Lately I've been on a high of playing my Oros deck (see my signature for the list!) and I've just been jamming every decent value creature I can find. When Daxos was spoiled, I think he could be the dictionary definition of value. The ability to gain life and steal high-value cards from your opponents is impossible to ignore. For once, they printed a UW general I thought was fun, and I literally have an army of value UW cards sitting in my collection that I refuse to let go to waste, so here we are!
How does one play this deck?
It's really simple, actually. You turn Daxos sideways and hope for the best. Just always remember to attack the correct players. (ala, not the ones who you'll steal Counterspell from.)
You draw a bunch of cards, have a bunch of mana, and generally win off what you're stealing off your opponents.
Nuances of the Deck
-Keep in mind that Daxos' triggered ability lets you cast the spell you flip using your colorless mana rocks; try to use those to cast your opponents' spells.
Taken your guys' advice to heart and added some better early game cards. Trying to lower the curve while adding some mana rocks to get to where we need to be. I'd add a spare Sol Ring, if I had one.
Trying to better card selection. Sun Titan just feels unnecessary despite its wealth of targets; Weathered Wayfarer just does its job better. My LGS doesn't have a Conscription. Battle Mastery just feels better than Silverblade, Vow of Flight is better than Griffin Guide, and having another mana rock just feels better than having a Journey to Nowhere.
Basically, through testing, Lavinia and Blind Obedience felt awkward in a deck with Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, Sphere of Safety and Teferi's Moat. Auramancer's Guise feels winmore when Ethereal Armor can get to lethal levels extremely quickly for much cheaper on the curve. Sovereigns feels rather pointless with no Eldrazi Conscription, and my LGS is missing one.
On the other hand, I opened a Gift of Immortality, I wanted a second Totem Armor aura, and Sun Titan really is just good enough when I keep trying to cut the curve down to the point where 95% of the cards in the deck are targets. Copy Enchantment, on the other hand, feels like it has a really wild best-case/worst-case, which can make for some really interesting plays. Copying Mana Reflection seems stupidly strong.
My LGS really is lacking in a lot of the cards for this deck, geez. Regardless, it doesn't have the Felidar Umbra or the Winds of Rath, making the Aura package a little less appealing overall. Add to that that I got my first day of testing in with it, and it did the same thing both games; sat with Auras in my hand for 18 turns, not being able to do much. I wanted to add more cards that are good on their own, especially against aggro, a matchup I had an extremely difficult time with despite all my pillowforting. Blockers were necessary, hence the inclusion of the Ascension.
I needed to just deal with creature decks, so I've added some more conditional sweepers while keeping the aggro matchup containable. Daxos doesn't really need to clock people, and it's especially difficult to when my priority is not dying to my own Maelstrom Wanderer list.
-Updated the Why Daxos section.
-Updated the How to Play section.
-Updated the Nuances of the Deck section.
*sigh*
I'm really tired of this deck just not doing what I want it to do, when I know it has the potential to be incredibly powerful in the right situation. Often times, I have no opportunity to cast Daxos and I just sit with a bunch of Auras in my hand, doing nothing. It doesn't help that I draw awkwardly often times as well, so I'm forced into a situation where I draw too many cards that just don't do anything and nothing that gets me started or in general to where I need to be.
I attribute this to having two general game plans; the blink and Aura packages. I've taken them out to give focus elsewhere in the list; to Daxos' triggered ability.
With a Trinket Mage and Lantern of Insight, I'm hoping to have more consistent situations in where I'm getting value of Daxos, an area in which I'm having a bit of a problem with right now. Hopefully this change will put Daxos in a better place, because right now I'm having trouble making him work when I know he can.
Had you considered Jace, the Mind Sculptor to check top cards? You'll derp a little less with Jace's +2 pointing the way. I rarely use mine in EDH, but it's the most expensive card since they introduced mythic rares for a reason.
Any other effects that let you look at top cards might also be a good idea. Or you could go the other way and manipulate those cards... by putting them there. Totally Lost, Vanishment, Memory Lapse, Lapse of Certainty, etc.
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-Elliot Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies
"If violence isn't solving it, you're obviously not using enough!"
-Me
A kid at my local gameshop wanted to break a twenty.
"You got 2 tens?" he asked me.
"No, but I probably got 3 fives." I replied.
"Perfect!"
"You might want to check your math there."
You need a strong ramp package to keep the card advantage and tempo going. Otherwise you're just using your opponents deck and netting no usable card advantage (since you don't ever have mana to cast your spells.
It feels weird seeing a WU Aura-based deck without Bruna, Light of Alabaster in it somewhere. Doesn't seem like a bad idea to have her as a backup plan if something happens to Daxos.
I think the recursion I have already is strong enough that Hanna isn't necessary. I may consider Sigil, to be honest, just because it has a lot of worth in this particular list. Costing 5 is a bit of liability, though.
Coronet is far beyond my budget. I'm not spending $20 on a convenience card.
Bubble isn't necessary when Daxos is already difficult enough to block as it is. There aren't enough good hexproof auras in the colors.
Coronet is far beyond my budget. I'm not spending $20 on a convenience card.
Wow! When the hell did that happen, I wonder. I really don't recall Coronet being a money card.
As for the rest, fair enough. I would genuinely like Hanna over Mistmeadow here as you only have a small handful of things to blink here, although on the other hand blinking defensively is nice too.
So I'm only asking this because its in my pod and I'm interested in building a Daxos deck, but how would this type of deck deal with red Akroma? Might want to run something like Nevermore as a precaution.
I've just done a rather large update to the list in lieu if the aura package not panning out. Looking for feedback on the changes! (Just please, don't mention Sol Ring.)
Have you thought about Flickering Ward? With Mesa Enchantress it's a really good draw engine, in can make Daxos even harder to block and more difficult to remove and if you ever choose to use Sigil of the Empty Throne it makes really cheap tokens
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3 Daxos of Meletis
Creatures - 7
2 Azorius Guildmage
2 Azure Mage
2 Mistmeadow Witch
3 Drift of Phantasms
3 Mesa Enchantress
4 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
6 Sun Titan
Sorceries - 8
3 Idyllic Tutor
3 Retribution of the Meek
4 Day of Judgment
4 Divine Reckoning
6 Austere Command
6 Open the Vaults
6 Terminus
6 Recurring Insight
Instants - 9
2 Counterspell
2 Cyclonic Rift
2 Memory Lapse
3 Capsize
3 Dismantling Blow
3 Dissipate
3 Hinder
3 Render Silent
Artifacts - 18
0 Everflowing Chalice
1 Lantern of Insight
1 Mana Vault
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
2 Azorius Signet
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Mind Stone
2 Swiftfoot Boots
2 Talisman of Progress
3 Azorius Cluestone
3 Basalt Monolith
3 Champion's Helm
3 Coalition Relic
3 Whispersilk Cloak
3 Worn Powerstone
4 Thran Dynamo
5 Mind's Eye
6 Dreamstone Hedron
1 Mystic Remora
2 Blind Obedience
2 Luminarch Ascension
3 Aura of Silence
3 Copy Enchantment
3 Crackdown
3 Detention Sphere
3 Ghostly Prison
3 Karmic Justice
3 Nevermore
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Propaganda
3 Rhystic Study
4 Leyline of Anticipation
5 Mystic Barrier
5 Sphere of Safety
6 Martyr's Bond
6 Mind Unbound
Basic Lands - 18
10 Island
8 Plains
Nonbasic Lands - 20
0 Adarkar Wastes
0 Azorius Chancery
0 Cathedral of War
0 Celestial Colonnade
0 Drifting Meadow
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Halimar Depths
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Kor Haven
0 Lonely Sandbar
0 Mystic Gate
0 Nimbus Maze
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Remote Isle
0 Rogue's Passage
0 Secluded Steppe
0 Sejiri Refuge
0 Serra's Sanctum
0 Skycloud Expanse
0 Tolaria West
Why Daxos of Meletis?
How does one play this deck?
You draw a bunch of cards, have a bunch of mana, and generally win off what you're stealing off your opponents.
Nuances of the Deck
-Karmic Justice is one of the best Idyllic Tutor targets, as enemies will very likely aim Austere Commands, Decimates and Akroma's Vengeances your way to try and stop you.
Changes Log
Drift of Phantasms
Mnemonic Wall
Memory Lapse
Spin into Myth
Wayfarer's Bauble
Fellwar Stone
Mind Stone
Worn Powerstone
-Removed:
Flickerwisp
Spell Crumple
Spreading Seas
Parallax Wave
Journey to Nowhere
Faerie Trickery
Aetherize
Rewind
-Updated the Nuances of the Deck section.
Taken your guys' advice to heart and added some better early game cards. Trying to lower the curve while adding some mana rocks to get to where we need to be. I'd add a spare Sol Ring, if I had one.
9/19/2013:
Coalition Relic
Ordeal of Thassa
Battle Mastery
Righteous Authority
-Removed:
Sun Titan
Silverblade Paladin
Griffin Guide
Eldrazi Conscription
Trying to better card selection. Sun Titan just feels unnecessary despite its wealth of targets; Weathered Wayfarer just does its job better. My LGS doesn't have a Conscription. Battle Mastery just feels better than Silverblade, Vow of Flight is better than Griffin Guide, and having another mana rock just feels better than having a Journey to Nowhere.
9/21/2013:
Sun Titan
Felidar Umbra
Gift of Immortality
Copy Enchantment
-Removed:
Sovereigns of Lost Alara
Lavinia of the Tenth
Auramancer's Guise
Blind Obedience
Basically, through testing, Lavinia and Blind Obedience felt awkward in a deck with Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, Sphere of Safety and Teferi's Moat. Auramancer's Guise feels winmore when Ethereal Armor can get to lethal levels extremely quickly for much cheaper on the curve. Sovereigns feels rather pointless with no Eldrazi Conscription, and my LGS is missing one.
On the other hand, I opened a Gift of Immortality, I wanted a second Totem Armor aura, and Sun Titan really is just good enough when I keep trying to cut the curve down to the point where 95% of the cards in the deck are targets. Copy Enchantment, on the other hand, feels like it has a really wild best-case/worst-case, which can make for some really interesting plays. Copying Mana Reflection seems stupidly strong.
9/26/2013:
Sunblast Angel
Day of Judgment
Austere Command
Vow of Flight
Luminarch Ascension
Crackdown
Nevermore
Blind Obedience
-Removed:
Council of the Absolute
Retether
Winds of Rath
Felidar Umbra
Flickerform
Ordeal of Thassa
Battle Mastery
Righteous Authority
My LGS really is lacking in a lot of the cards for this deck, geez. Regardless, it doesn't have the Felidar Umbra or the Winds of Rath, making the Aura package a little less appealing overall. Add to that that I got my first day of testing in with it, and it did the same thing both games; sat with Auras in my hand for 18 turns, not being able to do much. I wanted to add more cards that are good on their own, especially against aggro, a matchup I had an extremely difficult time with despite all my pillowforting. Blockers were necessary, hence the inclusion of the Ascension.
I needed to just deal with creature decks, so I've added some more conditional sweepers while keeping the aggro matchup containable. Daxos doesn't really need to clock people, and it's especially difficult to when my priority is not dying to my own Maelstrom Wanderer list.
10/3/2013:
Mana Vault
Thran Dynamo
Everflowing Chalice
Basalt Monolith
Azorius Signet
Dreamstone Hedron
Talisman of Progress
Retribution of the Meek
Mind's Eye
Azure Mage
Dismantling Blow
Mind Unbound
Whispersilk Cloak
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Lantern of Insight
Trinket Mage
Terminus
Recurring Insight
-Removed:
Auramancer
Nomad Mythmaker
Mnemonic Wall
Mulldrifter
Sunblast Angel
Three Dreams
Spin into Myth
Darksteel Plate
Curiosity
Ethereal Armor
Vanishing
Eel Umbra
Gift of Immortality
Pemmin's Aura
Steel of the Godhead
Vow of Flight
Venser, the Sojourner
Teferi's Moat
-Updated the Why Daxos section.
-Updated the How to Play section.
-Updated the Nuances of the Deck section.
*sigh*
I'm really tired of this deck just not doing what I want it to do, when I know it has the potential to be incredibly powerful in the right situation. Often times, I have no opportunity to cast Daxos and I just sit with a bunch of Auras in my hand, doing nothing. It doesn't help that I draw awkwardly often times as well, so I'm forced into a situation where I draw too many cards that just don't do anything and nothing that gets me started or in general to where I need to be.
I attribute this to having two general game plans; the blink and Aura packages. I've taken them out to give focus elsewhere in the list; to Daxos' triggered ability.
With a Trinket Mage and Lantern of Insight, I'm hoping to have more consistent situations in where I'm getting value of Daxos, an area in which I'm having a bit of a problem with right now. Hopefully this change will put Daxos in a better place, because right now I'm having trouble making him work when I know he can.
10/18/2013:
Mystic Barrier
-Removed:
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
This is still just a beta of the list, so please tell me if I'm missing anything!
I appreciate the input!
Any other effects that let you look at top cards might also be a good idea. Or you could go the other way and manipulate those cards... by putting them there. Totally Lost, Vanishment, Memory Lapse, Lapse of Certainty, etc.
Oh, Archaeomancer, Mnemonic Wall, and Deadeye Navigator would be good in here too
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-Elliot Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies
"If violence isn't solving it, you're obviously not using enough!"
-Me
A kid at my local gameshop wanted to break a twenty.
"You got 2 tens?" he asked me.
"No, but I probably got 3 fives." I replied.
"Perfect!"
"You might want to check your math there."
My Blog About It
Replesh goes along with Retether and Open the Vaults.
It feels weird seeing a WU Aura-based deck without Bruna, Light of Alabaster in it somewhere. Doesn't seem like a bad idea to have her as a backup plan if something happens to Daxos.
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Would Council of the Absolute not just be a more expensive Meddling Mage in most EDH games?
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
Coronet is far beyond my budget. I'm not spending $20 on a convenience card.
Bubble isn't necessary when Daxos is already difficult enough to block as it is. There aren't enough good hexproof auras in the colors.
If I wanted to run Piracy, I'd run Bident of Thassa instead.
And Council is a metagame call because there's a lot of blue and white in my meta. Cyclonic Rift just wrecks me.
Wow! When the hell did that happen, I wonder. I really don't recall Coronet being a money card.
As for the rest, fair enough. I would genuinely like Hanna over Mistmeadow here as you only have a small handful of things to blink here, although on the other hand blinking defensively is nice too.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
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BRG Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
UBR Nicol Bolas
GWU Treva, the Renewer
RWU Numot, the Devastator
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Arkham, the 1920's. Investigators battle horrors from beyond time and space, risking life and sanity while conspiracies of cultists and malign servitors seek gateways for their outer gods to return...
Soon, the stars will be right! Great Cthulhu shall rise!