Click here to see a breakdown of the deck in deckstats.
This is a theft/copy deck trying to win with my opponent's spells. It's much more proactive than my other blue decks and taps out a lot so there are very few counterspells.
OK...i got few things to say about this deck, since i always thought about building long ago.
First, i like the traning grounds tech. But since I think is very good, I also think you are not getting good use off of it. Meaning, that you should find more cards that go with it besides your General and Lighthouse. Even turning some artifact into creatures with Karn, i dont feel you could do more .
This leads me to a second point....Karn+Liquidmetal Coating and no Steal Artifact???...I dont see what's happening here.
Another cards that could have cool and powerfull interaction in this deck is Grand Architec ...He can do some busted things for you and randomly pump you guys...Karn+Architec+mana artifacts...Thats some army.
Do you really need Crystal Shard in this deck?...I dont think you do.
Cards that you could easily add: Maze of IthTefferi, Mage of Zhafir the Wizard that bounces Sliver and wizard-cycle...i forgot his name, but its an extra tutor for your general if it get stuck in your library.And finally, Turn About Just read the card and you can figure it out why is so good in this deck.
I preatty sure i got more ideas from the one i wanted to built way back, i just dont recall them now.
I hope this work for now.
Do you really need Crystal Shard in this deck?...I dont think you do.
Cards that you could easily add: Maze of IthTefferi, Mage of Zhafir the Wizard that bounces Sliver and wizard-cycle...i forgot his name, but its an extra tutor for your general if it get stuck in your library.And finally, Turn About Just read the card and you can figure it out why is so good in this deck.
I preatty sure i got more ideas from the one i wanted to built way back, i just dont recall them now.
I hope this work for now.
Crystal Shard is acknowledging that sometimes things don't go perfectly. In my "steal" deck I run Shard and Rishadan Pawnshop just to keep people from getting their stuff back and immediately beating me over the head with it.
I have taken all the counters out of my deck because I found I would rather steal things than counter them. It opens up a lot of slots when you do that - just keep Desertion, Commandeer, and Gather Specimens in there.
Finally, get rid of Ulamog. He's obviously a great card, but he doesn't combo with All is Dust the way It that Betrays does. I never realized how many sac effects there are in a multiplayer game until I started running It that Betrays.
Crystal Shard is acknowledging that sometimes things don't go perfectly. In my "steal" deck I run Shard and Rishadan Pawnshop just to keep people from getting their stuff back and immediately beating me over the head with it.
I have taken all the counters out of my deck because I found I would rather steal things than counter them. It opens up a lot of slots when you do that - just keep Desertion, Commandeer, and Gather Specimens in there.
Finally, get rid of Ulamog. He's obviously a great card, but he doesn't combo with All is Dust the way It that Betrays does. I never realized how many sac effects there are in a multiplayer game until I started running It that Betrays.
I can see how good Rishadan Pawnshop could be to stop people getting stuff back when you steel them, but the Shard is still a suboptimal choice is this particular scenario.If that is the case, Itrather have something like Claws of Gix or Read the Runes to mention a couple of them.
I like the IIt that Betrayes argument vs Ulamog. I've been thinking about that guy for a while and i think i have a deck that he can go in.
BTW, your sig is hillarious!
Lots of great advice!
[card]
Training Grounds[/card]: I don't want to put in cards for Training Grounds that I wouldn't run otherwise because I can't tutor for it. Liquimetal Coating reduces the cost by the same amount so maybe that will be enough. Will reevaluate after I playtest a little. Steal Artifact: I play this, it's in my generals text box! Grand Architect: Great suggestion, will definitely add. Crystal Shard: It is in for Venser and co. shenanigans but I think you're right it isn't needed. I can tutor up Riptide Lab for that. Maze of Ith: I'm trying to make a more proactive deck and this is a do nothing card. Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir: I was thinking Orrery + Leyline would be enough but looks like this guy is popular. Will do Orrery + Teferi for those 2 slots. Vedalken Æthermage: I like it, will add. Turnabout: This is perfect! Will add. Gilded Lotus: I am trying to minimize the manafacts because they tend to get blown up. After I play a few games I'll reevaluate this to see if I need more. Rishadan Pawnshop: I don't think I care if they get their stuff back because I can just take it again. It that Betrays: I play this guy online and he's fine but I like him more in decks that can cheat him into play. Paying retail is a lot of mana for a creature that has no haste and no immediate board impact. All of Dust is nice but I can't tutor for him so this isn't going to come up very often at all.
Ulamog: I think you're right, don't need this guy at all. Off the team.
Counterspells: Completely agree, my kneejerk reaction was to sprinkle in some counterspells I like because I'm building a blue mage deck and countering spells is what blue mages do. But for this deck I think I'll be tapping out a lot more than my other blue decks so they won't be as good. I'll trim these down to the essentials.
I need help cutting 1 or 2 of my weaker links to make room. Haven't had too much time to test this deck out but it has done pretty well so far. Mostly I want to fit in Cloak and Dagger and maybe Steal Enchantment.
EDIT: Also need a better name for this deck since I changed it from a big mana Memnarch deck to a steal your stuff Thada deck.
I think 38 land should be just fine and Darksteel Forge feels like overkill. Who cares if some of them die? You have more access to artifacts than anyone else at the table except Daggson. I'd drop those two in a heartbeat.... but after looking at your list I really need to find room for Mirrorworks. I have had 4 Solrings on turn 6 before, but 8 would be even funnier!
I think 38 land should be just fine and Darksteel Forge feels like overkill. Who cares if some of them die? You have more access to artifacts than anyone else at the table except Daggson. I'd drop those two in a heartbeat.... but after looking at your list I really need to find room for Mirrorworks. I have had 4 Solrings on turn 6 before, but 8 would be even funnier!
That's a lot of Sol Rings! I normally err on the side of caution when it comes to land but I guess I could cut out an Island since I usually get at least 1 Sol Ring every game. Darksteel Forge I need to keep because some decks have an extremely hard time dealing with it like monoblack and monored. Thanks for the suggestions, I got a lot of inspiration from your list.
I am just starting to build this deck and have been play testing. I do not have a final 100 yet but I have been wondering (and this may have been covered earlier in the thread) but has anyone tried using Coat of Arms or how do you rate it? this has been a great primer and I am really getting great ideas. I will post a 100 when I have completed what I am going to try and run....
Private Mod Note
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Thanks to Argetlam over at Hakai Studios for the Sig!
Have you ever crossed the road, and looked the wrong way? A car's nearly on you? So what do you do? Something very silly. You freeze. Your life doesn't flash before you, 'cause you're too' scared to think - you just freeze and pull a stupid face
BW Midrange | G Legacy Elves | X MUD Weilder |X Affinity | R RDW | UWB Esper Stoneblade | W Death and Taxes | W Mono White Control (Modern) | UWRGeist Midrange (Modern) | UW Heroic | UWGrand Arbiter Augustin IV EDH
1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Creatures - 14
1 Gilded Drake
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Callous Oppressor
1 Trinket Mage
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Sakashima the Impostor
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Body Double
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Chancelor of the Spires
1 Memnarch
Artifacts - 17
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Expedition Map
1 Mana Vault
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mind Stone
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Quicksilver Fountain
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Vedalken Orrery
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Copy Artifact
1 Spreading Seas
1 Steal Enchantment
1 Back to Basics
1 Rhystic Study
1 Leyline
1 Treachery
1 Volition Reins
Planeswalkers - 1
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Instants - 8
1 Brainstorm
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Impulse
1 Trickbind
1 Forbid
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Reins of Power
1 Commandeer
Sorceries - 12
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Transmute Artifact
1 Fabricate
1 Rite of Replication
1 Acquire
1 Bribery
1 Recurring Insight
1 Time Spiral
1 All is Dust
1 Blatant Thievery
1 Knowledge Exploitation
1 Academy Ruins
32 Island
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Strip Mine
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Tolaria West
1 Vesuva
Click here to see a breakdown of the deck in deckstats.
This is a theft/copy deck trying to win with my opponent's spells. It's much more proactive than my other blue decks and taps out a lot so there are very few counterspells.
Changelog
4/9
-Spin Into Myth
+Gilded Drake
10/3/11
-Voltaic Key
-Shimmer Myr
-Kuldotha Forgemaster
-Mirrorworks
-Future Sight
-Whim of Volrath
+Leyline of Anticipation
+Brainstorm
+Ponder
+Preordain
+Impulse
+Everflowing Chalice
2/22
-Annex
+Chancelor of the Spires
Playgroup
ilcapo is one of the main members of my regular playgroup and has most of his decks posted on the forums. Here's the links:
Child of Alara
Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Ghost Council of Orzhova
First, i like the traning grounds tech. But since I think is very good, I also think you are not getting good use off of it. Meaning, that you should find more cards that go with it besides your General and Lighthouse. Even turning some artifact into creatures with Karn, i dont feel you could do more .
This leads me to a second point....Karn+Liquidmetal Coating and no Steal Artifact???...I dont see what's happening here.
Another cards that could have cool and powerfull interaction in this deck is Grand Architec ...He can do some busted things for you and randomly pump you guys...Karn+Architec+mana artifacts...Thats some army.
Do you really need Crystal Shard in this deck?...I dont think you do.
Cards that you could easily add: Maze of Ith Tefferi, Mage of Zhafir the Wizard that bounces Sliver and wizard-cycle...i forgot his name, but its an extra tutor for your general if it get stuck in your library.And finally, Turn About Just read the card and you can figure it out why is so good in this deck.
I preatty sure i got more ideas from the one i wanted to built way back, i just dont recall them now.
I hope this work for now.
T2: GGElfdraziGG
Extended: GGElves!GG
EDH: BBMarrow-GnawerBB + RGRosheen MeandererRG + UUMemnarchUU
Crystal Shard is acknowledging that sometimes things don't go perfectly. In my "steal" deck I run Shard and Rishadan Pawnshop just to keep people from getting their stuff back and immediately beating me over the head with it.
I have taken all the counters out of my deck because I found I would rather steal things than counter them. It opens up a lot of slots when you do that - just keep Desertion, Commandeer, and Gather Specimens in there.
Finally, get rid of Ulamog. He's obviously a great card, but he doesn't combo with All is Dust the way It that Betrays does. I never realized how many sac effects there are in a multiplayer game until I started running It that Betrays.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
I can see how good Rishadan Pawnshop could be to stop people getting stuff back when you steel them, but the Shard is still a suboptimal choice is this particular scenario.If that is the case, Itrather have something like Claws of Gix or Read the Runes to mention a couple of them.
I like the IIt that Betrayes argument vs Ulamog. I've been thinking about that guy for a while and i think i have a deck that he can go in.
BTW, your sig is hillarious!
[card]
Training Grounds[/card]: I don't want to put in cards for Training Grounds that I wouldn't run otherwise because I can't tutor for it. Liquimetal Coating reduces the cost by the same amount so maybe that will be enough. Will reevaluate after I playtest a little.
Steal Artifact: I play this, it's in my generals text box!
Grand Architect: Great suggestion, will definitely add.
Crystal Shard: It is in for Venser and co. shenanigans but I think you're right it isn't needed. I can tutor up Riptide Lab for that.
Maze of Ith: I'm trying to make a more proactive deck and this is a do nothing card.
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir: I was thinking Orrery + Leyline would be enough but looks like this guy is popular. Will do Orrery + Teferi for those 2 slots.
Vedalken Æthermage: I like it, will add.
Turnabout: This is perfect! Will add.
Gilded Lotus: I am trying to minimize the manafacts because they tend to get blown up. After I play a few games I'll reevaluate this to see if I need more.
Rishadan Pawnshop: I don't think I care if they get their stuff back because I can just take it again.
It that Betrays: I play this guy online and he's fine but I like him more in decks that can cheat him into play. Paying retail is a lot of mana for a creature that has no haste and no immediate board impact. All of Dust is nice but I can't tutor for him so this isn't going to come up very often at all.
Ulamog: I think you're right, don't need this guy at all. Off the team.
Counterspells: Completely agree, my kneejerk reaction was to sprinkle in some counterspells I like because I'm building a blue mage deck and countering spells is what blue mages do. But for this deck I think I'll be tapping out a lot more than my other blue decks so they won't be as good. I'll trim these down to the essentials.
So here are the changes:
+Grand Architect
+Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
+Vedalken Æthermage
+Turnabout
+Saphire Medallion
+Sword of Light and Shadow
-Leyline of Anticipation
-Hinder
-Cryptic Command
-Force of Will
-Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
-Crystal Shard
EDIT: Also need a better name for this deck since I changed it from a big mana Memnarch deck to a steal your stuff Thada deck.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
That's a lot of Sol Rings! I normally err on the side of caution when it comes to land but I guess I could cut out an Island since I usually get at least 1 Sol Ring every game. Darksteel Forge I need to keep because some decks have an extremely hard time dealing with it like monoblack and monored. Thanks for the suggestions, I got a lot of inspiration from your list.