Creatures;
1 [c]Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind[/c]
2 [c]Dominus of Fealty[/c]
2 [c]Tidespout Tyrant[/c]
2 [c]Clone[/c]
1 [c]Windbrisk Raptor[/c]
1 [c]Djinn Illuminatus[/c]
1 [c]Empyrial Archangel[/c]
1 [c]Reya Dawnbringer[/c]
1 [c]Kaervek the Merciless[/c]
1 [c]Platinum Angel[/c]
1 [c]Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir[/c]
Enchantments;
4 [c]copy enchantment[/c]
4 [c]Animate dead[/c]
1 [c]Curiosity[/c]
Artifacts;
1 [c]Null Rod[/c]
1 [c]defense grid[/c]
Spells;
1 [c]demonic tutor[/c]
1 [c]vampiric tutor[/c]
1 [c]entomb[/c]
2 [c]Buried alive[/c]
1 [c]merchant scroll[/c]
1 [c]personal tutor[/c]
1 [c]mystic tutor[/c]
2 [c]Intuition[/c]
3 [c]recall[/c]
Mana;
4 [c]Crumbling Necropolis[/c]
4 [c]steam vents[/c]
4 [c]watery grave[/c]
4 [c]Arcane Sanctum[/c]
4 [c]underground river[/c]
1 [c]sol ring[/c]
the way I play the deck is use Recall, entomb, intuition, Buried Alive or just discarding large creatures into my graveyard and fishing them out with animate dead and Reya. Course with animates in play I can copy them with copy enchantment (adds verstility for toher things too). I find the recalls, intuitions and entomb with the tutors.
I usually go after Reya followed by Niv-Mezzit and curiousity 1st because Reya will help get the creatures in play in addition to the animates. Niv-mezzet keeps my hand full and can pick off smaller creatures or a bit of direct damage. I try to get the Tyrants into play ASAP to start sending lands, etc back to opponents hand. The djinn enables replicated Demonic tutors. Raptor helps gain life. Dominius takes things from opponent. Emyprical angel helps with direct damage, and from my own lands, unblockable/shadow creatures, etc. Platinum angel helps against early loses due to mana trouble, winnie creatures, bad hand etc. and the merciless one discourages spell casting.
I have realized that disruption is a weakness, I am trying to put up defenses against counterspells (defense grid and Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir) null rod can protect against Tormod's crypt, etc.
I can imagine someone adding that I need moxes, B lotus, timewalks, A.Recall, force of will, etc......but I cant afford those cards.
I guess I am looking for someone to point out holes or weaknesses in the deck and suggest some cards that arent $40 per card.
Thanx!
This isn't a bad start, but I would drop Teferi from the main deck as you don't really want to hardcast your guys, and I don't necessarily think of his other ability as being universally useful enough to justify his inclusion. I've always loved Reya, even though she is a tad too slow to really pull her weight in a competitive environment.
I would make the following changes, at a glance:
- 2 Clone (as a general rule, I feel strongly that this card is only going to be useful when you are already winning. Cards that aren't good by themselves aren't worth putting in your deck)
- 1 Teferi
- 4 Copy Enchantment
- 3 Recall (too slow in my opinion)
- 1 Mystical Tutor, 1 Personal Tutor, 1 Merchant Scroll (too slow and not worth it without Ancestral and other power cards)
+ 4 Duress
+ 4 Exhume
+ 1 Demonic Consultation
+ X of Dance of the Dead (I agree this an excellent suggestion for a deckbuilder on a budget)
+ X of Careful Study/Probe/Last Rites/Thirst for Knowledge/Breakthrough (play around and see what is best)
+ 1 Yawgmoth's Will
If you are going to run multiple copies of Buried Alive (and I see no reason not to) then I would drop Null Rod for Woodripper which also doubles as a nice 4/6 beat stick. I don't think Null Rod is a good solution for Tormod's Crypt as this card is usually going to wreck you regardless. If you are playing first, Duress helps a lot, and I imagine Chalice of the Void could be a possible solution, though not something I would main deck. I would definitely add 4 copies of both Duress and Exhume, then start thinking about Dance of the Dead since Exhume doesn't worry about enchantment removal, but that is just my personal preference. You are way better off running Demonic Consultation over the weak tutor cards. You don't have enough good targets to justify running those. Keep Demonic of course.
Lastly, I would recommend you gravitate towards Legacy in general as I think you will have an easier time in the Legacy format without power cards. I don't know what your play environment is like, but you are at too great of a disadvantage in any serious type one arena.
Just my 0.02.
Peace
