lotus. To me, a plethora of shock lands might be detrimental, either from tap issues or giving up life.

PWs have also been brought up and I think Jace would be cool but I'm not sure where to make a cut for him. He definitely adds a possible win-con to the field which would be cool, allows you to dig, and stalls damage. All +s in my book.

Anyways, thank you so much. I wanted to say again how much I love this deck. First Grixis deck that I've really gotten into heavily.

Yeah, I agree with xCloudx, Jace, Architect of Thought seems like it was made for this kind of deck... I have a few idea's on what to cut if you were thinking about adding Jace but I first need to ask, how do Gilded Lotus and Barter in Blood work out for you? I think the Chromatic Lantern 's provide enough mana... and even though it is nice to get Bolas out early, if you could get Jace out early, then you could get Bolas out for free or use Jace just to pick through your deck a little bit, until you find Bolas or get another win-con (card:Rakdos's Return)... That would be my vote at least, Drop the Gilded Lotus 's for Jace, Architect of Thought and maybe a single Barter in Blood for another Jace if you feel the need to run three (I would).... Also, I think Desolate Lighthouse could be a fun thing to add into the deck... Hope this helped! Cheers!

@xCloudx and Human_Rogue_21 - If money were NO object, then I'd probably turn the Think Twice copies into some combination of Jace AOT and Tamiyo. I would keep Gilded Lotus and Barter in Blood . Gilded Lotus is key for ramp (remember, I need to get to 8 mana fast!), and Barter in Blood is, on average, probably the most efficient card in the deck. I would indeed mess with the mana base; shock lands in place of a few mountains would be ideal.

Desolate Lighthouse and Nephalia Drownyard are ideas I would kick around if I had more dual lands, but as it is, I can't really afford to lose any colored mana.

Thanks KrazyCaley! I have some duals and one Jace, I'll let you know how it plays with those in. Again I really appreciate your work :)

ever tried Sever the Bloodline ?

1 Nephalia Drownyard just because you can?

@Sagi007 -

Do not care for Sever the Bloodline . Really limited utility for a 5-cost kill spell, and right in a very sensitive spot in my mana curve.

Nephalia Drownyard maybe, but I really, really don't want to experiment with that before getting a bit more sophisticated mana base. I get mana screwed enough as it is.

I know your deal with not running creatures, but I really think Duskmantle Seer could really help your deck. Just run 2 of them, hemorrhage your opponents life and know one of their cards in hand, and swing for 4. If it bites removal even after one turn, I would say job well done.

That idea would probably be really bad for me because, even if the Seer lives (unlikely), its effect is probably worse for me than for my opponent - they will also know what I have, and they will probably be able to afford any life loss a lot more than I, PLUS I am likely to have more expensive (damaging) spells than they are.

Okay, I see what you're saying. Do not want to drawing into Bolas with the Seer. Hell no. I have a couple of questions about this deck, as I want to run a variant of this at my FNM. 1. How does the deck hold up against counter/burn magic? I've got one friend who plays 4 Cancel, 4 Syncopate, 4 Izzet Charm, as well as Thunderous Wrath and Searing Spear. This seems like it would decimate this deck, as Bolas can't resolve and you have no secondary win-con.

1. Why not put in some burn spells, as they double as a big help to bringing your opponent's life to zero, and as creature control.
2. Creatures with hexproof and undying seem to be a big problem. Hexproof can be gotten around with tribute to hunger and barter in blood, but those spells just make your opponent's creatures bigger. How would you get around this? Just counter those spells in particular?

I would suggest card:Grafdigger's Cage. It kills undying because to die, it has to go to the graveyard, but creatures can't etb from graveyards with the cage out.

@pwneyta: The burn spells don't really do much for this deck. The deck works through attrition; you take out all of their creatures and counter their bombs, so you have plenty of time to win. Counterburn would almost undoubtedly win game 1, but there is still a good chance game 2 and game 3 could go in Bolas's favor with Slaughter Games , Redirect , and Lone Revenant .

Out of curiosity, have you ever had Lone Revenant reveal all 3 Bolas?

@pwneyta:

a - There are two reasons you give for burn spells. 1 - As removal. They would undoubtedly fill this purpose, and if, for instance, Lightning Bolt was in standard I would very much consider putting it in just as cheap early removal. (In the old version of this deck from ALA-standard, Wretched Banquet served that purpose and was usually just a flat kill spell later on). But, alas, I have little confidence in any of today's burn spells vis-a-vis removal. Basically I'd rather rely on good solid black kill such as I already have.

b - Winning the game faster with burn is not really a concern for me, as TikiShades suggests. If I don't resolve Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker , burn spells won't really take me to the finish line, and if I DO resolve them, the burn spells are unnecessary.

Keep the suggestions coming, though, these are good to hear.

@Sweet-Nightmare - Yeah, I've seen it used in a few matches now and I am astounded at its general efficacy. I used to think that card:Tormod's Crypt might be a little better, but I really doubt that now. I very much think that card:Grafdigger's Cage just might be straight-up better.

@meecht - Not yet. What I HAVE had happen is having drawn no kill spells the entire game, having drawn about 15 cards or so, then attacking with the Revenant and turning 3x Counterflux .

Alright, here's my report for a 4 round standard last night (with this exact deck):R1: Jund: 2-0. Floored my opponent. He had no answer. He Dreadbored a Nicol Bolas, but didn't really matter. I ran into an interest issue, after ultimating Nicol Bolas, I had to blow up my own stuff. I don't even think I sideboarded. His deck would've scared me with anything else.

-Wouldn't have changed anything.

R2: Bant control: 0-2. Exact copy of: http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11021. Held my own for a little while, but because it was creature light, I had a buildup of kills in my hand. I found myself wanting more counters. And the Kessig Wolf Run hurts, it really does. The deck land ramps, and then sneaks that in. (Side note: Pithing Needle can take care of utility lands, keep that in mind.) Opponent was seeing upwards of 30 life, but keeping your words in mind, I didn't mind too much. I gave my opponent a run for it, he was visibly frustrated with me, lol. I misplayed Nicol Bolas: I didn't ultimate him when I should have (would have destroyed him, and I didn't have another one ready). This opponent took 1st/10.-I would want more counter spells.

R3: Lucky me, same exact deck as R2, but somehow a little quicker. And I drew WAY too many kills both games. May have been a chance thing.-More counter

R4: Unexpected Results. 0-2. See: http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11019. I actually enjoyed this deck. I was laughing most of the time, incredulous that someone was playing it. I was astounded it worked. G1: He had his whole library in his hands, and Borborygmos Enraged came out. Well, a Lightning!storm hit me in the face. G2: Omniscience out, he started Unexpected Results ing. Land. Land. Land. Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker . "Oh, so THIS is what it's like facing him..." I look at my hand with 2 of them sitting in there, ready to be cast next turn. It was a comical match to say the least.

For funsies afterwards, played against a RDW. Ran me over G1. G2, sideboard two card:Curse of Death's Hold. Got both out. He couldn't do anything. He finally burned me with 3 cards left in library.

Well this is awkward... I posted more, but looks like it didn't post. I'll see if I can recover it tomorrow...

So... (ha! still on my copy/paste clipboard...)-More counters maybe. I think we're seeing control come back a little. And I'd almost rather preemptively kill a creature by countering it rather than let it even resolve. Thragtusk was an issue.

-Take out Redirect and put in Witchbane Orb . Primarily for burn decks. Secondarily, to keep an enemy Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker from ultimateing on me.-Don't forget that Pithing Needle can take out a utility land. Don't let it be a dead card in your hand.-I kind of want to see Slaughter Games mainboard. I mean, why not?!? :)-I have all the dual lands, and Chromatic Lantern s only ramped. I would remove 1 for sure, MAYBE 2...-Cyclonic Rift . I'm going to test this out at the next event. There were times when I kind of wanted to reset their board presence. Let me start handling things as they came back in. I think just 2. Can't decide where.-I haven't mentioned before now, but potentially the most useful card I had in the deck: Nephalia Drownyard . There were times I didn't get Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker out, and I didn't need to counter anything, or kill anything. Had to use the mana for something... I milled some pretty good stuff out... Granted, a Sands of Delirium would've milled a LOT more quickly, the Drownyard fits into mana. If anything, each other suggestion are suggestions for me. But I'm asking that YOU try out the drownyards. Just two. They're pretty neat. :)

So... (ha! still on my copy/paste clipboard...) (sorry, forgot about spacing, disregard the previous comment if you want neater spacing...

-More counters maybe. I think we're seeing control come back a little. And I'd almost rather preemptively kill a creature by countering it rather than let it even resolve. Thragtusk was an issue.

-Take out Redirect and put in Witchbane Orb . Primarily for burn decks. Secondarily, to keep an enemy Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker from ultimateing on me.

-Don't forget that Pithing Needle can take out a utility land. Don't let it be a dead card in your hand.

-I kind of want to see Slaughter Games mainboard. I mean, why not?!? :)

-I have all the dual lands, and Chromatic Lantern s only ramped. I would remove 1 for sure, MAYBE 2...

-Cyclonic Rift . I'm going to test this out at the next event. There were times when I kind of wanted to reset their board presence. Let me start handling things as they came back in. I think just 2. Can't decide where.

-I haven't mentioned before now, but potentially one of the most useful card I had in the deck: Nephalia Drownyard . There were times I didn't get Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker out, and I didn't need to counter anything, or kill anything. Had to use the mana for something... I milled some pretty good stuff out... Granted, a Sands of Delirium would've milled a LOT more quickly, the Drownyard fits into mana. If anything, each other suggestion are suggestions for me. But I'm asking that YOU try out the drownyards. Just two. They're pretty neat. (besides, an alternate win-con is comforting...) :)

Great idea...great deck...nothing more to say! Thank you bobior for letting me know about this. Really interesting. +1 for sure!

Love this deck, and the recent changes look pretty solid. Is Mizzium Mortars just too slow/weak on the overload to be used as an additional wrath? Same with Magmaquake. Tested the previous build and the few games I lost were to decks that threw out lots of creatures, in the first few turns of one kill spell a turn then barter in blood, they managed to get through to kill me. May be more my lack of experience with the deck though. I shall be sleeving up this for FNM this week though, love playing Bolas in standard.

@OrionDante -

Mizzium Mortars is probably a little redundant with Cyclonic Rift and also the fact that I have a ton of other kill available. Re: playing it, remember that sideboarding is absolutely critical against weenie/token decks. There's actually a Daily Dose going up tonight where I take this build against a weenie deck.

Alright, will give that a read. Cheers~

Looking forward to seeing how the Lighthouse does for your deck; I was once considering putting it in my Bolas deck. Mana base looks much better now. :) On the fence about Devour Flesh though; the lifegain can sometimes be very significant. Also looking forward to seeing how you handle weenies; you've taught me a lot about how to be a better Bolas pilot and that is my biggest weakness along with the various forms of RDW.

@Sweet-Nightmare: I would second your thoughts on Devour Flesh. Not so much of a question about THEM gaining life, but sometimes you need it yourself... and I had the same issue, RDW tore me apart...

I'm excited to see you're getting your land smoothed out. You may find that you don't need as many Chromatic Lanterns...

Have you gotten to use the drownyards? I love it! :D

Rakdos's return... i killed someone with that... (i wasn't finding nicol bolas). I think I brought the same rakdos's return back 4 times...