Changes: Making Madness Work
Okay, calling it "madness" is a little misleading. I'm generally adding things that interact well with being in the graveyard and taking out some generic/disappointing cards.
White
Citadel Siege -> Felidar Retreat Switching up the 4-CMC goodstuff enchantment of choice to make it work a bit better with a lands theme (WIP)
Icatian Javelineers -> Usher of the Fallen Wow, this is a house. Plus, Javelineers, while great with blink, oppresses X/1s, of which there are quite a few. Also, blink needs some toning down.
- Student of Warfare Generic aggro piece. Gone. However, I need to watch my Humans count!
+ Catastrophe Modal aggro finisher and control sweeper in one?? Crazy.
+ Jeskai Barricade Supposed to support blink, draw-go, and defensive strats. I'm also more okay with this going infinite with Oketra's Monument than Kor Skyfisher doing the same, as this is weaker IMO.
+ Skyclave Cleric // Skyclave Basilica Goodstuffy, but modal defense is nice.
Blue
Radical Idea -> Oona's Grace I want things to stay in the graveyard, and I'd rather keep Think Twice over Radical Idea.
Curious Obsession -> Ominous Seas Auras are bad with Ninjas and blink.
Cloud of Faeries -> Thing in the Ice Gives Blue a better defensive option and a tool for Prowess decks.
Sakashima the Impostor -> Profaner of the Dead Sakashima is an EDH card, and I need to cool it on my love for clones. Take a defensive option instead. (Side note: is Profaner any good? I have never seen it before.)
Teferi's Tutelage -> Kami of the Crescent Moon Uh, yeah, okay, this is also an EDH card, but it seems reasonable? Tutelage is neat, but if I want to make a mill deck a possibility I should include two of the mill enchantments and right now slots are kind of tight.
Body Double -> Vizier of Many Faces This is a better sort of graveyard interaction. I think.
- Glasspool Mimic Yeah, this is pretty good, but like I said, I have my doubts about clone effects--the only two that saw play were Sakashima's Student and Saheeli, Sublime Artificer which both have other upsides.
+ Silent Departure It's good removal, and I'm trying to tie Flashback into my Izzet Spells.
+ Evacuation It seems like a decent sweeper, though I have my doubts.
Black
Lazotep Reaver -> Graveblade Marauder Goodstuff to more-defensive goodstuff. I like how Graveblade works both offensively and defensively.
+ Biting Rain Madness and a sweeper? Yup. Probably only good in decks with discard outlets, but I'm okay with throwing these sorts of decks a bone so long as it's only a couple. Would definitely be better with more Jump-Start cards.
+ Ritual of Soot Anti-aggro sweeper is good.
+ Raven's Crime Spells, retrace, can be played from the graveyard--yup.
Red
Curse of Opulence -> Burning Vengeance Upgrades our build-arounds, plus Curse was at odds with itself by wanting you to attack and rewarding you with ramp.
Collective Defiance -> Risk Factor Risk Factor is a) SO COOL b) an actually good punisher and c) a discard outlet that doesn't stink.
Fists of Flame -> Reckless Charge Yeah, I don't have a Heroic theme, but this might be good enough on its own.
Pirate's Pillage -> Lava Dart Graveyard synergies are more needed than rummaging at this point.
Shatterskull Charger -> Irencrag Pyromancer I really like the Charger, but he's just not great. Pyromancer is hopefully a fine tool for spells-matter.
- Spikeshot Elder Either waaaay too good or waaaaay too bad here.
+ Thermo-Alchemist Another critter for spells-matter.
+ Reckless Fireweaver Artifact synergies!
+ Cinderclasm This is a very good card. Red should have flexibility but not range, IMO (sorcerers, not wizards).
+ Sweltering Suns Another sweeper, this time with an option to cycle.
Green
Temur Sabertooth -> Roar of the Wurm I know, I know, Crush of Wurms is far manlier, but the thing is--this is actually playable.
Borderland Explorer -> Acorn Harvest The concept of Explorer is great--things die, you get lands. Unfortunately, it's not a Green card. At all.
Splinterfright -> Deadbridge Goliath Different GY synergies and moving up the curve is good.
+ Atzocan Archer Gives Green some defense against fliers, on recommendation from...someone.
+ Gnaw to the Bone Hopefully not stupidly defensive.
Tricolor Cards
Okay, this is kind of controversial, but hear me out: I've powered down the lands, and want to have something spicy, so I'm adding a fun and hopefully powerful card to each 3C combo. The one I'm most concerned about is Zur, as he's pretty narrow, but 8 fetchable enchantments across his colors mean he's got to be at least decent, especially in a non-tutoring environment--right? Realm Razer is supposed to be a take on Armageddon effects, but is also on my list of expected cuts. I plan on cutting several of these, but I want to at least experiment with one of each, and these are the cards that seem most plausible for me from each combination.
And that's all he wrote! I'll hopefully get to test things out soonish, but I may or may not go back and cover artifacts between now and then. I'll also likely be doing a pass to make lands work a bit better. Maybe.
Okay, calling it "madness" is a little misleading. I'm generally adding things that interact well with being in the graveyard and taking out some generic/disappointing cards.
White
Citadel Siege -> Felidar Retreat Switching up the 4-CMC goodstuff enchantment of choice to make it work a bit better with a lands theme (WIP)
Icatian Javelineers -> Usher of the Fallen Wow, this is a house. Plus, Javelineers, while great with blink, oppresses X/1s, of which there are quite a few. Also, blink needs some toning down.
- Student of Warfare Generic aggro piece. Gone. However, I need to watch my Humans count!
+ Catastrophe Modal aggro finisher and control sweeper in one?? Crazy.
+ Jeskai Barricade Supposed to support blink, draw-go, and defensive strats. I'm also more okay with this going infinite with Oketra's Monument than Kor Skyfisher doing the same, as this is weaker IMO.
+ Skyclave Cleric // Skyclave Basilica Goodstuffy, but modal defense is nice.
Blue
Radical Idea -> Oona's Grace I want things to stay in the graveyard, and I'd rather keep Think Twice over Radical Idea.
Curious Obsession -> Ominous Seas Auras are bad with Ninjas and blink.
Cloud of Faeries -> Thing in the Ice Gives Blue a better defensive option and a tool for Prowess decks.
Sakashima the Impostor -> Profaner of the Dead Sakashima is an EDH card, and I need to cool it on my love for clones. Take a defensive option instead. (Side note: is Profaner any good? I have never seen it before.)
Teferi's Tutelage -> Kami of the Crescent Moon Uh, yeah, okay, this is also an EDH card, but it seems reasonable? Tutelage is neat, but if I want to make a mill deck a possibility I should include two of the mill enchantments and right now slots are kind of tight.
Body Double -> Vizier of Many Faces This is a better sort of graveyard interaction. I think.
- Glasspool Mimic Yeah, this is pretty good, but like I said, I have my doubts about clone effects--the only two that saw play were Sakashima's Student and Saheeli, Sublime Artificer which both have other upsides.
+ Silent Departure It's good removal, and I'm trying to tie Flashback into my Izzet Spells.
+ Evacuation It seems like a decent sweeper, though I have my doubts.
Black
Lazotep Reaver -> Graveblade Marauder Goodstuff to more-defensive goodstuff. I like how Graveblade works both offensively and defensively.
+ Biting Rain Madness and a sweeper? Yup. Probably only good in decks with discard outlets, but I'm okay with throwing these sorts of decks a bone so long as it's only a couple. Would definitely be better with more Jump-Start cards.
+ Ritual of Soot Anti-aggro sweeper is good.
+ Raven's Crime Spells, retrace, can be played from the graveyard--yup.
Red
Curse of Opulence -> Burning Vengeance Upgrades our build-arounds, plus Curse was at odds with itself by wanting you to attack and rewarding you with ramp.
Collective Defiance -> Risk Factor Risk Factor is a) SO COOL b) an actually good punisher and c) a discard outlet that doesn't stink.
Fists of Flame -> Reckless Charge Yeah, I don't have a Heroic theme, but this might be good enough on its own.
Pirate's Pillage -> Lava Dart Graveyard synergies are more needed than rummaging at this point.
Shatterskull Charger -> Irencrag Pyromancer I really like the Charger, but he's just not great. Pyromancer is hopefully a fine tool for spells-matter.
- Spikeshot Elder Either waaaay too good or waaaaay too bad here.
+ Thermo-Alchemist Another critter for spells-matter.
+ Reckless Fireweaver Artifact synergies!
+ Cinderclasm This is a very good card. Red should have flexibility but not range, IMO (sorcerers, not wizards).
+ Sweltering Suns Another sweeper, this time with an option to cycle.
Green
Temur Sabertooth -> Roar of the Wurm I know, I know, Crush of Wurms is far manlier, but the thing is--this is actually playable.
Borderland Explorer -> Acorn Harvest The concept of Explorer is great--things die, you get lands. Unfortunately, it's not a Green card. At all.
Splinterfright -> Deadbridge Goliath Different GY synergies and moving up the curve is good.
+ Atzocan Archer Gives Green some defense against fliers, on recommendation from...someone.
+ Gnaw to the Bone Hopefully not stupidly defensive.
Tricolor Cards
Okay, this is kind of controversial, but hear me out: I've powered down the lands, and want to have something spicy, so I'm adding a fun and hopefully powerful card to each 3C combo. The one I'm most concerned about is Zur, as he's pretty narrow, but 8 fetchable enchantments across his colors mean he's got to be at least decent, especially in a non-tutoring environment--right? Realm Razer is supposed to be a take on Armageddon effects, but is also on my list of expected cuts. I plan on cutting several of these, but I want to at least experiment with one of each, and these are the cards that seem most plausible for me from each combination.
And that's all he wrote! I'll hopefully get to test things out soonish, but I may or may not go back and cover artifacts between now and then. I'll also likely be doing a pass to make lands work a bit better. Maybe.
