dknight27

I've been trying to build a deck like this for a while, it's a fantastic idea in my opinion, especially with On Thin Ice available as delicious affordable removal that ups the enchantment count. I'm not sure black is really doing enough in the build as is to justify its spot. Switching black for red gives you lots of wonderful options, such as Klothys, Blood Moon, and Cindevines.

Here's my take on the build, for what that's worth.

https://www.mtgvault.com/dknight27/decks/modern-budgetarcades-defender/

I'd give some consideration to dropping black altogether here and focusing on white, blue, and green. Four colors is quite a lot to run in what I assume is a budget deck, aka with no expensive fetch lands. A focus on white over black will also allow you to run very useful cards like wall of omens. I know you want to run black for the search and skulk, but both effects can be achieved within blue/white/green, which you're stuck with as you're going for arcades over doran.

You also obviously need to fix the lands, but that shouldn't be too tough. You'll need at least 21 I'd think, with more colors, even with the unbridled growth.

Not sure how well 2 Vantresses fit, as they're basically useless till you've got 5 lands, they're redundant, they're mono blue, and they enter conditionally untapped.

4 counterspells mainboarded in a rainbow deck that has 25 white mana symbols seems like it could be problematic from a color standpoint, even with abundant growth.

Witherbloom command seems like such a natural fit for decks like this.

What legality and budget are you going for here? Modern semi-budget perhaps?

It gets old after a while, doesn't it? The meta wheel.

I like the as foretold angle here, very interesting.

Not sure how well counterspell fits in this build. It's useless as a cascade target and as an arcanist target, and has the potential to be a color problem in a 19 land deck. Just a thought, not sure how close to base it is.

Makes sense

What format are you going for here?

Are you going for budget modern here?

I'd suggesting looking into Rat Colony over Relentless Rats. Weaker, but much much faster. You'll be swinging for heavy damage turn 3 and on the play opponent will be a step behind the whole game. Aether vial would be a natural fit for this build as well.

Of course, I'm so out of the loop with the competitive scene these days it's just silly. Makes sense though, any card that warps a format deserves to be banned.

Wouldn't you want to sideboard Lurrus?

Is it just me, or is mishra's bauble too popular these days? I know it works with delirium mechanics, but I'm seeing enough backlash in a build like this to at least question its placement.

Bauble helps 4 channelers, works extremely well on the backend of 4 expressive iterations, and is acceptable fuel for 4 regents (and thins). However, it hurts 4 delvers, fails to boost 4 regents, is useless to 4 force of wills and potentially uselessly draws 4 force of wills with an empty hand (if you topdeck it), and has 8 sorcery, 12 critter, 2 other artifact, and something like 15 land 'dead tempo' targets (which is close to 60% of the deck) which make it a bad topdeck in general.

Am I certain about this? Nope. Just came to mind.

This is a mighty fun combo that I need to put some thought into. In the meantime, I'm not seeing the Reverse the Sands woncon. Are you relying on opponent to agro you to almost death first?

Seems like a perfect fit for Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, even though he's not a vamp

Am I correct in assuming you are working on a budget casual build here?

Agreed. That calls into question the use of Urborg though, as you're now just splashing black and don't need it for any combo pieces. Something like horizon canopy makes more sense to me as is, but that's just me.