Mana fixing in a Boros Angel deck
Modern forum
Posted on Feb. 24, 2021, 10:08 a.m. by Cheifettues
I feel I am in need of some mana fixing, maybe not. I am honestly not sure. I am thinking of adding Celestial Dawn to a Boros Angel deck.
I have updated this deck recently, adding 10ish new cards that are all white. This brings down the count of red/white cards to 3. There are 3x Boros and 2x Cliff Tops, the rest are plains which brings my lands to 19.
Low right! I’ve been running 19 lands with an average success rate of about 85%. I’d like to increase my success rate. The tricky part is that white has limited options for ramping. Iv’e got Endless Horizons ... but what else is there really that fits.
This is a 99% tribal deck, the only exception being Serra Avatar . I don’t want to add non angel creatures. My problem I know but meh.
I have tried cards like Tith and they don’t hold up to my expectations.
So how about mana fixing? Does it fit? Cards like Chromatic Lantern are an obvious choice, but I simply am annoyed by the overuse of the card by the people I play with. Such a ridiculous excuse.
What are your thoughts on CE. It’s my understanding from the web is that the card lacks potential and isn’t played much... it is crap...but is it really crap when played in the right deck?
For example, turn 5/7 I pull CE, chances are (with my play style) I have yet to play any red/white cards. So I play CE and now I can play the 3 cards as I please. Is this a correct understanding?
Currently I’ve got Slayers' Stronghold and Emeria, The Sky Ruin and I know they would be cut if I run CE. Is this worth it??
I am torn, I don’t know the answer. This deck is playable, even with its high costing creatures and skewed mana curve. The stax helps. But I feel my mana base has a huge gap in it.
Thoughts and suggestions are welcome
Good day and be well.
Kindly...
Cheifettues says... #3
Land is a slippery slope that cuts me deep. Every time!
February 24, 2021 11:16 a.m.
For starters, I think you need to work on reducing your mana curve--especially since you have a number of mana symbols in your costs, you will run into some ramp problems. If you cannot really fix the ramp, your only other option is to reduce the curve. I would cut a large number of the high-costed angels--focus on a very limited number of 5+ mana angels, and only ones that will win you the game on the spot.
There have recently been some low-costed angels printed, including some in the recent Kaldheim set--worth looking into.
Otherwise, Red does provide spurts of mana with cards like Desperate Ritual . Unfortunately, that has some problems. First, these cards favor producing lots of red mana, so it will be hard to play for White mana requirements. Second, you risk being 2-for-1ed: If they remove your creature, you have burned both the accelerant and the creature cards, while they have only used a single removal spell.
February 24, 2021 11:53 a.m.
wallisface says... #5
Yeah i think you need to both up your land count, and drop your curve.
Just spitballing here, i think you should aim to go up to around 23 lands, and only have 3-4 cards with a cmc of 4-5 (nothing greater), with the remaining 33-34 cards all being cmc 1-3.
I note your current deck is 53 cards which is illegal also - you want to be running 60
February 24, 2021 1:55 p.m.
Flooremoji says... #6
Fetchs and Shocks are really the best you can do in modern, but I do understand that they are expensive. I wouldn't reccomend adding in stuff like Endless Horizons , Celestial Dawn or Chromatic Lantern . Additionally, your mana could be significantly better if you cut your colorless utility lands, none of them are worth their drawback.
February 24, 2021 2:07 p.m.
Mind Stone , Talisman of Conviction , and Everflowing Chalice . Value is in the same order. You can try the borderposts but they will only tap for 1 of your 2 mana colors.
Gift of Estates , Land Tax , Knight of the White Orchid , and Weathered Wayfarer are other good ways to ramp your mana.
In Red, you only have rituals which may not be what you're looking for.
And, Honestly, Endless Horizons seems good until you use it and someone disenchants it or bounces it and your lands are gone!
February 24, 2021 9:01 p.m.
jamochawoke says... #8
For color fixing you really want lands like: Battlefield Forge , Clifftop Retreat , Temple of Triumph , Sunbaked Canyon , or the shock-land Sacred Foundry
There's also Manamorphose if you want to get fancy and have a way of benefitting from the cantrip or additional spell cast like in storm.
Honestly you can do really well with just 4x Clifftop Retreat checking for plains and mountains.
For mana ramping your choices are pretty limited.
In red you have Braid of Fire , Goldspan Dragon especially with treasure generating cards, Desperate Ritual , Pyretic Ritual , Vessel of Volatility , one of my favorites is Geosurge into Oblivion Sower , Koth of the Hammer , and Soulbright Flamekin
In white you really only have a few tricks like generating a bunch of tokens before turn 4 and attacking with them but hitting them with Settle the Wreckage or hitting a creature you have that would die anyways with Path to Exile . All the other ramps in white are for putting lands in your hand (which would only be useful if you had a way to get them onto the field after) or using artifact ramp.
The thing to remember is Boros has really incredible hate cards to slow the opponent down, while also having some of the fastest cards in the game for killing them. Try to play to its strengths more and if you really want an angels deck, try using all the new angel-enablers that have been printed in the last few sets. I know I'm building one myself!
February 24, 2021 9:50 p.m.
jamochawoke says... #9
The only other trick I know of for sure is abusing the bounce land Boros Garrison with multiple copies of Amulet of Vigor on the board so you get multiple untap triggers at once when it hits the field that you can respond to by tapping in between them on the stack to generate a massive amount of mana on your main phases.
February 24, 2021 9:54 p.m.
Cheifettues says... #10
Grubbernaut Caerwyn wallisface Flooremoji MagicMarc jamochawoke
Good Day and warm smiles...
Thank you for all the replies. I appreciate the advice.
After I took in what y’all had to say, I talked with my favorite magic buddie and also with an attendant at my local card shop, he is also a judge.
After much conversation about what I liked most about the deck, I realized that the deck wasn’t playing to my interests. So I did what any one magic player would do (probably) and destructed the deck to a few creatures and some enchantments.
I want to keep the deck tribal, and this effort is a struggle. But meh, I am alright with that.
Enchantments speak to me, so I added more for better conversation. This played into my efforts to tax the sh*t out my opponent.
Added a few artifacts to play decoy and help bring out creatures since that mana base is low..low. Intentionally low.
The idea is to have few creatures that benefit each other but can also attack alone. Enchantments and artifacts to slow the game enough that I can get out what I need, even with having a low mana base.
The deck isn’t stacks since there is no destruction of resources, and it isn’t deadly enough to play competitively (which is what I prefer). I am attempting to reach middle ground, and I like to think that I am not loosing my mind to the constant “is it good enough”.
Idk. It is a stab at something I guess.
Play testing is good so far, and I am still learning how to play the cards to my benefit.
Thanks again and feel free to rip a hole in the deck or maybe even compliment my efforts. Hahaha.
Good fun and good people :)
Thanks again.
Grubbernaut says... #2
You're going to need 25 or 26 lands with an average cmc that high, friend.
February 24, 2021 10:56 a.m.