Sunday, February 24, 2013

My decks #3: Kaalia of the Vast

I love to play any of my EDH decks. Kaalia, though, is an awesome combination of huge creatures that come in early and really fun board control.

One of my favorite things to do when I see someone with a Kaalia deck is I want to compare notes. I play all three of her favorite races in this list (the Demons, Dragons, and Angels, abbreviated as A/D/D) but I've seen Kaalia lists that are based on only one or two of the three,  just to make the choices easier.

I welcome discussion of card choices. When a deck has a clear theme, it makes card selection a lot easier. I've got that theme in other decks, but not this one. So if you tell me that Angelic Overseer is a natural fit, or that Aegis Angel has a great synergy, or that Dragon Tyrant is the end-all of what the deck wants to do, I respect that. I've taken all three out of the deck in the past year.

One thing I really love is that as a Red/White general, Kaalia has access to Sunforger and an attendant package of amazing instants.

I confess that this is the only deck where I looked--hard--to optimize the manabase. I don't have the original duals in any other deck, nor fetch lands. Whenever I see a foreign or foil that fits in here, I go for it.

Without further ado:

Kaalia's Beatdown Express

I'm going to categorize the cards in a slightly different way, rather than just card types.

Section 1: Kaalia's favorite ladies
Weathered Wayfarer
Mother of Runes
Stoneforge Mystic
These three ladies do things that Kaalia really appreciates. Mana fixing, equipment finding, and cheap protection. Wayfarer is a card that I'll skip mana drops to get online, because there's so few ways to find nonbasic lands repeatedly. One or two activations and you can do just about anything. Interestingly, I tend to go find a filterland first, because of the flexibility.


Section 2: Useful Equipment
Swiftfoot Boots
Darksteel Plate
Lightning Greaves
Whispersilk Cloak
Pretty straightforward. Four low-cost, low-equip artifacts that really help Kaalia do her thing. I recently took out General's Kabuto, because the initial cost was just a little too high. Lightning Greaves is the flagship, because of the zero equip. Nothing will get you killed faster than turn 2 Greaves, because of the threat you represent. And taking you out for it is an understandable reaction.

Section 3: Sunforger & its Searchable Spells
Hide/Seek
Chaos Warp
Return to Dust
Wild Ricochet
Delirium
Mortify
Boros Charm

The Sunforger spells are good no matter what. Having the ability to tutor these up when needed--especially Delirium to kill someone who played a Blightsteel Colossus--is a really great set of options. Mistveil Plains is a piece of tech that works fantastically with the Sunforger. Tutor up and cast your spell, then put it on the bottom of your library, ready to be searched up again! Repeat until you have won or the table has destroyed you out of pure envy.


Section 5: Useful Artifacts
Sol Ring
Darksteel Ingot
Quicksilver Amulet

Quicksilver Amulet, and its enchantment cousin Sneak Attack, are excellent cards for a deck like this, which sort of relies on overcosted creatures.  I don't have a Sneak Attack, and I may have missed my chance to get one a while back at $20.  Oh well.

Section 6: Board Control
Brightflame
Merciless Eviction
Hallowed Burial
Void
Vindicate

I know I said I took Brightflame out, but it's just so amazing.  I couldn't do it.  I ended up cutting Bloodgift Demon instead.  Eviction is exactly what most decks want: strong answers to a range of permanents. Hallowed Burial is tremendously amusing to play, especially right after someone kills Kaalia. Void and Vindicate are universal answers, and you can't have too many of those.

Section 7: Awesome Enchantments
Fervor
Land Tax
Oversold Cemetery
Phyrexian Arena
Guild Feud
True Conviction
Stranglehold
Debtors' Knell

Guild Feud is the secret tech in the deck. I've got 33 big creatures, so it's unlikely that it will miss completely. I've expressed love for this enchantment before, as part of a fun mini-game. Sure, it could go badly, but what the heck. My enjoyment is the priority. I haven't had anyone flip an Eldrazi on me...yet. Oversold Cemetery is great tech with Kaalia, because it reloads the creature back to my hand, ready for the attack trigger. Every red deck should at least think about playing Stranglehold. Putting down Fervor or Arena on turn three is a pretty great feeling for the rest of the game.

Section 8: Demons, Dragons, and Angels
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Akroma, Angel of Fury
These two ladies are a given.  I wonder if we'll ever get blue, black, or green Akromas?
Reya Dawnbringer
Iona, Shield of Emeria
Two nine-drops that attract a lot of hate.  Iona is the subject of much discussion--as a frequent Bribery target, she can warp a game quickly.
Lord of the Void
If it had trample, it would be the perfect 7-drop.
Bogardan Hellkite
This is a fun card to drop in with Kaalia, as the 5 damage can take out something that might have blocked and killed her.
Scourge of Kher Ridges
I'm surprised that more people don't run this card.  It can ensure that it's the only creature on the board, given enough mana.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Heck yes.
Pestilence Demon
I waffle on this card pretty hard.  I love what it does, as it can keep tokens and planeswalkers in check, but it also kills Kaalia.  Sad.
Angelic Skirmisher
Yes, I'm trying this card out.  I'm not sure yet if it's good enough to keep, so stay tuned.
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
The doubling would be awesome enough on its own, but the halving really makes this shine.  Super-combo-riffic if Pestilence Demon is in play!
Tariel, Reckoner of Souls
There's a few ways for Tariel to have haste in this deck, and to immediately get a creature, even a random one, is amazing.
Angel of Despair
Pure value. Vindicate on a 5/5 flyer.
Platinum Angel
Sure, it's a very fragile body, but while it's in play, you can't lose! Until it's not in play, and then you do. Nonetheless, it's a good time.
Rune-Scarred Demon
More value! Demonic Tutor on a 5/5 flyer!
Angel of Serenity
Useful as a reload, but don't try to get too cute.  Karmic Guide is a fantastic target for her ability.
Rakdos the Defiler
Since Kaalia drops him into play, you skip the pain of making him attack, while the damaged player feels the defilement.  And then he's a great blocker.
Thundermaw Hellkite
This card boggles my mind.  I still can't believe it's real.  And for Kaalia, he's a BFF, coming down the turn after you played her (hopefully she lived) and tapping down any flying blockers they have, clearing the way for her to hit.
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Ryusei, the Falling Star
Yosei, the Morning Star
Just three sets of amazing.  Ryusei especially, as he won't hurt anything in this deck but Kaalia's three girlfriends.
Deathless Angel
It's a steep mana requirement to make things indestructible, but worth it.
Twilight Shepherd
Keep in mind that this returns cards to your hand, not to play, so there may be some discarding going on.
Aurelia, the Warleader
Two attacks means two Kaalia triggers.  Should be game over...or you'll get eliminated out of pure jealousy.
Adarkar Valkyrie
Tremendsouly fun to steal things.  The Valkyrie doesn't need to be in play for the ability to resolve.  They wipe the board, you tap in response, and end up with the creature you want.
Steel Hellkite
Very useful early on.  Be warned--if you blow up someone's early Signets or other mana rocks, they will harbor a deep resentment for the rest of the game.
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
While he's cheap and amazing, he reduces mana costs in your second main phase.  Sometimes that's good enough, sometimes not.
Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Not quite Torpor Orb powerful, but still extremely good to shut down some shenanigans people bring to the table.
Basandra, Battle Seraph
I probably love this card a little too much. I like keeping combat clean, but I REALLY like forcing other things to attack.  Remember that they can attack anyone--her ability doesn't require the targeted creature to attack you.
Radiant, Archangel
Sadly, this is likely to come out.  While she is big and vigilant, that's about it.  No trample or cool abilities.  
Karmic Guide
A pretty amazing card, with or without echo.
Hellkite Tyrant
I documented how good I think this can be in my Gatecrash review, and it doesn't disappoint.  Stealing artifact lands feels so good!
Baneslayer Angel
Remember when this was a $50 card, and then the Titans were printed?  Amusingly, she has protection from lots of this deck.  Really funny is that Halo Hunter came out at the same time. 

Section 9: The Just-About-Perfect Manabase

Plateau
Badlands
Scrubland
Original dual lands? Check.
Arid Mesa
Bloodstained Mire
Marsh Flats
Three appropriate fetchlands? Yes.
Blood Crypt
Godless Shrine
Sacred Foundry
The three shocklands? Done.
Graven Cairns
Rugged Prairie
Fetid Heath
The "I wish I could fetch these" filterlands? Got them.
Orzhov Basilica
Boros Garrison
Rakdos Carnarium
One each of the bouncelands? Present!
Dragonskull Summit
Clifftop Retreat
Isolated Chapel
All three checklands? Ready!
Cavern of Souls
Reflecting Pool
Command Tower
Two any-color lands and the Cavern, which is almost always set to Human--people love to Hinder Kaalia!
Slayers' Stronghold
Vault of the Archangel
These utility lands are definitely worth it.  Three lands to give haste is very handy, and mega-lifelink can be very swingy.
Mistveil Plains
Bojuka Bog
The Mistveil is here to reload spells with Sunforger. The bog is because I haven't crammed more graveyard hate into the deck.
Thawing Glaciers
Slow, yes, but inevitablly good.
Maze of Ith
Oh yes, you can attack with Kaalia, drop in an A/D/D, and then Maze Kaalia so that she stays undamaged.
Thespian's Stage
I'm stocking up on these once they fall to $1.  
2 Mountain
3 Plains
2 Swamp
Ideally, I'd have three of each so that I could fill mana requirements with just basics, but it hasn't been an issue yet.


And there you have it! My Kaalia deck.  I imagine that many of you are thinking "Why don't you have (name of Angel/Dragon/Demon) in your deck?!  It's amazing!"  You're right to ask, so if you put down the card in the comments, I'll answer your comment.  Believe me, there's no single right answer to "Which A/D/D should I run?" and so a lively discussion is good.

Next time, we're talking colorless lands.  Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Gatecrash Deck Updates!

First of all, a pair of announcements.

1) I got married! Yay me and my understanding wife! This is why updates got very slow. But if you really need a fix of what I offer, I'm on Twitter @WordOfCommander and that's fun too.

2)I'm switching to AutoCardAnywhere, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to do the same.  It doesn't have a mobile version yet, but for Safari, Firefox, and Chrome, this is outstanding.



I've had a chance to play with some Gatecrash cards, and I'm excited about updating my EDH decks with new cards.

This is going to be both easier and harder than the Return to Ravnica updates.

Easier: I'm down to nine decks now and that's much less to manage.

Harder: The Primordial cycle is pretty amazing. I have two decks with heavy Gruul use (Adun and Animar) and Simic (Animar and Kraj) so there's a lot of cards I have to at least consider putting in.

In my initial pass through the set, I could pretty much build a new Animar deck with the cards in Animar's colors.

It's also notable that Gatecrash has some truly awesome creatures, and I tend towards creature-based decks.

Two things are a given: play shocklands and play Thespian's Stage. I cannot think of many decks where Stage won't be useful--for an answer to Gaea's Cradle or other Legendary Lands or just to copy someone else's Maze of Ith. Pretty soon I'm going to have to write an article on 'Just how many colorless lands can one deck take?'

Again, we are going in alphabetical order of my generals.

Going in:
Sepulchral Primordial
Sylvan Primordial
Hellkite Tyrant
Domri Rade
Lord of the Void

Coming out:
Tsabo Tavoc
Havoc Demon
Terastodon
Elderscale Wurm
Rakdos, Lord of Riots 

Close but not good enough:
Gruul Ragebeast
Hellraiser Goblin
Molten Primordial
Clan Defiance
Signal the Clans
Illusionist's Bracers

Ogre Slumlord
Five-Alarm Fire
Giant Adephage
Borborygmos Enraged

Wrecking Ogre
Skarrg Goliath
Ghor-Clan Rampager


I am really on the fence about the three Bloodrush creatures. They are great bonuses, and they all work well with my general, because I could Bloodrush a creature, bring it back to hand, and Bloodrush it again, given enough mana and no disruption. I'm inclined to say that they aren't good enough, but I want to try them, so I will. Eventually.

Domri Rade is going to be noncreature #6 for this deck.

I want to play Gruul Ragebeast, except that it's not a 'may' ability. Even if there's no creature under my opponents' control, I have to have new creatures fight, the Ragebeast if nothing else.  If I weren't so focused on keeping the noncreature count low, I'd add the Bracers, because I've got some amazing tap abilities in this deck, including Adun himself.  I really want to find space for the Lord of the Void.




In:
Hellkite Tyrant
Enter the Infinite
Sylvan Primordial
Diluvian Primordial
Unexpected Results
Zameck Guildmage
Master Biomancer
Prime Speaker Zegana
Fathom Mage

Out:
Yavimaya Elder
Sphinx Ambassador
Primordial Hydra
Acidic Slime
Ring of Evos Isle
Ring of Kalonia
Silverglade Elemental
Mindclaw Shaman
Pilgrim's Eye


Close but not good enough:
Simic Manipulator
Ivy Lane Denizen
Gyre Sage
Crowned Ceratok
Hellraiser Goblin
Gruul Ragebeast
Biomass Mutation
Domri Rade
Signal the Clans
Illusionist's Bracers
Keymaster Rogue
Rapid Hybridization
Sapphire Drake
Molten Primordial
Wrecking Ogre
Burst of Strength
Experiment One
Giant Adephage
Skarrg Goliath
Borborygmos Enraged
Clan Defiance
Elusive Krasis
Ghor-Clan Rampager
Nimbus Swimmer

See that list?  That's a whole deck.  Between the Gruul and Simic cards, Animar decks have a tremendous amount of options.  I can't disagree with anyone who wants to run these cards that I chose to leave out.  Mindclaw Shaman has been a lot of fun, but has missed more often than I expected.  I changed the mana around some, and so I needed less mana creatures.  The Rings were not nearly as effective as I wanted (and I just added a Champion's Helm!) and thanks to deckbox.org, I just got offered a Japanese Survival of the Fittest, and that's why I'm taking out Acidic Slime.  I've got Indrik Stomphowler already, and adding another tutor engine is a good thing.



In:
Enter the Infinite

Out:
Vedalken Aethermage

Close but not good enough:
Diluvian Primordial
Rapid Hybridization
Stolen Identity
Aetherize

I've been unhappy with the Aethermage, since I just use him to find Willbender, and I hate tutors that stay predictable.  Since this is my 'big blue' deck, and I have Omniscience in there already, Enter the Infinite absolutely goes in.


Balthor the Defiled
In:
Wight of Precinct Six
 
Out:
Phyrexian Ghoul

Close but not good enough:
Crypt Ghast

Only one amazing Zombie in this deck for ol' Bally, and it'll be a big bruiser for very cheap.  The Ghoul is one of several sacrifice outlets in the deck, and I don't mind losing a little redundancy.  If Crypt Ghast was a Zombie, then we'd really be in business.



In:
Sapphire Drake
Simic Manipulator
Experiment One
Master Biomancer
Prime Speaker Zegana
Simic Charm
Unexpected Results
Zameck Guildmage
Illusionist's Bracers
Fathom Mage

Out:
Boundless Realms
Cytoshape
Silvos, Rogue Elemental
Scarwood Bandits
Spitting Image
Snakeform
Blockade Runner
2 Island
1 Forest

Close but not good enough:
Ivy Lane Denizen
Crowned Ceratok
Biomass Mutation
Gyre Sage
Burst of Strength
Simic Fluxmage
Sylvan Primordial

I had 43 land in this deck! Some testing showed that was overkill, so 40 it is.  The Simic creatures are just ridiculous in this deck.  I'm chomping at the bit to abuse Master Biomancer with Kraj.  Instant, free counters are exactly what this deck wants.  Illusionist's Bracers is a card that should never be allowed to stay on the field!  Gyre Sage is absolutely good enough--but there's many, many infinite combos with the Sage and I want to avoid those in this deck.  Sheldon Menery said it thusly: "The secret to this format is not breaking it."  It's plenty fun to build a deck that's powerful without being redundant.



In:
Duskmantle Seer

Out:
Chancellor of the Dross

Close but not good enough:
Dimir Charm
Stolen Identity
Crypt Ghast

 This is my foiling-in-process Vampire tribal deck.  Eventually, I'm going to have to decide between flavor and foiling, because some Vampires will never be in foil. (Baron Sengir, Castle Sengir, Shauku, Endbringer) A friend was kind enough to give me a Duskmantle Seer in foil as a wedding present, so in he goes.  Chancellor was just too expensive to cast.



In:
Lord of the Void
Hellkite Tyrant
Aurelia, the Warleader
Boros Charm
Merciless Eviction
Angelic Skirmisher

Out:
Balefire Dragon
Restoration Angel
General's Kabuto
Brightflame
Akroma's Vengeance

Close but not good enough:

Blind Obedience
Luminate Primordial
Sepulchral Primordial
Molten Primordial
Aurelia's Fury
Deathpact Angel
Firemane Avenger
Immortal Servitude

Wizards loves Kaalia.  They really do.  Every set since the Commander preconstructed decks has gotten several awesome Angels, Dragons, and Demons to consider for Kaalia decks.  And why not?  She's powerful but fair...as long as you have instant-speed removal in your deck.  With every set, the arguments about which A/D/D to add gets better and better.  Lord of the Void is an auto-include for this, and maybe for all black decks.  I can't imagine it hitting a player and missing on the ability. Aurelia is not good to drop in with Kaalia's ability, but if you drop Kaalia on five and then Aurelia, I suspect you're killing a player.

Boros Charm is ridiculous.  It's cheaper and more flexible than Rootborn Defenses, and it's going to become a Sunforger staple.

Brightflame is a tough cut for me, but I'm likely to go back to Sudden Spoiling soon. The sad truth is that I most often used it to kill Saproling hordes, and that's an affront to this amazing card.  I picked up a Stoneforge Mystic for this deck, so I felt I could cut one equipment, and the Kabuto is the worst.  Vengeance for Eviction is an easy swap.  Skirmisher is a test, because I opened a foil one. I know the ability isn't that great on the turn I drop her into play, but if she lives, she is terrifying.



In: none
Out: none:
Close but not good enough:
Cinder Elemental
Hellraiser Goblin

The Queen of Pingers is not impressed with these offerings.  Cinder Elemental is interesting but vulnerable, and the Goblin forces attacks, which this deck doesn't want.



In:
Five-Alarm Fire
Assemble the Legion
Sunhome Guildmage
Merciless Eviction
Boros Charm

Out:
Dragonlair Spider
Austere Command
All Suns' Dawn
Boundless Realms
Geist-Honored Monk

Close but not good enough:
Legion Loyalist
Massive Raid
Immortal Servitude

The token decks got even more toys to play with!  I'm drooling over the idea of going Parallel Lives into Assemble the Legion, or Assemble with Cathars' Crusade, or any number of interactions.  The Guildmage is yet another entry in the "One card + mana = winning" that this deck loves so dearly.  I'm looking forward to attacking one person with a token horde, and killing a different player with all the Five-Alarm Fire counters.  Merciless Eviction is going to become a staple quite rapidly, I suspect.  The cards I'm taking out just weren't living up to my hopes for them, except perhaps Boundless Realms.  That card is amazing, but after resolving it, I'm a huge target!  I'm adding Boros Charm because it actually says PERMANENTS are indestructible.  Just ridiculous.



Yes, this process took me three weeks.  Don't judge!