I'm assuming that the title of this thread is click bait because Monument is not broken. It's a fair build around card that is fun. There are so many commonly used multiplayer cards that neuter this deck.
I feel that to play this deck you need to either
Play to its strength which is it low to the ground and can rebuild really quickly. So run some Wraths.
Give the deck some reach so that it does not run out of steam if someone plays a board or weenie wipe. Skull clamp would be awesome if your ban / restricted list allows it. Unfortunately there is not much else in white that i can think of to give you draw.
Play enchantment / artifact removal so you don't roll over to other peoples combos / locks.
It just feels like a deck that has no interaction with the rest of the board. You will probably get the tokens to take down 1 or 2 players while they build but the other 2 - 3 players will easily roll you.
2) How does it affect your games?
I see this type of tactic as arrogant and as such my primary goal would be to bring the player down, even over an outright win. The game is no longer me VS everyone else. I would be more than happy expending my personally resources in seeing your removal misused and depleted.
I would also consider the player the primary target when deciding attackers. Am I going to run a Craw Giant into you terror? No but once I cast a Molten Primordial all the creatures are coming your way nearly 100% of the time.
I believe this thinking also extends somewhat to my larger play group. There is a certain amount of glee that is gotten when a player’s perceived advantage is thwarted.
3) What do you think about this tactic in general?
I’m a big fan of control. I feel that if a player employed this tactic they would be at a disadvantage as it gives me an insight into your library, hand and deck type.
4) Would you consider employing this tactic in the future?
No way.
"The player who was sited down the last picks clockwice or conter-clockwice turn order."
We tried this once with a large group. Counter-clockwise didn't turn out so well.
Unfortunately years instinct kicks in and when you pass the turn quite often the player to the left would have a go. This resulted in a game similar to a game of UNO. Skip. Reverse.
I've defiantly had this problem. Dying and then watching the next person obliterate the board is not fun. I've been on the receiving end and sat around for 2 hours.
If we have 5 people we play star
If there is an even number of expel we play teams (combined life totals)
These are the most fun.
I've also played attack to the left. This needs to a very fast aggressive format.
Also played the first to take down 2 players wins. But this can lead to people sniping wins with an instant speed light lot.
You loot EoT as it digs you 1 card deeper into your deck and closer to finding the control magic.
Worse case senecio you draw the CM and you discard the Lightning blast. It really is putting all you eggs into one basket but you are not winning with anything else in your deck. Control magic on the Serra puts a significant clock on the opponent.
Your biggest challenge will be holding off the hordes of 1/1 that you are generating for your opponents while building critical mass. Blue and white do a pretty good job of this. Red,not so much since it usually just burns weenies out the way.
You will also need about 8 damage all creature spells re blasphemous act
It's worth noting that this deck can be a bit of a glass cannon and a one trick pony. It relies on you drawing repurcussions and having it live. It's advantage is that it Attacks from a totally different perspective. Some metas are better suited to this than others.
I've always been a bit disappointed with Ghostly Prison. It plays a role and works particularly well with the Forbidden Orchards but was feeling lacklustre. I wanted something flashier so I looked for an alternative.
Last night I tried Powerstone Minefield in its place which turn out to be a real nice inclusion.
Pros
- Turns the Swans of Bryn Argoll into a cards engine without having to nuke the entire board (which is nice while you are trying to set up).
- Turns the Boros Reckoner into an attacking force. On the swing you get to deal out 2 damage and with the first strike ability creates need at least 6 toughness to be able to block reliably
- Nerfs random decks like mass token makers
- Gives Stuffy Dolls / Spitemares at bit more reach (if you run them)
Cons
- With Repercussions on the board it gives people an out to all the tokens that the orchid produces, although they will still take 2 per token
- Multiple minefields make for a very interesting board state to the point where your Chain Reaction won't be dealing out that much due to lack of creatures but 2 or more minefields + a repercussions will start to render offensive creature strategies obsolete. This means that combo / control decks have the luxury of all the time in the world.
In the end I was pleased with it. It ended up play a different role than the ghostly prison. I'm going to run a singleton in my deck to support the 2 ghostly prisons that I run.
Lastly, has anyone tried Chain of Plasma? It’s a card that I always look at when I’m playing swans. It’s always a cheap way to draw your entire deck but may redundant in the grandmaster set up.
I feel that to play this deck you need to either
It just feels like a deck that has no interaction with the rest of the board. You will probably get the tokens to take down 1 or 2 players while they build but the other 2 - 3 players will easily roll you.
1) Does anyone else do this?
No.
2) How does it affect your games?
I see this type of tactic as arrogant and as such my primary goal would be to bring the player down, even over an outright win. The game is no longer me VS everyone else. I would be more than happy expending my personally resources in seeing your removal misused and depleted.
I would also consider the player the primary target when deciding attackers. Am I going to run a Craw Giant into you terror? No but once I cast a Molten Primordial all the creatures are coming your way nearly 100% of the time.
I believe this thinking also extends somewhat to my larger play group. There is a certain amount of glee that is gotten when a player’s perceived advantage is thwarted.
3) What do you think about this tactic in general?
I’m a big fan of control. I feel that if a player employed this tactic they would be at a disadvantage as it gives me an insight into your library, hand and deck type.
4) Would you consider employing this tactic in the future?
No way.
We tried this once with a large group. Counter-clockwise didn't turn out so well.
Unfortunately years instinct kicks in and when you pass the turn quite often the player to the left would have a go. This resulted in a game similar to a game of UNO. Skip. Reverse.
Green for ramp
Black for control and draw
Play late game green black big threats.
If we have 5 people we play star
If there is an even number of expel we play teams (combined life totals)
These are the most fun.
I've also played attack to the left. This needs to a very fast aggressive format.
Also played the first to take down 2 players wins. But this can lead to people sniping wins with an instant speed light lot.
Channel Fireball has a sweet Blue Aluren Video up at the moment that is probably worth watching.
http://www.channelfireball.com/videos/channel-pardee-time-legacy-blue-aluren/
It plays Baleful Strix with Cavern Harpy to draw your whole deck.
It also plays Dimir Infiltrator instead of Recruiter of the Guard as a tutor for your combo creatures.
In multiplayer burgeoning is just mad ramp.
Worse case senecio you draw the CM and you discard the Lightning blast. It really is putting all you eggs into one basket but you are not winning with anything else in your deck. Control magic on the Serra puts a significant clock on the opponent.
Your best defence will be things like ensnaring bridge or sun droplet.
You will also need about 8 damage all creature spells re blasphemous act
It's worth noting that this deck can be a bit of a glass cannon and a one trick pony. It relies on you drawing repurcussions and having it live. It's advantage is that it Attacks from a totally different perspective. Some metas are better suited to this than others.
Investigate just seem too so to be an efficient souce of card draw.
I’m thinking mono black as it give access to
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Nekrataal
Syphon Mind
and cheap mass removal such as Mutilate or Extinguish all Hope
Hoping to make it up of mainly commons I need a bit of help identify the better ones out there that could fit into a mono black shell.
Last night I tried Powerstone Minefield in its place which turn out to be a real nice inclusion.
Pros
- Turns the Swans of Bryn Argoll into a cards engine without having to nuke the entire board (which is nice while you are trying to set up).
- Turns the Boros Reckoner into an attacking force. On the swing you get to deal out 2 damage and with the first strike ability creates need at least 6 toughness to be able to block reliably
- Nerfs random decks like mass token makers
- Gives Stuffy Dolls / Spitemares at bit more reach (if you run them)
Cons
- With Repercussions on the board it gives people an out to all the tokens that the orchid produces, although they will still take 2 per token
- Multiple minefields make for a very interesting board state to the point where your Chain Reaction won't be dealing out that much due to lack of creatures but 2 or more minefields + a repercussions will start to render offensive creature strategies obsolete. This means that combo / control decks have the luxury of all the time in the world.
In the end I was pleased with it. It ended up play a different role than the ghostly prison. I'm going to run a singleton in my deck to support the 2 ghostly prisons that I run.
Lastly, has anyone tried Chain of Plasma? It’s a card that I always look at when I’m playing swans. It’s always a cheap way to draw your entire deck but may redundant in the grandmaster set up.