Messages

1

Commander Deck Reviews / Michiko Konda, Second Best

« le: Juin 14, 2022, 01:53:33 pm »

https://deckstats.net/decks/172765/2593383-michiko-konda-truth-seeker-2nd

Untested, but good in theory.  All comments are welcome, especially from those with experience playing her.

Forcefield and Elesh Norn are out of budget for me, but great cards for the deck, hence the inclusion in the maybeboard.

Thank you,

2

Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Ghen, Arcanum Weaver ($100 Budget)

« le: Avril 07, 2021, 08:56:04 pm »

Angelic Destiny, Brilliant Halo, Cessation, Despondency, Fallen Ideal, Glistening Oil, Sleeper's Guile, Sluggishness, Spirit Loop, and Undying Rage like to be sacrificed.  That said, there is some massive budget and usefulness differences among them. 

3

Off-Topic / Re: How Smart Are We?

« le: Avril 07, 2021, 12:14:11 am »

Necropost.

BA English
Master's Special Education
a thesis away from a Master's English (Creative Writing).

If a job involves writing and communicating, it indirectly involves the writing side of an English degree.  That said, all of the literary theory and literary research bullshit is just that - bullshit.  Some of it is neat, and might win points at barroom trivia, but mostly you read materials that bore you to death and make you understand why so many people hate reading.

The Master's in SPED was used and is currently used, first as a high school SPED teacher/case manager for more than a decade, and now with a program that works with young adults with ID - Intellectual Disabilities.  www.thinkcollege.net for details on those programs.  Ironically, working in a high school for so long makes me suspect an active conspiracy perpetrated through the school systems to make people hate reading and researching and seeking truth, because then they are easier to manipulate.

But I digress...

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Deck Comments / Re: mogis - Comments

« le: Avril 04, 2021, 01:10:16 pm »

I'm a fan of Mogis decks, and always happy to read one over to steal ideas and make suggestions.

Necroskitter IS cool, but works better if you can regularly ensure opposing critters have -1/-1 counters.  Outside of Everlasting Torment, I didn't see anything else.  Black Sun's Zenith, Carnifex Demon, Corrosive Mentor, Fevered Convulsions, Harbinger of Night, Liliana's Influence, Midnight Banshee, Kulrath Knight, Puncture Blast, Soul-Scar Mage, Soul Snuffers, The Scorpion God, and Stigma Lasher might help here.  Stigma Lasher is another life-prevention option, as well. 

Braid of Fire is a fun card in the right deck.  I say that, because all the mana has to be used during the Upkeep step, and your deck has few options.  Fault Line, Comet Storm, and Magmaquake immediately spring to mind.  Blast Zone, maybe, as a mana sink?

There are a few fine pingers to consider adding: Last Laugh, Pestilence, and Pyrohemia.  Your commander ensures that none of these ever go away.  I do like how Mayhem Devil plays nice with your various self-inflicted and forced sac outlets.  Fanatic of Mogis is more than just a pinger, but with all your red devotion, it IS thematic perfection. 

Heartless Hidetsugu approves of your damage doublers.  So does Glacial Chasm.

Overall, your deck seems aimed more at dueling than at multiple opponents.  There is nothing wrong with this, but in the face of many players, it may backfire - especially as you are losing the life gain AND having most damage doubled against yourself.

Also, I don't see any means to blow up artifacts or lands, two of red's strengths (you kill creatures and planeswalkers, though).  Fulminator Mage has been printed into affordability.  Ghost Quarter and Torch Fiend/Reckless Reveler help, as well.  Feed the Swarm provides a means to zap an enchantment.  You don't need to run these types of cards, but might consider it.  Smash to Smithereens and Builder's Bane play nice with your damage doubling.

Tutoring can be strong, but sometimes naked draw is better.  Black has numerous options here, but red can wheel and has Magus of the Wheel, another self-sacrificer.

Now I want to build a deck around -1/-1 counters.  The Scorpion God or Hapatra, most likely. 

5

Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Mono White Lifegain and token creating BULLSHIT for my gf.

« le: Mars 28, 2021, 03:25:41 pm »

The deck is shaping up nicely.

Because I am a bad player, I'll suggest a few more auras: Angelic Destiny, Spirit Loop, Armored Ascension, Light of Promise, and Sunbond are nifty.  Retether agrees.

Several of your critters have lovely enter the battlefield effects, and cards such as Narrow Escape, Conjurer's Closet, Stonecloaker, Stormfront Riders, Whitemane Lion, Dust Elemental, Emancipation Angel, Kor Skyfisher, Cloudstone Curio, Cosmic Intervention, Eerie Interlude, Ghostway, Glimmerpoint Stag, Justiciar's Portal, Long Road Home, Otherworldly Journey, Sudden Disappearance.   Granted, some of these are worlds better than others, but still. 

Armies in a can are huge.  My favorite is Captain of the Watch, but Geist-Honored Monk and Knight-Captain of Eos are pretty cool, too.

Sun Titan is an awesome card and can be used and abused to advantage.  Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds, as well as cycling lands like Desert of the True, Drifting Meadow, and Secluded Steppe are fun.  Commander's Sphere and Mind Stone become more than just rocks. Gift of Immortality means that Sun Titan is far more difficult to kill. 

Test of Endurance likes life gain.

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Commander Deck Reviews / Re: Mono White Lifegain and token creating BULLSHIT for my gf.

« le: Mars 26, 2021, 11:42:13 am »

If you can, consider adding Sol Ring, Pearl Medallion, and Emeria, the Sky Ruin.  Lightkeeper of Emeria loves the monowhite.

Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshares and maybe Generous Gift often trump the exiling enchantments, although they can be less versatile and don't feed devotion.  Fated Retribution is another instant to look at. 

Speaking of devotion, Angel of Jubilation, Archangel of Tithes, Benalish Marshal, Celestial Force, Celestial Mantle, Pentarch Paladin, Purity, and Victory's Herald all feed devotion while forwarding the lifegain/creature pumping theme.

Rhox Faithmender, Kytheon's Irregulars, Gift of Immortality, Blinding Light, Ballynock Trapper, Crackdown, Dawn of Hope, Authority of the Consuls, Well of Lost Dreams, Auriok Champion, Twinblade Paladin, Wall of Reverence, Brave the Elements, Beacon of Immortality, Comeuppance, Dawn Charm, Safe Passage, Mass Calcify, Martial Coup, Gift of Estates, Endless Atlas, Alhammarret's Archive, and Loxodon Warhammer are all worthwhile considerations for your monowhite lifegain deck.

There is an even chance I like monocolored decks.

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Commander Discussion / Re: theorycrafting 5-color all bombs

« le: Mars 26, 2021, 02:36:37 am »

Excellent!

This is why I ask such questions.  Golos, Tireless Pilgrim is a perfect fit.

From your comments, the deck is mostly a 'solved' one, so a bit of research and hopefully less than $20-$25 to supplement what's in my collection, and it should be enough for my metagame.

Thank you!

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Commander Deck Reviews / Re: The Island Sleep Tonight

« le: Mars 25, 2021, 01:05:07 am »

I'm a big fan of a good Arixmethes deck, and after seeing this, I'm determined to get my hands on a copy of him. Serpent of Yawning Depths + Arixmethes just makes me smile. If only you had access to Unleash Fury

Yes.  Because Simic doesn't have access to power doubling/double strike ... I went with the theme of getting rid of the legend rule and making things "become" a copy of Arixmethes.

Grappling Hook and Fireshrieker, on the other hand...

Biovisionary loves the cloning thing you have going on, if you need an alternate win.  It may require you to go more all-in on the cloning, though.

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Commander Discussion / theorycrafting 5-color all bombs

« le: Mars 25, 2021, 01:00:34 am »

I had a thought, and all things considered, it has likely already been had by others, so if someone has a link, I won't complain.

The idea is a 5-color deck, Commander independent, full of bombs and the means to play them (ramp and draw).

One potential snag my defining 'bomb' as 'a card that either wins immediately or puts someone so far ahead, they shouldn't lose.'  Every time the card is played, independent of any other card in play, so no combos or super-awesome synergy.

Magic being Magic, this pushes bombs towards the high-cmc end of spectrum, which is the other major hole with my theory.

A third, lesser issue, would be which five-color commander to pick. 

Is this doable? Has this been done? What would be the 'must-have' bombs?

Comments welcome.

Thank you,

10

Deck Comments / Re: Mogis Group Slug - Comments

« le: Mars 21, 2021, 06:55:15 pm »

I get lots of mileage out of Last Laugh.

I always pull Pain Magnification, though, as not enough means to consistently deal 3 damage makes it too often a dead card.

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Commander Deck Reviews / Re: New to the forum and First edh deck build

« le: Mars 20, 2021, 10:11:15 pm »

Tempt with Vengeance is funny with Omnath in play.  Firecat Blitz has been errata'd to Elemental Cats.

Do any elementals have Evoke as an ability?  Ingot Chewer, Spitebellows,

Avatar of Growth could prove amusing, as could Titania, Protector of Argoth.

Flamekin Harbinger and maybe Flamekin Herald could be useful.  Living Lightning, too.  Maybe Smokebraider.

Forgotten Ancient can get quite large in multiplayer games.

Generator Servant might be my favorite haste-providing critter.

Hell's Thunder and Hellspark Elemental die fast, but Omnath may not care. 

Tyrant of Discord sometimes turns into a one-sided boardwipe.

Cheers!

12

Commander Discussion / Re: Best targets for Radiate

« le: Mars 20, 2021, 09:45:31 pm »

Several delicious ideas within, particularly Generous Gift, Chaos Warp, Arcbond, and Friendly Fire.  Chandra's Ignition only affects creatures you control, so is less amusing.

Note that Backlash is the best answer to Blightsteel Colossus.

Full disclosure, Radiate is currently being slotted into a Zedruu deck I am working at (not the pristamucobrusx... whatever in my decks folder), so the Red, White, and Blue cards will get priority for my April purchase.

That said, Arcbond and Friendly Fire play nice with the Repercussion in my Heartless Hidetsugu deck, and that is already built....

Thank you!

13

Deck Comments / Re: Heartless Hidetsugu - Comments

« le: Mars 20, 2021, 09:18:09 pm »

Consider adding more means of granting HH haste, or he is unlikely to make it back around the table.  Anger, Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, Ogre Battledriver, and Hammer of Purphoros as permanent haste, or cards like Crimson Wisps and Expedite for the one turn you need haste. 

Deathforge Shaman and Spawn of Thraxes and maybe Fanatic of Mogis are budget reusable burn.

That said, l see lots of single target spells in your list, so I am wondering if this deck is intended more for Commander dueling than multiplayer games.  If it is, consider some land killing cards.

I see Fortune Thief and Loxodon Warhammer on your list, but other tricks to consider are Glacial Chasm and Final Fortune (or one of its clones).  Shadowspear and Basilisk Collar also provide lifelink.

Cheers for another Heartless Hidetsugu deck!

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Commander Deck Reviews / Heartless Hidetsugu

« le: Mars 13, 2021, 12:59:18 pm »

Heartless Hidetsugu

Good morning!

Norin had too many parts for other decks to remain together, so Heartless Hidetsugu returns. 

From experience, I know haste is crucial to make HH worthwhile.  Damage doubling HH is an old trick, and other spells take advantage of this, particularly a pair of draw spells that are otherwise poor choices in Commander and other multiplayer formats: Browbeat and Risk Factor.

Lifelink equipment and Knollspine Dragon can make for some big plays - it is a shame that the dragon only looks at damage to one opponent instead of all of them.

Final Fortune has a pair of unaffordable (for my budget) clones, but is needed because I have lost with variations of HH due to needing one. more. turn.

Still, it has been a long time since I built this deck, and feel things are missing or can be traded out, particularly in the land department.

Comments welcome. Particularly regarding formatting the displayed deck! I cannot get it to show anything but cmc order.

Thank you,

15

Commander Discussion / Best targets for Radiate

« le: Mars 13, 2021, 12:08:39 pm »

Radiate has the potential for hilarity, and always has.

I know how it works with Clutch of the Undercity (because I have died trying this because I am bad at math), and smile at the potential of Radiating Fractured Identity.

My question is what other spells in any color have the same potential for 'everyone scoops or dies' chaos as these two spells?

Does running Radiate alongside these types of spells make me a bad Magic player, or just one you'd rather not see at your table?  Because it isn't necessarily kingmaking, but chaos for its own sake.

Thank you,