Urza's Tome is a semi-viable card in certain Dominaria limkted decks.
Arcane Encyclopedia is generally a bad card outside of limited.
I know it's not great but i need reliable card draw and that's the best i could find in my collection. I pretty much always end empty ended quickly if i don't happen to draw a couple key cards before turn 4 or 5...
Do you think 2 Firemind's Research could be a better alternative? I only have 4 Rare wildcards. :S
Urza's Tome is a semi-viable card in certain Dominaria limkted decks.
Arcane Encyclopedia is generally a bad card outside of limited.
I know it's not great but i need reliable card draw and that's the best i could find in my collection. I pretty much always end empty ended quickly if i don't happen to draw a couple key cards before turn 4 or 5...
Do you think 2 Firemind's Research could be a better alternative? I only have 4 Rare wildcards. :S
Just craft some Divinations?
3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
0
21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
Urza's Tome is a semi-viable card in certain Dominaria limkted decks.
Arcane Encyclopedia is generally a bad card outside of limited.
I know it's not great but i need reliable card draw and that's the best i could find in my collection. I pretty much always end empty ended quickly if i don't happen to draw a couple key cards before turn 4 or 5...
Do you think 2 Firemind's Research could be a better alternative? I only have 4 Rare wildcards. :S
Just craft some Divinations?
i have 4 already... IDK, are they that good? They seem less reliable than, like, an artifact or enchantment...
KayWhat we need...Is a little bit of PANIC.Registered Userregular
Control decks run Divination and Chart a Course and Opt and Anticipate before they run Tome.
Tome is bad in a streamlined constructed format. You're better off spending your mana for an immediate effect over taking your turn off to play something with no immediate impact.
3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
+1
21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
Control decks run Divination and Chart a Course and Opt and Anticipate before they run Tome.
Tome is bad in a streamlined constructed format. You're better off spending your mana for an immediate effect over taking your turn off to play something with no immediate impact.
Ok, and Firemind's research? is that also bad? seems like in my deck full of instants, it'd be good?
fRAWRstThe Seas CallThe Mad AnswerRegistered Userregular
so when should i jump into drafts? what are the differences? i assume my first (100) draft decks will be bad since i dont know anything, but i should be able to pick cool cards and hopefully get value from a couple wins vs spending my 6k coins buying packs
been working the upg'd version of jungle secrets (need more commons for mist cloaks and deeproots) and its been doing absolute work on bronze
also, this game needs mobile asap
0
OnTheLastCastlelet's keep it haimish for the peripateticRegistered Userregular
so when should i jump into drafts? what are the differences? i assume my first (100) draft decks will be bad since i dont know anything, but i should be able to pick cool cards and hopefully get value from a couple wins vs spending my 6k coins buying packs
been working the upg'd version of jungle secrets (need more commons for mist cloaks and deeproots) and its been doing absolute work on bronze
also, this game needs mobile asap
tomorrow the QD will be ravnica so wait for that if you want to quick draft
competitive will still be ravnica.
+1
OnTheLastCastlelet's keep it haimish for the peripateticRegistered Userregular
Control decks run Divination and Chart a Course and Opt and Anticipate before they run Tome.
Tome is bad in a streamlined constructed format. You're better off spending your mana for an immediate effect over taking your turn off to play something with no immediate impact.
Ok, and Firemind's research? is that also bad? seems like in my deck full of instants, it'd be good?
It's slow. Standard is generally about having a really coherent gameplan and executing it. If you spend your turn 2 casting Firemind, you're not doing anything right that second like if you cast a threat or a chart a course or a removal spell.
Similarly, you'd think a 6/6 flying trample for 5 mana would be a slam dunk in most decks, but it actually doesn't go in my Golgari deck right now because it just sits there and if they have a removal spell, I die.
Urza's Tome is a semi-viable card in certain Dominaria limkted decks.
Arcane Encyclopedia is generally a bad card outside of limited.
I know it's not great but i need reliable card draw and that's the best i could find in my collection. I pretty much always end empty ended quickly if i don't happen to draw a couple key cards before turn 4 or 5...
Do you think 2 Firemind's Research could be a better alternative? I only have 4 Rare wildcards. :S
Just craft some Divinations?
i have 4 already... IDK, are they that good? They seem less reliable than, like, an artifact or enchantment...
Think about it this way. Divination draws 2 cards for 3 mana and a card. Encyclopedia draws 2 cards for 9 mana and a card.
Encyclopedia is only better if you expect the game to go extremely long and will consistently get 3+ cards from it, or if you have some sort of strong artifact synergy (which you don't). Firemind's Research is only useful for control mirrors where it represents free card advantage, and only when your curve is mostly cheap spells.
Control decks run Divination and Chart a Course and Opt and Anticipate before they run Tome.
Tome is bad in a streamlined constructed format. You're better off spending your mana for an immediate effect over taking your turn off to play something with no immediate impact.
Ok, and Firemind's research? is that also bad? seems like in my deck full of instants, it'd be good?
It's slow. Standard is generally about having a really coherent gameplan and executing it. If you spend your turn 2 casting Firemind, you're not doing anything right that second like if you cast a threat or a chart a course or a removal spell.
Similarly, you'd think a 6/6 flying trample for 5 mana would be a slam dunk in most decks, but it actually doesn't go in my Golgari deck right now because it just sits there and if they have a removal spell, I die.
I cannot imagine a Golgari list that doesn't at least want a couple GriselOffBrands in it E: or could consider it. You'd need to be insanely aggro to totally exclude 5+ cost cards and Golgari isn't really equipped to do that atm, unless it's an all in Charnel Troll deck or something.
E: I can see not running it if you're mostly running cheap utility creatures and winning with pirate Vraska but that's not exactly saying 5 mana is a problem.
milski on
I ate an engineer
0
21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
okay, so, this is what i got now.
So, i see a problem in that i don't have anything for 5 mana and a lot of low-costed cards. Is that bad for my deck? I'm not 100% sure about Opt, honestly, but.... i am not very experienced in MTGing.
The deck itself is fine at this point, if undertuned, but nothing really screams to be cut and replaced with an obviously better wildcard or anything.
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I ate an engineer
+1
21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
The deck itself is fine at this point, if undertuned, but nothing really screams to be cut and replaced with an obviously better wildcard or anything.
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I really like Niv.
What's a better idea for a niv-centered deck? And would it be worth it to switch both Niv AND Explosion for a pair of Rals? I have a couple mythic wildcards.
so when should i jump into drafts? what are the differences? i assume my first (100) draft decks will be bad since i dont know anything, but i should be able to pick cool cards and hopefully get value from a couple wins vs spending my 6k coins buying packs
been working the upg'd version of jungle secrets (need more commons for mist cloaks and deeproots) and its been doing absolute work on bronze
also, this game needs mobile asap
tomorrow the QD will be ravnica so wait for that if you want to quick draft
competitive will still be ravnica.
Neat. I was quietly hoping for Dominaria, but I'll probably (hopefully) jump into Ravnica as well.
Also, where did you find what the next Quick Draft is gonna be?
I envy you. I only have gotten that high once due to a good hits on forced land discards with two Patient Rebuildings out with the Drowning something or other also out.
XBL: Bizazedo
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
I’m running a niv deck and honestly I find the electromancers fairly useless. Most of your spell are cheap enough the mana difference doesn’t matter. I replaced them with more jumpstarts and lightning bolts and never looked back
The deck itself is fine at this point, if undertuned, but nothing really screams to be cut and replaced with an obviously better wildcard or anything.
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I really like Niv.
What's a better idea for a niv-centered deck? And would it be worth it to switch both Niv AND Explosion for a pair of Rals? I have a couple mythic wildcards.
I wouldn't spend mythics on one deck that isn't very flexible.
For a Niv deck you'd want to be un URw control, which is super expensive in terms of wildcards.
I ate an engineer
+1
21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
The deck itself is fine at this point, if undertuned, but nothing really screams to be cut and replaced with an obviously better wildcard or anything.
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I really like Niv.
What's a better idea for a niv-centered deck? And would it be worth it to switch both Niv AND Explosion for a pair of Rals? I have a couple mythic wildcards.
I wouldn't spend mythics on one deck that isn't very flexible.
For a Niv deck you'd want to be un URw control, which is super expensive in terms of wildcards.
So, i see a problem in that i don't have anything for 5 mana and a lot of low-costed cards. Is that bad for my deck? I'm not 100% sure about Opt, honestly, but.... i am not very experienced in MTGing.
Control murders it, but maybe after negate it isn't so bad. A lot of placeholders here. I think the shocks could be something better, like lightning strikes. And those disperses could be the strictly better blink of an eyes. Sideboard is basically junk, but negates and fiery cannonades are for specific matchups. I am also on the fence about hypothesizzle.
I want to eventually get a 4th guttersnipe and really go to town on a spellslinging decks, but i need a plan if my guttersnipes die.
Edit: That sift is a very good idea that i might throw into my deck somewhere.
So, i see a problem in that i don't have anything for 5 mana and a lot of low-costed cards. Is that bad for my deck? I'm not 100% sure about Opt, honestly, but.... i am not very experienced in MTGing.
Control murders it, but maybe after negate it isn't so bad. A lot of placeholders here. I think the shocks could be something better, like lightning strikes. And those disperses could be the strictly better blink of an eyes. Sideboard is basically junk, but negates and fiery cannonades are for specific matchups. I am also on the fence about hypothesizzle.
I want to eventually get a 4th guttersnipe and really go to town on a spellslinging decks, but i need a plan if my guttersnipes die.
Edit: That sift is a very good idea that i might throw into my deck somewhere.
@21stCentury I think your spells-matter theme is the strongest part of the deck, and I'd want to maximize the effectiveness of your Drakes and Guttersnipes.
Cards I would look to add: Crackling Drake #4, Enigma Drake #4, Opt #3/#4, Shock #3, Chemister's Insight #1/#2
Cards I would look to cut: Siren Stormtamer (there are better ways to protect your creatures), Waterknot (you want your removal spells to be instants and sorceries so they synergize with Drakes/Guttersnipe), Sift (I think Chemister's Insight plays much better)
@Zombie Hero Your list looks reasonable, but I'd consider cutting the Siren Stormtamers, the Firemind's Research, and a Shock, and probably maindeck the Guttersnipes. You might need more card draw as well - how often are you really triggering raid for Chart a Course?
Your list looks reasonable, but I'd consider cutting the Siren Stormtamers, the Firemind's Research, and a Shock, and probably maindeck the Guttersnipes. You might need more card draw as well - how often are you really triggering raid for Chart a Course?
I trigger raid pretty much every time. I definitely need more card draw, but out of wildcards (i hoard my rare/m.rare wildcards, but squander everything else). I'll consider adding Siren Stormtamers to sideboard, and bring them in for control matchups. They will eventually help me run Wizard's Lightning once i get some more of those. I also want to add another fight with fire once i get my hands on another. Also they are new additions and i just added them this morning after unlocking the final 5 starter decks. Some testing will be needed.
Guttersnipes feel clunky but maybe they eat removal that would otherwise be headed towards my precious drakes.
The deck itself is fine at this point, if undertuned, but nothing really screams to be cut and replaced with an obviously better wildcard or anything.
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I really like Niv.
What's a better idea for a niv-centered deck? And would it be worth it to switch both Niv AND Explosion for a pair of Rals? I have a couple mythic wildcards.
I wouldn't spend mythics on one deck that isn't very flexible.
For a Niv deck you'd want to be un URw control, which is super expensive in terms of wildcards.
Is Ral not good in other types of decks?
The problem with Ral is that he's basically only optimal in decks that want to be controlling but can't support white mana in their base. This is because Teferi, Hero of Dominaria exists. In any deck that can afford it, its more effective to splash white for Teferi than it is to play Ral. This limits Ral's usefulness to specifically URb (Grixis) decks that are heavily controlling and heavily into spells, or as a fifth copy of Teferi in URW lists.
He's fun as hell and I love him but he's not Teferi.
Your list looks reasonable, but I'd consider cutting the Siren Stormtamers, the Firemind's Research, and a Shock, and probably maindeck the Guttersnipes. You might need more card draw as well - how often are you really triggering raid for Chart a Course?
I trigger raid pretty much every time. I definitely need more card draw, but out of wildcards (i hoard my rare/m.rare wildcards, but squander everything else). I'll consider adding Siren Stormtamers to sideboard, and bring them in for control matchups. They will eventually help me run Wizard's Lightning once i get some more of those. I also want to add another fight with fire once i get my hands on another. Also they are new additions and i just added them this morning after unlocking the final 5 starter decks. Some testing will be needed.
Guttersnipes feel clunky but maybe they eat removal that would otherwise be headed towards my precious drakes.
It's definitely possible that they're better suited in a more aggressive deck, where you need the chip damage for reach, as opposed to just flying over with Drakes to kill them.
I think Siren Stormtamer is fine in the deck, at least if you're running Wizard's Lightning. Most of your stuff is instant speed and cheap so it acts as a counterspell that chips in for damage.
Guttersnipe is a bit clunky I agree. The budget drakes deck on MTGGoldfish seems solid enough to me and it's got Stormtamer in the mainboard.
Oh, those are good ideas, @Griswold but you're telling me to cut the Sirens because there's better ways to protect, but you don't give alternatives?
Yep, I totally did!
There are a variety of counterspells that fit the bill (Spell Pierce, Negate, Ionize, Sinister Sabotage), or you can use your own bounce spells in response to return them to your hand and replay them.
I honestly don't think there's a better way to protect drakes than Siren Stormtamers, tbh. Its Counterspell when you need it to be and a 1-mana Counterspell when its been able to sit on the board, plus its a Wizard for Wizard's Lightning if you run it.
You could maindeck Negate or Spell Pierce but I honestly don't think those are better than Stormtamer. Every damage counts!
Oh, those are good ideas, Griswold but you're telling me to cut the Sirens because there's better ways to protect, but you don't give alternatives?
Yep, I totally did!
There are a variety of counterspells that fit the bill (Spell Pierce, Negate, Ionize, Sinister Sabotage), or you can use your own bounce spells in response to return them to your hand and replay them.
If you're bouncing drakes to avoid removal you're losing a ton of tempo. I think the Drake gameplan is too aggressive to really support high cost counterspells, but at least Ionize and Sabotage have incidental upside that plays well with your smash-face plan.
Oh, those are good ideas, Griswold but you're telling me to cut the Sirens because there's better ways to protect, but you don't give alternatives?
Yep, I totally did!
There are a variety of counterspells that fit the bill (Spell Pierce, Negate, Ionize, Sinister Sabotage), or you can use your own bounce spells in response to return them to your hand and replay them.
If you're bouncing drakes to avoid removal you're losing a ton of tempo. I think the Drake gameplan is too aggressive to really support high cost counterspells, but at least Ionize and Sabotage have incidental upside that plays well with your smash-face plan.
So I ran into my first Steamkin/Experimental Frenzy deck. Ouch. Had to wrath the swarm of goblins and they top decked the Steamkin immediately after. Couldn't kill him before he went off.
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Posts
Arcane Encyclopedia is generally a bad card outside of limited.
I know it's not great but i need reliable card draw and that's the best i could find in my collection. I pretty much always end empty ended quickly if i don't happen to draw a couple key cards before turn 4 or 5...
Do you think 2 Firemind's Research could be a better alternative? I only have 4 Rare wildcards. :S
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Just craft some Divinations?
3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
i have 4 already... IDK, are they that good? They seem less reliable than, like, an artifact or enchantment...
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Tome is bad in a streamlined constructed format. You're better off spending your mana for an immediate effect over taking your turn off to play something with no immediate impact.
3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
Ok, and Firemind's research? is that also bad? seems like in my deck full of instants, it'd be good?
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
been working the upg'd version of jungle secrets (need more commons for mist cloaks and deeproots) and its been doing absolute work on bronze
also, this game needs mobile asap
tomorrow the QD will be ravnica so wait for that if you want to quick draft
competitive will still be ravnica.
It's slow. Standard is generally about having a really coherent gameplan and executing it. If you spend your turn 2 casting Firemind, you're not doing anything right that second like if you cast a threat or a chart a course or a removal spell.
Similarly, you'd think a 6/6 flying trample for 5 mana would be a slam dunk in most decks, but it actually doesn't go in my Golgari deck right now because it just sits there and if they have a removal spell, I die.
Think about it this way. Divination draws 2 cards for 3 mana and a card. Encyclopedia draws 2 cards for 9 mana and a card.
Encyclopedia is only better if you expect the game to go extremely long and will consistently get 3+ cards from it, or if you have some sort of strong artifact synergy (which you don't). Firemind's Research is only useful for control mirrors where it represents free card advantage, and only when your curve is mostly cheap spells.
I cannot imagine a Golgari list that doesn't at least want a couple GriselOffBrands in it E: or could consider it. You'd need to be insanely aggro to totally exclude 5+ cost cards and Golgari isn't really equipped to do that atm, unless it's an all in Charnel Troll deck or something.
E: I can see not running it if you're mostly running cheap utility creatures and winning with pirate Vraska but that's not exactly saying 5 mana is a problem.
So, i see a problem in that i don't have anything for 5 mana and a lot of low-costed cards. Is that bad for my deck? I'm not 100% sure about Opt, honestly, but.... i am not very experienced in MTGing.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
The big issue is that Niv Mizzet and Explosion are hugely out of place; as absurd and game winning as they are, your deck is primarily-ish an aggro spellslinger deck that wants to win by getting Drakes out, and high mana cost spells don't mesh with that.
If you have them, card shifts can include Chart a Course in place of Divination, Wizards Lightning and Fight with Fire in place of shocks and banefires, Risk Factor in place of Waterknot or divination, and Ral, Izzet Viceroy in place of Niv or Explosion. Maybe Beacon Bolt in place of Waterknot as well.
I really like Niv.
What's a better idea for a niv-centered deck? And would it be worth it to switch both Niv AND Explosion for a pair of Rals? I have a couple mythic wildcards.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Milling 15 cards per turn.
Well, at least for me.
Neat. I was quietly hoping for Dominaria, but I'll probably (hopefully) jump into Ravnica as well.
Also, where did you find what the next Quick Draft is gonna be?
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
I wouldn't spend mythics on one deck that isn't very flexible.
For a Niv deck you'd want to be un URw control, which is super expensive in terms of wildcards.
Is Ral not good in other types of decks?
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
*stands on desk* Oh captain, my captain.
I am running a very similar deck:
10 Island (RIX) 193
10 Mountain (RIX) 195
4 Enigma Drake (M19) 216
4 Crackling Drake (GRN) 163
2 Lightning Strike (XLN) 149
4 Chart a Course (XLN) 48
2 Opt (DAR) 60
2 Opt (XLN) 65
4 Shock (M19) 156
2 Fight with Fire (DAR) 119
1 Direct Current (GRN) 96
1 Firemind's Research (GRN) 171
1 Hypothesizzle (GRN) 178
2 Blink of an Eye (DAR) 46
2 Disperse (M19) 50
1 Sulfur Falls (DAR) 247
1 Izzet Guildgate (GRN) 252
2 Highland Lake (M19) 252
2 Siren Stormtamer (XLN) 79
SideBoard:
2 Disperse (M19) 50
1 Piston-Fist Cyclops (GRN) 217
2 Fiery Cannonade (XLN) 143
4 Negate (RIX) 44
1 Goblin Cratermaker (GRN) 103
1 Banefire (M19) 130
3 Guttersnipe (M19) 145
1 Essence Scatter (M19) 54
Control murders it, but maybe after negate it isn't so bad. A lot of placeholders here. I think the shocks could be something better, like lightning strikes. And those disperses could be the strictly better blink of an eyes. Sideboard is basically junk, but negates and fiery cannonades are for specific matchups. I am also on the fence about hypothesizzle.
I want to eventually get a 4th guttersnipe and really go to town on a spellslinging decks, but i need a plan if my guttersnipes die.
Edit: That sift is a very good idea that i might throw into my deck somewhere.
Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
@21stCentury I think your spells-matter theme is the strongest part of the deck, and I'd want to maximize the effectiveness of your Drakes and Guttersnipes.
Cards I would look to add: Crackling Drake #4, Enigma Drake #4, Opt #3/#4, Shock #3, Chemister's Insight #1/#2
Cards I would look to cut: Siren Stormtamer (there are better ways to protect your creatures), Waterknot (you want your removal spells to be instants and sorceries so they synergize with Drakes/Guttersnipe), Sift (I think Chemister's Insight plays much better)
@Zombie Hero Your list looks reasonable, but I'd consider cutting the Siren Stormtamers, the Firemind's Research, and a Shock, and probably maindeck the Guttersnipes. You might need more card draw as well - how often are you really triggering raid for Chart a Course?
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
I trigger raid pretty much every time. I definitely need more card draw, but out of wildcards (i hoard my rare/m.rare wildcards, but squander everything else). I'll consider adding Siren Stormtamers to sideboard, and bring them in for control matchups. They will eventually help me run Wizard's Lightning once i get some more of those. I also want to add another fight with fire once i get my hands on another. Also they are new additions and i just added them this morning after unlocking the final 5 starter decks. Some testing will be needed.
Guttersnipes feel clunky but maybe they eat removal that would otherwise be headed towards my precious drakes.
Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
The problem with Ral is that he's basically only optimal in decks that want to be controlling but can't support white mana in their base. This is because Teferi, Hero of Dominaria exists. In any deck that can afford it, its more effective to splash white for Teferi than it is to play Ral. This limits Ral's usefulness to specifically URb (Grixis) decks that are heavily controlling and heavily into spells, or as a fifth copy of Teferi in URW lists.
He's fun as hell and I love him but he's not Teferi.
It's definitely possible that they're better suited in a more aggressive deck, where you need the chip damage for reach, as opposed to just flying over with Drakes to kill them.
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Guttersnipe is a bit clunky I agree. The budget drakes deck on MTGGoldfish seems solid enough to me and it's got Stormtamer in the mainboard.
Yep, I totally did!
There are a variety of counterspells that fit the bill (Spell Pierce, Negate, Ionize, Sinister Sabotage), or you can use your own bounce spells in response to return them to your hand and replay them.
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
You could maindeck Negate or Spell Pierce but I honestly don't think those are better than Stormtamer. Every damage counts!
If you're bouncing drakes to avoid removal you're losing a ton of tempo. I think the Drake gameplan is too aggressive to really support high cost counterspells, but at least Ionize and Sabotage have incidental upside that plays well with your smash-face plan.
You've convinced me on the Stormtamers!
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
didn't think of that application! Nice!
I love how getting Niv on the field is enough to wipe an entire board sometimes.
I hate how often it is that i end up winning with only, like, 4 Life left.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Life is a resource.
Yep! i use it as such. It's still stressful, though, to be within lethal range of, like, a lightning strike when against a mono-red deck.
And sometimes it is better to keep a creature with a passive skill alive over blocking. i practice that.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Riv And Ral are in there but they're more finishers than deck defining.
Like, okay, my play is "Don't do anything until you are at 15 mana then cast more spells than they can counter"
Where's the damn fun in that?