[Shadowmoor] Riverkelp

[BruiZar]

Riverkelp*   3
Creature - Beast 
Whenever Riverkelp or another permanent is returned from a graveyard to play, draw a card.
Whenever a card is played from a graveyard, draw a card.
Persist

This looks like a new card made for Ichorid. It sacks and returns with Cabal Therapy due to persist, draws you a bunch of cards you can trade in for dredge. Unfortunately, I'm not fully aware of all the intricate game details of playing Ichorid. The question is, would you want to use your first dread return on this creature instead of others?

This card also does great with crucible of worlds, welder and yawgmoth's will, but I don't see the 5cc as a viable option in anything that doesn't cheat this thing into play.

[Webster]

Riverkelp*   3
Creature - Beast 
Whenever Riverkelp or another permanent is returned from a graveyard to play, draw a card.
Whenever a card is played from a graveyard, draw a card.
Persist

This looks like a new card made for Ichorid. It sacks and returns with Cabal Therapy due to persist, draws you a bunch of cards you can trade in for dredge. Unfortunately, I'm not fully aware of all the intricate game details of playing Ichorid. The question is, would you want to use your first dread return on this creature instead of others?

This card also does great with crucible of worlds, welder and yawgmoth's will, but I don't see the 5cc as a viable option in anything that doesn't cheat this thing into play.

This card doesn't really help ichorid at all because it has to be in play before ichorid's upkeep triggers resolve which implies that it was the target of dread return the previous turn. Cephalid sage is going to have a similar effect as riverkelp but as soon as it comes into play as opposed to the next turn.

Concerning yawgmoth's will: I think that if you've had the time to resolve will and other spell(s) in your main, excluding will, totaling 5 mana, you'd have won regardless of what you played. There are a lot of cards that are good with yawgmoth's will but are not good by themselves; riverkelp is one of them.

[StarOrc]

This card can have the same effect as Sage the same turn and it could theoratically do more.

Dread Return targetting Riverkelp
Riverkelp triggers and you draw(dredge)
Cabal Therapy (Triggers Riverkelp's ability) saccing Riverkelp (Returns to play via Persist Triggering another draw)

Thats 3 dregdges and if you get another therapy or dread return its probably more. Its probably not needed or much better than Sage but it looks like its another option.

Star

[Webster]

This card can have the same effect as Sage the same turn and it could theoratically do more.

Dread Return targetting Riverkelp
Riverkelp triggers and you draw(dredge)
Cabal Therapy (Triggers Riverkelp's ability) saccing Riverkelp (Returns to play via Persist Triggering another draw)

Thats 3 dregdges and if you get another therapy or dread return its probably more. Its probably not needed or much better than Sage but it looks like its another option.

Star

Sage does more by itself than your example. Sage doesn't require other cards to make it good, other than 7 in your graveyard, unlike riverkelp. The bottom line isn't how many options there are for a '1-2 of' slot in ichorid, but which one is the best. Sage will always be better than riverkelp in that aspect which is why cephalid sage sees play and riverkelp won't.

[meadbert]

I am pretty sure that River Kelp is very breakable, but I am not sure how yet.

As posted above this card is really good in Ichorid.

Sage gives you draw 3, discard 3.

This guy is one card engine on its own and you always get that first dredge.  Still if you do not dredge into Therapy or Narcomoeba then you have some problems.

From past experience, I will  a Dread Return target that is only good if I can sac it to Therapy.  I tested Yosei, the Morning Star and rejected it for this reason.

How about Dragon?  This guy might be able to replace Eternal Witness.

First of all he is hardcastable and good on his own.  Drawing 3 cards off Deep Analysis is nice.  If you have to Animate him that is not bad.
Also, if you can get this guy in play and Animate a Dragon then you draw your whole deck I believe.  If this guy is not yet in play and you can animate Dragon then you can treat him sort of like witness.  One option is to mill some of your library till you can get this guy and some DAs in the yard.
Then you can halt the Dragon loop by animating this guy.  You draw a card.  Now you play maybe two D/As from the yard that draws you 6 more cards.  You should still have a ton of mana.  At this point you start playing draw spells and tutors that you drew into.  You can even activate Bazaar again to draw more cards.  You should be able to draw into another animate and then draw your whole deck.


Another option would be some form of blue based control / control slaver deck that runs Drains and Maybe Crucibles and Welders.  Yawg would probably be good.