I typically run more lands in my decks than other people in my play group. My Oona deck runs 42 lands and rocks (2 lands don't produce mana). But other than tribal elves, every one of my decks runs 40 lands even if they run rocks and/or small ramp spells. I don't like to rely on rock and I honestly don't mind getting flooded on most occasions since my decks have lots of draw power incorporated into them.
My playgroup is kinda split. Those of us with the more powerful decks do a free 7 when you reveal a hand with 0, 1, or 7 lands. The less powerful players do free partial paris. It allows everyone to play the game fully. I would like to switch everyone in the group to the free for 0, 1, 7, but it is taking some time.
My BBE deck is about where I want it to be now. I feel the key cards are going to be the same in all of them, but here is a breakdown of my list anyways:
I have considered taking out Chain Reaction, Fireshrieker, and Chaos Warp. These tend to go away from the combo that the general tends to revolve around and if you absolutely have to get rid of creature, you can kill it with lands. Fireshrieker has been kinda underwhelming and I would almost rather have more draw power instead of Chaos Warp.
I am thinking about trying to make a more interactive grindy version of the deck, but it will be mostly inferior to this explosive style.
I'm running this deck concept as well in my Talrand control built to control & cheat fatties. I only have 6 critters to be brought into play by Polymorph, Mass Polymorph, Reweave, Proteus Staff, Counterlash, Mana Drain & High Tide with tons of islands. Those six guys are: Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Blightsteel Colossus, Jin Gitaxias, Core Augur, Sphinx Ambassador & Consecrated Sphinx. Run numerous countermagic and free counters like Foil, Force of Will & Pact of Negation. Extra turn effects are brutal as well so you can bash a face with Annihilator and trigger Jin & Ambassador's effect numerous times. Theft effects are being utilized too so if something happens to my commander then I can steal a big guy then make it even bigger. I'm running 14 counterspells and only interrupt what's gonna spoil your game plan and don't waste it because you have it in your hand. The deck is very cutthroat as I'm always winning in six-man pods even though all are gunning on me every Friday nights. Good luck on your list bro.
Cutthroat is what I am trying to avoid but thank you for the mention of Reweave. I didn't even know that card exists.
Then I would be running the same boring creatures that any good stuff deck run. This would make this deck repetitive and make me feel like I am playing mono-blue good stuff drakes. My OP said I wanted to do it with style, for a less competitive play group. That means I am not looking for the strongest creature combination, but one even the most uptight players would see and be forced to smirk a little.
i'm not worried about being stuck with fatties in my hand, I have plenty of ways to fix that
I just can't decide what would be more fun: running good creatures, a fun theme, or strange blue creatures (roil elemental). With one placed time spell and a lot of cantrips in a turn or two, I can easily polymorph for 6+. So what 6 creatures would you want on the field with mono blue?
I might have to try this out for a few games just for the lols, but this isn't something what I would want to do permantly. Though this is the winner so far
I recently built a Talrand, Sky Summoner EDH deck for my less competitive play group. I want to be able to win, but do it with style. The deck has eldrazi monument and coat of arms, but I want to be able to win in style as well.
If you were to run Mass Polymorph what creatures would you play to win in style?
Huh. Jiv you never struck me as someone who'd be bothered by uninteractivity. I've also never seen anyone actually pull off pinnacle.
I take it you have never played against Sasaya, Orochi Ascendent. Slow roll Sasaya, turn 7 play her, flip her, tap other lands for 28 mana and genwave for 25 hitting all the lands/making all the mana. Helix pinacle goes right to 100
702.97c The card with cipher remains encoded on the chosen creature as long as the card with cipher remains exiled and the creature remains on the battlefield. The card remains encoded on that object even if it changes controller or stops being a creature, as long as it remains on the battlefield.
Aura Shards (This card just does to much against most of my decks)
Rites of Flourishing (I don't like games to progress too quickly)
Big Graveyards (People can't have nice things)
Things that I see die WAAAAYYY to often:
Hateflayer: I have seen this killed over Artisan of Kozilek's and I have seen it be the only creature on the field and get wrathed. My playgroup jokes it must be the scariest card in magic because new people kill it instantly
Black Market: It got to the point where I had to take it out of my deck. Once it had 0 counters on it when only a couple creatures on the field and someone blew it up over a mind's eye... I was so confused.
Migosi, the Waterveil: I had a friend put it in his deck and someone else tutored up an acidic slime just to blow it up (no it didn't have a counter on it). I recently put it in my Talrand deck, just for when I play with new players so they can see how turn order works after the ability resolves and such. 2 seperate new players were threatened by it saying I can take an extra turn. Regardless of the fact that it is not abusable...
My typical decks tend to be around the $250 range and slowly grow as time goes by.
For me a budget deck is one of two things:
1) I try to build a deck out of my collection. I did this with Glissa and the only things that I didn't have were the Nev's Disk and the Oblivion Stone
2) I am ordering cards for a deck and I spend less than $100 getting them. Sometimes it mean over looking big flashy spells, like tooth and nail and for others it means my land base can't be tricked out
Because people build their decks around their general of choice. It's THE cornerstone of their deck, and what separates them as being unique from the other players. Human beings have a strong inherent desire to be different, hence the psychology of twins.
By hindering their General, you're basically saying "I don't want you to play with the most unique and fun part of your deck". Sure, it's a strong play to make, but it's not particularly fun for the player it affects. You have a choice when deciding to take another player's fun away, and if you choose to act on it knowing how it might affect that person, then you should expect their disappointment.
I agree with this to an extent. If I am playing against Kaalia and I have a counter spell/ spot removal spell/ wrath that I can use instead I will opt to use one of those. But if its turn 3 and they are putting out a kaalia and I only have hinder, I will definitely hinder the Kaalia and hope they learn they can't dump out their general as fast as they can if a blue player is untapped. You can't swing into a white player if they have one white, as they might have a condemn. Its all about the choices that Kaalia player made and how certain opponents will interact to them.
Spaghetti Monsters (Eldrazi): They stop an opponent from casting spells and are sometimes answered after putting one player completely out of the game. Its miserable for that one player.
Infinite Combos - For the pretty casual crowd, its rude to interrupt a good game to just "win". Don't do it.
Extra Turns- Casual people can tend to look down upon this, because to them it isn't an extra turn its really skipping three peoples turns. The effect is the most powerful blue has so know your meta before you abuse it.
Mind Slaver- Opponents don't like to sit and not play. Especially if you do this just to mess someones hand/field up but not to put yourself any further than hindering that one player.
Super Casual-
Tuck Effects- people like their general and I tend not to tuck someones unless its Kalia, Vish Kal, or another general that is either very fast or hard to get rid of otherwise.
Counterspells- some people don't understand that blue's main answer to stuff is just saying no. Just avoid the color if you are playing amongst a super casual crowd.
Unfortunately their is no guide for this. You have to ask your meta how they feel about all of this. Another thing, you would be surprised how ok they would be with degenerate strategies if people didn't try to win 90% of the games they play. If you are winning this much then your deck is going to upset your meta. Remember there are 3+ people at the table. Each person wants to be able to win. Sometimes pitching a game here and there will allow you to play some of the more "unfun" strategies because people feel they can still win against them
The rules committee will ban something because its unfun, but not because its unfun for one player. It has to be changing the format and enough players have to be grumbling about it.
As for The Mimeoplasm. I have always found Ghave, Riku, and Mimeoplasm to be powerful generals. Not only is Mimeoplasm in the best three colors but the general encourages goodstuff type creatures, but thats ok. Instead of ranting and calling for a ban, you can start putting stuff in your deck to help battle the t-rex armed beast.
If you need some card ideas on how to fight Mimeoplasm, I will gladly list some
Once you get infinite mana you mill everyones decks and if anyone plays any eldrazi you kill them with the craterhoof behemoth that you tutor up =D
(would have used card tags but im on my phone..)
1 Burgeoning
2 Rampant Growth
2 Explore
2 Refellos, Llanowar Emmisary
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Lotus Cobra
3 Fertilid
3 Harrow
3 Cultivate
3 Kodama's Reach
4 Explosive Vegetation
4 Oracle Of Mul Daya
7 Boundless Realms
Land Filtering: 4
2 Journeyer's Kite
3 Realm's Uncharted
3 Yavimaya Elder
4 Abundance
Land Recursion: 5
1 Groundskeeper
2 Life From the Loam
3 Crucible Of Worlds
5 Creeping Corrosion
8 Praetor's Counsil
3 Horn of Greed
3 Wheel of Fortune
4 Harmonize
4 Tower of Fortunes
5 Mind's Eye
7 Regal Force
7 Dragon Mage
Tutors: 2
1 Gamble
6 Planar Portal
Efficient Creatures: 4
3 Countryside Crusher
6 Rampaging Baloths
7 Avenger of Zendikar
7 Spearbreaker Behemoth
Engines: 6
1 Keening Sense
3 Snake Umbra
3 Seismic Assault
4 Scape Shift
5 Gratuitous Violence
5 Storm Cauldron
Other Spells: 8
2 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Barrel Down Sokezan
3 Fireshrieker
3 Chaos Warp
3 Genesis Wave
4 Koth, of the Hammer
4 Chain Reaction
7 Tooth and Nail
1 Fungal Reaches
1 Temple of the False God
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Command Tower
1 Vivid Grove
1 Strip Mine
1 Vesuva
1 Valakut, the molten pinacle
1 Shinka, the Bload Soaked Keep
1 Maze of ith
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Raging Ravine
1 Tranquil thicket
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Slippery Karst
Basic Lands: 31
15 Mountain
16 Forest
I am currently running 49 lands. The main wincons of the decks are:
These all have a big enough impact on the game that I tend to win when I play them. Tooth and Nail for Avenger of Zendikar and Regal Force or even Storm Cauldron for the alpha strike.
I have considered taking out Chain Reaction, Fireshrieker, and Chaos Warp. These tend to go away from the combo that the general tends to revolve around and if you absolutely have to get rid of creature, you can kill it with lands. Fireshrieker has been kinda underwhelming and I would almost rather have more draw power instead of Chaos Warp.
I am thinking about trying to make a more interactive grindy version of the deck, but it will be mostly inferior to this explosive style.
Cutthroat is what I am trying to avoid but thank you for the mention of Reweave. I didn't even know that card exists.
The reason is because those are boring. I see Chancellor all the time, especially right next to Deadeye Navigator. If I wanted to go that route I would simply run:
Deadeye Navigator
Chancellor of the Spires
Dilluvian Primordial
Palinchron
Patron of the Moon
Tidespout Tyrant
Clone and its varients
Then I would be running the same boring creatures that any good stuff deck run. This would make this deck repetitive and make me feel like I am playing mono-blue good stuff drakes. My OP said I wanted to do it with style, for a less competitive play group. That means I am not looking for the strongest creature combination, but one even the most uptight players would see and be forced to smirk a little.
I just can't decide what would be more fun: running good creatures, a fun theme, or strange blue creatures (roil elemental). With one placed time spell and a lot of cantrips in a turn or two, I can easily polymorph for 6+. So what 6 creatures would you want on the field with mono blue?
I might have to try this out for a few games just for the lols, but this isn't something what I would want to do permantly. Though this is the winner so far
If you were to run Mass Polymorph what creatures would you play to win in style?
I have thought about doing:
~Stormtide Leviathan and all of the clone creatures.
~Running all the Eldrazi
Kozilek Butcher of Truth
Ulamog the Infinite Gyre
Artisan of Kozilek
Ulamog's Crusher
Hand of Emrakul
or just playing good blue creatures
I take it you have never played against Sasaya, Orochi Ascendent. Slow roll Sasaya, turn 7 play her, flip her, tap other lands for 28 mana and genwave for 25 hitting all the lands/making all the mana. Helix pinacle goes right to 100
702.97c The card with cipher remains encoded on the chosen creature as long as the card with cipher remains exiled and the creature remains on the battlefield. The card remains encoded on that object even if it changes controller or stops being a creature, as long as it remains on the battlefield.
Aura Shards (This card just does to much against most of my decks)
Rites of Flourishing (I don't like games to progress too quickly)
Big Graveyards (People can't have nice things)
Things that I see die WAAAAYYY to often:
Hateflayer: I have seen this killed over Artisan of Kozilek's and I have seen it be the only creature on the field and get wrathed. My playgroup jokes it must be the scariest card in magic because new people kill it instantly
Black Market: It got to the point where I had to take it out of my deck. Once it had 0 counters on it when only a couple creatures on the field and someone blew it up over a mind's eye... I was so confused.
Migosi, the Waterveil: I had a friend put it in his deck and someone else tutored up an acidic slime just to blow it up (no it didn't have a counter on it). I recently put it in my Talrand deck, just for when I play with new players so they can see how turn order works after the ability resolves and such. 2 seperate new players were threatened by it saying I can take an extra turn. Regardless of the fact that it is not abusable...
For me a budget deck is one of two things:
1) I try to build a deck out of my collection. I did this with Glissa and the only things that I didn't have were the Nev's Disk and the Oblivion Stone
2) I am ordering cards for a deck and I spend less than $100 getting them. Sometimes it mean over looking big flashy spells, like tooth and nail and for others it means my land base can't be tricked out
I agree with this to an extent. If I am playing against Kaalia and I have a counter spell/ spot removal spell/ wrath that I can use instead I will opt to use one of those. But if its turn 3 and they are putting out a kaalia and I only have hinder, I will definitely hinder the Kaalia and hope they learn they can't dump out their general as fast as they can if a blue player is untapped. You can't swing into a white player if they have one white, as they might have a condemn. Its all about the choices that Kaalia player made and how certain opponents will interact to them.
Typical Douche things for a Semi-Competitive Meta
20 Minute Turns: Imma Time Stretch and Mnuemonic Wall Time Stretch, capsize the wall and repeat until I find something relevant to do
Infinite Combos- ones that are played in the first few turns
Mass Land Destruction- People hate sitting there not being able to cast spells
Casual-ish Meta (anything above plus )
Tax decks- Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, Smokestacks, Contamination, Linvala/Karmic Bell/Urborg. Mostly this is just grindy stuff that leads to you winning down the road but is slow and painful for your opponent.
Spaghetti Monsters (Eldrazi): They stop an opponent from casting spells and are sometimes answered after putting one player completely out of the game. Its miserable for that one player.
Infinite Combos - For the pretty casual crowd, its rude to interrupt a good game to just "win". Don't do it.
Extra Turns- Casual people can tend to look down upon this, because to them it isn't an extra turn its really skipping three peoples turns. The effect is the most powerful blue has so know your meta before you abuse it.
Mind Slaver- Opponents don't like to sit and not play. Especially if you do this just to mess someones hand/field up but not to put yourself any further than hindering that one player.
Super Casual-
Tuck Effects- people like their general and I tend not to tuck someones unless its Kalia, Vish Kal, or another general that is either very fast or hard to get rid of otherwise.
Counterspells- some people don't understand that blue's main answer to stuff is just saying no. Just avoid the color if you are playing amongst a super casual crowd.
Unfortunately their is no guide for this. You have to ask your meta how they feel about all of this. Another thing, you would be surprised how ok they would be with degenerate strategies if people didn't try to win 90% of the games they play. If you are winning this much then your deck is going to upset your meta. Remember there are 3+ people at the table. Each person wants to be able to win. Sometimes pitching a game here and there will allow you to play some of the more "unfun" strategies because people feel they can still win against them
As for The Mimeoplasm. I have always found Ghave, Riku, and Mimeoplasm to be powerful generals. Not only is Mimeoplasm in the best three colors but the general encourages goodstuff type creatures, but thats ok. Instead of ranting and calling for a ban, you can start putting stuff in your deck to help battle the t-rex armed beast.
If you need some card ideas on how to fight Mimeoplasm, I will gladly list some