Monday, February 10, 2014

[JT] CGC: Quick Standard Deck

Hey guys, just wanted to through up a quick list while I work on my Sphinx post.  I decided to try out a Phenax deck, and want to know your thoughts!

Creatures:
Doorkeeper x4
Murmuring Phantasm x4  

Wall of Frost x4
Phenax, God of Deception x3
Mind's Eye Drake x2

Spells:
Syncopate x2
Rapid Hybridization x2
Triton Tactics x4
Dimir Charm x2
Curse of Swine x2
Mind Grind x3
Pilfered Plans x4

Lands:
Nykthos, Shrine to Nix x2
Dimir Guildgate x4 (will become Temples)
Watery Grave x4
Island x9
Swamp x5



Side:
Under Construction

Things being considered:
Lavaz, Dimir Mastermind x2-3
Nighthowler x?
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver x2-4
Mind Grind x1
Dimir Charm x2
Curse of Swine x2
Rapid Hybridization x2

Let me know what you think I should add or what needs to go in the sideboard in the comments below!

Monday, February 3, 2014

[JT] CGC: Crying for the Moon

It's been awhile since I talked about my pride and joy; i.e. my Moonfolk EDH deck (last iteration is here).  Unfortunately, there is not a lot of cards that have been released lately that either flavorfully or functionally make me excited to tweak the deck.  Here is where it currently sits though:

Patron of the Moon (Commander)
Uyo, Silent Prophet
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Soratami Savant
Soratami Mirror-Mage
Moonbow Illusionist
Soratami Mindsweeper
Oboro Breezecaller
Floodbringer
Oboro Envoy
Soratami Rainshaper
Soratami Seer
Soratami Cloudskater
Soratami Mirror-Guard
Kami of the Crescent Moon
Keiga, the Tide Star
Soramaro, First to Dream
Riptide Director
Riptide Shapeshifter
Roil Elemental
Lighthouse Chronologist
Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Windreader Sphinx
Grand Architect
Graceful Adept

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Jace Beleren
Tezzeret, the Seeker

Counsel of the Soratami
Into the Roil
Hinder
High Tide
Cyclonic Rift
Cryptic Command
Counterlash
Boomerang
Redirect
Blue Sun's Zenith

Infinite Reflection
Spreading Seas
Inexorable Tide
Gravitational Shift
Training Grounds
Archmage Ascension
Parallel Thoughts

Mirror Gallery
Sol Ring
Isochron Scepter
Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang
Amulet of Vigor
Coat of Arms
Bident of Thassa
Storm Cauldron
Illusionist's Bracers
Ring of Evos Isle
Adventuring Gear
Everflowing Chalice
Sapphire Medallion

Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
Moonring Island
Riptide Laboratory
Academy Ruins
Seat of Synod
Ghost Quarter
Buried Ruin
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Reliquary Tower
Cavern of Souls
Thespian's Stage
Minamo, School at Water's Edge
Tectonic Edge
Haunted Fengraf
Cephalid Coliseum
Faerie Conclave
Island x21
Maze of Ith
Magosi, the Waterveil

Some changes I want to highlight (and still make in the future):

- Infinte Reflection/Mirror Gallery  I decided to increase the flavor of the Soratami using mirrors as a source of power.  As such, I also want to include a copy of Tempt with Reflection from the new Commander products.  I'm dreaming of a time when I Tempt targeting Keiga, the Tide Star.  I'll let you figure out the fun in that one ;)

- Low Tide  So, as much as I hated to do it, i had to take out Tidal Flats, Tidal Wave, Moonlace, Deluge, and some other flavorful cards because they were just underperforming.  Some of them might make a return, but for now I wanted to use other cards to see how they work.

- Bident of Thassa Another method of controlling Tides, though I am still debating whether or not Thassa and the Moonfolk would actually get along... perhaps she should be the new Commander?  Nah.  Either way, will all of the flying, this can draw me a LOT of cards.

-Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx Speaking of lots of something, how about lots of mana?  This deck can already go infinite, but in a mono-colored, creature based deck, this card can produce stupid amounts of mana.

- Tidal Force I do not have a copy yet, but I feel like it is a pretty obvious inclusion.  The only problem I have with including it (and Tempt with Reflection) is just that there is no foil version, and this is the one deck I want to foil out, but i will suck it up.



- Whelming Wave Probably the one card other than the Bident I was most excited for for this deck.  Whether or not it will actually make it in or not is yet to be seen though.  First I need to get my hands on one.

 So there is my update on my Moonfolk deck.  Kind of short, kind of sweet, but wait until next week, where I go over my new and improved Sphinx deck :3 Theros has been really good for it so far.  And if that does not whet your appetite, maybe this will:  Theros allowed me to almost completely overhaul my Legend of Zelda EDH deck.  That's the one I am most excited to share, but we have to save the best for last now, don't we?

I will leave you with one quick match story with this deck.  Apparently, Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar  and Parallel Thoughts DO NOT GO WELL TOGETHER, especially when you put all of your possible outs into P.Thoughts.  The two create a replacement effect for the same event (drawing a card), and you choose which you do, and unless I am mistaken (which I will be double checking as soon as I am done with this actually), since Thoughts is a 'may' and Tomorrow is not, you must do Tomorrow, meaning you never get to touch the cards you have under Thoughts.  Learned that the hard way.


Do any of you know if that's the correct ruling?  Let me know in the comments.  Feel free to leave any other suggestions for the deck as well.  And don't forget, I still need your help deciding what deck to build next!

Well, until next time, I'll just be over here mooning you.
-JT