201 Reply by Tawnos

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

It would be helpful to know your intended audience for this deck.  If, for example, you are looking for something to play at a legacy tournament you are not going to have much success with this deck.  If you intend to play this at the kitchen table with a few of your friends you still might not do very well but without knowing their decks I couldn't say with certainty.

That being said, this deck is probably still not worth trying.  Land destruction takes an incredible amount of effort, energy and luck to pull off.  In the current state of the game it is not a viable strategy unless you can put it together with some very fast damage so your opponent dies before they can stabilize.  I don't think the tims will be able to pull it off. 

One thing I do like about the deck is the Orcish Squatters/Goblin Tunneler combo.  You could turn these two cards into their own theme and protect them with countermagic (e.g. Counterspell) or protection spells (e.g. Mother of runes).  If you can get the combo to stick it will be pretty devastating.  A similar combo would be Stone Rain/Charmbreaker Devils although you'd need a way to ensure you only had Stone Rain in your graveyard...

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202 Reply by Tawnos

(2 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

I like it.  I could certainly see a use case for that.  I will oftentimes trade for cards just to make my trade book more appealing.  In this case adding them as just trade stuff is more akin to how I want to manage my collection.  I am sure however you implement it will be great!

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203 Topic by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

As the subject suggests, the new column that shows count of cards in all decks turns to all zeros when adding cards.  A refresh is needed for the count to come back in.  Not a huge issue for me but thought you might like to know.

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204 Topic by Tawnos

(2 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

I am willing to bet I am in the minority so I understand completely if this request is low priority.

I have a vast collection of M:tg cards representing a significant investment over the past 16 years.  One of the ways I control costs is to only keep a set of 4 of whatever cards I have and proxy them when necessary.  I love the game but I am not going to invest $500 to use a set of Underground Seas in more than 1 deck. 

With that in mind, adding to my tradelist is almost never going to increment my inventory.  I am usually just deciding to let go of one I already own.  So, it would be convenient for me, and possibly others like me, to have the option to never add tradelist cards to my inventory.  It would make sense to have the setting placed in the settings menu under My Controls. 

Thanks in advance!

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205 Reply by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

nevermind, I answered my own question by reading...  It's a wonderful thing.

Right on the screen, one of the warning states "Cards added to this set will also be added to your Inventory.".  So, the answer is yes.  smile

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206 Topic by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

Is it expected behavior to have your inventory automatically incremented when adding to your tradelist?  If so, is there a setting to turn this off or do I need to micro-manage this myself?

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207 Reply by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I've seen a few myr builds over the years but I haven't seen any that are incredibly effective.  They have their moments when they can win through damage via Tempered Steel or combo out with 2x Myr Galvanizer, 2 myr and something to dump the mana into (like those Braingeysers you're packing).  However, there are simply better aggro decks and better combo decks; the myr aren't overly great at either.

Now, as a deck just for fun, Myr are just fine.  They are slow but have the ability to get very nasty around turn 6 or 7.  They have two main themes, as mentioned earlier; beatdown or ramp/combo.  As a beatdown deck I recommend a R/W build with Tempered Steel and Myr galvanizer.  As a ramp/combo deck I recommend a U/x build with Myr Galvanizer and some other stuff to keep your self alive and/or find the combo pieces.

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208 Reply by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Here is a pretty good workup of an up-to-date Birthing Pod deck which, in my opinion, is the best way to go. 

http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=10314

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209 Reply by Tawnos

(4 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I am not exactly sure what your price range is but so far I can assume it is between $0 and $7 wink

How about these?

Necessary
===========================================
Geth, Lord of the vault  //Mill and more
Lich Lord of Unx  //Mill
Unholy Grotto  //Tricks and Recovery
Undead Warchief  //Add to damage/mill
Cabal Interrogator  //Removes enemy threats and feeds their graveyard
Gutless Ghoul  //Feeds yourgraveyard
Fleshbag Marauder  //Feeds your and their graveyard
Skullclamp  //Feeds your graveyard and draws crazy amounts of cards
Carrion Feeder  //Feeds you graveyard
Balthor the Defiled  //Resurrects your graveyard
Patriarch's Bidding  //Resurrects your graveyard
Noxious Ghoul  //Feeds their graveyard
Stronghold Assassin  //Feeds their graveyard
Altar of Dementia  //Mill and feeds your graveyard
Tombstone Stairwell  //This card is tricky (see below)
Call to the Grave  //Feeds their graveyard and keeps you alive


Strongly Recommended
===========================================
Zombie Trailblazer  //Wins games
Filth  //Wins games
Bone Dancer  //Situationally awesome
Levitation  //Wins games
Plaguebearer  //Kills tokens and utility creatures like mad
Vengeful Dead  //He's scary
Nantuko Husk  //Feeds the graveyard
Withered Wretch  //Removes pesky graveyard stuff - depends on your meta but VERY good

Convenient
===========================================
Cackling Fiend  //Meh, he's OK
Corpse Connoisseur  //Feeds your graveyard
Twisted Abomination  //Feeds your graveyard
Jhessian Zombies  //Feeds your graveyard
Undead Gladiator  //Feeds your graveyard

Wow, that was a lot!  I want to make two further points; the first is about Noxious Ghoul.  Noxious ghoul isn't all that great in the normal play of an EDH deck unless your opponent is playing really small creatures which probably isn't happening.  However, when you use cards like Zombie Apocalypse, Patriarch's Bidding and Balthor the Defiled, Noxious Ghoul takes on a new role.  When he comes in to play with all those other zombies his ability triggers for all of the zombies that returned at that time. In many cases this is a blow-out because you now have 6+ zombies and all of your opponents have nothing.

The other point I would like to make is about Tombstone Stairwell.  This card has a lot of really annoying text on it but what it basically says is this:  "every turn, every player gets a 2/2, hasted zombie for each creature in their graveyard".  That has the potential to be really dangerous for you so you really have to know when to play it.  Here are examples of when to play Tombstone Stairwell:

1.  You have more creatures in your graveyard than anyone else and one of the following:
    Levitation
    Filth + they have a swamp
    Filth + Zombie Trailblazer
    Vengeful Dead + (Carrion Feeder, Nantuko Husk or Grimgrin, Corpse-Born)

2.  You have at least 1 zombie in your graveyard, can likely survive the round and Altar of Dementia in play.  Spoilers, you're about to win the game by milling yourself each turn until you have several zombies in your graveyard and then start milling your opponents.

Don't worry about the cumulative upkeep on it either.  If you're in one of the scenarios I outline above you won't need more than a few rounds before you win (or get teamed up on by 6 people because they know they will all lose if they don't tongue).

I hope some or all of that helps make your deck better while staying in your budget.  If I could recommend a single card out of your budget it would be Gravecrawler because he is simply broken with Grimgrin and many of the other effects I just mentioned.

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210 Reply by Tawnos

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

This is just my personal opinion, but sideboarding is usually reserved for tournament play and this deck is not likely to do well at a tournament.  With that in mind I probably wouldn't bother with a sideboard.  If you are still planing on taking this to a tournament despite my opinion I still don't have great news for you.  Sideboarding is complex and based heavily on the tournament format and what decks you expect to play against.

To be fair, I will gladly offer sideboard suggestions if you list the decks you expect to play against and the format of the tournament you'll be attending.  Without that information I won't be of much help. sad

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211 Reply by Tawnos

(4 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Also, I think you should ditch the mill package as you collect more zombies.  Undead Alchemist is fine to keep in but cards like Headless Skaab, Skaab Goliath, Thought Scour, Increasing Confusion, Chill of Foreboding, Jace's Erasure and even Cellar Door are simply not good enough when your opponent has 100 cards in his/her deck.  Don't get me wrong, mill is an awesome EDH strategy but it takes the right mix of very specific cards to make it happen and these aren't it.

If you'd like, I will gladly name specific cards to chase but I bet you can find most of them by simply searching the web for zombie EDH decks and looking at all the cards that are $3.00 and above wink

I wish you luck and would love to hear how the deck progresses.

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212 Reply by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

From a deck design perspective, the Phyrexian Obliterators have to go or the deck needs to lean way more towards black than white.  They are an amazing card but this deck does not have the right mana-base to cast it on turn 4 consistently. 

Also, Shattered Angel is worse than Serra Angel in this deck.  You probably don't need the life gain and with her 4 toughness and vigilance she is sure to scare off whatever creatures are left to attack after Gideon's Lawkeeper, Sheoldred, Whispering One, Norn's Annex, Pacifism and Arrest.

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213 Reply by Tawnos

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I have a friend with a deck just like this; it's very powerful once it gets moving and infinite mana with Myr Galvanizer is pretty awesome when it happens.  It's proven a pretty solid deck in multiplayer but is often too slow for 1v1 matches, at least in our group.

My only real suggestion for you would be to make room for 4x Tempered Steel as they are simply too good to ignore.  You could probably drop 2x Myr Turbines and 2x Myr Battlespheres for them.

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214 Reply by Tawnos

(4 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I've run a mono-black zombie EDH deck for about a year and with the influx of new zombie cards I will probably convert over to U/B.  I love the concept but I can tell you from experience there are alot of random zombies to collect in order to make them viable.  I think what you have here is a good start but you should keep an eye out for older zombies if you are really committed to this deck.

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215 Reply by Tawnos

(2 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

U/W golems look fun.  I didn't see any in your inventory but I always like to point out that Solemn Simulacrum is a golem and he is amazing.

Also, a question about Xenograft in this deck.  Are you trying to use it to enable metalcraft by choosing artifact as a creature type?  If so, that doesn't work.  If not, what creature type are you choosing?

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216 Reply by Tawnos

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Hellnikko wrote:

It probably hasn't been established yet, but is Sorin, lord of innistrad still worth to have in the deck or should I let him go and still make it a 3 colored deck?

If it were me, I would sell/trade Sorin before he tanks in price like every other planeswalker out there (except, maybe JtMS). 

If you do go the route Archlyte suggested I recommend making a small exception to your spirits theme and including 4x Invisible Stalkers because they are incredible with a Runechanter's Pike on them.

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217 Reply by Tawnos

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Zombies don't fly.  They come in droves and are relentless; kill one and two more appear.  tongue

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218 Reply by Tawnos

(1 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Personally, I would add a full set of Undead Alchemists to the deck as they get nuts in mill.  I would probably lose Frightful Delusion because it's not helping much and Mindcrank because, well, it's not a good card.  I guess they are good if you have out two or more but, in general, you're going to kill your opponent through damage before you kill them with Mindcrank mill. 

I also think you can cut at least 1, if not 2 Increasing Confusions.  You don't want to see these until you have plenty of land out and with the flashback you really don't need 8 effects that do the same thing.  Jace's Erasure is also not very good. 

There isn't a lot left to pick from in mono-blue, standard mill but a few Geralf's Mindcrushers could be good.  If it were me, I would go U/B, add Forbidden alchemy, run lots of creature removal and maybe even Skinrender since it's removal, a zombie and a solid blocker.

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219 Reply by Tawnos

(3 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Most of the deck looks good but I would drop Cellar Door, Flight and Zombie Infestation for just about anything else that's more zombie-like.  Havengul Lichs, 2 more Endless Ranks of the Dead or even a few Army of the Damned.

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220 Reply by Tawnos

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Ha!  You certainly don't have to gain a bunch of life to be competitive in multi-player but it is a solid strategy in certain cases.  The Soul Sisters deck I play is a good example of that.

As far as making this deck multiplayer, that is simultaneously easy and hard.  In general, any deck can be good in multiplayer and this deck is no exception.  Counterspells, removal and other tricks make it a solid multiplayer deck.  That's the easy answer.  On the other hand, it really depends on the other people you normally play multiplayer with.  If they are all gaining tons of life, this deck may not work very well.  You're better off tailoring a deck to your meta game than anything else.  Although, have you considered Commander decks in multiplayer?  They tend to do pretty well if they are built properly but it can take time to collect all the necessary cards.

With regard to sideboarding, this is also dependant on your local metagame.  If you don't know what your local metagame is like I would search the web for popular standard decks of the moment and sideboard against them.  There really isn't a good answer unless you play in my same geographic area and even then it changes really often...  I hate to leave you with absolutely 0 advice so let me say this:  much like in multiplayer, your opponents greatest weakness is your greatest strength.  If everyone is playing infect, play Melira, Sylvok Outcast.  If everyone is playing with x/1 creatures, play Curse of Death's Hold.  If your deck is slower than theirs, even the odds with Timely Reinforcements.  Find a weakness and exploit it!

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221 Reply by Tawnos

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Before suggesting any changes I want to discuss certain cards in your current deck and why I think they should be considered for removal. 

Spectral Rider - A 2-mana, Double white creature in a 3-color deck without an amazing land setup is going to sit in your hand often.  That's no good.
Honor of the Pure - Not all of your creatures are white.
Intangible Virtue - You can't make that many tokens.
Spirit Mantle - This card is all-around not good enough for this deck.  You already have plenty of evasion so pro-creatures doesn't help much.  +1/+1 is also not very critical and there are better ways to get it (like equipment).

There are a lot of directions you can go with this deck but, sticking with what's in your inventory, here's an idea; try a Runechanter's Pike build!

So, then, the changes could go something like this:

-3 Spectral Rider
-2 Honor of the Pure
-2 Intangible Virtue
-2 Spirit Mantle
-3 Voiceless Spirit
-3 Niblis of the Breath
-3 Doomed Traveler
-3 Plains

+2 Runechanter's Pike
+1 Tormented Soul
+4 Forbidden Alchemy
+3 Go for the Throat
+3 Faith's Shield
+1 Niblis of the Urn
+2 Swamp
+2 Island

Give it a shot if you're interested and let us know how it works for you.  Also, if you're going to a tournament with it I would try really hard to get a 3rd Runechanter's Pike and lots of dual lands to replace basic lands, Shimmering Grotto and Evolving Wilds.  3 colors is hard to run on basic lands and the other two lands I mentioned are slowing you down a turn which is not good.  I wish you luck!

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222 Reply by Tawnos

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Vyr1s wrote:

Generally selling on eBay or anything that is not "your store" is going to be under cutting the actual value of the cards according to tcgplayer.

If you are trying to get back into MTG and are shooting for high value to pour back into the game, your best bet is to trade them at their value for appropriate value IMO.

That is a very well-stated point, Vyr1s.  I mistakenly focused only on selling the cards when, as you pointed out, trading is the best way to get every penny out of your cards.

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223 Reply by Tawnos

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

I haven't ever sold cards to TCG player but I have to assume that they aren't in the business of buying your cards for the exact same value that they are selling them.  That being said, you likely stand to get the most value by selling on eBay.  However, you may want to compare the eBay and PayPal fees against the TCG Player purchase prices to be sure.

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224 Reply by Tawnos

(19 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I think it's important to have a finisher, like you said.  Whether that is Hand of the Praetors, Contagion Engine or something else really depends on your meta.  It sounds like the deck is on the right track so all you can do now is keep playing with it and keep an eye on what works and what doesn't.  I wish you luck!

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225 Reply by Tawnos

(9 replies, posted in Site Discussion)

Oh awesome, I didn't realize the process had been automated already.  That is welcome news and I will try to commit that to memory.  Thanks for clearing things up Sebi!

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