Three threads on the first page are not enough; Thraximundar definitely needs more coverage. This inspired me to finally post the list I've been running for about a year now, and to share some thoughts about multiplayer politics.
The game plan is simple: play control, and when the opportunity presents itself, kill someone with Thrax. I can't imagine a better finisher - three turns and someone dies.
I've found that in EDH, politics play a major role. Luckily I'm pretty good at manipulating people - convincing them to point their guns the other way. Avoid becoming the target - be subtle. It's also important to keep people from guessing your ulterior motives. The secret key to successful playgroup manipulation is to throw a game every now and then - just don't let them catch up to your conniving ways!
To prove that I'm not a bad guy, let me make it clear that I am in no way aiming to win every game: to keep the playgroup happy, everyone has to win once in a while. This doesn't mean that you need to make intentional misplays: just leave that Time Stretch or Decree of Annihilation in your hand once in a while - such cards often lead to a frustrating finish. Having a fun game for the whole group should be your main objective. Winning is fine, as long as you do it in a way that reflects proper sportsmanship. If you enjoy cut-throat plays, play 1v1.
The deck is a "budget" deck, meaning I haven't spent anything on fetches or ABU duals. They're great and all, but their bang for buck ratio is lacking at best. An Underground Sea or a Mind Sculptor? Yeah..
Some may think that I'm not running enough mana sources. I beg to differ, since my curve is relatively low (CC3-5), especially in my meta. We have a gentleman's agreement on infinite combos, so our games usually last way past turn 10. I'd rather have more utility over extra lands.
The other problem is when Thraximundar gets tucked or worse yet, stolen. The obvious answer would be to run some sac outlets. Any good ones around? Also, what can I do about enchantments? Any other suggestions are also much appreciated.
In summary, Thrax is deadly and fast, politics are useful, and EDH should be about the playgroup, not the individual.
* Thraximundar is a beating all by himself. The politics come from the player, not the deck.
** A deck that's willing to drop over 10€ for singles. Overall price usually over 300€.
EDIT: Revised list as of 1/1/2011, to suit my current meta better. Avenger of Zendikar is running rampant, so I must adapt by exiling it more consistently.
For sac outlets, try high market and phyrexian tower. Relatively little downside to running them and they aren't as fragile as artifacts and enchantments. Then again you do have a problem with a LD player.
For sac outlets, try high market and phyrexian tower. Relatively little downside to running them and they aren't as fragile as artifacts and enchantments. Then again you do have a problem with a LD player.
I've ran Rhystic Study in the past, but the card advantage is hardly ever worth the hate it generates. There's not enough green in my playgroup, so instead of a Krosan Grip I'd often get a beating.
Phyrexian Tower and Crosis's Charm are right up my alley, I'll have to work those in. I'll probably cut Venser's Journal for the Charm. I shouldn't have included it in the first place, since it has cost me a game or too by making me the target far too early. Especially when it was coupled with Necropotence, which I promptly cut.
I would cut the cabal coffers from the deck. The chance of getting coffers + urborg seems very small. Even if you manage to get this together there is still the chance of getting strip mined off.
It seems like more effort than it is worth. It is the kind of land that can backfire too often in my mind in a 3 colored deck.
Ewwwwww what is Venser's Journal doing on your list???? axe that crap.
Unless I am missing something somewhere... you are using Thrax as your wincon. That isnt a problem by any means but I would increase your number of tutors in the deck for the case of your general getting tucked. I would suggest Diabolic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. Diabolic will be nice as you already have the transmute at 4 mana which you can fetch a tutor off of if you need something else.
EDIT: Wow spetznaz you kinda necroed this one up lol. Just realized that the last posting before yours was like 3-4 months ago.
im wondering why you dont use anarchy since you can tutor for it with dimir house guard and other hard tutors. also Faerie Macabre you can tutor for it with perplex, and it disrupts graveyard shenenigans. another cool fun card to use is ingot chewer to nom on enemy artifacts. you dont realy need reliquary tower since you have very little card draw, river of tears seems a much better option since your deck is B/U/r or even all color lands like city of brass, or grand coliseum. cabal coffers seems like it would never produce enough mana to be worth your time even with 8 swamps and urborg, tomb of yawgmoth
1 Thraximundar
Creatures (17)
1 Aeon Chronicler
1 Artisan of Kozilek
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Dread
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Grave Titan
1 Izzet Chronarch
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Mnemonic Wall
1 Mulldrifter
1 Shriekmaw
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Trinket Mage
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
Instants (8)
1 Capsize
1 Cauldron Dance
1 Cryptic Command
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Hinder
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Pact of Negation
1 Perplex
Sorceries (14)
1 Barter in Blood
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Damnation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Exsanguinate
1 Fabricate
1 Innocent Blood
1 Mutilate
1 Time Stretch
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Phyrexian Arena
Planeswalkers (5)
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Jace Beleren
1 Liliana Vess
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Artifacts (17)
1 Brittle Effigy
1 Coalition Relic
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Crystal Ball
1 Crystal Shard
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Expedition Map
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Mimic Vat
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Scroll Rack
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Venser's Journal
1 Lightning Greaves
Lands (36)
1 Academy Ruins
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Deserted Temple
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Maze of Ith
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Strip Mine
1 Temple of the False God
1 Tolaria West
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vesuva
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Wasteland
6 Island
3 Mountain
8 Swamp
I've found that in EDH, politics play a major role. Luckily I'm pretty good at manipulating people - convincing them to point their guns the other way. Avoid becoming the target - be subtle. It's also important to keep people from guessing your ulterior motives. The secret key to successful playgroup manipulation is to throw a game every now and then - just don't let them catch up to your conniving ways!
To prove that I'm not a bad guy, let me make it clear that I am in no way aiming to win every game: to keep the playgroup happy, everyone has to win once in a while. This doesn't mean that you need to make intentional misplays: just leave that Time Stretch or Decree of Annihilation in your hand once in a while - such cards often lead to a frustrating finish. Having a fun game for the whole group should be your main objective. Winning is fine, as long as you do it in a way that reflects proper sportsmanship. If you enjoy cut-throat plays, play 1v1.
The deck is a "budget" deck, meaning I haven't spent anything on fetches or ABU duals. They're great and all, but their bang for buck ratio is lacking at best. An Underground Sea or a Mind Sculptor? Yeah..
Some may think that I'm not running enough mana sources. I beg to differ, since my curve is relatively low (CC3-5), especially in my meta. We have a gentleman's agreement on infinite combos, so our games usually last way past turn 10. I'd rather have more utility over extra lands.
My deck does have a few minor problems though, the main one being Detritivore with Jhoira of the Ghitu. Having your turn two Dimir Aqueduct blown up feels bad, man. Luckily, Crucible of Worlds helps a little.
The other problem is when Thraximundar gets tucked or worse yet, stolen. The obvious answer would be to run some sac outlets. Any good ones around? Also, what can I do about enchantments? Any other suggestions are also much appreciated.
The notable, powered** decks in my meta are Jhoira of the Ghitu (the mean land destruction kind), Omnath, Locus of Mana (MG Control), Wydven, the Biting Gale (Stealy, cloney control), Rhys the Redeemed (Tokens), Grand Arbiter Augustin IV (the antithesis of EDH), and Horde of Notions (Elemental Beatdown).
In summary, Thrax is deadly and fast, politics are useful, and EDH should be about the playgroup, not the individual.
* Thraximundar is a beating all by himself. The politics come from the player, not the deck.
** A deck that's willing to drop over 10€ for singles. Overall price usually over 300€.
EDIT: Revised list as of 1/1/2011, to suit my current meta better. Avenger of Zendikar is running rampant, so I must adapt by exiling it more consistently.
Jhoira of the Ghitu and Horde of Notions have recently left my meta, to be replaced by Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind (Non-Infinite Combo) and Child of Alara (5c Control) respectively. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV has also been dismantled, much to my relief.
1 Thraximundar
Finishers
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Dread
1 Grave Titan
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
Planeswalkers
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Removal
1 All Is Dust
1 Capsize
1 Chain Reaction
1 Damnation
1 Decree of Pain
1 Mutilate
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Starstorm
Tutors
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Fabricate
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
Recursion
1 Cauldron Dance
1 Grim Discovery
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Exsanguinate
Counterspells
1 Cryptic Command
1 Desertion
1 Dissipate
1 Hinder
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Pact of Negation
1 Perplex
1 Trickbind
1 Teferi's Response
Utility Creatures
1 Aeon Chronicler
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Izzet Chronarch
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
1 Mnemonic Wall
1 Mulldrifter
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Trinket Mage
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
Utility Artifacts
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Crystal Shard
1 Expedition Map
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Scroll Rack
1 Sensei's Divining Top
Mana Artifacts
1 Coalition Relic
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Phyrexian Arena
Lands
1 Academy Ruins
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Deserted Temple
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Maze of Ith
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Strip Mine
1 Temple of the False God
1 Tolaria West
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vesuva
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Wasteland
8 Island
4 Mountain
7 Swamp
From the mind of Raymond Swanland: Valla, a plane made entirely out of brownish spikes.
For sac outlets, try high market and phyrexian tower. Relatively little downside to running them and they aren't as fragile as artifacts and enchantments. Then again you do have a problem with a LD player.
You can try bounce effects to handle permanents like enchantments. It's not a permanent solution but you have the option. Stuff like grixis charm, crosis's charm, recoil, repeal, and temporal adept can work.
I've ran Rhystic Study in the past, but the card advantage is hardly ever worth the hate it generates. There's not enough green in my playgroup, so instead of a Krosan Grip I'd often get a beating.
Phyrexian Tower and Crosis's Charm are right up my alley, I'll have to work those in. I'll probably cut Venser's Journal for the Charm. I shouldn't have included it in the first place, since it has cost me a game or too by making me the target far too early. Especially when it was coupled with Necropotence, which I promptly cut.
From the mind of Raymond Swanland: Valla, a plane made entirely out of brownish spikes.
KAALIA SMASH!
Intet dreams of times ahead
and more
It seems like more effort than it is worth. It is the kind of land that can backfire too often in my mind in a 3 colored deck.
Ewwwwww what is Venser's Journal doing on your list???? axe that crap.
Unless I am missing something somewhere... you are using Thrax as your wincon. That isnt a problem by any means but I would increase your number of tutors in the deck for the case of your general getting tucked. I would suggest Diabolic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. Diabolic will be nice as you already have the transmute at 4 mana which you can fetch a tutor off of if you need something else.
EDIT: Wow spetznaz you kinda necroed this one up lol. Just realized that the last posting before yours was like 3-4 months ago.
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[Modern] Allies
KAALIA SMASH!
Intet dreams of times ahead
and more