MTG Deck needing some analysis/reviews (Updated 4/15)

[MadModderX]

TagraNar

Cap'n Sipid, I'd disagree on the point that a game of Magic is to win: it's to have fun. If you're not having fun, then what's the point in playing?

he's just a spike, i wouldn't let that bother you too much.

[SporkMaster5000]

Mingan29

It did help, but how is it terrible if I've never lost with it? Maybe I just have good luck.

Ok...here's my redo of the deck. (Bear in mind, I'm a stating player with not many cards- I was given a burn deck, and bought Dark Devotion and Lifeboost, as well as roughly 4 boosters. And I'm sorta broke now...so I'll have to make do with what I have.)

I'm sticking with 65 cards, but I have a lot more duplicates now. A question mark means I'm considering removing it.

Lands
13 Plains
9 Mountain
Ghitu Encampment

Creatures
Venerable Monk (3x)
Suntail Hawk (2x)
Angelic Page (2x)
Crossbow Infantry (2x)
Angel Of Mercy (2x)
Bushi Tenderfoot/Kenzo The Hardhearted
Kabuto Moth
Nagao, Bound By Honor
Devoted Retainer
Pious Kitsune
Seasoned Marshal
Kitsune Blademaster

Other Spells
Glorious Anthem
Honden Of Cleansing Fire
Ghostly Prison
Onslaught
Spirit Link
Cave Sense
Indominitable Will
Fireball (3x)
Skullcage
Sisay's Ring
Dragon's Claw
Ivory Cup
Sensei's Divining Top
Sparring Collar ?
Shock (2x)
Spark Spray (3x)
Blessed Reversal
Disenchant
Chastise
Ethereal Haze
Carbonize ?

Any better than before? I really can't afford many more cards. Basically, I got rid of the Mountain creatures and brought in a lot of white with flying or defense.

first off, if you're new and don't have many cards, asking for help with specific decks online may not be the best idea because the number one and two suggestions are different cards, or more of specific cards, or both. as you've probably seen.

however, there are other things. sticking to 60 cards makes life a lot easier. every time you add more cards, you need more mana. eventually, you get a beast of a deck, and that's bad times. your manabase is about right for a 60 card deck, mabye more mabye less depending on your spells, so you really need to cut five of those cards. i would suggest bushi tenderfoot, sisay's ring, dragon claw, ivory cup, sparring collar

you really don't have any decent ways to flip the tenderfut, and sissay's ring is not really good for mana acceleration, which you might not even need that much. dragon claw and ivory cup look good, but they really aren't you don't have a lot of red for the claw, and the cup costs mana which isn't a good thing. sparring collar's just junk outside of some kinda combo deck or something. kabuto moth is pretty good, and carbonize helps if you play and kamigaw-block intensive decks. RFG is a good thing for you.

it'd also suggest keeping an eye open for two more shocks(possibly at the expense of two spark sprays) and more suntail hawks. also, as techno said keep your costs low, you do have a lot of 1 and two mana cards, which is good. that makes for a very fast deck.

things you might get rid of while seeking multiples:
skullcage: unless you're running a discard deck, it's very possible to have it hurt you as much as your opponent, if not more. also, if you add more low costs, you'll probably burn through your hand pretty quick

ghitu encampment: you could just trade it for a mountain, you're very heavy on white, i'm not sure if you're more likely to have mana to spare on this, or if you'll be wishng you could tap it after playing it more often. your call, unless someone has better reasoning.

cave sense:it gives +1/+1 which is just alright, mountainwalk is usually negligable. there are better pumps. like indomitable will.

honden of cleansing fire: lone hondens are sad hondens. 'nuff said.

nagao: he's a big bad 3/3, he pumps your samurais and has bushido. this would all be wll and good, except you have two other samurais. three if you keep the bushi, and ever manage to flip him. i kinda see this guy as misplaced.

you could probably stand to sonsolidate some of your other spells, most of your artifacts are junk, and you could drop some instants for more of others.

just note, life gain is not as powerful a tool as you may think.no matter how much life you gain, you can lose it again. i've played multiplayer games where things got insane, i've seen cleric decks gain life into the hundreds and get beaten. you should fucus more on killing your opponent, than healing yourself. if you can kill him faster, your life won't be a concern.

[Mingan Twenine]

Yeah...thanks for the advice, man. It's pretty good.

I was thinking of putting in some Devoted Retainers and Kitsune Blademasters to replace the Monks...I cut Bushit Tenderfoot and Sparring Collar. Yeah, the Spark Srays need to be replaced...it's on my to-do list.

[SporkMaster5000]

Mingan29

Yeah...thanks for the advice, man. It's pretty good.

I was thinking of putting in some Devoted Retainers and Kitsune Blademasters to replace the Monks...I cut Bushit Tenderfoot and Sparring Collar. Yeah, the Spark Srays need to be replaced...it's on my to-do list.

yeah, shock's just more cost effective. lantern kamis and more suntail hawks would help. flyers for 1 mana is good. four of 'em is better. eight is best.

[cathl]

SporkMaster5000

however, there are other things. sticking to 60 cards makes life a lot easier. every time you add more cards, you need more mana. eventually, you get a beast of a deck, and that's bad times. your manabase is about right for a 60 card deck, mabye more mabye less depending on your spells, so you really need to cut five of those cards. i would suggest bushi tenderfoot, sisay's ring, dragon claw, ivory cup, sparring collar

I realize there are some decks that exploit a huge library that are stacked full of tutors and are usually based around outlasting your opponents. However, the 60 card limit clearly does apply to this deck, and it applies to most decks.

I wouldn't say that your manabase starts to become a problem when you start building decks that have over 60 cards. You can simply add a proportional amount of land, and these problems are allieviated.

The real problem with building a deck that has greater than 60 cards is that you become less likely to draw your key cards, and your deck slows down as a result. Even though you might try to plan for every possible contingency with your deck by adding those peripheral cards, your chances at winning decline. Even one additional card to your deck tends to affect your match outcomes. It can cost you an entire turn.

It basically comes down to a tradeoff. You could bury cards in your library that might afford you the possibility of magnificent topdecks, or you can keep your deck more focused on winning, which means that you'd find efficient ways to deal with the commonly occuring obstacles to victory, and your wincondition itself.

Even as an enthusiast for lockdown decks, I'd advise you to focus on only your clearest obstacles, and your win conditions and limit yourself to 60 cards. It does leave you open to some dangers, but if you have enough acceleration, you may not even face them.