Thank you. It was a little tricky keeping this both well-rounded, cheap, and decent for Tournament play.
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I'd suggest Cathedral Sanctifier over either the Knight of Meadowgrain or the Sunstrikers. Cheaper and a guaranteed 3 life, over a possible 2 life (Or less).
I have been thinking about swapping the closet for a Wurm, but the Wurm throws off my mana curve, plus if I have a Thragtusk in play, with the closet, that's 13 life every turn with Trostani. I like having the visionaries are little creatures that I can get draws from with flicker if I can't seem to find a better target.
Here's my Golgari Zombie deck that I think might be good for some other inspiration, plus, I would greatly like to hear your ideas on it. :) http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewDeck.aspx?DeckID=396169
This also isn't actually standard legal. Most of these cards are from older sets. Just because the deck was recently printed doesn't mean it's legal.
If you're planning on using the Lantern to ramp your blue and white Mana with the keyrunes, it won't work, exactly. They keys will still only produce the mana on the card, since they aren't land, but for using the creatures, not a bad idea.
I'm running Hunger of the Howlpack in place of Savagery, for now, and the hydra is too expensive and overly used.
If you're talking about the Geralf's, because of their triple black (BBB) mana cost.
Money Cost. I'm scruple, so most of the decks that I actually build are like less than $40. As you can see, the mana cost of this deck is ridiculously low.
Rewind and Syncopate, I find to be less useful counters. I mean, sure, Rewind lets you untap lands, but it's still a 4 mana counterspell, meaning that you can't cast it until turn 4 at the earliest, if you do NOTHING else. Since there are no lands in standard that tap for multiple Mana, I just don't see it as being useful. Syncopate wastes your mana to have an opponent waste their mana. I loved Mana Leak, best counter spell ever printed, because it was actually convenient on the mana cost. Dissipate, I'm on the fence about. It's more mana heavy than a good counterspell should be (All the best counters are 2CMC.) And it's added effect isn't even that good for most things. Plus, the double blue in the cost steers me away from it, as a cost like that could greatly shift my mana curve for the rest of my spells. (The deck is definitely more tilted towards White.) Now, I would definitely consider side-boarding Dissipate, because against certain decks, it's ability to exile is absolutely fantastic. (i.e. Frites)
Honestly, I still find having 25 lands in the deck to be extremely heavy. If you want to compete against the aggro/mid-range, I don't thinking having mana dumps is necessarily what you want to look for. You're aiming to push damage through against them. One of your biggest weapons here would be Mizzium Mortars. As opposed to Devil's Play, they're brilliant for pushing through your damage from your creatures. I can completely see why you want to keep the Stonewrights in this aspect. But this is also why I think that the Shred-Freaks are better for you. Same mana cost, and they have haste, over the Chainwalkers. If you need them, the Shred-Freaks can at least block, as they're 2/2's. All in all, the Shred-freaks will more likely be able to push your damage through.
I'm running the plunges in the main deck for a number of reasons, they are actually a key part in a turn 4 insta-kill that I have in the deck. (Though highly unlikely, as it requires 2 Infernal Plunges, 2 Brimstone Volleys, a Krenko's Command, and Guttersnipe already in play.) Though, if I'm dealing with tokens, the Mortars are definitely my go-to card for removal there.
Not a problem. He just pairs so well with the mystic and the Melee. However, I don't really see a need for the Laoratory Manics, since you aren't milling yourself. I'd think about trading him out for Guttersnipe, and possibly working on a more burn-based template. Here's actually a deck that I made that's similar to this that you may like. http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewDeck.aspx?DeckID=395580
I like this one a lot better. Looks extremely strong with a very clean, balance mana base.
I'd say Shred-Freak over Chainwalker and Stromkirk Noble over Stonewright. I'd also think about Mizzium Mortars, and Brimstone Volley for Burn. I think that the Hellion Crucibles are too much, and you'll never get use of them, as they are way too mana intensive. Also, I think that Devil's Play is just bad for this deck. Especially since you don't have any mana ramp (Other than having too many lands) and if you Flash it back, you Ash Zealot would damage you. So, in review: -4 Stonewright, +4 Stromkirk Noble -4 Gorehouse Chainwalkers, +4 Rakdos Shred-freak -3 Hellion Crucible, +3 Brimstone Volley -3 Devil's Play, +3 Mizzium Mortars I feel like this will give you a much more balanced and decent mid-range Red deck list.
I just don't find freeze a creature and draw a card for 3 mana to be that relevant when there's draw two cards for three mana (Divination), or Tap all creatures for 4 mana, with the option to tap one creature for 1 mana (Blustersquall). You're already running Azorius Charm, which, while versatile, seems to be used for "Draw a card" 9 times out of 10. Crippling Chill isn't really that much of a step up from that in terms of card advantage. Just my thoughts. If Crippling Chill works for you though, all the better!
24 mana is still way too much. I highly suggest dropping to 20, and use one of the other R/B non-basics as opposed to the Guildgate. the Guildgates are just bad for a deck like this. In terms of spells, the deck looks better. And I would still thinking about thinning down the sideboard to some 4-of's and a 3-of.
I feel like Blustersquall would be good to look into as a substitute for Crippling Chill? I mean, they're kind of on a close scale to one another, but for the price of Crippling Chill, Blustersquall taps all creatures.
Any Ideas? Personally, I like him as a decent blocker and cheap digging for a spell.
A.) How are you casting the Huntmaster? (If you're relying on the Chromatic Lantern, that's a BAD idea.) And B.) Why the Cavern of Souls? You don't have enough creatures of any one type for it to really be useful.
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