Unblockable 23 damage with only two mana by the end of turn three? Tell me about it! Besides, this deck is super cheap.
And who doesn't want a deck that can make infect, deathtouch, lifelink, trample, and firststrike almost useless?
First of all, all the creatures benefit from playing non-creature spells. A few examples playing
Artful Maneuver
, Double Cleave, and
Distortion Strike
(notice how these cost 5 mana up front, but only two mana if on rebound).
Medomai the Ageless flying 4/4. Forget the buffs, doublestrike and unblockable mean two extra turns!
Cephalid Constable 1/1 becomes unblockable 4/3 doublestrike. 8 target permenants returned to owners hand, how about all the opponents land?
Soulblade Djinn
flying 4/3 becomes an unblockable 10/8 doublestrike if targeted. Flying 7/6 if not. Other creatures get +3/+3 also until end of turn no matter what I target.
Student of Ojutai
2/4 becomes an unblockable 5/6 doublestrike if targeted. Stays a 2/4 if not but I still gain 6 life no matter. 10 life once spells finish rebounding.
Bushi Tenderfoot
1/1. What's he doing in there? Artful maneuver and/or doublestrike should work for an easy kill. Then you have a 3/4 doublestrike bushido 2 (+2/+2 when blocks or blocked) and nobody wants to swing at or block you.
Elusive Spellfist 1/3 becomes an unblockable 7/6 doublestrike if targeted. 4/5 unblockable if not.
Favored Hoplite
1/2 is what changes the game. Target him? Unblockable 7/7 doublestrike until end of turn. Three targeting noncreature spells means 3 of +1/+1 counters (a permanent 4/5), and prevent all damage that would be dealt to it this turn. No more deathtouch, lifelink, trample, doublestrike, firststrike, or infect for the opponent when targeted. He ends out as a snowballing super soldier! He is a sponge to soak up all the damage from that one major threat the opponent actually managed to pull out.
All the other creatures can win games on their own, but what happens when you only target and protect Favored Hoplite? The others can still win the game on their own. It is just they tend to watch the super soldier do it on it's own.
Those three non-creature spells were just a nice example of what this deck can do! All non-creature spells are 2 CMC tops! And the abilities of my creatures allow those cheap spells to play to an ultimate level of efficiency, power, and speed! Besides, with a possible 12 chances to protect or make creatures unblockable, your opponents will be wondering why they were even born.
I know what you're now thinking... "But what about when your hand runs dry? Ha! I see a flaw in your so called DECK!"Ummmmm..... ~15 opportunities to draw keep your hand fairly full and should allow a 6th land drop on turn based on some rough math I did. I did count Curiosity as more than one draw as there is double strike and many chances to be unblockable or protected from colors in the deck.
Now for the 23 unblockable damage by the end of turn three?
Turn one: Play a Plains. Tap to play
Favored Hoplite
.
Turn two: Play an Island. Tap both lands to play Hidden Strings and untap both lands. Cipher Hidden Strings onto
Favored Hoplite
. Play
Distortion Strike
and Defiant Strike then swing for an unblockable 5/-. You can untap mana again after damage and
Favored Hoplite
is now a 3/4 after turn from being targeted. In between the second main phase and the upkeep of your next turn, play
Artful Maneuver
for another counter to make a 4/5
Favored Hoplite
.
Turn three:
Distortion Strike
and
Artful Maneuver
rebound for a 9/9 unblockable
Favored Hoplite
. Now play Double Cleave for 18 damage on turn three in addition to 5 damage turn two for a total of 23 UNBLOCKABLE damage.
Ignore threats, slip past defenses.
Slow start? Sit and let them swing. Play rebound, draw, or doublestrike instants, and make them wonder how your creatures got so powerful so fast and what their creatures are doing in the graveyard. Rebound and draw help you even the field and hit harder on your turn.
Need better midgame creatures?
Augury Adept
for more draw? Maybe
Surrakar Spellblade
? Better draw, but no lifegain and less of a chance of having correct mana available while being able to play other spells.Thinking about adding cards like Harm's Way. Redirect damage, buff creatures, and
Favored Hoplite
doesn't mind the burn.Other suggestions? Working to give it a safer start without hurting the aggro side. Also looking for a more dramatic curve for power on the midgame.
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