MTG Salvation

How good would gitaxian probe be in this deck?

I have heard MTG has conjunctions that reflect how cards work at resolution. Then, and if you do, etc. Is there somewhere that lists these and their meanings to card resolutions? I am familiar with the idea of using these phrases to mean certain things before, but for some reason this is much harder to find the definitions for such terms on this game.

So why is no one using boreal druid? It's a card I've been planning on trying if I got my hands on one, being colorless rather than green sourced, while mildly irritating, doesn't seem like enough to not use a 1 drop mana source/ezuri counter. Or am I really underselling the color loss here?

Quote from baldcarrots »

Thoughts on effects such as unsummon or vapor snag?

If you want to run a bounce effect, most of the time it will probably be Winds of Rebuke or maybe Into the Roil / Blink of an Eye. The best option is usually Chain of Vapor, but the risk of Ezuri being bounced back is not worth it.

I do not have such a need to hit anything to pay a full extra mana for that utility atm. Hitting creatures alone is a good deal of flexibility as it is. I am a bit confused by chain of vapor "usually being the best option" if the drawback is so hard. Was this in reference to how it stacks up with other decks facing similar choices? In any case, while there may be a time I feel the need to gain the ability to bounce anything, for now I'm happy enough with creature targets to take the 1 mana deduction and loss of the potential draw for the kicker effect.

Thoughts on effects such as unsummon or vapor snag? Seal of removal lets you prepay the effect if you don't want to hold up mana, though you lose some of the unpredictability. Basically a fast disruption that lets you protect your cards or just reuse ETBs or gain exp counters in a pinch. Being a 1 drop makes it sit cheap, though repaying your casting cost is still a thing if you go for reusing guys. Even snap works for those willing to pay the extra mana to get it back, maybe even with some nonsensical land tricks.

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

Bloom Tender will be gone (this was only ever slightly better than a Sylvan Caryatid would have been), and some 3- or 4-drop will become Lazotep Plating. Looking at clunky Yisan and Nissa.

I keep Beast Whisperer and Cold-Eyed Selkie around because sometimes I need to refill my hand. Unlike 1v1, you need to see enough cards to answer each opponent in multiplayer (as well as fight through their disruption), and both of those cards can draw at least 3 cards a turn.

As for other budget replacements, more countermagic and less creature-centric interaction is my #1 suggestion. catmaster0, your list needs some more card draw as well. I'd recommend Brainstorm and a couple more creatures that can draw cards, as well as some disruption for noncreature permanents.

That's fair on the multiplayer note. Definitely will remember to shift to more countermagic as the format for me shifts, I play in a way creature heavier format than a normal meta would be. Brainstorm seems like a solid card. My biggest weakness for them is burning usable blue sources I'm less likely to get to, making countermagic also tricker, but I think I can use those slimmer blue spells and improve my blue base to make it work. Are wall of blossoms and Fblthp, the Lost worth slots here?

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

I'd keep those cards in 1v1 or multiplayer; I like seeing them in my hand much more than clunky draw spells like Cold-Eyed Selkie or Beast Whisperer.

How do you like those two in your deck btw? I found myself cutting them.

Quote from Le avocado »

What cards are you going to cut for Neoform and Lazotep Plating?

I personally do not know for sure yet, as I do not own either, but I'm still mulling it over, might cut a land or one of the other cards suggested to be dropped here. Curious what the OP picks.

Checked out the banlist and the 1 v 1 commander format differences, think sol ring fits in the format I'm now playing, so my decks just got a free update, lol. Overwhelming stampede was cut, want to keep my eye on Triumph and analyze some of my games to see if I keep a boardstate where a Triumph can take the game, (card is noteworthy for stealing games where Ezuri isn't on board at the time.)

The countermagic is waiting for the format to become more regularized, Alesha is the most played against deck atm, so I want hexproof for creature-based effects and spot removal, which holds a higher presence than usual.

The other things, such as the lands and filtered out the noncreature ramp will be done as soon as I acquire the cards to do it. Will look into how I'll be getting Kiora.

Any other cards you can think of good for my level of play? I'm obviously unable to use things like earthcraft so I have to find alternate plays. On the other hand I doubt I need to meet the same standards, so Bring to Light will likely be fine in my meta, a 5 drop wincon for my sage is probably more then fast enough for me. Any cards you can think of that may shine for my level of play? I will likely still be moving some stuff around, such as the lands, etc. even now, when I get the chance regardless.

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

Land-based ramp spells are not where this deck wants to be, same goes for Simic Signet. Those are what I would look at removing in favor of card advantage-gaining creatures. You want your mana to be creature-based; it makes cards like Priest of Titania and Kiora better.

Speaking of Kiora, Master of the Depths, she's one of the best cards in the deck. While you don't have Gaea's Cradle to maximize her, she will still often be "free" the turn you play her by untapping a land and an Incubation Druid or something. She also provides card advantage by -2'ing to effectively draw 2 cards. Your format sounds like she's more likely to come under attack than mine, since cEDH doesn't have that many creatures aside from commanders, dorks, and things coming out of the 'yard, but if you can untap with her, you'll probably win the game.

As for the hexproof spells, countering the removal and having the added versatility of being able to counter other stuff is better than using hexproof to counter the removal and risk not being able to counter other stuff. This is especially true at cEDH tables but is true for all EDH.

Triumph of the Hordes is a cheesy "gotcha" that is situational and unhelpful in an opening hand. It also can be blown out by removal (or blockers.) Play Viridian Corrupter instead; you're light on artifact removal, and occasionally the Corrupter can get there.

Also, where's your Sol Ring? That's a mana rock this deck wants.

All right, was light on blue sources for a bit, but I will be cutting those noncreature based issues. Sol ring is a card that is banned in one of the 1 v 1 formats I was playing in for a bit and I've struggled to keep them straight, if I think I'm in a 1 v 1 where that is fine, I definitely will put it in. Think a player I was playing was doing some variation of the French format, but I'll check up on sol ring, if it is legal, I'll play it.

Thank you for the reply!

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

Neoform is definitely going in, and Lazotep Plating likely will as well. Pollenbright Druid, however, is worse than the more flexible Saproling Migration, which did not make the cut. Bring to Light already got cut.

Yeah, I noticed that card as well. I might give some of that low costed exp ramp a try. Just cheap stuff that would probably be ok in a budget build even if it doesn't meet the standards for what is probably a much higher level of play on your end than mine. I didn't know that card existed actually.

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

As for Deranged Hermit, it's an instant-win with Ezuri and Chord of Calling. Scatter the Seeds is three experience counters for 1-2 mana in most cases, plus it feeds Skullclamp nicely. I'd keep those cards in 1v1 or multiplayer; I like seeing them in my hand much more than clunky draw spells like Cold-Eyed Selkie or Beast Whisperer.

That is true, it does have a nice synergy with chord, a card I only recently acquired and have not had a chance to play yet. I will say I've cut both fo the cards you stated were clunkier, beast whisperer and cold-eyes selkie are not in my list anymore, though I did try them. Selkie is probably better for you because I think you face way more blue than I do. Blue seems to get more love as players make use of counter magic and other higher level gameplay than what I usually face. What cards in my deck do you think would be trimmed for these? (you mentioned the basics could be trimmed a bit, is this the main area, or anything else stand out to you? I did note overwhelming stampede and triumph, will be looking into cutting those as well.) Also, more specifically, what do you usually tap to make that scatter the seeds a 2-3 drop? I expect Ezuri, but a lot of my creatures are dorks. Guess any random elvish visionary etc. would be ok,+ any spare exp counter rack-ups, (nest invader.)

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

You have too many "win conditions" in your deck, some of which are clunky and do not provide experience. Overwhelming Stampede is a dead card in an opening hand, and requires a very specific sort of board state to maximize. Same goes for Triumph of the Hordes. Your protection suite has subpar cards like Ranger's Guile that could easily be replaced with countermagic of an equivalent converted mana cost. Swan Song has saved Ezuri countless times, and even won me a game by giving me a 5th experience counter when I countered my own spell with it. You NEED more countermagic, and this is the most immediate change I would make to your build. If you're on a budget, don't forget about things like Spell Pierce and Negate. Protecting your board from being Toxic Deluged is crucial.

I like triumph just because I randomly find myself cut off from wincons due to spot removal on them but keep getting dorks, etc. and since I'm not attacking I usually have an open swing, so I've used it as an alt win. Overwhelming stampede you probably have a point on though, i'm not sure if I really put enough damage for that. I think this might come down to playing more of a creature development format than you. Going to look at them closely though when playing, you do have a point on the damage output.

The countermagic is definitely fair, the only reason it isn't already in is because my #1 most faced deck is an alesha deck that has way more creature-based removal. They do use some spot removal, but I find hexproof holds off near anything. They don't own toxic deluge. will definitely use the countermagic once that changes, atm it is purely a meta call. Ranger's guile is obviously a sub-par card, but the hexproof is just an absurdly strong format-call atm. It is definitely not the norm, and I'll be trying to get more exp friendly protections as I acquire and learn about more cards.

Quote from OneRingToGruulThemAll »

Also, 37 lands plus all the dorks is too many mana sources. I imagine you'll flood a fair bit considering how low your curve is, so don't hesitate to cut back several basic Islands, and add a few lower-end lands like Botanical Sanctum and Hinterland Harbor. You're definitely going to want to get Kiora, Master of the Depths in there as soon as possible too. Best of luck!

A bit of flooding, though I like to be able to cast my Ezuri for 6 or 8 sometimes if I don't draw hexproof or eventually just keep getting hit by removal until I've forced it all. I could cut down a land or two I guess, my curve keeps getting lower. Definitely getting the lands that go green and blue when I can. My weak landbase is a cardpool weakness, but one I'm working to correct.

Why do you like Kiora so much? I see a bit of the appeal, but I am a bit surprised, that is still a 4 drop. I think I may be underestimating the card's appeal here, could you explain it a bit more? I do not own it but I might be able to trade for one.

Edit: Those two abilities are looking more appealing, having a potential two card grab or a mana dork+land untap, but do still respond, definitely don't want to overlook anything here. This may be a card I underestimated at first glance, want to make sure I don't make that mistake still.)

I think this is probably the best thread to Ezuri that I've seen, so even though my own Ezuri list is made for a bit of a different purpose I'm hoping to post it here in light of the more valuable experience already on this thread. It is a bit low deck power due to budget and not being all that familiar with commander in general, (I play random people 1 v 1, my current most faced deck is an Alesha deck with a decent amount of spot removal, which sheds some light on my defense for Ezuri based on hexproof, etc. happens to deal with creature based removal, not even always cast.) https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/14-12-18-ezuri-claw-of-progress/ If someone could give suggestions for me to add, I'm trying to fill my maybeboard with cards worth getting. You can tell by the lists the price range I seem to float at, just want to record more ideas.

A few notes on the OP I wanted to ask about, are the OP's cards like Hermit Druid or Scatter the seeds stronger in free for all and also wjth the more expensive cards? It seems the overflow of Ezuri counters is a bit unneeded and are eh standalones for developing a core Ezuri plan to get the minimal counters to go off with a quick kill outlet. I'm obviously speaking from the context of having a different cardpool, format expectation and understanding of the game, but I'm hoping an experienced player might be able to recognize which of those things are changing my experience. If you played 1 v 1, would you keep such cards? Are they only worth it with the higher value combo pieces/cuttable in a build that has less power because they do not combo as well, or even jsut weaker cards vs removal decks if trying to keep Ezuri out? I would be happy to hear opinions from anyone on this.

Also, regarding some other cards. Bring to light for a 2 drop seems pretty good, though this may be my slower format sense speaking for a budget tutor option to once again get a sage or even slighted agent etc. for another 1 card wincon trigger once Ezuri is established. Neoform is a new card that also seems effective, and pollenbright druid is 2 experience counters for 2 mana on Ezuri.

No, this guy had no need to casually ban the card, they were the only one that had it. Think they were basing it off of an official list somewhere. It is possible that the card had been banned sometime last year perhaps, and then later unbanned. does anyone know anything about that? I have not used the commander section yet, but I suppose I could try digging there if no one here knows.

So, a player introduced me to commander and played a 1 v 1 variation with 30 life that I later have gathered to likely be French Commander. They mentioned at some point tutors like Demonic tutor had been banned. This would have been sometime last year. Now, atm, I do not see the card on the list, but would like to confirm the history of this card. Has it been hit before in commander formats and which ones? Also, I want to confirm it is indeed legal in 1 v 1 commander. http://www.duelcommander.com/banlist/ This is the list I have based things off of. I could not find an F/L location to post such a question, seems those have been rotated off the site, so I went here as a place to confirm the legality of a card, since that is a rules question.

Excellent, the reference to curse of the swine gives a solid precedent to base this off of, thank you for that ruling. The paradigm behind this should also be helpful for getting a new grip on the concept in this game.