Lia's obnoxius deck thread (MtG)

[LiaThistle]

So, every now and then, I get an idea. This one seems kinda vicious, but I'm not sure I'm gonna get to test it. However, I want to post it because that way, I know I've done it for when I finally see it in a tournament.

In a nutshell, I think Riddlesmith has an application inside a single Vintage deck, one that was removed with the restriction of Thirst for Knowledge - yes, that's right, Control Slaver.

Riddlesmith isn't Thirst. But, it has slightly better synergy than Thirst (since you have to play an artifact to discard, you're going to be discarding when you have Welder material on the stack), as well as sticking around for multiple turns, providing Confidant counter/blocker, and in some cases, providing a slight aggro edge. It works with Drains, doesn't hurt the curve (is actually slightly faster than Thirst), and has a bit more potential to combo with other cards (Crucible comes to mind).

Thing is, I'm not overly familiar with the Control Slaver build. I know that it runs U/R as it's primary colors, with Welders and Forces and Drains, a solitary Mindslaver, and a few high cost cards like Triskelion and Sundering Titan. Eventually, a Mindslaver will take control of the opponent and do so much damage (or recur so many times) that the opponent will be forced to concede to whatever threat CS has out - or can get out in the near future.

Does anyone else think this is worth pursuing?

[Kaim Arouet]

I might try it, idk. I'm not playing Vintage much these days...

[LiaThistle]

Well, I don't think it's going to be a "plug and play" card; I think the deck will need some modification to make it work, and I don't know how much.

[Gaikotsu-kun]

LiaThistle

Vintage style, RUG for colors. I'm not sure on the creature/spell mix just yet. I'm just wanting to know if it makes a good outlet.

Deep Analysis, Ancient Grudge, Cabal Therapy, Conflagrate, Lava Dart, and Roar of the Wurm come immediately to mind. Also, Survival and maybe Fauna Shaman. But on topic, yes! I do think a Tolarian Winds-fueled Madness/Flashback deck would be pretty kewl. Unfortunately, you'll want to focus more on the madness for fear of gy hate, so your options are more limited.

[TheyCallMeJustiursa]

Funnily enough I have a friend who runs a Control Slaver deck. From what I have seen of the deck...I think Riddlesmith would be great in the deck. I will ask him when I see and see what he says.

[LiaThistle]

That would be excellent, thank you.

[TheyCallMeJustiursa]

He said Riddlesmith would be good-ish. He was not too sure but he said it wouldn't hurt to test it.

[LiaThistle]

Ah well. I think there's a primer on Slaver somewhere, I should read up on it and see what I can do.

[TheyCallMeJustiursa]

I'd ask to get a decklist from him but hes being secretive. Our local shop is doing a thing for the first big Standard Tournament where the top two Phyrexian themed and Mirran themed decks get an extra prize. So hes doing something with that and Mind Slaver.

[LiaThistle]

PersianPapiiChulo

I'd ask to get a decklist from him but hes being secretive. Our local shop is doing a thing for the first big Standard Tournament where the top two Phyrexian themed and Mirran themed decks get an extra prize. So hes doing something with that and Mind Slaver.

I'm talking Vintage, not Standard. Just a reminder.

[TheyCallMeJustiursa]

Oh I know. His original deck was Vintage. He has torn it apart now to do this thing so I cant get a decklist of his old deck now. XD

[LiaThistle]

Lia's ABM 2010
Artifacts - 7
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Pithing Needle
3 Scroll Rack
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key

Creatures - 8
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Masticore
1 Quasali Pridemage
1 Thada Adel, Aquisitor
1 Trigon Predator
1 Whirlpool Warrior
2 Winged Coatl

Enchantments - 7
4 Land Tax
1 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Runed Halo
1 Trade Routes

Instants - 11
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
2 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Drain

PWs - 2
1 Jace Beleren
1 Tezzeret the Seeker

Sorceries - 2
1 Balance
1 Tinker

Mana - 23
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Mox Diamond
1 Sol Ring
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Undiscovered Paradise
6 Plains
6 Islands

This is just a bad build. I'm looking to make cuts, and I'm not 100% sure where. I seem to have a lot of trouble getting colored mana other than blue or white, which, considering I'm running 9 sources that are capable of producing it, shouldn't actually be that big of an issue, but for some reason, it is.

I've already made some rotations, and I'm still unsatisfied.

For the next round of rotations, Tezzeret and Winged Coatl are the first likely candidates to go. Masticore and Coatl were put in due to local high creature density, but they just don't feel right most of the time, if I can even play the Coatl (there's that colored mana issue cropping up). This would also free up the Drain space, as Tezz and Masticore are the only cards that can be effectively drained into (very little else has more than one colorless mana in its CMC).

Bolts are anti-Jace/Tezz/Trygon material, but they also feel weak. Runed Halo protects me from my opponent's Inkwell, Trygon Predator, Lodestone Golem, Progenitus, Iona, or other large or obnoxious creature. Leyline works the same for burn and Charbelcher (when I get it). Leyline is also one of the few cards I'm not wanting to replace.

The problem I'm running into is that I don't know what to replace these things with. Spell Pierce doesn't seem to pull enough weight in a deck that intends to run slowly (though with Land Tax out, it probably has a higher chance of being effective). Nature's Claim is a single shot effect, and I don't have a recycling mechanism, even including Yawgmoth's Will (note: no black). It just...feels icky.

[Kaim Arouet]

I'm not happy with the coatl at all, just underwhelming.

[Gaikotsu-kun]

Why no Brainstorm, Ancestral Recall, or Thirst For Knowledge?

[LiaThistle]

Gaikotsu-kun

Why no Brainstorm, Ancestral Recall, or Thirst For Knowledge?

This is not as obvious as it seems.

Ancestral is the only one of those I would include, if I had one (which I don't). Why?

What does Brainstorm do? Draws 3, replaces 2. What's Tax/Rack not going to hit that Brainstorm will? On average, BS will draw me three lands, or, I'll have to wait until my next turn to use it. Ancestral also has this problem, actually.

Thirst isn't much different. Keep in mind, most of the game with this deck is spent with three basic lands on top of it, so most draw engine cards either need to be Tutors or always useful (like Ancestral).