This deck adds the {Arclight Phoenix} package of {Faithless Loothing} and {Consider} over {Stitcher's Supplier} to the somewhat mediocre but still competitively viable MTGA Historic dredge deck.
It...
- curves out at CMC 2
- mulligans extremely well down to 4 (mull aggressively to 2+ 1-mana-spells)
- is extremely resilient to removal and discard
- wins on turn 4 at the latest (goldfishing)
- can win on turn 2 with the millenium draw
- is privileged to only interact with itself
- plays 18 lands but never fails to hit 4 on curve
Not only is it just as fast as the Dimir version (sometimes slower, {Stitcher's Supplier} is pretty good after all), it can also just blast out {Arclight Phoenix}s with haste onto the board on turn 3 while - and that's important - doing what it wants to be doing anyways: casting spells that mill you. The main combo is still the {Narcomoeba}, {Prized Amalgam}, {Silversmote Ghoul} + {Creeping Chill} package, of course, but where the Dimir version has to pay mana to unearth something or something similar as a backup, this deck mills itself for that mana instead and brings out the {Arclight Phoenix} not only as a backup but also a more consistent and equally viable (on its own) win condition - attacking for potentially 12 with haste and evasion after draining for potentially 12 with {Creeping Chill} is a real threat!
So the deck has the fundamentally broken dredge mechanics of getting creatures back from the grave for free, but it also adds the most broken 1 in a 100 {Arclight Phoenix} draws that put 3 or 4 of them out REGULARLY, and this of course also triggers {Prized Amalgam}.
Adding {Faithless Looting} was the only intention at first when modifying the list - the Dimir version has little to no self-discard at all and that's a real problem for the deck. Looting can also be cast from the grave, which makes the self mill even more broken. Now with even more discard fodder in the deck, including itself (!), it's just broken in this deck and in Historic in general - it will be banned at some point. {Cathartic Reunion} was in the deck at some point, too, and feels like a good situational backup set-up for turn 3 but I've ran into situations with fewer than 2 other cards in hand rather often.
{Consider} over {Stitcher's Supplier} hurts the deck a little, yes, but it's probably at its best in this very deck. It's in here because it [0) is the only viable option, since {Brainstorm} is suspended from Historic and {Tome Scour} has not yet been added to Arena, but it will, since it is Pioneer legal] 1) is an instant or sorcery, 2) CAN mill, 3) costs 1 mana and 4) replaces itself, all perfect for triggering {Arclight Phoenix}. There are 5 playsets (= 20 cards = 33,3%) that definitely, 100% want to be put into the graveyard. There are 2 playsets of flashback cards which are ok to mill (they cost more but that could be irrelevant since you have enough gas, making it better to mill it) and a 2-of which is only sometimes better in the hand, so a total of 30 cards being exactly 50% of the deck where the surveil is extra value. Of course it also helps to hunt for lands or gas; it's a good cantrip still, after all, so gas (roughly 33%) or lands (roughly 33%) are sometimes added to the 50%.
So it's all playsets :D Like the first build of something but obviously a lot is set in stone. Rounding out the deck as a 2-of, {Maximize Velocity} has overperformed for me. In hand it's 2 instant/sorcery spells for 2 mana AND a discard outlet! In the grave it's just 1 mana (i.e. very, very good) and a discard outlet. To bring out the {Arclight Phoenix} consistently it feels essential and feels like free card draw when milled or discarded. A summoning sick {Narcomoeba} is the best target for it, other flyers after that or if opponent has flyers, the 0/4 {Merfolk Secretkeeper}.
No sideboard (uploaded), since this is a best-of-1 beast and prints money in the respective Historic event on MTGA.
{Jegantha, the Wellspring} is free value as a Companion.
{Brainstorm} is suspended from Historic and may come back, {Tome Scour} will eventually be added to MTGA because it's Pioneer legal. If {Brainstorm} alone is unsuspended, it replaces 1x {Shivan Reef}, 1x {Consider}, 2x {Maximize Velocity}. If {Tome Scour} alone is added, it replaces 1x {Maximize Velocity}, 3x {Consider}. If both are availabe, put in 2x {Brainstorm}, 4x {Tome Scour}, replacing 2x {Maximize Velocity}, 4x {Consider} and 1x {Shivan Reef} is replaced by a {Underground River}.
HOW TO MULLIGAN:
You can keep 1 land hands with {Otherworldy Gaze}, {Consider} and {Faithless Looting}. You must mulligan hands with fewer than 2 real spells, but keeping a hand that only has {Faithless Looting} as a real spell is a BIG TRAP - do not do it even if you have 4 cards to discard to it.
WHAT TO PUT BACK WHEN MULLIGANING:
{Creeping Chill} > {Narcomoeba} > {Maximize Velocity} > all other "non-real" spells > all the rest (situational).
You will, rarely, mill all of your deck, so order matters, too. Of course this is a rough guideline. You will not keep 4 lands and put back a {Maximize Velocity}, {Narcomoeba} is at least somewhat reasonable to cast or you might want something to discard to {Faithless Looting} instead - whether to put back an {Arclight Phoenix} over a {Prized Amalgam} is difficult and situational but I tend to put back the {Arclight Phoenix}; {Silversmote Ghoul} is better to put back than {Arclight Phoenix}, though, most of the time.
EARLY a.k.a. ONLY GAME:
Early: Mill > {Faithless Looting} / {Consider}. The more mill (number of cards) the better. {Faithless Looting} turn 1 is better than any mill spell if and only if you can discard both a {Prized Amalgam} and a {Silversmote Ghoul} AND if you can mill for at least 7 on turn 2. If this is the case, always use {Faithless Looting} on turn 1.
Utilize your instant speed mill ({Otherworldly Gaze}, {Consider}) for card selection on your upkeep - this allows keeping 1 land hands. One of the better starts is to mill 4 on your first main and {Otherworldly Gaze} on your second upkeep.
HOW TO MILL:
Mill on your main phase or at the end of your opponents main 2 if you have to (talking about instant speed here). Reason: {Silversmote Ghoul} only comes back if you gained 3 life during YOUR turn. Main 2 instead of end step because {Prized Amalgam} triggered by {Narcomoeba} would come back at YOUR end step - fail!