Non-Creature Naya Card Draw?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on April 21, 2021, 10 a.m. by Quickspell
I'm looking for Naya colored card draw in a few-creatures-deck.
My
Atla Palani, Nest Tender
contains only 10 selected creatures, most of them huge like
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
,
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
, and
Blightsteel Colossus
.
Since there are so few creatures, most green card draw engines like Beast Whisperer , Guardian Project , Greater Good , or even The Great Henge is pointless and will barely trigger.
I am running one cantrip ( Explore ), Harmonize , and also Sylvan Library . The best card is probably Skullclamp with Atla's tokens and I am running Steelshaper's Gift specifically to fetch it.
Otherwise I'm running Garruk, Primal Hunter (for it's -3), Hunter's Insight , Momentous Fall , and Soul's Majesty that can draw a huge amount of cards once the huge creatures are out. But unless I get to that point, I won't be drawing cards.
How can I access more card draw/ card advantage under these circumstances?
gavriel1136 says... #3
Impulsive draw is gonna be rough for an Atla deck, since you want your bigguns to stay in the deck. In that vein, maybe focus on Rummaging effects like Thrill of Possibility and Cathartic Reunion . If you have some form of recursion, you can try Valakut Exploration , since the cards dont stay in exile.
April 21, 2021 11:16 a.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #4
Rishkar's Expertise , Valakut Awakening Flip, and Idol of Oblivion should all work for you
April 21, 2021 12:21 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #5
Return of the Wildspeaker , Jeska's Will , and Scroll Rack as well
April 21, 2021 12:22 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #6
Skullclamp is probably the best here. Go Open the Armory , Axgard Armory , Godo, Bandit Warlord (just add Helm of the Host and then he's another big thing to egg into)
Inventors' Fair as I'm assuming you run a good amount of mana rocks, Idyllic Tutor for library, Enlightened Tutor , and maybe Gamble too.
Of course some people don't like tutors so maybe you won't take this direction, in which case wheels.
Wheels, however, mostly work when you can dump your hand. You need to be able to vomit yourself to about 2-3 cards in hand on turn one and then wheel either t1 or t2. This is easiest when you have rituals and high quality artifact ramp, or at least mana dorks. This could really force you into a higher power level, so weigh your options, I guess.
Other than that, there should be some fun artifacts and enchantments that draw cards. Compost is pretty solid, Mazemind Tome isn't bad either.
April 21, 2021 12:41 p.m.
i have never seen an atla deck that cares about draw or only runs 10 creatures im very curious to what your building, do you have any links?
as TriusMalarky already suggested
Skullclamp
would be best value
and as Omniscience_is_life suggested
Idol of Oblivion
would be a solid second
i would suggest
Greater Good
the ability to sac a 10+ fatty to it seems pretty good,
not to mention if that fatty is a blightsteel you can just sac an egg to get him back
Fecundity
is also worth considering
but this is all just based on the commander im not really sure what your deck is doing
April 21, 2021 2:43 p.m.
Quickspell says... #8
Thank you everybody, I have to look at all the cards you suggested.
Ramble I quickly made a list here Monster Omlette.
The deck has an indestructible sub-theme that works great with Shifting Shadow . The point is to get out the creatures as fast as possible using either Atla's ability or any of the "Gateways". Why bother putting in many creatures when usually Atla won't trigger that many times during a game. Instead, this deck tries to make the best of every Atla-trigger by getting the worst kind of Monster out with no misses on Birds of Paradise or Llanowar Elves or the likes.
Since Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker works great with Blightsteel Colossus and Worldspine Wurm . Many other creatures have indestructible and so I usually only have to worry about exiling spells. As a way to protect them, I simply sacrifice them and they either shuffle themselves back in or all of the graveyard.
I just usually quickly run out of cards.
April 21, 2021 3:13 p.m.
You could go with what they call eggs
Mishra's Bauble or Urza's Bauble delayed draw but the cmc cost is right
Chromatic Sphere or Chromatic Star draw and color fixing
Other options Conjurer's Bauble Spare Supplies Golden Egg Guild Globe Elsewhere Flask Ichor Wellspring Alchemist's Vial
Mazemind Tome gives you some extra draw or scry
Then you have top deck manipulation stuff but can cost $$$$ Sensei's Divining Top Scroll Rack card swap I guess is the best thing to call it
When i used eggs in my mono red I went with ones I could get extra benefit from
There are more but you get the idea
April 21, 2021 4:23 p.m. Edited.
Omniscience_is_life says... #10
Quickspell If you want some more fun Atla synergies, I've spent a lot of time on this deck:
Wait wait wrong egg WRONG EGG | **Primer**
Commander / EDH
SCORE: 58 | 43 COMMENTS | 2556 VIEWS | IN 15 FOLDERS
April 21, 2021 4:42 p.m.
nice concept i like it
just useless info cards like
Blades of Velis Vel
&
Isochron Scepter
,
Volatile Claws
,
Mirror Entity
,
Maskwood Nexus
can get you past creature wiffs
and
Summoner's Egg
can help unload fattys that are trapped in your hand
p.s.
Summoner's Egg
is an egg and will trigger alta so its two for one
April 21, 2021 4:43 p.m.
Mtg_Mega_Nerds says... #12
I think Faithless Looting , Valakut Awakening Flip, Jeska's Will , and Harmonize would all work. You could also run cards like Bond of Flourishing or Track Down .
April 21, 2021 8:57 p.m.
Quickspell says... #13
Alright, thanks everybody!
Omniscience_is_life, I think impulsive draw like Jeska's Will and Outpost Siege is too dangerous. Though a small chance, if I happen to exile up to three major creatures, I probably won't be able to cast them and I'll lose them completely. Valakut Awakening Flip seems solid, though!
TriusMalarky Wow,
Helm of the Host
had been on my mind, but I never considered putting in
Godo, Bandit Warlord
as an alternative wincon.
Open the Armory
and
Axgard Armory
are nice! You are right, I don't care too much about tutors because they often limit how the deck works to specific cards. But in this case it makes sense, especially because of the
Atla Palani, Nest Tender
+
Ashnod's Altar
+
Thornbite Staff
combo.
Mtg_Mega_Nerds, gavriel1136, Thank you! Cathartic Reunion , Faithless Looting , Harmonize , Bond of Flourishing , Track Down , Return of the Wildspeaker all seem like good options!
hejtmane Thank you, I hadn't considered these since I have access to green for ramp. I'll check it out. As for
Sensei's Divining Top
and
Scroll Rack
, I actually had them in but eventually took them out again and put them into my
Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign
deck. I feel that topdeck manipulation is not the best approach here.
RambIe, I will put in Maskwood Nexus . Sacrificing a Blightsteel to save it from a Path or Swords - and then triggering Atla to bring in Kozilek, because that Blightstseel was also an egg, that seems like a great idea:) As for Greater Good , if I sacrifice an egg I will draw no cards but discard three, isn't that right? If Atla is removed before she triggers, doesn't that mean I just discard my hand for nothing? Seems a dangerous thing to do... which actually leads me to the question I've never thought about: When Atla is in play and I sacrifice the egg, she triggers. When she is removed with an instant, her trigger remains on the stack, doesn't it?
This was very helpful for me, thank you all!
April 22, 2021 8:28 a.m.
Quickspell says... #14
Omniscience_is_life Thank you for sharing. I'll be sure to check it out for inspiration! But I'm already seeing that you have quite a lot of creatures. When I drew Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger , I knew I wanted to play him. So far I got him out in pretty every match I have played with this deck, often alongside his brother. I really like that it's just a handfull of creatures in the deck and I get the Titans out very consistently.
April 22, 2021 8:35 a.m.
Don't even worry about card draw for
Atla Palani, Nest Tender
. I just play a bunch of 2-drop ramp, protection, sac outlets, & non-creature token generators with secondary polymorph effects... ie
Kher Keep
&
Divergent Transformations
. Then when card draw gets limited or staxed I just let it happen & laugh my way into my kobold-turned-
Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
. Same thing for counterspell heavy decks. Just ride the polymorph.
April 22, 2021 9:21 a.m.
Also, I never usually need the equipment combos with Atla, but if you do like that direction Forging the Tyrite Sword gets some pretty cheap ramp along the way.
April 22, 2021 9:25 a.m.
Quickspell says... #17
Gleeock Thanks, Kher Keep seems great even to just create some chump blockers. Divergent Transformations is also great, I will consider it. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed is great but doesn't fit my theme. Forging the Tyrite Sword seems a great card, though!
April 22, 2021 10:14 a.m.
Quickspell you are correct sacrificing an egg to
Greater Good
would not be beneficial in most situations
it would be more so to sacrifice cards like
Blightsteel Colossus
&
Worldspine Wurm
if you add
Maskwood Nexus
to this mix you have the potential to deck yourself
April 22, 2021 10:36 a.m.
sorry for the spam
in my alti deck
Ogre Battledriver
,
Brion Stoutarm
, &
Serra Avatar
is my win con
i know this sounds like alot but with
Maskwood Nexus
its easy to fetch and loop
and cards like
Worldly Tutor
,
Hoarding Dragon
,
Protean Hulk
to keep a long post short cus im at work and keep getting interrupted while typing
basically the deck just needs 3 eggs and any sac outlet to go off
April 22, 2021 11:10 a.m.
Yeah, depends on theme. I decided to keep my Atla in Mid & keep it so that I am still playing roulette & not going for something like stacking up a Mirror Entity combo every game. In effect, it plays stronger to plan disruption & midgame, but cannot do the same thing high-Atla can do if left alone. Mine is pretty much all dmg doublers, direct instant dmg, some of the red stuff you usually never get to use unless you are instantly bringing them on to the field with eggs :) Usually I find myself not being in great draw-need compared to some more draw-hungry decks I have. Typically I just find some cheap token spammer & I just hold on to my slow draw goodies. If you are a little more "draw hungry" I guess Neyith of the Dire Hunt could be good in some builds. I often use fight mechanics to pop my own eggs when I don't have a sac effect on board like weaponizing eggs with things like Domri, Anarch of Bolas or that gruul fighting beast of fighting
April 22, 2021 12:27 p.m.
... still play mirror entity though, I just keep the fetch pieces Timmie instead of comboish
April 22, 2021 12:28 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #22
Quickspell you're not wrong, I do have a lot of creatures--but I also think you'll find noncreature gems with high synergy like Nature's Chosen , Mutavault , Sundering Growth , and Cream of the Crop (that one's basically scry 10 with Ulamog!)
Sorry if any of those cards I spotlighted are ones you already have in the deck, your link seems to have stopped working so I couldn't double-check :/
April 22, 2021 12:44 p.m.
I know two draw engines you can use.
There's Scroll Rack + Land Tax . Land Tax puts three lands into your hand every turn which you can use Scroll Rack to exchange those lands for other cards. This effectively lets you draw three cards every turn for one mana. Also Land Tax always causes you to shuffle your library every time you search for lands, so you never have to worry about redrawing the cards you put away with Scroll Rack.
The other draw engine does include a creature, but it effectively lets you draw 4 cards for free between each of your turns. That draw engine is Guardian Project + Norin the Wary . Norin will always blink on every turn which means you'll always draw a card on your turn and for each of your opponent's turns. Norin's blink ability also makes him incredibly hard to remove, so this draw engine is fairly resistant against removal. You can always use a creature tutor or a legendary tutor such as Search for Glory or Time of Need to dig him out of your deck for extra assurance.
April 22, 2021 4:54 p.m.
Quickspell says... #24
StopShot!!! Guardian Project + Norin the Wary - that's the most beautiful thing I have seen in my life (;_;)
Search for Glory and Time of Need - that's actually really helpful when I have Sneak Attack but nothing to fire.
Scroll Rack + Land Tax - I have both, I shall try
April 22, 2021 6:56 p.m.
Quickspell says... #25
Ramble it sounds like a great combo. I had considered putting Serra Avatar because she shuffles back like the Eldrazi, Blightsteel or even Worldspine Wurm . But with no trample I had no use for her. This is a fine way to use her!
April 22, 2021 7:10 p.m.
Quickspell says... #26
Gleeock, here is my creature list. That's all there is. Each either shuffle back into the library from the graveyard and synergize with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and Through the Breach , or they are indestructible and synerz with Shifting Shadow
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
- Perfect for breaking eggs every turn
- Wincon with Blightsteel Colossus
- Amazing with Worldspine Wurm
- Also great with It That Betrays
Nesting Dragon
Not as good as expected, but more eggs and dragons are not bad, especially when you can sac them due to Maskwood Nexus .
Xenagos, God of Revels
- Obviously good with any creature
- Synergizes as a creature with Shifting Shadow , otherwise hard to remove
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
- Indestructible flying Monster
- All creature now synergize with Shifting Shadow
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
- Unfortunately, his casting ability is basically useless in this deck
- Despite being crazy by itself, Annihilator 4 is great with It That Betrays
- Shuffles graveyard back in, so I'll get back the non-shuffle creatures, most of all Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Obvious reasons.
Worldspine Wurm
I love this card.
Blightsteel Colossus
Obviously the best and strongest creature in this deck. Loves Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and I am running Anointed Procession .
It That Betrays
It has happened that "It" and its over rings Kozilek and Ulamog have come into play at the same time with Selvala's Stampede . That's 33 power (easily chump blocked though) and 10 permanents sacrificed that I then returned to the battlefield under my control. Primal Rage helps.
April 22, 2021 7:58 p.m.
Quickspell says... #27
Omniscience_is_life Ah yes, I had thought about Nature's Chosen but went for Instill Energy . It doesn't work that well though. The haste is only relevant when you have 7 mana in turn three or four, which really never happens. But it let's Atla untap and is great for giving haste to Blightsteel or Ulamog. Mutavault and Sundering Growth I am running, but Cream of the Crop seems amazing here!
Oh yeah, I put my deck back to private... aaand it's back in. It's still a protype: Monster Omlette
griffstick says... #2
I think you should use reds unique kind of card draw. From wheels to impulsive card draw. Outpost Siege and Magus of the Wheel to name just a few
April 21, 2021 10:43 a.m.