First Deck: Help!!
Deck Help forum
Posted on Sept. 20, 2013, 5:33 a.m. by Luminous.Animus
So I'm really new to magic. Probably my 4th or 5th day with physical cards haha. I got a TON of concepts wrong but it's all slowly coming together. Rules, terminology, and such.
I've seen plenty of mill decks so far, but none I really felt I liked. Wait that's wrong... It's more like there were too many mill combos to even comprehend trying to put together on my first deck ever. I don't think I'm trying to play too much competitively, but I like to win anyways lol. This is the deck I want to make but can't afford because of Glimpse the Unthinkable and the sum of all the smaller cards...
So I've run into a few noobish problems, but I'll let you look at the cards first and my questions will be immediately after. Keep in mind I really want to focus on small combos with huge rewards. I believe this deck does this relatively well, but something is nagging me hard... Lack of creatures and mana speed/balance might be it? Welp take a look
General Mills Serial Decker:
Lands
8x Island
4x Sunken Ruins
7x Swamp
Creatures
4x Hedron Crab
Sorcery
4x Mind Funeral
2x Tome Scour *I chose tome scour over others like Mind Sculpt , mind sluice and Thought Scour due to pure cheap combo potential to cards number of cards potentially discarded in a combo. Maybe Dream Twist as a good replacement, but 5 cards once for 1 mana sounds better than 6 for 1 + 2 mana (normal cast + flashback.)
Instant
2x Negate
2x Twincast
I believe proper mill combos need to be cheap, short, and SWEET. A few rolls on the deck simulation led me to these questions and conclusions.
I guessed on the land count. How did I do? Also, was I right to keep Dimir Guildgate out? I felt it was slowing me down when i needed it most.
I might drop 1 Jace's Phantasm and 1 Snapcaster Mage for maybe 2 defenders like Fog Bank or Hover Barrier . What do you think?
I feel really vulnerable with this deck, but truth be told I don't have much dueling experience and it leaves me wondering at times if I got ANYTHING right. I want to increase the count to 65 to throw in some defense, but I don't want to water down my deck. What do you guys think?
Is my deck too slow? It doesn't have the big infinite combos, but it has cheap big hits like twincasting Mind Funeral , Glimpse the Unthinkable , or Increasing Confusion . Even smaller combos like Snapcaster Mage for a quick double Tome Scour in the early turns i feel is huge, but the mana can't seem to roll out when i need it.
Can you Twincast a flashbacked Increasing Confusion ? Just wondering haha. I think that would be op.
All in all I like 3/5 hands I get in the simulator. but again I don't have the dueling experience to truly know.
Help me out on anything you can. I appreciate all the help gents. Please me gentle. It's my first go around.
Luminous.Animus says... #3
Hmm change 2 Negates to 2 dimir charms. More versatility in expense of a mana restriction. Thanks.
September 20, 2013 6:58 a.m.
maybe a Consuming Aberration ? Also, i think its easier to get an overview of your deck if you post a link to the deck.. then we can see mana curve and card count
September 20, 2013 7:06 a.m.
RedKunoichi says... #5
It would probably be easier for people to look at/help you if you made the deck in the deckbuilder.
September 20, 2013 9:02 a.m.
RedKunoichi says... #6
Also I think if you are going to add creatures you should go with Consuming Aberration , he helps with milling and makes a good fatty.
September 20, 2013 9:11 a.m.
RedKunoichi says... #7
wow. i apologize smackjack, i just posted everything you said. ... its early for me.
September 20, 2013 9:13 a.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #8
I'll do a proper description and stuff later. It's too early for me to be up... Thanks for replies. I just thought abberation didnt fit my deck since I feel like the only real chances I have to attack are in the early game. Plus i dont feel a 5drop creature would help any of the combos in my deck. It's just a creature that mills hard when it gets the chance. I don't feel it adds anything i needed. Neither speed nor balance. But please convince me wrong, I'm all groggy I'll be back in a few hours lol.
September 20, 2013 12:37 p.m.
RedKunoichi says... #9
Consuming mills every time you cast a spell. so whenever you cast a spell to mill them consuming will mill them more. Also he will make good defense because by the time he comes you you should have at lease 15 cards in your opponents graveyard, so you will pay 5 mana for a 15/15.
September 20, 2013 12:40 p.m.
... and he goes well with Essence Harvest for a second win con ;)
September 20, 2013 12:56 p.m.
you should also sideboard a couple of Tormod's Crypt in case your opponent has a Emrakul, the Aeons Torn or something similar making him un-millable :).
September 20, 2013 12:59 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #12
Oh derp. That passive is pretty op. Lol. It really must have been a rough night if i missed that one. What can I do to make room?
Keep the suggestions coming guys. I need every bit of it.
September 20, 2013 1:07 p.m.
I think the charm is the weakest card in your list. Its definitely the weakes charm in my opinion.. You could take one or two out for Aberration. Also, the counterspells could be replaced by Mana Leak . Mana leak doesnt mill, but cost one less witch is pretty important when it comes to counters. The pay 3 mana drawback is only an issue when opponent cast cheap spells late game..
Maybe Trepanation Blade ? Equip it on Jace's Phantasm and mill when he attacks + deal more damage. Also, the mill triggers on attack, so the cards put in the grave counts to Phantasms +4 +4 trigger when the damage is dealt..
September 20, 2013 1:17 p.m.
RedKunoichi says... #14
If you do decide to be a little more aggressive you could consider Paranoid Delusions . Also when you cast the cipher copy consuming's ability happens with that too.
September 20, 2013 1:18 p.m.
Delusions are pretty good, but you need to get past blockers for it to be effective. I had a mill deck once built around 4x Invisible Stalker 4x Paranoid Delusions 4x Trepanation Blade and 4x Curiosity along with lots of mill sorceries..
September 20, 2013 1:21 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #16
Completely forgot about mana leak. Deck updated... Thanks GinjaNinja and smackjack
About my original questions, How does my land count look? I haven't quite figured out how many i need lol.
September 20, 2013 1:26 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #17
Now this looks like a much cleaner mill deck. I will run it through simulator to see how it plays out.
September 20, 2013 1:34 p.m.
23 lands seems fine. Test it out and if you get mana screwed too often add another land. Dont think you need more than 24 since you have a lot of cheap spells. Maybe look into Watery Grave for another dual?
September 20, 2013 1:47 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #19
Updated. I'm not sure about Watery Grave just yet, but I'm still pondering about it.
September 20, 2013 2:04 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #20
what do you guys think about the Sunken Ruins ?
It offers great late game stability to be able to change 2 mana to whatever you want, but if when it's the only mana I draw multiples in the first hand I feel like I can't get out all my Hedron Crab s and Jace's Phantasm that i should in the first 2 turns. Do you think its worth the trade off?
September 20, 2013 2:18 p.m.
well.. as long as you have another land out Sunken Ruins provides blue or black.. Maybe run that as a 2 of and add Watery Grave ?
September 20, 2013 2:48 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #22
Hmm thats a good idea. Grr the deck just gets more and more expensive!!
September 20, 2013 4:34 p.m.
SharuumNyan says... #24
Yeah, Magic the Gathering is an anagram for "Burn a huge hole in your wallet." Or close enough...
September 20, 2013 4:40 p.m.
ha! I dont know how much money ive spent on cards. Lots. The other week i ordered cards for $150 for a deck that did not work. Played 20-30 gamed and didnt win once. Now i have $120 worth of cards on the mail to hopefully fix the deck :S. I tend to not think about how much ive spent since it makes me kinda bummed :P. Its paper.. with pictures.. Fun paper with awesome pictures tho :)
September 20, 2013 5:23 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #26
Yeah I'm pretty reluctant as I've made the same mistakes already as a beginner. A ton of cards for decks I'll maybe never make lol. I'm really scared of ordering those Glimpse the Unthinkable ....
September 20, 2013 5:28 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #27
also let me know what you guys think about the deck! Compared to other mills i really wanted the cheap and fast sorcery/instant combos to shine. Run it a few times in sim and let me know!!!
September 20, 2013 5:30 p.m.
Glimpse the Unthinkable are a card i wish i had. Its a must for competitive mill decks. I love mill, but i only have cards for a casual mill deck and my friends tend to meet that with competitive decks haha :). Have you considered Essence Harvest for your deck? You have 3 Aberrations, making Essence Harvest a 3cmc instant win, and if you cast it with the phantasm out you at least deal 5 damage and gain 5 life for 3 mana..
September 20, 2013 5:33 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #29
Yeah I have actually smackjack and I have 2 I believe. It's a great way to stick another win condition in there, but as a new deck builder I'm wondering how I can fit it... lol.
i'll be trying to update it today with Ghost Quarter , Archive Trap and Essence Harvest .
It'll take some time so suggestions are appreciated!
September 23, 2013 6:19 p.m.
I think 4x Archive Trap are a bit to much. 2x is enough. If your opponent doesnt search their library you only have 3 cards that forces them to and without them Archive Trap is a 5 mana mill 13 witch is not that good. Add another 2x Mind Funeral instead.
September 23, 2013 7:18 p.m.
Luminous.Animus says... #32
Yeah, I'm actually thinking about changing some foundation of the deck. Maybe board updated while i try to figure out how to get all of what i want into one 60 card deck...
Luminous.Animus says... #2
Get it? General Mill's Cereal? giggle giggle
September 20, 2013 5:36 a.m.