dknight27

What's the budget? And are you going for modern legal?

I like sword of light and shadow in here over feast and famine. Helps with the bleeding from confidant and fetches back bodies for itself (and all the bodies in here are heavy hitters).

Just my initial thought

18 lands is too light for a curve like this. You're going to eat mulligans and 1-land midgames quite a bit.

Also, cathartic reunion is in general a bad option as it takes 2 cards in hand that you don't want, plus itself, to use, so its about the worst top deck you can get.

Ashiok doesn't seem like it warrants a spot mainboarded either.

Just my initial thoughts

Ya, Kess seems, at least to me, like the newest gift to grixis control. I would personally shave off a Tasigur for her

Training grounds is, without a doubt, this deck's very best friend

Wilderness reclamation doesn't really do enough for you to justify the spot. Ya it pumps the orchard and lets you reuse the tar pit, but by the time you get 4 lands to play the reclamation, you don't need to have mana open during your turn and opponents.


Some cards to consider for the control aspect:

Sultai charm- catch all goodness
Ice-fang coatl- tempo and material whore
Countersquall- negate + shock
Nurturing peatland/waterlogged grove- topdeck gold/land fixer
Hideous laughter- nukes the orchard tokens/lots of good critters opponent wants to keep at instant speed


I would also consider maxing out fatal push, as it lowers the curve and is pretty much the best removal available to this deck.


Just my thoughts

What format and level of competition is this supposed to be in?

I'm not sure how I feel about 4 coatl's because they are mana specific in a rainbow build, even with the 9 fetches. Have you seen any of that?

I love the cliques. I think they will be stronger than ever now.

This looks wicked

I've been thinking about this one myself recently. Seems to me that collective brutality is a good friend to W&S as it gives an outlet to a fetched land that doesn't do anything. I also think some cycling lands work well with him too, as you can fetch it, cycle it, repeat.

Just my casual thoughts, I haven't played a deck like this yet

Boros charm seems a must in here. Protects you from nukes or finishes em off with 4 to the face.
I also see an imbalance of 1-drop critters vs bigger critters. This deck BADLY wants to have a turn 1 critter to start the damage clock, and right now you're running 11/28 critters. Options that come to mind are vexing devil, kird ape, isamaru, loam lion.
I also see a goyf problem, as you only have 3 card types (no sorceries).

Just my initial thoughts

You forgot to fill in the lands mate

I see a couple areas where you can beef this up.

Swarm intelligence doesn't really fit, as it only has 13 max targets in here, most of which you won't have targets to apply the copies to (counter spells). Plus it's a 7 drop

Phyrexian processor doesn't fit the theme, and you don't really need it anyway.



Generally, your current build is critter-heavy. You really don't need 37 critters, as this build isn't agro and that many critters makes it much, much more vulnerable to nukes, even with the counters. I would consider cutting down the critter count considerably, I almost never run more than 25 in any of my builds. That frees up plenty of slots to max out blue's support, which is pretty great. There are a few blue edh staples that would go a long way in here as well, if nothing else something to consider: Bident of thassa, spellseeker, cyclonic rift, ponder, brainstorm, rhystic study, blatant thievery, endless atlas, curse of the swine, solemn silmulacrum.

Just my thoughts

What budget, legality, and competitive level are you going for?

The curve here is really lopsided, and with no mana accel (which this deck would prefer), you're likely to get clogged for several turns in the development stage. I would consider smoothing out the curve to help fix this

SInce you're not going for combos (which is much much more fun), there are some edh staples that should be considered, especially since you have access to all the "good" colors in edh (sorry red).

Trophy mage
Trinket mage
Skullclamp
Rune-scarred demon
Ever after
Decree of pain
Night's whisper
Blind obedience
Kokusho
Cultivate
Kodama's reach
Burgeoning
Vampiric rites
Zendikar resurgent
Mirari's guide
Mind's eye
Sun titan



Just some thoughts. I much prefer "good stuff" builds to specific combo builds. Much more dynamic and fun

Even with this tiny curve, 16 lands feels light. You are gunna eat mulligans and kill the card advantage burn desperately needs.

I'm not a huge fan of leyline of the void in here, as you are rolling the dice on it being in the opening or you have 4 dead draws. Perhaps consider relic of progenitus or grafdigger's cage.

Also, price of progress does pretty well in legacy burn.

Just my thoughts

I see some tweaks that could help this build.

18 lands is light, especially with some of the flachback combos you're going for. I would kick it up to 20 and run 4 canyon slough in place of cinder barrens.

Shock is too weak.

Tymaret the murder king is this deck's best friend, and must be added.

Desperate ravings doesn't fit as you can't flash it back with blue.

Burning vengeance and open the graves are conditional and slow, and better options exist.

3 past in flames is too heavy, as this deck's curve is so low and you need plenty of available mana to use them. I would cut it to 2.

Blightning could be this deck's bread and butter, i would max it out.

Monastery swiftspear and thermo-alchemist are considerations.

Ideally this deck wants to run collective brutality, vexing devil, claim // faim, dark confidant, and bloodghast, but those are more expensive options. Perhaps something to think about for down the road.


Just my thoughts.

what kind of budget, competition level, and legality are we going for here?

Madness with no faithless looting?