Value engine/synergy deck featuring runes. Cost reduction (Runeforge Champion / Transcendent Envoy / Birgi, God of Storytelling) combined with card draw (Setessan Champion / Harnfel, Horn of Bounty) lets us play Runes cheaply (if we have two cost reduction, they're free letting us draw our entire deck). The power of the deck isn't the combo, but rather that any individual combo piece is still strong on its own.
A huge puzzle piece missing in variations of this combo is Enigmatic Incarnation, which tutors (almost) every creature in the deck, every turn, which includes every combo piece! Or against grindy deck, it can just make a 2/3 (Runeforge Champion) + draw a card every turn. Easily the best card in the deck.
In Mythic testing, the deck has posted above average results, and it's been played to good finishes by some streamers.
I discovered this combo in Historic which deals infinite damage with just Vannifar + any 1 mana creature. Easy enough, but the actual process of winning with the combo is exceedingly complicated so please refer to my detailed guide on Tappedout.
I currently hold one of the top ranks in MTG Arena from playing this deck; the BO1 list holds 75% winrate while the BO3 holds 65%. These lists have undergone hundreds of games of testing, but ideas are always appreciated.
You might've seen these lists recently featured and played by some streamers.
Yeah, it's a good idea! Maybe just 8ish Mountains would be enough.
There's also Noxious Revival, but I suspect it's winmore because the only time it's better than a do-nothing free spell is when you have double Manamorphose, but then your storm count is high anyways.
If left unchecked, most Modern decks can win (or gain overwhelming card advantage, in the case of disruptive decks) around turn 4. If an all-in combo deck can only do that in the best case scenario, that's pretty questionable. Have you tried playtesting with a simulator and seeing how early your deck typically wins?
The first problem I see is that you can't win without Lotus Bloom (the only alternative is double Mox Tantalite + Reshapes). That already caps your win rate at 53% assuming all your other cards are perfect every time. Naturally this will happen if you're trying to cast 6 and 7 mana spells with 12 mana sources. Why not play rituals?
This is related to the second problem. You can't afford to play 22 disruption spells in a combo deck. What's the point of protecting your combo when most of the time you even don't have one?
I wonder if the addition of 2-3 Gut Shots would be valuable.
The most common way to interact with this combo would be to target Myriad, before the storm/replicate trigger resolves. This would fizzle the copies, leaving us with only 8 tokens (the trigger from our initial storm spell + their spell). 8 tokens isn't enough to win through 2 blockers. But if we respond with a Gut Shot, this creates 12 tokens, which wins through virtually any number of blockers played on curve.
Plus Gut Shot is always just good for upping our storm count and bolting the bird.
Thanks! Those are good thoughts, but I have no idea how we would work Myriad into the Gifts storm build.
Gifts storm wants rituals, a mana reducer, a Gifts Ungiven in hand; and 2+ Past in Flames and 2+ storm cards in deck. Myriad storm wants rituals and a storm/replicate card in hand. So pretty much the only overlap would be rituals.
Playing Gifts, we already win deterministically with our choice of Empty the Warrens or Grapeshot, so there's no reason to add Myriad, which does the same as Empty but is more susceptible to counterspells and removal. And Baral/Electromancer are "strictly" worse than extra rituals/Simian Spirit Guide/Wild Cantor with Myriad/Empty because we only need 4 or 5 mana to go off, so they never reduce the number of cards to combo, can't go off turn 1/2, and reduce our storm count.
The main advantages Myriad has over Gifts storm is removing the tutor package, resisting kill spells, not needing the grave, and being more synergistic with Empty the Warrens, Aria of Flame, and cheating in things like Chandra and Blood Moon. These are incompatible with playing the Gifts package. Meanwhile, Gifts is more consistent because with enough mana, Gifts can win the game alone, and because they play more cantrips.
In some unusual cases, Vastwood Hydra will have enough -1/-1 counters put on it to make its toughness 0 or less...the ability will still distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra before the -1/-1 counters were put on it.
This is because the +1/+1 and -1/-1 counter annihilation (704.5r) and 0 toughness death (704.5f) are state-based actions. State-based actions happen simultaneously (704.3). If an object no longer exists, its last known state is used to determine effects (413.2f). The last known state of Grakmaw was BEFORE the -1/-1 counters were placed. Therefore, the number of +1/+1 counters BEFORE annihilation is used to determine the outcome.
At this point, two triggers go on the stack at the same time, the storm and the sacrifice triggers. As the controller, you get to choose the order, so put storm trigger on top.
Stack: Top>SXG>Bottom (where S is storm trigger, X is sacrifice trigger, G is Ground Rift)
Storm resolves creating 4 copies which go on the stack and trigger 4 more sacrifices. Put in arbitrary order.
Stack: Top>XXXXGGGGXG>Bottom
Rules
Once we've put the triggers on the stack, it doesn't matter that the Ground Rifts fizzle because all the sacrifices are already on the stack and they don't target, so they don't fizzle (rule 608.2b) and resolve as much as posssible (609.3).
Furthermore, the tokens will be created using the last known power of Myriad, even if it no longer exists (413.2f).
So in the end, we get a number of tokens equal to four times our storm count.
I came up with this combo involving the new card, Myriad Construct and Ground Rift (or any storm/replicate card). Due to some bizarre rule interactions, we can storm off turn 1 and create 24 1/1 tokens.
More details on deck page.
1 Glasspool Mimic
4 Setessan Champion
1 Siona, Captain of the Pyleas
3 Skyclave Apparition
4 Runeforge Champion
1 Storm Herald
1 Birgi, God of Storytelling
Enchantment
2 Frogify
4 Enigmatic Incarnation
2 Rune of Flight
4 Rune of Sustenance
1 Rune of Speed
4 Rune of Might
3 Transcendent Envoy
4 Ketria Triome
4 Raugrin Triome
4 Fabled Passage
4 Branchloft Pathway
2 Hengegate Pathway
2 Barkchannel Pathway
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
1 Reidane, God of the Worthy
1 Thrashing Brontodon
3 Ox of Agonas
1 Frogify
1 Banishing Light
1 Bubble Snare
1 Klothys, God of Destiny
3 Mystical Dispute
2 Shredded Sails
A huge puzzle piece missing in variations of this combo is Enigmatic Incarnation, which tutors (almost) every creature in the deck, every turn, which includes every combo piece! Or against grindy deck, it can just make a 2/3 (Runeforge Champion) + draw a card every turn. Easily the best card in the deck.
In Mythic testing, the deck has posted above average results, and it's been played to good finishes by some streamers.
1 Arboreal Grazer
2 Gilded Goose
1 Wall of Lost Thoughts
2 Glasspool Mimic
4 Llanowar Elves
1 Deputy of Detention
1 Healer of the Glade
1 Giant Killer
1 Selfless Savior
1 Tangled Florahedron
1 Burning-Tree Emissary
1 Knight of Autumn
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Prime Speaker Vannifar
1 Meddling Mage
1 Skyclave Apparition
2 Renegade Rallier
1 Brazen Borrower
1 Zirda, the Dawnwaker
1 Ardent Electromancer
2 Emiel the Blessed
1 Legion Angel
2 Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
1 Ancient Ziggurat
2 Botanical Sanctum
4 Temple Garden
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Breeding Pool
4 Fabled Passage
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Forest
4 Branchloft Pathway
Artifact
1 Corridor Monitor
1 Umori, the Collector
3 Legion Angel
3 Gilded Goose
3 Glasspool Mimic
4 Llanowar Elves
1 Deputy of Detention
1 Giant Killer
1 Selfless Savior
1 Tangled Florahedron
1 Burning-Tree Emissary
1 Knight of Autumn
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Prime Speaker Vannifar
1 Meddling Mage
2 Skyclave Apparition
2 Renegade Rallier
1 Brazen Borrower
1 Zirda, the Dawnwaker
1 Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate
1 Ardent Electromancer
2 Emiel the Blessed
2 Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
2 Ancient Ziggurat
1 Botanical Sanctum
4 Temple Garden
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Breeding Pool
4 Fabled Passage
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Forest
4 Branchloft Pathway
Artifact
1 Corridor Monitor
1 Hydroid Krasis
1 Wall of Lost Thoughts
1 Healer of the Glade
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Bounty Agent
1 Containment Priest
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Frilled Mystic
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Ripjaw Raptor
1 Nightpack Ambusher
1 Umori, the Collector
1 Yasharn, Implacable Earth
1 Nullhide Ferox
I currently hold one of the top ranks in MTG Arena from playing this deck; the BO1 list holds 75% winrate while the BO3 holds 65%. These lists have undergone hundreds of games of testing, but ideas are always appreciated.
You might've seen these lists recently featured and played by some streamers.
There's also Noxious Revival, but I suspect it's winmore because the only time it's better than a do-nothing free spell is when you have double Manamorphose, but then your storm count is high anyways.
The first problem I see is that you can't win without Lotus Bloom (the only alternative is double Mox Tantalite + Reshapes). That already caps your win rate at 53% assuming all your other cards are perfect every time. Naturally this will happen if you're trying to cast 6 and 7 mana spells with 12 mana sources. Why not play rituals?
This is related to the second problem. You can't afford to play 22 disruption spells in a combo deck. What's the point of protecting your combo when most of the time you even don't have one?
Also Lava Dart only works with Mountains, so we would have to play more Mountains. I'm not sure if it's worth cutting utility lands.
The most common way to interact with this combo would be to target Myriad, before the storm/replicate trigger resolves. This would fizzle the copies, leaving us with only 8 tokens (the trigger from our initial storm spell + their spell). 8 tokens isn't enough to win through 2 blockers. But if we respond with a Gut Shot, this creates 12 tokens, which wins through virtually any number of blockers played on curve.
Plus Gut Shot is always just good for upping our storm count and bolting the bird.
Gifts storm wants rituals, a mana reducer, a Gifts Ungiven in hand; and 2+ Past in Flames and 2+ storm cards in deck. Myriad storm wants rituals and a storm/replicate card in hand. So pretty much the only overlap would be rituals.
Playing Gifts, we already win deterministically with our choice of Empty the Warrens or Grapeshot, so there's no reason to add Myriad, which does the same as Empty but is more susceptible to counterspells and removal. And Baral/Electromancer are "strictly" worse than extra rituals/Simian Spirit Guide/Wild Cantor with Myriad/Empty because we only need 4 or 5 mana to go off, so they never reduce the number of cards to combo, can't go off turn 1/2, and reduce our storm count.
The main advantages Myriad has over Gifts storm is removing the tutor package, resisting kill spells, not needing the grave, and being more synergistic with Empty the Warrens, Aria of Flame, and cheating in things like Chandra and Blood Moon. These are incompatible with playing the Gifts package. Meanwhile, Gifts is more consistent because with enough mana, Gifts can win the game alone, and because they play more cantrips.
Strangely enough, this is actually incorrect. According to the ruling on Vastwood Hydra (and Chasm Skulker and Servant of the Scale):
This is because the +1/+1 and -1/-1 counter annihilation (704.5r) and 0 toughness death (704.5f) are state-based actions. State-based actions happen simultaneously (704.3). If an object no longer exists, its last known state is used to determine effects (413.2f). The last known state of Grakmaw was BEFORE the -1/-1 counters were placed. Therefore, the number of +1/+1 counters BEFORE annihilation is used to determine the outcome.
Sequencing
At this point, two triggers go on the stack at the same time, the storm and the sacrifice triggers. As the controller, you get to choose the order, so put storm trigger on top.
Stack: Top>SXG>Bottom (where S is storm trigger, X is sacrifice trigger, G is Ground Rift)
Storm resolves creating 4 copies which go on the stack and trigger 4 more sacrifices. Put in arbitrary order.
Stack: Top>XXXXGGGGXG>Bottom
Rules
Once we've put the triggers on the stack, it doesn't matter that the Ground Rifts fizzle because all the sacrifices are already on the stack and they don't target, so they don't fizzle (rule 608.2b) and resolve as much as posssible (609.3).
Furthermore, the tokens will be created using the last known power of Myriad, even if it no longer exists (413.2f).
So in the end, we get a number of tokens equal to four times our storm count.
4 Wild Cantor
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Land
4 Shivan Reef
4 Spirebluff Canal
1 Ramunap Ruins
1 Steam Vents
1 Snow-Covered Mountain
1 Sunbaked Canyon
4 Fiery Islet
Artifact
4 Myriad Construct
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Manamorphose
1 Gut Shot
2 Valakut Awakening
Sorcery
3 Sleight of Hand
2 Shattering Spree
4 Ground Rift
4 Empty the Warrens
4 Serum Visions
1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
3 Aria of Flame
3 Mystical Dispute
2 Lightning Bolt
1 Abrade
1 Shenanigans
1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
With Empty the Warrens and Chandra, Torch of Defiance as backup wincons, the deck consistently puts down a huge threat on turn 3 average. More details available on the deck page.