Well, good news about RTG effects is that there are only a few. Granted it is much harder to play creatures now a days anyway, but what makes it worth it to play large critters are removal avoidance, recursion from graveyard effects, and smart play.
This is why Venegent Lark is a pretty solid deck. It plays small critters in large numbers with only a few large beaters and utilizes the graveyard and card advantage to overwhelm an opponent.
As for Knight of the Reliquary decks itself, the whole concept of relying on ONE creature to win you the game is absurd. It must have more than just that working for it and support in order to keep it alive.
KotR is a decent midrange beater and mana fixer/ramper. It's best to use it not as the center of a deck, but as a build up. I actually like using it in ramp to T3 fetch me a hideaway land or to get into a T3 Garruk. Unfortunately after that, it's applications become limited.
Spashing black helps against Kithkin matchups for the prowhite Stillmoon Cavalier (hardly used though) and Goblin Outlander (more widely used). It doesn't hurt that removal is favoring white builds right now and splashing black gives the deck more versatility. Also why pass up Blightning, which hits for 3 damage and 2 cards?
Cryptic Command is a multipurpose spell that no other card can match. Not only can it counter a spell, but also tap down an opponent's attackers, or bounce a threat/screw up tempo AND allows you to draw a card. It is probably the most dominant card in standard because whether it is in an opening hand that is kept or drawn late game, it will usually fit within any type of situation to be usuable. Granted it is heavy blue and 4cc, but even in an opening hand, it won't remain a dead card for long (and if you keep it in hand anyway rather than mulligan, it is because the rest of your hand looks decent).
Here is a brief look against what other colors bring to the table in terms of noncreature spells:
Each of these listed spells are some of the more common spells seen in Standard (some more so than others) and of all of them, only a few have the versatility that Cryptic Command does. Many on the list are situational removal spells or win conditions, board sweepers or reactionary spells. Only a few spells are actually so damn good that pulling it in any situation guarantees a use. Cryptic Command is one of them.
Monowhite weenie/aggro decks right now are going to be subpar if they are not Kithkin. The good news is that once they rotate out, you will finally see some variety in these type of decks. Aside from that, your list is fine. Just a few points:
Volcanic Fallout is going to kill most of your creatures. I would suggest putting in either Burrenton Forge-Tender or Glorious Anthem. Ajani is a good GA effect, but it is a turn slower and eats loyalty. BFT is a $1-2 uncommon.
I would say 4 of KO2 (Knight of the White Orchid) is needed after Llorwyn Rotates out and Kithkin subsides. Start looking for two more copies. It simply is an amazing card to put monowhite back into the land race. KO2 is a $5-6 card and easy to trade for.
Even though your deck is Exalted themed, always consider what a full board swing (attacking with everything) will achieve as compared to attacking with just one. You have alot of solid creatures, but if you add in Glorious Anthem, alot of board pump effects as well. GA is a $3-4 card.
Removal is never bad. You can probably take out the Loyal Sentries and add in Unmakes or Oblivion Rings, which are much more versatile.
Windbrisk Heights and Rustic Clachan should be considerations for addition if you up your land count a bit. They are both neat little land cards that could turn the game in your favor.
edit: agreement with the poster above, Mirror Entitites are unusual in here for the theme, but again, consider your board position if you ever needed to boost your creatures late game.
Part of the blame can be put on Volcanic Fallout. It is a devestatingly good spell and is an instant sweeper as opposed to ***. It allows some flexibility to allow you to keep your creatures on board if their toughness is above 2.
Unfortunately, Neutral Grounds WAS the place to go in NYC for magic. There are a few hobby shops within the Manhattan area, but nothing I know of that you could play Magic in (Compleat Strategist only one I can think of off top of head). You will have to either find something outside the city or do so leg work to find other gamers in the area. Remember that many who went to Neutral Grounds were from the surrounding region, with a good number from Long Island.
The best thing this card can do right now is tutor the hideaway lands, find a niche in jank GW Knight decks, mana fix, and fill the 3 mana slot with a modest card. Honestly, it is limited by-
1)the mass removal this format sees.
2)the fact that there are better alternatives at the moment for card and mana slots. Keep in mind a 2/2 for 3 mana is not exactly game breaking, and without land in the graveyard or the rotation of Llorwyn block, it is right now a mediocre card that will have to wait for it's time to shine.
This BR deck operates principally out of the graveyard, using the Unearth mechanic and discarding to obtain a favorable board position and win by midgame. Right now I am tinkering with the lineup of creatures and spells to augment the deck, but at the moment, it is borrowing heavily from both Red Deck Wins and Blightning Aggro for support cards. The deck's main function early on however is to force the opponent to discard 3-4 cards by turn 3 and start whittling their life down to get within range of a large Unearth swing.
At the moment, I am debating the following card choices:
Raven's Crime vs Thoughtseize- It should be pretty obvious that TS should be in the deck, but the point is to force the opponent to discard down and limit their options for their deck to survive midgame. Whereas TS is one shot (but a very effective one), RC can be recurred to keep an opponent's hand thin after you hit 3-4 mana (which the deck can operate on without a problem). I may do 2 and 2 and see how it works.
Incinerate vs Banefire- Again, the choice should go to Banefire, but incinerate is cheap, works as spot removal against pesky early creatures like Figure of Destiny, ect. Banefire is just an awesome finisher period. I will have to test to see if I need to up the count on the number this slot will get.
Makeshift Mannequin- I am debating on eliminating this slot entirely or to put something like Beacon of Unrestthere. MM doesn't have really any good targets, but it does serve as instant gy recursion especially to bring back Extractor Demon.
Edit: Aghh...dunno why I keep placing threads in the wrong place, just contacted Moderator for movement and reporting as well.
WOTC has from time to time made a card so damn good, everyone agrees it is good. I've check the spoilers, the comments, playtested it in Venegent Lark and B/W Panda (my T2 decks that contain white) and have came to the same conclusion everyone else has on Path To Exile; it is an amazing card.
My question is could this card have the potential to become banneable? Is it as abuseable as Skullclamp was? Personally, I do not think so, but I would like to see the general consensus as well on this matter.
EDIT: CRAP WRONG FORUM...and no DELETE BUTTON...Alerting moderator as we speak...
Conflux helps slow down Type 2 by introducing domain and 5 color cost spells in greater frequency once Llorwyn block rotates out. For the moment, most decks will see little change. I expect ramp decks love seing a virtual demonfire reprint, and to that end it sounds great for anti-fae players and those who like red/green decks.
I agree that Conflux seems below average but only for the moment. It will take time for the set to be either rejected or appreciated by players.
More specifically, does the insertion of Conflux into standard allow the possibility of artifact based decks greater versatility and playability in today's standard environment (e.g. better in matchups against Tier 1, 1.5, and Tier 2 decks)?
Conflux adds a few interesting new artifacts like: Master Transmuter 1/2
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer
:symu:, :symtap:: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
Which does lead to some interesting artifact hijinks (it functions almost like the artifact version of Astral Slide) and with Inkwell Leviathan (a 7/11 shroud, islandwalk, trampler) as an obvious threat that can viably be produced via MT by turn 4. However, outside these 2 specifically, the list of other artifacts becomes...meh. There is not alot of depth there to add to cards like Master of Etherium, Ethersworn Canonist, ect. already out there, so I am skeptical of this statement that Conflux can make Artifact decks more competitive.
Cards like Bitterblossom and Figure of Destiny are endemic of not one problem, but several. In Standard, outside of a handfull of cards, every other card is suboptimal or subordinate. I do not think Wizards did this intentionally, but it caused the need for the secondary market to spike prices on select cards. They're just too damn good not to have. Putting four FoDs in RDW makes it that much better. Bitterblossom can be inserted into a dozen competitive or semicompetitive deck builds and is practically essential for many decks to compete. The lack of an alternative to replace those deck slots makes those cards much more valuable. Demand makes those prices jump and the card market to ajust accordingly.
Consider factors of inflation as well. It's a shame cards cost over 20 dollars now, but consider that over 15 years, shouldn't people expect card prices to skyrocket for specific cases? Packs have increased in price, the value of the dollar has shrunk, and we have the decision by WOTC to limit the rarity of select cards. For a few of those mythic rares, the prices are between $20-30. A decade ago, so cards did cost a considerable amount, and with inflation factored in, probably as much as BB or FoD is today.
The answer is to play smart and work hard to get the cards you want. It takes money which you need to earn and time in order to invest to ajust decks to be competitive in today's standard. Can't avoid the truth that it takes sacrifice to play Magic for real.
I would also consider one or two slots towards Beseech the Queen and Loxodon Warhammer if you like one-ofs. It could help in terms of long term survivability if the corrupts are taken out and gives you an out if you need to drop a late game Demigod to win.
This is why Venegent Lark is a pretty solid deck. It plays small critters in large numbers with only a few large beaters and utilizes the graveyard and card advantage to overwhelm an opponent.
As for Knight of the Reliquary decks itself, the whole concept of relying on ONE creature to win you the game is absurd. It must have more than just that working for it and support in order to keep it alive.
Kiss of the Amesha is probably not a good choice without ramping into the effect. Wrath of God could be an alternative.
Here is a brief look against what other colors bring to the table in terms of noncreature spells:
White: You have ***, PtE, Celestial Purge, O-ring, Ajani, Elspeth
Black: Thoughtsieze, Bitterblossom, Makeshift Mannequin, Gravepact
Green: Primal Command, Garruk, Hunting Triad, Fertile Ground, Rampant Growth, Dramatic Entrance
Red: Volcanic Fallout, Banefire, Unwilling Recruit, burn spells in general.
Mulit-color: Charms, Violent and Cruel Ultimatum, Unmake, Countersquall, Firespout, Gutteral Response, planeswalkers, Blightning
Each of these listed spells are some of the more common spells seen in Standard (some more so than others) and of all of them, only a few have the versatility that Cryptic Command does. Many on the list are situational removal spells or win conditions, board sweepers or reactionary spells. Only a few spells are actually so damn good that pulling it in any situation guarantees a use. Cryptic Command is one of them.
Volcanic Fallout is going to kill most of your creatures. I would suggest putting in either Burrenton Forge-Tender or Glorious Anthem. Ajani is a good GA effect, but it is a turn slower and eats loyalty. BFT is a $1-2 uncommon.
I would say 4 of KO2 (Knight of the White Orchid) is needed after Llorwyn Rotates out and Kithkin subsides. Start looking for two more copies. It simply is an amazing card to put monowhite back into the land race. KO2 is a $5-6 card and easy to trade for.
Even though your deck is Exalted themed, always consider what a full board swing (attacking with everything) will achieve as compared to attacking with just one. You have alot of solid creatures, but if you add in Glorious Anthem, alot of board pump effects as well. GA is a $3-4 card.
Removal is never bad. You can probably take out the Loyal Sentries and add in Unmakes or Oblivion Rings, which are much more versatile.
Windbrisk Heights and Rustic Clachan should be considerations for addition if you up your land count a bit. They are both neat little land cards that could turn the game in your favor.
edit: agreement with the poster above, Mirror Entitites are unusual in here for the theme, but again, consider your board position if you ever needed to boost your creatures late game.
1)the mass removal this format sees.
2)the fact that there are better alternatives at the moment for card and mana slots. Keep in mind a 2/2 for 3 mana is not exactly game breaking, and without land in the graveyard or the rotation of Llorwyn block, it is right now a mediocre card that will have to wait for it's time to shine.
4 Graven Cairns
4 Sulfurous Springs
2 Ghitu Encampment
5 Mountain
8 Swamp
Creatures
4 Extractor Demon
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Rotting Rats
4 Shambling Remains
4 Viscera Dragger
4 Blightning
4 Goblin Lore
2 Makeshift Mannequin
2 Torrent of Souls
3 Raven's Crime
2 Incinerate
4 Vithian Stingers
4 Fulminator Mage
4 Goblin Outlander
3 Everlasting Torment
This BR deck operates principally out of the graveyard, using the Unearth mechanic and discarding to obtain a favorable board position and win by midgame. Right now I am tinkering with the lineup of creatures and spells to augment the deck, but at the moment, it is borrowing heavily from both Red Deck Wins and Blightning Aggro for support cards. The deck's main function early on however is to force the opponent to discard 3-4 cards by turn 3 and start whittling their life down to get within range of a large Unearth swing.
At the moment, I am debating the following card choices:
Raven's Crime vs Thoughtseize- It should be pretty obvious that TS should be in the deck, but the point is to force the opponent to discard down and limit their options for their deck to survive midgame. Whereas TS is one shot (but a very effective one), RC can be recurred to keep an opponent's hand thin after you hit 3-4 mana (which the deck can operate on without a problem). I may do 2 and 2 and see how it works.
Incinerate vs Banefire- Again, the choice should go to Banefire, but incinerate is cheap, works as spot removal against pesky early creatures like Figure of Destiny, ect. Banefire is just an awesome finisher period. I will have to test to see if I need to up the count on the number this slot will get.
Makeshift Mannequin- I am debating on eliminating this slot entirely or to put something like Beacon of Unrestthere. MM doesn't have really any good targets, but it does serve as instant gy recursion especially to bring back Extractor Demon.
Edit: Aghh...dunno why I keep placing threads in the wrong place, just contacted Moderator for movement and reporting as well.
My question is could this card have the potential to become banneable? Is it as abuseable as Skullclamp was? Personally, I do not think so, but I would like to see the general consensus as well on this matter.
EDIT: CRAP WRONG FORUM...and no DELETE BUTTON...Alerting moderator as we speak...
I agree that Conflux seems below average but only for the moment. It will take time for the set to be either rejected or appreciated by players.
Conflux adds a few interesting new artifacts like:
Master Transmuter 1/2
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer
:symu:, :symtap:: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
Which does lead to some interesting artifact hijinks (it functions almost like the artifact version of Astral Slide) and with Inkwell Leviathan (a 7/11 shroud, islandwalk, trampler) as an obvious threat that can viably be produced via MT by turn 4. However, outside these 2 specifically, the list of other artifacts becomes...meh. There is not alot of depth there to add to cards like Master of Etherium, Ethersworn Canonist, ect. already out there, so I am skeptical of this statement that Conflux can make Artifact decks more competitive.
Consider factors of inflation as well. It's a shame cards cost over 20 dollars now, but consider that over 15 years, shouldn't people expect card prices to skyrocket for specific cases? Packs have increased in price, the value of the dollar has shrunk, and we have the decision by WOTC to limit the rarity of select cards. For a few of those mythic rares, the prices are between $20-30. A decade ago, so cards did cost a considerable amount, and with inflation factored in, probably as much as BB or FoD is today.
The answer is to play smart and work hard to get the cards you want. It takes money which you need to earn and time in order to invest to ajust decks to be competitive in today's standard. Can't avoid the truth that it takes sacrifice to play Magic for real.