Topic: Flailing About... [standard][opinions]

So in an early anticipation of Gatecrash I've picked up a playset of Hinterland Harbors and I was trying to think of some U/G ideas that might be competitive for the time being.  Naturally, I thought about Invisible Stalker, but the problem is that he's so small and really doesn't present a win-con without some serious help - enter Inquisitor's Flail.  The current build is here:

http://deckbox.org/sets/275518

So again, the idea here is to focus on the stalkers, equip them with flails, and then just open up on the opponent with pumps.  My first thought was to run white and Silverblade Paladin to bond and get the double strike effect to compound the flail, but, given that I don't have any Paladins and they're sitting at $10 each, why not take it a different route, so I decided to run with green.

Green gives me a lot of options for pumping that can do some real damage when the flail is included.  Mayor of Avabruck does some pumping, or, in a "worst" case scenario, transforms and starts pumping out 3/3 wolf tokens for free.  Mwonvuli Beast Tracker provides a tutoring option to go find Invisible Stalker.  Trusted Forcemage offers an intermediate pumping option to bond with the stalkers (or something else).  Lastly, Wolfir Silverheart is the bomb here - paired with a stalker that has a flail and you're talking 10 damage per turn that they cannot stop.

But what if they take out my creatures, well, green has options for boosting things there too.  Giant Growth, Titanic Growth, and Wild Defiance all pair beautifully with one another and with Inquisitor's Flail to offer MAJOR damage for really low mana costs.  With Wild Defiance a Giant Growthed stalker is already doing 7 damage - but with a flail, that's 14 and it only costs me one.  Titanic Growth is even more dramatic.  Nevermind when I cast Increasing Savagery on a stalker.

Outside of green, I have some equipment to help the pumping too.  Bladed Bracers offer an easy one-drop that I can use, but more importantly can provide vigilance while boosting the stalkers (in case I choose to defend with them).   As I'm largely inclined NOT to block with the stalkers, Butcher's Cleaver offers a major power boost and, most importantly, lifelink.  I'll happily let them through most turns if I'm doing at least four damage with lifelink in response.

The other odd-cards out include Thought Scour for the obvious drawing cantrip, Farseek in the event that I'm stuck without any blue, or, more importantly to help get me to the equip costs faster.  Jace and Tamiyo both offer draw support and some defensive measures if I'm being outpaced.

The current sideboard consists of cards suited for my LGS meta.  Diregraf Escort and the protection against zombies offers a defensive measure.  Cyclonic Rift gives me the option to delay the opponent either by unsummoning one key permanent or (more likely) to overload it and really set them back.  Essence Scatter is meant to deal with those pesky Thragtusks and Thundermaw Hellkites.  Haunted Guardian is here for Geist of Saint Traft and GoST alone - as he can easily take out the spirit (sure you eat the 4 from the angel, killing the spirit is the more important part).  Sleep is a possible stopgap against aggro decks to keep them at bay for two full turns (and also overcoming anything hexproof).  Lastly, Curse of Echoes can be just hilarious against counter-magic decks.

So, given this interesting gimmick deck and the premise behind it, what are people's thoughts?  Is this even slightly viable?  What weaknesses do you foresee?  I can see Electrickery being a major problem, but I can only think of maybe one person running them at my LGS and they're maybe a 2x in the sideboard.  I plan on playing the deck with only one stalker on the board at any point in time, saving the others in case there is a Supreme Verdict or something else.  As a thought, would it make sense to swap Clone in for Trusted Forcemage?

As always, any feedback on another one of my crazy ideas is appreciated.

Re: Flailing About... [standard][opinions]

So I see two different routes, first being moving more towards pump spells, putting in good and bad alike and just go for a huge stalker, while distracting your opponent by including the ever scary Delver of Secrets, by including these your true motives can be disguised until you're about to swing for the game.

The other route would be similar to a deck i've designed which is based off of enchantments, primarily Etheral Armor which can make the guy huge really quickly, also if you're using the beast tracker you should include some other targets for it, one nevermore or slaughter games just wrecks you, therefore I've included x1 sigarda but the budget option would be Primal Huntbeast just so you have a hexproof fatty.

http://deckbox.org/users/imsully2

Re: Flailing About... [standard][opinions]

I definitely hear you with regard to the Nevermore and Slaughter Games threat, and yet, nobody at my LGS seems to be running any (go figure).

I could easily imagine a U/W build that uses Etheral Armor, Righteous Authority, Tricks of the Trade, white removal enchantments, Curiosity and a few other options... but then I'm still vulnerable to the same two uber-removal cards, right?  I'm in no way tied to U/G and have run through my head countless options that focus on Inquisitor's Flail ranging from R/W (yes, a one turn kill with Gisela would be funny) to U/G (what you see here) to U/B (with exalted and Tormented Soul as the primary pieces)... but for whatever reason the idea of a hexproof, unblockable creature screams frustration for my opponent.  I guess I could run U/W and have Nevermores myself, so as to name their Nevermore or Slaughter Games... hrm... options...

Re: Flailing About... [standard][opinions]

Another scary duo in green I've seen lately is Wild Beastmaster alongside Champion of Lambholt.  The buffs are there, and the Champion's ability to limit blockers is often a game ender (they can't block anything weaker than than the Champion, and the Beastmaster gives the Champion additional buffs when they attack together). Throw a Giant Growth (or similar buff) on the beastmaster, and suddenly everything is swinging for +4.  Add in your flail, and we are looking at "swing with lots" and "none of those creatures can block" for the win.

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Re: Flailing About... [standard][opinions]

HikingStick wrote:

Another scary duo in green I've seen lately is Wild Beastmaster alongside Champion of Lambholt.  The buffs are there, and the Champion's ability to limit blockers is often a game ender (they can't block anything weaker than than the Champion, and the Beastmaster gives the Champion additional buffs when they attack together). Throw a Giant Growth (or similar buff) on the beastmaster, and suddenly everything is swinging for +4.  Add in your flail, and we are looking at "swing with lots" and "none of those creatures can block" for the win.

This sounds good but If you go this route I'd recommend putting in x4 negate and x4
Ranger's Guile because the beastmaster is really susceptible to removal, if you want to go with this route there are some pretty sweet humans for a deck like this, including Mayor of Avabruck and Hamlet Captain which are great constant beefing effects for the Beastmaster.

http://deckbox.org/users/imsully2