101

(8 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

So a few thoughts as you're curious about competitive play with this build:

1) Stubborn Denial in the SB?  Your only source of blue is Mana Confluence... drop these for something else in that spot.

2) You're currently sitting in the limbo that is straddling the line between aggro and mid-range strategies.  You really do have to commit to one or the other if you want to be successful in competitive play.  For instance, you're sitting on aggro cards like Bloodsoaked Champion (I am aware of his synergy with Butcher of the Horde for mid-range play), Frenzied Goblin, and Act of Treason; yet, then you have mid-range stuff like Nyx-Fleece Ram, Purphoros, God of the Forge, Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker and Elspeth.  If you want to go with a token build, go that route, but that's a more mid-rangey type strategy.  My point is that you really need to pick one or the other and focus more on that specific strategy, cutting out all unnecessary elements for the sake of consistency and redundancy.

3) As for the life loss from Thoughtseize and the various other lands, you have Sorin as a source of life-gain AND need to consider that many other decks are running similarly painful manabases.  As a result, I wouldn't stress the life too much but would definitely consider copies of Whip of Erebos for the sideboard.

4) I think you need some amount of the removal suite currently in the SB in the mainboard, regardless of which strategy you opt to follow.  In aggro you need stuff to clear the way, in mid-range you have to be able to stabilize the board and deal with opposing threats.  Even if you're wanting to do a token-centric Puphoros build, Mardu Charm belongs in the main deck as all three options are welcome.

If you want some potential builds to work from, see this post where I provided aggro and mid-range lists that you could use as a starting point: https://deckbox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=22435

I hope some of this helps and I'll happily answer any questions you have.

102

(6 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Okay, so a few changes to be made and cards to cut:

Rakshasa's Secret is pretty bad.  Against an aggressive deck, they've already dropped their hand before you can really cast this.  Against a control deck, their hand will be full and since they get to choose which two cards to discard, well, they can keep their big threats.  If you're looking for affordable hand-disruption then Despise is the place to be looking.  Obviously Thoughtseize is the gold standard, but if you don't want to drop the cash for them (or don't have them already) then that's $80 worth of four cards...

I get that you're trying to fill the yard, but Bitter Revelation strikes me as a strictly worse Sign in Blood or Read the Bones.  I would say to run one of those and use other cards to fill the yard.

Death Frenzy is just worse than Drown in Sorrow and I would say is even worse than other removal as it will end up taking out all your zombie tokens (not exactly an ideal solution).  I'd honestly cut these for a few Sultai Charms or more general removal.  Sideboard Drown for aggro match-ups, but otherwise, this has no business in the main.

3x Liliana Vess strikes me as too high.  I'd say only run 2x of her at the most.

4x Rakshasa Vizier also strikes me as being too high.  Perhaps cut this down to 3x.

Sultai Soothsayer comes across as a worse version of Satyr Wayfinder, Taigam's Scheming, or Commune with the Gods when it comes to filling the yard.

Shambling Attendants are just bad.  I get that you're looking to use Delve, but there are better cards to be casting with Delve than this.  Treasure Cruise is an easy example as, in the mid-to-late game where you have 7+ cards in the yard, it essentially becomes Ancestral Recall (which is pretty good I hear).

I don't know that I'd run 4x Necropolis Fiend either.  Perhaps as a 2x.  He's a bomb, but in reality is mostly just a 4/5 flyer that will come down for cheap here and there.  His ability isn't something you'll be using all that much.

So, the long story short, delve is a neat mechanic and certainly one with promise, but keep in mind that you only have so many cards in the yard to use with delve.  Once they're used, many of the delve cards are alarmingly overcosted, meaning you need to pick and choose which delve cards to use carefully.

So that being said, I would make the following changes if I were running the deck:

-4x Rakshasa's Secret
-4x Bitter Revelation
-1x Nyx Weaver
-4x Death Frenzy
-2x Liliana Vess
-2x Murderous Cut
-1x Rakshasa Vizier
-4x Sultai Soothsayer
-4x Shambling Attendants
-2x Necropolis Fiend

Total: -28 cards
Needs: 15 cards (as you were 13 over to begin with)

+3x Treasure Cruise
+2x Sultai Charm
+2x Hero's Downfall
+3x Dakra Mystic (it can let you trigger Sidisi one card at a time while also controlling the opponent's draws if they have a Courser)
+2x Sign in Blood
+2x Commune with the Gods or Taigam's Scheming (I'd go commune, but that's me)
+1x Whip of Erebos (lifelink and you can USE the creatures in your yard for more than just delve)

If my math is right, that will put you up at 60 cards and should give you a lot better feel and power for the build.  It might be casual play, but it's always nice to have a deck run smoothly.  Good luck!

103

(2 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I'll be honest here, I don't know that the deck has enough power to really get there.  The creatures are, on average, small, and all your heroic triggers are protection spells... so you're going to hold them longer than you need to and once you start committing them to work your triggers, then the opponent will have removal.  Toss in that Anger of the Gods or Drown in Sorrow will just punish you heavily.

I think if you're looking to go with a Heroic and Outlast build you'll want to shift some things around and potentially include red.  Red gives you Akroan Crusader, Anax and Cymede, Dragon Mantle, Titan's Strength, Coordinated Assault, Goblin Rabblemaster, and even small scale burn in Lightning Strike or Stoke the Flames in the event you want that.  Toss in added heroic triggers from Warriors' Lesson and you're onto something.  This could give you a more aggressive build that, in a pinch, can make everything flying via Abzan Falconer to finish things off.  In this route I'd also consider including High Sentinels of Arashin as a 3x finisher (given that most of your stuff will have counters, this is a HUGE flyer).  Keep in mind that Ajani, Mentor of Heroes or Ajani Steadfast would work wonders in here too.

Alternately, you could go midrange and make it full blown Abzan Heroic and Outlast (with the stronger emphasis on outlast).  You don't really use outlast as much, but you could easily use the outlast boosts to make a pseudo sliver deck.  Then you get access to all sorts of things ranging from Anafenza to Siege Rhino to Abzan Charm (this card is a friggin bomb).  Toss in most of the outlast enablers as 2-3x, toss in a few ways to put counters on your guys (Reap, the Ajanis, etc), and all of a sudden you get dangerous.

I don't think either one is going to beat a lot of tier 1 decks, but then again, I've seen stranger things.

104

(6 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

First off, is this deck for block constructed, standard?  What format is this meant to be?  Second, what type of setting are you playing in?  Are you looking to rock the kitchen table circuit or are you thinking this is ready for FNM?

From a quick, cursory glance, I can see MAJOR problems with it that would stop it from being good at FNM, but I'll hold off on all of that until you give a sense of where this thing is going.

One quick pointer though, given the amount of fixing in Khans, you really should be running some of the dual or tri-lands (even if you don't have the temples, painlands, or fetches).

105

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Refine them how?  Much of the polishing that one does for a deck comes from playtesting and adjustments for a local metagame.    The lists as I provided should perform alright on their own but would be better if you adjust them to fit your playstyle and the types of decks that you're likely to encounter.

As for the Sultai lists, if you're just looking for pre-made decklists, as much as it pains me to say this, just net-deck them.  There was an article on TCGplayer today showcasing a Sulti control-ish deck that won one of the States Championships and another article from Adam Yurchick that details Sultai mid-range decks.

Personally, I enjoy the deckbuilding aspect of the game, finding combos, building around strategies, and seeing what can win games (all while being at least moderately competitive).  That being said, I have no idea how you play, what you enjoy doing as a player, etc, and can't just spit out lists at request.  I have a Sultai mid-range that I'm enjoying the crap out of, but that's mostly because I find the interactions of Sidisi, Brood Tyrant, Dakra Mystic, and Whip of Erebos.

106

(4 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

For starters, I would consider tossing Seeker of the Way and even Ajani's Pridemate into the mainboard.  Ajani Steadfast also strikes me as being more reliable than Sage of the Inward Eye - reduced cost, more consistent, immediate board impact, etc.

Having said that much, I do think that, by moving out of green, you really are limiting your ability to place +1/+1 counters on Sage of Hours.  Red here really only gives you Sage of the Inward Eye and Jeskai Charm, while green would give you a wealth of options from Ranger's Guile (which protects sage while also triggering heroic), to Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, to Hardened Scales or even Solidarity of Heroes.  All these options will help you build sage in addition to the sunbond combo... remember that redundancy is rather important for any combo deck.

That being said, if you wanted to disrupt said combo, as currently constructed, the opponent could recognize what you're up to and just be sure to take care of Sage before he really gets anywhere (yes, you have some protection for him, but then you're sitting on him in your hand or taking forever to get the combo rolling).  Utter End will simply get rid of him, as would enchantment removal for SunbondSilence the Believers, similar to Utter End, exiles...  etc.  Personally, if I were playing against you, I would just hold up two removal spells and let you put Sunbond on him and then go for the 2-for-1, let you try to counter, and play the other removal in response - netting a 3-for-2, but also really neutering your deck as, without the combo, it doesn't really have much punch from what I can see.

So a few quick thoughts from a very brief look through the list:

1) I think you're going to want spot removal more than board wipes.  Board wipes are great for GROUP EDH play, but will likely end up hurting you more than your opponent (considering that you only have 9 creatures).  It would be much better to take out their blocker, slide in the damage, and go from there.

2) Proliferate.  One issue with infect decks is that they can get bogged down against an opponent who has larger defenders.  Proliferate, specifically Contagion Clasp and Contagion Engine are marvelous ways to push through those last few poison counters when your creatures can no longer connect.

3) I'm seeing several of the staples for French (aka 1v1) EDH missing here.  Sol Ring?  This is the biggest one that comes to mind, but definitely worth sliding in there.

4) I would also suggest putting in a bit more of a backup win-con.  Whether it be Phyrexian Obliterator or Grave Titan or whatever, there will be times where you just can't get the infect in there to finish the job.

But honestly, if you wanted to build an infect, Rafiq of the Many can actually work with Glistener Elf for  T3 and T4 kills...

108

(5 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

You stated that this is a standard deck, so I'm going to assume that your end goal would be to take it to an FNM and not just get totally destroyed every game.  Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

That being said, I'm seeing quite a few conflicting elements here that I think will make this a bit underwhelming:

1) You have TONS of stuff to fill the yard and seem to have gone overboard with the delve option, but not all of the pieces fit together that seamlessly.  From a quick look through, it seems that the primary win con is to cheat out a Necropolis Fiend for relatively cheap.  Is this correct?  Sidisi really doesn't flood the board as much as you'd think given the current creature count and the number of tools that fill the yard multiple cards at a time.  If this is the case, I think you're REALLY going to struggle in a more competitive environment - specifically, I can easily see where a single Elspeth, Sun's Champion could just stone-wall you.

2) Where's the sideboard?

3) Several of the cards here are highly counter-productive or otherwise just don't really go with a single focused plan.  For instance, Pharika requires you to have creatures in the yard to really impact the board, but delve will, by definition, remove those creatures.  As another example, Villainous Wealth practically demands a strategy utilizing some sort of ramping to then cast it for a large total... yet, you have no ramp here AND will likely be shedding a LOT of your lands to the yard with all the stuff you're using to fill the yard.

4) The mana-base is SLOW and doesn't even have the advantages of scry lands.  Seriously, where are the Theros block pieces?  If you just started that's fine, but they're going to be pretty important to be competitive.  The M15 pain-lands can also be a great help here, even as 1-2x of each (Yavimaya Coast and Llanowar Wastes in case you didn't already know).

So, where do you go from here?  Well, luckily there are plenty of options:

1) Go for a more ramp-centric build that really focuses on Villainous Wealth and a few other bombs - for this keep your eyes on Travis Woo's posts over at Channel Fireball as he's pretty interested in doing just this type of thing (and has even said so himself).

2) Have a bit of fun with Sidisi and toss a few delve pieces in there for a good time.  Note that this strategy requires nowhere even close to the amount of digging you have currently in your deck.  To do this sort of thing I would advocate for Sylvan Caryatid, Courser of Kruphix (if you can get them), and things of that nature.  I actually have been playing with a build based around Sidisi and some funny interactions and it has performed alright (not perfectly, but it wins more than it loses).  You can see that build here: https://deckbox.org/sets/788285  Amusingly enough Omenspeaker and Dakra Mystic have been absolute all-stars for me as they let you fix your draws while letting you screw up an opponent (if they have a Courser in play, you can literally control their draws to some extent) AND offering a nice card-by-card way to trigger Sidisi.

3) Go with some sort of a reanimator build.  For these I would look to the recent SCG results that had some of these elements.  Here the key really is Whip of Erebos and the flexibility it provides you to reanimate your stuff.  Sidisi milled that Abhorrent Overlord off the top of your deck?  What a shame, now you can reanimate it for four, get five harpy tokens, and swing with a 6/6 flying lifelink.  Note that people doing this have been using white so they can utilize Ashen Rider from Theros as an absolute reanimation bomb - something you could still do here as you will frequently mill them to the yard and can also use Sultai Charm to drop the ones you draw.

4) Go with a yard filling strategy not unlike Conley Woods' B/G dredge deck from before rotation.  You pick up a few added pieces with the delve that will make the deck a bit more potent (card draw, Murderous Cut, etc.).  The key here is not to load up too heavily on the delve cards.  I think the big mistake you're making at the moment here is having too many delve cards in the build... think about it, you can cast Dead Drop for B and exile 9 cards from your yard, but what about that second copy in your hand?  Now you have a REALLY overcosted card that you're spending your turns filling the yard just to cast.  Anyway, google Conley Woods B/G dredge and see if that's more up your alley.

I hope some of this mess helps.  I'd be happy to explain anything you're confused with or aren't following further.  Good luck!

109

(4 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I'm assuming this deck is meant for purely casual play?

What can you tell us about your competition?  What types of decks do you see?  Are you looking for a specific format?  What is your budget to improve the deck?

There are quite a few suggestions that I can make but I always tell people, the more info you can give us, the better the responses we can give you.

For the meantime, you can reference my mono-white cat EDH deck (https://deckbox.org/sets/355176) - Kemba is typically the commander, but sometimes I'll feel like something a bit different and switch it to Raksha.

I can openly say that if you're going to build without the life-gain, Sigarda is a MUCH better general than Emmara Tandris - she's just, well, bad... if you consider that for 1 more mana you're sitting on Avacyn, Angel of Hope.

To further clarify though, the spell would resolve and you would take control of Kruphix; however, I believe that, once under your control, Kruphix would check your devotion, see that you do not have enough and would cease being a creature while under your control.  However, the fact it is no longer a creature wouldn't stop you from sacrificing the permanent... but there is no toughness associated with it.

So again, I could be wrong here, but my sense is that the spell would take Kruphix, he stops being a creature and cannot block, you still sac him, but you don't gain any life.

Those are the two commanders you're after... The best way I've found to make a token deck effective is to limit the number of token types it is creating, in turn, improving the synergy of the various cards you're working with.  Thankfully you have a TON of options to choose between.  I would suggest trying out Soldiers if you want a more white-centric build, but one that SHOULD be nicer on the budget (and easier to track the cards down) these days.

Here's a link to the G/W token deck I made my GF using Trostani as the general:

https://deckbox.org/sets/694735

I hope that helps.

113

(6 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Given that you're talking about just 1/1s, you should pick up copies of Illness in the Ranks, Curse of Death's Hold, Bile Blight, Drown in Sorrow, Black Sun's Zenith, and the others mentioned by Deucebot.

Note that things like Illness and Curse would kill even the plant tokens from Avenger as he comes out, his trigger to make the plants goes on the stack, and only once another land is played would that trigger go on the stack.  Both Illness and Curse impose state-based effects which check every time anything on the stack resolves - so the plants would enter and die immediately.

114

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

So if you're looking for a more mid-range strategy, you typically will want more removal and a lower density of threats (but with those threats being, well, more threatening).  So if you'd prefer a Mardu Mid-Range build, I've been tinkering with the following list:

3 Temple of Triumph
3 Temple of Silence
3 Temple of Malice
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Mountain
3 Swamp
2 Caves of Koilos
2 Battlefield Forge
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
3 Crackling Doom
3 Mardu Charm
3 Thoughtseize
3 Butcher of the Horde
2 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
1 Mardu Ascendency
2 Utter End
2 Hero's Downfall
3 Anger of the Gods
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
3 Magma Jet
3 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Chandra, Pyromaster

Sideboard:
1 Deicide
3 Despise
2 Stoke the Flames
2 Chained to the Rocks
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Banishing Light
3 Nyx-Fleece Ram

So what you'll notice about this build is that it is aimed toward a much slower, longer game.  Whereas the aggro deck is built to literally crap creatures onto the field, this one has a lot of emphasis on disruption, removal, and versatility.  Most players don't run Anger mainboard, but rather than be caught off-guard against aggro and ramp decks, I prefer having the option there.  You can use it to easily take out a fleet of aggro stuff or even to drop your opponent's mystics and caryatids - nothing is more back breaking for a green deck than losing 2-3 rampers on t3.  You have more pointed removal in Magma Jet, Utter End, Hero's Downfall, Crackling Doom, Mardu Charm, and even Thoughtseize.  But you'll note that ALL of these cards play multiple roles in the game plan, i.e., Magma Jet which can burn a player/PW, torch a critter, or just be used to fix your upcoming draws with the scry.

How does one win the game here?  Well, through a battle of attrition AND some major threats.  Goblin Rabblemaster just craps card advantage.  Chandra can give you added cards.  Stormbreath is often a win on its own, and, if not, Sarkhan and Elspeth are happy to clean up too.  So again, the challenge is to make it to the mid-game at which point you will just dominate.

I'm not going to claim that this build is ideal, but it has a lot of options.  The true control deck for the post-rotation format has yet to really be defined (or really even be attempted that much).  The simple fact is that control has relied on Supreme Verdict and Sphinx's Revelation for so long that control players have to remember what they were doing before RTR came along.

Anyway, I hope something from these builds makes sense.  I can provide more clarification on card choices if you like or if you're more interested in the decision process behind why one would go with an aggro deck versus mid-range versus control.

Good luck!

115

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

If you're going aggro, you want UNTAPPED lands and low CMC stuff.  There is even potential for a semi-warrior tribal build.  Here's the list I've been tinkering with:

23 Lands:
3 Mana Confluence
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Battlefield Forge
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Swamp
3 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

29 Creatures:
4 Bloodsoaked Champion
4 Tormented Hero
3 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Chief of the Edge
4 Borderland Marauder
4 War-Name Aspirant
2 Grim Haruspex
3 Goblin Rabblemaster
1 Iroas, God of Victory

8 Other Spells:
3 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
3 Ride Down
2 Mardu Ascendency

What you'll note is that almost every creature is a "warrior" subtype AND they largely top out at 3 CMC.  To be honest, I've been thinking very much about cutting Iroas from this list as he has frequently underperformed.  So you have 11 one-drops, 12 two-drops, 7 three-drops (if you count the ascendency which you cannot discount, this card is sick), and 3-4 four-drops (depending on whether you keep Iroas).

I can't say I've tested this extensively, but it has done rather well when I've run it (and the mana have behaved).  Having every land enter play untapped is also great.  Ride Down is an absolute monster with Rabblemaster as they'll often try to chump him or block with a Courser to trade... no such luck for them, as you remove their blocker AND get a load of damage though (this doesn't work on Caryatid, but if they're blocking Rabblemaster with one of those, well, you're doing alright there already).

At the moment the SB is as follows:

3 Butcher of the Horde
2 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
3 Utter End
2 Hero's Downfall
2 Stormbreath Dragon
3 Thoughtseize

Why these cards?  Well, to be 100% honest, it's not entirely clear how well an aggro strategy will fare in the new standard environment.  One issue is that the opponent will be able to side in mass removal in the forms of Drown in Sorrow and Anger of the Gods, in an effort to counter this and catch the opponent totally off guard, you can use this SB to transition almost completely into a mid-range Mardu build.  To the Spikes out there, I know this is not optimal, but one can't really have an effective SB without at least some inklings for what the new meta will look like.

Anyway, this is clearly the optimal list which would be worth like $500... but it'd be something to shoot for.

116

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

So I think there are a few issues here, but first:

1) Is this for FNM play?  If so, how competitive is it at your FNM?  Are we talking all tier 1 decks or are there plenty of home brews?

2) What's your budget to improve the deck?


Now, for the deck itself:

Most importantly, you need to choose the strategy as it's currently split between something sort-of aggro and a more mid-range deck.  Trying to saddle the line between the two seldom ends well.  You really need to pick one and run with it.

I don't know that either strategy is ideal, as it has yet to be seen whether the tri-colored "clan" decks will be worth anything or not (it would be a shame if they weren't).  As it sits, I'm not sure about Athreos or Iroas for either build and you'd be better served with the appropriate fetches and Mana Confluence - at the moment you're sitting on 15 land that come into play tapped.  You would also do well with more land outright - Aggro typically can get away with 22 lands and a curve that tops at 4, mid-range needs roughly 24 lands but can have things at 5-6 play reliably.  As it sits you only have 22... so that would suggest an aggro deck, but then you would want to drop quite a few pieces.

So the tl;dr version, pick either aggro or mid-range and really focus in on that strategy more.

117

(6 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Well, more simply put, are you being beaten down by 1/1s (spirits, soldiers, saprolings, and squirrels) or is it more 3/3s (beasts for the most part)?

118

(2 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

You're going to have to give us a bit more information if at all possible:

1) What type of setting are you looking to play in?  Is this supposed to be king of the kitchen table or are you wanting to go to competitive events?

2) In the same vein, do you have a format restriction?  It is likely you'll want to keep it standard legal if you're going for competitive events, but for a more casual format, the sky is the limit.

3) Do you have particular strategies in mind?  What drew you to Golgari as opposed to some other color pairing?  Are you all about graveyard manipulation and shenanigans?  Do you have specific cards (aside from what you have listed) or combos that you're looking to utilize?

4) What is your budget for building said deck?  Are you looking for something fun and dirty on the cheap or a real competitor that might cost a fair bit?

I'm sure people get put off when I say this, but it is true: the more information you provide to the community, the more likely it is that the community will be able (and willing) to help.

119

(6 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

First off, it'd be helpful if you identified your commander so that we can have a sense of what we're working with.

Secondly, what type(s) of tokens is the opponent using?  The reason I ask is because black has a LOT of options for dealing with smaller creatures but often struggles once their toughness climbs above 3 or 4.  For the time being, look into Bile Blight, Drown in Sorrow, Illness in the Ranks, Shrivel, and cards of that nature.  The important point is that against a token strategy you do NOT want to be trading 1-for-1 removal for their tokens as you will likely fall behind rather quickly.

120

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I agree with you that the evaluation of cards for constructed is a different animal than draft; but for someone whose collection is lacking, who has little-to-no experience in developing strategy or identifying win-cons, and of that like, I still think that drafting is the more enjoyable way to learn.

That being said, even if you're a draft superstar, constructed is a very different place and it can be quite frustrating to see ideas that look absolutely stunning on paper fail to materialize in an actual play environment.

I mean it's open for you to decide Charlemagne, I'd just like for newer players to have fun while still learning some of the fundamentals of how to play better... either way.

121

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

My suggestion for you, as a newer player, would be to try to participate in and learn how to do drafts before you go jumping too hard on the constructed FNM bandwagon.  Most LGS will have regular drafts so it shouldn't be too hard to find ones to play in.

Why draft?  Well, there are a bunch of reasons why I think it is useful for newer players to start in the draft pods before going into the grinder parade of constructed FNMs:

1) Draft is still limited play.  By this I mean that drafts fall into the limited format, where players will only be allowed to use cards from the cards that they pull.  This can lead to some pretty bonkers, overpowered decks that steamroll the competition if someone pulls really well, but the more likely outcome is that everyone has a similar pool and will have comparable decks.  This is key for a newer player who doesn't have $700 to drop into your mana base.

2) Draft FORCES you to learn about cards, card interactions, strategies, and deckbuilding.  So, if you're unfamiliar, in a draft what happens is each player in the pod opens a pack, picks one card for their pool, and then passes the pack to the player on their left (or right if it's the second pack).  After three packs worth of doing this, everyone builds the best 40 card deck they can using the cards they pulled in this fashion (supplemented with basic lands provided by the LGS of course).  This can devolve into people just taking the money rares, but often that strategy leads to REALLY bad decks and poor performance.  More importantly this can teach you how to really think about the cards, what they do, how they fit into your play style, what their abilities are good for, what sorts of cards they interact with, etc. - essentially, by choosing cards one-at-a-time, you are doing everything that you should do during constructed deckbuilding, but on a card-by-card basis.  Sure, if there is a card that doesn't fit your deck that you've been dying to get your hands on, go for it, and, similarly, if there is a card that pays for the entire draft, again, take it.  But, on average, you should focus on building the best deck you can.

3) Draft builds your collection, all while having fun.  So if you recall just a minute ago, I said draft is limited play and you don't need $700 worth of cards for your mana base... but here's the clincher - you keep the draft cards (and any winnings), allowing you to accumulate more cards all while learning about the things I detailed in part 2.  Before you know it, you have the cards necessary to build something that will tread at least a little bit of water in a constructed FNM.

4) Drafts are (normally) much less stressful, less competitive, and just more enjoyable.  Note that, as with any aspect of Magic, there are those Spikes out there (and the game wouldn't be the same without them) who are total cutthroat players that would push their mother out into traffic if it means winning one more game.  So again, there will be variation across stores and even draft pods in terms of how competitive or stressful the gameplay will be, but, on average, I would argue that players who are drafting will be more laid back and probably more willing to help you learn than in a constructed FNM where just about everyone has net-decked anyway.

5) Keep in mind that, as a newer player, even in draft it is likely that you will lose quite a bit to start out.  The key here is to use those opportunities to learn more about what you've done correctly and what you've done incorrectly.  As I said previously, part of the fun (and frustration) of limited play is that the power-level of a deck can come down to what you pull out of the packs.  But this is great because it means you can see situations where your play was perfect and yet you still lose, or where your cards were clearly superior and it was your line of play that cost you the game.  The biggest challenge will be to differentiate from the two - and don't be afraid to ASK your opponent (win or lose) if there was something else you could have done, or if there were cards they were playing around, or if you did something right.  You're learning, so soak it all in.

So, I've typed this lengthy diatribe about how draft is where you should be.  I hope that at least some of the information contained is helpful or can at least point you in a path toward having fun playing this game that we are all addicted to.  Another thing to keep in mind, the new set Khans of Tarkir has its pre-release this coming weekend (19-21) which could be a LOT of fun for a newer player and then I'm sure tons of people will want to draft the new set.  So get out there, draft some cards, try to learn from your mistakes, build your collection, and, most importantly, have fun with it!

Good luck.  If I can be of any other assistance, just let me know.

First and foremost be sure to communicate with your trading partner.  I've seen enough postings in the BTRs just because people didn't take the time to talk to one another.  Make sure he/she is informed of the hiccup and keep them in the loop every few days, even if your update is "I still haven't heard anything back."

Second, do NOT cancel the trade.  Keep it open until all parties have received their cards, or, in the event something goes terribly wrong, the trade has to be annulled or something.

Third, go talk to the post office.  I'm assuming since you are referencing tracking through PayPal this means the cards were sent via the USPS.  They should be able to provide some additional information regarding WHY the cards were deemed undeliverable.  My guess would be that either the address is incorrect or there was an issue regarding packaging/size and postage (again those may seem unlikely, but clearly something went wrong).

Fourth, based on what you've posted, it would seem they are being returned to you.  If that is the case, once they come back, then just be ready to go resend them.  Double, no, triple or quadruple check the address given by your trade partner (both with them and based on what they entered) and even consider using a different courier if you want to be extra sure.

So the tl;dr version:
1) Go talk to the USPS, they should be able to tell you something.
2) Don't cancel the trade until both parties have confirmed that they have received the cards or until instructed otherwise by a Deckbox moderator.

You linked to a picture of the decklist, when you can more easily just link us to the page directly.

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(2 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

For anyone looking to comment on this one, please note that it's an EDH deck (although I'd imagine you can tell that much already).

Others may be more likely to offer some useful insights here, but I would suggest starting out with the Standard format when learning to brew your own lists before diving straight into modern.  Modern is a format full of REALLY established decks that are quite unforgiving for most new decks.  While many would argue the initial investment in modern will end up being cheaper than the cost of staying competitive in Standard, I would argue that standard is a far more approachable format for someone looking to learn the basics of deckbuilding and such.

I would also suggest reading up on the fundamentals of deckbuilding.  There are a number of good sources linked in the sticky at the top of the Decks and Deckbuilding subforum.