-Verdant Force - I've seen the Force pump out ridiculous amounts of Saporlings in other people's deck, so I figured I'd give it a try in this one. It rarely ever does me good though, even when I do copy it with Riku.
-Gilded Passage - I originally threw this in this deck just because it fit Riku's colors, but it turns out that if you hand your deck to someone you are currently politically alligned with, you can get some really good cards out of the process.
-Arcane Denial - What can I say? It's my favorite counterspell.
-Killer Instinct - I thought it would be cool to just play the creatures using Killer Instinct and then copy them with Riku, but I tend to not enjoy losing my creatures during my end step...
Notes:
-I built this deck basically using a third of the original Preconstructed Commander deck. My brothers and I bought the Precon together and split it into (almost) even thirds. With this in mind, I must say I'm quite happy with how this deck has turned out. I must also say that the credit for this is not all mine. These two links really helped me in building this deck: From the Command Zone and Benny Smith's List.
Nice list, a good starting block for a Riku deck. Observations!
1) Your stuff is all expensive, you're not going to be doing that much in the early turns. You may want some more ramp.
2) Your ramp is currently limited to artifacts. These tend to die as collateral damage to things such as Oblivion Stone. They also do not double up once Riku is in play. I would recommend either creature based, or spell based, land tutoring type of ramp. Examples would be Wood elves, Ondu Giant and/or Explosive Vegetation, Mwonvuli acid-moss (which you have, good man! The acid moss rocks).
3) Typically players have met more success with a list either focused heavier on creatures, or heavier on spells. You need not exclude the other half, but it makes for certain synergies to be stronger. For example, your inclusion of Killer Instinct would be made stronger with a greater emphasis on creatures. If you were to include Mirari (which you also have in) or Galvanoth, they would be more in tune with a spell build.
4) Card draw. I am heavily biased on this. I like having a full grip. At. All. Times. I may overcompensate to some degree, but I like having plays, and I like having options. In a similar vein, you could run the green recursion engines, like Regrowth and Recollect which are powerful when copied.
5) Tell us about your meta a bit. Are the players of high caliber? Do they understand complex interactions of rules? Do you? Do they frown on mass land destruction (I see ruination is removed)? Do they frown on infinite combos (one of the first things invariably suggested to any new Riku deck put on these forums is an infinite combo... sigh. I also note you run a decent counterspell suite)? How long do games last?
Card specific:
Cancel -> Hinder or Spin into Myth - it's mean against generals, but there is no reason to run cancel when there are far better options. Even Voidslime is better. Far better. (I <3 Voidslime)
Aethersnipe is in the precon. If you're decent with rules and stacking triggered abilities, put it back in. If you want an explanation why this guy is awesome: Evoke him, then copy him, and use the copy to bounce him before the evoke trigger sacrifices him. And repeat. For bounce + token for 5 mana. Yes, he does that.
Clone and friends. Especially Phyrexian Metamorph. Their interaction with riku allows them to kill an opposing General, then Riku's trigger will use Last Known Information to make a second copy of their general, preventing them from replaying their own general for a while (unless they want it to die immediately again).
Nice list, a good starting block for a Riku deck. Observations!
1) Your stuff is all expensive, you're not going to be doing that much in the early turns. You may want some more ramp.
2) Your ramp is currently limited to artifacts. These tend to die as collateral damage to things such as Oblivion Stone. They also do not double up once Riku is in play. I would recommend either creature based, or spell based, land tutoring type of ramp. Examples would be Wood elves, Ondu Giant and/or Explosive Vegetation, Mwonvuli acid-moss (which you have, good man! The acid moss rocks).
3) Typically, players have met more success with a list either focused heavier on creatures, or heavier on spells. You need not exclude the other half, but it makes for certain synergies to be stronger. For example, your inclusion of Killer Instinct would be made stronger with a greater emphasis on creatures. If you were to include Mirari (which you also have in) or Galvanoth, they would be more in tune with a spell build.
4) Card draw. I am heavily biased on this. I like having a full grip. At. All. Times. I may overcompensate to some degree, but I like having plays, and I like having options. In a similar vein, you could run the green recursion engines, like Regrowth and Recollect which are powerful when copied.
5) Tell us about your meta a bit. Are the players of high caliber? Do they understand complex interactions of rules? Do you? Do they frown on mass land destruction (I see ruination is removed)? Do they frown on infinite combos (one of the first things invariably suggested to any new Riku deck put on these forums is an infinite combo... sigh. I also note you run a decent counterspell suite)? How long do games last?
Card specific:
Cancel -> Hinder or Spin into Myth - it's mean against generals, but there is no reason to run cancel when there are far better options. Even Voidslime is better. Far better. (I <3 Voidslime)
Aethersnipe is in the precon. If you're decent with rules and stacking triggered abilities, put it back in. If you want an explanation why this guy is awesome: Evoke him, then copy him, and use the copy to bounce him before the evoke trigger sacrifices him. And repeat. For bounce + token for 5 mana. Yes, he does that.
Clone and friends. Especially Phyrexian Metamorph. Their interaction with Riku allows them to kill an opposing General, then Riku's trigger will use Last Known Information to make a second copy of their general, preventing them from replaying their own general for a while (unless they want it to die immediately again).
Yeah, we'll start with that. =P
I'll respond using the numbering system you did to make reading this easier.
1) I noticed recently that most of my stuff is high end on their Converted Mana Cost. I was actually thinking of doing a bit of remodeling prior to seeing your post, and it has definetly provided several ideas.
2) With this being partially Green, I'm kinda surprised Collective Voyage and Harrow are my only ramp sources besides Artifacts.
3) I hadn't thought about being more focused on one half... That's quite a valuable point. I was kinda considering going to a more Creature-based structure with several Legends involved. I'm considering buying a Mirror Gallery off of Starcitygames and then adding super-sweet Legends such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Akroma, Angel of Fury, B11, and Brothers Yamazaki (But only because the Bros have so much flavor).
4) I have some decent card draw, but like you, I like lots of it. So I may add more. I'm running Vengeful Rebirth, but I'll definetly slot in a Recollect, as I have several of those laying around.
5) Our Metagame is pretty cool if you ask me. We really don't have a problem with going Infinite, if anything we love it, as it is considered a super-sweet win condition. As for land destruction, most of us prefer targeted land destruction, but nobody really has issues with mass land destruction, it's just part of the game. The only reason I'm not running Ruination is because I didn't end up with it when my two brothers and me spit the Mirror Mastery deck into 3 parts. Counterspells are in everybodys' deck, even the decks that don't include blue. Black has Dash Hopes and Withering Boon, Red has several (most of which hate on Blue), Green has Avoid Fate, and White has Rebuff the Wicked, Mana Tithe, and Illumination.
Most of the players are what you might consider high caliber, and most (including me) have a really firm grasp of the rules and the interactions of cards.
Games last all sorts of lengths. Some last 15 minutes, others last two hours. Obviously, games also take place in between those two numbers as well.
-Card Suggestions-
Spin into Myth is already in the deck as my only Tuck Effect, but Hinder is a good recommendation. I may have a few of it, if I do, I'll definitely switch it for Cancel. And I've been wanting a Voidslime for a long time.
I guess I didn't end up with the Aethersnipe when we split up the precon, but I'm sure I can get one from someone in my playgroup.
Leyline of Anticipation is sheer-awesomeness (most of the Leylines are though...), as is the Vedalken Orrey. I'll probably buy the Leyline since it's so cheap on Starcitygames.
Clones... For some reason, I own absolutely none of these. I want a Phyrexian Metamorph, especially as I love the Release promo's alternate art, but it is kinda expensive. I do agree that I should at least have a Clone, so I'll either trade for one or get one off of Starcitygames.
If you're looking for a sweet Clone effect, try to pick up a copy of Sakashima the imposter. He's about the only card I recommend to any flavor of Riku deck: He can copy a General without killing them, like say... Riku himself! This would allow you even more fun copying fun stuff.
Parallel Lives also remains fairly cheap as it's still new. Try and pick out up, as it'll double everything Riku puts out.
Palinchron has a tad price tag, but he's the first infinite combo anyone ever recommends for Riku. Playing him costs 7, copying costs 2, and bouncing costs 4... that takes 13 mana to do, but between him and the copy each untapping 7 lands, that's 14 mana gained... which means infinite mana, and infinite 4/5 flyers. Best part, you only need 7 lands out to do it (3 sources must be blue), if you stack the untap trigger on top of the Riku copy trigger.
Creatures that Champion others, or Wormfang Drake also have fun interactions with riku.
I also really like Hellrider, but he's better with more cheap creatures.
===
Obviously, the more recomendations I give, the more it'll look like the decks I've built, as I have a bias in those directions. Overall it look really good, except for the mana curve. I think the cheap land-search creatures will really help you out, as they'll take up the lower slots in your curve, while also accelerating to the higher end for your big threats. I'm currently running a $50 version of Riku, which you can see in my signature, in which I run about 7 of those creatures. The best Solemn Simulacrum simply is too expensive to make my budget list, but would be a welcome addition if you have one.
If you're looking for a sweet Clone effect, try to pick up a copy of Sakashima the imposter. He's about the only card I recommend to any flavor of Riku deck: He can copy a General without killing them, like say... Riku himself! This would allow you even more fun copying fun stuff.
Parallel Lives also remains fairly cheap as it's still new. Try and pick out up, as it'll double everything Riku puts out.
Palinchron has a tad price tag, but he's the first infinite combo anyone ever recommends for Riku. Playing him costs 7, copying costs 2, and bouncing costs 4... that takes 13 mana to do, but between him and the copy each untapping 7 lands, that's 14 mana gained... which means infinite mana, and infinite 4/5 flyers. Best part, you only need 7 lands out to do it (3 sources must be blue), if you stack the untap trigger on top of the Riku copy trigger.
Creatures that Champion others, or Wormfang Drake also have fun interactions with riku.
I also really like Hellrider, but he's better with more cheap creatures.
===
Obviously, the more recomendations I give, the more it'll look like the decks I've built, as I have a bias in those directions. Overall it look really good, except for the mana curve. I think the cheap land-search creatures will really help you out, as they'll take up the lower slots in your curve, while also accelerating to the higher end for your big threats. I'm currently running a $50 version of Riku, which you can see in my signature, in which I run about 7 of those creatures. The best Solemn Simulacrum simply is too expensive to make my budget list, but would be a welcome addition if you have one.
Parallel Lives is already in this list, and it definitely functions well. It is debateably better than Doubling Season in this particular deck, though both are in the list.
Palinchron is pretty cool, I may have heard of him before, but I'm not sure. His price isn't too terribly bad, so I may pick one up.
Basically, I've found that any and all Boomerang-type effects are good for this deck. Though I don't have many. Champion Creatures and Wormfang Drake are pretty creative ways to use Blink Effects.
Those are some sweet recommendations, brah. Thanks
So I got a hold of the Chaos Reigns Planechase 2 deck a couple of days ago, and after playing around with it for a while, I decided I'd convert this deck into a Maelstrom Wanderer EDH deck. I replaced about ten cards in the deck to make it more appropriate for the Wanderer, but I wouldn't say the deck is 100% dedicated to the Wanderer based on some of the current card choices.
I intend to leave the decklist up for this deck should someone need inspiraton and/or advice on how to build a Riku of Two Reflections EDH deck.
So I got a hold of the Chaos Reigns Planechase 2 deck a couple of days ago, and after playing around with it for a while, I decided I'd convert this deck into a Maelstrom Wanderer EDH deck. I replaced about ten cards in the deck to make it more appropriate for the Wanderer, but I wouldn't say the deck is 100% dedicated to the Wanderer based on some of the current card choices.
I intend to leave the decklist up for this deck should someone need inspiraton and/or advice on how to build a Riku of Two Reflections EDH deck.
Well, after playing my Maelstrom Wanderer EDH/Commander Deck for a while, I've decided I like Riku of Two Reflections a lot better as a General. So I have reassembled, however the list is very different from the version posted at the top of this thread. I'll be posting the new list very soon, but in the mean time, I'll tell you that it leans more towards creatures than it used to. Sorceries and instants are still present, but they're mainly there to interact with my creatures.
-Clone/Quicksilver Gargantuan/Sakashima the Impostor - These three allow me to copy other people's creatures, or my own if necessary. Sakashima also allows me to copy Riku for twice the fun.
-Verdant Force - I've seen the Force pump out ridiculous amounts of Saporlings in other people's deck, so I figured I'd give it a try in this one. It rarely ever does me good though, even when I do copy it with Riku.
-Gilded Passage - I originally threw this in this deck just because it fit Riku's colors, but it turns out that if you hand your deck to someone you are currently politically alligned with, you can get some really good cards out of the process.
-Arcane Denial - What can I say? It's my favorite counterspell.
-Killer Instinct - I thought it would be cool to just play the creatures using Killer Instinct and then copy them with Riku, but I tend to not enjoy losing my creatures during my end step...
Notes:
-I built this deck basically using a third of the original Preconstructed Commander deck. My brothers and I bought the Precon together and split it into (almost) even thirds. With this in mind, I must say I'm quite happy with how this deck has turned out. I must also say that the credit for this is not all mine. These two links really helped me in building this deck: From the Command Zone and Benny Smith's List.
-I have an Increasing Savagery I'd like to slot into this deck.
-Besides these notes, feel free to comment and recommend stuff for this deck!
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
1) Your stuff is all expensive, you're not going to be doing that much in the early turns. You may want some more ramp.
2) Your ramp is currently limited to artifacts. These tend to die as collateral damage to things such as Oblivion Stone. They also do not double up once Riku is in play. I would recommend either creature based, or spell based, land tutoring type of ramp. Examples would be Wood elves, Ondu Giant and/or Explosive Vegetation, Mwonvuli acid-moss (which you have, good man! The acid moss rocks).
3) Typically players have met more success with a list either focused heavier on creatures, or heavier on spells. You need not exclude the other half, but it makes for certain synergies to be stronger. For example, your inclusion of Killer Instinct would be made stronger with a greater emphasis on creatures. If you were to include Mirari (which you also have in) or Galvanoth, they would be more in tune with a spell build.
4) Card draw. I am heavily biased on this. I like having a full grip. At. All. Times. I may overcompensate to some degree, but I like having plays, and I like having options. In a similar vein, you could run the green recursion engines, like Regrowth and Recollect which are powerful when copied.
5) Tell us about your meta a bit. Are the players of high caliber? Do they understand complex interactions of rules? Do you? Do they frown on mass land destruction (I see ruination is removed)? Do they frown on infinite combos (one of the first things invariably suggested to any new Riku deck put on these forums is an infinite combo... sigh. I also note you run a decent counterspell suite)? How long do games last?
Card specific:
Cancel -> Hinder or Spin into Myth - it's mean against generals, but there is no reason to run cancel when there are far better options. Even Voidslime is better. Far better. (I <3 Voidslime)
Aethersnipe is in the precon. If you're decent with rules and stacking triggered abilities, put it back in. If you want an explanation why this guy is awesome: Evoke him, then copy him, and use the copy to bounce him before the evoke trigger sacrifices him. And repeat. For bounce + token for 5 mana. Yes, he does that.
Leyline of Anticipation / Vedalken Orrery - These are pretty darn good in Riku. In almost any deck, really, but they're pretty darn nice in Riku.
Clone and friends. Especially Phyrexian Metamorph. Their interaction with riku allows them to kill an opposing General, then Riku's trigger will use Last Known Information to make a second copy of their general, preventing them from replaying their own general for a while (unless they want it to die immediately again).
Yeah, we'll start with that. =P
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
I'll respond using the numbering system you did to make reading this easier.
1) I noticed recently that most of my stuff is high end on their Converted Mana Cost. I was actually thinking of doing a bit of remodeling prior to seeing your post, and it has definetly provided several ideas.
2) With this being partially Green, I'm kinda surprised Collective Voyage and Harrow are my only ramp sources besides Artifacts.
3) I hadn't thought about being more focused on one half... That's quite a valuable point. I was kinda considering going to a more Creature-based structure with several Legends involved. I'm considering buying a Mirror Gallery off of Starcitygames and then adding super-sweet Legends such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Akroma, Angel of Fury, B11, and Brothers Yamazaki (But only because the Bros have so much flavor).
4) I have some decent card draw, but like you, I like lots of it. So I may add more. I'm running Vengeful Rebirth, but I'll definetly slot in a Recollect, as I have several of those laying around.
5) Our Metagame is pretty cool if you ask me. We really don't have a problem with going Infinite, if anything we love it, as it is considered a super-sweet win condition. As for land destruction, most of us prefer targeted land destruction, but nobody really has issues with mass land destruction, it's just part of the game. The only reason I'm not running Ruination is because I didn't end up with it when my two brothers and me spit the Mirror Mastery deck into 3 parts. Counterspells are in everybodys' deck, even the decks that don't include blue. Black has Dash Hopes and Withering Boon, Red has several (most of which hate on Blue), Green has Avoid Fate, and White has Rebuff the Wicked, Mana Tithe, and Illumination.
Most of the players are what you might consider high caliber, and most (including me) have a really firm grasp of the rules and the interactions of cards.
Games last all sorts of lengths. Some last 15 minutes, others last two hours. Obviously, games also take place in between those two numbers as well.
-Card Suggestions-
Spin into Myth is already in the deck as my only Tuck Effect, but Hinder is a good recommendation. I may have a few of it, if I do, I'll definitely switch it for Cancel. And I've been wanting a Voidslime for a long time.
I guess I didn't end up with the Aethersnipe when we split up the precon, but I'm sure I can get one from someone in my playgroup.
Leyline of Anticipation is sheer-awesomeness (most of the Leylines are though...), as is the Vedalken Orrey. I'll probably buy the Leyline since it's so cheap on Starcitygames.
Clones... For some reason, I own absolutely none of these. I want a Phyrexian Metamorph, especially as I love the Release promo's alternate art, but it is kinda expensive. I do agree that I should at least have a Clone, so I'll either trade for one or get one off of Starcitygames.
Do you have any other recommendations?
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Parallel Lives also remains fairly cheap as it's still new. Try and pick out up, as it'll double everything Riku puts out.
Palinchron has a tad price tag, but he's the first infinite combo anyone ever recommends for Riku. Playing him costs 7, copying costs 2, and bouncing costs 4... that takes 13 mana to do, but between him and the copy each untapping 7 lands, that's 14 mana gained... which means infinite mana, and infinite 4/5 flyers. Best part, you only need 7 lands out to do it (3 sources must be blue), if you stack the untap trigger on top of the Riku copy trigger.
Crystal Shard and Erratic Portal let you return key ETB creatures to replay. I like using it on the cheaper guys, like Wood Elves and Farhaven Elf and Eternal Witness.
Creatures that Champion others, or Wormfang Drake also have fun interactions with riku.
I also really like Hellrider, but he's better with more cheap creatures.
===
Obviously, the more recomendations I give, the more it'll look like the decks I've built, as I have a bias in those directions. Overall it look really good, except for the mana curve. I think the cheap land-search creatures will really help you out, as they'll take up the lower slots in your curve, while also accelerating to the higher end for your big threats. I'm currently running a $50 version of Riku, which you can see in my signature, in which I run about 7 of those creatures. The best Solemn Simulacrum simply is too expensive to make my budget list, but would be a welcome addition if you have one.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
I've been wanting a Sakashima the Impostor for a long time, mainly because she has the potential to function as a second Riku of Two Reflections.
Parallel Lives is already in this list, and it definitely functions well. It is debateably better than Doubling Season in this particular deck, though both are in the list.
Palinchron is pretty cool, I may have heard of him before, but I'm not sure. His price isn't too terribly bad, so I may pick one up.
Basically, I've found that any and all Boomerang-type effects are good for this deck. Though I don't have many. Champion Creatures and Wormfang Drake are pretty creative ways to use Blink Effects.
Those are some sweet recommendations, brah. Thanks
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Hopefully, I'll actually be able to tweak my deck soon.
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
I still haven't made room for Arcane Melee and/or Solemn Simulacrum yet.
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
I intend to leave the decklist up for this deck should someone need inspiraton and/or advice on how to build a Riku of Two Reflections EDH deck.
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"
Well, after playing my Maelstrom Wanderer EDH/Commander Deck for a while, I've decided I like Riku of Two Reflections a lot better as a General. So I have reassembled, however the list is very different from the version posted at the top of this thread. I'll be posting the new list very soon, but in the mean time, I'll tell you that it leans more towards creatures than it used to. Sorceries and instants are still present, but they're mainly there to interact with my creatures.
Heroes and Villains Comics and Games
Watch "The Giant Sharkgate Chronicles"
Watch "Eating Made Easy"