Single card discussing: Kataki, War's Wage

[mrieff]

Kataki, War's Wage:

1W
Legendary Spirt 2/1

All Artifacts have: At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this artifact unless you pay 1


I wanted to try out this card in my U/W Fish
(list at http://www.themanadrain.com/forums/index.php?topic=23073.0)

I can up with the following list for today's Eindhoven Tournament:

4 Meddling Mage
4 Weathered Wayfarer
3 Kataki, War's Wage
4 Brainstorm
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Standstill
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
4 Aether Vial
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Tundra
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Island

Basically I replaced the Null Rods with Kataki. This allowed me to run Vials. And as I suddenly had 3 extra creatures in the deck, I could replace the weakest creature (Javeliners) for Vials without lowering the creature count much.

Pro's of Kataki (compared to Null Rod):

+Free 2/1 creature
+Allows you to run Vials
+Affects non-activated Artifacts as well

Con's of Kataki (compared to Null Rod)

-Allows Artifacts to be activated
-More vulnerable than Null Rod

Overall, I'd say that Kataki 's ability is slightly worse than Null Rod.
Kataki 's ability is superior in the Workshop aggro matchup. But especially in the combo matchup you'd rather have Null Rods, as these decks need very few (if not one) activations out of their artifacts anyway. 

However, the fact that it is an extra creature and it allows you to run Vial makes me prefer it.

Currenlty I run 3, while its a Legendary creature. That means that sometimes you will draw two, resulting in a wasted draw. besides, multiple Null Rods are also wasted draws as well.

Thoughts?



 


 

[xrizzo]

Why not run Kataki in addition to Null Rod?  It seems like they are both good components for fish's agenda: annoying the crap out of your opponent. 

Seriously, Null Rod hoses other fish decks that do run Vial (how ironic) and Kataki is great in the stax matchup.  Both of them try to tax your opponents artifact mana base while you run/walk/fly with small beats to victory.  Also, Null Rod has SO much nice splash damage it is crazy.  (mindslaver, divining top, vials, belcher being the big ones)

While we are discussing this list, I would recommend 3 Ninjas, no duplication of brainstorm and standstill, and of course null rods.  Here is the list I have been working on:

4   Flying Men
2   Weathered Wayfarer
4   Meddling Mage
3   Ninja of the Deep Hours
2   Kataki, War's Wage
1   Old Man of the Sea
1   Seasinger

4   Standstill
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Time Walk

2   Misdirection
2   Daze
4   Force of Will

3   Swords to Plowshares
3   Null Rod

1   Mox Sapphire
1   Mox Pearl
1   Black Lotus
1   Strip Mine
3   Wasteland
4   Tundra
4   Flooded Strand
4   Island
4   Mishra's Factory


If you say why seasinger, then ask yourself how much you like getting beat down with DSC.

[mrieff]

I hadn't thought about combining them.
I guess that makes sense if the meta asks for it, for instance against a lot of combo. You make the deck worse against aggro, but that's already a weak match anyway.

About your particular version, I'm not a fan.

I already explained why I would never run Flying men above Wayfarer (http://www.themanadrain.com/forums/index.php?topic=23073.0)

If I am in a metagame where I have to run plows main, I'd rather not play this deck at all because of its weakness aginats aggro.
 
Seasinger is nice. And I love my brainstorms in this deck, to throw away excess creatures.