The Gatekeeper is amazing, but rather unsoppurtable in a B/R deck with tripple {B} in it's costs.
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Some suggestions, based on my own B/R vampire deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/br-tribal-vampire/) I would remove "Captivating Vampire", "Falkenrath Marauders" and "Markov Blademaster" and add 2 "Stromkirk Captain", 2 "Vampire Nighthawk" and 1-2 "Olivia Voldaren" or 1-2 "Vampire Nocturnus" instead. "Akoum Refuge" could be replaced with the new 'Scry'-Land "Temple of Malice" I would also try to add some carddraw, e.g. "Read the Bones" ({2}{B}, loose 2 life; Scry 2 then draw 2 cards) or "Sign in Blood" ({B}{B}; target player draws two cards and looses 2 life) Greetings Muktol
2x Kiora's Followers, 1(? 2 ?)x Illusionist Bracers, 1x Spring Leaf Drum = 4(?5) ;) I don't know much about the current standard cards (I play modern 90% of the time) but I would do the following: Concentrate on the "Kiora's Followers", "Illusionist Bracers", "Spring Leaf Drum" combo. It's rather cheap to play (cc1/cc2) and can give you as much mana as you want to (from what I can remember there's no 'infinite' accoring to the rules). Having 2 combos in the deck can mess up your plan, because you will need to many cards to play successful. Then I would look for a card which is able to use this ammount of mana and finish the game right now (opponents upkeep can also be OK, but no X/X creatures. Even without haste, your opponent only needs a single point removal, and most decks play rather many of those). Cards with 'pay X' are great for such decks, you can use either direct damage (mostly red or black) or mill (blue) Then the deck will need some protection: Defenders, fog-effects and counterspells are some ways to protect you and your combo parts. I would add some more control spells in my sideboard. If you win turn 1 your opponent will board every artefact hate he can get. And last, I would add an emergency plan. A second finisher so that you don't have to say "GG" when one of your combo components gets removed from your hand, or your library.
Just one thought: A combo with 4+ cards seems very gracile and frail to me. A single discard or removal can ruin your whole day. This will need some testgames to see if you are able to protect your combo. Greetings Muktol
You could give "Aura Gnarlid" ({2}{G}; 2/2; Creatures with power less than Aura Gnarlid's power can't block it.Aura Gnarlid gets +1/+1 for each Aura on the battlefield.) or "Silhana Ledgewalker" ({1}{G}; 1/1; Hexproof; Silhana Ledgewalker can't be blocked except by creatures with flying.) a try. Personally I don't like 'Bestow' effects as they are rather expensive to play, and aura decks want to be fast. So even if you got "Nimbus Naiad" on your hand, you often won't be able to cast it for its bestow-costs. In my own G-W pauper enchantments deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/gw-pauper-enchantment/) I use rather cheap enchantments, perhaps some of these will suite you: Ancestral Mask ({2}{G}; enchantment, Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 for each other enchantment in play.), Forced Adaptation ({G}, enchantment, Enchant creature; At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature.), Hyena Umbra ({W}, Enchant creature; Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike and Totem armor.), Snake Umbra ({2}{G}, Enchant creature; Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card."; Totem armor), Spider Umbra ({G}, Enchant creature; Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has reach; Totem armor), Sigil of Sleep ({U}; Enchant creature; Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to a player, return target creature that player controls to its owner's hand.) I hope I was able to give you some ideas Greetings Muktol
If it was my deck I would use some more enchantments to protect my creatures, and usesome spells to get them back from the graveyard when needed. Some changes I would do: -2 "Clone", +2 "Phantasmal Image"...the image has the drawback of being destroyed when it gets targeted by a spell or abbility, but its cheaper and prfits from "Lord of the Unreal" -2 "Archon of the Triumvirate", +1 "Lord of the Unreal"ยด, +1 "Chronozoa"...the Archon comes rather late, and if you want control, then think of something like "Ghostly Prison" (or "Windborn Muse") ? Wall of Denial -2 "Fervor", +1 "Ogre Battledriver", +1 "In the Web of War" -3 "Martial Law", +? -1 "Discombobulate", -2 "Dream Fracture", +3 "Summoner's Bane" or something like "Dissipate" ? Chronomantic Escape -2 "Divination", -1 "Index", +3 "Serum Visions" you could also use some other, simple 'draw cards' spell, and forget about the 'Scry' part. Some suggestions (Mainly from my U-Illusion Deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monou-tribal-illusions/) "Ordeal of Thassa" ({1}{U}; enchantment, whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa. When you sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa, draw two cards), Ior Ruin Expedition ({1}{U}, enchantment, Landfall: Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a quest counter on Ior Ruin Expedition. Remove three quest counters from Ior Ruin Expedition and sacrifice it: Draw two cards) Fathom Seer ({1}{U}; 1/3; Morph (Return two Islands you control to their owner's hand. When Fathom Seer is turned face up, draw two cards), Krovikan Mist ({1}{U}; */*; Flying; Krovikan Mist's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Illusions in play), Meloku the Clouded Mirror ({4}{U}; 2/4; Flying, Pay {1}: Return a land you control to its owner's hand: Put a 1/1 blue Illusion creature token with flying into play.) I used Chronozoa in a Counter Transfer deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monou-counter-transfer/) to 'store' counters and move them on something like "Titan Forge" Greetings Muktol
Some suggestions, based on my own G/R Werewolf deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/gr-tribal-werewolfs-2/) I would cut the ramp part, as most of your cards have cc of 2-3. and if you play to many spelsl, and don't have "Immerwolf" on the battlefield all your creatures will transform back -2 Caravan Vigil -2 Rampant Growth -3 Scorned Villager "Daybreak Ranger" and "Gravity Well" are sideboard options to me, the ranger because it gets shot away faster than you can say 'Bolt' and the Well because it is designed against one type of creatures. Also werewolf normally built up an enourmous pressure on theyr opponent, and flyers are rather weak, so if you're fast enough you should be able to do it without the well. -2 Daybreak Ranger -2 Gravity Well With the free slots I would fill up "Kruin Outlaw" and "Young Wolf", and then take a look at some removals (e.g. Lightning Bolt, Searing Blaze), protection spells (Rangers Guile, Vines of Vastwood) or some carddraw. If you want some more cc1 creatures, take a look at "Reckless Waif" Greetings Muktol
If it would be my deck, I would make some changes: Sideboard "Creeping Renaissance", usefull if your opponent uses many removal spells or boardsweepers Sideboard "Daybreak Ranger", if he flips he can be pretty good, and is one of the first targets to get hit by removal. Remove "Adaptive Automaton", Mayor of Avabruck" is better (and cheaper to play) Remove "Scorned Villager", if you're unlucky and don't draw "Immerwolf" and play to many spells your werewolfs will flipp back, so ramp isn't that good here Remove "Wolfir Avenger", there are some very good werewolfs, see suggestions Remove "Fog", you have 4 "Moonmist", and that should be enough. Werewolf's try to put some pressure on the opponent rather than stall him for one turn. +1 "Kruin Outlaw", this one can get a really scarry one. +1 "Full Moon's Rise" Change from "Lightning Bolt" to "Searing Blaze", costs {R} more to play, but you don't have to decide if you want to shoot at a player or at a creature, you can do both I would also take a look at some duallands. They are expensive to get ($), but they ensure that you have the right mana when you need it. Suggestions, based on my G/R Werewolf deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/gr-tribal-werewolfs-2/) Ghor-Clan Rampager ({2}{R}{G}, 4/4, Trample, Bloodrush {R}{G}: Discard Ghor-Clan Rampager, Target attacking creature gets +4/+4 and gains trample until end of turn), Reckless Waif ({R}; 1/1; 3/2 when flipped), Young Wolf ({G}, 1/1; undying), Vines of Vastwood ({G}; kicker {G}; target creature gains hexproof until end of turn, if Vines was kicked it gains additional +4/+4), Ranger's Guile ({G}; target creature gets +1/+1 and hexproof until end of turn) Greetings Muktol
I would either remove or sideboard "Blood Artist". If you want to use some 'if something dies' effects here then I would favour "Kalastria Highborn". Otherwise I would use "Shadow Alley Denizen" or 2-3 "Guul Draz Vampire". "Bloodthrone Vampire" or "Viscera Seer" could be an alternative (sideboard) if you're up against a deck that play some removal spells. Greetings Muktol
Some changes I would do, if it was my deck (based on my B/R vampire deck http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/br-tribal-vampire/) -3 "Ring of Valkas" and +4 "Blade of the Bloodchief"...the Blade supports vampires much better than the Ring Sideboard "Blood Seeker"...he is good, yes, but he is only good against decks which use masses of creatures. If you're up against a e.g. green deck it won't be very effective. Decide either to use "Falkenrath Exterminator" or "Markov Blademaster", I would favour the Exterminator as he can shoot damage without attacking, but the Blademaster can get rather strong later on. -2 "Havengul Vampire"...too slow, and without evasion he can be easily blocked by a 1/1 and won't do any damage. +1 "Rakish Heir"...alternative to the creature could be "Curse of Stalked Prey", which is harder to remove, but you would loose a blocker. -1 "Sengir Vampire"...there are better finishers +3 "Stromkirk Captain"...you always want 1 or more of him on the battlefield. +4 "Stromkirk Noble" or a 2/2 split betwenn them and "Guul Draz Assassin" -4 "Breath of Malfegor"...only good if you play against multiple opponents. +2 "Feast of Blood" or +4 "Read the Bones" or +4 "Sign in Blood"...either some more removal or some carddawr Greetings Muktol
Some suggestions, based on the experience I made with my monoR Goblin deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monor-tribal-goblins/) Change from "Bloodmark Mentor" to "Legion Loyalist"; the Mentor can help you in defensive situation, but playing defensive was never a thing goblins where built for ;) Reduce the number of "Goblin Razerunners" by 1 and add an additional "Krenko, Mob Boss" Personally I have long used "Furystroke Giant" as finisher, as it hast the advantage over "Voracious Dragon" that your goblins stay on the field and can be used again (Persist). If you want to use sacrifice effects then you could take a look at "Goblin Sledder", "Siege-Gang Commander" and maybe "Goblin Assault" Greetings Muktol
@ Jessie: Search lands are used to decrease the chance of drawing a land. If you play and use a search land, you have effectively reduces the deck by 2 lands, wich gives you a better chance to draw damage spells. @ seantarver23: I don't know much about legacy burn, but I would reduce "Fireblast" by 1 and add a third "Reverbrate" or "Searing Blaze". "Browbeat" could also be interesting for you. Greetings Muktol
First impression: You need to get some cheap (mana) creatures to sacrifice and get back from the grave as exchange for some of the expensive ones. A good second sac-outlet would also be useful as you shouldn't rely just on "Maw of the Obzedat"Just a small hint: Regenerate won't work 'against' sacrifice.Set creatures:4 Reassembling Skeleton3 Maw of the Obzedat (+1 as you always want to have one on the field, but don't need a second one, like a legendary)4 Orzhov Pontiff (+3 buff or baordsweeper, depending on the situation)2 Nested Ghoul2 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts=15Set spells:4 Altar's Reap (+1 carddraw is never a bad thing)2 Profit // Loss=6= 15 (Creatures) + 6 (Spells) + 20 (Lands) = 41 ... 19 free slots to useSo here are the suggestions I can think of:From my pauper sacrificing deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/bw-paupervampire-sacrificing/)Azorius Arrester ({1}{W}; 2/1; When Azorius Arrester enters the battlefield, detain target creature an opponent controls...comes, detains, can block or gets sacrificed)Driver of the Dead ({3}{B}; 3/2; When Driver of the Dead dies, return target creature card with converted mana cost 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield...comes, gets saced and brings a cc2 creature back to your hand)Loyal Cathar ({W}{W}; 2/2; Vigilance; When Loyal Cathar dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control at the beginning of the next end step: Unhallowed Cathar; 2/1; Unhallowed Cathar can't block...can be saced twice or once and then buffed up as zombie)From my monoB sacrifice (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monob-sacrifice-2/)Sylvok Lifestaff ({1}; {1} to equip; equipped creature gets +1/+0. Whenever equipped creature is put into a graveyard, you gain 3 life...sideboard material when you feel that you need some extra life)Blood Artist ({1}{B}; 0/2; Whenever Blood Artist or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life...converts dying creatures into damage and life)Nether Traitor ({B}{B}; haste; shadow; Whenever another creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay {B}. If you do, return Nether Traitor from your graveyard to play...comes again from the grave for only {B})Undercity Informer ({2}{B}; {1}, Sacrifice a creature: Target player reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a land card, then puts those cards into his or her graveyard...Sideboard material: Converts your deck from beatdown to mill)Grave Pact ({1}{B}{B}{B}; enchantment; Whenever a creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, each other player sacrifices a creature...beside the triple {B} costs there is just one thing to say: Ouch!)Tragic Slip ({B}; Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Morbid -- That creature gets -13/-13 until end of turn instead if a creature died this turn...most of the time you should be able to trigger the morbid effect)From my B/W vampire sacrifice (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/bw-tribal-vampire-sacrifice/)Cauldron Haze ({1}{B/W}; instant; Choose any number of target creatures. Each of those creatures gains persist until end of turn...they go, the come again and are ready to go again)So what I would use from these suggestions:4 Blood Artist, 4 Nether Traitor, 3 Cauldron Haze, 4 Tragic Slip, 3 Grave PactIf you want to rely more on zombies/ skeletons then "Death Baron" and "Cemetery Reaper" could be worth taking a look at.Another way could be to use undying creatures (tough they are rather rare) and "Cauldron Haze" as +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters negate each other. With one "Cauldron Haze" you could sac a creatures 4 times until it is really on the graveyard.GreetingsMuktol
Some friends told me that I tend to do drastic revisions, so if you aren't afraid of that, I will take a look at it :)
"Warren Instigator" works like a charm with "Infiltration Lens", and if you manage to get your creatures unblockable then it's GG for your opponent most of the times. But if you don't then you will need some carddraw, to get what you want. Sentimental thing...accepted ;)
Some suggestions, based on my monoR goblin deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monor-tribal-goblins/) I would take "Dragon's Claw" out and add 2 more "Quest for the Goblin Lord" instead. The lifegain should be pretty low and you loose some possible speed through the artifact. Remove "Goblin Arsonist", the 1 additional damage can be used to remove some support creatures from your opponent, but if you keep some pressure on him, his supporters won't be of much. Remove "Goblin Shortcutter" a single creature which can't block won't be of much use in a goblin deck, and this deck wan't to get as many creatures as possible unblockable. Reduce "Horde of Boggarts" by 1-3 as it is rather a (second) finisher. Remove "Riot Piker", personally I really dislike such 'has to attack' creatures. Some ideas to replace the removed cards: Infiltration Lens ({1}; {1} to equip; whenever the equipped creature gets blocked, draw 2 cards) Blood Moon ({2}{R}; enchant; Nonbasic lands are Mountains.) 0-2 "Goblin Bushwhacker" ({R}; 1/1; kicker {R}; when Goblin Bushwhacker enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn), 0-4 "Goblin Wardriver" ({R}{R}; 2/2; battle cry), 0-1 "Krenko, Mob Boss", 0-4 "Mogg War Marshal" ({1}{R}; echo {1}{R}; When Mogg War Marshal comes into play or is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 red Goblin creature token into play), 0-2 "Warren Instigator, 0-2 "Purphoros, God of the Forge" ({3}{R}; Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Purphoros deals 2 damage to each opponent; {2}{R}: Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn) 0-2 "Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" ({T}: Add {1} to your mana pool; {2}, {T}: Choose a color. Add to your mana pool an amount of mana of that color equal to your devotion to that color) Greetings Muktol
My monoW Human deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monow-tribal-human-wheeny/) started very simillar to this, but I changed it as I learned many things through some local matches Some suggestions: Change from "Accorder Paladin" to "Hero of Bladehold"; cc2 vs cc4 but the Hero brings some littl friends with him that benefit instant from his battlecry. Change from "Elite Inquisitor" to "Kazandu Blademaster"; they cost the same and do the same, but the Blademaster profits from other Blademasters played later. Remove "Gideon's Lawkeeper"; a rather defensive creature that most of the time will not be able to attack or defend as you will tap him to tap some of your opponents attackers/ defenders. Total useless against utlity creatures. Sideboard "Grand Abolisher"; he can be used if you see that your opponent does many battletricks in your turn Some cards you could take a look at: "Mentor of the Meek" ({2}{W}; 2/2; Whenever another creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay {1}. If you do, draw a card), combined with "Thraben Doomsayer" ({2}{W}, 2/2; {tap}: Put a 1/1 white Human creature token onto the battlefield. Fateful hour -- As long as you have 5 or less life, other creatures you control get +2/+2.) you get a card and a 1/1 human token for {2} every turn. "Student of Warfare" ({W}; 1/1; Level up {W}: Level 2-6: 3/3, First strike; Level 7+:4/4, Double strike) "Call to Serve" ({1}{W}; enchanted creature gets +1/+2 and gains flying) I love this one in combination with "Champion of the Parish" and/ or "Silverblade Paladin". Gives your opponent a tough flying doublestriker that only grows stronger in longer games) "Elspeth Tirel" ({2}{W}{W}, planeswalker; +2: You gain 1 life for each creature you control. -2: Put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield. -5: Destroy all other permanents except for lands and tokens.) Greetings Muktol
The problem I see with "Bloodchief Ascension" is that you want to have a rather defensive deck, which focuses on bringing out enough creatures/ tokens and defend them, to defeat your opponent with a strike from "Blasphemous Act" in combination with "Blood Artist". Basically a good Idea, but how do you want to get those 2 damage per turn to your opponent? Remember, the person on the other side of the table just won't sit there and say 'beat me, beat me please' ;) So if you want to stick with this plan I first would change from "Lightning Bolt" to "Searing Blaze" ({R}{R}; instand; Searing Blaze deals 1 damage to target player and 1 damage to target creature that player controls. Landfall - If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, Searing Blaze deals 3 damage to that player and 3 damage to that creature instead). It gives you the possibility to remova a creature and nevertheless deal damage to an opponent. The double {R} (or {B} as other cards could have) in the manacosts could get a problem, but that's for later. Second I would change from "Captivating Vampire" to "Stormkirk Captain". ({1}{R}{B}; 2/2; first strike; other vampires you control get +1/+1 and first strike). "Captivating Vampire" works great with many (7+) vampires arround, otherwise it will leave you wide open for a counter-attack. I really love first strike on defensive creatures as your opponent will always be scared of them and search for a way to remove them, leaving the rest of your plan intact. The other plan would be to add some hexproof equipment like "Lightning Greaves" or "Swiftfoot Boots", at last a good idea for your sideboard if you see that your opponent uses masses of point removal spells. As for the pointremovals/ boardsweepers: I would change from "Feast of Blood" to something like "Terminate", or "Tragic Slip" and remove "Killing Wave" for 1 more "Blasphemous Act" and a free slot for the deck. There is a little danger in having only 1 finisher in your deck ("Extirpate"/ "Surgical Extraction" are played in many competitive decks) but that depens stong on your game surroundings. I would perhaps change from "Underworld Connections" to "Read the Bones" as it digs faster and deeper (but not as continual as "Underworld Connections"). Another alternative could be "Sign in Blood" as it could also serve as "Shock" to defeat your opponent. In my B/W pauper sacrificing deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/bw-paupervampire-sacrificing/) I played with the idea of using "Undercity Informer" to change from beatdown to mill, perhaps also worth taking a look at, at least for the sideboard. Greetings Muktol
What is the strategy you want to use with this deck? There are 2 possible ways for you: Control or aggro. At the moment you have a mix of both, so you should decide how you want to achive your win over your opponent. I mean no offense but you might want to read my deckbuilding guide (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/how-to-build-a-deck/), I tried to write down some do's and don'ts for beginners, and some basic deckbuilding strategys. Greetings Muktol
I would add some more creatures (2-4 should be enough), take a look at "Ichorclaw Myr" and/ or "Signal Pest". Furthermore I would change from "Giant Growth" or "Contagion Clasp" (which is rather expensive to play here, infect normally tries to be fast as hell) to "Rancor". In my own monoG Infect deck (http://www.mtgvault.com/muktol/decks/monog-infect/) I play "Mutagenic Growth", "Vines of Vastwood" and "Bonesplitter" as further buff-options. "Rangers Guile" would be a possible spell to protect your creatures. Greetings Muktol
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