[multiplayer] Flash-Tax

[Ephraim]

Creatures (18)
4 Zealous Guardian
2 Plumeveil
4 Spellstutter Sprite
2 Faerie Harbinger
3 Wasp Lancer
3 Spelltithe Enforcer

Spells (18)
2 Repel Intruders
3 Faerie Tauntings
3 Rhystic Study
3 Faith's Fetters
3 Blood Clock
2 Cloudstone Curio
3 Orzhov Signet
1 Enlightened Tutor

Land (24)
3 Dromar's Cavern
9 Island
8 Plains
4 Swamp

***

There are several interconnected ideas being put to use in this deck.  The general principle, though, is that it is highly defensive while wearing away opponents through attrition with minimal expenditure of resources.  It is also presents itself as a nuisance rather than as a threat.  Combined with its defensive strategy, I expect that this will deter other players from bothering me too much.

Faerie Tauntings is the foundation of my win condition.  I have a large selection of creatures with Flash, which will allow me to whittle away at my opponents' life totals.  Cloudstone Curio and Blood Clock also add to this goal.  If I have several mana available right before my turn, I can chain several Zealous Guardians, maintain the status quo, and shave off 2 or 3 more life from my opponents.

Cloudstone Curio also improves the defensive strength of the deck.  Kill spells will find their targets missing, combat damage will resolve upon thin air, etc.  With multiple Spellstutter Sprite, I will also be able to chain counter effects to stop spells that I can't allow.  (Wasp Lancer's primary purpose, by the way, besides being cool, is empowering Spellstutter Sprite.)

Blood Clock allows me to recur my Flash creatures when I have failed to do so with Cloudstone Curio.  It also plays very nicely with Faith's Fetters.  I only have to return it to my hand one turn in three to keep my life total even.  More importantly, though, it segues into the Tax portion of the Flash-Tax deck.  I wanted to slow down the mid- and late-game because my win condition is not especially fast.  Rhystic Study and Spelltithe Enforcer both encourage my opponents to play less aggressively.

[thorme]

Evacuation could be pretty strong in here.  Some number of Whitemane Lions/Stonecloakers would seem really good.

If I were to just tinker with this thing prior to ever playing it (not a good practice as a general rule), I'd look at:

- 3 Blood Clock
- 3 Wasp Lancer
- 2 Zealous Guardian

+ 1 Faerie Tauntings
+ 1 Faerie Harbinger
+ 1 Plumeveil
+ 2 Evacuation
+ 3 Stonecloaker/Whitemane Lion

[Ephraim]

I had an opportunity to try out this deck in a duel setting yesterday evening and I discovered a few anti-synergies that I hadn't really considered.

Faith's Fetters, for example, does not go particularly well with Blood Clock because my opponent, using Blood Clock's own ability, can return the permanent that I've enchanted with Blood Clock, and ruin that strategy.  I am going to leave a single copy of Faith's Fetters in the deck because I can harmlessly enchant one of my own basic lands and still use it as a life-gaining mechanism.

Generally speaking, however, Blood Clock turned out to be a very good card in the deck (good enough that I am adding a 4th copy.)  Cloudstone Curio wasn't as strong once I realized that Spellstutter Sprite counters a spell with converted mana cost X or less and does not counter a spell unless its controller pays X.  With that in mind, I think that I need to put a few more faeries in the deck.  I am torn between cutting Cloudstone Curio entirely and going down to a single copy.  My previous arguments about using it to save my own permanents is still valid, but in practice I didn't ever see that situation come up when all of the necessary pieces were available. 

Plumeveil is likely to get cut.  I would probably be better with Faerie Harbinger, Scion of Oona, or Pestermite instead.  A 4/4 Defender is swell, but there's no surprise after the first time.  A Pestermite, at least, will protect me from a Chameleon Collosus indefinitely.

Finally, the "tax" side of the deck definitely didn't feel like it was pulling its weight.  If I am looking to draw a bunch of cards in a multiplayer game, I think that Sygg, River Cutthroat would be a better option than Rhystic Study.  The games I played with this deck went so long that long before the game was determined, everybody had access to more mana than we could reasonably use.  I could replace Spelltithe Enforcer with just about anything.  It might be interesting to use Knacksaw Clique.  I have three Orzhov Signets in the deck that I could easily replace with Fellwar Stones, so that could be an amusing, if unthemely, addition to the deck.

[EnialisLiadon]

If you do want to further the tax strategy, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV could be a good addition.  I know he's not a faerie, but he simultaneously makes it harder for your opponents to replay their bounced stuff while making it easier to play yours.

Words of Wisdom might too janky (and drawing fewer cards isn't cool), but I've always liked that card for making everyone bounce something.