I've doubts in the usefullness of Conjurer's Ban, seems like a narrow Abeyance/Chant. Of course, I could be wrong here but, stopping a board sweeper shouldn't be a worry for this deck. Ghost Council can dodge removal, Scarab will return, and the City-Tree will still make dudes.
I don't think adding Birds is such a bright in a deck packing 4 Wraths. He has plenty of acceleration and mana fixing as it is. I'm slow to post before him though...
I like the Congregation at Dawn idea, it seems easy to cut a Ghost Council and a Scarab or two. The Extractions are a bit out of place in the maindeck and I'd move those to the 'board. Top may worth it really when you have 13 shufflers, just in place of the Extractions? You may loathe the Top, but it does give a deck like this the ability pull the cards it needs.
Lastly, Eiganjo Castle...just don't think it is worth playing. It's ability doesn't seem worth the card when you could add another dual in its place, which I feel would be most important. May seem a bit trivial, I just have never found it to be worth its salt.
Just glancing at the list, I feel the deck would have some serious problems with Eminent Domain. It will screw with your mana pretty hard, though the land fetchers help fight it. To me, Eminent Domain's mana will be getting alot smoother and they can halt your beats very well.
I like this card, though some seem to think this is a janky rare. Of course, only time and testing will prove the cards value. The potential to survive Wildfire, beat-up dragons, and outlast removal/counters in one package here is nice. I think this man will be more relevant in Standard than Shard Phoenix right now. Seriously, who has played Shard Phoenix lately?
Why does it have to be a dragon that you pack? In Red, Kumano is a good man, just seems to have lost his flare. Godo is good as long as you pack the requisite equipment. Thundermare is dragon sized, and will almost always hit for at least five.
Haven't payed too much attention to the GP rumors lately. I did just check 'em out and saw the hits they took with Solifuge toughness being 1 and Wreck Havoc now costing four instead of three. The Angel looks interesting, can't remember name but the 5/5 flyer with CIP Vindicate. I'll definately be testing out a pair in place of Yosei. Also come to the conclusion that I don't like Eiganjo Castle. Played 3 games versus Boros Deck Wins and had be legend ruled each time to a loss.
Yes, this deck can be extremely slow...no it is extremely slow. The lifegain packed in this deck usually offsets this flaw. I haven't come upon testing the Descendant of Kiyomaro, but it seems like a very nice idea and I will be testing it out.
Some cards choices may look unsettling but with the release of Guildpact, will help fix that. Terrarion is there just because of the color issues it has solved for me with the many double colors spells. I've ran with Weather Wayfarer (usually doesn't survive), Journeyer's Kite (too slow) and have since stuck with the Terrarions. Patron of the Kitsune is just a fat body that can swing into dragons, and ease combat pain as well.
Phyrexian Arena is definately the achilles heal of the deck. I find it very hard to win without an Arena. On the other hand, I've never have a problem while they are in play and usally will put a second without worry. Genju of the Fields is quite solid, and stops most aggro on its own. Each time you activate the Genju it and another of its spiritlink ability on top of it. With five lands in play, one being a Plains with the Genju, means you can swing to deal 2 damage and gain 4 life.
I've not much to say on what happens when Guildpact is finally released and legal. I know for sure that Mortify, Castigate, will be welcomed additions along with duals and acceleration (no more Terrarion). But, the full spoiler is incomplete and who knows what the metagame will look like. What worries me is the speed Gruul will have with LD and fat beaters as well as G/B/w Rock getting alot better.
Finally, I have access to the internet! Talk about roughing it, hurricane Rita put a big hurt on the Golden Triangle (that'd be Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange) in southeast Texas. I live in Beaumont and after the storm the military blocked roadways to prevent residents from returning to there homes. Finally got to see my apartment and its okay. Wasted a ton of money though, drove 12 hours to the nearest Hotel in Little Rock Arkansas.
Stayed in a neighboring town of Beaumont for 3 days of heat, mosquitoes, and generally hell. On the third day my son nearly cut his pinky toe off trying to copy me (I was cutting up an oak tree with an axe so we could cook) and then he had to get stitches. Not a big deal normally, but when there is no hospital and there is nothing to numb my four-year olds foot...well you can imaghine that he might have been in some pain. I'm in New Jersey currently staying with my girlfriends father (on a PC bothered from relatives) and it looks like we've inally got power in the westend of Beaumont. Take care victims of Rita, and spend your $2000 from FEMA wisely.
Question really depends on your situation. I have plenty of Painlands (plus, a huge dislike of white borders) and would have passed on the opportunity. When drafting I always play to win and seldomly take a rare based on value. So, Air Elemenatal versus Caves of Koilos; I'm taking the Air Elemental.
True, in hindsight it may have been nice, but what if instead you were up against Lumengrid Wardens, Horned Turtles and Sea Monsters? My point is that Ninth edition limited is a slow enough format that you don't have to have a plethora of two drops. Evasion is very strong (kind of a duh statement) in the format and would be worthwhile in my opinion.
How many 2 drops you really think you need? You have Fellwar Stone, Rampant Growth, 3 Elvish Warriors without the two Zodiac Monkeys. Zodiac Monkeys are really only good when there are Forests across the table. Sure, keep in the 'board on the ready, but those 2/1 dorks on average end up not making a big impact. Realistically, I like 13 Forests, 1 Llanowar Waste, and 2 Swamps would've hardly had such a negative impact on your mana base either. Kinda sound paranoid in your post above :). The second swamp probably could be a Forest if you wanted it, but personally, the 3 black cards are irresistible.
Seeing as how I'm not a big fan of Zodiac Monkey being maindeck unless necessary, I would've preferred playing the Razortooth's and the Banishing. Not sure how you could assume that this would cause the deck to be "worse" that it is.
Really though, if a color is avoided that hard, by all means reap the benefits. It is possible to go mono-color but, I believe that even then you'd most likely be able to pick up a few cards in another color to fill in some gaps. (i.e. removal, evasion, tricks, etc.)
On Piledriver's deck: If any equip was to be used, I think Grafted Wargear would be best. Cost nothing to equip and let's you draw extra 3 card for each critter sacced to Greater Good. Spiraling Embers is interesting but probably not worth the space. It seems to me that it'd be nice to have either Magma Jet or Tops to help you find some pieces, then again it's all just me speculating and not testing.
I like the Congregation at Dawn idea, it seems easy to cut a Ghost Council and a Scarab or two. The Extractions are a bit out of place in the maindeck and I'd move those to the 'board. Top may worth it really when you have 13 shufflers, just in place of the Extractions? You may loathe the Top, but it does give a deck like this the ability pull the cards it needs.
Lastly, Eiganjo Castle...just don't think it is worth playing. It's ability doesn't seem worth the card when you could add another dual in its place, which I feel would be most important. May seem a bit trivial, I just have never found it to be worth its salt.
3 Caves of Koilos
1 Eiganjo Castle
9 Plains
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
10 Swamp
Creatures
4 Hypnotic Specter
4 Kokusho the Evening Star
1 Patron of the Kitsune
2 Yosei the Morning Star
2 Genju of the Fields
4 Distress
1 Nightmare Void
4 Phyrexian Arena
4 Terrarion
2 Presence of the Wise
4 Faith's Fetters
4 Wrath of God
3 Cranial Extraction
3 Last Gasp
3 Nezumi Shortfang
3 Sacred Ground
3 Terashi's Grasp
Yes, this deck can be extremely slow...no it is extremely slow. The lifegain packed in this deck usually offsets this flaw. I haven't come upon testing the Descendant of Kiyomaro, but it seems like a very nice idea and I will be testing it out.
Some cards choices may look unsettling but with the release of Guildpact, will help fix that. Terrarion is there just because of the color issues it has solved for me with the many double colors spells. I've ran with Weather Wayfarer (usually doesn't survive), Journeyer's Kite (too slow) and have since stuck with the Terrarions. Patron of the Kitsune is just a fat body that can swing into dragons, and ease combat pain as well.
Phyrexian Arena is definately the achilles heal of the deck. I find it very hard to win without an Arena. On the other hand, I've never have a problem while they are in play and usally will put a second without worry. Genju of the Fields is quite solid, and stops most aggro on its own. Each time you activate the Genju it and another of its spiritlink ability on top of it. With five lands in play, one being a Plains with the Genju, means you can swing to deal 2 damage and gain 4 life.
I've not much to say on what happens when Guildpact is finally released and legal. I know for sure that Mortify, Castigate, will be welcomed additions along with duals and acceleration (no more Terrarion). But, the full spoiler is incomplete and who knows what the metagame will look like. What worries me is the speed Gruul will have with LD and fat beaters as well as G/B/w Rock getting alot better.
Stayed in a neighboring town of Beaumont for 3 days of heat, mosquitoes, and generally hell. On the third day my son nearly cut his pinky toe off trying to copy me (I was cutting up an oak tree with an axe so we could cook) and then he had to get stitches. Not a big deal normally, but when there is no hospital and there is nothing to numb my four-year olds foot...well you can imaghine that he might have been in some pain. I'm in New Jersey currently staying with my girlfriends father (on a PC bothered from relatives) and it looks like we've inally got power in the westend of Beaumont. Take care victims of Rita, and spend your $2000 from FEMA wisely.
Probably not green...
Really though, if a color is avoided that hard, by all means reap the benefits. It is possible to go mono-color but, I believe that even then you'd most likely be able to pick up a few cards in another color to fill in some gaps. (i.e. removal, evasion, tricks, etc.)
Hmm, probably the color that no one is drafting?