Can you guys analyze my deck? I am posting what I built tonight, the mana isn't finished but I had no issues testing against my other decks (but they didn't run mana denial, but I think it's alright (not great) manawise as is.
The first and foremost addition I want is a Blue Sun's Zenith, but I haven't figured out on what to cut for it. I want Blue Sun's Zenith because I really underestimated how much proliferate+chalice produces late game and tons of mana+cards in hand is amazing with Venser Ultimate (or having enough board presence to Tezz ultimate FTW).
Stoic Rebuttal is obviously in there to play mental games with your opponent. You are playing blue, and if you don't happen to have a good drop in your hand and you pass the opponent is thinking open mana and he is playing blue. Once you use it once you can side it out and every time you have open mana they will think twice.
I just tested this in a local tournament, Green Sun Zenith is an absolute must. Fauna Shaman needs to be drawn somehow. That virtually would give us 8 copies of her. The Liquimetal Coating helps get metalcraft, or makes any permanent an artifact targetable by Sylvok Replica/Naturalize. I like the idea of the corruptor, but I need to trade for 4 Green Sun Zenith before I test this out anymore.
Fauna Forgemaster seeks to create a blend cheap artifact creatures and cheap creature mana acceleration to create early board presence and late game fuel for a finisher. I included Liquimetal Coating along with Sylvok Replica/Naturalize to give green a form of removal. Glissa, the Traitor was added as a way to bring back key artifacts with the presence of sideboard removal being so prevalent, or as a way to bring back Sylvok Replica.
It's a fun deck I am experimenting with. I never bought any Rise of the Eldrazi so I only have 1 Sea Gate Oracle, but I likely would run 2-3. Here is a quick run down of why each card is in there.
Venser, the Sojourner: Incredible Planeswalker that for some reason no one seems to be using. Whenever I play him people have to read the card to see what he does. His ultimate is incredibly easy to reach and is very potent. His +2 makes the deck sick.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas: +1 find an Artifact. -1 make a 5/5 beast. Ultimate opponent loses life, you gain life.
Stoneforge Mystic: Find Equipment, either the Swords if you have creatures, or the Bonehoards/Flayer Husks if you need creatures. Use Vensers +2 to find more equipment.
Squadron Hawk: Speed bump for other decks, also great in the Stoneforge/Swords package. Running 3 because you don't want more than 1 in your opening hand.
Sea Gate Oracle: Good chump blocker right before you play Tezzeret or Venser. Good Venser +2 target.
Wurmcoil Engine: Win Condition that Tezzeret can find.
Frost Titan: Win Condition, usually if he hits the board its game over. Also a nice Venser +2 target.
Flayer Husk: 1/1 for 1. Tutorable with Stoneforge Mystic. Revives using Vensers +2.
Bonehoard: See Flayer Husk.
Swords: They are awesome.
Contagion Clasp: Early game weenie removal, late game proliferate (not too important, but still there), good Venser +2 target.
Sphere of the Suns: Mana Fixing, tutorable with Tezzeret, can turn into a 5/5 late game. Venser recharges.
Tumble Magnet: With Venser in thee mix, it is a standard version of Ring of Gix, which is an old favorite of mine.
Journey to Nowhere: Remove threat of the moment. Change targets with Venser.
Against Aggro why would you side out your one drops?
Durress is how you are going to steal their Kuldotha Rebith.
Signal Pest is a blocker v. Aggro, or a lasting pump spell once you have infect creatures.
I'd take out the Vatmothers instead to lower your curve, and the Dark Tutelage as their CA is natural going to be far worse than yours with hand dumps. Also the extra damage from Dark Tutelage easily could put you over the top if you revealed a Vatmother.
Stupid Example:
Opponent's hand: Goblin Bush Whacker; Memnite; Mox Opal; Goblin Guide; Kuldotha Rebirth; Mountain; Mountain
What do you want in your hand, assuming you go first?
I want Duress, Necropede, Black Sun Zenith, Phyrexian Crusader, Swamp, Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus.
Now using your SB out, you have to deal with Rebirth, have a good chance of having Vatmother or Tutelage in your hand which both would be bad cards in the match up.
So... you want to run the Sword (I assume as a 1-of, thus making the chance of drawing it fairly inconsistent), with no other targets but your Tar Pits, in a format full of Tectonic Edge and spot removal?
Guys, don't let the glitz and splendor of Caw-Blade distract you from the draw-go purpose of this deck. Beating in with Swords is their gimmick; ours is hard permission. Trying to shoehorn something like that into this deck is just going to decrease efficiency and consistency.
Less glitzy suggestion: Lullmage Mentor 3cmc whenever you counter a spell make a 1/1 merfolk. Tap 7 Merfolk: Counterspell
I need to buy some more 2011, or hope my local store has them in singles to get Jace's Ingenuity, but I have most of the rest of the list and am really liking it so far.
One thing I was wondering about, mostly a half thought, but what about Sword of Feast and Famine? I wish it had flash, but equipping it to the Creeping Tar Pit in the Esper build allows for discard and untapping land (so turn by turn equip doesn't matter, as well as casting anything else sorcery speed including manland activation). One disadvantage that's making me hesitate is potentially tapping out, or not having anything worth equipping it to, but the manlands help with the latter.
First off, once I can acquire another Marsh Flat and Verdant Catacomb the Terramorphic Expanse will be cut.
I took this to a tournament this weekend here is my results:
Me v. WWQuest (2-1)
Was a close match up as his Squadron Hawks became chump block threat for my Plague Stingers and Inkmoth Nexus. I then sideboarded in Marsh Casualties and Virulent Wound. The next two matches were blow outs for me.
Me v. BR Infect/Creature Removal (2-0)
My deck is faster than other infect decks, was not hard to win.
Me v. Vampires (2-1)
The Bloodghast is a pain, but the second two games I sided in the Marsh Casualties and Virulent Wound and beat face.
Me v. WWQuest (2-0)
He got me to 3 life, then I attached Adventuring Gear to my Inkmoth Nexus cast a Marsh Flat then Swamp, then cast Vimpire's Bite on the Inkmoth to deal 8 Poison when he already had 4. The second game I threw the removal back in and it was easier.
Me v. UB Control (2-0)
I killed him too fast to really see what his deck was about.
UW Control and I chose to draw and split the top prize.
The first and foremost addition I want is a Blue Sun's Zenith, but I haven't figured out on what to cut for it. I want Blue Sun's Zenith because I really underestimated how much proliferate+chalice produces late game and tons of mana+cards in hand is amazing with Venser Ultimate (or having enough board presence to Tezz ultimate FTW).
4x Vedalken Certarch
4x Thrummingbird
1x Treasure Mage
Removalesque Artifacts:
4x Contagion Clasp
1x Ratchet Bomb
3x Tumble Magnet
2x Mox Opal
4x Sphere of the Suns
4x Everlowing Chalice
Six Mana Artifacts:
1x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Steel Hellkite
1x Spine of Ish Sah
1x Mindslaver
4x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
3x Venser, the Sojourner
Land
3x Seachrome Coast
2x Drowned Catacombs
3x Inkmoth Nexus
14x Island
Plans for the top two decks in my meta:
Plan for Caw-Go = Tap the bird w/ the Sword
Plan for Valakut = race for Permanent destruction/exile
What is this?
Last Update: Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Introduction
What is Fauna Forgemaster? Fauna Forgemaster is a GB variant that works similarly to Martin Juza's Kuldotha Forgemaster deck. It seeks to use Fauna Shaman to search the deck for Kuldotha Forgemaster or Wurmcoil Engine. Fauna Shaman also acts like Jace, the Mind Sculptor in this deck as a way to put Blightsteel Colossus back into your deck to avoid a dead draw.
Fauna Forgemaster seeks to create a blend cheap artifact creatures and cheap creature mana acceleration to create early board presence and late game fuel for a finisher. I included Liquimetal Coating along with Sylvok Replica/Naturalize to give green a form of removal. Glissa, the Traitor was added as a way to bring back key artifacts with the presence of sideboard removal being so prevalent, or as a way to bring back Sylvok Replica.
inked's Fauna Forgemaster GB build:
15x Forest
3x Verdant Catacombs
1x Swamp
2x Inkmoth Nexus
Creatures
4x Fauna Shaman
2x Ezuri' Brigade
1x Glissa, the Traitor
2x Joraga Treespeaker
4x Birds of Paradise
3x Memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x Sylvok Replica
1x Kuldotha Forgemaster
1x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Blightsteel Colossus
3x Mox Opal
4x Liquimetal Coating
Instants
4x Naturalize
2x Creeping Tar Pit
2x Celestial Colonnade
3x Glacial Fortress
3x Marsh Flats
4x Swamp
5x Plains
5x Island
Planeswalkers (5)
3x Venser, the Sojourner
2x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Creatures (9)
3x Stoneforge Mystic
3x Squadron Hawk
1x Sea Gate Oracle
1x Wurmcoil Engine
1x Frost Titan
3x Flayer Husk
2x Bonehoard
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Body and Mind
Artifacts (8)
2x Contagion Clasp
2x Sphere of the Suns
4x Tumble Magnet
Enchantments (4)
4x Journey to Nowhere
Sorcery (3)
3x Preordain
4x Mana Leak
3x Spreading Seas
2x Mortarpod
1x Sylvok Lifestaff
2x Contagion Clasp
3x Ratchet Bomb
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/esper-artifacer/playtest/]Playtest Here.
It's a fun deck I am experimenting with. I never bought any Rise of the Eldrazi so I only have 1 Sea Gate Oracle, but I likely would run 2-3. Here is a quick run down of why each card is in there.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas: +1 find an Artifact. -1 make a 5/5 beast. Ultimate opponent loses life, you gain life.
Stoneforge Mystic: Find Equipment, either the Swords if you have creatures, or the Bonehoards/Flayer Husks if you need creatures. Use Vensers +2 to find more equipment.
Squadron Hawk: Speed bump for other decks, also great in the Stoneforge/Swords package. Running 3 because you don't want more than 1 in your opening hand.
Sea Gate Oracle: Good chump blocker right before you play Tezzeret or Venser. Good Venser +2 target.
Wurmcoil Engine: Win Condition that Tezzeret can find.
Frost Titan: Win Condition, usually if he hits the board its game over. Also a nice Venser +2 target.
Flayer Husk: 1/1 for 1. Tutorable with Stoneforge Mystic. Revives using Vensers +2.
Bonehoard: See Flayer Husk.
Swords: They are awesome.
Contagion Clasp: Early game weenie removal, late game proliferate (not too important, but still there), good Venser +2 target.
Sphere of the Suns: Mana Fixing, tutorable with Tezzeret, can turn into a 5/5 late game. Venser recharges.
Tumble Magnet: With Venser in thee mix, it is a standard version of Ring of Gix, which is an old favorite of mine.
Journey to Nowhere: Remove threat of the moment. Change targets with Venser.
Preordain: Card draw, library fixing.
What's your guys' thoughts?
Durress is how you are going to steal their Kuldotha Rebith.
Signal Pest is a blocker v. Aggro, or a lasting pump spell once you have infect creatures.
I'd take out the Vatmothers instead to lower your curve, and the Dark Tutelage as their CA is natural going to be far worse than yours with hand dumps. Also the extra damage from Dark Tutelage easily could put you over the top if you revealed a Vatmother.
Stupid Example:
Opponent's hand: Goblin Bush Whacker; Memnite; Mox Opal; Goblin Guide; Kuldotha Rebirth; Mountain; Mountain
What do you want in your hand, assuming you go first?
I want Duress, Necropede, Black Sun Zenith, Phyrexian Crusader, Swamp, Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus.
T1: Swamp; Cast Duress (remove Kuldotha Rebirth)
KRT1: Draw Memnite; Mountain; Cast Memnite, Memnite, Mox Opal, Kicked Bushwhacker; Deal 6.
T2: (Draw ____) Cast Inkmoth Nexus, Necropede.
KR2: (Draw Lightning Bolt) Cast Mountain, Goblin Guide, Lightning Bolt Necropede (Infect Guide), Deal 4 (10 total)
T3: (Draw____) Cast Swamp, Black Sun's Zenith/Wipe Board.
Now using your SB out, you have to deal with Rebirth, have a good chance of having Vatmother or Tutelage in your hand which both would be bad cards in the match up.
True Conviction
Victory's Herald
Some kind of solid win condition.
Less glitzy suggestion: Lullmage Mentor 3cmc whenever you counter a spell make a 1/1 merfolk. Tap 7 Merfolk: Counterspell
Possibly a good card after you DoJ?
One thing I was wondering about, mostly a half thought, but what about Sword of Feast and Famine? I wish it had flash, but equipping it to the Creeping Tar Pit in the Esper build allows for discard and untapping land (so turn by turn equip doesn't matter, as well as casting anything else sorcery speed including manland activation). One disadvantage that's making me hesitate is potentially tapping out, or not having anything worth equipping it to, but the manlands help with the latter.
4x Signal Pest
4x Plague Stinger
4x Phyrexian Crusader
4x Phyrexian Vatmother
Artifact (8)
4x Adventuring Gear
2x Infiltration Lens
2x Piston Sledge
Enchantment (3)
3x Unholy Strength
4x Vampire's Bite
2x Go for the Throat
Sorcery (4)
4x Grim Discovery
Land (23)
3x Inkmoth Nexus
3x Verdant Catacombs
3x Marsh Flats
2x Terramorphic Expanse
12x Swamp
2 Go for the Throat
2x Necropede
4x Vampire Hexmage
3x Virulent Wound
4x Marsh Casualties
First off, once I can acquire another Marsh Flat and Verdant Catacomb the Terramorphic Expanse will be cut.
I took this to a tournament this weekend here is my results:
Me v. WWQuest (2-1)
Was a close match up as his Squadron Hawks became chump block threat for my Plague Stingers and Inkmoth Nexus. I then sideboarded in Marsh Casualties and Virulent Wound. The next two matches were blow outs for me.
Me v. BR Infect/Creature Removal (2-0)
My deck is faster than other infect decks, was not hard to win.
Me v. Vampires (2-1)
The Bloodghast is a pain, but the second two games I sided in the Marsh Casualties and Virulent Wound and beat face.
Me v. WWQuest (2-0)
He got me to 3 life, then I attached Adventuring Gear to my Inkmoth Nexus cast a Marsh Flat then Swamp, then cast Vimpire's Bite on the Inkmoth to deal 8 Poison when he already had 4. The second game I threw the removal back in and it was easier.
Me v. UB Control (2-0)
I killed him too fast to really see what his deck was about.
UW Control and I chose to draw and split the top prize.
Is another good one for blue.