When I took apart my Volrath deck due to the loss of its surprise factor, I started searching for a third general that I knew I would stick to and it would be someone that I would enjoy. Most people identify me with playing Sisay. Which is totally fine. I love Sisay a lot and have developed quite the deck with her.
However, she doesn’t exactly capture me completely as a Magic player. My search for a third general as well as a third deck was going to be someone that represented my playstyle in the game. Why so? My third deck wanted to be something that I could relate to, something that set me apart from everyone else. Additionally, because this deck really represented me, it would be something I would really enjoy and keep playing with. The aspects of Magic that appeal to me the most are the objectives my deck wants to cover:
• My favorite colors are red and blue (ironic isn’t it, that I play Sisay as my primary general!).
• I enjoy toolboxes.
• I love land destruction.
• I love being able to a do a lot of damage in a small time frame.
• I like having a high threat density.
• I like to surprise people.
Is there a general and a deck out there can fulfill all of these objectives? The answer is a resounding “YES!”
The primary goal is pretty simple; cast Godo, tutor for an equipment, and win through general damage. Because of Godo’s ability to attack twice in a turn (along with Taurean Mauler and Mutavault), this can lead to some explosive combat phases resulting in the sudden death of a player or even players.
If Godo can’t get in there, then strap the equipment onto your other creatures. The equipment all provide an enormous increase in the threat density of this deck by turning even the lowliest of creatures into must-answer threats. That’s why I run a ton of manlands along with the token producers Kher Keep and Springjack Pasture. They maximize my chance of having a body to throw equipment onto. Token producers also synergize very well with Skullclamp for an excellent draw engine.
Explanation of some of the lesser-seen cards as well as M11 cards:
Barbed Shocker: This guy is so hilariously fun. Wait for the monoblack player to cast their Diabolic Tutor, and then send this guy in to make them bin their sculpted hand. Excellent against control and combo-based decks overall, which many EDH decks usually resemble. He also has trample, which is nice for when he picks up equipment later in the game to make it easier to trigger the Swords.
Hoarding Dragon: We’ll see how he pans out. If he doesn’t work like I want him to, he might become Kumano or something else.
Icefall: Take advantage of the recursion that red gets.
Hammer & Rekindled Flame: Again, taking further advantage of the little recursion that red gets. I love repetitive burn, especially against X/3 generals.
Omen of Fire: Blindsides both blue and white at instant speed. Metagame dependent, but a really nasty surprise considering many people don’t even know this card exists, let alone what it does.
Wake of Destruction: Takes most monocolored decks out of commission. I really don’t know why this doesn’t see more play, even though I know many people have a huge hatred towards mass LD. It’s such a crushing card against decks that are Ruination and Moon-proof.
Thieves' Auction: I've always loved this card for the amount of craziness that ensues from it. Can turn a hopeless position into a winning one when used correctly. And yes, I know about the combo with Brand, but I couldn’t find room for some reason to stick Brand into here.
Sword of Vengeance: This might be Loxodon Warhammer, but I’ll try this sucker out due to new card syndrome. I would really like to see another Sword of _______ & _______ in Scars of Mirrodin though.
The list isn’t set in stone. In fact, it’s FAR from that. I have a pretty huge pool of cards I haven’t mentioned here that I plan to cycle in and out to keep people guessing every time I play this deck.
Questions? Comments? Death threats? (I know I'll be getting these from some playgroups given the LD packages that this deck can carry lol)
Mindslaver seem to be a nice fit in the deck. It is a threat, it can do a lot of damage in a short time frame (your dark tutelage will ensure that) and it works well with Goblin Welder and your other artifact retrievers.
I am iffy about Omen of Fire in multiplayer games. The last time someone tried to pull off a Boil, it united the usually passive Jhoira and Oona who managed to somehow counter it and smash the offender's face (i.e. game-wise). The other player was content to watch the massacre However, you did mention that it was metagame dependent so I will leave it at that.
Diviner's Wand is one of the few ways red has of generating card advantage. Especially broken with Wheel of Fortune. Godo gets +7/+7? yes please.
Goblin Welder to recur equipment that get dealt with? I also don't see Spinerock Knoll, which is going to get you a free card whenever Godo connects. Whispersilk Cloak is like a Sword for green spells/creatures, even if it doesn't make Godo bigger.
Mindslaver seem to be a nice fit in the deck. It is a threat, it can do a lot of damage in a short time frame (your dark tutelage will ensure that) and it works well with Goblin Welder and your other artifact retrievers.
I am iffy about Omen of Fire in multiplayer games. The last time someone tried to pull off a Boil, it united the usually passive Jhoira and Oona who managed to somehow counter it and smash the offender's face (i.e. game-wise). The other player was content to watch the massacre However, you did mention that it was metagame dependent so I will leave it at that.
Blue hosers like Boil and Omen of Fire are instant-speed though, so it becomes a lot easier to force it through a wall of countermagic as you wait for them to tap out for one of their draw spells and you catch them with their pants down. Obviously it's going to depend on the context that it's used in. It's probably a bad idea when there are multiple blue players around, but for that solo blue player who needs to be wiped off the table before he does his ridiculous things, I feel it's a good way to get some high-fives from others. The white hosing is also a bonus as well, especially against decks with very few Plains. Ultimately, Omen of Fire would be a card I would use if I took this deck to an unknown EDH game like when I go up to GP Portland this September.
Diviner's Wand is one of the few ways red has of generating card advantage. Especially broken with Wheel of Fortune. Godo gets +7/+7? yes please.
Goblin Welder to recur equipment that get dealt with? I also don't see Spinerock Knoll, which is going to get you a free card whenever Godo connects. Whispersilk Cloak is like a Sword for green spells/creatures, even if it doesn't make Godo bigger.
I never really was a fan of Diviner's Wand, because while it can draw cards, it requires so much mana to do so. Considering there are very few Wizards in the deck as well, you also have to pay the equip cost in addition to having to draw cards as well. An equipment like Jitte or both swords provide both power and card advantage.
I'm well aware of Spinerock Knoll as well, but I'm just one of those players who's paranoid about its vulnerability. All it takes is just once bounce spell or any LD and the spell you exiled face down is gone forever. I will look to slip it in there if I don't run into a lot of that stuff though.
Goblin Welder is nothing short of amazing. He does more than just weld equipment back into play (this is HUGE though). He can weld in and out Sad Robot for huge card advantage, weld Sundering Titan in and out to decimate many multicolored decks, weld utility artifacts back into play, and he also can screw opponents up as well.
Kaldratron eats up three spaces which I could just have other equipment in there instead (or utility spells). Two of them (Sword and Shield of Kaldra) also cost a gross amount of mana to equip, and Sword of Vengeance is basically like an upgraded Helm of Kaldra.
I'm not sold on Rekindled Flame and Shard Phoenix. I can see your desire to utilize what little recursion red has, but I just don't think these should make the cut.
I also see that you have a lot of artifact recursion (Junk Diver, Myr Retriever, Arcbound Reclaimer. I understand the need to make sure your equipment stays online but I think this may be a little overkill. While I'm not a big fan of the Diver and the Myr, I do like the Reclaimer because he can conserve his recursion. If these guys are a metagame call, then by all means use them, but I feel as though you could do better.
I think Whispersilk Cloak would work exceptionally with Godo. Giving him shroud and letting him in for 6 (or more in the late game) a turn is frightening for any opponent without a wrath or artifact destruction in hand.
I've always thought Jaws of Stone to be great tech, either destroying something big or picking off several utility creatures.
Incendiary Command destroys potentially game-breaking lands and can provide for an effective answer to control, much like your Barbed Shocker. All the while having the ability to take out many generals or wipe out token hordes.
How has Sword of Vengeance been working out for you in testing? Is it satisfactory enough to warrant inclusion over Loxodon Warhammer? My gut says no but I would love to hear what you think.
Emmara is like the worst parts of Legends and Homelands got pregnant, aborted the fetus, tossed it in the trashcan, set it on fire and wrapped the corpse in a Dragon's Maze pack wrapper.
Rekindled Flame is one of those types of cards that varies in its effectiveness from playgroup to playgroup. The card is excellent at decimating X/4s, namely most of the utility generals not named Gaddock Teeg. You also don't want to forget that you can blast most planeswalkers with it, at the very least taking a huge chunk out of their loyalty. There's usually bound to be at least one person during the course of the game who has an empty hand, which is nice considering you don't have to invest mana or any other resources to recur Rekindled Flame unlike Hammer or Phoenix.
As for Phoenix, it's such a unique creature for red. Aside from the fact that it ruins most token strategies, it is a creature that just does not die. The only way you can really get rid of it is with graveyard hate when it's in the yard, and most people don't play enough 'yard hate in their EDH decks to begin with. Even if they do, it's probably going to that Teneb player in the corner, that Vorosh player who's dredging out their whole deck, the Saffi player going bananas with Reveillark, or the Horde of Notions player setting up with Survival of the Fittest. Immunity to all exiling removal like Swords/Path and tucking spells like Condemn, Oblation, and Hallowed Burial is also another huge plus for its versatility. Evasion plays so nicely when it can pick up most any equipment and turn into an immediate wrecking ball.
I'm willing to run extra artifact recursion because equipment play a big role in supercharging any creature into a must-answer threat, as well as being able to recycle all my other artifacts as a nice side bonus. Artifact destruction is one of those things that is fairly common EDH due to people wanting to get rid of mana artifacts to keep others from getting out of control too quickly. Red doesn't have many viable options for recurring artifacts, so we have to make do with what we have. At the very least, Retriever, Reclaimer, and Diver are extra bodies to strap equipment onto.
Preliminary testing has shown for Sword of Vengeance to be doing quite well. If this were a black deck, I'd probably have Warhammer back in for the lifegain to offset all the self-damaging spells most black decks run. In exchange for that and one less power, we get a few abilities that synergize so fantastically well with each other. First strike is one of those abilities in Magic that gets underrated time and time again. A SoV'ed Godo turns into a creature that no X/5 without first strike wants to touch, severely limiting the number of creatures that can feasibly block Godo when you also add in the trample to plow right through chump blockers. To top it off, vigilance lets your equipped creature play defense after taking a steak knife to someone's life total. Combined with first strike, this turns into a great rattlesnake effect by again limiting the number of creatures that can feasibly attack into Godo or some other creature. First strike is waaay too good.
Since you no longer have Warhammer I'd add in Basilisk Collar for the ability to tutor for lifegain along with a Goblin Sharpshooter. I know it doesn't make the creatures deal more damage but lifegain is something you are probably going to want to have access to at some point. It also gives you the ability to tutor for the Collar if you have your Sharpshooter and they are both very solid cards on their own. This would also tempt me to throw in a Goblin Matron, you can grab Kiki-Jiki then grab the Sharpshooter, Welder and/or Taurean Mauler giving you a nice little bit of card advantage though it does cost a bit of mana. I am really wondering about the lack of Ruby Medallion and Expedition Map. Any reason they aren't included?
Arid Mesa! Bloodstained Mire! Scalding Tarns! Wooded Foothills! Not in the spirit of the format sir.
EDIT: Also, you should try and get over your aversion to Spinerock Knoll. It really is fantastic.
The lack of a loxodon warhammer surprises me. Nothing helps you get to 21 like +3/+0 trample (with lifelink thrown in to make you last that long). I mean, thats 12 a turn, which means 2 turns can kill someone (which is a big difference from 10 general, which takes 3 turns).
Awesome deck, dude. I've been waiting to see your Godo list and I can't believe it took me two weeks to realize it was up.
Is Pilgrim's Eye really that good? I know it's card advantage, but to me Expedition Map (for Valakut or Kher Keep, of course) seems so much better. On a somewhat related note, I totally agree that Goblin Welder is amazing. It's probably one of the best creatures ever printed, and it really shines in mono-red EDH.
Would you be opposed to playing Loxodon Warhammer AND Sword of Vengeance? In addition to the massive lifegain potential (a big deal in multiplayer attrition wars), the Warhammer lets Godo two-shot people like Jitte does. I dunno... you've probably heard enough about this card by now.
I'm really interested to see how Hoarding Dragon turns out. My guess is it will be awesome. In any case, please let us know!
One last thing: I see you're rocking the Obsidian Fireheart. Bonus points for you, sir.
I think I'm gonna have to jump on the Warhammer bandwagon here - running both it and SoV is not a bad thing in Godo builds. My Godo list probably runs too many equipments as it is, but I wouldn't be caught dead cutting SoV or the Warhammer. Also, I'm iffy on the Skullclamp - I understand it's one of those "ZOMG This card is so broken!!1!" cards, but I'm just not sure if it's worth the slot. Unless you draw it, I don't see Godo ever wanting to search out a 'Clamp.
I think I'm gonna have to jump on the Warhammer bandwagon here - running both it and SoV is not a bad thing in Godo builds. My Godo list probably runs too many equipments as it is, but I wouldn't be caught dead cutting SoV or the Warhammer. Also, I'm iffy on the Skullclamp - I understand it's one of those "ZOMG This card is so broken!!1!" cards, but I'm just not sure if it's worth the slot. Unless you draw it, I don't see Godo ever wanting to search out a 'Clamp.
I'm working in both Warhammer and Sword into the list together. Having another piece of equipment wouldn't hurt too much and I like the fact that the two pieces of equipment synergize very well with each other.
This is a real-life deck, and as such I don't have access to Gauntlet of Might.
Skullclamp is one of those cards that is just that good, period. It's just a nice coincidence that Godo can tutor it out, though there have been times where I actually will tutor for Skullclamp.
Pilgrim's Eye is holding up quite well. I enjoy how the card can get actual land drops as well as being clamped and welded. Flying is also another huge boon as a body to strap equipment onto. Expedition Map is definitely amazing, but it's not like there is a land that is a core part of my strategy. The only ones I can really think of getting consistently would be Kher Keep, Ancient Tomb, and Valakut. All of which are excellent, but not something like a Gaea's Cradle or Cabal Coffers that is something I *really* need. I will revist Expedition Map though if I look to cut Dread Statuary for Mystifying Maze or something like Mouth of Ronom/Scrying Sheets if I go the snow route.
If you want godo to have the ability to one-shot a player, I would throw anger into the mix somewhere and consider adding fireshrieker.
Being able to swing with a 6/3 doublestrike, lifelink, trample... twice is pretty sweet. And its pretty nice if your just racing to kill someone to have that option there.
As for your comment on rekindled flame, its pretty rare in my meta for people to have no cards in their hand. It happens sometimes, like when black resolves mind twist, myojin of the handy hand, and cabal conditioning, but recovery is pretty quick when player one genesis's back eternal witness to harmonize, someone else uses azami to draw a lot and someone figures out that volrath's stronghold or acedemy ruins both provide access to easy card advantage opportunities while the last player dredges life from the loam, picks up the cycle lands, and resumes the engine.
Also, I would go so far as to say that thawing glaciers is a good card.
And a fun card that isn't amazing, but you sound like you would enjoy playing would be vulshok battlemaster. I mean its very meta dependent, so since you have seemed to indicate that you like to surprise people, you like to be able to do a lot of damage very suddenly, and you want your deck to be something that doesn't play the same every time, I think you might want to take a look at it. I mean, if everyone in your playgroup plays loxodon warhammer, sword of vengeance, sword of light and shadow, sword of fire and ice, and its a 4 player game, you should be able to pick up at least 2 of those equipment. Who knows, you could even pick up a few pieces of the kaldra tron. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to briefly work with fun equipment that didn't quite make the cut. I'm not saying this card is particularly good, but it will be fun, and it will let you play run around with some equipment you otherwise might not.
However, she doesn’t exactly capture me completely as a Magic player. My search for a third general as well as a third deck was going to be someone that represented my playstyle in the game. Why so? My third deck wanted to be something that I could relate to, something that set me apart from everyone else. Additionally, because this deck really represented me, it would be something I would really enjoy and keep playing with. The aspects of Magic that appeal to me the most are the objectives my deck wants to cover:
• My favorite colors are red and blue (ironic isn’t it, that I play Sisay as my primary general!).
• I enjoy toolboxes.
• I love land destruction.
• I love being able to a do a lot of damage in a small time frame.
• I like having a high threat density.
• I like to surprise people.
Is there a general and a deck out there can fulfill all of these objectives? The answer is a resounding “YES!”
1 Godo, Bandit Warlord
Creatures
1 Goblin Welder
1 Myr Retriever
1 Junk Diver
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Pilgrim's Eye
1 Arcbound Reclaimer
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Barbed Shocker
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Obsidian Fireheart
1 Anarchist
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Shard Phoenix
1 Hoarding Dragon
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Duplicant
1 Flameblast Dragon
1 Hellkite Charger
1 Conquering Manticore
1 Sundering Titan
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
1 Greater Gargadon
Equipment
1 Skullclamp
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Grim Monolith
1 Guardian Idol
1 Foriysian Totem
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Mind's Eye
Instants/Sorceries
1 Gamble
1 Shattering Spree
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Hammer of Bogardan
1 Reiterate
1 Ruination
1 Icefall
1 Rekindled Flame
1 Omen of Fire
1 Word of Seizing
1 Wake of Destruction
1 Thieves' Auction
1 Insurrection
1 Decree of Annihilation
1 Blood Moon
Planeswalkers
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Chandra Ablaze
Lands
23 Mountain
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Great Furnace
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Kher Keep
1 Springjack Pasture
1 Blinkmoth Nexus
1 Dread Statuary
1 Ghitu Encampment
1 Mishra's Factory
1 Mutavault
1 Strip Mine
If Godo can’t get in there, then strap the equipment onto your other creatures. The equipment all provide an enormous increase in the threat density of this deck by turning even the lowliest of creatures into must-answer threats. That’s why I run a ton of manlands along with the token producers Kher Keep and Springjack Pasture. They maximize my chance of having a body to throw equipment onto. Token producers also synergize very well with Skullclamp for an excellent draw engine.
Explanation of some of the lesser-seen cards as well as M11 cards:
Barbed Shocker: This guy is so hilariously fun. Wait for the monoblack player to cast their Diabolic Tutor, and then send this guy in to make them bin their sculpted hand. Excellent against control and combo-based decks overall, which many EDH decks usually resemble. He also has trample, which is nice for when he picks up equipment later in the game to make it easier to trigger the Swords.
Hoarding Dragon: We’ll see how he pans out. If he doesn’t work like I want him to, he might become Kumano or something else.
Icefall: Take advantage of the recursion that red gets.
Hammer & Rekindled Flame: Again, taking further advantage of the little recursion that red gets. I love repetitive burn, especially against X/3 generals.
Omen of Fire: Blindsides both blue and white at instant speed. Metagame dependent, but a really nasty surprise considering many people don’t even know this card exists, let alone what it does.
Wake of Destruction: Takes most monocolored decks out of commission. I really don’t know why this doesn’t see more play, even though I know many people have a huge hatred towards mass LD. It’s such a crushing card against decks that are Ruination and Moon-proof.
Thieves' Auction: I've always loved this card for the amount of craziness that ensues from it. Can turn a hopeless position into a winning one when used correctly. And yes, I know about the combo with Brand, but I couldn’t find room for some reason to stick Brand into here.
Sword of Vengeance: This might be Loxodon Warhammer, but I’ll try this sucker out due to new card syndrome. I would really like to see another Sword of _______ & _______ in Scars of Mirrodin though.
The list isn’t set in stone. In fact, it’s FAR from that. I have a pretty huge pool of cards I haven’t mentioned here that I plan to cycle in and out to keep people guessing every time I play this deck.
Questions? Comments? Death threats? (I know I'll be getting these from some playgroups given the LD packages that this deck can carry lol)
I am iffy about Omen of Fire in multiplayer games. The last time someone tried to pull off a Boil, it united the usually passive Jhoira and Oona who managed to somehow counter it and smash the offender's face (i.e. game-wise). The other player was content to watch the massacre However, you did mention that it was metagame dependent so I will leave it at that.
P.S.: Not a biggie but you misspelled Foriysian Totem and Goblin Welder
Goblin Welder to recur equipment that get dealt with? I also don't see Spinerock Knoll, which is going to get you a free card whenever Godo connects. Whispersilk Cloak is like a Sword for green spells/creatures, even if it doesn't make Godo bigger.
Check out //www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?14247-[EDH">-Godo-Bandit-Warlord"]this link for another player who's been playing Godo for forever, and 8 pages of discussion about their list. There's some pretty good talk there if you're interested.
Also I'm totally in love with:
Gratuitous Violence
Rage Reflection
Seize the Day
For Godo.
Blue hosers like Boil and Omen of Fire are instant-speed though, so it becomes a lot easier to force it through a wall of countermagic as you wait for them to tap out for one of their draw spells and you catch them with their pants down. Obviously it's going to depend on the context that it's used in. It's probably a bad idea when there are multiple blue players around, but for that solo blue player who needs to be wiped off the table before he does his ridiculous things, I feel it's a good way to get some high-fives from others. The white hosing is also a bonus as well, especially against decks with very few Plains. Ultimately, Omen of Fire would be a card I would use if I took this deck to an unknown EDH game like when I go up to GP Portland this September.
I never really was a fan of Diviner's Wand, because while it can draw cards, it requires so much mana to do so. Considering there are very few Wizards in the deck as well, you also have to pay the equip cost in addition to having to draw cards as well. An equipment like Jitte or both swords provide both power and card advantage.
I'm well aware of Spinerock Knoll as well, but I'm just one of those players who's paranoid about its vulnerability. All it takes is just once bounce spell or any LD and the spell you exiled face down is gone forever. I will look to slip it in there if I don't run into a lot of that stuff though.
Goblin Welder is nothing short of amazing. He does more than just weld equipment back into play (this is HUGE though). He can weld in and out Sad Robot for huge card advantage, weld Sundering Titan in and out to decimate many multicolored decks, weld utility artifacts back into play, and he also can screw opponents up as well.
Kaldratron eats up three spaces which I could just have other equipment in there instead (or utility spells). Two of them (Sword and Shield of Kaldra) also cost a gross amount of mana to equip, and Sword of Vengeance is basically like an upgraded Helm of Kaldra.
I also see that you have a lot of artifact recursion (Junk Diver, Myr Retriever, Arcbound Reclaimer. I understand the need to make sure your equipment stays online but I think this may be a little overkill. While I'm not a big fan of the Diver and the Myr, I do like the Reclaimer because he can conserve his recursion. If these guys are a metagame call, then by all means use them, but I feel as though you could do better.
I think Whispersilk Cloak would work exceptionally with Godo. Giving him shroud and letting him in for 6 (or more in the late game) a turn is frightening for any opponent without a wrath or artifact destruction in hand.
I've always thought Jaws of Stone to be great tech, either destroying something big or picking off several utility creatures.
Goblin Ruinblaster serves as another Avalanche Riders, providing early disruption.
Incendiary Command destroys potentially game-breaking lands and can provide for an effective answer to control, much like your Barbed Shocker. All the while having the ability to take out many generals or wipe out token hordes.
How has Sword of Vengeance been working out for you in testing? Is it satisfactory enough to warrant inclusion over Loxodon Warhammer? My gut says no but I would love to hear what you think.
As for Phoenix, it's such a unique creature for red. Aside from the fact that it ruins most token strategies, it is a creature that just does not die. The only way you can really get rid of it is with graveyard hate when it's in the yard, and most people don't play enough 'yard hate in their EDH decks to begin with. Even if they do, it's probably going to that Teneb player in the corner, that Vorosh player who's dredging out their whole deck, the Saffi player going bananas with Reveillark, or the Horde of Notions player setting up with Survival of the Fittest. Immunity to all exiling removal like Swords/Path and tucking spells like Condemn, Oblation, and Hallowed Burial is also another huge plus for its versatility. Evasion plays so nicely when it can pick up most any equipment and turn into an immediate wrecking ball.
I'm willing to run extra artifact recursion because equipment play a big role in supercharging any creature into a must-answer threat, as well as being able to recycle all my other artifacts as a nice side bonus. Artifact destruction is one of those things that is fairly common EDH due to people wanting to get rid of mana artifacts to keep others from getting out of control too quickly. Red doesn't have many viable options for recurring artifacts, so we have to make do with what we have. At the very least, Retriever, Reclaimer, and Diver are extra bodies to strap equipment onto.
Preliminary testing has shown for Sword of Vengeance to be doing quite well. If this were a black deck, I'd probably have Warhammer back in for the lifegain to offset all the self-damaging spells most black decks run. In exchange for that and one less power, we get a few abilities that synergize so fantastically well with each other. First strike is one of those abilities in Magic that gets underrated time and time again. A SoV'ed Godo turns into a creature that no X/5 without first strike wants to touch, severely limiting the number of creatures that can feasibly block Godo when you also add in the trample to plow right through chump blockers. To top it off, vigilance lets your equipped creature play defense after taking a steak knife to someone's life total. Combined with first strike, this turns into a great rattlesnake effect by again limiting the number of creatures that can feasibly attack into Godo or some other creature. First strike is waaay too good.
Arid Mesa! Bloodstained Mire! Scalding Tarns! Wooded Foothills! Not in the spirit of the format sir.
EDIT: Also, you should try and get over your aversion to Spinerock Knoll. It really is fantastic.
I mean, loxodon warhammer is just plain nuts.
Legacy:WUBG Jace Rock
Trade thread
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Is Pilgrim's Eye really that good? I know it's card advantage, but to me Expedition Map (for Valakut or Kher Keep, of course) seems so much better. On a somewhat related note, I totally agree that Goblin Welder is amazing. It's probably one of the best creatures ever printed, and it really shines in mono-red EDH.
Would you be opposed to playing Loxodon Warhammer AND Sword of Vengeance? In addition to the massive lifegain potential (a big deal in multiplayer attrition wars), the Warhammer lets Godo two-shot people like Jitte does. I dunno... you've probably heard enough about this card by now.
I'm really interested to see how Hoarding Dragon turns out. My guess is it will be awesome. In any case, please let us know!
One last thing: I see you're rocking the Obsidian Fireheart. Bonus points for you, sir.
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
lichess.org | chess.com
And if you have $$$ to spend, or are playing this on a freeware program... Gauntlet of Might???
Clamp is probably mostly for Kher Keep and Springjack Pasture. It is a really good card though.
This is a real-life deck, and as such I don't have access to Gauntlet of Might.
Skullclamp is one of those cards that is just that good, period. It's just a nice coincidence that Godo can tutor it out, though there have been times where I actually will tutor for Skullclamp.
Pilgrim's Eye is holding up quite well. I enjoy how the card can get actual land drops as well as being clamped and welded. Flying is also another huge boon as a body to strap equipment onto. Expedition Map is definitely amazing, but it's not like there is a land that is a core part of my strategy. The only ones I can really think of getting consistently would be Kher Keep, Ancient Tomb, and Valakut. All of which are excellent, but not something like a Gaea's Cradle or Cabal Coffers that is something I *really* need. I will revist Expedition Map though if I look to cut Dread Statuary for Mystifying Maze or something like Mouth of Ronom/Scrying Sheets if I go the snow route.
Of course! Obsidian Fireheart is one of my favorite cards in the game!
Being able to swing with a 6/3 doublestrike, lifelink, trample... twice is pretty sweet. And its pretty nice if your just racing to kill someone to have that option there.
As for your comment on rekindled flame, its pretty rare in my meta for people to have no cards in their hand. It happens sometimes, like when black resolves mind twist, myojin of the handy hand, and cabal conditioning, but recovery is pretty quick when player one genesis's back eternal witness to harmonize, someone else uses azami to draw a lot and someone figures out that volrath's stronghold or acedemy ruins both provide access to easy card advantage opportunities while the last player dredges life from the loam, picks up the cycle lands, and resumes the engine.
Also, I would go so far as to say that thawing glaciers is a good card.
And a fun card that isn't amazing, but you sound like you would enjoy playing would be vulshok battlemaster. I mean its very meta dependent, so since you have seemed to indicate that you like to surprise people, you like to be able to do a lot of damage very suddenly, and you want your deck to be something that doesn't play the same every time, I think you might want to take a look at it. I mean, if everyone in your playgroup plays loxodon warhammer, sword of vengeance, sword of light and shadow, sword of fire and ice, and its a 4 player game, you should be able to pick up at least 2 of those equipment. Who knows, you could even pick up a few pieces of the kaldra tron. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to briefly work with fun equipment that didn't quite make the cut. I'm not saying this card is particularly good, but it will be fun, and it will let you play run around with some equipment you otherwise might not.
Legacy:WUBG Jace Rock
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