MTG Salvation

Here's my latest build. I still haven't gotten testing done (damn you Magic Work Station!) but my friends think it's a good deck.

Reborn Martyrs

23 Land
4 Temple Garden
4 Brushland
4 Flagstones of Trokair
2 Vitu-Ghazi the City-Tree
7 Plains
2 Forest

19 Creatures
4 Children of Korlis
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Loxodon Hierarch
4 Soltari Priest
3 Magus of the Disk

8 Recursion
4 Gaea's Blessing
4 Proclamation of Rebirth

8 Other Spells
4 Wrath of God
4 Disenchant

2 Artifacts
2 Thunder Totem

Sideboard

4 Scragnoth
3 Faith's Fetters
3 Paladin en-Vec
3 Sacred Ground
2 Silklash Spider

Quote from Excise

Way to be argumentative. You don't like any of my ideas. Noted.

I like Mummy as a creature type. It's a good fit and is awaiting a return to the scene (after only having 1 or 2 cards.) I can't believe I forget to add it my list of add/remove/obsolete.

I can take your argument about Gypsies, except blue is all about forethought. Not trickery for trickery's sake. Gypsies are close to the land, follow their instincts, and seem green to me. You could put them into red as a stretch, because of red's passion aspect, but I imagine them more instinctual. Plus, it would be a nice grren only type.

Fine, don't like Zealots. I made my case. At least we agree with Ship. Hunter suggested it be artifact only, and i like that, fine.

On the other hand, let's keep the Cows and horses out of future sets. I'll give you Raging Bull as a Cow, but no more, please. Thos mundane types without a meanful history in the game need to be set aside. Remember, I said the Un-types should still exist, but should not be used for regular cards. I guess, if I'll allow Ovinomancer it's Sheep, The bull can be a Cow.

Hmm. I wasn't tryin to be deliberately argumentative. I was just engaging in friendly debate.

I don't really like Zealots, but I wouldn't be upset by their appearance in the game.

While I would like the Raging Bull to stay a Cow (or Cattle as someone else said) I really don't care if there are any more printed. They don't fill some gaping hole in design or anything.

Gypsies are a fine creature type, I'm just not sure they should be green. I'm not sure what color they should be. Maybe they could have green, red, and blue representatives.

Cheers,
rant

I voted Scarab, but I like Gleancrawler, too. The Phantom Wurm may not be a bad idea.

I was going to recommend the spider, too, but I see that you have reasons against him. You should definitely put him in the sideboard.

If BB isn't that difficult for you, what about Avatar of Woe? You may not be able to trick her out for 2, but if you have enough acceleration, she may come down fairly early.

Cheers,
rant

Quote from Doob

Now on to the next step. Anyone been thinking of any type of GW that might be able to spinout and undermine control? As hard as it could be, perhaps there is a card or cards with some potential. Sadly, im looking and not finding any though.

Any ideas?

I haven't really played too much with this deck, but it does interest me. I would make these two suggestions, but I freely admit that I haven't tested them:
Giant Solifuge
Scragnoth

What do you think?

Cheers,
rant

I don't see Gypsies as green. In stories and myth, they are a nomadic people who get by on their wits, soothsaying, trickery, and petty theft. Sounds very blue to me, or perhaps red. Not very green.

I'm not sure that Zealot accomplishes anything that Cleric doesn't already. It wouldn't bother me, but I don't think it is necessary.

I'd like to see Mummies as a specific type of new undead creature. I think that most mummies could regenerate and give creatues that block them -x/-x. Something like that. Mummies are cool.

As much as I love Pirate Ship, Skeleton Ship, and Merchant Ship, ship really doesn't sound like a creature. Ship is an artifact. I don't mind the loss of Ship as a creature type.

I agree with Hunter about Cows. We distinguish Horses, Cats, Hounds, and Bears. Why not Cows? Plus, I'm tired of everything getting lumped into Beast.

Cheers,
rant

Quote from devon

I agree with lossing the hierarch but supply has replacements and SSS is an alt. win which can be found in R/U/W. For mana accel I use lotus bloom. I use a different combo with dovescape, it uses searing med, soul warden and dovescape. It may just be a personal preferance but I like it better.

I accept that and it may very well be a great deck. However, it isn't Glarescape then, and therefore belongs in a different thread. I'm not trying to be snarky or rude. Actually, I'm interested in seeing your list.

SSS is a monster. It has to be answered quickly or the opponent is dead.


And, the question no one has asked yet: How badly is Glarescape hosed by the rotation? We lose Shining Shoal and Yosei. What else? What can replace them?

Cheers,
rant

Quote from neversober13

Definately Get rid of Wrath and Fetters because wrath kills to many of ur creatures and this is creature-based(same for magnus of the disk) and fetters is just no.

Play 4 Flagstones.

Either Enduring Renewal or Gaea's blessing: make a choice.

Maybe play Dryad Sophisticate.

The guildmage is a great idea. It you do this also run Glorious Anthem and make it really creature based.
Good Idea: En-Vec

Maybe Fists of the Ironwood and Moldervine Cloak too.

Serra Enveger might be good. Never tested with it thought.

I think you have some hope. Make it creature based and use pump + Fists and your in good shape.

This is a creature-based deck, but it isn't an aggro deck. It's more of a control deck that stalls out the opponent with the Martyr and the Children. Wrath doesn't effect my guys that much because Proclamation and Gaea's Blessing bring them back. When I get enough mana, I can forecast the Proclamation every turn to bring back Martyr of Sands, gaining 6-9 life each turn.

I think I will cut the Renewal, move Fetters to the board, and add Selesnya Guildmage and Disenchant main. I still have to test, so this is all tentative.

Thanks for the input and keep it coming.

Cheers,
rant

I was looking for Standard decks that I would like to play and that might be competitive in the upcoming Standard season. I started looking at a few white cards and came up with this. Please give me any constructive criticism you can think of, except that I don't want a third color, so don't make suggestions that involve another color.

Reborn Martyrs

24 Land
4 Temple Garden
4 Brushland
2 Flagstones of Trokair
2 Vitu-Ghazi the City-Tree
9 Plains
3 Forest

19 Creatures
4 Children of Korlis
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Loxodon Hierarch
4 Soltari Priest
3 Magus of the Disk

9 Recursion
4 Gaea's Blessing
2 Enduring Renewal
3 Proclamation of Rebirth

8 Other Spells
4 Wrath of God
4 Faiths Fetters

Sideboard
4 Disenchant
4 Scragnoth
3 Paladin en-Vec
2 Sacred Ground
2 Silklash Spider


Here are my questions:
Is this competitive? I haven't tested it at all yet, but I plan to.

The Enduring Renewal started out as a 4-of, but I'm not sure I need it all. I can get my creatures back with the Proclamation and that doesn't hurt my draw. Should I cut the Renewal for another Proclamation and something else?

Faith's Fetters are great against aggro but not so much against most control builds. Should they get replaced? I was thinking of replacing them with Selesnya Guildmage, which can pump my small guys or make tokens.

Run Disenchant main? If so, what gets cut?

Do either Mystic Enforcer or Serra Avenger have a place in this deck?

All help is appreciated. Thank you.

Cheers,
rant

I like this build, except for Pride of the Clouds and the lack of the Arbiter. Arbiter really helps get the Dovescape down and slows the opponent. I would cut the Pride, Azorius Guildmage, and 1 Fetters for 3 copies of the Arbiter.

In the board, I'd advise Ivory Mask. It prevents discard and direct burn.

Cheers,
rant

Quote from Excise

Rantipole: It doesn’t matter how close Salamanders are to Lizards. Of course they are Amphibians. If WotC wanted they could remove Frog and Salamander and Alligator and Crocodile and just make Lizards and Amphibians. But they aren’t going to do that. When they changed Mirage for MTGO, they made Pyric Salamander a Lizard. I just think that in order to keep the original concept, they should be Elemental Lizards.

Eeeh. That bothers me. If they want salamanders (speaking of the fire spirits) to be elementals, they should call them elementals. If they are actually talking about the amphibians, they should just call them salamanders. I understand that creature types cannot reflect the real world too closely, but somethings don't make sense. I think the problem with the salamanders in particular is that they have made them into some amalgam of the amphibians and the fire spirits. Given that, I think just leaving them as salamanders probably works best. Not every creature needs to be shoehorned into a large type. I'm fine with some creature types having only a few members.

Lurker could very well be a yeti. I was going to suggest that, but I wasn't sure moving yeti into green was a good idea. Still, I'd be happy with Lurker being a yeti.

If the choice is to move Whales to Leviathans or Fish, I say phooey on that and make them Beasts. That wouldn't bother me too much. I'd still rather they remain Whales.

And, I ask yet again, when will the harpies be harpies?

Cheers,
rant

Quote from Excise

Salamander should be consolidated to Lizard, however the concept they represented should be held by making them Elemental Lizards. Salamanders were originally introduced in Magic because they are one of the old elemental creatures, like Gnomes, Sylphs and that other one, I can’t remember. (If you’d like more info on this I suggest reading Alexander Pope satirical work, “The Rape of the Lock.”)

OK, salamanders are not even close to being lizards. If you want to logically consolidate them with anything, the closest thing would be Frogs. I don't think we need to consolidate everything. Let the Salamanders stand.

I know Sharks aren’t really Fish, but if that type is going to have any legs at all, (no pun intended,) it needs to encompass a compelling concept. And sharks are a compelling concept.

Sharks are indeed fish. They are the group of fish (along with the rays) called cartilagenous fishes. I have no problem with sharks being fish or sharks remaining sharks. Either way works for me.

Whale needs to be consolidated into Leviathans. Leviathans and whales are basically synonymous. I would much rather they were Leviathans than Fish, or had their own type

Well, the terms have been used synonymously, but I think that in Magic a distinction has been made. If you look at Leviathan or Grozoth, it's difficult to believe those creatures are whales. I think whales can stand on their own as a distinct creature type.

Cheers,
rant

I am also pro-dinosaur. Pygmy Allosaurus is lonely! The dinosaur type is a completely unmined design resource.

On that topic, a prehistoric block could be really interesting. Wouldn't have good artifacts, but the creatures could be badass.

Cheers,
rant

Hunter,

Your post was pretty well reasoned. I have just a few disagreements. I do think that Ants should probably become Insects (damn you Giant Solifuge! You are not an insect!). All Toads should become Frogs, which sits well with my inner herpetologist.

Shyft should either remain a shyft or become an illusion.
Werebear should be a lycanthrope druid.
Keldon Vandals should be Human Berserkers or Human Barbarians.
Hungry Mist should not be an Illusion. It doesn't fit the flavor and Illusion is not a green creature type. I think it should be an Elemental or possibly a Spirit.
Lurker is a difficult one. It can't be a Horror, because that is a creature type that should be reserved for Black. It's hard to tell what the Lurker really is. If I had to give it a creature type, I'd make it a Wiitigo, I think. Maybe the best bet is to just call it a Lurker.

Lastly, I don't like Scientist as a new class. I think that Advisor serves the game better and detracts less from the fantasy flavor.

Cheers,
rant

Quote from devon

Alright I have been testing for a while and Now I have learned to drop green and run red. It has tested great! Getting lighning helix, electrolyse, and brightflame sound GREAT! to me. Any comments?

Hmm...not sure losing Hierarch, Supply, SSS, and the mana acceleration is worth it. You also lose the Glare which is huge in this deck. Taking out the green and adding red make this a completely different deck.

Cheers,
rant

For the love of the universe, they better errata the harpies to be harpies! That was one of the stupidest creature-type gaffs ever.

I do hope that some unique creature types remain, but overall I think the consolidation and overhaul will be a good thing. I think Shyft makes sense as an illusion, but I wouldn't mind if it stayed a shyft. Uncle Istvan is definitely a human. Abomination doesn't really need to be anything else.

And yea! for more merfolk.

Cheers,
rant