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Magic The Gathering General

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I've been having great fun in arena historic with a hearthstone themed U/B deck using thief of sanity, tome of the infinite and davriel's withering to cause some great matches at my low rank. (and in singles que, "best of" would murder my deck and fun probably)

steal dragonsguard elite with thief of sanity, play it. Opponent tries to unsummon it on their turn to play it themselves, I use davriel's withering on it, due to the +1/+1 magecraft mechanic it survives and goes to the hand, opponent tries to play it and is reminded of what "perpetual" means.

Other game, no real interesting plays till turn 4. Turn 4, tome of the infinite, tap it to get bolt. opponent's turn they opt and then play stormwing entity, bolt it on my turn and tap the tome to get force spike, play a land, go to opponent's turn, they play a land and tap out fully to play Thryx, the sudden storm. Force spike, concede from what i can only assume is unbarreled "ugh" at the sheer luck of it all.

(also thief of sanity with double strike is hilarious)
 
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New Banned in restricted announcement.

Lapse is suspended, Trickery is banned in historic, and Brainstorm moves from suspended to banned. Though the bigger think might be that a number of Digital only cards are getting straight up changed. Some minor nerfs to Davriel's cards to remove an annoying forced draw, but most are straight buffs.

Currently they're just talking about altering digital only cards, but they are leaving the door open to alter other cards(but only while in arena). Not sure I like that direction.
 
Well shit. I'm glad they tried making a red counterspell, because I think stack interaction should be spread around more than it currently is, and it would only have taken one small change ("Counter target spell an opponent controls") for it to be a perfectly fine card.

Other than that, I'm sad to see Brainstorm get the permanent axe. It was sweet to play a more-or-less fully-powered arclight phoenix deck while it lasted.
 
Crimson Vow spoilers are starting.

Some stuff that was spoiled;

Exploit: When this creature ETBs, you may sacrifice a creature. Get effect.

Training: If this creature attacks with a creature with higher power than it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.

Blood Tokens: Artifact token, 1 and tap; sacrifice it and discard a card and then draw a card.

Cleave: Pay higher cost and remove bracketed text when casting this card. Example.


Planeswalkers showing up thus far seem to be Sorin(naturally), Kaya, and Chandra. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is getting reprinted which is gonna give mono-white aggro in Standard a big power boost.
 
Looking at Crimson Vows, and thinking to myself "boy, and here I wasn't expecting to want to start a new commander deck, but here I am!" A blood token themed deck would be fuuuuun, methinks. I know werewolves and vampires are confirmed, but do we know what other tribes are gunna be showing up?
 
nameless980 said:
Looking at Crimson Vows, and thinking to myself "boy, and here I wasn't expecting to want to start a new commander deck, but here I am!" A blood token themed deck would be fuuuuun, methinks. I know werewolves and vampires are confirmed, but do we know what other tribes are gunna be showing up?
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Humans(natch).

Spirits are also getting some support with Disturbed being a thing for them, letting them return as either creatures or enchantments.

Zombies are probably getting more support.
 
Good chance of some support for Werewolves as well. Even though MID was marketed as the Werewolf set, there was a vampire lord and a few cards that cared about them. Don't see why that won't be the case for VOW as well.
 
I've been tinkering with a Nethroi commander deck on Arena recently. Main strategy is self mill to fill the graveyard, reanimate with my commander, and then murder my opponent by punching them really really hard with a side order of Mutate given I'm already running Nethroi.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice for improving what I've got;

Commander
1 Nethroi, Apex of Death (IKO) 197

Deck
1 Arcane Signet (ELD) 331
1 Mind Stone (WTH) 153
1 Coldsteel Heart (CSP) 136
1 Skyclave Relic (ZNR) 252
1 Skyclave Apparition (ZNR) 39
2 Swamp (VOW) 400
1 Replicating Ring (KHM) 244
1 Chromatic Lantern (GRN) 233
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite (NPH) 9
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One (NPH) 73
3 Plains (VOW) 398
1 Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider (KHM) 199
2 Forest (VOW) 402
1 Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger (NPH) 127
1 Stitcher's Supplier (M19) 121
1 Tymaret Calls the Dead (THB) 118
1 Liliana, Death's Majesty (AKR) 111
1 Syr Konrad, the Grim (ELD) 107
1 The Mending of Dominaria (DAR) 173
1 Glowspore Shaman (GRN) 173
1 Skull Prophet (IKO) 206
1 Witherbloom Command (STX) 248
1 Thoughtseize (AKR) 127
1 Inquisition of Kozilek (STA) 31
1 Veil of Summer (M20) 198
1 Swords to Plowshares (STA) 10
1 Once Upon a Time (ELD) 169
1 Cubwarden (IKO) 7
1 Binding the Old Gods (KHM) 206
1 Majestic Auricorn (IKO) 22
1 Dirge Bat (IKO) 84
1 Insatiable Hemophage (IKO) 93
1 Glowstone Recluse (IKO) 156
1 Gemrazer (IKO) 155
1 Boneyard Lurker (IKO) 178
1 Necropanther (IKO) 196
1 Auspicious Starrix (IKO) 144
1 Migratory Greathorn (IKO) 165
1 Old Rutstein (VOW) 244
1 Mire Triton (JMP) 257
1 Chittering Harvester (IKO) 80
1 Wrath of God (AKR) 46
1 Vraska, Golgari Queen (GRN) 213
1 Vraska's Contempt (XLN) 129
1 Village Rites (KHM) 117
1 Day of Judgment (STA) 2
1 Sign in Blood (STA) 32
1 Morbid Opportunist (MID) 113
1 The Great Henge (ELD) 161
1 Llanowar Elves (DAR) 168
1 Paradise Druid (WAR) 171
1 Incubation Druid (RNA) 131
1 Llanowar Visionary (M21) 193
1 Garruk, Cursed Huntsman (ELD) 191
1 Garruk's Uprising (M21) 186
1 Midnight Reaper (GRN) 77
1 Eerie Ultimatum (IKO) 184
1 Kenrith's Transformation (ELD) 164
1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets (KHM) 197
1 Acolyte of Affliction (THB) 206
1 Rishkar's Expertise (KLR) 180
1 Castle Locthwain (ELD) 241
1 Castle Garenbrig (ELD) 240
1 Brightclimb Pathway (ZNR) 259
1 Godless Shrine (RNA) 248
1 Isolated Chapel (DAR) 241
1 Scoured Barrens (M20) 251
1 Shattered Sanctum (VOW) 264
1 Temple of Silence (M21) 255
1 Darkbore Pathway (KHM) 254
1 Deathcap Glade (VOW) 261
1 Overgrown Tomb (GRN) 253
1 Temple of Malady (M21) 253
1 Woodland Chasm (KHM) 274
1 Arctic Treeline (KHM) 249
1 Branchloft Pathway (ZNR) 258
1 Overgrown Farmland (MID) 265
1 Sunpetal Grove (XLN) 257
1 Temple Garden (GRN) 258
1 Temple of Plenty (THB) 248
1 Indatha Triome (IKO) 248
1 Arch of Orazca (RIX) 185
1 Bonders' Enclave (IKO) 245
1 Cascading Cataracts (AKR) 285
1 Command Tower (ELD) 333
1 Evolving Wilds (M20) 246
1 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244
1 Field of the Dead (M20) 247
1 Field of Ruin (THB) 242
1 Scattered Groves (AKR) 327
1 Snow-Covered Plains (KHM) 277
1 Snow-Covered Swamp (MH1) 252
1 Snow-Covered Forest (MH1) 254
1 Snowfield Sinkhole (KHM) 269
1 Crawling Infestation (VOW) 193
 
Look for ETB kills shit effects is my thought. The fleshbag lot are your friend as thats 3 points of power allowance for a sac. Lets you keep the board clearer to actually hit people with.
 
Just heard that the Wizard school setting is getting a DND book and I love that
 
So, I've decided to spread my wings and make a commander artifact deck, and well. . . I've got to trim my deck down. Considerably. Decklist as it stands is here: MTG Deck: Artifact Ultimatum . I know I'mma need the other guild gates and probably shocklands too, but I also feel like some basic lands would be in my best interest and that's where I need to trim down on. Only things I'm not willing to compromise on are the Bringers and the Ultimatums, as a personal challenge (I know, i know, then why make this post, but i'm admitting that bloat defeated me okay?)
 
Given those restrictions I can only recommend to cut everything above 4 cmc not a Ultimatum or Bringer and replace them with cheap mana dorks/stones. Having a 5 colour ultimatum deck myself I know its vital to get colours and ramp on board as soon as possible and any distraction from that game plan severely slows you down. so I'm sorry you gotta choose either the big mana plan or the artefact plan you don't have room for both.

Also I'd recommend switching to Moxfield it's way more comfortable.
 
nameless980 said:
So, I've decided to spread my wings and make a commander artifact deck, and well. . . I've got to trim my deck down. Considerably. Decklist as it stands is here: MTG Deck: Artifact Ultimatum . I know I'mma need the other guild gates and probably shocklands too, but I also feel like some basic lands would be in my best interest and that's where I need to trim down on. Only things I'm not willing to compromise on are the Bringers and the Ultimatums, as a personal challenge (I know, i know, then why make this post, but i'm admitting that bloat defeated me okay?)
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At a quick glance through, I'd say Draco and Inspired Sphinx could probably go.

You're hopefully planning to add more land types, but as stands Draco's a 16 drop you gotta pay ten mana for each upkeep or sac it. If you wanna keep in the deck, you'd probably want something to apply various land types to stuff. Dryad of the Ilysian Grove makes all of your lands all basic types which can really help. Shock lands help, but guild gates don't. Consider triomes.

Inspired Sphinx just feels too expensive for what it's doing.

In general, you're running a lot of expensive stuff in here. See if you can't squeeze in Ugin the Ineffable or Tezzerat Master of the Bridge. Ugin will help reduce costs across the board and Tezzerat will help your various creatures get into play.

Rampaging Monument could also get cut. Most of your mutlicolored spells are the big Ultimatums. Of the rest, you only have five other multicolored spells, one of which is a board wipe. It doesn't get enough value to be worth the inclusion, IMO.

I'd personally consider switching Seer's Lantern for Chromatic Lantern for mana fixing to make casting your Bringers and Ultimatums less of a strain.

Feroz's Ban could stand to be cut. You're running a ton of creatures and that's hitting you just as hard if not harder than your opponents.

Heirloom Blade isn't gonna generate a ton of value here. You don't have too many creatures sharing a tribe. You've got the four Bringers, two Myr, and 4 Constructs.

Tanglebloom can go. It's not doing a lot and you don't have much for untapping it. If you absolutely want the life gain, consider Fountain of Renewal that one life per upkeep and you can sac it later for card draw.

The Blackblade can go. You're trying to make cuts for lands as is and your only Legendary Creature is your Commander.

Coat of Arms can go. Again, you don't have the Tribal synergies to make this super great and it will likely benefit your opponents more than you.

You could honestly cut the White spells that gain you life and just put Forsaken Monument in instead. It helps ramp and gets you life whenever you cast most of your deck. It won't help pay for the Ultimatums though. Not unless you do something like float a lot of mana and then convert it into colored mana through stuff like Prophetic Prism, or lands like Cascading Cataracts or Unknown Shores.
 
The big thing here is that if you're trying to drop ultimatums you either need piles upon piles of ramp -- which means lots of rocks and/or lots of green/blue -- or ways to generate free casts, which is trickier with ultimatums given their entirely coloured costs.

Lifegain is a distraction. Unless you have something that specifically cares about your life total, cut all of it, and run mana dorks that can also act as blockers or attackers. Birds and Ornithopter of Paradise. Wood Elves. Farhaven Elf. Sylvan Caryatid. That sort of thing: Stuff that can either tap for any colour or find lands you need.

Dryad of the Ilysian Grove isn't ramp per se but is a fantastic fixer; other options are Joiner Adept, Chromatic Lantern, Prismatic Omen, and The World Tree.

I'd also run various landfetches. Cultivate and Kodama's Reach, for example, are two easy-to-come-by staples that can come down on turn 2 with a Birds or any of the Lanowar Elf clones (or Sol Ring), and get you significantly ahead in the mana race. Explore and Growth Spiral are also excellent, but not fetches per-se. Rampant Growth is a dirt-cheap but very useful card.

I would also recommend -- especially if you're running any significant quantity of inherent comes-into-play-tapped-lands -- checking out Amulet of Vigor.

I would also probably consider adding tutors for your big guns just to make sure you can find them when you need them, but that depends somewhat on your budget as the best ones are in constant demand for EDH decks for exactly that reason. Failing that -- or better, in addition to that --, try to ensure card flow; blue, black, and green are all pretty good at it these days, although green's stuff usually requires a creatures onboard.

I notice the decklist is missing Cyclonic Rift. You've got access to blue, so unless there's budgetary considerations, that's a card that should definitely be in this deck as it is arguably the best sweeper in the EDH environment.

And finally, if you're dumping out Ultimatums, I'd probably try and find ways to recur or copy them. Red and blue are good bets here.
 
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