@vic If we aren't running Angelic Skirmisher, which I agree with, then I don't think we need 3x Plains. I'd run only 2, with 7 Islands. 2x Plains and 2x prisms should be plenty for Frontline Medic, which doesn't necessarily have to be a turn 3 play in the first place.

I think we should run the skirmisher, and only have 2 plains anyway. Remember, we don't need to cast in on turn 6. We just need to cast it when we have it (probably later on in the game). And then we take the game over.

Can we all agree that Totally Lost is not going in the deck? and neither is Syndic of Tithes ? Seems like non one is picking either of them for our deck. Seems like consensus on more cards to cut.

Yup.

Consensus is set on a few things: 2x Prophetic Prism, Gridlock, 2 Simic Charm, Rapid Hybridization, 2x Frontline Medic, Gyre Sage, etc.

I think we all also agree that we are not going to use Daring Skyjek or Syndic of Tithes

The only discussion seems to be about the number of lands and creatures, and of copies of Hands of Binding. Angelic Skirmisher is a big decision. The final list will have anywhere from 15-18 creatures, 16-17 lands, and 0-2 sorceries - but only 3 spots.

Out of the 22 creatures we are considering, we need to automatically remove 4. Daring Skyjek, Syndic of Tithes, Greenside Watcher are pretty much out.

We should determine the creatures that are the major contenders and see which ones just have to stay mainboard. I personally don't really like the Cloudfin Raptor because it's a one-of, it's a terrible draw late game, and it doesn't trigger our Ivy Lane Denizen. Other possible sideboards are Realmwright, Scab-Clan Charger, Angelic Skirmisher, and Wasteland Viper.

This is my list: Goody's GTC Draft. I run 17 creatures, 16 lands, 1 Hands of Binding, Angelic Skirmisher, Scab-Clan Charger, Wasteland Viper. Only two plains, 7 forests and 6 islands.

Yeah, Totally Lost should be sent to the sideboard and brought in if we feel we need more removal against a midrange deck.

I would love to run Syndic of Tithes - that guy is a boss - but since Extort is color-specific about what you can pay it with he's not so good for us.

I changed my mind. Scratch Hands of Binding, and make Daring Skyjek my 40th card.

That makes 18 critters, and ramps up battalion with the Medics and triggers more evolve. That's what our deck needs. It won't hit on T2, but neither would HoB. I like that better. Same lands.

After much consideration and some play testing, all of the variant builds are as equally strong, except when it comes to the 17 land decks, flooding was a constant problem. 15-16 would be best. Prophetic Prism showed up consistently, so mana fixing isn't much of a problem. Gyre Sage would show up half the time, but when it did show up, it usually showed rather late in the game, even if it does show up late we can use it as a dispensable blocker. everyone's build worked out practically the same. there may be talk about going for speed, but speed is not much of a problem, but running out of a hand is a bigger problem, sort of, to be honest by the time we run out of cards in our hand the opponent should be either dead or so close to death, they should really concede.

So here's my completed version. This should be our best chance at swarming, which I think is our win con.

Lots of critters to boost the Medics and evolve:

2x Frontline Medic

1x Daring Skyjek

1x Cloudfin Raptor

1x Metropolis Sprite

1x Frilled Oculus

1x Drakewing Krasis

1x Nimbus Swimmer

4x Shambleshark

2x Ivy Lane Denizen

1x Gyre Sage

1x Wasteland Viper

1x Scab-Clan Charger

1x Rust Scarab

1x Gridlock

1x Rapid Hybridization

2x Simic Charm

2x Prophetic Prism

1x Simic Guildgate

3x Plains

6x Forests

6x Island

Green and Blue still have 9 mana sources each. Thoughts on this, anyone?

this is my build.thoughts?

GTC DDD DECK v1

I think the best way to go would be either 15 lands no skirmisher and as many creatures as we can fit cutting , or 16 lands with skirmisher.

Seeing that we seem to run out of gas somewhat quickly, maybe we should consider Last Thoughts? Even getting one use of the cipher would be great, immediately better than any Think Twice, and this could easily be done t4 with Cloudfin Raptor, Metropolis Sprite, Drakewing Krasis. Play it main phase when they can't block and/or are tapped out, cipher and swing for another card. If we get a second cipher that's even better and will definitely give us an edge for the rest of the game.

I like vic's build. I would probably only run 2 Plains, though. We only want to find one white souce by turn 3. Any more and we run the risk of a double plains opening hand.

The problem with our mana is not the quantity. Our curve is low. The problem is the specific costs. We have 9 cards with U/G in the cost and a tenth that requires WW. That's almost 50% of our spells if we run them all. If we get a hand with two islands, there's a fair chance we have to mulligan.

Since we're a three color deck, we need extra lands. That has nothing to do with the CMC of our cards. It has to do with the specific color requirements. Without plentiful mana, we can't reliably cast our Simic Charms and Shamblesharks. Our mana fixers are slow. Prophetic Prism is a 2 drop that doesn't start fixing until turn 3. Our fastest mana fixer is the gate, which comes into play tapped. That's why we need a good number of basic forests and islands to fuel the deck.

In my experience, a 3 color deck needs 18 basics. For every two mana fixers, you can remove one land. We have two rocks and one dual land, which puts us at about 16.5 lands. If we add the Angel, we go back up to 18. Not only does it have a specific mana cost, it requires two mana of the splash color, the dual land doesn't support her, and she needs 6 mana in total. In our deck, she is one high-maintenance lady. Bring back the Realmwright and you can drop back down to 17 lands total.

@Spker The only way a singleton card shows up half the time in a 40 card deck is if you never mulligan and the games all run 13 turns or more.

Maybe the Angel is destined to the sideboard. I'd really love to find a way to keep her though.

If we don't run her, then I say 16 lands is the max, and I'd recommend running the Last Thoughts for some extra gas to burn through mana floods a little.

Thanks landgrafb. So, you really think only 2 Plains, huh? Boy, that's cutting it close. I think that would mean that in about 1/3 of our games, we would see no white mana at all(or too late to matter). That worries me.

With what I have down, that's 9 sources for blue, and 9 for green. I hear you on not wanting a double Plains draw, but the odds seem slim for that(and only a problem if also no blue or green). And with a mulligan allowed, I think we could safely avoid that a lot more than we could avoid getting no white in a 2-Plains build.

What do you say about that?

@vic Keep in mind, that "two Plains" actually means two Plains + two Prophetic Prisms. Having four cards in a forty card deck that enable a splash color is perfectly fine, so long as you're only trying to cast Frontline Medic. The angel soaks up more resources and card slots, by forcing us into additional fixing and bumping the land count over 16, so that's a different story.

@vic I like your list, by the way. That's a pretty solid build.

What dorminjake said. Our deck is unique in that it has both three colors, and a bunch of UG costed cards. We want to be able to hit our splash, but getting white isn't as important as getting both G and U.

dorminjake and landgrafb-

Oh yeah, I was definitely keeping the Prisms in mind. I'm thinking 4 total W sources means on average we get 1 out of 10 cards in the deck as a W mana source.

Figure 1/3 of the time that happens, 1/3 we're a little ahead, and 1/3 we're behind. So that means 1/3 of the time, no white mana at all or not until too late.

Both G and U to start, sure. But also T2 can be a Prism or one of 4 mono-colored 2-drops. I'm thinking that if T2 is still no G and U land(both), we're probably at least dropping a Prophetic Prism.

It would be good to get some solid math on the G-and-U-to-start prospect.

My take on the deck: Draugo's GTC DDD Deck.

With two Prophetic Prism and a Realmwright plus one Plains we should be able to get Frontline Medic on the battlefield and when the big turn comes we should also be able to activate Righteous Charge. Also I'd keep Hands of Binding instead of Gridlock Since the number of fliers we have. Even Wasteland Viper is a good short term target for hands on occasion. I just feel that with so many chances for a group of 4/3 Shamblesharks and good fliers that Righteous Charge is worth it for the splash.

Or maybe MagnorCriol wants to weigh in on that. I'm not clear on what your land count was on that 50-draws things you did.

here's a thought: we have lots of small creatures, we have 2 hands of binding that synergize amazingly with small creatures, and we have a last thoughts that lets us draw cards, which we need once we cast out all of our cheapies. should we focus on using those? perhaps we can skip last thoughts, expecting the game to end by the time we make good use of it.

I say Skirmisher and Wright in. 17 lands. 5-6 instant/sorcery (leaving out 1 Hands perhaps) leaves 17-18 creatures, a good place to be. Leave out Syndic, Skyjek, Greenside. Not sure about final cuts.

I've neglected to account for the Prisms, pardon me.