i've been wanting to make an Angel tribal EDH deck for some time now, but up until recently, general options were lacking outside of mono-white or WR. then came Kaalia of the Vast. while not an angel herself, she fits the theme and color scheme perfectly, plus she does have angel wings, even if they are hard to see behind those big bat wings.
the game plan is pretty straight-forward. attack with Kaalia, drop fat. beat face with said fat, backed up by a smattering of removal, utility, and reanimation for once the sky starts falling. playing W/R enables the usage of some powerful equipment to supplement attacks, protect Kaalia or other high-impact creatures, and play a Sunforger package to add more utility.
the WBR color combination allows for virtually all the best sweepers and removal, so i've packed the deck with a healthy dose of versatile sweepers backed up by a bit of reanimation for when my own girls get the axe. an assortment of instant speed spot removal covers most of my bases and is almost all fetchable by Sunforger. Faith's Fetters and Prison Term lock down random problems.
and finally, Luminarch Ascension is on-theme and absolutely amazing in multiplayer.
one last disclaimer: i realize this is not optimized/the best Kaalia deck that could be, but rather it is meant to play on the tribal angel theme. yes, dropping Rakdos, Malfegor, Dragon Tyrant, or Dragon Mage might be much stronger plays, but that is a different deck...that i might still eventually build some other day. this is Heavenly Inferno with emphasis on the "Heavenly" part. hell, i just wanna play with all these awesome angel cards i've had laying around forever! but some viability wouldn't be a bad thing either.
(Edit: updated/current decklists will always be at the bottom of this post, but i will be keeping the older versions listed for my own archiving purposes and to show the evolution of the deck over the years.)
Anger: since this is ultimately a beatdown deck (with red, no less), it was difficult cutting an easy way to give my team haste. my justification was that i had no consistant way to get him into the graveyard (other than Peace of Mind, which also got cut) besides casting him and hoping he dies (chump block, sweeper, removal, etc). i would often attack with him into potential blockers that would kill him, but my opponents would usually let him through. and even though a free 2 damage a turn is nice, that isn't the role he is meant to fill, so he got the axe.
Stranglehold: awesome card, just couldn't fit it in with everything else i wanted to add, and doesn't help the theme.
Master Warcraft: redundancy with Basandra is nice, potentially awesome in multiplayer, but ultimately got the axe because it was too situational.
Boros Guildmage: yet another way to give my girls haste that got cut. :*(
Duergar Hedge-Mage: i was leery cutting this guy due to me not having many outs to problem artifacts and enchantments (in W/R no less! blasphemy, right?). hopefully justified by the addition of the Sunforger toolbox featuring Return to Dust and Hide + Mistveil Plains.
Phyrexian Arena: i feel like i desperately need some card draw, though this card almost always gets cut from other EDH decks i build. granted, most of those decks have better draw engines available. might be a necessary evil to avoid adding things like Ambition's Cost, Sign in Blood, or Promise of Power (or even in addition to them), but for now i'm going to see if i can rely on my tutors to pull me through.
Peace of Mind: originally in my first draft of the deck to dump Anger and enable reanimation of angels if Kaalia isn't available. ultimately cut because it relies too heavily on having specific card combinations (a fatty and a reanimation spell), and doesn't really do much of anything without them.
Solemn Simulacrum: i'm actually shocked i built a non-green deck without him! might be best to find a spot for him, though.
Platinum Angel: angel- check. powerful ability- check. just not sure where to squeeze her in, and if it would even be worth it. she currently resides in my Sharuum, which can keep her on the board a LOT more consistently. she has a huge target painted on her head and is pretty easily dealt with.
Vicious Shadows: damn near an auto-include for red decks. especially running as many sweepers as i do. i've never seen this hit the table and not be amazing (if not instantly disenchanted).
Weathered Wayfarer: i'm not in blue, so no Academy Ruins + Expedition Map combo, so this guy seems like the next best available thing to tutor out utility lands (Bog, Sejiri steppe, MVP, Knoll, Miren, Sunhome, etc). he's just not as dependable as a Map.
Shield of Kaldra: giving Kaalia another way to attack safely seems useful, as well as safeguarding vs. removal/sweeps.
other random stuff: like otheravailableplaneswalkers, more sweepers (Disaster Radius looks really fun every time i read it) or spot removal (StP, Condemn, Oblivion Ring).
-Rout possibly in place of DoJ. more expensive, but more flexible.
-Sensei's Divining Top and Expedition Map are usually auto-includes in all my EDH decks. but without any way to fetch them other than blowing my Enlightened Tutor, i'm not sure if i want them occupying slots here.
-Entomb and friends are definitely welcome when you're running several reanimates, and would also help getting Anger in the yard (and possibly Glory and Valor), but i'm not sure i really want to go all-in on the reanimator theme. i've already got a couple of those type of decks. i'm using my reanimates more as a cheap backup plan post-removal/sweeps.
-Armageddon effects are amazing with Kaalia, but i try to avoid doucheyness for the most part. i left in Razia's Purification as a concession to the awesome factor without loading up on redundancy of an unfun tactic.
-High Market could offer redundancy to Miren, the Moaning Well (or even replace it), but idk about adding another colorless land without very many ways to abuse it. currently, it only works with Debtor's Knell in order to get more value out of Angel of Despair, Sunblast Angel, or reset Twilight Shepherd. that's not enough to justify another slot, imo.
-Flagstones of Trokair: great synergy with Razia's Purification, but i'm not sure if that one interaction is worth cutting a basic for, decreasing the effectiveness of Journeyer's Kite + landfalloutlets.
slots that are close to being on the chopping block/questionable:
Armillary Sphere/Journeyer's Kite: i typically wouldn't run both, and i'm not sure i really need both, but they are sort of a concession to the facts that they work well with Admonition Angel (and to a lesser degree, Emeria Angel, who is also questionable), as well as the fact that i have no draw power, so tutoring and fetching are the next best things to make sure i am drawing as much gas as possible.
Mother of Runes: the only non-angel creature in the deck. but she is fantastic for getting Kaalia attacking safely, as well as protecting my girls from random spot removal or global burn, or if i need to block something scary without trample. but mainly, her value is synergy with Kaalia.
Emeria Angel: somewhat lackluster, especially since i'm not in green. but i do run a few fetches, as well as A-Sphere and Kite. flying chump blockers/swarm attackers are always nice, but not sure she'll be consistently useful enough to justify a slot. Luminous Angel is much more consistent at making babies. it is noteworthy, however, that she fills a low CC slot in the curve, which i'm sorta lacking in atm.
Voice of All: almost cut her on the initial run-through, but kept her in due to low CC (like Emeria above) as well as the protection, which can be extremely useful at times.
Firemane Angel: also a bit iffy on her. that 3 toughness is pretty weak sauce for a 6-drop. but first strike and recursion ability might be worth keeping her around....for now.
Razia, Boros Archangel: she was almost the general of this deck. thankfully Kaalia came out and took her spot (yay, Angel of Despair!!) like Firemane, she only has 3 toughness (on an 8-drop, no less! ugh!). but she can technically take 5 safely. she can protect Kaalia somewhat, if need be, as well as being hasty and vigilant, which is great for a deck like this. she's definitely got some proving herself to do, though.
stuff i'd love to add but do not own and probably won't any time soon:
stuff i'm considering splurging on if they prove to be worth the inclusion (and cheaply acquired):
Angel of Finality: shiny new recruit from the COMM'13 set, would be super sweet since i am currently sorely lacking in GY hate. Blinding Angel: i swear i used to have one, but i searched every box, binder, and stack of cards i own and cannot find her anywhere. i guess i traded or sold her a long time ago. kinda small, but has a strong effect if you can get in there with her (cough whispersilk cough). Darksteel Plate: yet another way to enable safe Kaalia attack triggers might be good. better choice than Shield of Kaldra.
a few other lands that would fit nicely that i just don't have, like Fetid Heath, Rugged Prairie, Rocky Tar Pit, Clifftop Retreat, etc. although adding more nonbasics reduces the effectiveness of Kite and Sphere, as well as making me more vulnerable to stuff like Blood Moon and Ruination.
...probably stuff i'm forgetting atm...
anyways, that's the deck and some of my thought processes through it's creation and evolution. i haven't had a chance to play it much since i bought the precon, and have only gone through a couple rounds of changes so far.
that's all i've got for now. prob be back to edit it later when something pops into my head. any comments, advice, and constructive criticism are welcome.
Edit: updated decklist as of 1/17/14:
I've dialed back on the reanimation a little bit (as well as replacing some of the spells with better options like Unburial Rites and Defy Death), as well as adding a few tutors like Stonehewer Giant and Godo, Bandit Warlord to enable the Sunforger package for more consistent access to utility. I had Stoneforge Mystic in there at one point, too. but i think i took her out for another deck and simply replaced her with something instead of leaving a proxy in to mark her place.
Manalith (which should likely be Coalition Relic instead) and Expedition Map might come out for a couple lands, as I've only really got a couple utility lands worth grabbing with Map, and I have no way to tutor it up anymore since I cut Enlightened Tutor. artifact ramp is always nice in an aggressive non-green deck like this, but i am always wary of overdoing it and getting blown out by mass removal such as Akroma's Vengeance, Austere Command, Shatterstorm, Planar Cleansing, etc. (several of which I run myself).
not sold on Herald of War and Ajani Vengeant. I think Ajani just got tossed in the slot Stoneforge Mystic was occupying when i took her out for another deck. as for Herald, it seems useful in theory, but in practice i've yet to be impressed. it usually either sits in my hand because i have more useful angels to drop/spells to play, or it dies before it is able to make any kind of impact. if i could afford it, i would much rather use this slot for an Avacyn, Angel of Serenity, or Gisela.
that's all my thoughts for now. mainly just wanted to update the decklist since i haven't touched this post in over two years, lol.
justification: over the past few games i've played, my equipment hasn't shown up very often. i think with the power Whispersilk Cloak and potentially Darksteel Plate give to Kaalia, as well as the utility Sunforger could be bringing (especially in tandem with Mistveil Plains, possibly even tutored out by Wayfarer), i would prefer my equipment to be playing a bigger role in my gameplan.
A handy trick I stumbled across when I first started modifying my Kaalia:
Ever notice there are a lot of times you've got fat in hand to drop behind Kaalia, but you don't want her to die to something that will block her? Go ahead and attack, drop fat, use Maze of Ith to untap and protect her. Plus, Maze is very good on it's own for defense.
Alternately but not as good - Erratic Portal and Emerge Unscathed can be effective with her, and they aren't completely useless otherwise. The latter could possibly be very good with Sunforger.
*** Sorry, now I see that you listed Maze as a "would like to get" card.
sunblast angel+Kaalia seems really bad...you cheat the angel into play and everything dies including itself...unless that's the point
nah, she's not meant to be cheated out. Just in here for general utility and theme.
going down memory lane looking at some of these decklists i posted a few years ago and never updated/forgot about. hopefully i'll get around to editing/posting updated lists at some point soon. This deck hasn't changed a whole lot, but i did end up scaling back on the reanimation and focusing a bit more on the Sunforger package with tutors like SFM, Stonehewer Giant, and Godo.
also added a Karmic Guide and Herald of War*, and i believe i cut Firemane and Emeria Angel...not sure what else off the top of my head, i'll have to check.
*(though i haven't really been impressed with Herald so far. in theory, it seems useful. just hasn't panned out in practice yet.)
i reaaaaally could use an Avacyn, Gisela, Angel of Serenity, and possibly Aurelia for this deck; but i'm broke.
also pondering finding a slot for Unmake and Rakdos Charm for added Sunforging utility.
Edit: posted an updated deck list at the bottom of the OP.
i'm often too lazy to make proxies, so when i take out cards for other decks, sometimes i just throw new stuff in to try things out. such was the case with the spots previously occupied by Iona, Shield of Emeria, Stoneforge Mystic, and maybe Life's Finale (although the dump-opponent's-creatures-in-their-graveyard effect is mostly a dangerous play in my current meta, so i probably wouldn't play it anyways).
i replaced the cycling lands with basics, because i rarely get mana flooded to the point i would cycle them, i don't run a way to abuse them, and i would much rather them be lands that don't etb tapped.
like i said above, Herald of War is getting close to being on the waiver wire, but i don't have a better angel to replace him with right now. i could use that spot for something like Unmake or Rakdos Charm, but i don't know if adding more removal/utility in the place of creatures for Kaliaa to synergize with is the best plan.
Ajani Vengeant likely took the spot of SFM or Iona when i took them out for another deck and was too lazy to make a proxy. i had been looking for an excuse to play with my foil, but he's really not that impressive in EDH, especially multiplayer. it's extremely unlikely he will ever ultimate, and a 4-mana Lightning Helix isn't that great. occasionally, he will lock down a particularly annoying permanent or keep someone off commander mana for a turn or two, but in my experience he is rarely worth his spot in the deck.
what else...
i cut Firemane Angel and Emeria Angel for underperforming.
i downsized the reanimation subtheme slightly, while also upgrading the spells (Unburial Rites and Defy Death, notably).
i added a Manalith, which should likely be Coalition Relic, but i've only got a couple of those and they are in use elsewhere. however, i'm considering cutting it for another land, possibly as well as Expedition Map, as i only really have a couple utility lands worth grabbing with it and i have no way to tutor for it anymore (removed Enlightened Tutor for some reason, probably another deck that wanted it more). Map might be better off as Weathered Wayfarer so i could still tutor for lands (less reliably, albeit repeatedly), or a Wayfarer's Bauble so i could still fix my mana and actually ramp, but it might just become land #38. with only 36 lands and 8 artifact mana sources, i might be leaning a little too hard on my artifacts. stuff like Akroma's Vengeance, Austere Command, Planar Cleansing, and Shatterstorm are rampant around here (many of which i run myself in this deck); so a few extra lands are never a bad thing.
I've actually got a trio of tribal decks in the second part of my Kaalia Primer to include Angelic, Demonic, or Draconic which ever a builder would like to pursue. You might find some other ideas based off of that.
Edit: also contemplating the merits of the Ravnica Karoos or replacing them with lands that etb untapped. they really only have synergy with Spinerock Knoll, Bojuka Bog, and Sejiri Steppe here (other than virtually providing your next land drop). i'm not so sure that is enough to outweigh the drawbacks of slowing this deck down and becoming vulnerable to LD.
most of the decks i use them in have more ways to utilize them, desperately need the additional fixing, have countermeasures vs. LD, and/or aren't nearly as concerned with rushing out the commander asap.
Edit #2: i need an Angel of Finality. this list is sorely lacking in graveyard hate.
not generally. (no pun intended)
in my small meta, at least, this is one of the quicker decks, as far as getting a relevant threat out. nobody will typically have a flying blocker early enough, and most decks skew more toward sweepers, global effects, and generally utility than cheap spot removal. so she will typically get in at least once or twice before she bites it (and i do run Lightning Greaves and Whispersilk Cloak...i even ran 8.5 Tails in one iteration of the deck, but tried to cut as much out as possible that wasn't necessary and served as collateral damage to sweepers/Earthquakes and such...which is one of the reasons i'm on the fence about running more little utility guys like Abolisher).
i have Karmic Guide in my updated list (very bottom of the OP). I used to have a Stoneforge Mystic in there, as well, to compliment the Stonehewer and Godo. but i took her out to build a legacy deck, and never made a proxy. instead i just tossed in some random newer card i'd been wanting to try (probably Herald or True Conviction).
so optimally, she would likely be in there somewhere (although i might rather run Enlightened Tutor since it grabs more options, and SFM's body isn't as relevant in the format compared to Stonehewer or Godo).
I would LOVE an Angel of Serenity in here, but i don't own one and can't afford to spend money on MtG right now (although, i am glad to see she finally dropped to a reasonable price). hopefully in the near future, she will probably come in for something underwhelming like Herald.
i've contemplated Cataclysm many times (as well as other 'Geddon style effects), but chose to forgo that route to honor the DBaDB unwritten rule. there's no denying the effect is amazing in this type of deck (as well as Uril, etc.), it's just not fun to play against in any significant number/consistency. as i stated above, i left in the one Razia's Purification as a concession to that strategy. with just one 'Geddon effect (and one that doesn't completely decimate everyone's manabase/board presence so early), it doesn't come up very often, so people don't groan as much when they see it.
thanks for the suggestions, though! always nice to get people's input. especially since i only get to play Magic once or twice every couple of weeks if i'm lucky. and it's only been that often since recently. i few of my friends just got back into the game after a long hiatus, so for the past few years i barely played any Magic (vs. people) at all. but i would get my fix by building decks and testing them against myself.
all that adds up to me not being able to test each individual deck i have built very often at all (i've usually got at least 15 EDH decks sleeved up at any one time), so most of my opinions on card choices and strategy is largely theory crafting.
A handy trick I stumbled across when I first started modifying my Kaalia:
Ever notice there are a lot of times you've got fat in hand to drop behind Kaalia, but you don't want her to die to something that will block her? Go ahead and attack, drop fat, use Maze of Ith to untap and protect her. Plus, Maze is very good on it's own for defense.
Alternately but not as good - Erratic Portal and Emerge Unscathed can be effective with her, and they aren't completely useless otherwise. The latter could possibly be very good with Sunforger.
*** Sorry, now I see that you listed Maze as a "would like to get" card.
Reconnaissance is a much cheaper (budget wise) alternative to the "attack with Kaalia and then untap her" plan. Essentially gives all your dudes vigilance too.
another angel I noticed that isn't on your "looking for" list that you may want to consider is Aurelia, the Warleader. drop godo for her if you can find one, she does his job better and also can be cheated into play with kaalia.
how has voice of all been treating you? it was absolutely terrible in my avacyn angel build. it's not very offensive, and there are just so many better defensive or utility angels that could take her place. (also i'm not a fan of her art :|)
chromatic lantern is also a really good mana fixer/rock that could take the place of your manalith for cheap.
another angel I noticed that isn't on your "looking for" list that you may want to consider is Aurelia, the Warleader. drop godo for her if you can find one, she does his job better and also can be cheated into play with kaalia.
While Aurelia can indeed be cheated onto the battlefield via the commander here, she is often a suboptimal choice as she has what I like to call "Flameblast Syndrome". This means she only does something when declared as an attacker - but Kaalia puts Aurelia onto the board attacking, she is never declared as an attacker. Thus all you get a a [tapped] 3/4 flyer. It's just not a very economical deal as compared to all the other six drops (and even five drops) you could play.
another angel I noticed that isn't on your "looking for" list that you may want to consider is Aurelia, the Warleader. drop godo for her if you can find one, she does his job better and also can be cheated into play with kaalia.
how has voice of all been treating you? it was absolutely terrible in my avacyn angel build. it's not very offensive, and there are just so many better defensive or utility angels that could take her place. (also i'm not a fan of her art :|)
chromatic lantern is also a really good mana fixer/rock that could take the place of your manalith for cheap.
oh i thought Aurelia was on the list. oops.
but my gripes with her are:
#1. like 3Drinks mentioned, she doesn't trigger off of Kaalia cheating her into play.
#2. her body is pretty small for the mana cost.
#3. she actually doesn't do Godo's job better, because he is in here to fetch equipment, not for the pseudo-Savage Beating.
#4. i'm not convinced my deck is poised to really be able to abuse her. other than Kaalia (and Herald of War, but he is first on the chopping block if i can get my hands on a AoSerenity/Avacyn/Gisela), i don't really run many things to milk the extra attacks (like a version thatplaysdragonswould), so it would mostly just be another 10-12 points of flying damage. which can sometimes be enough, but i'm not convinced it's a big enough interaction to warrant her taking a slot. maybe i'll proxy her some time and see how she does.
#5: she encourages over-extending. once turn 6 rolls around, i'm probably not going to want to be dropping 2 more fatties into play per turn. sweepers are rampant in this format, and that's usually about the time somebody pulls the trigger (and i don't have Avacyn to protect me from wraths, Deathless Angel can't save everybody). granted, she does potentially help recover from a wipe. but more often than not, by that point in the game, i can afford to simply play stuff normally.
i do like her ability to help race, and i like her art. i just wish she was a little bit fatter.
Voice of All is usually one of the first cards i consider cutting for when i swap new stuff in, but she definitely plays a roll. and that role is admittedly not offense. she serves as a great speed bump in the air until someone comes at me with a trampler. she has been able to hold off all kinds of scary stuff like Prossh, Kresh, Uril, Sliver Overlord, Teneb and countless more enough times for me to be hesitant about benching her. it's also nice to have some cheaper stuff to play in the early game with the mana i don't use dropping fat into play with Kaalia (outside of removal).
Chromatic Lantern is definitely pretty sweet, and i would easily swap out the Manalith for it or Coalition Relic if i had one/had one to spare. i think i might still prefer Relic here for the ramping potential, as i very very rarely ever get color-screwed (if i do, i either really should have mulliganed or someone has been hating on me with Wastelends- which i mostly only see targeted at powerful utility lands).
My Scion of the Ur-Dragon would absolutely love a Chromatic Lantern, though.
the game plan is pretty straight-forward. attack with Kaalia, drop fat. beat face with said fat, backed up by a smattering of removal, utility, and reanimation for once the sky starts falling. playing W/R enables the usage of some powerful equipment to supplement attacks, protect Kaalia or other high-impact creatures, and play a Sunforger package to add more utility.
the WBR color combination allows for virtually all the best sweepers and removal, so i've packed the deck with a healthy dose of versatile sweepers backed up by a bit of reanimation for when my own girls get the axe. an assortment of instant speed spot removal covers most of my bases and is almost all fetchable by Sunforger. Faith's Fetters and Prison Term lock down random problems.
and finally, Luminarch Ascension is on-theme and absolutely amazing in multiplayer.
one last disclaimer: i realize this is not optimized/the best Kaalia deck that could be, but rather it is meant to play on the tribal angel theme. yes, dropping Rakdos, Malfegor, Dragon Tyrant, or Dragon Mage might be much stronger plays, but that is a different deck...that i might still eventually build some other day. this is Heavenly Inferno with emphasis on the "Heavenly" part. hell, i just wanna play with all these awesome angel cards i've had laying around forever! but some viability wouldn't be a bad thing either.
(Edit: updated/current decklists will always be at the bottom of this post, but i will be keeping the older versions listed for my own archiving purposes and to show the evolution of the deck over the years.)
1 Kaalia of the Vast
Artifact Mana- 7
1 Sol Ring
1 Boros Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Armillary Sphere
1 Journeyer's Kite
1 Darksteel Ingot
Equipment- 4
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Sunforger
1 Whispersilk Cloak
Creatures- 20
1 Mother of Runes
1 Emeria Angel
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Voice of All
1 Basandra, Battle Seraph
1 Adarkar Valkyrie
1 Deathless Angel
1 Pristine Angel
1 Sunblast Angel
1 Admonition Angel
1 Twilight Shepherd
1 Angelic Arbiter
1 Angel of Despair
1 Firemane Angel
1 Tariel, Reckoner of Souls
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Razia, Boros Archangel
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Reya Dawnbringer
1 Luminarch Ascension
1 Prison Term
1 Faith's Fetters
Instants/Spot Removal- 7
1 Path to Exile
1 Hide/Seek
1 Terminate
1 Mortify
1 Return to Dust
1 Wrecking Ball
1 Comet Storm
Sorceries/Sweepers- 8
1 Day of Judgment (or maybe Rout)
1 Wrath of God
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Austere Command
1 Life's Finale
1 Razia's Purification
1 Planar Cleansing
1 Earthquake
Reanimation- 7
1 Breath of Life
1 Resurrection
1 Miraculous Recovery
1 Rise from the Grave
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Debtor's Knell
Tutors- 5
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Liliana Vess
5 Plains
3 Swamp
3 Mountain
1 Command Tower
1 Blood Crypt
1 Godless Shrine
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Boros Garrison
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Graven Cairns
1 Molten Slagheap
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Marsh Flats
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Eiganjo Castle
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Barren Moor
1 Forgotten Cave
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Sejiri Steppe
1 Mistveil Plains
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
stuff that was difficult cutting from the precon:
Stranglehold: awesome card, just couldn't fit it in with everything else i wanted to add, and doesn't help the theme.
Master Warcraft: redundancy with Basandra is nice, potentially awesome in multiplayer, but ultimately got the axe because it was too situational.
Boros Guildmage: yet another way to give my girls haste that got cut. :*(
Duergar Hedge-Mage: i was leery cutting this guy due to me not having many outs to problem artifacts and enchantments (in W/R no less! blasphemy, right?). hopefully justified by the addition of the Sunforger toolbox featuring Return to Dust and Hide + Mistveil Plains.
other random stuff that got cut/is on the bench:
Phyrexian Arena: i feel like i desperately need some card draw, though this card almost always gets cut from other EDH decks i build. granted, most of those decks have better draw engines available. might be a necessary evil to avoid adding things like Ambition's Cost, Sign in Blood, or Promise of Power (or even in addition to them), but for now i'm going to see if i can rely on my tutors to pull me through.
Godo, Bandit Warlord/Stoneforge Mystic: tutors for my equipment would be nice, so i don't have to waste generic tutors on them, especially now that Sunforger looks like it might become an important engine for the deck. making sure Kaalia can get through unimpeded (Whispersilk Cloak) is also pretty key. also, adding any of these would strongly compel me to add an Umezawa's Jitte, as well. white also gives me the option of running Taj-Nar Swordsmith, Steelshaper's Gift, and Steelshaper Apprentice if i really want to push the equipment hard (don't own any Stonehewer Giants and Quest for the Holy Relic seems too slow in this deck).
Peace of Mind: originally in my first draft of the deck to dump Anger and enable reanimation of angels if Kaalia isn't available. ultimately cut because it relies too heavily on having specific card combinations (a fatty and a reanimation spell), and doesn't really do much of anything without them.
Solemn Simulacrum: i'm actually shocked i built a non-green deck without him! might be best to find a spot for him, though.
Platinum Angel: angel- check. powerful ability- check. just not sure where to squeeze her in, and if it would even be worth it. she currently resides in my Sharuum, which can keep her on the board a LOT more consistently. she has a huge target painted on her head and is pretty easily dealt with.
Vicious Shadows: damn near an auto-include for red decks. especially running as many sweepers as i do. i've never seen this hit the table and not be amazing (if not instantly disenchanted).
Weathered Wayfarer: i'm not in blue, so no Academy Ruins + Expedition Map combo, so this guy seems like the next best available thing to tutor out utility lands (Bog, Sejiri steppe, MVP, Knoll, Miren, Sunhome, etc). he's just not as dependable as a Map.
Shield of Kaldra: giving Kaalia another way to attack safely seems useful, as well as safeguarding vs. removal/sweeps.
other random stuff: like other available planeswalkers, more sweepers (Disaster Radius looks really fun every time i read it) or spot removal (StP, Condemn, Oblivion Ring).
-Rout possibly in place of DoJ. more expensive, but more flexible.
-Sensei's Divining Top and Expedition Map are usually auto-includes in all my EDH decks. but without any way to fetch them other than blowing my Enlightened Tutor, i'm not sure if i want them occupying slots here.
-Entomb and friends are definitely welcome when you're running several reanimates, and would also help getting Anger in the yard (and possibly Glory and Valor), but i'm not sure i really want to go all-in on the reanimator theme. i've already got a couple of those type of decks. i'm using my reanimates more as a cheap backup plan post-removal/sweeps.
-Armageddon effects are amazing with Kaalia, but i try to avoid doucheyness for the most part. i left in Razia's Purification as a concession to the awesome factor without loading up on redundancy of an unfun tactic.
-High Market could offer redundancy to Miren, the Moaning Well (or even replace it), but idk about adding another colorless land without very many ways to abuse it. currently, it only works with Debtor's Knell in order to get more value out of Angel of Despair, Sunblast Angel, or reset Twilight Shepherd. that's not enough to justify another slot, imo.
-Flagstones of Trokair: great synergy with Razia's Purification, but i'm not sure if that one interaction is worth cutting a basic for, decreasing the effectiveness of Journeyer's Kite + landfall outlets.
slots that are close to being on the chopping block/questionable:
Mother of Runes: the only non-angel creature in the deck. but she is fantastic for getting Kaalia attacking safely, as well as protecting my girls from random spot removal or global burn, or if i need to block something scary without trample. but mainly, her value is synergy with Kaalia.
Emeria Angel: somewhat lackluster, especially since i'm not in green. but i do run a few fetches, as well as A-Sphere and Kite. flying chump blockers/swarm attackers are always nice, but not sure she'll be consistently useful enough to justify a slot. Luminous Angel is much more consistent at making babies. it is noteworthy, however, that she fills a low CC slot in the curve, which i'm sorta lacking in atm.
Voice of All: almost cut her on the initial run-through, but kept her in due to low CC (like Emeria above) as well as the protection, which can be extremely useful at times.
Firemane Angel: also a bit iffy on her. that 3 toughness is pretty weak sauce for a 6-drop. but first strike and recursion ability might be worth keeping her around....for now.
Razia, Boros Archangel: she was almost the general of this deck. thankfully Kaalia came out and took her spot (yay, Angel of Despair!!) like Firemane, she only has 3 toughness (on an 8-drop, no less! ugh!). but she can technically take 5 safely. she can protect Kaalia somewhat, if need be, as well as being hasty and vigilant, which is great for a deck like this. she's definitely got some proving herself to do, though.
stuff i'd love to add but do not own and probably won't any time soon:
stuff i'm considering splurging on if they prove to be worth the inclusion (and cheaply acquired):
Blinding Angel: i swear i used to have one, but i searched every box, binder, and stack of cards i own and cannot find her anywhere. i guess i traded or sold her a long time ago. kinda small, but has a strong effect if you can get in there with her (cough whispersilk cough).
Darksteel Plate: yet another way to enable safe Kaalia attack triggers might be good. better choice than Shield of Kaldra.
a few other lands that would fit nicely that i just don't have, like Fetid Heath, Rugged Prairie, Rocky Tar Pit, Clifftop Retreat, etc. although adding more nonbasics reduces the effectiveness of Kite and Sphere, as well as making me more vulnerable to stuff like Blood Moon and Ruination.
...probably stuff i'm forgetting atm...
anyways, that's the deck and some of my thought processes through it's creation and evolution. i haven't had a chance to play it much since i bought the precon, and have only gone through a couple rounds of changes so far.
that's all i've got for now. prob be back to edit it later when something pops into my head. any comments, advice, and constructive criticism are welcome.
Edit: updated decklist as of 1/17/14:
I've dialed back on the reanimation a little bit (as well as replacing some of the spells with better options like Unburial Rites and Defy Death), as well as adding a few tutors like Stonehewer Giant and Godo, Bandit Warlord to enable the Sunforger package for more consistent access to utility. I had Stoneforge Mystic in there at one point, too. but i think i took her out for another deck and simply replaced her with something instead of leaving a proxy in to mark her place.
1 Kaalia of the Vast
Artifact Mana- 8
1 Sol Ring
1 Boros Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Armillary Sphere
1 Journeyer's Kite
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Manalith
Equipment- 4
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Sunforger
1 Whispersilk Cloak
Creatures- 22
1 Mother of Runes
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Voice of All
1 Karmic Guide
1 Basandra, Battle Seraph
1 Herald of War
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Godo, Bandit Warlord
1 Adarkar Valkyrie
1 Aegis Angel
1 Deathless Angel
1 Pristine Angel
1 Sunblast Angel
1 Admonition Angel
1 Twilight Shepherd
1 Angelic Arbiter
1 Angel of Despair
1 Tariel, Reckoner of Souls
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Razia, Boros Archangel
1 Reya Dawnbringer
1 Luminarch Ascension
1 Faith's Fetters
1 True Conviction
Instants/Spot Removal- 8
1 Path to Exile
1 Hide/Seek
1 Terminate
1 Mortify
1 Return to Dust
1 Wrecking Ball
1 Comet Storm
1 Magmaquake
Sorceries/Sweepers- 7
1 Day of Judgment
1 Wrath of God
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Austere Command
1 Razia's Purification
1 Planar Cleansing
1 Earthquake
Reanimation- 5
1 Unburial Rites
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Defy Death
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Debtor's Knell
Tutors- 4
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
Planeswalkers- 2
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Liliana Vess
Lands- 36
6 Plains
2 Swamp
2 Mountain
1 Command Tower
1 Blood Crypt
1 Godless Shrine
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Boros Garrison
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Graven Cairns
1 Molten Slagheap
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Marsh Flats
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Eiganjo Castle
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Sejiri Steppe
1 Mistveil Plains
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
Manalith (which should likely be Coalition Relic instead) and Expedition Map might come out for a couple lands, as I've only really got a couple utility lands worth grabbing with Map, and I have no way to tutor it up anymore since I cut Enlightened Tutor. artifact ramp is always nice in an aggressive non-green deck like this, but i am always wary of overdoing it and getting blown out by mass removal such as Akroma's Vengeance, Austere Command, Shatterstorm, Planar Cleansing, etc. (several of which I run myself).
also considering finding a spot or two for Unmake and/or Rakdos Charm.
not sold on Herald of War and Ajani Vengeant. I think Ajani just got tossed in the slot Stoneforge Mystic was occupying when i took her out for another deck. as for Herald, it seems useful in theory, but in practice i've yet to be impressed. it usually either sits in my hand because i have more useful angels to drop/spells to play, or it dies before it is able to make any kind of impact. if i could afford it, i would much rather use this slot for an Avacyn, Angel of Serenity, or Gisela.
that's all my thoughts for now. mainly just wanted to update the decklist since i haven't touched this post in over two years, lol.
justification: over the past few games i've played, my equipment hasn't shown up very often. i think with the power Whispersilk Cloak and potentially Darksteel Plate give to Kaalia, as well as the utility Sunforger could be bringing (especially in tandem with Mistveil Plains, possibly even tutored out by Wayfarer), i would prefer my equipment to be playing a bigger role in my gameplan.
Edit: also considering -1 Plains for +1 Flagstones of Trokair due to synergy with Razia's Purification.
UBControlBU
UWDelverWU
BWUSuperfriendsUWB
Type 2 in development
WBUCounterless Solar FlareBWU
Type 2 Retired
UBWControlBUW
RBVampiresBR
GRValakutGR
GElves!G
GBEldrazi GreenBG
Legacy
UWStonebladeWU
EDH
GWRhys the RedeemedWG
GWURafiq of the ManyUWG
GRWMayael the AnimaWRG
Ever notice there are a lot of times you've got fat in hand to drop behind Kaalia, but you don't want her to die to something that will block her? Go ahead and attack, drop fat, use Maze of Ith to untap and protect her. Plus, Maze is very good on it's own for defense.
Alternately but not as good - Erratic Portal and Emerge Unscathed can be effective with her, and they aren't completely useless otherwise. The latter could possibly be very good with Sunforger.
*** Sorry, now I see that you listed Maze as a "would like to get" card.
Banner by Nakamura, Thanks!
EDH Math
EDH Decks:
Ghost Council: The Magic Mafia of Orzhova
BB Drana: Down with the Sickness
Rasputin: Reality is Broken
Vish Kal Bleeder: Bloody Kisses
Teysa, Orzhov Dominatrix
Stonebrow: Breaking Things
BWR Kaalia Punisher: Heaven's on Fire
Grimgrin: Dead Reckoning
nah, she's not meant to be cheated out. Just in here for general utility and theme.
going down memory lane looking at some of these decklists i posted a few years ago and never updated/forgot about. hopefully i'll get around to editing/posting updated lists at some point soon. This deck hasn't changed a whole lot, but i did end up scaling back on the reanimation and focusing a bit more on the Sunforger package with tutors like SFM, Stonehewer Giant, and Godo.
also added a Karmic Guide and Herald of War*, and i believe i cut Firemane and Emeria Angel...not sure what else off the top of my head, i'll have to check.
*(though i haven't really been impressed with Herald so far. in theory, it seems useful. just hasn't panned out in practice yet.)
i reaaaaally could use an Avacyn, Gisela, Angel of Serenity, and possibly Aurelia for this deck; but i'm broke.
also pondering finding a slot for Unmake and Rakdos Charm for added Sunforging utility.
Edit: posted an updated deck list at the bottom of the OP.
i'm often too lazy to make proxies, so when i take out cards for other decks, sometimes i just throw new stuff in to try things out. such was the case with the spots previously occupied by Iona, Shield of Emeria, Stoneforge Mystic, and maybe Life's Finale (although the dump-opponent's-creatures-in-their-graveyard effect is mostly a dangerous play in my current meta, so i probably wouldn't play it anyways).
i replaced the cycling lands with basics, because i rarely get mana flooded to the point i would cycle them, i don't run a way to abuse them, and i would much rather them be lands that don't etb tapped.
like i said above, Herald of War is getting close to being on the waiver wire, but i don't have a better angel to replace him with right now. i could use that spot for something like Unmake or Rakdos Charm, but i don't know if adding more removal/utility in the place of creatures for Kaliaa to synergize with is the best plan.
Ajani Vengeant likely took the spot of SFM or Iona when i took them out for another deck and was too lazy to make a proxy. i had been looking for an excuse to play with my foil, but he's really not that impressive in EDH, especially multiplayer. it's extremely unlikely he will ever ultimate, and a 4-mana Lightning Helix isn't that great. occasionally, he will lock down a particularly annoying permanent or keep someone off commander mana for a turn or two, but in my experience he is rarely worth his spot in the deck.
what else...
i cut Firemane Angel and Emeria Angel for underperforming.
i downsized the reanimation subtheme slightly, while also upgrading the spells (Unburial Rites and Defy Death, notably).
i added a Manalith, which should likely be Coalition Relic, but i've only got a couple of those and they are in use elsewhere. however, i'm considering cutting it for another land, possibly as well as Expedition Map, as i only really have a couple utility lands worth grabbing with it and i have no way to tutor for it anymore (removed Enlightened Tutor for some reason, probably another deck that wanted it more). Map might be better off as Weathered Wayfarer so i could still tutor for lands (less reliably, albeit repeatedly), or a Wayfarer's Bauble so i could still fix my mana and actually ramp, but it might just become land #38. with only 36 lands and 8 artifact mana sources, i might be leaning a little too hard on my artifacts. stuff like Akroma's Vengeance, Austere Command, Planar Cleansing, and Shatterstorm are rampant around here (many of which i run myself in this deck); so a few extra lands are never a bad thing.
whew, that's all i got for now.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Edit: also contemplating the merits of the Ravnica Karoos or replacing them with lands that etb untapped. they really only have synergy with Spinerock Knoll, Bojuka Bog, and Sejiri Steppe here (other than virtually providing your next land drop). i'm not so sure that is enough to outweigh the drawbacks of slowing this deck down and becoming vulnerable to LD.
most of the decks i use them in have more ways to utilize them, desperately need the additional fixing, have countermeasures vs. LD, and/or aren't nearly as concerned with rushing out the commander asap.
Edit #2: i need an Angel of Finality. this list is sorely lacking in graveyard hate.
Some other suggestions:
- Karmic Guide
- Grand Abolishe
- Angel of Serenity
- Aura of Silence
- Stoneforge Mystic
- Cataclysm
Edit: of course stuff like Phyrexian Arena etc. would be beneficial, I tried to keep my suggestions in line with your deck theme!
in my small meta, at least, this is one of the quicker decks, as far as getting a relevant threat out. nobody will typically have a flying blocker early enough, and most decks skew more toward sweepers, global effects, and generally utility than cheap spot removal. so she will typically get in at least once or twice before she bites it (and i do run Lightning Greaves and Whispersilk Cloak...i even ran 8.5 Tails in one iteration of the deck, but tried to cut as much out as possible that wasn't necessary and served as collateral damage to sweepers/Earthquakes and such...which is one of the reasons i'm on the fence about running more little utility guys like Abolisher).
i have Karmic Guide in my updated list (very bottom of the OP). I used to have a Stoneforge Mystic in there, as well, to compliment the Stonehewer and Godo. but i took her out to build a legacy deck, and never made a proxy. instead i just tossed in some random newer card i'd been wanting to try (probably Herald or True Conviction).
so optimally, she would likely be in there somewhere (although i might rather run Enlightened Tutor since it grabs more options, and SFM's body isn't as relevant in the format compared to Stonehewer or Godo).
I would LOVE an Angel of Serenity in here, but i don't own one and can't afford to spend money on MtG right now (although, i am glad to see she finally dropped to a reasonable price). hopefully in the near future, she will probably come in for something underwhelming like Herald.
i've contemplated Cataclysm many times (as well as other 'Geddon style effects), but chose to forgo that route to honor the DBaDB unwritten rule. there's no denying the effect is amazing in this type of deck (as well as Uril, etc.), it's just not fun to play against in any significant number/consistency. as i stated above, i left in the one Razia's Purification as a concession to that strategy. with just one 'Geddon effect (and one that doesn't completely decimate everyone's manabase/board presence so early), it doesn't come up very often, so people don't groan as much when they see it.
thanks for the suggestions, though! always nice to get people's input. especially since i only get to play Magic once or twice every couple of weeks if i'm lucky. and it's only been that often since recently. i few of my friends just got back into the game after a long hiatus, so for the past few years i barely played any Magic (vs. people) at all. but i would get my fix by building decks and testing them against myself.
all that adds up to me not being able to test each individual deck i have built very often at all (i've usually got at least 15 EDH decks sleeved up at any one time), so most of my opinions on card choices and strategy is largely theory crafting.
anyways, long post is long. i'm off to bed.
Reconnaissance is a much cheaper (budget wise) alternative to the "attack with Kaalia and then untap her" plan. Essentially gives all your dudes vigilance too.
how has voice of all been treating you? it was absolutely terrible in my avacyn angel build. it's not very offensive, and there are just so many better defensive or utility angels that could take her place. (also i'm not a fan of her art :|)
chromatic lantern is also a really good mana fixer/rock that could take the place of your manalith for cheap.
WWWAvacyn: We Can Make The World StopWWW
While Aurelia can indeed be cheated onto the battlefield via the commander here, she is often a suboptimal choice as she has what I like to call "Flameblast Syndrome". This means she only does something when declared as an attacker - but Kaalia puts Aurelia onto the board attacking, she is never declared as an attacker. Thus all you get a a [tapped] 3/4 flyer. It's just not a very economical deal as compared to all the other six drops (and even five drops) you could play.
Steel Hellkite. Baneslayer Angel. Thundermaw Hellkite. Bloodgift Demon. Archangel of Thune. Every single one of these are just flat-out better than Aurelia - and no, it isn't even close.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
oh i thought Aurelia was on the list. oops.
but my gripes with her are:
#1. like 3Drinks mentioned, she doesn't trigger off of Kaalia cheating her into play.
#2. her body is pretty small for the mana cost.
#3. she actually doesn't do Godo's job better, because he is in here to fetch equipment, not for the pseudo-Savage Beating.
#4. i'm not convinced my deck is poised to really be able to abuse her. other than Kaalia (and Herald of War, but he is first on the chopping block if i can get my hands on a AoSerenity/Avacyn/Gisela), i don't really run many things to milk the extra attacks (like a version that plays dragons would), so it would mostly just be another 10-12 points of flying damage. which can sometimes be enough, but i'm not convinced it's a big enough interaction to warrant her taking a slot. maybe i'll proxy her some time and see how she does.
#5: she encourages over-extending. once turn 6 rolls around, i'm probably not going to want to be dropping 2 more fatties into play per turn. sweepers are rampant in this format, and that's usually about the time somebody pulls the trigger (and i don't have Avacyn to protect me from wraths, Deathless Angel can't save everybody). granted, she does potentially help recover from a wipe. but more often than not, by that point in the game, i can afford to simply play stuff normally.
i do like her ability to help race, and i like her art. i just wish she was a little bit fatter.
Voice of All is usually one of the first cards i consider cutting for when i swap new stuff in, but she definitely plays a roll. and that role is admittedly not offense. she serves as a great speed bump in the air until someone comes at me with a trampler. she has been able to hold off all kinds of scary stuff like Prossh, Kresh, Uril, Sliver Overlord, Teneb and countless more enough times for me to be hesitant about benching her. it's also nice to have some cheaper stuff to play in the early game with the mana i don't use dropping fat into play with Kaalia (outside of removal).
Chromatic Lantern is definitely pretty sweet, and i would easily swap out the Manalith for it or Coalition Relic if i had one/had one to spare. i think i might still prefer Relic here for the ramping potential, as i very very rarely ever get color-screwed (if i do, i either really should have mulliganed or someone has been hating on me with Wastelends- which i mostly only see targeted at powerful utility lands).
My Scion of the Ur-Dragon would absolutely love a Chromatic Lantern, though.