I know this isn't the first Rafiq deck. Just posting it here for suggestions and to help me keep track of my changes. This deck has been tested only for 1-on-1 so far, but I might try it in a multiplayer match soon.
The basic idea is to win by commander damage assisted by double-strike and multiple instances of exalted, but there are other potential attackers if Rafiq gets tucked or to serve some specific purpose (titan effects, card draw, destroy creature, etc). Various other creatures serve supporting roles. And I have a toolbox of equipment and auras, and a fairly broad set of tutors (Mirage tutors, equipment package, Academy Rector, Sovereigns of Lost Alara, Fauna Shaman, Ranger of Eos) to help me get key pieces in play. The "sideboard" is just a list of cards that have been in the deck at one time or another, and perhaps should be put back in.
I'm currently awaiting a Puresteel Paladin, and might replace Loxodon Warhammer with Batterskull when it arrives. I would appreciate other suggestions on cuts/additons since New Phyrexia has become available.
Cards I miss but chose to cut for whatever reason (and might find an excuse to put back in):
- Jace, the Mind Sculptor ("locally banned" )
- Sunblast Angel (saved my *** on more than one occasion)
- Indomitable Archangel (metalcraft is easy in this deck, and artifact protection will be more important in multiplayer)
- Jenara, Asura of War (comes out before Rafiq; often was the go-to guy if Rafiq got tucked)
- Quest for the Holy Relic (was in the original version of my deck and activated more times than you might expect, but it's probably too vulnerable against anybody running enchantment-hate, and pretty much useless in a multi-player game)
- Grappling Hook (handy creature removal; works well with the titans, but I found I rarely tutored for it)
- Leonin Shikari (puts opponent(s) on tilt when I move Lightning Greaves back and forth 5+ times in a given turn; fun to use)
- will replace Auriok Windwalker (who previously replaced Brass Squire) with Puresteel Paladin
- will replace Loxodon Warhammer with Batterskull
You still run the Sovereigns/ Conscription combo? I ended up taking it out of my deck- it just seems too slow and win-more than anything else.
What I have noticed is that poison can be pretty beastly with Rafiq- especially cards like Inkmoth Nexus and Putrefax. A Green Sun's Zenith'd Putrefax with Rafiq on the field tends to be GG.
It was better when Rite of Replication and Sea Gate Oracle were in the deck, but it's still useful. Is there a better mana dork (besides those already in the deck) with CMC < 3? One could argue that Utopia Tree is better, or that Gemhide Sliver has more potential... but I don't have a Utopia Tree and I've been playtesting against a Sliver Overlord deck (no need to give her another sliver). And if I was using the Knights of the Reliquary package (with more fetch lands), then Lotus Cobra could be better, especially for early ramp, but I felt that required too many slots that could be used for other cards. So for now, I've stuck with Harabaz Druid.
Oblation and Swords to Plowshares are worth adding.
...
I see you don't run counterspells. Why? Do you not know what to cut- or is it just that you felt like you don't need them?
Also, if you are going the more late-game route, transmute cards are pretty good.
I haven't needed them too much, as my strategy has been to get my commander in play ASAP (often turn 3) and start beating face. But there have been plenty of (longer) games where I've used Bant Charm and then Regrowth to reuse Bant Charm... so yes, I could certainly use more counterspells and removal. I'll probably cut some of the excess eqiupment and/or auras to make some room.
You still run the Sovereigns/ Conscription combo? I ended up taking it out of my deck- it just seems too slow and win-more than anything else.
I've actually won some close games with this combo by top-decking into Sovereigns and/or Academy Rector (which usually acts as a deterrent). But it certainly sucks when you end up with Eldrazi Conscription in your hand, especially on your first or second draw.
What I have noticed is that poison can be pretty beastly with Rafiq- especially cards like Inkmoth Nexus and Putrefax. A Green Sun's Zenith'd Putrefax with Rafiq on the field tends to be GG.
I'm also tempted to go back to a more artifact-oriented build by cutting the Sovereigns of Lost Alara / Academy Rector / auras package, some excess equipment, and some excess creatures in favour of Tezzeret the Seeker (who tutors for Sensei's Divining Top, Sol Ring, and/or Brass Squire in his early turns and subsequently untap the latter two after use every turn), Trinket Mage, Master Transmuter, etc - and maybe Leonin Abunas and Leonin Shikari. Unfortunately a lot of that is only effective turn 5+, and I'm usually either way ahead or way behind at that point... so I've opted to go with cards that give me a better chance to get ahead early - or that can take me from way behind to insta-win, like the above-mentioned Sovereigns/Eldrazi Conscription combo.
Those are all great 1-on-1 cards, but in case they don't result in a kill, or if I want to try this deck in a multi-player game, I prefer permanents for their re-usability. For example, I prefer Whispersilk Cloak to Distortion Strike, both because it can last more than 2 turns and it's easier to tutor for. Berserk is awesome, but it's a suicide mission only to be used if it will end the game if it resolves. But I'll certainly consider adding them if I can free up some spots.
*edit*
P.S. I'm not defending my choices so much as explaining them. I'm certainly willing to try various suggestions including more counters/removal and some instant-speed pumpers. I often find myself flipping back and forth between different themes within a given deck (like the "aura package" vs "artifact package" mentioned above), and the deck list in the OP certainly isn't written in stone. It's just what I'm running at the moment, and it's been doing well against the handful of decks that I often play against. It definitely has weaknesses (and in some cases ~ 0 answers) against other types of decks.
Honestly, I feel that Grafted Exoskeleton would work better for you. I only have 3 slots open for equipment in my Rafiq deck, so that's why I don't run it. You may also want to consider adding Nim Deathmantle to the deck (maybe in place of the swords?). An early doom blade or wrath effect can really cripple Rafiq, and Nim Deathmantle is one of the most underrated equipments in the game in my opinion.
As for the Sovereigns combo, I recommend playtesting without it for a while and see how that goes. Adding some cheap counters in place of those cards can greatly improve the deck.
Also, should I consider cutting (any of) the titans and/or Consecrated Sphinx - both to bring down my average CMC and to give me room for counterspells/removal? There are times when I have better things to do with my mana around turn 6-8. And if they're in my opening hand, they get "mulliganed" (we use Partial Paris rule), so they rarely see play - but when they do make an appearance (especially the titans; Conc Sphinx is only awesome in mutli-player), they're game-changers!
I'm also interested in bringing back Sunblast Angel, despite her 4WW cost. She's great at crippling an opponent who thinks he/she's a turn away from the win, and would be even better in a multi-player game. She's one of the reasons I have Venser, the Sojourner in the deck - along with the Titans, Stoneforge Mystic, and some other EtB creatures that are no longer in the deck (Kor Outfitter, and Ranger of Eos used to have more 1-drop targets).
Primeval Titan tends to be a win-more card; I rarely need more than 6 mana, so once he's in play, his services are no longer required. If I had more one-time mana sources (Lotus Petal, etc), then he might be more useful.
The nice thing about Frost Titan is he wins arms races / ends stand-offs. Combined with Stoic Angel, he slowly-but-surely taps all of an opponent's creatures. And if that isn't enough, follow him up with Sunblast Angel after Frost Titan has a chance to attack and it's pretty much a lock. But I imagine he'd be less useful in a multi-player game, and at 4UU, I'd rather have something more useful/consistent.
Sun Titan is great except I don't have many < 4 CMC creatures in my graveyard (my attackers are usually > 3 CMC, and my utility creatures are rarely targeted). He's great post-board-wipe to recover mana dorks, etc, but he doesn't do anything for my heavy hitters. Well, I guess he's a heavy hitter in himself, so if he can recover Qasali Pridemage, Noble Hierarch, Giltspire Avenger, and any EtB kiddies (Trinket Mage, Stoneforge Mystic, Coiling Oracle), he's done his job.
How well does Oracle of Mul Daya work for you? At 4cmc, I feel she is too slow to help with the mana acceleration.
This is very true. I often find she does little more than tell my opponent(s) what cards I'm drawing. I might do:
- Oracle of Mul Daya + Fabricate
(is Fabricate worth the 3 CMC?)
I was looking through some of my other cards, especially from Mirrodin and Scars blocks, and thought of an "awesome" combo involving Auriok Steelshaper:
- use one of several tutors (or Tezzeret's X-loyalty ability with X=0) to get Paradise Mantle.
- cast Auriok Steelshaper for 1W.
- cast Paradise Mantle (for 0) and equip it on Auriok Steelshaper (for 0).
- Result: You've just created a mana dork that gives Rafiq an additional +1/+1...
...
...
...
... which is to say, you've just made a Noble Hierarch - which is strictly superior considering she costs G, is only 1 card (vs 2, or 3 cards + additional mana if tutoring for Paradise Mantle is required), and can be tutored via Ranger of Eos, among other avenues. Well, I guess Auriok Steelshaper is a 1/1 (vs 0/1) and gives Rafiq (and other knights/soldiers) the +1/+1 even when they're blocking (or attacking in groups, but that's very rare in this deck), so you get something for the extra 1 + 1 (or 2) card(s).
I wanted to play that tournament before making any big changes that will involve more play-testing (e.g. remove the auras, titans, etc in order to make the deck more equipment/artifact heavy). I went 1 for 3. Here's the summary of each match.
First match was against Doran, the Siege Tower running practically every legendary creature in those colours. He didn't need them in the official match, though. Turn 1 he played Kor Duelist. Turn 2 he played Jitte. Turn 3 he equipped his Duelist with the Jitte, hit me for 2 (nothing to block with) and put 4 counters on the Jitte. I probably should have scooped at that point, as it only got worse for me from there. I got Rafiq + an equipment (don't remember which) out by turn 4, but he only died to Jitte's removal effect. A few more swings and the Jitte had 8+ counters, some of which were used for removal while others were used to pump his attacker. It didn't take long for the damage to be lethal.
We played a second game for fun (only 1 game per match in the tourney), and I did much better. I got off to a good start (Noble Hierarch + Harabaz Druid + Trygon Predator + Rafiq of the Many + Giltspire Avenger all in play reasonably early), but his removal (Condemn on Rafiq + some other spot removal on my flyer) set me back a bit. Then he got Glissa, the Traitor, Teneb, the Harvester, and Nath of the Giltleaf in play and starting reanimating/using my creatures against me. I got Sun Titan and Frost Titan in play and was able to bring back some of my own <4 CMC creatures before Teneb got to them, then kept Glissa tapped so I could attack without worrying about deathtouch, but I couldn't keep any cards in hand with Nath on the battlefield. He eventually nuked the board with Damnation and was able to race me (got a few creatures in play) while I drew nothing but land on my next few turns (had no cards in hand when he wiped the board).
Second match was against a Sliver Overlord deck. Before the match he said "Rafiq, eh?! My friend has a Rafiq deck. I pwn him every time we play." That's nice. My opening hand was 5 lands (including all 3 colours), Birds of Paradise, and Batterskull. That's pretty much the nuts against a slower deck. He had to mulligan to 6, but put a Gemstone Cavern in play before turn 1 to make up for it. I got Rafiq in play turn 3 via the birds, Batterskull on a germ + attacked with Rafiq turn 4, and equipped Batterskull on Rafiq + attacked turn 5. He played Sliver Queen on turn 5 only to block my exalted double-striking life-linking vigilance 8/8 Rafiq (I love Batterskull; sooooooo broken) before scooping on turn 6 when he couldn't draw an answer.
Match 3 was frustrating. It was against a budget Kemba, Kha Regent TRON deck. It had a lot of "cheap" equipment like Bonesaw, Neurok Hoversail, Sword of Vengeance, and Accorder's Shield. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't find any tutors, and while I managed to get Rafiq out early via a host of mana dorks (Harabaz Druid, Birds of Paradise, and Noble Hierarch), I couldn't do much against Kemba + 6 equipments (including the ones mentioned above) and > 20 cats (lost count). He got Stonehewer Giant in play turn 5 and kept tutoring up answers to whatever I put on the board (e.g. Neurok Hoversail after I top-decked + played Battlegrace Angel). It ended via poison damage, after he tutored up Grafted Exoskeleton and swung for 13 infect on a flying+vigilance+trample+... Kemba for the 2nd time. I blocked with a couple angels to eat 8 of the 13 poison damage the first time he attacked (5 trampled through), but then he played True Conviction to add double strike and lifelink, plus tutored + equipped a Strata Scythe and exiling a plains for even more damage, and my two remaining flying blockers could only eat 5 of the poison damage the second time he attacked with infect. The most frustrating part was watching it happen while thinking "I'm playing in a mirror, except I have better creatures and better equipment, but I can't seem to draw any of them - or draw any of my several tutors to find them." But that's just the nature (read "randomness") of a 100-card singleton format.
Oh, I just remembered that I had Academy Rector in play around turn 5 but couldn't get it to die. He wouldn't attack until Kemba was flying, and at that point I started attacking with Academy Rector in hopes he'd block it, but he just let it go unblocked (and it was double-striking, lifelinking, 3x exalted while Battlegrace Angel was in play). In short, Academy Rector wasn't very useful (although it did serve as a deterrent against ground attacks) and made me wish I had some removal to waste on it so I could get Eldrazi Conscription in play. And removal would certainly have been a nice answer to KembaTRON, too.
You have roughly 7 ways to try to deal with problems (only 3 of which immediately deal with a problem, i.e. Qasali Pridemage, Bant Charm, & Path to Exile). There are several inexpensive removal/bounce spells that you could be using to help with these issues.I'll just list a bunch of them:
Beyond those there are a ton of other cards that could potentially go into a Rafiq deck. Many of these options could be used to lower your mana curve to speed up your gameplan or offer you alternate an alternate win-con through infect.
I'd say your biggest issue is a lack of answers.
...
Wow, that's a lot of suggestions - nearly enough to make an entirely new deck. I'll have to look through those suggestions few more times before making any more changes. For now, I've just done the following (mostly proposed earlier):
As you can see, the main deck CMC is quite low; very few 5 or 6 drop cards. Here are the stats from deckstats.net:
Average CMC is 2.74/card.
I've found that I don't need a lot of mana ramp, especially if I remove the titans, so I've actually taken out some of the ramp in favour of removal and counters. I still have enough mana rocks and dorks that I can usually get Rafiq out on turn 3 (barring any interruption), and I don't have many cards that cost more than 4. I might also add Oblation, Venser, Shaper Savant, and perhaps Acidic Slime. I like reusing EtB abilities with Venser, the Sojourner, so I tend to prefer creatures that can function as reusable removal/counterspells under the right conditions. And I'm currently veering away from auras in favour of equipment and other artifacts since they're generally easier to tutor for. Meanwhile, I'm reluctant to add pumpers that are one-time use (e.g. Overrun, Might of Oaks, etc), although I might make an exception for Triumph of the Hordes since it gives both trample and infect to my double-striking exalted Rafiq (should end the game right there). I don't want to make poison/infect a major theme, but I'll certainly consider adding Putrefax too. He's so powerful on his own, and with Rafiq giving him double strike and exalted, he becomes a crazy "deal with me or else" single-swing-win threat even without further enhancements. In fact, the only excuse I can think of for not including Putrefax, Triumph of the Hordes, and Grafted Exoskeleton is that they go against the flavour of the deck (noble knights and angels).
Also, Oblation is better than Condemn. I recommend trying to make the switch.
Edit: I used to run a wishboard but ended up taking Glittering Wish out. The way I saw it was that if the card wasn't mainboarded, it wasn't needed. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own though.
Also, Oblation is better than Condemn. I recommend trying to make the switch.
Edit: I used to run a wishboard but ended up taking Glittering Wish out. The way I saw it was that if the card wasn't mainboarded, it wasn't needed. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own though.
That's funny. I was just looking at Glittering Wish, Golden Wish, and Living Wish as possible additions just before you posted. That would allow me to remove some of the high CMC equipment and creatures from the main deck - so I don't have to worry about drawing them early.
First game: She went first, and I drew Serra Ascendant on my first draw. She got Sliver Overlord out on turn 4 via Channel the Suns, but it was already too late. My 6/6 flyer with lifelink on turn 1, then becoming exalted + double-striking when Rafiq entered play on turn 3, is just too much for most decks to handle. In fact, Sliver Overlord stole my sword-equipped Serra Ascendant on turn 5 via Shields of Velis Vel, but then I just moved the sword (Light and Shadow) to Rafiq and kept swinging for the win.
Second game: Played very similar to the first, except I didn't get Serra Ascendant in play until turn 3 (was in my opening hand but I needed a Signet to give me W). I used Pithing Needle to prevent the Overlord from tutoring slivers or stealing my creatures, removed Heart Sliver with Path to Exile, and again swung with Serra Ascendant (with Rafiq on board) for the win.
I know this isn't the first Rafiq deck. Just posting it here for suggestions and to help me keep track of my changes. This deck has been tested only for 1-on-1 so far, but I might try it in a multiplayer match soon.
The basic idea is to win by commander damage assisted by double-strike and multiple instances of exalted, but there are other potential attackers if Rafiq gets tucked or to serve some specific purpose (titan effects, card draw, destroy creature, etc). Various other creatures serve supporting roles. And I have a toolbox of equipment and auras, and a fairly broad set of tutors (Mirage tutors, equipment package, Academy Rector, Sovereigns of Lost Alara, Fauna Shaman, Ranger of Eos) to help me get key pieces in play. The "sideboard" is just a list of cards that have been in the deck at one time or another, and perhaps should be put back in.
I'm currently awaiting a Puresteel Paladin, and might replace Loxodon Warhammer with Batterskull when it arrives. I would appreciate other suggestions on cuts/additons since New Phyrexia has become available.
Without further ado:
1 Rafiq of the Many
Alternate Attackers (7)
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Trygon Predator
1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
1 Battlegrace Angel
1 Primeval Titan
1 Sun Titan
1 Frost Titan
Mana Dorks (4)
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Harabaz Druid
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
Other Utility Creatures (13)
1 Giltspire Avenger
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Stoic Angel
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Auriok Windwalker
1 Ranger of Eos
1 Sovereigns of Lost Alara
1 Academy Rector
1 Fauna Shaman
Planeswalkers (2)
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Venser, the Sojourner
Tutors/Top/Draw (9)
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Supply//Demand
1 Wargate
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Regrowth (tutor graveyard)
Utility Spells/Enchantments/Artifact (8)
1 Orim's Chant
1 Path to Exile
1 Bant Charm
1 Dueling Grounds
1 Sterling Grove
1 Finest Hour
1 Privileged Position
1 Pithing Needle
1 Shielding Plax
1 Shield of the Oversoul
1 Steel of the Godhead
1 Eldrazi Conscription
Equipment (10)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Argentum Armor
Mana Rocks (6)
1 Paradise Mantle
1 Sol Ring
1 Selesnya Signet
1 Azorius Signet
1 Simic Signet
1 Obelisk of Bant
Lands (36)
1 Bant Panorama
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Nimbus Maze
1 Breeding Pool
1 Temple Garden
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Razorverge Thicket
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Flooded Strand
1 Windswept Heath
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Pillar of the Paruns
1 Terrain Generator
6 Plains
6 Island
6 Forest
1 Akrasan Squire
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Leonin Shikari
1 Leonin Abunas
1 Steelshaper Apprentice
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Brass Squire
1 Indomitable Archangel
1 Trinket Mage
1 Master Transmuter
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Helm of Kaldra
1 Sword of Kaldra
1 Shield of Kaldra
1 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Life from the Loam
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Evolution Charm
1 Reborn Hope
1 Knotvine Paladin
1 Sigil of the Nayan Gods
1 Crown Convergence
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Winged Coatl
1 Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
1 Jenara, Asura of War
1 Knight of New Alara
1 Skyward Eye Prophets
1 Tolsimir Wolfblood
1 Sunblast Angel
1 Pristine Angel
1 Frontline Sage
1 Aerie Mystics
1 Cloud Key
1 Hindering Light
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Voidslime
1 Day of Judgment
1 Austere Command
1 Ardent Plea
1 Asceticism
1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
1 Brainstorm
1 Idyllic Tutor
1 Sea Gate Loremaster
1 Rite of Replication
1 Primordial Sage
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Cards I miss but chose to cut for whatever reason (and might find an excuse to put back in):
- Jace, the Mind Sculptor ("locally banned"
- Sunblast Angel (saved my *** on more than one occasion)
- Indomitable Archangel (metalcraft is easy in this deck, and artifact protection will be more important in multiplayer)
- Jenara, Asura of War (comes out before Rafiq; often was the go-to guy if Rafiq got tucked)
- Quest for the Holy Relic (was in the original version of my deck and activated more times than you might expect, but it's probably too vulnerable against anybody running enchantment-hate, and pretty much useless in a multi-player game)
- Grappling Hook (handy creature removal; works well with the titans, but I found I rarely tutored for it)
- Leonin Shikari (puts opponent(s) on tilt when I move Lightning Greaves back and forth 5+ times in a given turn; fun to use)
- will replace Auriok Windwalker (who previously replaced Brass Squire) with Puresteel Paladin
- will replace Loxodon Warhammer with Batterskull
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
I'd reccomend you think about different things of removal. Control Magic, Treachery, Aura Shards, off the top of my head. Could also try instant speed pump spells like invigorate, might of oaks, berserk
What I have noticed is that poison can be pretty beastly with Rafiq- especially cards like Inkmoth Nexus and Putrefax. A Green Sun's Zenith'd Putrefax with Rafiq on the field tends to be GG.
Oblation and Swords to Plowshares are worth adding.
So are Distortion Strike, Might of Oaks, and Berserk.
I see you don't run counterspells. Why? Do you not know what to cut- or is it just that you felt like you don't need them?
Also, if you are going the more late-game route, transmute cards are pretty good.
It was better when Rite of Replication and Sea Gate Oracle were in the deck, but it's still useful. Is there a better mana dork (besides those already in the deck) with CMC < 3? One could argue that Utopia Tree is better, or that Gemhide Sliver has more potential... but I don't have a Utopia Tree and I've been playtesting against a Sliver Overlord deck (no need to give her another sliver). And if I was using the Knights of the Reliquary package (with more fetch lands), then Lotus Cobra could be better, especially for early ramp, but I felt that required too many slots that could be used for other cards. So for now, I've stuck with Harabaz Druid.
I haven't needed them too much, as my strategy has been to get my commander in play ASAP (often turn 3) and start beating face. But there have been plenty of (longer) games where I've used Bant Charm and then Regrowth to reuse Bant Charm... so yes, I could certainly use more counterspells and removal. I'll probably cut some of the excess eqiupment and/or auras to make some room.
I've actually won some close games with this combo by top-decking into Sovereigns and/or Academy Rector (which usually acts as a deterrent). But it certainly sucks when you end up with Eldrazi Conscription in your hand, especially on your first or second draw.
Do you think Putrefax or Grafted Exoskeleton would work better with my deck? I often use GSZ on early turns (low X) to find Noble Hierarch or Birds of Paradise, or sometimes later for Trygon Predator, etc, and use Worldly Tutor for Serra Ascendant or whatever non-green utility creature I need. Grafted Exoskeleton can be tutored via one of my many artifact/equipment tutors, and I could put it on Rafiq (who is often unblockable via Whispersilk Cloak) or whatever evasive attacker I'm using (Serra Ascendant, an angel, etc). My only fear with Grafted Exoskeleton is it gives even a cloaked (shrouded) Rafiq a weakness. I'd probably need to run Indomitable Archangel (again) or Leonin Abunas to keep that from happening, and then I'm using up a lot of slots (and the combo isn't very reliable) in order to add infect.
I'm also tempted to go back to a more artifact-oriented build by cutting the Sovereigns of Lost Alara / Academy Rector / auras package, some excess equipment, and some excess creatures in favour of Tezzeret the Seeker (who tutors for Sensei's Divining Top, Sol Ring, and/or Brass Squire in his early turns and subsequently untap the latter two after use every turn), Trinket Mage, Master Transmuter, etc - and maybe Leonin Abunas and Leonin Shikari. Unfortunately a lot of that is only effective turn 5+, and I'm usually either way ahead or way behind at that point... so I've opted to go with cards that give me a better chance to get ahead early - or that can take me from way behind to insta-win, like the above-mentioned Sovereigns/Eldrazi Conscription combo.
Those are all great 1-on-1 cards, but in case they don't result in a kill, or if I want to try this deck in a multi-player game, I prefer permanents for their re-usability. For example, I prefer Whispersilk Cloak to Distortion Strike, both because it can last more than 2 turns and it's easier to tutor for. Berserk is awesome, but it's a suicide mission only to be used if it will end the game if it resolves. But I'll certainly consider adding them if I can free up some spots.
*edit*
P.S. I'm not defending my choices so much as explaining them. I'm certainly willing to try various suggestions including more counters/removal and some instant-speed pumpers. I often find myself flipping back and forth between different themes within a given deck (like the "aura package" vs "artifact package" mentioned above), and the deck list in the OP certainly isn't written in stone. It's just what I'm running at the moment, and it's been doing well against the handful of decks that I often play against. It definitely has weaknesses (and in some cases ~ 0 answers) against other types of decks.
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
As for the Sovereigns combo, I recommend playtesting without it for a while and see how that goes. Adding some cheap counters in place of those cards can greatly improve the deck.
- Plains + Ancient Den
- Island + Seat of the Synod
- Forest + Tree of Tales
- Plains + Mox Opal
- Island + Mox Diamond
(to ensure metalcraft is satisfied, plus give Trinket Mage and Tezzeret more targets; "-X where X = 0" is always good)
- Forest + Glimmervoid
- 4 auras + Tezzeret the Seeker, Master Transmuter, Trinket Mage, Brass Squire
- Academy Rector + Leonin Abunas
- Sovereigns of Lost Alara + Leonin Shikari
- Sterling Grove + Indomitable Archangel
- Harabaz Druid (?) + Aura Shards
- Loxodon Warhammer + Batterskull
- Auriok Windwalker + Puresteel Paladin
I'll revise the equipment list (e.g. add Grafted Exoskeleton and Nim Deathmantle) later.
Also, should I consider cutting (any of) the titans and/or Consecrated Sphinx - both to bring down my average CMC and to give me room for counterspells/removal? There are times when I have better things to do with my mana around turn 6-8. And if they're in my opening hand, they get "mulliganed" (we use Partial Paris rule), so they rarely see play - but when they do make an appearance (especially the titans; Conc Sphinx is only awesome in mutli-player), they're game-changers!
I'm also interested in bringing back Sunblast Angel, despite her 4WW cost. She's great at crippling an opponent who thinks he/she's a turn away from the win, and would be even better in a multi-player game. She's one of the reasons I have Venser, the Sojourner in the deck - along with the Titans, Stoneforge Mystic, and some other EtB creatures that are no longer in the deck (Kor Outfitter, and Ranger of Eos used to have more 1-drop targets).
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
Nice suggestions. I was already planning to add Trinket Mage, but both it and Coiling Oracle make excellent targets for Venser, the Sojourner's +2 ability. Lotus Cobra is a monster with Knight of the Reliquary... but I cut her for various reasons (felt she didn't add much to this deck, and also prompted me to add slower lands - namely Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds). But between Oracle of Mul Daya and Coiling Oracle, Lotus Cobra might be worth having in the deck again.
*edit*
Regarding the Titans:
Primeval Titan tends to be a win-more card; I rarely need more than 6 mana, so once he's in play, his services are no longer required. If I had more one-time mana sources (Lotus Petal, etc), then he might be more useful.
The nice thing about Frost Titan is he wins arms races / ends stand-offs. Combined with Stoic Angel, he slowly-but-surely taps all of an opponent's creatures. And if that isn't enough, follow him up with Sunblast Angel after Frost Titan has a chance to attack and it's pretty much a lock. But I imagine he'd be less useful in a multi-player game, and at 4UU, I'd rather have something more useful/consistent.
Sun Titan is great except I don't have many < 4 CMC creatures in my graveyard (my attackers are usually > 3 CMC, and my utility creatures are rarely targeted). He's great post-board-wipe to recover mana dorks, etc, but he doesn't do anything for my heavy hitters. Well, I guess he's a heavy hitter in himself, so if he can recover Qasali Pridemage, Noble Hierarch, Giltspire Avenger, and any EtB kiddies (Trinket Mage, Stoneforge Mystic, Coiling Oracle), he's done his job.
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
This is very true. I often find she does little more than tell my opponent(s) what cards I'm drawing. I might do:
- Oracle of Mul Daya + Fabricate
(is Fabricate worth the 3 CMC?)
I was looking through some of my other cards, especially from Mirrodin and Scars blocks, and thought of an "awesome" combo involving Auriok Steelshaper:
- use one of several tutors (or Tezzeret's X-loyalty ability with X=0) to get Paradise Mantle.
- cast Auriok Steelshaper for 1W.
- cast Paradise Mantle (for 0) and equip it on Auriok Steelshaper (for 0).
- Result: You've just created a mana dork that gives Rafiq an additional +1/+1...
...
...
...
... which is to say, you've just made a Noble Hierarch - which is strictly superior considering she costs G, is only 1 card (vs 2, or 3 cards + additional mana if tutoring for Paradise Mantle is required), and can be tutored via Ranger of Eos, among other avenues. Well, I guess Auriok Steelshaper is a 1/1 (vs 0/1) and gives Rafiq (and other knights/soldiers) the +1/+1 even when they're blocking (or attacking in groups, but that's very rare in this deck), so you get something for the extra 1 + 1 (or 2) card(s).
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
+ Batterskull - Loxodon Warhammer,
+ Puresteel Paladin - Auriok Windwalker
+ Jace, the Mindsculptor - Consecrated Sphinx
I wanted to play that tournament before making any big changes that will involve more play-testing (e.g. remove the auras, titans, etc in order to make the deck more equipment/artifact heavy). I went 1 for 3. Here's the summary of each match.
First match was against Doran, the Siege Tower running practically every legendary creature in those colours. He didn't need them in the official match, though. Turn 1 he played Kor Duelist. Turn 2 he played Jitte. Turn 3 he equipped his Duelist with the Jitte, hit me for 2 (nothing to block with) and put 4 counters on the Jitte. I probably should have scooped at that point, as it only got worse for me from there. I got Rafiq + an equipment (don't remember which) out by turn 4, but he only died to Jitte's removal effect. A few more swings and the Jitte had 8+ counters, some of which were used for removal while others were used to pump his attacker. It didn't take long for the damage to be lethal.
We played a second game for fun (only 1 game per match in the tourney), and I did much better. I got off to a good start (Noble Hierarch + Harabaz Druid + Trygon Predator + Rafiq of the Many + Giltspire Avenger all in play reasonably early), but his removal (Condemn on Rafiq + some other spot removal on my flyer) set me back a bit. Then he got Glissa, the Traitor, Teneb, the Harvester, and Nath of the Giltleaf in play and starting reanimating/using my creatures against me. I got Sun Titan and Frost Titan in play and was able to bring back some of my own <4 CMC creatures before Teneb got to them, then kept Glissa tapped so I could attack without worrying about deathtouch, but I couldn't keep any cards in hand with Nath on the battlefield. He eventually nuked the board with Damnation and was able to race me (got a few creatures in play) while I drew nothing but land on my next few turns (had no cards in hand when he wiped the board).
Second match was against a Sliver Overlord deck. Before the match he said "Rafiq, eh?! My friend has a Rafiq deck. I pwn him every time we play." That's nice.
Match 3 was frustrating. It was against a budget Kemba, Kha Regent TRON deck. It had a lot of "cheap" equipment like Bonesaw, Neurok Hoversail, Sword of Vengeance, and Accorder's Shield. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't find any tutors, and while I managed to get Rafiq out early via a host of mana dorks (Harabaz Druid, Birds of Paradise, and Noble Hierarch), I couldn't do much against Kemba + 6 equipments (including the ones mentioned above) and > 20 cats (lost count). He got Stonehewer Giant in play turn 5 and kept tutoring up answers to whatever I put on the board (e.g. Neurok Hoversail after I top-decked + played Battlegrace Angel). It ended via poison damage, after he tutored up Grafted Exoskeleton and swung for 13 infect on a flying+vigilance+trample+... Kemba for the 2nd time. I blocked with a couple angels to eat 8 of the 13 poison damage the first time he attacked (5 trampled through), but then he played True Conviction to add double strike and lifelink, plus tutored + equipped a Strata Scythe and exiling a plains for even more damage, and my two remaining flying blockers could only eat 5 of the poison damage the second time he attacked with infect. The most frustrating part was watching it happen while thinking "I'm playing in a mirror, except I have better creatures and better equipment, but I can't seem to draw any of them - or draw any of my several tutors to find them." But that's just the nature (read "randomness") of a 100-card singleton format.
Oh, I just remembered that I had Academy Rector in play around turn 5 but couldn't get it to die. He wouldn't attack until Kemba was flying, and at that point I started attacking with Academy Rector in hopes he'd block it, but he just let it go unblocked (and it was double-striking, lifelinking, 3x exalted while Battlegrace Angel was in play). In short, Academy Rector wasn't very useful (although it did serve as a deterrent against ground attacks) and made me wish I had some removal to waste on it so I could get Eldrazi Conscription in play. And removal would certainly have been a nice answer to KembaTRON, too.
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
You have roughly 7 ways to try to deal with problems (only 3 of which immediately deal with a problem, i.e. Qasali Pridemage, Bant Charm, & Path to Exile). There are several inexpensive removal/bounce spells that you could be using to help with these issues.
I'll just list a bunch of them:
Beyond those there are a ton of other cards that could potentially go into a Rafiq deck. Many of these options could be used to lower your mana curve to speed up your gameplan or offer you alternate an alternate win-con through infect.
Wow, that's a lot of suggestions - nearly enough to make an entirely new deck. I'll have to look through those suggestions few more times before making any more changes. For now, I've just done the following (mostly proposed earlier):
- Island + Ancient Den
- Island + Seat of the Synod
- Island + Tree of Tales
- Forest + Mox Opal
- Forest + Misty Rainforest
- Forest + Glimmervoid
- Bant Panorama + Austere Command
- Harabaz Druid + Bloom Tender
- Obelisk of Bant + Aura Shards
- Eldrazi Conscription + Tezzeret the Seeker
- Shielding Plax (sideboard) + Master Transmuter
- Steel of the Godhead (sideboard) + Trinket Mage
- Shield of the Oversoul (sideboard) + Brass Squire
- Academy Rector + Leonin Abunas
- Sovereigns of Lost Alara + Leonin Shikari
- Sterling Grove + Indomitable Archangel
- Loxodon Warhammer + Batterskull
- Auriok Windwalker + Puresteel Paladin
- Sun Titan (sideboard) + Grand Architect
- Frost Titan (sideboard) + Day of Judgment
- Primeval Titan (sideboard) + Swords to Plowshares
- Consecrated Sphinx (sideboard) +
CondemnOblation- Oracle of Mul Daya + Fabricate
- Sword of Vengeance (sideboard) + Grafted Exoskeleton
- Sword of Fire and Ice (sideboard) + Nim Deathmantle
- Sword of Light and Shadow (sideboard) + Voidslime
- Sword of Feast and Famine (sideboard) + Mirri's Guile
- Pithing Needle (sideboard) + Eladamri's Call
+ Mox Diamond(don't have one yet)The deck looks something like this now (CMC on the left):
4 Rafiq of the Many
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Nim Deathmantle
3 Whispersilk Cloak
3 Darksteel Plate
4 Grafted Exoskeleton
5 Batterskull
6 Argentum Armor
Other Attackers (5)
1 Serra Ascendant
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
3 Trygon Predator
4 Stoic Angel
5 Battlegrace Angel
Mana Dorks (4)
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Birds of Paradise
2 Bloom Tender
3 Grand Architect
Removal / Counters (10)
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Qasali Pridemage
3 Oblation
3 Giltspire Avenger
3 Aura Shards
3 Bant Charm
3 Voidslime
4 Day of Judgment
6 Austere Command
Other Creatures (8)
2 Leonin Shikari
2 Puresteel Paladin
3 Brass Squire
4 Master Transmuter
4 Leonin Abunas
4 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
4 Indomitable Archangel
4 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Planeswalkers (3)
4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
5 Tezzeret the Seeker
5 Venser, the Sojourner
Tutors / Top-fix / Draw (17)
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Mirri's Guile
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Fauna Shaman
2 Eladamri's Call
2 Regrowth (tutor graveyard)
3 Trinket Mage
3 Supply//Demand
3 Fabricate
3 Wargate
4 Ranger of Eos
5 Stonehewer Giant
1 Orim's Chant
3 Dueling Grounds
5 Finest Hour
5 Privileged Position
Mana Rocks (6)
0 Mox Opal
0 Paradise Mantle
1 Sol Ring
2 Selesnya Signet
2 Azorius Signet
2 Simic Signet
Lands (34)
0 Seaside Citadel
0 Nimbus Maze
0 Breeding Pool
0 Temple Garden
0 Sejiri Refuge
0 Graypelt Refuge
0 Seachrome Coast
0 Razorverge Thicket
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Sunpetal Grove
0 Flooded Strand
0 Windswept Heath
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Celestial Colonnade
0 Stirring Wildwood
0 Exotic Orchard
0 Pillar of the Paruns
0 Terrain Generator
0 Ancient Den
0 Seat of the Synod
0 Tree of Tales
0 Glimmervoid
6 Plains
3 Island
3 Forest
1 Pithing Needle
2 Sword of Vengeance
2 Counterspell
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Sword of Body and Mind
3 Sword of War and Peace
3 Helm of Kaldra
3 Shielding Plax
3 Steel of the Godhead
3 Shield of the Oversoul
4 Sword of Kaldra
4 Shield of Kaldra
4 Jace, the Mindsculptor
5 Worldslayer
6 Frost Titan
6 Primeval Titan
6 Sun Titan
6 Consecrated Sphinx
As you can see, the main deck CMC is quite low; very few 5 or 6 drop cards. Here are the stats from deckstats.net:
I've found that I don't need a lot of mana ramp, especially if I remove the titans, so I've actually taken out some of the ramp in favour of removal and counters. I still have enough mana rocks and dorks that I can usually get Rafiq out on turn 3 (barring any interruption), and I don't have many cards that cost more than 4. I might also add Oblation, Venser, Shaper Savant, and perhaps Acidic Slime. I like reusing EtB abilities with Venser, the Sojourner, so I tend to prefer creatures that can function as reusable removal/counterspells under the right conditions. And I'm currently veering away from auras in favour of equipment and other artifacts since they're generally easier to tutor for. Meanwhile, I'm reluctant to add pumpers that are one-time use (e.g. Overrun, Might of Oaks, etc), although I might make an exception for Triumph of the Hordes since it gives both trample and infect to my double-striking exalted Rafiq (should end the game right there). I don't want to make poison/infect a major theme, but I'll certainly consider adding Putrefax too. He's so powerful on his own, and with Rafiq giving him double strike and exalted, he becomes a crazy "deal with me or else" single-swing-win threat even without further enhancements. In fact, the only excuse I can think of for not including Putrefax, Triumph of the Hordes, and Grafted Exoskeleton is that they go against the flavour of the deck (noble knights and angels).
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
Also, Oblation is better than Condemn. I recommend trying to make the switch.
Edit: I used to run a wishboard but ended up taking Glittering Wish out. The way I saw it was that if the card wasn't mainboarded, it wasn't needed. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own though.
That's funny. I was just looking at Glittering Wish, Golden Wish, and Living Wish as possible additions just before you posted. That would allow me to remove some of the high CMC equipment and creatures from the main deck - so I don't have to worry about drawing them early.
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)
+ Sword of Fire and Ice (for protection + card draw)
+ Sword of Light and Shadow (for protection + recursion)
+ Pithing Needle (tech vs Overlord)
+ Shielding Plax (need shroud vs Overlord)
+ Steel of the Godhead (hindsight: bad idea considering could get "stolen")
+ Shield of the Oversoul (hindsight: bad idea considering could get "stolen")
- Darksteel Plate (hindsight: could have used this vs Harmonic Sliver)
- Brass Squire
- Grafted Exoskeleton (decided not to go with infect)
- Paradise Mantle (unnecessary in a short aggro game)
- Pillar of the Paruns (unnecessary in a short aggro game)
- Terrain Generator (unnecessary in a short aggro game)
First game: She went first, and I drew Serra Ascendant on my first draw. She got Sliver Overlord out on turn 4 via Channel the Suns, but it was already too late. My 6/6 flyer with lifelink on turn 1, then becoming exalted + double-striking when Rafiq entered play on turn 3, is just too much for most decks to handle. In fact, Sliver Overlord stole my sword-equipped Serra Ascendant on turn 5 via Shields of Velis Vel, but then I just moved the sword (Light and Shadow) to Rafiq and kept swinging for the win.
Second game: Played very similar to the first, except I didn't get Serra Ascendant in play until turn 3 (was in my opening hand but I needed a Signet to give me W). I used Pithing Needle to prevent the Overlord from tutoring slivers or stealing my creatures, removed Heart Sliver with Path to Exile, and again swung with Serra Ascendant (with Rafiq on board) for the win.
Game 3: We decided to "ban" Serra Ascendant. That is, when I played Eladamri's Call on turn 2, I could search for any creature except Serra Ascendant. I took Stonehewer Giant instead, put Rafiq in play turn 4, Stonehewer Giant turn 5, had to use Oblation turn 6 to deal with a turn 5 Sliver Overlord, then she used AEther Vial to put down Pulmonic Sliver on turn 6 and Sliver Queen on turn 7. I won by using Stonehewer Giant to tutor/attach Argentum Armor to Rafiq, swung with Rafiq and declared "destroy the untapped Sliver Queen" (now on top of her library thanks to Pulmonic Sliver), but she didn't have any other untapped creatures (had swung unblocked with Pulmonic Sliver and Heart Sliver the previous turn), so a 10/10 double-striking Rafiq was able to connect for 20 damage to win the game via general damage (he'd connected for 8 earlier).
Next time, I might try the "infect suite" - Putrefax, Grafted Exoskeleton, and Triumph of the Horde - instead of the Shield of the Oversoul, Steel of the Godhead, and ... something else. My only fear is that I'll swing with Triumph of the Horde (probably with Rafiq or Serra Ascendant as the attacker) or Putrefax and my opponent will find a way to survive (less than lethal poison damage dealt), and I'll essentially have wasted a turn since I won't have anything else on hand to add more poison damage.
G Pumped Elvish Warriors G
GW Infectious Slivers WG
WU Milling Allies UW
Legacy:
UB Hex-Depths BU (combo-control)
G NO/Aggro Elves G
Commander:
WUBRG Sliver Army GRBUW (multiplayer)
WUG Rafiq the Exalted GUW (1-on-1 voltron)
GU Edric's Circus UG (multiplayer tokens)
B Relentless Rats B (multiplayer combo)
UB Sygg, the Punisher (in progress)BU
UBR Nicol Bolas, Elder Dragon Highlander RBU (in progress)