Gathering some Magics

millercross · 2012-01-21 01:19:14

There's not much point to Thirst for Knowledge unless you can bring artifacts from the graveyard. But that's just me.

Also, if you're going to run Urborg, you might as well run Cabal Coffers.

I'd pack more Dismembers than Go For the Throat, but that's because I really fucking love Dismember. and because it can destroy the indestructible. Gotta love that.

Inexorable Tide is one of those things that is quite good if you manage to make it work, but not good enough to have two of, unless you can tutor it and have it on play on turn five, at least. I suggest getting rid of one of them.

that's at least how I'd fiddle with it, myself. I'm not sure how right I am and Haven's advice is (Or will be) probably better.

Bunny · 2012-01-21 01:24:05

If you want to be a douche...

Corrupted Conscience!

Obā-san · 2012-01-21 01:25:17

I considered it, but it's 5 mana....

Also, it feels kinda weird having a 60-something card deck with no draw engine.

millercross · 2012-01-21 01:34:19

there's this, to replace one of your Inexorable Tides, even

or this

Obā-san · 2012-01-21 01:35:44

Hmmm.... (*Strokes Chin*)

Bunny · 2012-01-21 01:36:08

A Piston Sledge for your Plague Stinger? Or your Blighted Agent?

Or some other similar artifact?

...Trepanation Blade?

Obā-san · 2012-01-21 01:44:32

But wouldn't those get destroyed kinda fast?

Haven · 2012-01-21 01:46:57

I'd take out a Creeping Tar Pit, turn the Contagion Engines into two more Contagion Clasps, and switch out the Phyrexian Juggernauts for Plague Myr or Ichorclaw Myr, and the Phyrexian Obliterators for something else--maybe Caress of Phyrexia, which is a good finisher or a good way to Concentrate if you really need it.

^ Not necessarily. If you do go that route, Sword of Feast and Famine might be a good choice. Shrinks their hand and frees up your mana for counterspells or more proliferating.

Bunny · 2012-01-21 01:47:58

Possibly.

But hey, it could get you 4 poison counters on turn 3! And you always have counterspells!

Toss in some Mutagenic Growth and you could win on turn 3.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 01:49:13

So! I just beat my first opponent who wasn't a total newb, and not only that, I beat him in two ways at the same time (normal "deplete to zero" and ten poison counters)

For those of you who care, here's the tail end of the transcript. (We were using the storm counters to keep track of poison, because Cockatrice doesn't seem to have a built-in thing for that)

It is now Blixty Slycat's turn.

It is now the untap step.

Blixty Slycat: duude. Your golem's back down to a 3/3

Lockon2722: nope

Blixty Slycat: or 2/2 whatever it was before you added Cathar's ability.

Lockon2722: cathar's effect give it's a 1/1/ when it dies

that stays

Blixty Slycat: until the end of that turn, I thought.

well whatever.

Lockon2722: no

Blixty Slycat untaps his permanents.

It is now the upkeep step.

It is now the draw step.

Blixty Slycat moves Contagion Engine from the top of his library to hand.

Blixty Slycat moves Creeping Tar Pit from the top of his library to hand.

Blixty Slycat: alright, I think we're about done here.

Blixty Slycat puts Swamp into play from hand.

Lockon2722: I'd agree

make it so

Blixty Slycat taps Swamp.

Blixty Slycat puts Skinrender into play from hand.

Blixty Slycat: that's -3/-3 on your Elder

Lockon2722 puts Elder of Laurels from table into graveyard.

It is now the first main phase.

It is now the beginning of combat step.

Blixty Slycat points from his Hand of the Praetors to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat points from his Skinrender to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat points from his Plague Stinger to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat points from his Plague Myr to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat points from his Creeping Tar Pit to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat points from his Grave Titan to Lockon2722.

Blixty Slycat: any block attempts?

Lockon2722: I only have one creature

Blixty Slycat: true

Lockon2722: I die no mate what I block

Blixty Slycat: and your health will go down by a total of sixteen.

so

yeah.

It is now the declare attackers step.

It is now the declare blockers step.

Lockon2722 sets counter life to 0 (-8).

Lockon2722 sets counter storm to 9 (+1).

Lockon2722 sets counter storm to 10 (+1).

Lockon2722 sets counter life to 1 (+1).

Lockon2722 sets counter life to 0 (-1).

Lockon2722 sets counter life to -1 (-1).

Blixty Slycat: wow you just lost two different ways at the same time.

Lockon2722: yes

Blixty Slycat: yay. :)

:p

Lockon2722 has conceded the game.

Obā-san · 2012-01-21 01:51:10

^ X 3 Niiiiiiice.

I think this deck is decent for a first stab. :3

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 01:51:51

oh you weren't taking to me.

Nevermind >.>

Bunny · 2012-01-21 02:12:03

Bluh, I need more cards.

I feel like I don't currently have enough to make a really effective zombie deck.

...Maybe I ought to wait until Dark Ascension. Or after the draft tournament my school is going to have, which will likely include Dark Ascension cards.

millercross · 2012-01-21 02:18:06

@Superglobe: Normally, the green counters are used for poison counters in Cockatrice. With that said, it doesn't matter as long as you and the player understand what's going on.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 02:24:28

Makes sense.

Now that I have an at least usable black deck, I should start on a blue one.

Why yes, deckbuilding IS my favorite part of TCGs, why do you ask?

Actually, you know what I think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna find a random card, and try to build a deck around it.

edit: okay, we got Acidic Slime....

well....this looks to be a challenge.

millercross · 2012-01-21 02:25:56

I prefer deckbuilding to playing a lot. Although I'm not really that good at Magic deckbuilding, imo. Although they're still functional decks. At least, long enough to entertain Haven. And this is Mr Uril the Dickish Geth of Eiganjo we're talking about.

Haven · 2012-01-21 02:31:26

Problem, Toshiro?

millercross · 2012-01-21 02:32:50

maaaaaaaaan, if i ever get remembered for my generals, I'm sure as hell it ain't going to be Toshi.

It's probably going to be Venser Sen Triplets Riku Scion.

Hear me, I'm a dragon. WAAAGH

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 02:33:45

Okay fuck this Acidic Slime.

Copy one of the prebuilt blue starters and give it my own twist(s), hooooooooooooooo! *flies away again*

Viani · 2012-01-21 02:43:33

Does Lorescale Coatl count as a Blue and a Green creature?

Decided to go G/U.

Green creatures, with Blue countering and creature removal support.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 02:44:32

"Literally a third of my deck is lands (actually a bit over a third), and I seem to be completely incapable of drawing them."

20 lands is actually pretty low.

millercross · 2012-01-21 02:44:37

Multicolour creatures count as both of their colours. So yes, the Coatl is a green and blue creature and receives any benefits that green and/or blue creatures receive.

^20 lands often works for me. Although you're right.

Haven · 2012-01-21 02:46:39

If you're playing white weenie and your most expensive stuff costs 3, 20 lands is fine, but usually you want 23-24.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 02:47:14

It's not that 20 is a wrong number of lands, it's just on the lower end of things. It's more or less the absolute minimum unless you're doing something fancy. I think 24 is about the baseline for a normal curve.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 03:00:14

20 lands is actually pretty low.

I have 25 out of a 58 card deck (I know that's low).

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 03:11:00

is this card as good as I think it is?

I mean it only costs one black mana.

Viani · 2012-01-21 03:17:29

Wild Growth, you can enchant your opponent's lands with this, so when they tap the land you get mana out of it, right?

Viani · 2012-01-21 03:32:30

Well this is what I have so far, and I no longer know what else to add or what to take out.

Creature
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
3 Nulltread Gargantuan
3 Elvish Visionary
3 Lorescale Coatl
1 Spawnwrithe
2 Vedalken Heretic
2 Trygon Predator

Instant
1 Invert the Skies
2 Vapor Snag
4 Counterspell
2 Fog
2 Cerulean Wisps
3 Harrow

Enchantment
2 Fable of Wolf and Owl
2 Favor of the Overbeing

Sorcery
1 Sleep
2 Rampant Growth
2 Overrun

Land
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Flooded Grove
10 Forest
8 Island

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 03:44:03

You know 60 is the minimum number of cards for a constructed deck, right?

Bump in the Night isn't so bad, but there are plenty of cards that do better, and most of them are red, so there's a lack of synergy there.

Essence Scatter and Cancel are worse than Counterspell. Also, you totes need more than 4 land.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 03:45:45

I know it is for any kind of official play, yeah. But I'm just playing online.

Though I do follow the 4 copies/nonbasic land card rule, because decks aren't as interesting if you don't.

Viani · 2012-01-21 03:50:25

I ran out of ideas what to put and needed help filling in the missing parts.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 03:57:11

^^I just see it as a minor form of cheating. Like if you included Un cards without mentioning it.

^Forests and islands? Oh, and Wild Growth doesn't do that. Also: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&color=+[U]+[G]

Salix Babylonika · 2012-01-21 04:07:11

Well I don't play with random strangers like some do. My friends know I don't always have sixty cards in my deck.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 04:16:34

I'm sorry. I'm sure it's not a big deal, but it's just one of those things that grates on my nerves for several reasons. I could go into it, but then it would just look like I was getting cranky.

Sorta like mana-weaving.

Viani · 2012-01-21 04:17:32

Update

Creature
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
3 Nulltread Gargantuan
3 Coiling Oracle
3 Lorescale Coatl
3 Spawnwrithe
2 Vedalken Heretic
2 Trygon Predator

Instant
1 Invert the Skies
2 Vapor Snag
4 Counterspell
2 Fog
2 Cerulean Wisps
3 Harrow

Enchantment
2 Fable of Wolf and Owl
2 Favor of the Overbeing

Sorcery
1 Sleep
2 Rampant Growth
2 Overrun

Land
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Flooded Grove
10 Forest
8 Island

I kind of want to make a Spawnwrithe-geared deck, but not sure if basing a strategy around one card is good.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 04:24:32

The mana is probably a bit much. I'd cut a couple lands or accelerators. Maybe you'd like Coiling Oracle over Elvish Visionary.

Viani · 2012-01-21 04:39:28

Hmmm, it's much better now. what's an accelerator?

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 04:44:34

I mean, mana accelerator. Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves, Harrow, Rampant Growth... You have quite a lot on that list. I'm not sure what the right number should be, but I'm pretty sure upwards of ten is more than you really need.

Viani · 2012-01-21 05:06:42

Maybe 4 Birds, 2 Llanos, 2 Harrow 1 Rampant Growth?

lol

King_Friday · 2012-01-21 05:58:05

Favourite card art EVER

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 07:14:12

I love his expression.

I C WUT U BRINE THERE

^^Worth playing around with, I guess. For casual it's more important to figure out what you like playing than what's more efficient.

Idler · 2012-01-21 07:17:16

Man, Coldsnap was just filled with terrible mechanics, wasn't it?

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 07:24:27

I wouldn't know, not having played it or looked over the list extensively, but Thrumming Stone is pretty neat, especially with Relentless Rats.

Idler · 2012-01-21 07:27:39

I don't like all the leaving up to chance involved. At least with cascade you're guaranteed to find something.

Recover is just really clunky.

millercross · 2012-01-21 07:30:12

you and i will never agree on what's good, idler, apparently.

Also, there is a big disadvantage about having more than sixty cards and is that it makes your deck unfocused and more complicated to handle as the cards you want simply do not appear when you need them to. You should always try to keep it to sixty, as it reduces how much luck is involved.

^You don't have to leave it to chance. Soothsaying and Scry are things

Idler · 2012-01-21 07:33:19

Even those won't work if the other copies are too far down in your library.

I don't mind the Snow mechanic, though. Coldsnap did have some neat stuff, like Zur.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 07:34:43

Well, even with scrying effects, it can be difficult to find one of three cards in your library. I should know, having played decks that were mostly combo pieces and scrying.

Idler · 2012-01-21 07:36:14

There really need to be more cards that like enchantments. Bring on the enchantment block, I say.

Gelzo · 2012-01-21 07:37:05

I think that was Urza. Also, M12 had an enchantment sub-theme, and Innistrad gave them a new sub-type.

Idler · 2012-01-21 07:38:30

True, but I believe Wizards has said it's a theme up for revisiting, and the enchantment theme of Urza's was overshadowed by all the overpowered cards anyway. They've had multiple artifact blocks.

Gathering some Magics

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