Gidgetimer says... #2
I see what you are trying to do but taking out all interaction to go all in on two different combos leaves you very open to disruption. Speaking as an experienced combo player I would say choose one or the other and include interaction so that you can disrupt your opponent and combo more consistently.
January 25, 2016 10:04 a.m.
The island is necessary as a target for search for tomorrow since we play so few fetches. 8 mountains is enough to complete our combo, since even when we have too many mountains on the battlefield, we can leave some, and still get 12-15 damage which is enough including damage from our creatures. Dryad arbor seems like a great option, the only problem is that I can't fetch it with bloodstained mire. I really like it though, so I may consider switching to wooded foothills and changing my watery grave to a breeding pool. Thanks for the suggestions
January 25, 2016 10:23 a.m.
asasinater13 says... #4
you don't need Bring to Light or 4-of Scapeshift. this is much more a Living End list than a shift one, and I can't imagine you ever wanting to hit 2 scapeshifts. I would cut the BTL and 2 of the shifts to add in some number of Faerie Macabre or Shriekmaw or Beast Within mainboard. knowing living end a bit, I would want to have like 3 Beast Within and 2 Faerie Macabre. Especially with the format being flooded with aggro, committing to a slow scapeshift plan doesn't seem perfect. Though if you did want to maximize scapeshift/liivng end synergy, Burnished Hart or Silkwing Scout are interesting considerations. I just wish Sakura-Tribe Elder had a functional reprint at 3CMC for this strategy, spending mana to Sac seems imperfect.
January 25, 2016 1:21 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #5
granted either heart or scout want a lot more basics to use well. maybe the scout is better for its cheaper sacrifice cost and only getting one basic, so you're likely to not run out of basics in your list.
January 25, 2016 1:22 p.m.
Although most cards in the deck fit the living end archetype rather than the scapeshift one, this deck is in fact more reliant on scapeshift as the main wincon. The creatures all act as cantrips which help us dig for a scapeshift, and living end acts as a board wipe to control the game and interact in a pretty meaningful matter. Resolving one or two living ends usually buys us enough time to resolve a game ending scapeshift
January 25, 2016 3:53 p.m.
So I've been testing Dryad Arbor in main and sideboard. I don't like it in main, as I'm forced to sacrifice it after resolving the living end, making me that much further from a lethal scapeshift. However, in sideboard, it's amazing--giving me a noticeable advantage against both the tron and scapeshift matchups. 1 of in the sideboard feels like the right call for this deck. In other manabase news, I've shifted to 2 forests rather than 2 mountain. I've never been anywhere close to running out of mountains (usually we only need 3-4 to be left in the deck after creature damage, and I've never had less than 7 remaining). This made me feel like a second basic forest was more valuable, that way when I have 2 available green sources, I am more likely to be able to play a turn 6 search for tomorrow into scapeshift.
January 25, 2016 4:57 p.m.
Looks nice. I dont know alot about either scapeshift or living end, but it looks like a fun mix :). A friend plays Living End and uses Avalanche Riders. Have you considered that? Could be fun alongside Fulminator Mage?
January 26, 2016 4:35 p.m.
Avalanche riders is just a bit too slow here. by turn four, I usually either already have, or plan on casting one of my cascade spells. four maindeck land hate cards usually gets the job done.
January 26, 2016 8:18 p.m.
Id like to start by saying love this deck idea!the only thing i would do is cut a Scapeshift and a Living End for another Bring to Light and maybe a Beast Within
January 27, 2016 7:12 p.m.
Living end isn't something I can cut to 2. If I run out of copies in my deck all my cascades become useless. I tried dropping a scapeshift for a bring to light. I think it hurt more than it helped. I rarely have a problem that a bring to light for living end would solve. The possibility of a scapeshift combo one turn earlier is worth it. I'm not sure how I feel about beast within. I'm considering it as a one of but I'm not sure it deserves a main deck slot. There aren't many troubling permanents for this deck, most games it acts as an instant speed non reusable fulminator Mage that targets basics. I'll say that does help in some matchups, but not really enough to deserve a slot in the deck, even as a bring to light target. I'll keep testing with and without though as the meta changes
January 28, 2016 7:28 p.m.
Neither of those are worth answering for this deck. Karn either has no targets or so many targets it doesnt matter, and a resolved Ugin means all my creatures are already exiled and he just represents 3 damage a turn. Wurmcoil Engine is really the only permanent that we really have a need to remove, and beast within is not the way to do that. (In 7 matches, this deck has a 100% match win rate vs tron--albeit with a little luck from topdecked scapeshift in two matches--so I'm not really extremely worried about that matchup)
January 29, 2016 12:15 a.m.
I suppose I should get around to posting the matchups eventually. Expect that soon, and thanks to everyone who has given advice or +1ed
January 29, 2016 12:21 a.m.
Dragonman39 says... #15
I like the deck! Have you thought about Animist's Awakening? It may have a place in your deck! It's certainly a good way to get more lands out. +1
February 1, 2016 7:48 a.m.
Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately animists awakening has cmc 1, so it would hurt the cascade plan.
lemmingllama says... #1
I would recommend swapping out your Island for another Steam Vents. Currently you have a Mountain count of 12. That means that if you get hit by a Crumble to Dust, you will have 8-9 Mountains left, which makes it difficult to actually resolve a good Scapeshift.
Also maybe consider adding in a Dryad Arbor so you can target with your Demonic Dread.
Finally, some number of Ricochet Trap might be advisable in the sideboard.
January 25, 2016 7:20 a.m.