Now we take a look at Commander 2017's Arcane Wizardry. We are going to dissect the deck and take out any filler that doesn't fit with the overall theme and put together a solid wizard tribal deck.
Initial thoughts:
I just finished the Cat deck and felt like I changed too many cards out. I feel this deck needs more work to work the way it needs to, but hope to do that without changing every card out. For this reason I wont be listing minor upgrades like changing Unstable Obelisk to a better mana rock (Like a color matching Keystone). Instead I'm going to try targeting specific cards that I think don't fit the deck and replacing them with cards that will make the deck run better.
Theme:
To figure out the theme of the deck let's look at our commander. When a non-token wizard enters our battlefield we can pay one and get a copy of it until end of turn. What does this mean? Any ETB triggers from our wizards are potentially doubled. Any tap effects from our wizards are effectively immediately available for use. Any beatdown wizards (yeah right) are able to attack with haste. There is also a sub theme of caring about instants and sorcery that we may expand upon.
Initial Cards on the chopping block:
Mirror of the Forebears- There are no big creatures being copied to attack with. sure, we can copy the tap abilities, but it feels really meh for this deck. The amount of legendary wizards that this card cannot effectively copy makes it even worse.
All the curses- they aren't good for this deck. we should be able to find better draw, we dont care about zombies, and getting 1 mana back is probably not worth it. also we aren't an aggressive deck...
Shifting shadows- feels too random for this type of control deck.
Nivix Guildmage- this deck wants to use its mana on other stuff.
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind- while he is a good card there is no synergy with our commander.
Etherium-Horn Sorcerer- we want more control and there is no point in copying.
Marchesa, the Black Rose- any legend needs to really pull some weight in this deck. Without a dedicated +1/+1 counter theme Marchesa does not pull her weight.
Izzet Chemister- Copying with our commander is pointless, also seems very clunky taking too much time to set up.
Mairsil, the Pretender- Mairsil needs to be cast multiple times to take full advantage of. Also, I feel the deck needs to be more built around him. That's the other reason to take him out: to make a deck based around him.
Potential to be chopped (likely after playing)
Vela the Night-Clad- A legend so it can't be copied, but actually it can to make each opponent lose a life... mild synergy there as the tokens will constantly be leaving the battlefield. I feel she needs testing.
Taigam, Sidisi's Hand- The only thing I like about this card is that it puts stuff in the graveyard. I'm not sure that the graveyard matters theme is strong enough in this deck. However, there are a good number of cards that seem to care about the yard, so it's worth testing.
6 Wizards removed and 2 that may be later. 5 Non wizard cards that need to be replaced.
Non Wizards:
Kindred Discovery- They accidentally put this in the dragon deck instead of the wizard deck. It's much better here. Fixed. (also this is way better draw for this deck than the curse we took out.)
Kolaghan's Command- This is a nice versatile instant that would be nice to be able to play repeatedly.
Door of Destinies- This is a tribal card that can go in any tribal deck, but I think it works really well in this one. Wizards are typically very small. This should help even that out.
Cruel Ultimatum- We need something that really punches an opponent in the face. This does that and there is enough recursion here to bring it back a couple times.
Victimize- Sacrificing a token to bring back 2 real wizards seems really good.
Wizards:
Aether Adept- Simple, yet effective ETB effect. Can be used repeatedly as well
Disciple of Bolas- One of the best card drawing ETB effects out there. If you want you can stack the effects so both this and the token can sac each other.
Dualcaster Mage- copy something twice for 4 mana.
Pit Keeper- Another piece of recursion.
Venser, Shaper Savant- Stack the effects so that the token is created after venser bounced himself back to your hand...
How in the world does Marchesa not pull her weight? She gives all your creatures Dethrone. and then auto-resurrects them!
ReplyDeleteYou attack the player with the most health to give all your creatures +1/+1. If your opponent blocks, then you get to trigger your creatures' ETB effects, and activate Innala again. If they don't block, then your creatures are stronger, and you've damaged your opponent. Marchesa makes attacking a win-win proposition and has loads of synergy. I don't know how you can say she doesn't pull her weight.
Oh and Marchesa also synergizes with the deck's sacrifice theme, allowing you to sacrifice all your creatures upwards of once per turn, then activate inalla on each of them, and sacrifice all the tokens. With Ashnod's Altar in play, Marchesa has caused your mana per turn to skyrocket.
DeleteI see your points. Marchesa would change how the deck works dramatically while she is out. Hopefully, dethrone isn't always an option, at which point she is a completely dead card. My thoughts are more that she would be better in another deck rather than as part of this deck.
DeleteEtherium-Horn Sorcerer question. The Cascade effect would not activate from the token, from Inalla because it was not cast, correct?
ReplyDeleteYou are correct.
Delete