DISCLAIMER
So, this is deck is not intended for tournament or competition play at all, I honestly don't think it would stand much of a chance as giving your opponent an option isn't a very good idea as they will always take the more beneficial option. In tournament play, you always need the upper-hand.With that out of the way, the idea of the deck!
Main idea
I am still fairly new to the game, and I stumbled across
Vexing Devil
the other day when researching for a different deck. Now, I already had a few Browbeat and I started to think about what I could do with weird cards like that. I found some stuff with the Tribute ability, and came up with this concept.
The idea is that your opponent just sorta watches as you put some big stuff on the field and they have to choose what bad position they would prefer to be in.
Creatures
Vexing Devil
- Low drop 4/3, but most of the time it will probably be functioning as a "pay 1, deal 4 damage," which is nothing to sneeze at. If you open with a Mountain, 2 Devils, and a Rite of Flame, you could bring your opponent down to 12 Life before they even take a turn! Always a fun time.
Servant of the Scale
- With the amount of higher cost creatures (4-6 CMC), I figured I should find something to give me a meat shield for the early game that could potentially provide me with a small advantage later on. It also fits in with the theme of having the opponents choose. "If I attack, he will probably chump block with the Servant and make something else bigger... Can I deal with that?"
Sylvan Caryatid - I was looking for a little more ramp, preferably multi-color, and lookie at what I found. It may be a 2 drop while only generating 1 mana, but I can live with that if it has hexproof. I am considering Birds of Paradise instead of this, but I do like hexproof.
Thunder Brute
,
Flame-Wreathed Phoenix
,
Fanatic of Xenagos
,
Oracle of Bones
,
Pharagax Giant
- Most, if not all, of the Red cards I could find with Tribute. Most of the time, these things will be putting me in a good position, regardless of what my opponent chooses. For instance, the Phoenix: Would you prefer to look at a 5/5 Flyer (maybe bigger, depending on Hardened Scales or other spells active), or a 3/3 Flyer that hits you this turn and will keep coming back? Everything else fits the theme and will probably help me more than my opponent.
Other Spells
Hardened Scales - It may not be the greatest card in the entire world, but I realized that I have a lot of cards that will probably be getting +1/+1 counters. This will just make them bigger and make the decision a little harder to make for my opponent.
Solidarity of Heroes - This is fun. If the tributes are chosen, I can double the counters (+1 with Hardened Scales). Maybe not on the same turn, but it can help later on. Especially with Strive.
Browbeat - Hmmm, do you want to take 5 damage, or can I draw 3 cards? Decide! Again, theme of decisions.
Lightning Bolt - This card doesn't really fit the overall theme of the deck, but it is just too good! I could snipe something on the field that is an issue for me, or wipe out the last few points of life my opponent may have. I am considering pulling this out in favor of
Atarka's Command
for more versatility.
Thunderous Wrath
- This is a card that I'm not too sure about. I really like it, simply because of the Miracle cost. It would be fantastic to be able to burn something for 5 for the cost of a Lightning Bolt. Alternatively, if I happen to draw this with Browbeat, I'm not too concerned as most of the deck is relatively high cost anyway and I'll probably have the mana to use it.
Potential Ramp
This deck revolves around slower creatures with 4-6 CMC. I need a little bit of mana ramp if I want to do anything at all. I found a few potential solutions:
Rite of Flame
- I was so surprised that this wasn't super expensive to purchase! I see this as a fantastic ramp card for Red, especially in this deck, which needs it badly. I already have a playset because I liked it so much!
Sylvan Caryatid - I already talked about this earlier and gave mine reasonings.
Atarka's Command
- the other reason I am considering Command over Bolt is because it can give me an extra land one turn if I want it. I do like that versatility.
Other
Vexing Shusher
- I have this in the maybeboard, only because it doesn't really fit the theme of forcing the opponent to choose their demise. I am only listing it as it fits my colors and it is a pretty cool card that can help protect my things when they enter the field.
Managorger Hydra
- oh gosh.... This card. I really like it. A friend of mine got a few at the pre-release and it just seems crazy. I know it will never be a Tarmogoyf, but it does actually fit this deck pretty well. It forces my opponent to think about every card he might want to put down. It also gets counters and this can be taken advantage of pretty easily with Hardened Scales or Solidarity of Heroes. I'm probably going to order a playset of them now as they are like $2 a piece and, while I know there are better things out there, they are still really cool and I really think they are going to increase in usage sometime in the future.
That's all, folks!
Again, I'm not trying to go up against goblin tokens that can beat me turn 3 or those crazy things in Standard, Modern, or Legacy... I'm just trying to have fun with they guys.
If you guys can help suggest anything to make this deck better or know of any other cards that have effects that say things like "When ___ enters the battlefield, an opponent can choose to pay/take _ damage, otherwise ___ happens," please let me know in the comments! I think I saw some Black things that might suit my purposes better, and I am open to making the deck R/B if it is just better.
Suggestions about what things I should take out are also appreciated! I think the creature count may be too high. Help me figure out which Tribute creatures are more effective.
I am aware of the card count being a little high and I know the lands could be stronger (duals, scrys, thins, etc.), but I'll smooth that out when I feel like the deck has a better structure that can run more smoothly.
I write a lot... I know... Sorry for such a long description. Here, I'll make it up to you. If you read this far, award yourself a "Thank You" cookie from me! The cookie is any kind of your choice. Enjoy it now!
