Yisan Stax
Modern*
SCORE: 5 | 5 COMMENTS | 6362 VIEWS | IN 5 FOLDERS
On mana rocks —Aug. 14, 2017
Previously I avoided running mana rocks in Yisan because I felt like dorks are enough, most games feature T2 Yisan anyway, and I don't need 3 slots that get the same thing done and get hit by all the abundant artifact hate while at it.
I have since changed my mind. #1 enemy of Yisan is creature board sweepers (Toxic Deluge being most popular). I have been in games where mass board wipe hit the field almost every turn cycle, and mana rocks happen to survive that. They can then provide resources to re-cast Yisan again, and make a comeback.
Also, Mana Crypt allows turn 1 Yisan. I am so impressed by how much more broken that is compared to turn 2, that I started thinking about adding Chrome Mox and Mox Diamond to the mix as well (and maybe even Lotus Petal). This adds certain % of super-fast explosive hands that Yisan desperately needs when it comes to the most competitive tables. However, I'm still hesitating about the moxen - they are straight card disadvantage, and it becomes a very risky all-in play. I prefer to avoid these when building decks. Ofcourse, if Yisan lives long enough to tap twice, the void is filled with fresh cards, but turn 1 commander brings so much hate to you that it's not often the case.
This comes at the cost of utility slots. Oracle of Mul Daya is out, so is Sylvan Ranger and few other occasionally useful guys.
One more thing, Masticore and Kamahl, Fist of Krosa are my new favorite toys to play with. It's not quiet the raw power of Bane of Progress or other power plays, but it just feels great to be able to snipe lands AND have a tutorable overrun on demand.
Your combo piece suggestions are ok, but this deck is not about that. It's a card advantage/attrition deck with toolbox and combo finish. Ofcourse, you can make it pure combo with Rings, more combo-oriented dorks etc, but then it would be different.
Bellower is amazing, but Primeval Titan is strictly better in 6-drop slot. I don't have the card, otherwise I'd run it.
As for removal - it's a metagame call. When you play lots of other drok decks, then it's fine, but if you are mostly facing Animars and Maelstorm Wanderers, then targeted removal is not needed. There are enough flex sots in the deck to accomodate that, so feel free to do so.
January 27, 2016 6:06 p.m.
Well, i am repeating myself here, but why is Viridian Joiner in your card advantage/attrition deck? It's just a terrible card unless you combine it with exactly Umbral Mantle or Ezuri, Renegade Leader. In contrast, Elvish Archdruid is great with those two cards just the same, but is a much better card on it's own.
Rings of Brighthearth, as i briefly described above, is a combo enabler but at the same time a card advantage engine when combined with any fetchland, Wasteland-type effect, Expedition Map, Birthing Pod, Yisan, Fauna Shaman, Quirion Ranger etc. It's similar to Staff of Domination in that regard, but it needs less mana to be of any use and is better at directly affecting the board instead of just drawing cards. For example, copying a Wasteland activation can easily end the game on the spot and costs you a total of 5 mana (casting Rings of Brighthearth and paying its ability once). That might not be cheap, but Staff of Domination does nothing at all for that amount of mana.
You don't want to lean too heavily on all kinds of combos and that's a perfectly fine way to build your deck. I am just questioning some of your card choices with regard to that.
January 27, 2016 10:16 p.m.
Archdruid doesnt work on its own after a wrath.
Rings is ok, but is a dead draw late game, while staff can win you the game lategame in a grindy match on its own.
Emzed says... #1
Hey, i just recently picked up Yisan myself and I've been looking at a lot of lists to get ideas and a feeling for the directions you can take with the deck. I noticed some things about your deck: First, i really love the Lodestone Golem and haven't seen that elsewhere, great idea! But, are you sure Sakura-Tribe Elder is supposed to be in the deck as opposed to Sakura-Tribe Scout? The Scout is very powerful in combination with Quirion Ranger (can be even better than Exploration), whereas the Elder appears mediocre. Also, i don't understand the inclusion of Viridian Joiner. As far as i can see, it's good with Umbral Mantle and Ezuri, Renegade Leader but has no synergy at all with the rest of the deck. Wouldn't Elvish Archdruid make more sense that spot? It can combo with Umbral Mantle just the same, but is a lot better in a normal game. There is a similar problem with Staff of Domination: It combos with Priest of Titania or Voyaging Satyr if you have a good board state, but otherwise the card can be really unexciting. By adding Elvish Archdruid, Karametra's Acolyte and/or Argothian Elder, the staff would have more potential combo partners (and at least the first two are solid even without a combo). I don't know how heavily you want to lean on combos, but Rings of Brighthearth and Illusionist's Bracers are two cards that enable combos (usually involving Seeker of Skybreak) but are also great just with individual cards like Yisan, Quirion Ranger or Wasteland (that last one doesn't work with the bracers obviously). Temur Sabertooth allows for some more combos and helps winning once you get to infinite mana, while also protecting you from mass removal to some degree.
Woodland Bellower has really impressed me in my Yisan deck as it's almost the only way to get a cheap creature once Yisan reaches 3+ verse counters. It's great at finding combo pieces or reactive cards and also improves what Fierce Empath can do (and in return, Bellower can get Empath to find another fatty if that's what you need). I couldn't imagine playing without it and suggest you try it out for yourself.
I've made the experience that casting Yisan as early as possible is usually fantastic and that the spells in your hand usually don't matter all that much once Yisan is active. In that light, Chrome Mox fits the deck very nicely and has performed well for me, so it might be something for your list too.
When testing the deck, i ran into a few tough hatecards, for example Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Torpor Orb and Aven Mindcensor. There are no fantastic solutions to those cards in mono green except for Beast Within, however, Mouth of Ronom, Ulvenwald Tracker and Song of the Dryads are some options that you might want to consider.
January 27, 2016 9:24 a.m.