no one in my playgroup will let me play this more than once. that first balance i hit and they go all sadface.
its kind of funny, the last time i played this vs a buddy of mine, he started aiming galvanic blasts and what not to himself to end the game quicker...
It is not so risky, with the borderposts you play 9 copies at minimum of every colour and no spell nedds 2 of the same color. At least when I tested the deck
I never was color-screwed. You just have to be careful which borderpost you play, I admit that involves a lot of thinking/planning.
I tried the RW build but I felt I have to many dead cards in it. For now my deck is working fine. The nihilith can probably be cut but I like to have more killing options because you don't always have a Gargadon or a March.
I tuned my deck a bit over night and thats the version I play at the moment:
The Cloudskates are for testing but in the first few games I didn't need them, probably Ajani is a better choice.
I strongly recommend you give my build a try. My SB needs a little retooling for the current meta, but it is prolly the most comparable mainboard to yours.
The differences may seem small and nuanced, but they will likely result in some significantly different play. Not the least of which is that I expect my mana will be a bit more consistent in comparison by virtue of the versatility of the terramorphic expanses
Hopefully the comparison will help highlight where your build might be superior and where it might improve.
no one in my playgroup will let me play this more than once. that first balance i hit and they go all sadface.
its kind of funny, the last time i played this vs a buddy of mine, he started aiming galvanic blasts and what not to himself to end the game quicker...
Testing for this deck is such a pain. I can never find people who want to play against it for sets on end.
EDIT: fyrebryan, what's you're current build looking like?
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
Regardless, you shouldn't be too handicapped by the terramorph.
It also let's you pull tricks like responding to the terramorph activation with Violent Outburst, or cracking and failing to find in order to increase the power of your balance
I'll try leyline. I have been having a rough time recently against the better burn decks.
Jund hasn't been an issue.
As to Cloudskates, I just always suspend them blind (unless I am at a point where hardcasting is possible and makes sense). What this allows you is to do is keep them guessing as to your target, reuse ardent pleas, bounce the errant planeswalker that might have miraculously gotten through, etc. Don't underestimate the value of just having it bounce itself to be resuspended. I've also beat down for lethal with cloudskate + exalted triggers.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
Currently I'm running an almost identical version of yours Rascal, however ultimately i think this is the version i'm wanting to run:
[…]
That looks pretty interesting. I can't wait to hear how it compares.
Not sure about the sideboard, other than the grips.. maybe a few loaming shaman.
Yeah... my SB definitely needs some tuning. I still like the boom/bust and ricochet trap, but the Grips were a last minute change from Wispmare while on location, so the balance between grips and ingot chewers is something that I've been trying to get right. K-Grip is definitely better against tron and other control decks. Ingot is better against affinity. Both have upsides vs D&T.
I've been looking at the following to slide into the spots it opens: Oblivion Ring -- Solid removal that doesn't decrease our answers to the decks that IC and KG are good against. Leyline of Sanctity -- Good vs Burn. Looks more meta-dependent than most options. Is it even fast enough if not in the opening hand? Ghostly Prison -- funny answer to kiki-twin, good against aggro
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
I'd actually cut one gargadon, one cloudskate and one dismember for 3 nihilith, in regards to Rascal's build (which I'm a huge fan of btw.)
I don't think we need 4 of either gargadon or nihilith. My main issue with gargadon is having to sacrifice things to accelerate him into play, where as nihilith lets you keep your borderposts and will come into play as the deck runs it's natural course.
Gargadon has it's uses, using his ability to clear a few lands that I didn't have time to bounce or to get rid of a cloudskate before comboing off has saved my hide, but I don't think we need four.
I haven't had as much time with the deck as you gentlemen have, so what do you think of this?
EDIT: It just occurred to me that either incarnation of Tezzeret could be pretty good in this deck, and could help the march of the machines
back up plan without forcing us to go all-in.
I've been playing around with Rascal's build on MTGO and a few other builds. I really like Nihilith. It works great against decks that draw and discard a lot. I've replaced Ajani Vengeant with both versions of Tezz. I don't like Tezz the Seeker. He's too slow to get his ultimate ability on line. Tezz Agent of Bolas is better, but I've found that Ajani Vengeant is a lot more flexible. You can use it to tap opponent's lands or creatures to give you more time or you can use the lightning helix effect to get a little life boost.
Nihilith seems to have better synergy with Restore Balance however ole Greater Gargadon has a much larger presence once it his the board. a 4/4 is MUCH easier to deal with once it hits the board, however i think if we can suspend Nihilith on turn 2, then hit a balance on turn 3 or 4, then it should just about be ready to come off suspend. What I dont like about Nihilith is that it puts a greater focus on black, where i think we'd rather have a primary focus on R/G. Not that its a huge deal for this deck.. but its something we need to consider...
Having 2 primary threats as opposed to 1 is always a good thing.
On to sideboard discussion... Ricochet Trap, Rift Bolt, Krosan Grip are obvious includes.. i'd like some discussion on some off the wall card choices... i like to subscribe to the idea that so long as it works within the deck (ie CMC 3+) then lets hear it and why you chose it.
Nihilith seems to have better synergy with Restore Balance however ole Greater Gargadon has a much larger presence once it his the board. a 4/4 is MUCH easier to deal with once it hits the board, however i think if we can suspend Nihilith on turn 2, then hit a balance on turn 3 or 4, then it should just about be ready to come off suspend. What I dont like about Nihilith is that it puts a greater focus on black, where i think we'd rather have a primary focus on R/G. Not that its a huge deal for this deck.. but its something we need to consider...
Having 2 primary threats as opposed to 1 is always a good thing.
The thing about Nihilith is that it is powered up by Balance whereas gargadon powers up Balance.
In my games, backbreaking balances are the main thing I want to shoot for. I play pretty conservatively in terms of shooting for the win. Everything is about the control. GGarg fits into this plan while doubling as a wincon. Nihilith doesn't.
On to sideboard discussion... Ricochet Trap, Rift Bolt, Krosan Grip are obvious includes.. i'd like some discussion on some off the wall card choices... i like to subscribe to the idea that so long as it works within the deck (ie CMC 3+) then lets hear it and why you chose it.
Rift Bolt was in early versions of my builds and was cut. Dismember has just been much more effective and consistent.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
This deck looks amazing and a competitive deck with a reasonable price tag on it, if you wouldnt mind do you think you could highlight (yet again) a quick rundown of how it plays out, and maybe some of the tricks and tips.
For example I think I understand what a keep would look like and that mulligan aggressively is going to be important, but what should be the "rule of thumb" for a keep vs ship
also is there anything like the respond to the teraamorphic trigger with cascade spell
Is four still the right number of terramorph/evolving wilds?
I adore this deck. I pretty much copied Radicals list, except I switched Ajani with Tezz's 1.0, and I added 4 Simian Spirit guides instead of Riftwing. The control aspect is amazing, and even playing around counters isn't hard if you are patient.
I've been experimenting with Beast Within main board. It works pretty well.
I'm playing a modified version of this deck since a week online and I'm very proud of it.
Today while testing it on MWS I tried to cast Restore Balance with Trinisphere on the battlefield, but my oppo didn't agree and said I still must pay 3.
Maybe this is not the right section to talk about it but i checked out the rules enough to say that nobody has to pay for it with trinisphere on the battlefield.
Searching on Google I also found out that everyone's sure that the cost has to be paid (and to play suspended cards, too!), but they are quoting part of the rules which doesn't say what they want to demonstrate.
We are paying for something we don't deserve to pay! Let's revolt against this injustice!
You're absolutely wrong. Trinisphere means you must pay at least 3 for any spell played no matter how it was cast. The rule they cite is that cost setting effects happen after cost reducing effects. Meaning you say "i'll cast this for free!" and trinisphere then says "no wait, three!"
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Asking people to remove quotes in their signatures is tyranny! If I can't say something just because someone's feelings are hurt then no one would ever be able to say anything! Political correctness is stupid.
12/1/2004 Trinisphere's ability affects the total cost of the spell. It is applied *after* any other cost increasers or cost reducers are applied: First apply any cost increases. Next apply any cost reducers. Finally look at the amount of mana you have to pay. If it's less than three mana, you'll pay three mana.
12/1/2004 Even with a cost reducer on the battlefield, spells can't cost less than three mana to cast.
12/1/2004 If a spell costs at least three mana due to additional costs, such as kicker costs, that's fine.
Also about alternativ costs and suspend from the comprehensive rules:
117.9. Some spells have alternative costs. An alternative cost is a cost listed in a spell’s text, or applied to it from another effect, that its controller may pay rather than paying the spell’s mana cost. Alternative costs are usually phrased, “You may [action] rather than pay [this object’s] mana cost,” or “You may cast [this object] without paying its mana cost.” Note that some alternative costs are listed in keywords; see rule 702.
702.60c Casting a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e–g.
601.2b If the spell is modal the player announces the mode choice (see rule 700.2). If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 702.45), he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell has alternative or additional costs that will be paid as it’s being cast such as buyback, kicker, or convoke costs (see rules 117.8 and 117.9), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 601.2e). A player can’t apply two alternative methods of casting or two alternative costs to a single spell. If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it’s being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see rule 107.3), the player announces the value of that variable. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost he or she intends to pay. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether he or she intends to pay 2 life or the corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols. Previously made choices (such as choosing to cast a spell with flashback from a graveyard or choosing to cast a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s options when making these choices.
601.2e The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some spells have additional or alternative costs. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}. It can’t be reduced to less than {0}. Once the total cost is determined, any effects that directly affect the total cost are applied. Then the resulting total cost becomes “locked in.” If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.
601.2f If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see rule 605, “Mana Abilities”). Mana abilities must be activated before costs are paid.
601.2g The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can’t be paid.
Example: You cast Altar’s Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell’s total cost is “locked in” before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you’re sacrificing the Familiar.
How well does the totem work for you? Is it effective? Or are you llooking into the mana it produces? I do like the way it looks. It deserves some testing imo. Do you have a side board to go with it?
I just made it, so no, I have no sideboard. It's next in the process after the testing of the mainboard.
As for the Totem, the hardest part is getting it onto the field; the decision between Balancing and waiting a turn to cast the Golem is not an easy one to make.. From that point, it sits and works as a creature whenever I want it to, swinging for 5 after I balance. In doing that, it works wonderfully. But the build needs to be tested; I'm going to get a bit of that tomorrow. Online, the only issue is getting one land to start chaining Borderposts, and not making any fatal game mistakes (which is easy to do).
If anyone has a sideboard suggestion for this, considering that I'm not well acquainted with the format, I'd love to hear them.
I'm going to get some testing in tomorrow at my LGS, and hopefully pick up some more of the cards.
Feels light on resiliency. You're betting everything on one of two cards to win, namely the Gargadons and the Totems. If someone Extirpates or similar in game 2, you're in a lot of trouble. I do like your utility package, though.
I've given up the Demonic Dread for the Bloodbraid Elfs. Sometimes it hits borderposts (in which case, free ramp spell), but it can also cascade into either a Restore Balance directly, or into one of your normal cascaders like Ardent Plea, triggering another cascade into the balance. Fortunately, due to the way cascade stacks, this means the Elf isn't on the battlefield until after the Balance resolves, meaning it's probably attacking (with haste) into an empty field. As an added bonus, the Elfs actually benefit from both your other cascade spells.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas is an absolute house if he resolves. He's impulsing for borderposts every turn, and eventually, when you've got enough out, you -4 for anywhere between 10 and 20 damage straight to the dome. I probably actually get the kill with him as often or more often than I do the Gargadons. I rarely -2 to animate my borderposts, though. Doing that sometimes lets things live through Balance on the other side, which I prefer to avoid. Sometimes, especially if you have no cascade in hand or all your balances are gone, it's a reasonable way to put up a decent aggro fight.
Ajani Vengeant isn't as big a house, but he does offer a lot of utility. Lightning Helixing troublesome cheap creatures and gaining life is always helpful. Keeping the one land they've played since the last Balance tapped is also fairly clutch. And in worst case, in a long grindy game, he can operate as another backup semi-Balance, making for a one sided armageddon effect.
Finally, Manabarbs is another underrated piece of tech in this deck. I'm actually considering going up to 4. Since the vast majority of your mana is generated by the borderposts, you're taking little damage from the barbs, while your opponent is usually in constant rebuild mode, and needs to tap to put out threats.
Another card I'm considering is Amass the Components. Having Restore Balances in hand is generally not terribly useful. Being able to throw it directly back into the library where it can be cascaded into is helpful. I may take out the Niliths and possibly a Bloodbraid or two for these. The Nihiliths in particular are decent threats that mesh well with the play style, but between Gargadon, Manabarbs and Tezz I've already got a decent density of damage.
My sideboard right now is largely in flux. I'm typically running some mixture of Beast Within, Oblivion Rings, and Ancient Grudges, plus another pair of Reminisces in case I play a deck with heavy hand disruption (or long grind games) and need to get the Restore Balances and/or cascaders back into the library. I've also toyed with running some Extirpate and Haunting Echoes to mess with combo and control decks.
I like the Manabarbs a lot. And your planeswalker package is very nice, and Tezzeret is a card I'm absolutely going to consider when I get off of my budget.
However, a problem that I always face is mana: getting the right amount of mana, getting the right color of mana. In a 5 color deck, how do we circumvent that? We can do a lot of nasty stuff turn 4, but getting to turn 4 is the key, and sometimes, it's impossible.
Been testing around, and this is just so mean it's not even funny. But, I'm really iffy on the current build, as I have 8 B/x Borderposts, but no black cards in MD altogether. Ideas?
Is Bloodbraid Elf worth the slot? what do you normally cascade into? And for black, I love running Nihilith. If he is suspended, he comes right out as soon as Restore Balance, ready to swing. Dismember is another good one to choose.
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its kind of funny, the last time i played this vs a buddy of mine, he started aiming galvanic blasts and what not to himself to end the game quicker...
I strongly recommend you give my build a try. My SB needs a little retooling for the current meta, but it is prolly the most comparable mainboard to yours.
The differences may seem small and nuanced, but they will likely result in some significantly different play. Not the least of which is that I expect my mana will be a bit more consistent in comparison by virtue of the versatility of the terramorphic expanses
Hopefully the comparison will help highlight where your build might be superior and where it might improve.
Testing for this deck is such a pain. I can never find people who want to play against it for sets on end.
EDIT: fyrebryan, what's you're current build looking like?
Body Count: GRRRUUUUUUUUUUU
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T2: Borderpost, replay land, borderpost.
T1: Terramorph, crack.
T2: Borderpost, replay land, suspend garg
T1: Terramorph, crack.
T2: Borderpost, replay land, suspend balance
Regardless, you shouldn't be too handicapped by the terramorph.
It also let's you pull tricks like responding to the terramorph activation with Violent Outburst, or cracking and failing to find in order to increase the power of your balance
I'll try leyline. I have been having a rough time recently against the better burn decks.
Jund hasn't been an issue.
As to Cloudskates, I just always suspend them blind (unless I am at a point where hardcasting is possible and makes sense). What this allows you is to do is keep them guessing as to your target, reuse ardent pleas, bounce the errant planeswalker that might have miraculously gotten through, etc. Don't underestimate the value of just having it bounce itself to be resuspended. I've also beat down for lethal with cloudskate + exalted triggers.
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1 Forest
1 Island
2 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Firewild Borderpost
4 Mistvein Borderpost
4 Veinfire Borderpost
4 Wildfield Borderpost
4 Restore Balance
4 Ardent Plea
4 Violent Outburst
2 Demonic Dread
2 Dismember
2 March of the Machines
PW
2 Ajani Vengeant
3 Riftwing Cloudskate
3 Nihilith
4 Greater Gargadon
Not sure about the sideboard, other than the grips.. maybe a few loaming shaman.
That looks pretty interesting. I can't wait to hear how it compares.
Yeah... my SB definitely needs some tuning. I still like the boom/bust and ricochet trap, but the Grips were a last minute change from Wispmare while on location, so the balance between grips and ingot chewers is something that I've been trying to get right. K-Grip is definitely better against tron and other control decks. Ingot is better against affinity. Both have upsides vs D&T.
I've been looking at the following to slide into the spots it opens:
Oblivion Ring -- Solid removal that doesn't decrease our answers to the decks that IC and KG are good against.
Leyline of Sanctity -- Good vs Burn. Looks more meta-dependent than most options. Is it even fast enough if not in the opening hand?
Ghostly Prison -- funny answer to kiki-twin, good against aggro
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I don't think we need 4 of either gargadon or nihilith. My main issue with gargadon is having to sacrifice things to accelerate him into play, where as nihilith lets you keep your borderposts and will come into play as the deck runs it's natural course.
Gargadon has it's uses, using his ability to clear a few lands that I didn't have time to bounce or to get rid of a cloudskate before comboing off has saved my hide, but I don't think we need four.
I haven't had as much time with the deck as you gentlemen have, so what do you think of this?
EDIT: It just occurred to me that either incarnation of Tezzeret could be pretty good in this deck, and could help the march of the machines
back up plan without forcing us to go all-in.
Having 2 primary threats as opposed to 1 is always a good thing.
On to sideboard discussion... Ricochet Trap, Rift Bolt, Krosan Grip are obvious includes.. i'd like some discussion on some off the wall card choices... i like to subscribe to the idea that so long as it works within the deck (ie CMC 3+) then lets hear it and why you chose it.
The thing about Nihilith is that it is powered up by Balance whereas gargadon powers up Balance.
In my games, backbreaking balances are the main thing I want to shoot for. I play pretty conservatively in terms of shooting for the win. Everything is about the control. GGarg fits into this plan while doubling as a wincon. Nihilith doesn't.
Rift Bolt was in early versions of my builds and was cut. Dismember has just been much more effective and consistent.
I agree that Ricochet Trap and Krosan Grip are essentially autos.
Past that we start getting into Oblivion Ring vs Beast Within. And whether Ingot Chewer is warranted in your meta.
Also, boom//bust is very good against the control decks.
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For example I think I understand what a keep would look like and that mulligan aggressively is going to be important, but what should be the "rule of thumb" for a keep vs ship
also is there anything like the respond to the teraamorphic trigger with cascade spell
Is four still the right number of terramorph/evolving wilds?
How has the metagame shift changed our matchups?
I've been experimenting with Beast Within main board. It works pretty well.
You're absolutely wrong. Trinisphere means you must pay at least 3 for any spell played no matter how it was cast. The rule they cite is that cost setting effects happen after cost reducing effects. Meaning you say "i'll cast this for free!" and trinisphere then says "no wait, three!"
The Gatherer entry for Trinisphere already states what you are searching for
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=194979
12/1/2004 Trinisphere's ability affects the total cost of the spell. It is applied *after* any other cost increasers or cost reducers are applied: First apply any cost increases. Next apply any cost reducers. Finally look at the amount of mana you have to pay. If it's less than three mana, you'll pay three mana.
12/1/2004 Even with a cost reducer on the battlefield, spells can't cost less than three mana to cast.
12/1/2004 If a spell costs at least three mana due to additional costs, such as kicker costs, that's fine.
Also about alternativ costs and suspend from the comprehensive rules:
117.9. Some spells have alternative costs. An alternative cost is a cost listed in a spell’s text, or applied to it from another effect, that its controller may pay rather than paying the spell’s mana cost. Alternative costs are usually phrased, “You may [action] rather than pay [this object’s] mana cost,” or “You may cast [this object] without paying its mana cost.” Note that some alternative costs are listed in keywords; see rule 702.
702.60c Casting a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e–g.
601.2b If the spell is modal the player announces the mode choice (see rule 700.2). If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 702.45), he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell has alternative or additional costs that will be paid as it’s being cast such as buyback, kicker, or convoke costs (see rules 117.8 and 117.9), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 601.2e). A player can’t apply two alternative methods of casting or two alternative costs to a single spell. If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it’s being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see rule 107.3), the player announces the value of that variable. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost he or she intends to pay. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether he or she intends to pay 2 life or the corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols. Previously made choices (such as choosing to cast a spell with flashback from a graveyard or choosing to cast a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s options when making these choices.
601.2e The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some spells have additional or alternative costs. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}. It can’t be reduced to less than {0}. Once the total cost is determined, any effects that directly affect the total cost are applied. Then the resulting total cost becomes “locked in.” If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.
601.2f If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see rule 605, “Mana Abilities”). Mana abilities must be activated before costs are paid.
601.2g The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can’t be paid.
Example: You cast Altar’s Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell’s total cost is “locked in” before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you’re sacrificing the Familiar.
4 Restore Balance
4 Violent Outburst
4 Ardent Plea
2 Demonic Dread
The Mana
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Firewild Borderpost
4 Mistvein Borderpost
4 Veinfire Borderpost
4 Wildfield Borderpost
2 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
4 Greater Gargadon
4 Phyrexian Totem
The Utility
3 Thirst for Knowledge
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Beast Within
How well does the totem work for you? Is it effective? Or are you llooking into the mana it produces? I do like the way it looks. It deserves some testing imo. Do you have a side board to go with it?
As for the Totem, the hardest part is getting it onto the field; the decision between Balancing and waiting a turn to cast the Golem is not an easy one to make.. From that point, it sits and works as a creature whenever I want it to, swinging for 5 after I balance. In doing that, it works wonderfully. But the build needs to be tested; I'm going to get a bit of that tomorrow. Online, the only issue is getting one land to start chaining Borderposts, and not making any fatal game mistakes (which is easy to do).
If anyone has a sideboard suggestion for this, considering that I'm not well acquainted with the format, I'd love to hear them.
I'm going to get some testing in tomorrow at my LGS, and hopefully pick up some more of the cards.
Feels light on resiliency. You're betting everything on one of two cards to win, namely the Gargadons and the Totems. If someone Extirpates or similar in game 2, you're in a lot of trouble. I do like your utility package, though.
Here's what I'm running.
4 Violent Outburst
4 Ardent Plea
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Firewild Borderpost
4 Mistvein Borderpost
4 Veinfire Borderpost
4 Wildfield Borderpost
2 Evolving Wilds
2 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Nihilith
2 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
2 Ajani Vengeant
3 Manabarbs
1 Reminisce
I've given up the Demonic Dread for the Bloodbraid Elfs. Sometimes it hits borderposts (in which case, free ramp spell), but it can also cascade into either a Restore Balance directly, or into one of your normal cascaders like Ardent Plea, triggering another cascade into the balance. Fortunately, due to the way cascade stacks, this means the Elf isn't on the battlefield until after the Balance resolves, meaning it's probably attacking (with haste) into an empty field. As an added bonus, the Elfs actually benefit from both your other cascade spells.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas is an absolute house if he resolves. He's impulsing for borderposts every turn, and eventually, when you've got enough out, you -4 for anywhere between 10 and 20 damage straight to the dome. I probably actually get the kill with him as often or more often than I do the Gargadons. I rarely -2 to animate my borderposts, though. Doing that sometimes lets things live through Balance on the other side, which I prefer to avoid. Sometimes, especially if you have no cascade in hand or all your balances are gone, it's a reasonable way to put up a decent aggro fight.
Ajani Vengeant isn't as big a house, but he does offer a lot of utility. Lightning Helixing troublesome cheap creatures and gaining life is always helpful. Keeping the one land they've played since the last Balance tapped is also fairly clutch. And in worst case, in a long grindy game, he can operate as another backup semi-Balance, making for a one sided armageddon effect.
Finally, Manabarbs is another underrated piece of tech in this deck. I'm actually considering going up to 4. Since the vast majority of your mana is generated by the borderposts, you're taking little damage from the barbs, while your opponent is usually in constant rebuild mode, and needs to tap to put out threats.
Another card I'm considering is Amass the Components. Having Restore Balances in hand is generally not terribly useful. Being able to throw it directly back into the library where it can be cascaded into is helpful. I may take out the Niliths and possibly a Bloodbraid or two for these. The Nihiliths in particular are decent threats that mesh well with the play style, but between Gargadon, Manabarbs and Tezz I've already got a decent density of damage.
My sideboard right now is largely in flux. I'm typically running some mixture of Beast Within, Oblivion Rings, and Ancient Grudges, plus another pair of Reminisces in case I play a deck with heavy hand disruption (or long grind games) and need to get the Restore Balances and/or cascaders back into the library. I've also toyed with running some Extirpate and Haunting Echoes to mess with combo and control decks.
However, a problem that I always face is mana: getting the right amount of mana, getting the right color of mana. In a 5 color deck, how do we circumvent that? We can do a lot of nasty stuff turn 4, but getting to turn 4 is the key, and sometimes, it's impossible.
Is Bloodbraid Elf worth the slot? what do you normally cascade into? And for black, I love running Nihilith. If he is suspended, he comes right out as soon as Restore Balance, ready to swing. Dismember is another good one to choose.