I honestly like a healthy balanced meta with all kinds of decks and strategies. Stax, group hug, and chaos requires you to think outside of the norm for your deck and adapt, and that is good. Control is my favorite kind of deck to play, and I love playing against it. Trying to read a control player and answer their answers is a blast in my opinion. Agro keeps thing honest and punish slow stops and over costed nonsense. And ramp/reanimator is the norm in commander. What's to hate? And while overpowered combo decks for their meta aren't fun, but combo forces you to pack answers and that is good.
The real problem isn't with a particular deck strategy it is with an unbalanced power level. I play at more than one LGS, and I play at home with friends and the power level is way different with these different metas. If I take my more competitive decks to my home play group of mostly poor and new players, it doesn't matter which style I play no one will have fun as the winner is determined at the start. If I play the precons I play at home, at the most competitive LGS I play at, I won't have fun as I would be dead to start. Power level is more important that deck strategy in regards to the fun in the game in my not so humble opinion.
I voted for the record fo combo. It is the least interactive and interaction is what I love about Magic. Plus some combos are so slow and durdle quite a while before they win. I think combo is needed in the meta but in my opinion it is the least fun to play against and with. For the record I do play a few different combo decks myself.
I will never understand all the whining about deck types. In an ideal world there would be decks of all types in a meta forcing adaption and thought. If any one type of deck becomes to common play becomes boring. Bring on stax, MLD, chaos, group hug, control, aggro, combo, ramp, reanimation, tempo, pillow fort, synergy decks, good stuff, and any off the way deck some mad deck builder can build. AS long as the power levels are somewhat balanced things should be fun.
That is simply not possible. Storm Crow is the second most powerful card in magic behind Island! Why is Storm Crow so busted and powerful? Well because of Storm Crow of course. It is that simple. Storm Crow rules!
I do not know how I overlooked Sunken Ruins. I even own a copy. Thanks. It will make its way into my deck. Cascade Bluffs and the non-shock, non-original duals are already in the deck.
The problem with running Flood Plain, Bad River, Rocky Tar Pit and Mountain Valley with the non-shock, non-original duals is takes two turns to get at the mana early game when it is most needed. If you aren't fetching duals I prefer Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse, as I own them. Well I do own a copies of Bad River and Rocky Tar Pit but in my opinion when I fetched a dual two turns was far to long to wait to use it most of the time, so I took them out. I am thinking about buying Blood Crypt, Steam Vents and Watery Grave. If I do I will revisit the tapped fetches.
Shadowmage Infiltrator does some real work in the deck often drawing me 5 or more card before a sweeper kills it. No one uses removal to kill it as its damage is so minor and it never "combos off" like many of my creatures. My other, on paper better, draw creatures tend to die a whole lot as every piece of removal heads their way, and there's plenty of targeted removal in my metta.
My metta is also heavy on large creatures with multiple vulton style decks running around. Separatist Voidmage has saved me many of games by after the first time using a creature like the separatist to "capsize" there one touch death machine to their hand they look elsewhere while I have mana up.
You are probably right about Riptide Director. I will think about its slot in my deck. It tends to die before I ever use it, even once, and it does cost a lot to do its thing. My deck could find better things to do with its mana. Like sack a Lich Lord of Unx created zombie wizard to Voidmage Prodigy counter something that could cause me issues.
Here is what I really like about your deck that is missing in mine, Volrath's Stronghold. I will have to find a home for it. And you are right about Trinket mage and Trophy mage. I will likely find a home for them as well. I will think a bit about what to cut.
OK new deck list up. Added several targets for Trinket mage to find. Also added a way to win minus going infinite in Docent of Perfection and when it comes out I am going to add Vanquisher's Banner as with Riptide Director out I am in need of another way to draw a few extra cards. There are a few small changes here in there as well.
I am no longer looking forward to this set. I am not a fan of ether flip cards nor vehicles and this set prolongs them in standard and puts the both in the same draft format. Boo.I especially dislike flip cards. They tell everyone exactly what you are drafting, add logistic issues of hunting down enough flip cards or buying sleeves, and slow game play by having to take them out of sleeves to flip them. I really dislike the fact they are back
Next, Wizards with intriguing tap abilities are decent since they get to activate immediately due to her granting haste - Arcanis, the Omnipotent is the big one I think,
That won't work, I doublechecked on the rules question forum a few days ago. The legend rule kills your Arcanis copy before you can make use of it. Unless you mean to sac the original but then you just spend 7 mana on a Concentrate so that's probably not what you mean
It might be given Arcanis is part of a few nasty combos that just end the game. If the game state in my being built Inalla deck was right I would do just that as I would be using that 7 mana "Concentrate" as I will be using it over and over till I win the game.
This is a deck I brewed with cards I already have and the commander 2017 deck Arcane Wizardry that I pre-ordered. I am starting to play with a more competitive group and need a new deck. This is what I have at this time but I am willing to put another $30 or so into it at this time and will likely be looking to tweak it out a bit over time. Any Ideas on how to make this deck better? I am a bit worried about the mana base given the need to cast blue spells requiring UUUU and red and black spells costing RR and BB as well. Do you think the mana base will be stable enough? So what do you think of the deck over all?
Well in your case the problem is easy to fix, if Eldrazi with annihilator are the issue, run more removel. Most of them die to common easy to find removal like Terror, Swords to Plowshares, or auras that nurture them like pacifism, or just counter them. Most colors have access to flexible answers to said problem that are cheap to buy. It isn't like creatures with annihilator are cheap to cast. That is the answer to anything legal in commander with annihilator.
But I sense the real problem is power level. One player ether is a better player or has a much more powerful deck, making games unfun, more than the the simple issue of the mechanic of annihilator. It is a real problem. I am on the other side of the issue.
I have friends I play commander with. They are intelligent and fun to be around, but they just aren't good at magic and their decks just aren't good.I love magic. I love hanging with these people, but winning most if not all games unless it becomes the table vs my deck is not fun for anyone. I now save the decks I build for games with another group and play premade commander decks with them. I still have the power edge but it is more fun for all.
So one of three things needs to happen to fix this power or skill differential. First and best, your group needs to up your game. Annihilator is hardly unbeatable. Add more removal that can kill those big Eldrazi if annihilator is giving you and your group fits. Learn what makes his decks work and build decks that have ways to deal with it. I say this is the best answer as it will make you a better player and it is 100% in your fiends and your control.
The second, is have the new player play lower power decks. This is what I did in the reverse situation.This may be the best situation if there is huge insurmountable differences. As a well established player with a large collection and years of experience, it is unlikely my friends who were both newer to the game and lacking the card options I had to quickly catch up. So I powered down to a level more fair place, and more fun for all. Best part is my friends are growing as players and I think soon I will be able to start powering up again.
The third and in my opinion the worst option is to have someone move on. You can find different people to play with. You could exclude the new guy by not playing with him, or by ganging up on him and making it unfun for him. But I feel this is likely going to diminish you as a player and remove opportunities for friendship. It isn't like the guy is a jerk or anything right?
When power levels don't match well it isn't any one person's fault. Just communicate and often solutions can be had. Maybe blend answers to the problem
It will be exciting to see what tokens they will print. I hope they will do lots of universal ones, like regular elves and goblins, saprolings, 3/3 beasts and stuff like that, but my gut tells me they will do stuff from the latest set. Ragavan tokens and eternalized Dreamstealer will not be as well received as thopters and 2/2 zombies, that's for sure. 99% of people who get blue/red insect tokens with flying might as well get a nicer bookmark.
They have stated it will be for the current set during the season so only if 2/2 zombies is a thing in Ixalan are we going to get 2/2 zombie tokens in its season. Your Gut is telling you exactly what they said the tokens will be only from the last set. So if you want saprolings better hope something makes them in Ixalan.
I do miss blocking. The lack of incentive to block as a rule makes limited control builds difficult. I am a control player at heart and early defencive creatures are key to a limited control deck. Blocking is how limited control survives till the late game where it has the advantage. Given all the recent combat keywords favor the attacker, blocking effectively or even trading is much, much less common. And lets be honest anything with a toughness less than 4 is useless as a blocker as many, many 2 drops now swing for 3. This hurts control, doubly so because because in Hour of devastation and Amonkhet there is only 4 common/uncommon creatures that have a toughness of 4 or greater for that same two mana. If 2 drops can attack for 3 turn 3 that just is not enough.
I seen it used very effectively in a midrange/control R/B/U deck that ran a few Traveler's amulet, a few Crash Through, and at least one Proven Combatant. But the other times I have seen it, Imminent Doom has just been awful. I think in most decks that card is a solid "F", but if you're lucky to find the right support it is a solid "B+". Only a "B+" as it is almost always awful late game. The power is there it is just really hard to pull off effectively in limited. I would take a chance on it if I was in red and it was mid to late in the pack. I would not draft around it, and would cut it far more that play it BUT if the one drops was there, and if I wasn't strictly aggro, I would be very happy to play it.
The real problem isn't with a particular deck strategy it is with an unbalanced power level. I play at more than one LGS, and I play at home with friends and the power level is way different with these different metas. If I take my more competitive decks to my home play group of mostly poor and new players, it doesn't matter which style I play no one will have fun as the winner is determined at the start. If I play the precons I play at home, at the most competitive LGS I play at, I won't have fun as I would be dead to start. Power level is more important that deck strategy in regards to the fun in the game in my not so humble opinion.
I voted for the record fo combo. It is the least interactive and interaction is what I love about Magic. Plus some combos are so slow and durdle quite a while before they win. I think combo is needed in the meta but in my opinion it is the least fun to play against and with. For the record I do play a few different combo decks myself.
I will never understand all the whining about deck types. In an ideal world there would be decks of all types in a meta forcing adaption and thought. If any one type of deck becomes to common play becomes boring. Bring on stax, MLD, chaos, group hug, control, aggro, combo, ramp, reanimation, tempo, pillow fort, synergy decks, good stuff, and any off the way deck some mad deck builder can build. AS long as the power levels are somewhat balanced things should be fun.
The problem with running Flood Plain, Bad River, Rocky Tar Pit and Mountain Valley with the non-shock, non-original duals is takes two turns to get at the mana early game when it is most needed. If you aren't fetching duals I prefer Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse, as I own them. Well I do own a copies of Bad River and Rocky Tar Pit but in my opinion when I fetched a dual two turns was far to long to wait to use it most of the time, so I took them out. I am thinking about buying Blood Crypt, Steam Vents and Watery Grave. If I do I will revisit the tapped fetches.
Again thanks for the ideas.
Shadowmage Infiltrator does some real work in the deck often drawing me 5 or more card before a sweeper kills it. No one uses removal to kill it as its damage is so minor and it never "combos off" like many of my creatures. My other, on paper better, draw creatures tend to die a whole lot as every piece of removal heads their way, and there's plenty of targeted removal in my metta.
My metta is also heavy on large creatures with multiple vulton style decks running around. Separatist Voidmage has saved me many of games by after the first time using a creature like the separatist to "capsize" there one touch death machine to their hand they look elsewhere while I have mana up.
And Lich Lord of Unx with Voidmage Prodigy often forms a soft lock on my most dangerous win from nowhere opponents. Plus he works really well with Galecaster Colossus, Azami, Lady of Scrolls, Nin, the Pain Artist, Patron Wizard, Riptide Director, Information Dealer, Patron Wizardand a cast Inalla, Archmage Ritualist. Can you honestly ask more out of a three mana creature?
You are probably right about Riptide Director. I will think about its slot in my deck. It tends to die before I ever use it, even once, and it does cost a lot to do its thing. My deck could find better things to do with its mana. Like sack a Lich Lord of Unx created zombie wizard to Voidmage Prodigy counter something that could cause me issues.
Here is what I really like about your deck that is missing in mine, Volrath's Stronghold. I will have to find a home for it. And you are right about Trinket mage and Trophy mage. I will likely find a home for them as well. I will think a bit about what to cut.
OK new deck list up. Added several targets for Trinket mage to find. Also added a way to win minus going infinite in Docent of Perfection and when it comes out I am going to add Vanquisher's Banner as with Riptide Director out I am in need of another way to draw a few extra cards. There are a few small changes here in there as well.
What wizards do you find iffy?
Wanderwine Prophets+ Inalla, Archmage Ritualist+ Rogue's Passage+ 12 mana= nearly infinite turns
Bloodline Necromancer+ Ashnod's Altar or Phyrexian Altar+ Inalla, Archmage Ritualist= Infinite wizard recursion, infinite Bloodline Necromancer hasty tokens and with Ashnod's Altar infinite colorless mana. wizards with ETB effects can be looped
Changeling Berserker+ Ashnod's Altar or Phyrexian Altar+ any ETB effect wizard= equal infinite ETB triggers, with Ashnod's Altar+ Inalla, Archmage Ritualist you also get infinite hasty tokens and colorless mana.
Laboratory Maniac+ Mind Over Matter+ Arcanis the Omnipotent or Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind or Azami, Lady of Scrolls= alternate win condition.
Ghostly Flicker+ Gilded Lotus+ Archaeomancer+ Ashnod's Altar+ Inalla, Archmage Ritualist= Infinite sorcery and instant recursion and infinite Archaeomancer hasty tokens.
more minor but key combo
Inalla, Archmage Ritualist+ Sundial of the Infinite= I get to keep the tokens if the wizard came into play on my turn.
CMC
0=1
1=2
2=13
3=19
4=10
5=9
6=5
7=3
Average=3.54
Lands=38
creatures=31+commander
instants=9
sorceries=4
enchantments=3
artifacts=14
Card draw=11
ramp=9
1 Inalla, Archmage Ritualist
Wizards (32)
1 Metallic Mimic
1 Laboratory Maniac
1 Galecaster Colossus
1 Bloodline Necromancer
1 Changeling Berserker
1 AEther Adept
1 Anathemancer
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Archaeomancer
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Barrin, Master Wizard
1 Ertai, Wizard Adept
1 Havengul Lich
1 Information Dealer
1 Lich Lord of Unx
1 Trophy mage
1 Mercurial Chemister
1 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
1 Patron Wizard
1 Trinket mage
1 Sage of Fables
1 Nin, the Pain Artist
1 Separatist Voidmage
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Thalakos Deceiver
1 Voidmage Prodigy
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
1 Shadowmage Infiltrator
1 Wanderwine Prophets
1 Vedalken Aethermage
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Docent of Perfection
1 Vanquisher's Banner
1 Kindred Discovery
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Mind Over Matter
1 Sundial of the Infinite
1 Herald's Horn
1 Vedalken Orrery
1 Crystal Shard
1 Ghostly Flicker
Tutors (2)
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
Control (8)
1 Terminate
1 Kindred Dominance
1 Crosis's Charm
1 Disallow
1 Silumgar's Command
1 Damnation
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Hero's Downfall
Mana rocks/ mana sack outlets (10)
1 Astral Cornucopia
1 Chromatic Lantern
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Dimir Signet
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Izzet Signet
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Sol Ring
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
lands (37)
6 Island
2 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Great Furnace
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Path of Ancestry
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Vault of Whispers
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Ifnir Deadlands
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Spirebluff Canal
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Sunken Hollow
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Fetid Pools
1 Canyon Slough
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Lotus Vale
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Sunken Ruins
This is a deck I brewed with cards I already have and the commander 2017 deck Arcane Wizardry that I pre-ordered. I am starting to play with a more competitive group and need a new deck. This is what I have at this time but I am willing to put another $30 or so into it at this time and will likely be looking to tweak it out a bit over time. Any Ideas on how to make this deck better? I am a bit worried about the mana base given the need to cast blue spells requiring UUUU and red and black spells costing RR and BB as well. Do you think the mana base will be stable enough? So what do you think of the deck over all?
But I sense the real problem is power level. One player ether is a better player or has a much more powerful deck, making games unfun, more than the the simple issue of the mechanic of annihilator. It is a real problem. I am on the other side of the issue.
I have friends I play commander with. They are intelligent and fun to be around, but they just aren't good at magic and their decks just aren't good.I love magic. I love hanging with these people, but winning most if not all games unless it becomes the table vs my deck is not fun for anyone. I now save the decks I build for games with another group and play premade commander decks with them. I still have the power edge but it is more fun for all.
So one of three things needs to happen to fix this power or skill differential. First and best, your group needs to up your game. Annihilator is hardly unbeatable. Add more removal that can kill those big Eldrazi if annihilator is giving you and your group fits. Learn what makes his decks work and build decks that have ways to deal with it. I say this is the best answer as it will make you a better player and it is 100% in your fiends and your control.
The second, is have the new player play lower power decks. This is what I did in the reverse situation.This may be the best situation if there is huge insurmountable differences. As a well established player with a large collection and years of experience, it is unlikely my friends who were both newer to the game and lacking the card options I had to quickly catch up. So I powered down to a level more fair place, and more fun for all. Best part is my friends are growing as players and I think soon I will be able to start powering up again.
The third and in my opinion the worst option is to have someone move on. You can find different people to play with. You could exclude the new guy by not playing with him, or by ganging up on him and making it unfun for him. But I feel this is likely going to diminish you as a player and remove opportunities for friendship. It isn't like the guy is a jerk or anything right?
When power levels don't match well it isn't any one person's fault. Just communicate and often solutions can be had. Maybe blend answers to the problem