The M:tG decks that Zedd built.

[epiclevelwarrior]

I never actually played that deck. It was built in the half hour immediately preceeding the post.

Jund Charm is a design artifact. At one point none of my creatures died to it and I thought its GY ability was the raise dead one not the tormod's crypt one.

As for the Nephilim, it's a fun card and it's not that bad in a midrange build. It is a trifle hard to play but that's not a huge deal at 2 copies.

I will probably need some sort of global removal if I want to run it in multiplayer but it's not that multiplayer friendly in any case so some Path to Exile might be a better play.

Of course, I don't have the majority of that list and it would be much more expensive to buy than many rare heavier builds so I doubt I will. Still an interesting excercise.

[SporkMaster5000]

epiclevelwarrior

As for the Nephilim, it's a fun card and it's not that bad in a midrange build. It is a trifle hard to play but that's not a huge deal at 2 copies.

also, frickin' sand.

sorry, I have a thing for dune broods.

[epiclevelwarrior]

Likewise. Ink Treader is more explosive but Dune Brood is more consistent. They're pretty much tied in fun potential as far as I'm concerned.

[SporkMaster5000]

epiclevelwarrior

Likewise. Ink Treader is more explosive but Dune Brood is more consistent. They're pretty much tied in fun potential as far as I'm concerned.

i like putting them together. make a ton of sand tokens, then target ink-treader with something awesome.

but that's getting off-topic.

[Zeddicuus]

How about Electrolyze, Sporkmaster? Then you could draw a card for each of them, heheh. You'll just need a way to make the Sand Tokens big enough to survive the blasts.

That'd be pretty neat. Good way to fill up your hand for a low amount of mana. Might fill it up too much in multiplayer though.

And I don't mind the topic getting well...off-topic. I like discussions like this, they're always interesting reads. Besides, I don't have anything to post right now besides a Naya wannabe fatty deck and another challenge deck that a player wanted to see if I could make.

Let's see what comes up from others before I post it. What would you make if you had to use three colours(Any three you wanted), your spells could only have a CMC of 2 or less, and the largest creature you could have could be no bigger than a 3/3, that includes anything that buffs it up.

I'll post mine later. I'm curious what others might make of it. If no one responds, I'll just post it tomorrow if I can. But what you guys are coming up with because of the previous challenge I had has perked my curiosity on what will be brought up now.

[SporkMaster5000]

Zeddicuus

How about Electrolyze, Sporkmaster? Then you could draw a card for each of them, heheh. You'll just need a way to make the Sand Tokens big enough to survive the blasts.

That'd be pretty neat. Good way to fill up your hand for a low amount of mana. Might fill it up too much in multiplayer though.

i actually like splice onto arcane for ink-treader shenanigans. splice blessed breath onto kodama's reach or something, then swing with dune-brood again after you've dumped every land in your deck onto the field? yes plz.

[epiclevelwarrior]

Zeddicuus

Let's see what comes up from others before I post it. What would you make if you had to use three colours(Any three you wanted), your spells could only have a CMC of 2 or less, and the largest creature you could have could be no bigger than a 3/3, that includes anything that buffs it up.

So no rarity restrictions? You could make a kickass build of zoo under those restrictions.

Grim Lavamancer, Tattermunge Maniac, Isamaru, Kird Ape, Wild Nacatl, Watchwolf. Then burn from lightning helix and lightning bolt, removal from Swords to Plowshares and/or Path to Exile. You'd need a crazy expensive manabase to make it work.

If you're not going to go the really cheap route I'm not sure what I'd do. Maybe in a while I'll have somthing.

EDIT:

Zeddicuus

that includes anything that buffs it up.

Does this anything include the creature's abilities?

How about creatures with a power or toughness of *?

Also, how are X spells counted? The CMC of X = 0 when not on the stack.

How about cards that put creature tokens into play or cards that become creatures?

Depending on the answer to those questions, a build of threshold based landstill could work well.

[Zeddicuus]

You know, that was my original plan was to go basically along the lines of what you listed, hahaha.

I don't have the crazy manabase to pull it off consistently.

Alas, I took a different route, as G/W is a colour combination I play frequently so I avoided it this time.

I'll try to find the deck again and post it tomorrow. It's not too hot, but it works half assed decent. Enough to cause the new players here a bit of grief and keep me entertained at the least.

If I remember right I went R/U/W for colours.

[SporkMaster5000]

Zeddicuus

Let's see what comes up from others before I post it. What would you make if you had to use three colours(Any three you wanted), your spells could only have a CMC of 2 or less, and the largest creature you could have could be no bigger than a 3/3, that includes anything that buffs it up.

RUB artifact bullshit. something like this:

4x Shrapnel blast
4x Chromatic Star
2x Executioner's capsule
4x Claws of gix
2x Pyrite spellbomb
3x Grinding station
2x Artificer's Intuition

4x Disciple of the vault
3x Etherium Sculptor
2x Goblin Welder
2x Myr retriever
4x Myr servitor
4x Steel Wall

4x Vault of whispers
4x Seat of the synod
4x great furnace
4x crumbling necropolis
4x Darksteel Citadel

that is, of course, in a perfect world. the welder probably wouldn't make it into any real deck, given that I don't already own them. also terrarion could fit in place of something. especially if steel wall's massive 4 toughness breaks the rules. and before you call me a bad person, I didn't include scullclamp.

[Zeddicuus]

Yeah, that's a lot meaner than what I built in those colours, haha. I don't even own any Welders, though they are neat cards. I don't normally play with loads of artifacts so I will never own them.

Steel Wall doesn't break the rules as I understood them, though I try to bend the rules as much as I can given my cardpool. So I say they're fine with what I was told.

I also noticed the lack of Skullclamp, so you're a not-as-bad-a-person ,heheheh. I only own one Skullclamp and could have gotten more from my wife, but they're such a cheesy card I feel dirty even using one for Casual games.

Nice deck though, far better than what I scrounged up.

[epiclevelwarrior]

So do you have an answer to the various queries I had?

To add another one: You can't play cards that would make your creatures larger than 3/3. Does that mean you can't play cards that could ever make your creatures that large or just ones that would do it all on their own? How about cards that could but don't have to like Leonin Sun Standard?

and I assume this is for single play then since a multiplayer zoo build wouldn't fare terribly well.

Anyway, I've been trying to come up with a decent multiplayer build. Here's an attempt at it.

(60)
Izzet Boilerworks x1
Boros Garrison x1
Azorius Chancery x1
Terramorphic Expanse x4
Gemstone Mine x2
Calciform Pools x1
Plains x6
Mountain x3
Island x3
(22 Land)

Weathered Wayfarer x4
Kami of False Hope x4
Izzet Guildmage x4
(12 Creatures)

Journeyer's Kite x2
Isochron Scepter x4

Swords to Plowshares x4
Dawn Charm x4
Lightning Bolt x4
Lightning Helix x4
Counterspell x4
(26 Other Spells)

Or somthing. Needs drawing.

Other options involve Rhys the Redeemed and a token army. Probably also including scepter and helix only with tangle instead of dawn charm.

[Zeddicuus]

Sorry ELW, somehow missed that post.

There were no rarity restrictions this time around.

The creatures could never get bigger than 3/3, no matter what abilities/auras/equipment is on them you are not permitted to go over than. Sporkmaster brought up a Wall and a 4 toughness is ok, though bends the challenge I got a bit.

Creatures with P/T of * should not get larger than 3/3 at most.

X spells are considered as normal, so CMC X=0 so Fireballs are legit. Again, it twists the restrictions I was given and is a bit of rules lawyering but I had an OK on that myself, heheh.

Creatures cannot have a Power over 3 at any given point. I should have specified that more earlier. Toughness 4 is pushing it but allowable.

Cards that put creature tokens are OK, providing the spell costs 2 or less and the tokens will not be bigger than 3/3 at any given point. Same limitation as standard creatures for this.

You can not use cards that could ever push your creatures over the 3/3 limitation. Leonin Sun Standard is OK as you can keep from going over that limit, but a Coat of Arms in a token deck is a No-No as that could push your critters over the limit without you controlling it. At least the Standard you can control. Giant Growth and the ilk are also off limits. Ditto on Howl from Beyond as it pushes your creatures Power over 3.

I thought this was an interesting challenge I was given. I found this style worked better in a Duel than multiplayer though and normally this deck is used on lunch breaks at work on the night shift when there are only two of us around.

Hopefully I filled out the info you needed. If not, let me know and I'll see what I can fill in for you.

[SporkMaster5000]

Zeddicuus

Yeah, that's a lot meaner than what I built in those colours, haha. I don't even own any Welders, though they are neat cards. I don't normally play with loads of artifacts so I will never own them.

it's a lot meaner than anything I usually play, disciple of the vault usually makes me feel dirty. however, those restrictions feel like they're trying to control power level, and my first reaction to that kind of thing is to show how wrong they are.

[LiaThistle]

Assuming the "had" is not actually a requirement....

Critters - 30
4 Nomad en-Vec
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Knight of the Pale Orchid
4 White Knight
4 Silver Knight
4 Warrior en-Vec
3 Soltari Monk
3 Soltari Priest

Spells/Enchantments - 10
4 Path to Exile/Swords to Plowshares
3 Disenchant
1 Crusade
2 Militia's Pride

Lands - 20
4 Kjeldoran Outpost
4 Rustic Clachan
12 Plains

That should hurt a little bit. Somewhat reminiscent of classic White Weenie, but without the Armageddons.

[Zeddicuus]

WW is always an efficient use of low mana costs.

Here's what I came up with on those restrictions. At the time I went out of my way to find weird cards to use to further drill in my previous point that it's not the card quality, but how they're used that's important. I think I went a bit far with this one and made it more craptacular than I wanted. But the shock on the guy's face when I consistently killed off stuff like Vorosh and Oros on him with this deck was priceless.

It also has a kind of Wizard minitheme, but was not what it was about. I went that route for another card in the deck.

Lands: 17 (The manabase sucks, I know. Also, it's too low. But so far it actually works. Go figure)

1x Nimbus Maze
2x Coastal Tower
6x Mountain
2x Plains
6x Island

Creatures: 13

1x Sygg, River Cutthroat
1x Stinging Licid
2x Dimir Guildmage
3x Fathom Seer
3x Sparkmage Apprentice
3x Sage of Epityr

Enchantments: 10

1x Hoofprints of the Stag
1x Trade Routes (This actually works good, as I usually seem to draw too much land)
2x Standstill
3x Psychic Venom
3x Lavamancer's Skill (The reason for so many Wizards)

Artifacts: 4

1x Isochron Scepter (I'd have more if I had more)
3x Viridian Longbow

Sorceries/Instants: 16

3x Train of Thought
1x Captain's Maneuver
2x Hindering Light
2x Remand
2x Telling Time
3x Lightning Helix
3x Lightning Bolt

Total: 60

Mostly the deck works like this: I work on getting Wizards out, using their abilities to either tim someone a few times or stack up the top few cards of my deck. I get Psychic Venoms out while doing this to make it so people to not use their lands. Eventually I work my way into card draw and cast a lot of small spells and counters, and throw the Lavamancer's skill on my Wizards to take out their fatties.

All this spell casting usually leads to a fair amount of flying Elementals. I use Fathom Seers to draw more cards and toss the lands returned to Trade Routes for more cards.

Basically, I just swarm the opponent with spells while trying to keep my hand as full as possible to keep as many options as possible.

Despite the craptastic list of cards (Who the Hell uses Psychic Venom anyways?) so far it has done not too bad. I think this one combined with the Plague of Vermin deck helped drill in the fact Rares are not always super important for a deck to work considering there are only four in here.

I wish I had more shock/dual/pain lands so I could get a stronger mana base, but I figure I made due alright. I'm going to have to try to get more of those good lands to help out in more decks overall anyways.

It has won roughly 60% of the games played because of the spell swarming and all the card drawing I can do. If only I could think of a good Storm spell to throw into this, that'd so rock. Maybe Grapeshot. That might do better than some of the other spells.

So, this was my answer to the challenge. While all of you had way better decks set up than this by far, I feel I did not too bad.

and in response to Sporkmaster's last post: I feel the same way about both the Disciples and the challenge itself. I didn't mind as the players that issued it returned to the game after about a 4 year hiatus or so. I think these decks helped teach them a few things about strategy, gameplay and deck planning as compared to who has the most expensive/powerful cards. I like to think these decks showed them how wrong their viewpoint was and hopefully opened their eyes to help them become better players.

So what do people think of my pile of cardboard listed above?