Had a chance to run Golgari Adventures/knights over the weekend. The first game was garbage, I simply drew poorly and I was just overpowered by a Progenitus and other players were doing far more powerful things.
The second game I won, because I had a double Innkeeper engine going, and my Priest wasn't removed so no one could stop me from locking them out as they could only play one creature at a time and didn't draw their removal
Still, feels like the deck needs tweaking though as it feels fragile.
Anyone adding anything "more potent" to their lists?
I don't think it matters much one way or another. Any combination in any reasonable quantity should be fine. If I had to rank my choices in a vacuum it would be 4lspeth, DV, 6lspeth but DV pops over to #1 if you add those 2x Westvale Abbeys. That's assuming 4x Assemble though. If you're cutting 2 go with Elspeths because DV is useless with Luminarch Ascension.
I have the Abbeys so those are in. I have playsets of both Elspeths so any combo of those can stay in. I have two copies of Assemble the legion which I pulled. I have the white castle and can play duals, shocks, temples, checks, etc....I have it all
I play all the removal, from Wraths, to 3 mana sweepers, to STP, and enough artifact/enchantment removal to boot.
Westvale Abbey is a low opportunity cost inclusion, I have two copies, so I will give it a whirl.
Endless Atlas is pretty subpar. Once per circuit is limiting but yeah, I see your point.
Generous Gift is a great card and sure there are applications like you already pointed out where Chaos Warp is better in my meta too. Will play those instead. I have crap luck that way.
I think I drop the two assemble the legion and put in two divine visitation and hopefully those tokens can become 4/4 fliers
Godo and Helm go infinite right? My table frowns on that, ALTHOUGH, one of the games went an hour b/c of lifegain stupidity, so perhaps this is the way to go. At some point, it is better to just WIN rather than be bored for 45 mins.
Jokulhaups seems like a nombo with Fires of invention? Or am I missing something? Only seems good if I am already running an active Luminarch, which at that point it virtually seals the deal.
Cavalier of Flame is average at best, tough to cast on curve b/c of trip red unless Fires is out. The filter is nice and the deck is hurting for draw. My meta needs early defence so I run the 0/4 wall what draws a card.
I like Kenrith, the lifegain can be important, wish there was an easier way to use his draw, which is his best ability. I mean, if I am putting blue duals of some sort in the deck, I really should just go Jeskai and if I am going three colors, I feel like Grixis is stronger
So, I gave this deck a full play today. I really like Fires of invention as a card, BUT the problem this deck has is both Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Assemble the legion are just too damn slow. No one wins MP games with 1/1's unless you go infinite.
I also ran stolen strategy which adds some fun chaos to the game, but honestly, today it mainly disrupted my opponents, I never could get anything decent off it b/c my active Luminarch Ascension was actually putting out real threats.
People aren't stupid though and the deck needs either another finisher, OR it needs something to convert those 1/1 tokens into something better. Either a divine visitation, anointed procession or cathars' crusade type of effect would work, but I am not sure they warrant a spot.
Also, is it just me or is chaos Warp just trash? Both times I used it, it backfired and put better things on the board, /smh
I can control the board but can't protect my enchantments. I can't win with anemic token producers even in a 4 man meta. While I durdled, I was aetherflux resevoired and knocked out.
So, what can I do to make this better, or do I just go Grixis, play 12 tutors and be done with it?
Is this a deck that gets more powerful by going Orzhov colors, instead of just mono black? Seems easy to play cruel celebrant over zulaport cutthroat
Adding a couple of Athreos, God of passage as part of the payoff?
Also, is there a way to turn this into double triggers via Teysa karlov yet another reason to splash white Chittering witch seems to have replaced Sengir autocrat unless you have room for copies 5-8 anywhere in the curve or in Ascend decks
Field of the dead is great in Gates as an alt-wincon, although I generally win by playing Maze's End before I can grind people out.
Syr Konrad, the Grim This card is so much fun to play and really hoses some people. I was initially playing two but love the card that I got two more for virtually nothing. Highly recommended.
Burning Wish, Mastermind's Acquisition and Fae of Wishes are definitely the best cards to be playing in Fires of Invention decks if anyone wants to build something ultra-cutthroat because then you can literally play with any card in your collection. After all, you get to tutor and cast the spell on the same turn. So you can build a deck full of tutors, Fires, ramp, etc. and then use a pure Wish "board" to play the perfect spell every turn since your deck will be playing 12+ 0 mana Demonic Tutors that can fetch any card in Magic (that you own). So if you want the meanest possible Grixis build there you go.
I appreciate your previous efforts with the Izzet deck and I am LOVING the Grixis ideas, I think this was the sort of thing I was looking for. It's given me a great start to flesh out a list. I will see what I come up with and post it for some critiquing.
The mana base is sound and the endgame looks strong (could, of course, be upgraded). I have concerns about the early game. I know our metas are different, mine is smaller and punishes open players without mercy (it didn't use to, but we have become far less lenient in that regard).
Admittedly, I am looking at Grixis colors, feel like black just adds a lot of options but the way my brain is working today, I may be off my rocker.
I know you don't particularly like PW'ers but I couldn't imagine a Grixis shell without at least one Bolas walker
Do you own Nexus of Fate or Approach of the Second Sun? Those are vastly superior options. Don't forget about Field of the Dead either. This deck doesn't need or want cards like Supreme Exemplar that die to removal when you can play win conditions that ignores it entirely. Omnath is useful as a removal spell so he's fine but you'll rarely be going face with that ability.
OOC have you tested Smokebraider at all? I just assumed that your lists had 4 but I'm currently seeing 0. Isn't that the best possible thing to be doing on turn 2? My build has 4 Braiders and 4 Mariners because I want to be casting one of those on turn 2 every game. Flamekin Harbinger on 1 is ideal but you'll only get that ~40% of the time.
I have both! A couple of Nexus of fates and a playset of Approach of the second sun so those could be added. Any chance you can indulge me with a decklist so I can work off it. I believe I have a couple of smokebraider but the card seems lackluster unless I am missing something??
The problem that still remains is the fact that only Omnath, Locus of Rage and Supreme Exemplar hit for more than 2 power. So while I can get off to a blazing start, if one of those finishers is removed, the deck looks menacing but doesn't actually threaten. Plus it is vulnerable to Wrath effects
The second game I won, because I had a double Innkeeper engine going, and my Priest wasn't removed so no one could stop me from locking them out as they could only play one creature at a time and didn't draw their removal
Still, feels like the deck needs tweaking though as it feels fragile.
Anyone adding anything "more potent" to their lists?
I have the Abbeys so those are in. I have playsets of both Elspeths so any combo of those can stay in. I have two copies of Assemble the legion which I pulled. I have the white castle and can play duals, shocks, temples, checks, etc....I have it all
I play all the removal, from Wraths, to 3 mana sweepers, to STP, and enough artifact/enchantment removal to boot.
I just want to up the power level
Do I have room for both
Endless Atlas is pretty subpar. Once per circuit is limiting but yeah, I see your point.
Generous Gift is a great card and sure there are applications like you already pointed out where Chaos Warp is better in my meta too. Will play those instead. I have crap luck that way.
I think I drop the two assemble the legion and put in two divine visitation and hopefully those tokens can become 4/4 fliers
I will update after the next play through
Jokulhaups seems like a nombo with Fires of invention? Or am I missing something? Only seems good if I am already running an active Luminarch, which at that point it virtually seals the deal.
Cavalier of Flame is average at best, tough to cast on curve b/c of trip red unless Fires is out. The filter is nice and the deck is hurting for draw. My meta needs early defence so I run the 0/4 wall what draws a card.
I like Kenrith, the lifegain can be important, wish there was an easier way to use his draw, which is his best ability. I mean, if I am putting blue duals of some sort in the deck, I really should just go Jeskai and if I am going three colors, I feel like Grixis is stronger
It's frustrating
I also ran stolen strategy which adds some fun chaos to the game, but honestly, today it mainly disrupted my opponents, I never could get anything decent off it b/c my active Luminarch Ascension was actually putting out real threats.
People aren't stupid though and the deck needs either another finisher, OR it needs something to convert those 1/1 tokens into something better. Either a divine visitation, anointed procession or cathars' crusade type of effect would work, but I am not sure they warrant a spot.
Also, is it just me or is chaos Warp just trash? Both times I used it, it backfired and put better things on the board, /smh
I had my luminarch ascension extirpated and that just killed the deck.
I can control the board but can't protect my enchantments. I can't win with anemic token producers even in a 4 man meta. While I durdled, I was aetherflux resevoired and knocked out.
So, what can I do to make this better, or do I just go Grixis, play 12 tutors and be done with it?
Adding a couple of Athreos, God of passage as part of the payoff?
Also, is there a way to turn this into double triggers via Teysa karlov yet another reason to splash white
Chittering witch seems to have replaced Sengir autocrat unless you have room for copies 5-8 anywhere in the curve or in Ascend decks
No love for Knight of the Ebon Legion? I realize that the one drop is quite saturated in black but I quite enjoy the card and it scales.
Dread Presence loves Urborg, Tomb of yawgmoth allowing you to splash it with another color if you desire.
Field of the dead is great in Gates as an alt-wincon, although I generally win by playing Maze's End before I can grind people out.
Syr Konrad, the Grim This card is so much fun to play and really hoses some people. I was initially playing two but love the card that I got two more for virtually nothing. Highly recommended.
It works, you just tap your lands to pay kicker costs. What doesn't work is paying X costs as you cast the spell, X always must equal zero.
EDIT for clarity
I appreciate your previous efforts with the Izzet deck and I am LOVING the Grixis ideas, I think this was the sort of thing I was looking for. It's given me a great start to flesh out a list. I will see what I come up with and post it for some critiquing.
The mana base is sound and the endgame looks strong (could, of course, be upgraded). I have concerns about the early game. I know our metas are different, mine is smaller and punishes open players without mercy (it didn't use to, but we have become far less lenient in that regard).
Admittedly, I am looking at Grixis colors, feel like black just adds a lot of options but the way my brain is working today, I may be off my rocker.
I know you don't particularly like PW'ers but I couldn't imagine a Grixis shell without at least one Bolas walker
Turn 5 plays on turn 3, gotcha.... feeling really, really dumb atm.
I agree on cloudkin Seer and Mulldrifter is far superior.
I have both! A couple of Nexus of fates and a playset of Approach of the second sun so those could be added. Any chance you can indulge me with a decklist so I can work off it. I believe I have a couple of smokebraider but the card seems lackluster unless I am missing something??
The problem that still remains is the fact that only Omnath, Locus of Rage and Supreme Exemplar hit for more than 2 power. So while I can get off to a blazing start, if one of those finishers is removed, the deck looks menacing but doesn't actually threaten. Plus it is vulnerable to Wrath effects
Does this type of deck just simply work better with Jace, Wielder of Mysteries or laboratory maniac as it's wincon?