As you can see my SB is really in poor shape. I am anticipating a LOT of green and I actually thought about Smite the Monstrous even though it is slower than I'd like. That said I get a surprising amount of ramp with Drum so it might work. Yet another idea is to just sweep with End Hostilities (though I don't like what it does to our game plan) or even Clever Impersonator for some muscle.
Altar of the Brood could definitely work. It is not a 2cmc card so it is ironically harder to get, but like other cards could be tossed in for redundancy. This card, unlike Bitter Ordeal does not target, but cannot get around Eldrazi recycling.
Yes, according to the collection numbers on the cards that are posted here on MTGSalvation it looks like all of the artifacts are spoiled.
Thanks!
It seems a pity that 5 of the artifact slots were used up for 'wedge clue stones', veritable limited fodder. The clue stones were barely worth running in limited in RTR, the banners will see a bit more play due to wedges, but getting 2 cards for URW and sacrificing the banner would have made them more appealing for both limited and constructed.
I still like Myr Superion as a beater for the synergy it already has with the deck, but if they print a delve creature bigger than Tombstalker it will be worth a look!
Due to heartless summoning, having 6+ toughness is important as it allows you to overcome even the dreaded Tarmogoyf.
I'm primarily a Modern player, so forgive if this is off-base, but is a 4-card "combo" that wins off of creature damage in the combat step seems slow and crazy easy to disrupt.
It is a 4 element combo, but the combo can be reduced to 2 required cards, Jeskai Ascendancy +Retraction Helix then the remaining elements are [Any Creature] and [Any 0-CMC non-creature permanent]. Astral Cornucopia and Tormod's Crypt will be in standard along with Briber's Purse giving us potential redundancy.
If there was another way to repeatedly return a card to your hand in standard we could make this an actual combo. It's worth noting that this generates a storm count as well.
This might warrant it's own thread depending on how things shake out.
I found room for Myr Superion as 1 or more 4/5 creatures on turn 2 can win games by itself. It can also buy time and draw resources away from disrupting our combo at a fairly minimal cost (free to cast with Heartless summoning, just takes up deck slots). A Myr retriever can also recycle one if the opponent destroys it. If an opponent an opponent plays Leyline of the Void or gets rest in peace past your counters, find these guys instead of assembling the combo.
I prefer Purphoros, God of the Forge as a win condition over grapeshot because it can be dropped in advance to leave mana open for counterspells. 'Inactive' gods are very hard for opponents to remove, so it can often be played without fear of removal. It can also play around anti-combo cards like Angel's Grace, Phyrexian Unlife, etc.
I have a fairly budget manabase of shocklands, buddylands and scars lands and gemstone mines. If you have a more expensive and consistent landbase go for it.
My sideboard is still a work in progress.
It is worth noting that for double the CMC, Krark-Clan Ironworks can replace heartless in the combo. Semblance Anvil + Marsh Casualties can almost replace heartless with 2 cards. I see no way to replicate the effect of heartless summoning without some cost, so Noxious revival is worth considering if you expect to see any Abrupt decay.
This deck is a lot of fun and is a lot more consistent than other combo decks I have played with.
There were a few lists earlier on in the thread that used them, but those users didn't much in the way of playtest or play results.
When I was focused heavier on a midrange-friendly plan with Trading Post and Prophetic Prism, chief engineer was invaluable for enabling draw and allowing me to hold up mana for counters/burn while still progressing my board.
If your list doesn't run enough artifacts then chief engineer isn't worth using. He is effectively an artifact mana dork or a blocker similar to Sylvan Caryatid. If you don't need either of those then look for another card.
If you are going to replace the chief then I recommend a threat or possibly an answer, but Omenspeaker is neither of those. I think Frostburn weird and/or Thassa, God of the Sea would be better replacements. It might even be a good spot for Sarkhan, Dragonspeaker.
Anyone tried Dragonshift for some cuteness? Then again there might not be that many creature on your side of the battlefield at certain times.
It is comparable to Hour of Need, which I prefer. You could sacrifice a Generator Servant to hit the overload cost if you have enough goblins, weenies, etc to make it worthwhile, but HoN can make 3 4/4 flyers for the overload cost and blank removal in the process. If 3x 4/4 flyers isn't enough to win then you need a different answer entirely!
If you plan on running Spellheart Chimera, I would suggest starting with a list closer to Sheepz' list than the basic list. The Chief, Servant, and Scuttles package would need to be culled for enough spells to fuel Your flying goat of doom.
Goblin Rabblemaster, if left unanswered, wins the game by itself. The tokens pile up quickly and every point of life matters when you can shrapnel blast for 5+ damage (11 threatened). Chump blocking a token is often the +1 damage you need to clear a creature off the field, Lightning Strike +1 or Stoke the Flames +1 makes an opponent think twice about chump blocking a goblin.
Having multiple cards that threaten to close the game takes the pressure off of the others. I played a mono-white opponent who used 2 banishing lights on 2 Goblin Rabblemasters and did not have one when Scuttling Doom Engine came inevitably crashing down on them.
You don't need to pay the additional cost of shrapnel blast for the additional copies of it if it is being copied by howl of the horde (going off how twincast works copying shrapnel blast).
Shrapnel blast was already a great finisher, and now it is even better! This also makes Divination and any cantrip we get from Khans fairly strong. Something like Wild guess would be phenomenal!
Have you considered stoke the flames instead of, or in addition to magma jet?
It seems a pity that 5 of the artifact slots were used up for 'wedge clue stones', veritable limited fodder. The clue stones were barely worth running in limited in RTR, the banners will see a bit more play due to wedges, but getting 2 cards for URW and sacrificing the banner would have made them more appealing for both limited and constructed.
Due to heartless summoning, having 6+ toughness is important as it allows you to overcome even the dreaded Tarmogoyf.
If there was another way to repeatedly return a card to your hand in standard we could make this an actual combo. It's worth noting that this generates a storm count as well.
This might warrant it's own thread depending on how things shake out.
2x Blackcleave Cliffs
2x Blood Crypt
2x Darkslick Shores
2x Drowned Catacomb
4x Gemstone Mine
2x Island
1x Mountain
2x Steam Vents
2x Sulfur Falls
1x Swamp
2x Watery Grave
4x Heartless Summoning
4x Myr Retriever
3x Purphoros, God of the Forge
2x Grapeshot
Dig (14)
4x Muddle the Mixture
4x Mulldrifter
2x Izzet Charm
2x Serum Visions
2x Dimir Infiltrator
4x Myr Superion
4x Remand
3x Mana Leak
I found room for Myr Superion as 1 or more 4/5 creatures on turn 2 can win games by itself. It can also buy time and draw resources away from disrupting our combo at a fairly minimal cost (free to cast with Heartless summoning, just takes up deck slots). A Myr retriever can also recycle one if the opponent destroys it. If an opponent an opponent plays Leyline of the Void or gets rest in peace past your counters, find these guys instead of assembling the combo.
I prefer Purphoros, God of the Forge as a win condition over grapeshot because it can be dropped in advance to leave mana open for counterspells. 'Inactive' gods are very hard for opponents to remove, so it can often be played without fear of removal. It can also play around anti-combo cards like Angel's Grace, Phyrexian Unlife, etc.
I have a fairly budget manabase of shocklands, buddylands and scars lands and gemstone mines. If you have a more expensive and consistent landbase go for it.
My sideboard is still a work in progress.
It is worth noting that for double the CMC, Krark-Clan Ironworks can replace heartless in the combo.
Semblance Anvil + Marsh Casualties can almost replace heartless with 2 cards. I see no way to replicate the effect of heartless summoning without some cost, so Noxious revival is worth considering if you expect to see any Abrupt decay.
This deck is a lot of fun and is a lot more consistent than other combo decks I have played with.
Welcome to the fray Bloodstained Hero. What is dead may never die!
When I was focused heavier on a midrange-friendly plan with Trading Post and Prophetic Prism, chief engineer was invaluable for enabling draw and allowing me to hold up mana for counters/burn while still progressing my board.
If your list doesn't run enough artifacts then chief engineer isn't worth using. He is effectively an artifact mana dork or a blocker similar to Sylvan Caryatid. If you don't need either of those then look for another card.
If you are going to replace the chief then I recommend a threat or possibly an answer, but Omenspeaker is neither of those. I think Frostburn weird and/or Thassa, God of the Sea would be better replacements. It might even be a good spot for Sarkhan, Dragonspeaker.
Having multiple cards that threaten to close the game takes the pressure off of the others. I played a mono-white opponent who used 2 banishing lights on 2 Goblin Rabblemasters and did not have one when Scuttling Doom Engine came inevitably crashing down on them.
20 lands is too few even with 4 Springleaf drums.
Illusory Angels will get stuck in your hand most games. You either get it out on time (potentially delaying an ornithopter drop) or it sits in your hand with a scuttling doom engine. Phyrexian Revokers will either be great or be terrible, I like them in the sideboard if at all.
The deck needs some other palpable threat and/or protection otherwise you will be dead in the water when (not if) your ensoul artifact or scuttling doom engine get shut down. I like Goblin Rabblemaster and Hour of Need.
Separate note; Ghostfire blade!!!
They will fear our Ornithopters even more!
Keep Scuttling my friend!