I haven't constructed a decklist w/manabase, but I'm not talking about a typical big green creature list. I'm thinking four color, no B. Does Sarkhan have a fondness for Narset? I'm dreaming about Dragonlord Ojutai. I'm also thinking about Outpost Siege and Soulfire Grand Master. I've got Anger in the sideboard and I'm trying to figure out how to survive.
I haven't constructed a decklist w/manabase, but I'm not talking about a typical big green creature list. I'm thinking four color, no B. Does Sarkhan have a fondness for Narset? I'm dreaming about Dragonlord Ojutai. I'm also thinking about Outpost Siege and Soulfire Grand Master. I've got Anger in the sideboard and I'm trying to figure out how to survive.
If the only things that you're 'splashing' green for are Courser and the new Sarkhan, you're better off sticking with Jeskai colors for added consistency. The requirements call for at least 19 green sources. If you're really insistent on playing 4 colors, Sylvan Caryatid is crucial. Another thing, Outpost Siege plays very poorly with counterspells.
Yeah. When I actually map it out, the GG is killer and if I add Caryatids, it's a creature deck. I just wonder whether Narset is worth it if I don't consistently hit on the +1. When I miss, she is just a much worse Outpost Siege, or another Living Guildpact. I don't really want to put Taigam's Scheming in a constructed deck . What am I missing?
Yeah. When I actually map it out, the GG is killer and if I add Caryatids, it's a creature deck. I just wonder whether Narset is worth it if I don't consistently hit on the +1. When I miss, she is just a much worse Outpost Siege, or another Living Guildpact. I don't really want to put Taigam's Scheming in a constructed deck . What am I missing?
Narset + Courser is a cute interaction, but the Bant colors don't seem to play well enough together to really justify it. What non-creature spells are you trying to cast in green/white/blue colors? Green doesn't really add anything other than creatures and Kiora. GW is better off playing as the current devotion list that abuses Mastery of the Unseen. UW are control colors. GU Simic isn't even a thing right now. Smashing the three colors together means that there's nothing cohesive going on, no linear gameplan to stick to.
The best color/deck combinations, in no particular order, to realize her potential: Esper control, UW control, Jeskai Aggro, and what's looking better and better, Jeskai tokens.
I already posted a sample list for a 10 creature Jeskai aggro list utilizing her, but here's something even spicier:
That all makes total sense. I really like what you are doing with that list. My question is: is that list just better if you move Narset to the sideboard to play against control and put in two more Outpost Sieges?
That all makes total sense. I really like what you are doing with that list. My question is: is that list just better if you move Narset to the sideboard to play against control and put in two more Outpost Sieges?
I think that the ability to abuse her -2 to rebound a Treasure Cruise, Stoke the Flames, or token generator is just too strong to ignore in the main deck. If you ever played Ascendancy Tokens, you'll find yourself in odd situations where you're able to continuously cycle and draw live spells, but you just run out of mana to play them. Her rebound would help alleviate that problem.
@Priest of Titania: I was actually working on building a very similar list. As a person who has been playing Jeskai Tokens since Fate Reforged, I think Narset will be very useful in the deck. Compared to Outpost Siege, you get a lot of value from having different options each turn. In addition, since the deck is primarily based off of Jeskai Ascendency, people bring in a lot of enchantment hate which makes Outpost Siege less consistent; in addition, currently people have been siding out Downfalls against me, so I think post-board she has a pretty good chance of surviving. Mainboard she is the only good target for Downfall, but it does give the opponent a conundrum where they want to take out Downfalls since it's pretty bad vs the majority of the deck, but Narset can be enough of a problem that they have to leave it in.
Here's what I put together. I really like Myth Realized since it gives us enough non-creature cards that can attack and it can be sacrificed to Abzan Advantage or Dromoka's Command to protect Jeskai Ascendency:
I've done a little testing with this deck so far and I really like how it plays. Anticipate is a huge boon for the deck, and Narset plays really well. In one of my practice games I rebounded Ojutai's Command on Gain 4/Draw, cast another on Gain 4/Counter on my opponent's turn, then had the first rebound on Gain 4/Draw again. Some of the little value plays she enables are just gross, and she even soaks up aggro like a champion.
In all honesty, the Mindswipe shouldn't be in the deck, but it's a personal pet card of mine. I might try it out as a singleton Myth Realized to see how that plays, but I feel like if you're going that route you want to commit and have at least 2-3 in the deck to make sure you get them early and often. That spot could go any number of ways, but it almost certainly shouldn't be Mindswipe -- even if it is hilarious.
The sideboard is in flux right now, but the usual suspects are all there; Erase, Negate, Disdainful Stroke, etc. I think the biggest change I'd make is putting a full set of Swan Song in the board in place of a couple of Negates and Erases. There are just so many powerhouse enchantments running around that I want access to more hate, but they can also come in against control because the bird is basically irrelevant in the face of the massive life gain the deck is capable of.
My only issues with narset thus far, are stabilizing, ripping her in the lategame, and hitting a land pocket. Your opponent rips one creature and all you can do is stare at the lands the turn before you draw them. #feelsbadman.jpg. She's strong, but her +1 wiffs about half the time, and in some situations, thats just not ok.
On a related note, as much as all of us like narset, can we agree that she's not "Ridiculous"? People are heralding this card as a the new Jace tMS. Her presales on Starcity are 50$. All of this is reminiscent of Jace AoT who went from 60$ to 11$ over the cycle of standard. I really want to use narset, but this price point is not justified.
You are running Ojutai's Command, but never able to use one of it's modes. You have three Anger of the Gods and four End Hostilities, yet could possibly rebound either of these spells with Narset. You're running three win conditions total... And you have Ingenuity plus Anticipate plus Dig. I'd start trimming on these and adding Elspeth to the main.
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One of these day I have to get myself organizized.
The problem with Narset is you brick on lands constantly because control needs to run 26 lands.
She's useless when you're under pressure and double draw spells really seem win more.
I think I'd rather Sorin, Solemn Visitor as at least he can make vamps as a win condition.
Really not impressed in testing simply because of how poorly she performed when you're behind. She doesn't catch you up or slow down the opponent. If you want to look at your top card to find an answer Divination guarantees you a draw, costs 1 less and goes 1 deeper.
The problem with Narset is you brick on lands constantly because control needs to run 26 lands.
She's useless when you're under pressure and double draw spells really seem win more.
I think I'd rather Sorin, Solemn Visitor as at least he can make vamps as a win condition.
Really not impressed in testing simply because of how poorly she performed when you're behind. She doesn't catch you up or slow down the opponent. If you want to look at your top card to find an answer Divination guarantees you a draw, costs 1 less and goes 1 deeper.
This is precisely how I'm feeling after a lot of testing. She's a bit like keranos, in that if you don't already have some way of controlling the game or stabilizing, she's fairly useless-- having no board impact whatsoever and little ability to generate card advantage in a blank-slate game state. The ult isn't so threatening that leaving her unchecked is going to cause table flipping. I've heard a lot of people say you don't want to cast narset on 4. Yet, from my perspective this is pretty much the only good time to cast her, as it ensures you have rebound targets and means of protecting her. She's great at helping lock up the mid-game and stabilizing, but miserable otherwise.
Certainly, she is worse than even Jace, Architect of thought. I wonder if it's possible to go even lower on lands to make her more consistent, given that we have such good filtering right now.
The problem isn't hitting draws off her. She does that all the time. The problem is you're getting smashed in the head by Goblin Rabblemaster and Narest does absolutely zero to stop it.
Just tested about 5 games against Jeskai aggro and I've pretty much given up after losing them all.
The last game was Seeker, Rabble, burn, burn dead with Narset on the table. The game before that was more grinding but Jeskai won through a Narset Emblem with Mantis Rider beatdown.
Much of the time I'm staring at my graveyard wishing I had more stuff to delve away. Anticipate might be a better card than Narset at 1% of the cost. That doesn't mean Narset is entirely useless just that rebounding reactive spells, not affecting combat in any way and there being better ways to draw cards than paying 4 to roll a dice on the top card means she just doesn't live up to the price she is being pre-sold at.
The problem isn't hitting draws off her. She does that all the time. The problem is you're getting smashed in the head by Goblin Rabblemaster and Narest does absolutely zero to stop it.
Just tested about 5 games against Jeskai aggro and I've pretty much given up after losing them all.
The last game was Seeker, Rabble, burn, burn dead with Narset on the table. The game before that was more grinding but Jeskai won through a Narset Emblem with Mantis Rider beatdown.
Much of the time I'm staring at my graveyard wishing I had more stuff to delve away. Anticipate might be a better card than Narset at 1% of the cost. That doesn't mean Narset is entirely useless just that rebounding reactive spells, not affecting combat in any way and there being better ways to draw cards than paying 4 to roll a dice on the top card means she just doesn't live up to the price she is being pre-sold at.
You should have access to the new white anti red tech to help you stop the rabble master rush. Nullify to counter their 3 drops, if you got narset down that means you made it to turn 4, so turn 5 you rebound end hostilities if you need to. My initial deck is going to include 4 uw commands with 4 soulfire grandmasters in hopes to survive the early rush from creatures.
Anyway, the deck has ways to deal with rabble master (that new journey to nowhere too), so if you keep losing to that then you might want to adjust your deck a little.
The problem isn't hitting draws off her. She does that all the time. The problem is you're getting smashed in the head by Goblin Rabblemaster and Narest does absolutely zero to stop it.
Just tested about 5 games against Jeskai aggro and I've pretty much given up after losing them all.
The last game was Seeker, Rabble, burn, burn dead with Narset on the table. The game before that was more grinding but Jeskai won through a Narset Emblem with Mantis Rider beatdown.
Do you just not have early interaction? Lightning Strike, Wild Slash and Magma Jet are all in the format. Getting run over by Rabblemasters seems kind of laughable now. Even if you're not red (which I think is a mistake but that's just me), Soulfire Grand Master eats Rabble tokens while gaining life, then trades for the actual Rabblemaster.
I've only died once with a Narset in play so far, and that was after 5 unfortunate turns of looking at lands of the top of my deck. She could have been anything, bricking on 5 draws in a row is going to lose the game.
Yes that was pure UW which is the best place to start. Obviously doesn't work.
Splash red or black are the obvious choices.
Red probably has the best early removal. Waiting to get 1BB for Downfall is problematic especially when you can play Soulfire Grand Master and get the synergy from burn lifelink and bring him back with Ojutai's Command.
Narset could be a sideboard card. 2 copies main and bring in 2 more for the slower games.
What is your mana base like when you play narset (u/w) but you also have turn 1 wild slashes? That seems problematic.
nevermind, it's above us.
Yeah I posted my WIP decklist already, and I had success with the same core of cards at the Fate Reforged Game Day, making it to Top 8 before being knocked out, and I believe that the combination of Anticipate, Narset Transcendent and Ojutai's Command is enough of a boost to make the deck top tier. The red burn spells combined with Soulfire Grand Master just give you soooo much time against aggro decks that it seems downright unfair, as well as a win-condition if you have the mana. It makes up for the fact I'm playing roughly a million comes-into-play-tapped lands. I don't need to have answers on curve because it turns out I'm playing Lightning Helixs and Pyroclasm that gains 15 life. Rabblemaster ain't got nothing on me.
Some of you are caring too much about her + ability. After testing my deck I've found that I don't care about hitting or missing with it. I treat her as a 0/7 wall that soaks up damage early game and gives my spells rebound. Her -2 is the only ability that matters honestly. If you want to draw an extra card each turn then it's Chandra, Pyromaster/Outpost Siege you're looking for. But that's not what Narset is good at.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize how broken Temporal Trespass is with Narset. I've been able to take 3-4 turns in a row consistently lol. When you're playing powerful Planeswalkers and Sieges that's WAY more powerful than simply rebounding treasure cruise or dig through time.
edit: Yeah I guess you can't rebound Temporal Trespass. That sucks haha. Sorry I wasn't fully understanding the rebound mechanic.
Some of you are caring too much about her + ability. After testing my deck I've found that I don't care about hitting or missing with it. I treat her as a 0/7 wall that soaks up damage early game and gives my spells rebound. Her -2 is the only ability that matters honestly. If you want to draw an extra card each turn then it's Chandra, Pyromaster/Outpost Siege you're looking for. But that's not what Narset is good at.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize how broken Temporal Trespass is with Narset. I've been able to take 3-4 turns in a row consistently lol. When you're playing powerful Planeswalkers and Sieges that's WAY more powerful than simply rebounding treasure cruise or dig through time.
Wait, how does Temporal Trespass work with Narset? I dont think it can legally rebound. Rebound happens at the end of the resolution process, so spells which are self-exiling (TT)are having that happen as a part of that resolution. So....ya....anyone can confirm that for me?
On topic, i really love using end hostilities with her, it's fun to see the opponent sort of realize their next turn is not going to pan out the way they wanted. Impossible i really love the deck idea, i run a few more creatures (really really want Dragonlord Ojutai to work in it, so far it's working decent), but it's very close to what i would want to run (if i could only get my hands on those grand master's).
Some of you are caring too much about her + ability. After testing my deck I've found that I don't care about hitting or missing with it. I treat her as a 0/7 wall that soaks up damage early game and gives my spells rebound. Her -2 is the only ability that matters honestly. If you want to draw an extra card each turn then it's Chandra, Pyromaster/Outpost Siege you're looking for. But that's not what Narset is good at.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize how broken Temporal Trespass is with Narset. I've been able to take 3-4 turns in a row consistently lol. When you're playing powerful Planeswalkers and Sieges that's WAY more powerful than simply rebounding treasure cruise or dig through time.
Wait, how does Temporal Trespass work with Narset? I dont think it can legally rebound. Rebound happens at the end of the resolution process, so spells which are self-exiling (TT)are having that happen as a part of that resolution. So....ya....anyone can confirm that for me?
On topic, i really love using end hostilities with her, it's fun to see the opponent sort of realize their next turn is not going to pan out the way they wanted. Impossible i really love the deck idea, i run a few more creatures (really really want Dragonlord Ojutai to work in it, so far it's working decent), but it's very close to what i would want to run (if i could only get my hands on those grand master's).
EDIT: I guess I was wrong lol..
"If a spell moves itself into another zone as part of its resolution (as Arc Blade, All Suns' Dawn, and Beacon of Unrest do), rebound won't get a chance to apply."
Some of you are caring too much about her + ability. After testing my deck I've found that I don't care about hitting or missing with it. I treat her as a 0/7 wall that soaks up damage early game and gives my spells rebound. Her -2 is the only ability that matters honestly. If you want to draw an extra card each turn then it's Chandra, Pyromaster/Outpost Siege you're looking for. But that's not what Narset is good at.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize how broken Temporal Trespass is with Narset. I've been able to take 3-4 turns in a row consistently lol. When you're playing powerful Planeswalkers and Sieges that's WAY more powerful than simply rebounding treasure cruise or dig through time.
Wait, how does Temporal Trespass work with Narset? I dont think it can legally rebound. Rebound happens at the end of the resolution process, so spells which are self-exiling (TT)are having that happen as a part of that resolution. So....ya....anyone can confirm that for me?
On topic, i really love using end hostilities with her, it's fun to see the opponent sort of realize their next turn is not going to pan out the way they wanted. Impossible i really love the deck idea, i run a few more creatures (really really want Dragonlord Ojutai to work in it, so far it's working decent), but it's very close to what i would want to run (if i could only get my hands on those grand master's).
EDIT: I guess I was wrong lol..
"If a spell moves itself into another zone as part of its resolution (as Arc Blade, All Suns' Dawn, and Beacon of Unrest do), rebound won't get a chance to apply."
I knew it was too good to be true. ;_;
I'm sure it was brilliant while it lasted though! Lol.
Some of you are caring too much about her + ability. After testing my deck I've found that I don't care about hitting or missing with it. I treat her as a 0/7 wall that soaks up damage early game and gives my spells rebound. Her -2 is the only ability that matters honestly. If you want to draw an extra card each turn then it's Chandra, Pyromaster/Outpost Siege you're looking for. But that's not what Narset is good at.
The so called "impulse drawing" that red gets is ill suited for a control deck, though. Flipping a counter spell is basically the worst. Even if Narset's +1 doesn't always hit (it's about 50/50 not factoring in scry effects) it's still much better when it does hit.
On the subject of the sieges, however, what are people's thoughts on Citadel Siege? I kind of want to try and make room for 2 of them in my main. I really like that they force your opponent to overextend into a sweeper. I don't know if that's good enough to warrant a slot, but I think it's close enough to be tested.
Also I don't know if people have realized this but Soulfire Grand Master and Ojutai's Command enable an infinite chump-blocking situation while also drawing cards or gaining life. Seems pretty sweet.
On the subject of the sieges, however, what are people's thoughts on Citadel Siege? I kind of want to try and make room for 2 of them in my main. I really like that they force your opponent to overextend into a sweeper. I don't know if that's good enough to warrant a slot, but I think it's close enough to be tested.
I've tested Citadel Siege before and have mixed feelings about it. It's great in tempo control/super friends because citadel siege + bounce/freeze spells is like the best protection a planeswalker can ask for. So for example if I want to play defensively I much prefer having Citadel Siege in play than 2-3 tokens. Mostly because of trample and creatures like Anafenza the Foremost. Even if you chumpblock Anafenza with a token, she still gets to pump another guy. But with Citadel Siege you can just tap her before she gets a chance to attack.
I used to play Citadel Siege with Jace. Using the tap ability in the mid game, then in late game I bounced it to my hand to change modes. And the +2/+2 counters is great with Seeker of the Way/Soulfire Grand Master.
I ended up taking Citadel Siege out of my deck because I felt it was awkward at 4cc. Basically it was better to play something like Hordeling Outburst on t3 and a planeswalker on t4. The tempo advantage gained by Citadel Siege is kind of lost if you're playing Narset on t5 instead of t4. Also I'd rather t4 Narset and t5 End Hostilities.
0 Seeker of the Way
0 Soulfire Grand Master
4 Courser of Kruphix
0 Monastery Mentor
1 Dragonlord Ojutai
Spells
0 burn
0 counterspell
0 Treasure Cruise
2 Narset Transcendant
2 Ojutai's Command
4 Outpost Siege
1 Sarkhan Unbroken
0 token generation
2 Wild Slash
1 Flooded Strand
4 Forest
4 Frontier Bivouac
2 Island
2 Mountain
4 Mystic Monastery
1 Plains
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
0 Yavimaya Coast
4 Anger of the Gods
2 Atarka's Command
4 Dromoka's Command
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
If the only things that you're 'splashing' green for are Courser and the new Sarkhan, you're better off sticking with Jeskai colors for added consistency. The requirements call for at least 19 green sources. If you're really insistent on playing 4 colors, Sylvan Caryatid is crucial. Another thing, Outpost Siege plays very poorly with counterspells.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
Narset + Courser is a cute interaction, but the Bant colors don't seem to play well enough together to really justify it. What non-creature spells are you trying to cast in green/white/blue colors? Green doesn't really add anything other than creatures and Kiora. GW is better off playing as the current devotion list that abuses Mastery of the Unseen. UW are control colors. GU Simic isn't even a thing right now. Smashing the three colors together means that there's nothing cohesive going on, no linear gameplan to stick to.
The best color/deck combinations, in no particular order, to realize her potential: Esper control, UW control, Jeskai Aggro, and what's looking better and better, Jeskai tokens.
I already posted a sample list for a 10 creature Jeskai aggro list utilizing her, but here's something even spicier:
2 Wild Slash
4 Dragon Fodder
3 Lightning Strike
4 Raise the Alarm
4 Hordeling Outburst
1 Jeskai Charm
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Treasure Cruise
2 Myth Realized
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
2 Outpost Siege
Planeswalkers
2 Narset Transcendent
Land
4 Mystic Monastery
3 Temple of Triumph
3 Temple of Epiphany
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
2 Plains
2 Mountain
2 Battlefield Forge
2 Shivan Reef
Here's to hoping they don't reprint Thorn of Amethyst
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
I think that the ability to abuse her -2 to rebound a Treasure Cruise, Stoke the Flames, or token generator is just too strong to ignore in the main deck. If you ever played Ascendancy Tokens, you'll find yourself in odd situations where you're able to continuously cycle and draw live spells, but you just run out of mana to play them. Her rebound would help alleviate that problem.
Here's what I put together. I really like Myth Realized since it gives us enough non-creature cards that can attack and it can be sacrificed to Abzan Advantage or Dromoka's Command to protect Jeskai Ascendency:
2x Narset Transcendent
Enchantments (7)
3x Myth Realized
4x Jeskai Ascendency
Token Makers (12)
4x Dragon Fodder
4x Raise the Alarm
4x Hordeling Outburst
3x Wild Slash
4x Lightning Strike
4x Stoke the Flames
4x Treasure Cruise
Lands (24)
4x Mystic Monastery
3x Temple of Triumph
2x Temple of Epiphany
1x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Flooded Strand
2x Battlefield Forge
1x Shivan Reef
2x Plains
3x Mountain
2x Island
3 Soulfire Grand Master
Instants (19)
2 Wild Slash
2 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
4 Anticipate
4 Dissolve
2 Ojutai's Command
1 Mindswipe
3 Anger of the Gods
3 End Hostilities
2 Treasure Cruise
Planeswalkers (4)
2 Narset Transcendent
2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Lands (26)
3 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Plains
1 Battlefield Forge
2 Radiant Fountain
4 Mystic Monastery
4 Temple of Epiphany
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Temple of Triumph
I've done a little testing with this deck so far and I really like how it plays. Anticipate is a huge boon for the deck, and Narset plays really well. In one of my practice games I rebounded Ojutai's Command on Gain 4/Draw, cast another on Gain 4/Counter on my opponent's turn, then had the first rebound on Gain 4/Draw again. Some of the little value plays she enables are just gross, and she even soaks up aggro like a champion.
In all honesty, the Mindswipe shouldn't be in the deck, but it's a personal pet card of mine. I might try it out as a singleton Myth Realized to see how that plays, but I feel like if you're going that route you want to commit and have at least 2-3 in the deck to make sure you get them early and often. That spot could go any number of ways, but it almost certainly shouldn't be Mindswipe -- even if it is hilarious.
The sideboard is in flux right now, but the usual suspects are all there; Erase, Negate, Disdainful Stroke, etc. I think the biggest change I'd make is putting a full set of Swan Song in the board in place of a couple of Negates and Erases. There are just so many powerhouse enchantments running around that I want access to more hate, but they can also come in against control because the bird is basically irrelevant in the face of the massive life gain the deck is capable of.
On a related note, as much as all of us like narset, can we agree that she's not "Ridiculous"? People are heralding this card as a the new Jace tMS. Her presales on Starcity are 50$. All of this is reminiscent of Jace AoT who went from 60$ to 11$ over the cycle of standard. I really want to use narset, but this price point is not justified.
1 Keranos, God of Storms
Spells
2 Myth Realized
3 Anticipate
2 Disdainful Stroke
3 Lightning Strike
2 Negate
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Banishing Light
4 Dissolve
2 Narset Transcendent
3 Ojutai's Command
4 End Hostilities
2 Jace's Ingenuity
3 Dig Through Time
4 Flooded Strand
6 Island
2 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Radiant Fountain
4 Temple of Enlightenment
3 Temple of Epiphany
3 Temple of Triumph
2 Erase
3 Wild Slash
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Negate
2 Suspension Field
3 Arc Lightning
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
She's useless when you're under pressure and double draw spells really seem win more.
I think I'd rather Sorin, Solemn Visitor as at least he can make vamps as a win condition.
Really not impressed in testing simply because of how poorly she performed when you're behind. She doesn't catch you up or slow down the opponent. If you want to look at your top card to find an answer Divination guarantees you a draw, costs 1 less and goes 1 deeper.
This is precisely how I'm feeling after a lot of testing. She's a bit like keranos, in that if you don't already have some way of controlling the game or stabilizing, she's fairly useless-- having no board impact whatsoever and little ability to generate card advantage in a blank-slate game state. The ult isn't so threatening that leaving her unchecked is going to cause table flipping. I've heard a lot of people say you don't want to cast narset on 4. Yet, from my perspective this is pretty much the only good time to cast her, as it ensures you have rebound targets and means of protecting her. She's great at helping lock up the mid-game and stabilizing, but miserable otherwise.
Certainly, she is worse than even Jace, Architect of thought. I wonder if it's possible to go even lower on lands to make her more consistent, given that we have such good filtering right now.
Just tested about 5 games against Jeskai aggro and I've pretty much given up after losing them all.
The last game was Seeker, Rabble, burn, burn dead with Narset on the table. The game before that was more grinding but Jeskai won through a Narset Emblem with Mantis Rider beatdown.
Much of the time I'm staring at my graveyard wishing I had more stuff to delve away. Anticipate might be a better card than Narset at 1% of the cost. That doesn't mean Narset is entirely useless just that rebounding reactive spells, not affecting combat in any way and there being better ways to draw cards than paying 4 to roll a dice on the top card means she just doesn't live up to the price she is being pre-sold at.
You should have access to the new white anti red tech to help you stop the rabble master rush. Nullify to counter their 3 drops, if you got narset down that means you made it to turn 4, so turn 5 you rebound end hostilities if you need to. My initial deck is going to include 4 uw commands with 4 soulfire grandmasters in hopes to survive the early rush from creatures.
Anyway, the deck has ways to deal with rabble master (that new journey to nowhere too), so if you keep losing to that then you might want to adjust your deck a little.
I've only died once with a Narset in play so far, and that was after 5 unfortunate turns of looking at lands of the top of my deck. She could have been anything, bricking on 5 draws in a row is going to lose the game.
nevermind, it's above us.
Splash red or black are the obvious choices.
Red probably has the best early removal. Waiting to get 1BB for Downfall is problematic especially when you can play Soulfire Grand Master and get the synergy from burn lifelink and bring him back with Ojutai's Command.
Narset could be a sideboard card. 2 copies main and bring in 2 more for the slower games.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize how broken Temporal Trespass is with Narset. I've been able to take 3-4 turns in a row consistently lol. When you're playing powerful Planeswalkers and Sieges that's WAY more powerful than simply rebounding treasure cruise or dig through time.
edit: Yeah I guess you can't rebound Temporal Trespass. That sucks haha. Sorry I wasn't fully understanding the rebound mechanic.
Wait, how does Temporal Trespass work with Narset? I dont think it can legally rebound. Rebound happens at the end of the resolution process, so spells which are self-exiling (TT)are having that happen as a part of that resolution. So....ya....anyone can confirm that for me?
On topic, i really love using end hostilities with her, it's fun to see the opponent sort of realize their next turn is not going to pan out the way they wanted. Impossible i really love the deck idea, i run a few more creatures (really really want Dragonlord Ojutai to work in it, so far it's working decent), but it's very close to what i would want to run (if i could only get my hands on those grand master's).
EDIT: I guess I was wrong lol..
"If a spell moves itself into another zone as part of its resolution (as Arc Blade, All Suns' Dawn, and Beacon of Unrest do), rebound won't get a chance to apply."
I knew it was too good to be true. ;_;
I'm sure it was brilliant while it lasted though! Lol.
On the subject of the sieges, however, what are people's thoughts on Citadel Siege? I kind of want to try and make room for 2 of them in my main. I really like that they force your opponent to overextend into a sweeper. I don't know if that's good enough to warrant a slot, but I think it's close enough to be tested.
Also I don't know if people have realized this but Soulfire Grand Master and Ojutai's Command enable an infinite chump-blocking situation while also drawing cards or gaining life. Seems pretty sweet.
I've tested Citadel Siege before and have mixed feelings about it. It's great in tempo control/super friends because citadel siege + bounce/freeze spells is like the best protection a planeswalker can ask for. So for example if I want to play defensively I much prefer having Citadel Siege in play than 2-3 tokens. Mostly because of trample and creatures like Anafenza the Foremost. Even if you chumpblock Anafenza with a token, she still gets to pump another guy. But with Citadel Siege you can just tap her before she gets a chance to attack.
I used to play Citadel Siege with Jace. Using the tap ability in the mid game, then in late game I bounced it to my hand to change modes. And the +2/+2 counters is great with Seeker of the Way/Soulfire Grand Master.
I ended up taking Citadel Siege out of my deck because I felt it was awkward at 4cc. Basically it was better to play something like Hordeling Outburst on t3 and a planeswalker on t4. The tempo advantage gained by Citadel Siege is kind of lost if you're playing Narset on t5 instead of t4. Also I'd rather t4 Narset and t5 End Hostilities.