Bystander Mode Activate
First, a big thank you to cdkime and xyr0s. Without their help, this deck would be much, much, much slower than it is, and in retrospect, almost laughably slow now that I am learning more of the format. This deck may not be competitive yet, but with their help, it at least looks like it is turning into a fun deck to play, win or lose. So once again, I thank them both for their great contributions to the deck.
Win Condition
- Spirit Beatdown
This deck will attempt to complete its win condition by controlling the battlefield and once controlled, attacking with the spirits.
Given this deck's requirement for control, we need to establish inevitability. Against most decks, this deck can establish that, by turn 8 in best case scenario, using
Eidolon of Rhetoric + Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
. Once this combination is on the battlefield, and Jace's emblem is in play, all opponents (this works for games with multiple opponents) will be forced to just sit and watch, as you defeat them.
This makes the goal of the deck survival until you can establish enough control to win. While the deck does not require the combo of
Eidolon of Rhetoric + Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
to win, that combination greatly increases the chances of winning. Our other options for control, plus the evasive nature of our attacking creatures, can help us steal a win, without complete board domination provided by the combo.
Notes on other cards:
- Mana Leak - Counterspells, use to maintain a neutral board state when you can; or eliminate threats before they land. Synergizes well with Eidolon of Rhetoric; allowing you to play 2 cards (one on your turn, plus Counterspell on opponents turn) while opponent plays 0 cards (thanks to counterspell) that cycle.
- Redirect - Similar behavior to Counterspell in deck, but also allows some light stealing of effects.
- Cyclonic Rift - Cast as overload once the Eidolon of Rhetoric + Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
combo is in play to decimate your opponents battlefields, then beatdown with your creatures. Or use as needed to help maintain board state. Can be used to handle token creatures well.
- Path to Exile - Remove pesky creatures from the board.
- Detention Sphere - Use to keep pesky permanents off the board.
- Leyline of Sanctity - Because Burn...enough said...lol
- Mausoleum Wanderer - Cheap creature that synergizes well with the deck, and also provides some low cost permission.
- Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch - Defensive Creature to force opponent to waste time and mana casting creatures over and over again; also great for removing token creatures. Follow up a bounce with a counterspell to remove a threat for good. This card also receives bonuses from Drogskol Captain, meaning it could potentially be a 4/7 Wall, that bounces attackers (that live) back to hand.
- Rattlechains - Allows draw/go playstyle with the spirits, keeping options open until the last possible moment. Allows all spirits to synergize with Mausoleum Wanderer at instant speed. Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch becomes an instant speed bounce on attacking creatures that sticks around afterwards.
- Spell Queller - Creature that acts as instant speed permission, without Rattlechains, yes please!
- Drogskol Captain - Pump up your beatdown creatures. Additionally, until you have established complete control, prevents your opponent from targeting your Eidolon of Rhetoric or Rattlechains for removal.
Ideally, you'll get to the point where you have a board similar to this:
At this point, you should be able to control the board through counterspells and enchantments to get the token from
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets and basically seal the game. After the combo is established, you can focus on complete stabilization of the board (quickly done with an overloaded
Cyclonic Rift), then turn to attack.
Weaknesses:
- Uncounterable cards. This deck relies on counterspells and Jace, Unraveler of Secrets' emblem to control the board. A deck with a lot of uncounterable cards will be trouble. Worse, a theme deck with Cavern of Souls. Consider side boarding land destroy for Cavern of Souls and more battlefield control spells for uncounterable creates/spells.
- Fast swarm decks. This has no tools to handle mass creature creation by your opponent (token or otherwise), for example, a Krenko, Mob Boss could quickly make a battlefield unable to be controlled by this deck. Consider sweepers or other mass removal (mass bounces, etc) for sideboard to help against these decks.
- Burn - This deck does not have enough counters to keep up with a fast Burn deck (and who plays a slow burn deck? lol). So, Leyline of Sanctity is in to help with this, but Burn will be an issue if you don't get that card out.
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