Ever since I started playing this format I have wanted to use Memnarch as a general. Patiently I waited for the day that the rules committee would change their ways. I gathered up cards for the deck even before the announcement was made, so I conveniently had all the cards ready when I walked into my FLGS Tuesday and one of the employees said "So I bet you are excited about the news." As he told me of Memnarchs unbanning I began grabbing the cards I had saved for this occasion, the foil Mycosynth Lattice, the Darksteel Forge, the snow covered islands...
This is the fruit of my labor and waiting gentlemen. I bring you MEMNARCH.
Right now the deck is all theft and artifact based, with some goodstuff in between. After playing about a half-dozen or so games with it at this point I have some more ideas for it.
I want to try and shove some more artifact mana into the deck, since it really wants to ramp. Does anybody have any good ideas for ramp? (Maybe a Grand Architect or Etherium Sculptor as well?).
I am also thinking about adding a Rings of Brighthearth along with some fetches and its partner in crime Basalt Monolith to the deck. There are already about a dozen cards that could interact with it favorably in the deck, but most of them are one time effects and I feel like I need more. To anybody else that runs rings, what do you play with it?
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EDH Decks:
Halfdane Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
I also just put a Memnarch list together but I'm still collecting the cards so haven't played it yet. Would like to hear your thoughts on some cards:
Karn, Silver Golem - can animate your stolen goods into creatures to attack or destroy mana bases with Mycosynth Lattice in play. Grand Architect - I put him in my list, seems like he'll be worth it. Liquimetal Coating - kind of a mini Lattice, it reduces Memnarch's cost by 3 once a turn and has a number of other little interactions. I'm running both Sculpting Steel and Copy Artifact which lets me copy anything. Expedition Map - I think there are enough targets for it. Plus it can be fetched by Trinket Mage to get Riptide Laboratory to reuse Trinket Mage. Vedalken Orrery - I like this more than the Leyline because it is an artifact. It's more fragile than the Leyline but much easier to tutor for. Sculpting Steel/Copy Artifact - These seem really good with your general able to turn any permanent into an artifact. Trickbind - Split Second is worth a lot more to me than the extra mana I save with Stifle. Merchant Scroll - You don't have the best targets but I think it's still worth it to be able to grab Mystical Tutor or Fact or Fiction.
Wow, great suggestion everyone. I do want to to fit Expedition Map into my deck, but not at the cost of Wayfarer's Bauble, since its great acceleration.
Vedalken Orrey will go in instead of the Leyline as soon as I add in Grand Architect and Etherium Sculptor
As for Trickbind/ Stifle. I know that Trickbind is the superior card, but right now there is a running joke in my playgroup about the Stifle, so I keep it in.
I honestly did not think about the interactions between all the artifact granting abilities and Copy Artifact and Sculpting Steel, absolutely fantastic and I am going to have to squeeze in the Sculpting Steel at the very least.
You are right about Merchant Scroll, I don't have the best targets for it. I don't think I am going to put it in, because if I have already drawn the mystical tutor its really not that super in this deck.
As for Power Artifact, normally I try to avoid that card since people have it in decks solely for infinite mana. (I don't like obvious and one trick combo pieces) but in this case it actually DOES work with Memnarch and a few other artifacts in the deck I will definitely consider adding it.
About Darksteel Ingot, I'm normally one to try and sell people on the virtues of indestructability, but is it really worth it for a mono color deck? The colored mana doesn't seem nearly as important as how much it costs (3, as opposed to 2 for mindstone or Everflowing Chalice). I haven't ever run an Ingot in a monocolor deck, to those that do is it really worth it?
And last but not least, what are some of peoples favorite cards to run with Rings of Brighthearth other than Basalt Monolith and fetches?
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Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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I use Rings of Brighthearth to great effect in my Sharuum deck. Now obviously there will be cards you can't use here but it could give you inspiration for your Memnarch deck.
Palinchron is probably out for the same reason as Power Artifact. And on Power Artifact, it really doesn't do much for your deck as it is right now so maybe Training Grounds instead?
Palinchron is probably out for the same reason as Power Artifact. And on Power Artifact, it really doesn't do much for your deck as it is right now so maybe Training Grounds instead?
Training Grounds would probably be better suited to a deck that had more creatures with activated abilities. If it reduced the cost of all activated abilities it would be in, but as is? It only really effects 3 cards in the deck, and it doesn't even do it that well. It was in the very first iteration of the deck, but after I played a few games with it, it came right out. Its just dead too often.
And yeah, Palinchron isn't in because its an obvious combo piece, and its just a bad creature for 7 mana (its free once you get there, but seven mana is a lot to get to) when you don't have the other piece to back it up. I don't like cards only dedicated to a combo in my deck, they clutter up space and are bad on their own. There are already enough infinite combos in the deck that I don't have to worry about jamming it with a bad card just to put in another one.
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Halfdane Sek'Kuar
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Training Grounds would probably be better suited to a deck that had more creatures with activated abilities. If it reduced the cost of all activated abilities it would be in, but as is? It only really effects 3 cards in the deck, and it doesn't even do it that well. It was in the very first iteration of the deck, but after I played a few games with it, it came right out. Its just dead too often.
And yeah, Palinchron isn't in because its an obvious combo piece, and its just a bad creature for 7 mana (its free once you get there, but seven mana is a lot to get to) when you don't have the other piece to back it up. I don't like cards only dedicated to a combo in my deck, they clutter up space and are bad on their own. There are already enough infinite combos in the deck that I don't have to worry about jamming it with a bad card just to put in another one.
I have pretty much the exact philosophy, combos are fine if both of the pieces are good on their own. Training Grounds is equally unexciting in my build since it only works with my general so maybe I'll take that out to free up a slot. Still collecting the cards so I haven't played my deck yet.
I like the Training Grounds so far. It allows you to grab that Lightning Greaves to protect Memnarch right away.
Also, if you run Karn and Grim Monolith you can "power artifact" combo with them as well.
This is the fruit of my labor and waiting gentlemen. I bring you MEMNARCH.
0 Memnarch
Creatures
1 Duplicant
2 Body double
3 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
4 Trinket Mage
5 Dominating Licid
6 Venser, Shaper Savant
7 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
8 Vesuvan Doppelganger
9 Sakashima the Impostor
10 Solemn Simulacrum
11 Draining Whelk
12 Mulldrifter
13 Gilded Drake
14 Willbender
15 Sower of Temptation
16 Mnemonic Wall
Artifacts
17 Nevinyrral's Disk
18 Darksteel Forge
19 Mycosynth Lattice
20 Extraplanar Lens
21 Oblivion Stone
22 Gauntlet of Power
23 Lightning Greaves
24 Coldsteel Heart
25 Sol Ring
26 Crystal Shard
27 Vedalken Shackles
28 Wayfarers Bauble
29 Relic of Progenitus
30 Sensies Divining Top
31 Thran Dynamo
32 Mimic Vat
33 Volition Reins
34 Mystic Remora
35 Tezzeret the Seeker
36 Future Sight
37 Take Possession
38 Treachery
39 Leyline of Anticipation
Instants and Sorceries
40 Stifle
41 Mystical Tutor
42 Recurring Insight
43 Force of Will
44 Time Stop
45 Bribery
46 Blatant Thievery
47 All is Dust
48 Desertion
49 Gather Specimens
50 Knowledge Exploitation
51 Hinder
52 Fact or Fiction
53 Fabrication
54 Arcane Denial
55 Capsize
56 Reins of Power
57 Evacuation
58 Timewarp
59 Intuition
60 Rite of Replication
61 Cryptic Command
62 Commandeer
63 Vesuva
64 Strip Mine
65 Academey Ruins
66 Academey at Tolaria West
67 Reliquary Tower
68 Riptide Laboratory
69 Thawing Glaciers
70 Petrified Fields
71 Scrying Sheets
Right now the deck is all theft and artifact based, with some goodstuff in between. After playing about a half-dozen or so games with it at this point I have some more ideas for it.
I want to try and shove some more artifact mana into the deck, since it really wants to ramp. Does anybody have any good ideas for ramp? (Maybe a Grand Architect or Etherium Sculptor as well?).
I am also thinking about adding a Rings of Brighthearth along with some fetches and its partner in crime Basalt Monolith to the deck. There are already about a dozen cards that could interact with it favorably in the deck, but most of them are one time effects and I feel like I need more. To anybody else that runs rings, what do you play with it?
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Karn, Silver Golem - can animate your stolen goods into creatures to attack or destroy mana bases with Mycosynth Lattice in play.
Grand Architect - I put him in my list, seems like he'll be worth it.
Liquimetal Coating - kind of a mini Lattice, it reduces Memnarch's cost by 3 once a turn and has a number of other little interactions. I'm running both Sculpting Steel and Copy Artifact which lets me copy anything.
Expedition Map - I think there are enough targets for it. Plus it can be fetched by Trinket Mage to get Riptide Laboratory to reuse Trinket Mage.
Vedalken Orrery - I like this more than the Leyline because it is an artifact. It's more fragile than the Leyline but much easier to tutor for.
Sculpting Steel/Copy Artifact - These seem really good with your general able to turn any permanent into an artifact.
Trickbind - Split Second is worth a lot more to me than the extra mana I save with Stifle.
Merchant Scroll - You don't have the best targets but I think it's still worth it to be able to grab Mystical Tutor or Fact or Fiction.
Let me know what you think!
EDIT: Beaten by faster poster!
Also, it's not to hard to get the Urzatron (Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant, Urza's Tower) online, especially if you can recur Expedition Map.
Vedalken Orrey will go in instead of the Leyline as soon as I add in Grand Architect and Etherium Sculptor
As for Trickbind/ Stifle. I know that Trickbind is the superior card, but right now there is a running joke in my playgroup about the Stifle, so I keep it in.
I honestly did not think about the interactions between all the artifact granting abilities and Copy Artifact and Sculpting Steel, absolutely fantastic and I am going to have to squeeze in the Sculpting Steel at the very least.
You are right about Merchant Scroll, I don't have the best targets for it. I don't think I am going to put it in, because if I have already drawn the mystical tutor its really not that super in this deck.
As for Power Artifact, normally I try to avoid that card since people have it in decks solely for infinite mana. (I don't like obvious and one trick combo pieces) but in this case it actually DOES work with Memnarch and a few other artifacts in the deck I will definitely consider adding it.
About Darksteel Ingot, I'm normally one to try and sell people on the virtues of indestructability, but is it really worth it for a mono color deck? The colored mana doesn't seem nearly as important as how much it costs (3, as opposed to 2 for mindstone or Everflowing Chalice). I haven't ever run an Ingot in a monocolor deck, to those that do is it really worth it?
And last but not least, what are some of peoples favorite cards to run with Rings of Brighthearth other than Basalt Monolith and fetches?
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
Currently I have a Salvaging Station package which all works well with Rings. Expedition Map, Voyager Staff (depending on how many ETB creatures you want to run), Voltaic Key, Wayfarer's Bauble, any planeswalker, and Vedalken Shackles all can be Rings'd.
Also, why aren't you running Palinchron? It with either High Tide, Extraplanar Lens and Gauntlet of Power read "Gain control of your opponents permanents."
Training Grounds would probably be better suited to a deck that had more creatures with activated abilities. If it reduced the cost of all activated abilities it would be in, but as is? It only really effects 3 cards in the deck, and it doesn't even do it that well. It was in the very first iteration of the deck, but after I played a few games with it, it came right out. Its just dead too often.
And yeah, Palinchron isn't in because its an obvious combo piece, and its just a bad creature for 7 mana (its free once you get there, but seven mana is a lot to get to) when you don't have the other piece to back it up. I don't like cards only dedicated to a combo in my deck, they clutter up space and are bad on their own. There are already enough infinite combos in the deck that I don't have to worry about jamming it with a bad card just to put in another one.
Halfdane
Sek'Kuar
Please remember to autocard, just do [ card ] CARD NAME [ / card ] and for decks you can cover the whole thing in one deck tag like this: [ deck ] All of the cards in the deck [ / deck ]
I have pretty much the exact philosophy, combos are fine if both of the pieces are good on their own. Training Grounds is equally unexciting in my build since it only works with my general so maybe I'll take that out to free up a slot. Still collecting the cards so I haven't played my deck yet.
Also, if you run Karn and Grim Monolith you can "power artifact" combo with them as well.
B Lover Since '09 ~
Standard:
meh.
Modern:
Urzatron GR
Vintage:
Contol-Slaver UBR
EDH:
Drana B
Jhoira UR
Savra BG
Turned into:
Adun Oakenshield BGR
Sharuum BUW
Turned into:
Memnarch U
KiKi-Jiki R
Turned into:
Godo R
Turned into:
Aurelia RW
The Mimeoplasm UBG
Rasputin Dreamweaver UW
Turned into:
Geist of Saint Traft -French 1v1 UW
Nekusar UBR