Joined: Feb 05, 2014 Posts: 1295 Location: Berk
Identity: Dragon
I'll be honest. After thinking about this for a few minutes I don't think it's going to work. But gosh darn it if I don't want to try!
The deck is based around a 2(actually 6) card combo that centers around one of the new cards from M19:
Win con
The second card may be obvious to others, it's Arcane Adaptation. With both of these cards on the battlefield, on my upkeep if I have any 4 different creatures on the battlefield I win the game.
An aside, another cute niche use for Arcane Adaptation, besides the above, is that if I'm playing against a red deck and I can cast Arcane Adaptation and name Dragon so that Glorybringer can't target my creatures (Glorybringer can only target non-dragons).
There are a couple of really big hurdles for this deck: 1)Arcane Adaptation does literal nothing by itself and Liliana's Contract is only a payoff for Demon tribal on the very last turn. 2)The stipulation that the creatures be different means that I am going to have to get creative with my creature selection, namely I'm going to have to eschew 4-ofs in favor of 2-ofs so that I can get the diversity of names I need.
Searching for a solution to both 1 and 2, I stumbled across a potential solution: Zombies. Right now (or rather, once M19 releases) the tribe has a glut of good cards for it. so much so, in fact, that I should have very little trouble dispersing my card names and still have a solid creature base.
I could consider white for some Amonkhet's Zombies, but I'm not sure it will be necessary since I'm already splitting into 2 themes (Zombies and Demons) I think I should be good.
First though, I want to have SOME actual Demons in the deck to make the win condition not COMPLETELY reliant on having Arcane Adaptation out.
Demons Ammit Eternal <- Well hey, whaddya know it's already both a zombie AND a demon. Sweet! Archfiend of Ifnir <-I'm iffy on him, but if I dip into cycling cards then MAYBE? Note that Cycling is a very real option for this deck given that it wants to combo win. Baleful Ammit <-Solid body for the cost. Should be able to shuffle that counter off onto some random zombie token Rite of Belzenlok <-Normally just one demon, but with Arcane Adaptation out I have two Demons. VALUE! Razaketh, the Foulblooded <-This is probably just a pipe dream, but it offers 2 win conditions in one body: a)It can just smash people's faces in, b)When someone goes to kill it, I can tutor up both the Arcane Adaptation and Liliana's Contract, or just one if I already have one of the pieces. Also a flavor win b/c it's one of Lili's actualy contracted demons. Demon of Dark Schemes I love the potential value of this card, but I've never found a home for him. Is this maybe the place? Demonlord Belzenlok <-Replaces himself at the very least, is a fat flampler who can just end the game if unanswered, and is another flavor win. +1 more demon:
Demon of Catastrophes
<-Should have some zombies to eat
I think that should be enough demons. Which is a good thing, because I don't think the rest are playable in this deck.
<-may not be high enough impact, but certainly interesting
Open the Graves
<-the disgusting level of tenacity this card gives...
Stitcher's Supplier
<-Technically a 1 drop, but I'm not playing graveyard shenanigans so a 1/1 for 1 probably isn't cutting it.
Possible artifact cards for Phylactery Lich: Azor's Gateway/Sanctum of the Sun <-I know the transformation is a nonbo with the Lich, but I have complete control over it and it's cardflow, AND the backside could help me cast my bigger spells. Gilded Lotus <-That Razaketh... Golden Guardian <-Ah yes, another of my pet cards that I keep trying to find a home for. Helm of the Host <-Totally doesn't fit the theme of the deck, but imagine an army of Lichs... Hollow one <-Remember that cycling demon? This still probably doesn't do it, but it's worth noting. Cultivator's Caravan <-Ok you know you're scraping the bottom of the barrel when you're looking at 3 cmc mana rocks. Oh sure this one turns into a big dumb beater, but we have other big dumb beaters, they're called demons. Bontu's Monument <-on the other hand a mana rock that also keeps you alive? maybe? Noxious Gearhulk <-Probably fighting too much for the same cmc slot as demons, and it dies to creature removal so it might not make the best phylactery Pacification Array <-maybe... Sunset Pyramid <-eh... The Immortal Sun <-probably too high cmc
Hm.... Interesting thought experiment, but I think trying to put Phylactery Lich in this deck requires way too much room in the deck that takes away from the primary goals.
Oh wow this brings back vibes of my terrible, awful, mono-green "two-stage fat man rocket" deck from OGW...Not a good sign.
But unlike Mono-Green, I have interaction, so hopefully it all works out?
Sideboard explanation: Murder for when I'm playing against the Merfolk player at my LGS Walk the Plank for everyone else Duress for Control Hour of Glory for stuff like Rekindling Phoenix Yahenni's Expertise for aggro
I can also side into being a pretty heavy control deck if I put in my entire sideboard over most of my creatures. That's not a terrible place to be.
Avg CMC=3.57/3.55/3.56 It's a little high, but I'm running 26 lands so I feel like I should be ok. Well...ok in the sense that I should have the mana to cast my spells. Whether it will stand up to anything is another question ENTIRELY. XD
The other good thing about this deck is because it is largely composed of 1-ofs and 2-ofs and most of it is either from previous sets or are reprints, I should already own a large portion of the cards I need.
Being real with myself I could probably build a better deck just by running a mono-black zombie list. That tribe has SOOOO much support. 12-16 lords and a bunch of solid creatures, plus black's access to its sweet, sweet removal suite.
Joined: Sep 25, 2013 Posts: 11416 Location: Kamloops, BC
Identity: Male
I like the idea here. Little surprised Metallic Mimic didn't make the cut. It's cheap and can fill in for either tribe. Just needs the the deck to go wider to be worthwhile? Dread Wanderer could be a reliable 4th demon with Adaptation out, but that's really all it would ever be isn't it? Okay, maybe it's not great.
*"To YMTC it up" means to design cards that have value mostly from a design perspective. i.e. you would put them in a case under glass in your living room and visitors could remark upon the wonderful design principles, with nobody ever worring if the cards are annoying/pointless/confusing in actual play
Joined: Feb 05, 2014 Posts: 1295 Location: Berk
Identity: Dragon
Thanks for the thoughts TPmanW.
Hm....I forgot about the fact that Metallic Mimic makes itself into the creature type of whatever type you choose. That does sound rather attractive.
Diregraf Ghoul can't block the turn it comes out so I don't think I like it so much if it comes out on any turn other than 1 and both it and the mimic have 2 power so that seems like a fine swap.
Don't know that if I actually want 2 because, as you noted, the deck doesn't go that wide, and Goblin Chainwhirler is still pretty popular. Ehhhhh, actually 2 would probably be fine if we're being real. And Festering Mummy feels like filler to me.
If I make these swaps I'm down one actual differently named creature, but that shouldn't hurt it too much.
Joined: Feb 05, 2014 Posts: 1295 Location: Berk
Identity: Dragon
Saffron Olive just put out a version of the combo deck yesterday that eschews the zombie angle for more card draw. It can draw LOTS of cards. It might be better than this version, it might not (it probably is), but I'd take his results with a grain of salt as he faced several non-decks. His version does seem able to fight through U/W Teferi though. I could consider a "transformative" sideboard to swap between his version and my version.
Something I did pick up from his list that I missed is Vraska's Contempt. I should really use the direct planeswalker removal available to me. Holy cow the card is $15...I don't think I care enough to buy that. I wonder how many I have. Push is probably also better than murder or walk the plank, but I don't know if I have any left and I don't want to buy any either... I'll probably stick with my budget removal base and just drop in any copies of the better stuff I happen to have.
I was also surprised to see Submerged Boneyard, but I guess it's not too bad if you aren't trying to be blazingly quick, and the utility lands are probably a correct include as well.
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