I think I may have an unhealthy obsession with the storage counter lands. I keep building new decks around them in an attempt to find one I like enough to build IRL, and I think this may be the one.
This is essentially the continuation of The Tariel Disaster. You can read the backstory there, but the main idea is to nuke the planet and float enough mana to take over with your general in the aftermath. Rakdos the Defiler is much better suited for this role than Tariel, Reckoner of Souls since he kills in fewer hits and actually enforces their mana screw. He also gives the deck a much more reckless, "all-in" feel, which my IRL EDH repertoire has been sorely lacking for quite a while. Also, this deck was built on a pseudo-budget, which will explain a lot of the jank.
We have access to five different world gorging options, and while they can be interchangeable at times, there are scenarios to which each is specifically suited. Here are your rules of thumb: Jokulhaups: This is your golden standard. Relatively cheap to cast, leaves you with a hand in case you need to rebuild for round 2. Obliterate: Against certain countermagic, obv. Glen Elendra Archmage can go suck a lemon. Decree of Annihilation: Kind of like the next step. Uncounterable Armageddon OR RFG douchebaggery is sweet, if you can handle the mana cost. Hitting hands is crucial too. Death Cloud: Speaking of hitting hands, the Cloud is tough to cast, but lets you strip opponents of nasty Plains + Swords to Plowshares combos they may be holding. Apocalypse: Low CMC, and this guy handles enchantments, planeswalkers, and indestructible dudes. Discarding your hand makes it impossible to protect Rakdos, and trip red might be difficult at times, but this is still an MVP.
Now for a Gaka-style Q&A:
Q: Why would you do something like this?
A: Because I can.
Q: Why do you keep building decks no one wants to play against?
A: Nobody really wants to play against most of the top-teir decks of the format. Thanks for the compliment.
Q: What do you do if your opponent has a Plains and a Swords to Plowshares in hand?
A: We have plenty of tutors and Duress effects to clear the way beforehand.
Q: I know, but what do you do if they just topdeck it?
A: Lose.
Q: Do you ever just lose because you got set up the bomb by Demonic Consultation?
A: Yep. That's the price you pay for a 1 mana Demonic Tutor.
Q: What is your critical turn?
A: You can blow up the world and get in there with Rakdos quite consistently by turn 5 or 6.
Q: Why don't you play more Demons to help out Rakdos?
A: Rakdos doesn't need any help, and most of the demons printed are pretty terrible anyway.
Q: A lot of Rakdos decks play Bloodghast, Endrek Sahr, and other sac fodder to fuel Rakdos. Why don't you?
A: We won't sac anything to Rakdos, because it is our goal to make Rakdos the only permanent on the table.
Q: What are the fork spells for? Forking a Jokulhaups seems lackluster.
A: These spells provide protection against countermagic while pulling double duty copying a Seething Song or Demonic Tutor if needed.
Q: Do you have any alternate win conditions?
A: Mana Geyser and Reiterate can go infinite, which usually leads to you drawing a massive amount of cards, making opponents discard their hands, and following through with the same game plan as usual.
Hopefully this will conclude my series of all-in, cast-a-freaking-huge-general-and-win decks. Sorry for constructing another DB monster, folks. I try to be a nicer person than my decks would suggest.
ha! awesome deck idea. I can see it crashing hard when it does crash but if you're in that "all-in" position, you normally know you're going to win anyways and if you don't well that's the risk of all-in. I might try something similar after my current infatuation with control fizzles lol
My group didn't accept deck like that but if I have the possibility to play outside of that I will probably try a deck similar to that.
Talisman of Indulgence - You miss it...
If you do build it, be sure to let us know how it turns out! I get to unleash this monster at the SCG Open in Charlotte in a couple of weeks, so I will count the number of groans I hear from everyone.
I don't have much of a taste for mana rocks that only tap for 1 in these kinds of decks. I gave Mind Stone a slot because it can cantrip when we're flooded and have no boom spell, which happens from time to time. Darksteel Ingot seems like it has synergy, but even it probably needs to go because Rakdos just makes you sac it anyway.
Quote from MikeCline93 »
ha! awesome deck idea. I can see it crashing hard when it does crash but if you're in that "all-in" position, you normally know you're going to win anyways and if you don't well that's the risk of all-in. I might try something similar after my current infatuation with control fizzles lol
Haha thanks, man! On the plus side, I think this deck will be a wonderful teaching tool for members of the "casual inquisition" that protest against land destruction. Mana denial is surely the best way to beat decks like this, and maybe they will start to catch on before I get booted out of their playgroup.
Quote from runningbear »
do you hit swamps often enough for lake of the dead to be useful?
Sadly, no. I sometimes don't even see a single Swamp all game, and two is even less common. It's really unfortunate too, because Lake of the Dead is very on-theme and very powerful -- it just isn't worth cutting a lot of the other useful nonbasics to try to fit this one in.
Quote from u-579 »
This also seems like the right kind of deck to have LED in.
You know what, I agree! This will be slotted in shortly, though it probably mean the end of the budget constraint.
Bubbling Muck is what you're thinking of. Probably wouldn't be worth it unless you include Urborg, but its mostly dead without it since swamps don't show up often enough.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A tier 3 Legacy deck was named after me. What have you done with your life?
...so I will count the number of groans I hear from everyone.
I wouldn't worry about it. Players like yourself, Gaka and I seem to get the occasional flak for playing decks with unorthodox win conditions, but the way I see it, it's no worse than playing against finely-tuned winning machines. People are always going to find something to complain about. Fortunately, I have a playgroup that can tolerate my strategies, but if you were to look at my decklists, you'd notice that all of them try to win with methods that are considered by some to be "griefing".
Jhoira tries to win by concession, Riku wins by recurring Warp Worlds, Zedruu turtles the entire game and gives people crap they don't want, and Olivia pings everyone during the entire match (and she isn't even involved). Now I'm building Mikaeus as Shirei 2.0, and who doesn't like having me do more during their turn than they do?
I know you built this deck because you enjoy this style of play, so own it, and don't back down to anyone.
I wouldn't worry about it. Players like yourself, Gaka and I seem to get the occasional flak for playing decks with unorthodox win conditions, but the way I see it, it's no worse than playing against finely-tuned winning machines. People are always going to find something to complain about. Fortunately, I have a playgroup that can tolerate my strategies, but if you were to look at my decklists, you'd notice that all of them try to win with methods that are considered by some to be "griefing".
Jhoira tries to win by concession, Riku wins by recurring Warp Worlds, Zedruu turtles the entire game and gives people crap they don't want, and Olivia pings everyone during the entire match (and she isn't even involved). Now I'm building Mikaeus as Shirei 2.0, and who doesn't like having me do more during their turn than they do?
I know you built this deck because you enjoy this style of play, so own it, and don't back down to anyone.
Thanks for the encouragement. And don't worry; I definitely plan to troll some folks at the SCG Open. I have found that as long as you are pleasant enough when you play the deck, people won't usually get mad -- they just groan a lot. There are some folks, though (I'm thinking of one guy in particular who frequents these events) who get really flustered whenever they aren't winning. I will be sure to give a full rage report. Maybe I can get it on camera.
I hope I get the deck to work. It is so easy to beat, but I have the surprise factor and a plethora of really bad nonbasics on my side.
And besides, I will probably be apologizing profusely if someone actually snaps. Whether or not he is in the right is a non-issue -- it just isn't worth seriously alienating someone over something so trivial. It's kind of like a good Helen Keller joke: really funny with a feeling of remorse afterward. lol
Quote from u-579 »
Oh come on its not that bad is it....
To be totally honest, I was kind of hoping Gaka would read my comment and get a kick out of it.
This is essentially the continuation of The Tariel Disaster. You can read the backstory there, but the main idea is to nuke the planet and float enough mana to take over with your general in the aftermath. Rakdos the Defiler is much better suited for this role than Tariel, Reckoner of Souls since he kills in fewer hits and actually enforces their mana screw. He also gives the deck a much more reckless, "all-in" feel, which my IRL EDH repertoire has been sorely lacking for quite a while. Also, this deck was built on a pseudo-budget, which will explain a lot of the jank.
1 Rakdos the Defiler
Creatures (4)
1 Divining Witch
1 Priest of Yawgmoth
1 Overeager Apprentice
1 Graveborn Muse
Mana Ramp (24)
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Bloom
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Voltaic Key
1 Doubling Cube
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Grim Monolith
1 Lotus Blossom
1 Mind Stone
1 Pentad Prism
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Coalition Relic
1 Heart of Ramos
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Skull of Ramos
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Dark Ritual
1 Rain of Filth
1 Cabal Ritual
1 Mana Seism
1 Seething Song
1 Mana Geyser
1 Apocalypse
1 Jokulhaups
1 Obliterate
1 Decree of Annihilation
1 Death Cloud
Dig for bones (15)
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Gamble
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Tainted Pact
1 Necropotence
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Demonic Collusion
1 Necrologia
1 Promise of Power
1 Decree of Pain
Haups-Protect (9)
1 Duress
1 Overmaster
1 Defense Grid
1 Distress
1 Fork
1 Reverberate
1 Reiterate
1 Nightmare Void
1 Persecute
1 Barren Moor
1 Blasted Landscape
1 Forgotten Cave
1 Polluted Mire
1 Smoldering Crater
1 Bottomless Vault
1 Dwarven Hold
1 Mercadian Bazaar
1 Molten Slagheap
1 Subterranean Hangar
1 Crystal Vein
1 Dwarven Ruins
1 Ebon Stronghold
1 Polluted Mire
1 Sandstone Needle
1 Dormant Volcano
1 Everglades
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Anceint Tomb
1 Temple of the False God
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Tomb of Urami
11 Mountain
10 Swamp
We have access to five different world gorging options, and while they can be interchangeable at times, there are scenarios to which each is specifically suited. Here are your rules of thumb:
Jokulhaups: This is your golden standard. Relatively cheap to cast, leaves you with a hand in case you need to rebuild for round 2.
Obliterate: Against certain countermagic, obv. Glen Elendra Archmage can go suck a lemon.
Decree of Annihilation: Kind of like the next step. Uncounterable Armageddon OR RFG douchebaggery is sweet, if you can handle the mana cost. Hitting hands is crucial too.
Death Cloud: Speaking of hitting hands, the Cloud is tough to cast, but lets you strip opponents of nasty Plains + Swords to Plowshares combos they may be holding.
Apocalypse: Low CMC, and this guy handles enchantments, planeswalkers, and indestructible dudes. Discarding your hand makes it impossible to protect Rakdos, and trip red might be difficult at times, but this is still an MVP.
Now for a Gaka-style Q&A:
Q: Why would you do something like this?
A: Because I can.
Q: Why do you keep building decks no one wants to play against?
A: Nobody really wants to play against most of the top-teir decks of the format. Thanks for the compliment.
Q: What do you do if your opponent has a Plains and a Swords to Plowshares in hand?
A: We have plenty of tutors and Duress effects to clear the way beforehand.
Q: I know, but what do you do if they just topdeck it?
A: Lose.
Q: Do you ever just lose because you got set up the bomb by Demonic Consultation?
A: Yep. That's the price you pay for a 1 mana Demonic Tutor.
Q: What is your critical turn?
A: You can blow up the world and get in there with Rakdos quite consistently by turn 5 or 6.
Q: Why don't you play more Demons to help out Rakdos?
A: Rakdos doesn't need any help, and most of the demons printed are pretty terrible anyway.
Q: A lot of Rakdos decks play Bloodghast, Endrek Sahr, and other sac fodder to fuel Rakdos. Why don't you?
A: We won't sac anything to Rakdos, because it is our goal to make Rakdos the only permanent on the table.
Q: What are the fork spells for? Forking a Jokulhaups seems lackluster.
A: These spells provide protection against countermagic while pulling double duty copying a Seething Song or Demonic Tutor if needed.
Q: Do you have any alternate win conditions?
A: Mana Geyser and Reiterate can go infinite, which usually leads to you drawing a massive amount of cards, making opponents discard their hands, and following through with the same game plan as usual.
Hopefully this will conclude my series of all-in, cast-a-freaking-huge-general-and-win decks. Sorry for constructing another DB monster, folks. I try to be a nicer person than my decks would suggest.
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
lichess.org | chess.com
My group didn't accept deck like that but if I have the possibility to play outside of that I will probably try a deck similar to that.
Talisman of Indulgence - You miss it...
WBGhost Council of OrzhovaBW
GUBThe MimeoplasmBUG
RGWort, the RaidmotherGR
UGRRiku of Two ReflectionsRGU
Casual
WGBJunkStone DeckBGW
BMonoBlack VampireB
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
EDH:
RNorin the WaryR <-Link! (Primer - Mono Red Control)
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestUG <- Link! (Mini-Primer - Dredge)
Duel Commander:
WUGeist of Saint TraftUW <- Link! (Aggro-Control)
BGSkullbriar, the Walking GraveGB <- Link! (Aggro)
BUGDamia, Sage of StoneGUB <- Link! (Extinction Control)
Church of the Wary
GRRWHazezon Tamar (Valakut)GRRW
UKami of the Crescent Moon (
Group Hug)UUHeidar, Rimewind Master [Mini-Primer]U
WKemba, Kha Regent (Stax)W
GEzuri, Renegade Leader [Primer]G
This also seems like the right kind of deck to have LED in.
UWRasputin DreamweaverUW
UWBSen TripletsUWB
If you do build it, be sure to let us know how it turns out! I get to unleash this monster at the SCG Open in Charlotte in a couple of weeks, so I will count the number of groans I hear from everyone.
I don't have much of a taste for mana rocks that only tap for 1 in these kinds of decks. I gave Mind Stone a slot because it can cantrip when we're flooded and have no boom spell, which happens from time to time. Darksteel Ingot seems like it has synergy, but even it probably needs to go because Rakdos just makes you sac it anyway.
Haha thanks, man! On the plus side, I think this deck will be a wonderful teaching tool for members of the "casual inquisition" that protest against land destruction. Mana denial is surely the best way to beat decks like this, and maybe they will start to catch on before I get booted out of their playgroup.
Sadly, no. I sometimes don't even see a single Swamp all game, and two is even less common. It's really unfortunate too, because Lake of the Dead is very on-theme and very powerful -- it just isn't worth cutting a lot of the other useful nonbasics to try to fit this one in.
You know what, I agree! This will be slotted in shortly, though it probably mean the end of the budget constraint.
Ugh, oh, gah I think I'm going to throw up
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
lichess.org | chess.com
Who needs budgets anyways?
Oh come on its not that bad is it....
Also isn't there a black high tide, or i guess if you don't see many swamps it might not be helpful
UWRasputin DreamweaverUW
UWBSen TripletsUWB
I wouldn't worry about it. Players like yourself, Gaka and I seem to get the occasional flak for playing decks with unorthodox win conditions, but the way I see it, it's no worse than playing against finely-tuned winning machines. People are always going to find something to complain about. Fortunately, I have a playgroup that can tolerate my strategies, but if you were to look at my decklists, you'd notice that all of them try to win with methods that are considered by some to be "griefing".
Jhoira tries to win by concession, Riku wins by recurring Warp Worlds, Zedruu turtles the entire game and gives people crap they don't want, and Olivia pings everyone during the entire match (and she isn't even involved). Now I'm building Mikaeus as Shirei 2.0, and who doesn't like having me do more during their turn than they do?
I know you built this deck because you enjoy this style of play, so own it, and don't back down to anyone.
Thanks for the encouragement. And don't worry; I definitely plan to troll some folks at the SCG Open. I have found that as long as you are pleasant enough when you play the deck, people won't usually get mad -- they just groan a lot. There are some folks, though (I'm thinking of one guy in particular who frequents these events) who get really flustered whenever they aren't winning. I will be sure to give a full rage report. Maybe I can get it on camera.
I hope I get the deck to work. It is so easy to beat, but I have the surprise factor and a plethora of really bad nonbasics on my side.
And besides, I will probably be apologizing profusely if someone actually snaps. Whether or not he is in the right is a non-issue -- it just isn't worth seriously alienating someone over something so trivial. It's kind of like a good Helen Keller joke: really funny with a feeling of remorse afterward. lol
To be totally honest, I was kind of hoping Gaka would read my comment and get a kick out of it.
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
lichess.org | chess.com
EDH:
RNorin the WaryR <-Link! (Primer - Mono Red Control)
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestUG <- Link! (Mini-Primer - Dredge)
Duel Commander:
WUGeist of Saint TraftUW <- Link! (Aggro-Control)
BGSkullbriar, the Walking GraveGB <- Link! (Aggro)
BUGDamia, Sage of StoneGUB <- Link! (Extinction Control)
Church of the Wary