Magic the Gathering Libraries(decks) discussion

[weesh]

Also, and I hesitate to bring up one of my least favorite multiplayer cards, Rhystic Study might be killer in this deck.

[Ciraxis]

Study?! <gasp> It's practically a war crime in multiplayer! Speaking of war crimes - Grand Arbiter Augustin IV and (if your playgroup allows Un-sets cards) Frankie Peanuts (my favourite!).

[Walker]

You know, I'm never one for buying solo cards, but with all the great tips you guys gave I might have to look into it. I run white mostly for the blockers and Stonehorn because the people I play with run and extream aggro wurms deck and a white buff equipment deck. But looking at the cards you guys suggested I think I migh narrow down the white. The only problem is the only place that sells cards near me only carries back to New Pherixia (SP?)

Thanks for the help guys, I'll think about all this stuff and repost the deck in it's finallity.

[TotalEcplise]

Mostly white?

Wow, im completely incompetent with white. It just doesn't work with me.

[weesh]

You know, I'm never one for buying solo cards, but with all the great tips you guys gave I might have to look into it. I run white mostly for the blockers and Stonehorn because the people I play with run and extream aggro wurms deck and a white buff equipment deck. But looking at the cards you guys suggested I think I migh narrow down the white. The only problem is the only place that sells cards near me only carries back to New Pherixia (SP?)

At least 90% of the money I spend is on singles. And I very rarely spend more than $1.50 on a card. Mostly I spend 50 cents or less each. I make exceptions on cards that look exceedingly fun or useful, so I have a few planeswalkers and other things. I used to do ebay until I discovered coolstuffinc.com

They ship an order of singles to Alaska for $1, have good discounts for repeat users, good selection, and good prices for their cheap cards. Many commons and uncommons are 50 cents for four. If you are buying expensive cards, and are looking for a deal, this probably isn't the right site.

I have friends that buy singles from other card sites, but I like cool stuff inc the best of these:

http://www.wagicalplace.com/

http://www.cardkingdom.com/

http://www.anycraze.com/

http://www.mtgfanatic.com/

I like buying local whenever possible, so if I ever buy boosters, I buy them at our comic shop, but it just doesn't have the selection that I need for singles.

[Walker]

Thanks Weesh! I'll for sure look into them.

[weesh]

I also use cool stuff inc for my deck building because they have a powerful search engine of all the cards ever created, and including cards as they are spoiled from new sets. I switch to the official site for card ideas,

Name: Celebration

Colors: WGR, with a little UB

Format: Casual multiplayer. Note that with the exception of the mana, everything is a singleton

(1)4xBirds of Paradise, Mother of Runes, Swords to Plowshares, Mogg Fanatic, Frostling

(2)Dryad Sophisticate, Thornweald Archer, Seal of Cleansing, Seal of Primordium, Jade Mage, Kavu Predator, Blanace, Darksteel Pendant

(3)4xDarksteel Ingot, Woolly Thoctar, Mayael the Anima

(4)Rumbling Slum, Defense of the Heart, Wrath of Gods, Ranger of Eos

(5)Red Bringer, Blue Bringer, Black Bringer, Hymn of Rebirth, Acidic Slime, Keldon Firebombers

(6)Rith the Awakener, Meglanoth, Obelisk of Alara, Spitting Image

(7+)Titanic Ultimatum, Vengeful Archon, Pathrazer of Ulamog, It that Betrays

LAND: 8xForest, 4xPlains, 4xMountain, 4xJungle Shrine

I like setting rules for my decks from time to time, and at one point, it was honestly singleton, but since it is a self imposed rule, I relaxed it so that I could reliably cast the variety of cards in this deck, most of which are at least two of: powerful, versatile, efficient and fun. I'm always on the lookout for more cards that slide into this deck. Or for offbeat combos that won't come up much.

Like "Mayael" and "Bringer of the Black Dawn"

And "Defense of the Heart" into 'It That Betrays" and "Keldon Firebombers"

[Ciraxis]

Sir! Sir! Where is Ancien Ziggurat Sir? Also, Mirari's Wake and Mayael's Aria Sir!

[weesh]

The Aria is a huge disappointment. In multiplayer games, it results in everyone ganging up on me to kill all my big stuff, and then I am left with a useless aria, and it taunts me for the rest of the game. Well, ok, that has only happened three times. Have you seen it work well? I can imagine trying it again. Quite possibly with a might of the masses. Or maybe with Fungal Behemoth in a +1/+1 counter deck. My Behemoths are frequently in the 10/10 to 16/16 range. Triggering the +1/+1 counter ability once would put it over the top.

The Mirari's Wake? I have wanted one for quite a while, and I wish I had picked up a couple before they got more expensive than $3. At $10+, it just isn't worth it to me. Hopefully one day I will buy a collection from someone and will get one that way.

The Ziggurat is a disappointment too. Even in decks that have 5 or fewer non-creature spells, I end up a mana shy of casting something important! And this one has 14 cards that it can't help cast! Just four weeks ago or so, a friend of mine had a Ziggurat out and was one mana shy of casting the spell that would have saved him. Well, he tried, but I caught the error.

[Ciraxis]

The Aria is a huge disappointment. In multiplayer games, it results in everyone ganging up on me to kill all my big stuff, and then I am left with a useless aria, and it taunts me for the rest of the game. Well, ok, that has only happened three times. Have you seen it work well? I can imagine trying it again. Quite possibly with a might of the masses. Or maybe with Fungal Behemoth in a +1/+1 counter deck. My Behemoths are frequently in the 10/10 to 16/16 range. Triggering the +1/+1 counter ability once would put it over the top.

Nein! Not behemots, Mossbridge Troll! You can activate his ability when Aria's check is on the stack. Other good creatures are Agless Entity or Scut Mob. But let's leave that for now shall we?

After seeing Primal Surge Timmy in me gasped in awe...then my inner Johnny begun to thik about deck based on this one.

So I did it. Few things to note: I used only Standard legal cards, also I don't expect it to win often, just pure joy.

Also it's is for duels only. End of talking time for decklist!

Deck: Primal Surge Pod

Format: Casual (yet Standard legal)

Colors: W/G/R/B

Ramp:

4x Birds of Paradise

4x Viridian Emissary

2x Scorned Villager

3x Sphere of the Suns

4x Solemn Simulacrum

3x Primeval Titan

Tutors:

4x Birthing Pod

1x Brutalizer Exarch (for Demon or Abolisher)

1x Rune-Scarred Demon

Birthing Pod Guys:

1x Grand Abolisher (only in turn when we wan't to play Surge obviously)

1x Blade Splicer (holds the line and it extends Pod chain)

1x Vorapede

1x Urabrask the Hidden (if he comes with Surge then its Game Rover)

1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Removal:

2x Oblivion Ring

Finishers:

1x Blightsteel Colossus

1x Primal Surge

Others:

1x Omen Machine (Key tech card. After casting Surge the easiest way to lose is the card draw aimed at us. That's why Machine is here - it won't allow us to lose even if we do not finish the opponent in one Alpha Strike. We can cast it durning game as well,especially if we have Pod on the battlefield as well )

Lands:

2x Slayers' Stronghold (key land if Urabrask will eat dirt or if we use him in Pod chain; : Target creature gets +2/+0, vigilance and haste until EOT)

1x Kessig Wolf Run (after Surge we have so much mana that we can kill using BoP)

1x Gavony Township (can pump-up mana guys at last)

3x Razorverge Thicket (weak when we cast Surge, better to suck them with titans)

4x Sunpetal Grove

2x Rootbound Crag

1x Woodland Cemetery

2x Swamp

2x Mountain

2x Plains

4x Forest

I tested this. Resolved Surge ends game ASAP (And putting the 30 pernaments into play is just cool). Can be done in tur six. Of course it's better to prepare for that with Abolisher and it slows down the process. Fun to play though.

[weesh]

Looks like a fun, if schizophrenic deck. The mana base is crazy, and having a primal surge route in a deck that is already powerful seems like overkill. Did I say overkill? I mean that is the most exciting possible way.

It has only 7 lands that could possibly cast something on the first turn, and only four cards it can cast if you are lucky enough to get them. Seems strange for a ramp deck. Black isn't pulling its weight with just one card. I'd take it out so you have a better shot at getting a forest and a ramp card. Of which I would add more, perhaps avacyn's pilgram over scorned villager, and a forest over the township, one of the strongholds and swamps. Since you can tutor the wolf-run type land, I don't see the need to have 4 of them.

Also, I am concerned about the 3 and 5 drop slots. You only have one three drop, and only two 5 drops. Seems like someone could doom blade your splicer and stop you in your tracks. For the 5-slot, have you considered acidic slime, over an o-ring perhaps?

The deck seems bogged down in caution. I would have more fun playing a deck that was singularly focused on flinging out power as quickly as possible, rather than worrying about my opponent's response. Especially main deck.

[Ciraxis]

Black isn't pulling its weight with just one card. I'd take it out so you have a better shot at getting a forest and a ramp card. Of which I would add more, perhaps avacyn's pilgram over scorned villager, and a forest over the township, one of the strongholds and swamps.

I would gladly get rid of black, but Demon is very much needed to fetch the Surge, also he is pernament. Surge itself is only non pernament in deck to maximize it's power. I'am bit concerned about splicer. I didn't really finded much trouble wih keeping him on the table but...

What sideboard would you propose weesh?

[weesh]

I don't agree that the demon is needed. Without him, you can more reliably ramp to that special 7 slot, and I think the game is over rather quickly with an Elesh Norn in play.

I don't have much sideboard experience. The only competitive experience I have is draft. But...

Sideboard:

For the mirror match, things like Acidic Slime, and Manic Vandal

For solar flare, more O-rings

For aggro: whip flare? That is painful to cast, but what other tools do you have?

For zombies: graffdiggers cage

For delver: curl up into the fetal position and weep softly.

[Sunwind]

Wow this is kinda a fun thread to look over. I played for years and years. But stopped around the time legions came out.

Looking at the deck lists, I can't tell at all what tournament format any of these are being built for. Since I see way ancient cards that I used to play myself, way back when. Extended?

Necro/donate *though I didn't own it* Is still the strongest deck I know of. It even beat lots of T1 decks just because force of will is technically free. However they banned a whole bunch of cards from it so I don't think it's playable now. Anybody remember that one when it was ruling the extended format a long time ago? However, after limiting dark ritual, and completely banning necropotence from the game, it finished it's winning run. Still It was so fun to watch someone play that *laughs*.

"I'll do this!" ... "No you won't".. "force." "Dang it!"

[Ciraxis]

Wow this is kinda a fun thread to look over. I played for years and years. But stopped around the time legions came out.

Looking at the deck lists, I can't tell at all what tournament format any of these are being built for. Since I see way ancient cards that I used to play myself, way back when. Extended?

Necro/donate *though I didn't own it* Is still the strongest deck I know of. It even beat lots of T1 decks just because force of will is technically free. However they banned a whole bunch of cards from it so I don't think it's playable now. Anybody remember that one when it was ruling the extended format a long time ago? However, after limiting dark ritual, and completely banning necropotence from the game, it finished it's winning run. Still It was so fun to watch someone play that *laughs*.

"I'll do this!" ... "No you won't".. "force." "Dang it!"

Magic changed a lot since Legions my friend. With things like removal of Mana Burn, adding Planeswalkers and much, much more it's whole diffrent game.

If i was to name my favourite deck it would propably be "Tezzerator", cose I just adore artifact and Tezz is my number 2 after Venser.

[weesh]

Wow this is kinda a fun thread to look over. I played for years and years. But stopped around the time legions came out.

Must be a confusing thread though. I took a break between Mirrodin and Alara Reborn, and when I came back, I didn't recognize any cards for months. Game nights were endless:

"I play x"

"what is x?"

"I play y"

"what is y?"

Except, that I am a visual person, so if it were any more complicated than a 5/5 with flying, then I would have to ask them to hand it to me. And 5 rounds later, I would forget everything someone had so I would wander around to familiarize myself with everything again.

By 11pm to midnight or so, I started making play mistakes when this started happening:

"I play z"

"meh"

[Sunwind]

Well after reading a bunch of the cards, the mechanics seem pretty much the same. A few new terms to make old terms like "first strike" more interesting sounding. But other than planeswalkers I have a feeling the stack, phases and such are still the same.

I was mainly referring to seeing cards people were using from way back when I played. So that's why I wondered what format they were being built for.

Also being out of the format for quite a while, I'm not sure if it is fast or if they have slowed it down. *high casting cost cards and low card drawing power vs. very low casting cost cards with mana generators, and higher card draw.

I must say I'm surprised to see so many multi color decks. Usually one or two color tend to be the most reliable, due to consistancy. I do realize there is a great deal of multicolor providing cards, and usually they are quite powerful if they get into play as well. However in my experience such decks take a while to get going. And if up against a very fast mono/dual color it can be over before it gets fully set up. Just my opinion of course!

[Ciraxis]

I must say I'm surprised to see so many multi color decks. Usually one or two color tend to be the most reliable, due to consistancy. I do realize there is a great deal of multicolor providing cards, and usually they are quite powerful if they get into play as well. However in my experience such decks take a while to get going. And if up against a very fast mono/dual color it can be over before it gets fully set up. Just my opinion of course!

It's all thanks to Invasion block basicly. It was well recived so Wizards took a shot to do the same later. After that we had sweet, sweet Ravnica. Shadowmoor and Eventide made Multicolor even more worth of notice thanks to hybrid mana (first introduced in Ravnica) . After that we got Alara which was very fun block to play. In a nutshell the power level of the cards is much, much higher then in the past especially multicolor cards (Spinx of Steel Wind and Progenitus being good exemples).

[weesh]

Well after reading a bunch of the cards, the mechanics seem pretty much the same. A few new terms to make old terms like "first strike" more interesting sounding. But other than planeswalkers I have a feeling the stack, phases and such are still the same.

The same since when? There was a major overhaul at 6th edition. But yeah, in most cases it works the same, but now since they are very clearly defined, they can create cards that work very well that would have been confusing 10 years ago.

I was mainly referring to seeing cards people were using from way back when I played. So that's why I wondered what format they were being built for.

The yearly core sets each bring back a loved mechanic from the past. And loved singletons as well. For instance, last year they brought back goblin grenade for the first time. And this year they are bringing back rancor for the first time. The other day I was playing with a guy who hasn't bought any cards in ten years, and he was pretty excited to recognize some of the cards in my decks, notably: the Urzatron, Mishra's Factory, Sol Ring and Pendelhaven.

Also being out of the format for quite a while, I'm not sure if it is fast or if they have slowed it down.

The speed changes rather dramatically within most rotating formats. That is by design to give these formats variety.

I must say I'm surprised to see so many multi color decks. Usually one or two color tend to be the most reliable, due to consistancy. I do realize there is a great deal of multicolor providing cards, and usually they are quite powerful if they get into play as well. However in my experience such decks take a while to get going. And if up against a very fast mono/dual color it can be over before it gets fully set up. Just my opinion of course!

There is a lot of push to include more than one color since the colors cover each others weaknesses, and in recent years, the weakness are much better defined, so there are fewer answers to those weaknesses within the color. And the highest quality mana fixing is so strong, that people have been splashing colors in the zombie deck, even though it needs to be able to cast a card that costs BBB on the third turn. At the budget level, it has become much easier to make consistent decks, though, as you say, they are a bit slower since they rely on lands that enter the battlefield tapped, or spending a turn casting cheap and effective mana fixing artifacts.

[Sunwind]

Hmm I think I played during 6th edition at least. Like I said I stopped at legions. It was really fun it just got too expensive to stay competative in Type 2 format. I remember buying boxes and boxes of cards and still not getting what I needed. And those that had what was needed wouldn't trade. *they were using them after all heh* I had a buddy way back then that had 28 water coolers at his house all stacked up filled with commons. It was crazy!

I can't believe they made a bunch of those special dual-ish type lands rare that I see listed a few posts ago. Boo! They totally should be uncommons.

I played a mono green deck for years, I called it "mean green". Totally lame name I know hah! Of which most were "sleeping enchantments" and seal of strength. Using argothian enchantress to draw tons of cards. It turned little 1/1's into full life kill tramplers in just a turn or two. Won over 300 games and lots of tournaments with it. However back then it would lose to necro/donate, *because of force of will* and since it was mostly elves, to engineered plague too. Gaia's cradle ... so good.

Also treetop village was a core piece of that deck since it would get past all the blue counter decks.

And they are bringing back rancor?! Oh man sounds like the return of the mono green stompy. What are they thinking! *laughs*

[Ciraxis]

I personaly think that green from Magic 2010 and onwards was very strong. The thing is it had to compatate with things like, Jace the Wallet Sculptor, Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle , and Stoneforge Mystic at the time. Thankfully both Jace and Mistic were banned (still too late IMO). But that was not full scale of the problem. It was the fact that the fun cards like Vengevine, Avenger of Zendikar, Omnath and Gaea's Revenge were all overshadowed by Eldrazi/Titan cycle and later Wurmcoil Engine and Blightsteel Colossus. About Scars set? Only Thrun was used more often - Melira and Vorinclex were both skipped over. Situation got a bit better in Innistrad but as long as Premival Titan is here they will not get much deserved love.

Worse yet, Green have few choices regarding Planeswalkers - Nissa is to narrow and weak and three other are all Garruk! Two of his incarnations are strong sure but what about competition? Blue got three Jace's, Tezzaret and Tamiyo, white had Gideon, two Elspeth and Ajani - the last one will get new, good incarnation soon. On the borderline we have Sorin L.of I. , Venser and Tezzaret(Secret Agent Man). The snide one's will point at Karn but he was all the hype only. Conclusion? Green need's new planeswalker - strong one to boot. I supose we will see Kior Atura soon, which can be good even if she will be partialy Blue.

[weesh]

I played a mono green deck for years, I called it "mean green". Totally lame name I know hah! Of which most were "sleeping enchantments" and seal of strength. Using argothian enchantress to draw tons of cards. It turned little 1/1's into full life kill tramplers in just a turn or two. Won over 300 games and lots of tournaments with it. However back then it would lose to necro/donate, *because of force of will* and since it was mostly elves, to engineered plague too. Gaia's cradle ... so good.

Also treetop village was a core piece of that deck since it would get past all the blue counter decks.

Ah, I've played green super draw decks before. While fun to play a few times, they are kinda like playing solitaire.

I personaly think that green from Magic 2010 and onwards was very strong. The thing is it had to compatate with things like, Jace the Wallet Sculptor, Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle , and Stoneforge Mystic at the time. Thankfully both Jace and Mistic were banned (still too late IMO). But that was not full scale of the problem. It was the fact that the fun cards like Vengevine, Avenger of Zendikar, Omnath and Gaea's Revenge were all overshadowed by Eldrazi/Titan cycle and later Wurmcoil Engine and Blightsteel Colossus. About Scars set? Only Thrun was used more often - Melira and Vorinclex were both skipped over. Situation got a bit better in Innistrad but as long as Premival Titan is here they will not get much deserved love.

Vengevine was not overshadowed. It would hasten the banning of Survival of the Fittest in Legacy! The titans are fun, but only green should get a big stompy creature that efficient. It did get the best titan though. Green has been getting plenty of play. But considering that two of the best reasons to play green are mana fixing and big creatures, I wish they would push the creatures a bit more in green, and the mana fixing a bit less in artifact.

But speaking of Rancor:

Name: Hexproof Auras

Color: Green

Format: Casual

Creatures:

(1)4xSlippery Boggle, 4xGladecover Scout,

(2)4xSilhana Ledgewalker

(3)2xSacred Wolf, 4xAura Gnarlid

Enchantments

(1)4xRancor, 4xSpider Umbra, 4xWild Growth,

(3)2xAncestral Mask

(5+)2xVerdant Embrace, 2xEpic Proportions

Other:

2xNaturalize, 1x Desert Twister, 1x Hurricane

19xForest, 1xPendelhaven

This deck is a lot of fun to play, especially when an epic proportions comes down at instant speed. The Aura Gnarlids don't have hexproof, and consequently, keep their removal from being dead cards in hand, but they kill so many people that I can't bring myself to take them out. I don't think Verdant Embrace is pulling its weight in this deck, but it is lots of fun and gives the deck just enough defense that you can just attack all out each turn, even in multiplayer. I really wish there was more power to be had in green auras in the 2-4 mana range. The deck needs to win quickly, and thus play super aggressive. So as much as I like Gaea's Embrace, I never have the mana to run the regeneration on it, so it ends up being an expensive rancor.

[Ciraxis]

But speaking of Rancor:

Name: Hexproof Auras

Color: Green

Format: Casual

Creatures:

(1)4xSlippery Boggle, 4xGladecover Scout,

(2)4xSilhana Ledgewalker

(3)2xSacred Wolf, 4xAura Gnarlid

Enchantments

(1)4xRancor, 4xSpider Umbra, 4xWild Growth,

(3)2xAncestral Mask

(5+)2xVerdant Embrace, 2xEpic Proportions

Other:

2xNaturalize, 1x Desert Twister, 1x Hurricane

19xForest, 1xPendelhaven

This deck is a lot of fun to play, especially when an epic proportions comes down at instant speed. The Aura Gnarlids don't have hexproof, and consequently, keep their removal from being dead cards in hand, but they kill so many people that I can't bring myself to take them out. I don't think Verdant Embrace is pulling its weight in this deck, but it is lots of fun and gives the deck just enough defense that you can just attack all out each turn, even in multiplayer. I really wish there was more power to be had in green auras in the 2-4 mana range. The deck needs to win quickly, and thus play super aggressive. So as much as I like Gaea's Embrace, I never have the mana to run the regeneration on it, so it ends up being an expensive rancor.

Looks like fun! Do you tried another Auras weesh? And if you did which one's? Mabe I can help.

I can see synergy with Bramble Elemental and Dowsing Shaman but I guess they too slow.

[weesh]

I tried adding white to get some more rancor-type auras, flickering ward, celestial ancients and auratog, as well as Serra's Embrace. It is more powerful, but more prone to removal and slower. Also more resilient though, because of life gain from spirit loop, which can be a huge amount.

Green has other options, but none that I own at the moment. The one people keep suggesting is Gigantiform, I could never kick it, and without epic proportions, I have zero combat tricks. It does cost less though with is great. Maybe instead of Verdant Embrace? And what do you think of Vow of Wildness? I am very cognizant of getting trample to the creatures because it is my primary method of evasion.

I do own bramble elementals, but he makes me nervous since he is vulnerable to the two-for-one. I want to see him shine with Auratog and Rancor though. It is only a matter of time before I rock that combo. If I can pull It off when they are tapped out, I will still net saprolings which is fun.

[Ciraxis]

Vow of Wildness is excellent idea especially in Multiplayer! Not only you boost your creatures, you can keep something nasty one's from attacking you too!

About other Auras: Bequeathal, Canopy Cover, Carapace, Elephant Guide, Fist of Ironwood, Frog Tongue, Instill Energy, Keen Sense maybe Mythic Proportions? One with Nature helps in ramping. Pattern of Rebirth can help against Wrath effect's. I would also put Elixir of Immortality or Wheel of Sun and Moon in sideboard to protect againts mill. Boggle and Gnarlid are both Beast's - Rein's of the Vinesteed may be some use in exploiting that. Venom can be use in case of facing first strike+deathtouch combo.

Adding white too can be good option. This combo of colors indeed have some awesome auras like Armadillo Cloak or Shield of Oversoul. Pure white aura's are efficent as well - Cho-Manno's Blessing, Crown of Awe, Daybreak Coronet, Hyena Umbra. New Felidar Umbra from Planechase can beckome Plan B in case you need to outlast the opponent. Flickerform too can help against removal. White also gives nice selection of Aura supporting creatures like Kor Spiritdancer and Umbra Mystic.