I haven't noticed a price spike or run on them, but all of a sudden everyone on Puca wants Smothering Abomination. Did this just do good a tournament or something? Is it poised to go up?
I suggest that you check out an auction website and do a search for something like "mtg foil altered art". They are still out there and there are people who are willing to take custom orders, if that is what you are after.
I always wanted to make a sun bleached playset of Krosan Grip (bleaching the disintegration side), but wasn't able to find the cards (neither the climate helps around here). If I get to do it, I'll share (it would be cool if somebody else that's interested on this idea does it and shares too). I bet it would look really cool!
I have no good windows in my apartment and didn't want to put them in my car... Anyway, I tried it out. Left them up for a year (366 days actually). Angel's Grace is a weird one cause the only thing that faded was the rarity symbol (looks like an uncommon now).
There were some people asking about how to do it, as I said in my first post I am no expert but this may be helpful. Figure out where you are going to put them first off. I would suggest an east/west facing window (never tried putting them outside, I get way too much rain/dew/moisture). Put the card in a toploader and tape the top shut so that no moisture can get in. If you are putting it in a window with metallic (or reflective blinds) then put it in an opaque sleeve so that the back does not get faded. Have patience, for me it takes about 8 months (longer in this new apartment) and obviously the longer you leave it up the more faded it can get.
3. Are Noble Heirach and Deathrite Shaman better than good ole fashioned Llanowar Elf? I've noticed that some builds run 8 mana dorks in place of the Utopia Sprawl (more aggressive builds). In those cases, would Hiearch or Deathrites be better than a Llanowar Elf? The deck would have to run 8 fetches for Deathrite to be consistent and the cons may exceed the pros. Thoughts?
I run 2 Birds of Paradise, I tried Noble Hierarch but not being able to add red was a downside for me. Obviously, Hierarch is better if you are going straight mono green since it gives you the +1 damage on early attacks with your Strangleroot Geists. Not that it comes up much, but the Birds do have flying which can sometimes buy you a turn against Affinity...
I love the card, personally, and feel that it can have a big upside. It probably won't be the next Show and Tell, but Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx certainly won't be getting worse with the printing of new cards...
I am happy with the $7 price it has, it keeps "fun" mono devotion decks cheap. If one of those decks shows promise at a big tournament, the price could rise, who knows.
Alternatively I was thinking of Nylea, God of the Hunt instead of the Primeval Titan. She kinda functions as our own Kessig Wolf Run, just in creature form (hopefully), that is indestructible....
I would shy against using Nylea, God of the Hunt over Kessig Wolf Run because while we do generate lots of mana, it is not an infinite amount. Paying 4 mana for +2 power is not as good as paying 3 (basically a red, a green, and the Kessig itself) +X, by the time you sink 8 mana into it you get +4 with Nylea and +5 with Kessig.
If you have CHB in hand and only 6 mana, you can cast Big Garruk and get CHB out with him. He also helps you refuel creatures since so many are ran.
Early on Big Garruk was discussed, it seemed mostly for the Lead the Stampede effect, but I think the outcome was that for 6 mana we could do better. Only running one Craterhoof Behemoth, I don't think I would often have a Big Garruk in hand and a Craterhoof and only have 6 mana, but I suppose it does happen...
I hate to bring anything from Woo's article up, but what is everyone's thoughts on maindecking Acidic Slime? I run 1 in the sideboard (others might as well, who knows) but I do not use Mwonvuli Beast Tracker so I would have to use Primal Command to tutor it up. Would it be worthwhile running less resilient 3 CMC creatures (Mwonvuli) in order to add some MD'ed Slimes (ideally, turn 2 Mwonvuli to turn 3 Slime)?
Hmm. I usually only use acetone for foils. If these are regular, will acetone do much? Ill give it a shot!
It works well for regular cards, and if you mask you can use blue painter's tape (which Acetone does not eat through) but there can sometimes be a residue that is left over at the interface between the masked area and the "erased" area.
One of my friends runs living end, on game 2/3 I choose to go second and just spend my first turn (maybe 2, if my creatures suck) drawing and discarding. In the grand scheme of things, letting them get 1/2 turns ahead doesn't kill us if they have to reanimate our Primeval Titan. We can easily catch up to them if they decide to just try and out-agro us.
This doesn't always work out, cause sometimes they can get 6 creatures in the yard before going off. But if you wave for 10, you can always just choose not to play half of your creatures so that they still got some pressure on them to deal with what you did wave in but they still can't Living End profitably.
Give it a try if you know someone who runs the deck.
Against anyone who doesn't gain significant amounts of life (mostly everyone), we could just run Banefire. Wins right now, can't be countered or prevented.
It's 7 devotion for it to be a creature, sure it's not rare to hit 7 but it's easy to change the deck a little to make sure we have less.
I said 5 because Xenagos adds 2 red/green devotion himself. I don't see us casting an entwined Tooth and Nail with less than 5 devotion since you need 4 devotion for Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx to be anything more and a Forest.
Tooth and Nails into Xenagos + Emrakul , Emrakul is a 30/30 Annihilator 6 protect from all color .. Xenagos is not a creature most of the time so it's an Indestructible Enchantment.
I feel that if we are casting Tooth and Nail for 9, we have at least 5 devotion so the Xenagos would most likely be a creature the whole time.
Don't focus too much on all of the individual cards; I point out in the article that new and optimal choices have been found since I put this build together.
I am curious what folks think about the combo potential? Is Curio just too unreliable to leave in?
I think the article is also a nice intro to Nykthos Wave decks and that the 3 tips for playing the deck, especially the Legendary Rule tip, could be something to put in the Primer?
Anyways, descriptions of my cards choices and other info can be found in the article here.
I really like this deck, so I hope everybody can keep working on making the best builds possible!
We have discussed Cloudstone Curio in this thread in the past. It seems (to me) that there were some people who had it in, but they have either dropped Genesis Wave (and thus don't play it) or dropped it for something that adds devotion. I think that most people who played it got to the point that if they are Waving for enough to get their combo online, they don't need an infinite something combo to win.
I haven't had a chance to try out a Cloudstone Curio build (I don't own any and my EDH friends won't let theirs go), but the ones from the earlier days of this deck only played 1 copy of the card. I don't know if the 3 that you run is the right number, I know that you always want to get it but it seems you would never want to get 2 (unless one gets destroyed before you can get your combo off). Sorry I couldn't offer much help, having never played Curio in the deck.
Snapcaster Mage
Ancient Tomb
Dark Ritual
Tendrils of Agony
Cursecatcher
Will not be reprinted:
Red Elemental Blast
Stifle
Life from the Loam
Ethersworn Canonist
Chalice of the Void
No idea if it is legal, but happy hunting.
I have no good windows in my apartment and didn't want to put them in my car... Anyway, I tried it out. Left them up for a year (366 days actually). Angel's Grace is a weird one cause the only thing that faded was the rarity symbol (looks like an uncommon now).
There were some people asking about how to do it, as I said in my first post I am no expert but this may be helpful. Figure out where you are going to put them first off. I would suggest an east/west facing window (never tried putting them outside, I get way too much rain/dew/moisture). Put the card in a toploader and tape the top shut so that no moisture can get in. If you are putting it in a window with metallic (or reflective blinds) then put it in an opaque sleeve so that the back does not get faded. Have patience, for me it takes about 8 months (longer in this new apartment) and obviously the longer you leave it up the more faded it can get.
I run 2 Birds of Paradise, I tried Noble Hierarch but not being able to add red was a downside for me. Obviously, Hierarch is better if you are going straight mono green since it gives you the +1 damage on early attacks with your Strangleroot Geists. Not that it comes up much, but the Birds do have flying which can sometimes buy you a turn against Affinity...
I am happy with the $7 price it has, it keeps "fun" mono devotion decks cheap. If one of those decks shows promise at a big tournament, the price could rise, who knows.
I would shy against using Nylea, God of the Hunt over Kessig Wolf Run because while we do generate lots of mana, it is not an infinite amount. Paying 4 mana for +2 power is not as good as paying 3 (basically a red, a green, and the Kessig itself) +X, by the time you sink 8 mana into it you get +4 with Nylea and +5 with Kessig.
Early on Big Garruk was discussed, it seemed mostly for the Lead the Stampede effect, but I think the outcome was that for 6 mana we could do better. Only running one Craterhoof Behemoth, I don't think I would often have a Big Garruk in hand and a Craterhoof and only have 6 mana, but I suppose it does happen...
I hate to bring anything from Woo's article up, but what is everyone's thoughts on maindecking Acidic Slime? I run 1 in the sideboard (others might as well, who knows) but I do not use Mwonvuli Beast Tracker so I would have to use Primal Command to tutor it up. Would it be worthwhile running less resilient 3 CMC creatures (Mwonvuli) in order to add some MD'ed Slimes (ideally, turn 2 Mwonvuli to turn 3 Slime)?
It works well for regular cards, and if you mask you can use blue painter's tape (which Acetone does not eat through) but there can sometimes be a residue that is left over at the interface between the masked area and the "erased" area.
This doesn't always work out, cause sometimes they can get 6 creatures in the yard before going off. But if you wave for 10, you can always just choose not to play half of your creatures so that they still got some pressure on them to deal with what you did wave in but they still can't Living End profitably.
Give it a try if you know someone who runs the deck.
I have tried out Banefire, but it can be Spellskited or even worse Redirected.
I said 5 because Xenagos adds 2 red/green devotion himself. I don't see us casting an entwined Tooth and Nail with less than 5 devotion since you need 4 devotion for Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx to be anything more and a Forest.
I feel that if we are casting Tooth and Nail for 9, we have at least 5 devotion so the Xenagos would most likely be a creature the whole time.
A 30/30 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn does seem pretty sweet though.
We have discussed Cloudstone Curio in this thread in the past. It seems (to me) that there were some people who had it in, but they have either dropped Genesis Wave (and thus don't play it) or dropped it for something that adds devotion. I think that most people who played it got to the point that if they are Waving for enough to get their combo online, they don't need an infinite something combo to win.
You deck plays 7 combo cards (2 Purphoros, God of the Forge, 2 Polukranos, World Eater, and 3 Cloudstone Curio) it probably would be more consistent with more resilient creatures.
If you wave and don't get a Cloudstone Curio or a Eternal Witness how does the deck fair? Have you tried running Summoner's Pact? It could help you get that second Burning-Tree Emissary if you didn't wave into it...
I haven't had a chance to try out a Cloudstone Curio build (I don't own any and my EDH friends won't let theirs go), but the ones from the earlier days of this deck only played 1 copy of the card. I don't know if the 3 that you run is the right number, I know that you always want to get it but it seems you would never want to get 2 (unless one gets destroyed before you can get your combo off). Sorry I couldn't offer much help, having never played Curio in the deck.