My Sultai deck...Doesn't utilize the self-mill mechanic from Sultai but instead focuses on the regular old "screw your library" mill. It is a modified version of my pre-rotation dimir mill deck.
Lets start with the basics.
Defenders...Defenders.Everywhere!
the one-drop spot-
Disowned Ancestor
- a 1-drop 0/4 with outlast? Yeah, that works to keep me safe early.
the two-drop spot-
Then there is
Dragon's Eye Savants
a beast of a 0/6 with a virtually free morph ability. These will work just dandy.
Hiding in the back there? That is Kiora's Follower, definitely not a blocker, but here for some early-mid game ramping as well as a special bonus feature mentioned later.
the three-drop- This spot is always full in a mill deck it seems...
Everyone's favorite wall is back for another tour! Wall of Frost is a sweet 0/7 3-drop with a tapped-freezing ability, discouraging opponents from attacking.
Monastery Flock- 0/5 with flying works well and potential pause for your opponent as it is also a 1-cost morph.
four-drops? No great defenders at the four drop slow, but what I do have? a few
Reaper of the Wilds
may work well. Conditional Scry, deathtouch, and hexproof kinda makes her one sexy Gorgon.
five-drop-
Prophet of Kruphix- untapping mana and creatures at each opponents upkeep and flashing in creatures will let me put both prophet and Phenax, God of Deception out turn 5, AND allows to double up my milling. Sweetness.
The big man himself...the boss, the Jefe, the head hancho, Phenax, God of Deception. The crux of the deck. This guy turns all of my defenders into terrifying milling machines of death.
Non-Creatures
The planeswalker...I was sad to see Jace, Memory Adept leave, but c'est la vie. I still have Ashioka, Nightmare Weaver, this crazy b*tch wil steal your cards and make them work for me. not a bad three drop.
Coming in at a hefty 5 drop is Liliana Vess! Primarily making an appearance for her -2 Tutor ability. She also has the potential to manage a little hand control.
Control Element-
Thassa's Rebuff
.- keeps the opponent from swinging board state in his/her favor too much.
Triton Tactics To untap and retap my defenders for additional milling. (this is also the special bonus reason for Kiora's Follower).
Read the Bones, 2 life is a small price to pay for keeping the threats coming.
Mind Sculpt because milling 7 for 2-mana is a no-brainer.
Sultai Charm
- mono-color hate, artifact/enchantment destruction, or draw ability. I like keeping my choices open.
Sultai Ascendancy- Ok, at first I was a little let down with the Sultai abilities compared to the beasts that are Jeskai Ascendancy and Mardu Ascendancy, but after playing this deck for a bit...this card rocks! basically scry2 at upkeep, making sure you are optimizing your draw step. If I ever do put in an element of self-mill, you better believe this will come in handy.
So ok. Milling is all great, and you know it, but of course we know with the mill, you need an alternative win-con. That being said, I don't have much and probably need to work on it a bit. What do I have you ask? I have
Kin-Tree Invocation
. That's right. a two-drop sorcery letting me put an X/X green/black token creature into play that is...wait, what? equal to the greatest TOUGHNESS of creatures I control. In this deck, that is a turn 2 4/4, a turn 3 6/6 or a turn 4 7/7. and if I cast it after Triton Tactics make that a turn 3 9/9 or turn 4 10/10. This can work for me. Ok, so not the greatest alternate win-con, but I am working on it.
The sideboard is focused on hand control and can be swapped in should the need arise. Though Grindclock is being seriously considered for the mainboard...too slow you say? not when you can combo Kiora's Follower
+
Grindclock
, with the potential of a drawn-out game because of all my defenders, after a 3-turns with Kiora's Follower boosting it, Grindclock has the potential to mill 12 every turn. So I am considering it.
I would really enjoy suggestions on alternative win cons (I miss my Duskmantle Guildmage for that) and any other suggestions you may have.
Thanks for looking!
