Make a Welder Reanimator thread, I'd be really exited! I always feel like I'm not fully using that guy. I agree that sacrifice shenanigans are the best way for most of RB to go but I've liked Dash as a "themeless theme" that can be expressed in the role-player cards I pick and not just special theme slots.
Card/Deck Archetypes - Going Big with BR
- Thread starter Lucre
- Start date
You are making me really want a red salvagers! Theres also gotta be a better trash for treasure we can think of.
Man, I really wish we had more good spellbomb type effects. I love seal cards.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
Yeah, I want to hear more about this too. I love the R/W based artifact decks in the pincher cube, and would love to see a higher powered varient.
RW synergy based decks are often kinda rough because they don't have a lot of draw enabling. You know the jund problem of drawing the wrong half of your deck? It's like that except you're drawing cards that aren't actually good on their own lol.
cycling can help, or really streamlining your sections, but this are real awkward fixes.
cycling can help, or really streamlining your sections, but this are real awkward fixes.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
Its a lot easier at low power because of red card quality/draw spells, spell bombs/eggs, and salvagers. You get a lot of control elements from white and red, as well as a good selection of creatures both good at attacking and blocking. Also, eternal dragon.
No idea how you could translate that at higher power though. It would be nice to have a solid artifact based control, midrange or aggro control strategy.
No idea how you could translate that at higher power though. It would be nice to have a solid artifact based control, midrange or aggro control strategy.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
Guys, I really want a firemane angel based control deck. Anyone remember these decks from 2006?
I know we've talked about B/W life pay control decks, but how about the RBW variety, using firemane as a life gain tool to keep card advantage engines like phyrexian arena pumping until becoming the decks finisher? Sort of like a higher power varient of eternal dragon (a card which I love), a card with both early game relevance and late game relevance for the control deck's strategy. It also makes for greater discard outlet synergy, outside of reanimation.
I know we've talked about B/W life pay control decks, but how about the RBW variety, using firemane as a life gain tool to keep card advantage engines like phyrexian arena pumping until becoming the decks finisher? Sort of like a higher power varient of eternal dragon (a card which I love), a card with both early game relevance and late game relevance for the control deck's strategy. It also makes for greater discard outlet synergy, outside of reanimation.
Yes, I certainly do. Firemane Angel was sweet. I've tried her a couple times but she largely goes undrafted because her stats look bad compared to even my low powered fattie suite. Her reanimation cost is uncastable for that color combination outside some infinite mana shenanigans or a game that goes literally forever (and she still dies to lightning bolt, although at that point she is sweet because you just keep bringing her back).
But I can see trying to push her again with a life gain theme. Imagine her in the GY with Archangel of Thune and/or Ajani's Pridemate? Yummy.
EDIT: I think she's best in a deck that can easily discard her. Red can do that to some extent, but it's not the best color. And white has very little support (outside Masticores or whatever).
But I can see trying to push her again with a life gain theme. Imagine her in the GY with Archangel of Thune and/or Ajani's Pridemate? Yummy.
EDIT: I think she's best in a deck that can easily discard her. Red can do that to some extent, but it's not the best color. And white has very little support (outside Masticores or whatever).
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I actually added her to my new cube! Firemane Angel is schweeet!
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
How has she played out?
I could put her into the pincher cube, ten mana is doable there with bouncelands, and red, blue, and black all have ways to discard her.
I could put her into the pincher cube, ten mana is doable there with bouncelands, and red, blue, and black all have ways to discard her.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Don't know yet, I have so many proxies to make the cube isn't ready yet for drafting :'(
The monocolored section is almost done, but most of the customs are in the gold section anyway...
How do we feel about these guys? Is 6 mana too much for Rakdos, or can it work? Thoctar in particular interests me, since I have an Aristocrats thing going on in my cube. Thoctar + Bloodsoaked Champion + Goblin Bombardment seems like it'd be sweet, but possibly too much work to set up.
Also, is this card too dumb? Or just dumb enough? I'm running Sphinx's Rev after all. Its dark mirror can come along for the ride too.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I'm a fan of all those six-drops, though you obviously can't run too many. Deathbringer Thoctar can absolutely dominate the board, especially if your opponent happens to have a lot of 1-toughness dudes (or tokens) in his deck. Sire of Insanity can strip an opponent's options out of nowhere, especially when it enters the battlefield a turn early off a mana rock. Swift Warkite is just the sweetest value play, especially if you take some time to include a few 
creatures with juicy enters the battlefield abilities at 3 or less mana, and a 4/4 flying is a legitimate threat as well.
creatures with juicy enters the battlefield abilities at 3 or less mana, and a 4/4 flying is a legitimate threat as well.
Laz
Developer
Swift Warkite has been awesome for me in a lower power environment. I mean, it is complemented by a strong graveyard theme, so it is probably more powerful than usual in my environment, but it just represents a lot of value, especially if it is getting back something like a Bone Shredder or Ghitu Slinger or something (Echo to get creatures into the yard. Living the dream). I imagine it is just too low impact in a higher power environment, where is has to compete with cards like Massacre Wurm or heaven forbid, Inferno or Grave Titan for its slot in your deck.
It feels like way too many things have to go right for Deathbringer Thoctar to work out, but I know someone was trying pretty hard, maybe ahadabans?
I actually like Sire of Insanity, though it is a super-midrange-y card. I used to run it, and it did a lot of work when it managed to stick, but now my BR slots are a bit more aggressive and I am running Sarkhan the Mad as my mid-ranged oriented card.
It feels like way too many things have to go right for Deathbringer Thoctar to work out, but I know someone was trying pretty hard, maybe ahadabans?
I actually like Sire of Insanity, though it is a super-midrange-y card. I used to run it, and it did a lot of work when it managed to stick, but now my BR slots are a bit more aggressive and I am running Sarkhan the Mad as my mid-ranged oriented card.
Sire rules, run him ASAP. forget this mana rock bs and just reanimate him t2-4, though (also support flashback across all colours, plus activated abilities and the top-end goes down a lil
warkite is, to be a little glib, fine, but how many gold slots do you actually have
thoctar's power is for sure there (iirc ahada tested cheaper versions that were numbingly strong) but imo it's a function of the x/1 and x/2 density of your cube more than removal density or attrition gameplay
Yes you should 100 percent run Rakdos' Return, oh my god that card is so fun and ends up cool places. More interesting in the midgame when both players are making tough choices than early or late, but the variability and flood insurance are still there
warkite is, to be a little glib, fine, but how many gold slots do you actually have
thoctar's power is for sure there (iirc ahada tested cheaper versions that were numbingly strong) but imo it's a function of the x/1 and x/2 density of your cube more than removal density or attrition gameplay
Yes you should 100 percent run Rakdos' Return, oh my god that card is so fun and ends up cool places. More interesting in the midgame when both players are making tough choices than early or late, but the variability and flood insurance are still there
Holy shit, Deathbringer Thoctar is a zombie for Gravecrawler shenanigans. I didn't even read its typeline until now. I might be sold.
FlowerSunRain
Contributor
Yeah, Anotak was the one that tried a scaled down Thoctar and convinced me it was a bad idea. I think if you don't think its powerful enough as is, you should try to add more power to the 6 mana version rather then trying to scale it down, the ability it has is really powerful.
I don't know how you got to these choices but I like your enthusiasm. I tend to want these colours to give you the staples you need for decks that need to reach for them.