This is my Fateful Hour deck! At the end of the description is a "Flavor Story" I have created to connect the cards in a short story that includes the cards name and some of the flavor texts. (Story is not representative of the actual "Magic Lore" connected to the cards. Any similarities are coincidences.) Almost everything has been accounted for that the decks biggest weakness is what you draw when. The main goal for this deck to work effectively is to not lose before turn 3-5.
How the deck works: Play Phyrexian Unlife and Melira, Sylvok Outcast, with both of them on the battle field you cannot lose once you lose all you life. Phyrexian Unlife lets your life total reach 0 and any further damage dealt is in the form of poison counters. One of Melira, Sylvok Outcast static abilities is that you cannot get poison counters, meaning with both cards out you cannot lose from damage.Destroying/removing Melira, Sylvok Outcast will essentially leave you with 30 life and destroying/removing Phyrexian Unlife will only leave you with 20. With 4 of each in the deck they have a high probability of drawing them early, and when they're out, your opponent will have to remove one or both of them at some point, buying you some time. With this time, what we're looking for next is Sterling Grove,Privileged Position,That Which Was Taken,or Dark Steel Plate. These cards will prevent the targeted removal of Phyrexian Unlife,permanents, the destruction of certain permanents, the destruction of Melira, Sylvok Outcast respectively. Main goal with any of those, prevent your enchantment from leaving play and prevent your creature from leaving play, leaving you "indestructible" and unable to lose from taking damage.Soul Conduit works well with this decks mechanic of playing with 0 to 5 life. Being able to switch lives with a target player means if you fall to 0 life, not losing because of the combo, if they don't also run this combo, they will lose!
A similar combo is also in this deck. Running Worship and playing any creature will prevent your life total from falling below 1. Using the same cards you can protect a creature and Worship preventing loss from direct damage. This combo plays off Near-Death Experience where if at the beginning of your upkeep you have exactly 1 life, you win. It costs five so you have to wait a little to find it, but not losing from damage buys you quite a lot of time. Another way to win off Near-Death Experience without Worship would be using Chalice of Life
at your opponents endstep if you have 0 life because of the first combo. A more effective spell to play, if you have Near-Death Experience on the battlefield is Angel's Grace. This instant cannot be countered because it is a split-second and prevents you from losing this turn, assuming you use it on your opponents turn to stop them from winning from your life reaching 0.
Those are the two main combos to keep you alive long enough to use the rest of the cards in the deck providing further win conditions. Most of the other cards in the deck are "case cards" by that I mean there are multiple cases where these cards will save you or ruin your opponents day. I'll run through some of the cases here. (The Maybe Board were cards that I considered but found either a better card or the use of the card consistently effective enough for the main board.)
Creatures:Grand Abolisher: He is here to stop your spells from being countered. If you can't set off a combo or card that will shut down your opponent this deck is strained. If your opponent figures out your deck they'll save their Mana Leaks and Cancels etc. for your strong enchantments.Melira, Sylvok Outcast: Counters every source of poison along with no -1/-1 counters for your creatures. Also part of the main combo.Tajuru Preserver: Minor case here, being that your creatures will be indestructible from Dark Steel Plate or That Which Was Taken and "hexproof" because of Privileged Position cards like Unsummon and Doom Blade won't help being that they target or destroy. However, creatures can be sacrificed with things like Call to the Grave. This creature prevents that but we only run 1 being that it's a minor case situation.Thraben Doomsayer: A fateful hour card giving +2/+2 to creatures if you have 5 or less life and tap to gain a 1/1 human token. Giving you more creatures and making them stronger if you're low on life. A cheap card with good utility for attacking and defending while playing off this low life deck.Gavony Ironwright: A fateful hour card giving +1/+4 to creatures if you have 5 or less life. More of a defensive card but with this and doomsayer out creatures get buffed and the tokens made are now 4/7's, gets pretty gross.That's all for creatures, more of a passive/defensive set of creatures but they get strong during your Fateful Hour.
Enchantments:Phyrexian Unlife,Worship,Privileged Position,and Near-Death Experience: The main combos. Discussed above.Sterling Grove: Along with protecting your enchantments, pay one to sacrifice and search for an enchantment and put in on top of your library. Really helps to find what you need when you need it.Karmic Justice: The full combo leaves enchantments hexproof and eventually, you shouldn't need to get here, indestructible using That Which Was Taken. Your enchantments can't be specifically removed, but this doesn't defend against remove/destroy all enchantment cards because nothing is targeted. Karmic Justice checks the board state before being destroyed and with a destroy all enchantments card played you can destroy any of the opponents permanents for each non-land permanent destroyed. Deters mass removal because threat of losing a lot of their own permanents.Wheel of Sun and Moon: Stops you from losing by being milled. Can also function to really hurt Dredge decks.Very powerful if multiple ones are in play and provide the majority of the conditions that prevent you from losing the game.
Sorcery:
Day of Judgement: If they're running a lot of strong creatures, wipe the board of them. Ideally some of your creatures are indestructible, giving you the upper hand. If you are in your Fateful Hour, you can save all of your creatures with Break of Day. Pretty sneaky.Gather the Townsfolk: Originally I had 2 but trimming a deck is hard. Puts 2 1/1 humans on the board but Fateful Hour will give you 5 of those tokens. Helps you buy needed time or finish the job if you get the 5, potentially being buffed from other Fateful Hour cards.Timely Reinforcements: The "I need a little more time" cards. Gain 6 life, and 3 1/1 soldiers if you have less life and/or fewer creatures. Should be used when you're in a pinch, mainly when you have less life and need time or need some blockers.Open the Vaults: Very useful because of the large amount of powerful enchantments in the deck along with your artifacts. I also thought about Replenish in place of this card. It's cheaper and doesn't bring your opponents items back but doesn't bring back artifacts as well. It's pretty much 50/50 here and Replenish is fairly expensive so I stuck with Open the Vaults If you're enchantments are being countered, milled, or being dealt with and ending up in the graveyard, this is your card. Puts all them back into play, possibly bringing back all the already hard to get rid of combo cards. This card is why Wheel of Sun and Moon needs to be played carefully.Remember the Fallen: Will get you back a creature or artifact or both from your graveyard to your hand without revealing it. Useful if they get rid of an artifact that's really hurting them.These are your buying time cards, wiping the board of creatures, and mass enchantment retrieval.
Instants:Angel's Grace: A split-second that can really save you. You cannot lose this turn, opponent cannot win this turn, and fatal damage is reduced to one. Can win you the game with Near-Death Experience and buy you an extra turn if need be as well.Break of Day: Used mostly in hand with Day of Judgement when your in your Fateful Hour, also can help with +1/+1 to all creatures you control.Most are used to compliment other cards for small combos and the only removal card this deck runs.Surgical Extraction: This is for any creature that is giving you real trouble. There is only one in the deck so use it carefully. Creatures that can really mess things up, Elesh Norn the -2/-2 counters on your creatures hurts being that they will die even if they are indestructible. This is assuming she was played from the graveyard because costing 7 mana should give you enough time where her static ability doesn't effect you. To stop her from play from the graveyard, play this when you see her and hopefully avoid her being cast. You're also going to have to pay 2 life to use this card being that you don't have any swamps but that shouldn't cause to much of a problem.Path to Exile: Another card to help with difficult creatures that have been played. Other cards are the "you don't lose, your opponent can't win" creatures like Platinum Angel or Abyssal Persecutor can cause real problems if there is nothing to remove them, so I suggest using this instant at the end of an opponents end step to help avoid it being countered.Ray of Revelation: An enchantment removal that you can flash back, Works nicely if an enchantment you want to keep gets Oblivion Ringed, and if it happens again, flash it back.Artifacts:Chalice of Life
: Can keep you alive a little but I like its flip side better, Chalice of Death. If you gain more than 10 life from your starting total this card transforms and lets you swing for 5 direct damage when tapped. Gaining 10 or more than your starting life total isn't to bad if use trigger Soul Conduit, and if that alone doesn't win you the game an additional 5 damage will really hurt if their life was switched with yours.Soul Conduit: Can win you the game if used in pair with Phyrexian Unlife along with buying you time and switching the balance of power on a whim. Expensive but very useful.Dark Steel Plate: Keeping Melira, Sylvok Outcast from being destroyed or another creature to play off Worship. Simple, but effective.That Which Was Taken: Not a whole lot of use with this one being the large cost and running only 1 but can help keep enchantments or creatures from being destroyed, more of a last resort defense card if you can't get Steel Plate or one of your enchantment protectors out.Whichbane Orb: This card stops direct damage spells, target player spells, etc. Useful but hard to play, really more for if your opponent is hindering you by player spells.These are helpful but only a few are more important for the combos. These and creatures give us the rest of the you can't lose conditions.Grafdigger's Cage: Originally this was Rest in Peace but I think that this card functions better. Creatures can't come into play from library's or graveyards and you can't cast spells from the graveyard. This stops dredge and flashback cards and since you don't use any of those in this deck it's pretty useful but again, there is only one.Lands:Brushland: These are to help you lower your life if your opponent sees that you have Fateful Hour cards, Soul Conduit, and Near-Death Experience. These lands help you get your life where you need it and provide G/W mana for one life or one colorless. Not totally needed, but very helpful and I would surely suggest them, they are incredibly useful.
And there you have it! The explanation of the cards and how this deck uses them. If given enough time, this deck is unstoppable. You will not lose using the full combo. Melira, Sylvok Outcast Can't lose from poison, Phyrexian Unlife Can't lose from having 0 or less life, Worship Can only go down to 1 life if you control a creature, Dark Steel Plate or That Which Was Taken Creatures cannot be destroyed and permanents with a divinity counter cannot be destroyed, Privileged Position and Sterling Grove Enchantments cannot be targeted and permanents cannot be targeted, Witchbane Orb You cannot be targeted, Wheel of Sun and Moon You cannot be milled, Tajuru Preserver You cannot sacrifice your creatures, Grand Abolisher Opponents cannot play spells and such during your turn.
What they can do is destroy all enchantments because it doesn't target, but at a price. If the full combo is in effect and they do this, they will loss a lot of permanents, those of which can be lands, because of Karmic Justice, and even if this were to happen, you can play Open the Vaults bringing all of your enchantment combos and artifacts back into play.
The only way that you can loss with the full combo is if your opponent has a card that states "you win the game" assuming the cards conditions are met.
The deck is only able to beaten by the above condition to my knowledge, other than the turn 1 or 2 win instances. The largest fall back to this deck is, as stated, what you draw when. If you can buy a little time, beating this deck only becomes more difficult.
Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment, give suggestions, or ask questions!
And here it is! My finished Flavor Story that connects the card in my deck in this short adventure! Enjoy! (Sorry that some of the words are split)
The gavel hammered down on the judges stand and the decision had been made. Melira would be stripped from her former title of pariah and was to be outcast from the city. Those attending roared with opposing ideals over the verdict as the Grand Abolisher began to escort Melira to the edge of town. With a war in progress losing citizens to such trivial matters seemed obscured. The fact that the war is ever intensifying and the next few days may determine the outcome, didnt help anyones nerves. As the two continued to the edge of the city, Melira couldnt help but notice the poor state her home was in. Thraben was shouting about the end, the Day of Judgment that he has apparently seen. It was sad to see someone so faithful in that much of a panic. As they passed Thraben, Meliras eyes met Gavonys as she continued to forge another shield, the exhausted, worried look on her face was saddening as Melira knew how hard she was working to protect everyone. Seeing another citizen being lost, especially in such dire times, must have been hard to cope with but for now, there was no time to waste as Gavony looked away and continued her work. Finally they reached the outskirts of town; the Grand Abolisher opened the gate, and shoved Melira out slamming the gate behind her. With only remnants of the war spread across the vast Plains and Brushland, Melira chose to enter the Forest, where she felt more at home. Knowing that if she was seen near the village once she was outcast shed be killed, she went deeper into the forest until what she used to call home could no longer be seen. As darkness began to creep in, and Melira was about to give up on the hopes of finding a decent shelter and spend the night under a tree, someone came into view. It was an elf, a shaman by the looks of it. With relief Melira ran over to him and explained to him what had happened. Her use of a Witchbane Orb is what caused her to be outcast. The city doesnt believe in the use of such artifacts and that all they need is faith and that God will protect them. Melira was only trying to help, protecting those that went into battle with the orbs mysterious powers but accidently trapped their God which upset everyone. All Melira wanted was to protect her city at any cost, so much so that she was sent on a Path to Exile, never to return again. Tajuru listened and offered another solution, a way to protect Meliras home, but at a hefty cost. Melira was prepared to sacrifice everything, even her own life to save her home. You wont die, I wont allow it Tajuru uttered, although you might wish you could. Ill do whatever it takes. Melira said with pride and with that they began their journey to a hidden Privileged Position. You must find your way through the Sterling Grove, only then will you be able to reach what can save your home. Tajuru said, That is where I can help you.Back at the city a meeting was held in order to Gather the Townsfolk to discuss the state of the war. It was explained that the war was not going well and if they did not send Timely Reinforcements soon all would be lost. Those who were able agreed to be sent to the battle field for one last final stand to defend their home. As they left, those who were unfit to go found peace in the churches, for now all they could do was Worship, even though their God was gone. Night was almost at an end and Melira still had not found what could be used to help her home. Tajuru told her to look into why she was doing this for those that cast her out over an accident. Melira thought about why she was actually doing this, in the forest shed be safe from the war and its horror. Then it came to her, she had to do what she could because she had robbed her former citizens of something that is hard to replace, their hope. Without a God, many had lost hope, and for some, hope was all they had left. As Melira focused on why she needed to help everyone, a Ray of Revelation shone down on the remnant of some former castle just beyond the edge of the grove. Tajuru was surprised that she was actually able to find her way. Most people who seek this help arent pure at heart, but it would appear that you truly will do anything to help those who cast you out. Tajuru said as they descended into the basement of the structure, where they would be able to save Meliras home.At the bottom of the stairs were two huge doors. Before we enter Tajuru said unsurely are you sure you want to do this, theres no coming back from this Im sure, its all I can do, and if I were to leave those that I once called family out to dry, I couldnt image the Karmic Justice that would rain down on me. Im ready Melira said. And with that, they both Opened the Vault and proceeded into a corridor where multiple artifacts lay covered in dust.As they continued toward the center of the room, the floor lit up with a dim glow and aWheel of Sun and Moon began to spin. As it did, the vault doors slammed shut and the wheel stopped and the room lit up completely. Lets get started then Tajuru said worried. The two of them walked over to a table and Tajuru began to explain how Melira would be able to protect her village. We can reverse what youve done, we can release their God but without the Witchbane Orb, we need to generate enough power another way, and thats where you come in. You will become the power source; your life energy will protect those you care about so much. Your body will be torn apart if the necessary steps arent taken, and it starts with this. Tajuru picked up the Chalice of Life
off the table and handed it to Melira. Drink deeply from this, it will give you enough life to keep you alive through the next process, which will be more painful than you can imagine. He said. As she finished off the last few drops from the chalice, Melira collapsed unconscious. Im grateful that you lost consciousness that makes this part a little less horrifying Tajuru sighed relieved. He dragged her body onto the table before them and began the procedure. He made two incisions that ran the length of her spine and met at the base of her neck. As he cut her hair short, he continued the incisions up along the back of her head, all the way to the bone. He grabbed the sides of her skin and stretched her back open and exposed her spine and skull. He needed to be more careful here to not damage the spine while separating the ribs from the vertebra. Once each rib was broken off and the spine was free, Tajuru Surgically Extracted Meliras skull and spine and carried it over to the next station with the utmost care. He then placed it in the empty husk of a person lying near one of Grafdiggers Cages, if it could even be called human anymore. Just as Tajuru finished the final stiches the husk began to come back to life. Its dull eyes opened as it began to touch its face. Melira, can you hear me Tajuru asked, are you still with me? What, what is this Melira asked in a panic. Thats you, your new body, I had to extract your head and spine and transfer it here, its the only way youll survive the procedure Tajuruexplained. Am I dead, what have you done to me?! Melira yelled No youre not dead, but youre not exactly alive either, drinking from that chalice wont let you die of old age, now youre in a State of Phyrexian Unlife, neither alive or dead. Its the only way to save your home, I had t-Tajuru tried to utter before being thrust against a wall. This isnt me; this isnt how this was supposed to happen! Melira exclaimed. I had to do it to keep you alive, you want to help your people dont you, if you kill me now they will all die as a result of your foolishness, and this is the only way to return That Which Was Taken! Tajuru managed to sputter with Meliras arm on his throat. Fine, if theres no going back from this I might as well help before I die Melira uttered reluctantly. Like I said, you would wish you could die Tajuru said recovering from the attack. Here, put this Darksteel Plate on, even in that body the force could rip you apart As Melira secured the last piece of armor Tajuru motioned her over to the cage. Youre seriously going to cage me in? Melira murmured. This isnt for your safety; its for everyone elses. Tajuru replied. As Melira lay down in the cage, Tajuru sealed it tight and walked over to the final step of the process. I need you to put on that helmet thats in there, this is the final step and your people will be spared Tajuru yelled across the room. Alright, its on Melira yelled back and Tajuru, . . . thank you, you were able to help me save those that I love. Tajuru replied No thank you Melira, youre returning this world back to the way it should be, and Im sorry. Sorry why are you s-Melira was cut off, Tajuru had flipped the switch to the Soul Conduit and the process had begun. All that could be heard now was the screaming of Melira as the conduit began sucking out her life force, and having undergone the prior procedure, she was unable to find peace in a quick death. The pain was unbearable as Tajuru watched Melira claw at the cage looking for any way out. But he knew that there was none. He solemnly left the room, her screams echoing in his ear. As he reached the surface, he looked off into the distance, and there it could be seen. That Which Was Taken was returning to the sky, where he rightfully belonged. As the light from the device that contained him left Tajuru could see that it was the Break of Day. A day that would be remembered, as the Wrath of God would be brought down on those who managed to trap him. Out on the battlefield, where Meliras people were losing unquestionably, is where the angry God struck, decimating all that was exposed to light. However, by some Angel's Grace, Meliras people were unscathed as they watched their foes be obliterated in front of their very eyes. They fell to their knees and Worshiped their God who had returned and they began their journey home, leaving with a Near-Death Experience, they will Remember the Fallen, along with the victory, and it was all thanks to the one the cast out, Melira.
