Shinza

Good! Yeah! Added 2. Removed 2 Shadowspear.

+1 to you. Thanks

I’m workshopping this. Ideas are welcome!

Thank you again Puschkin. +1 Upvote

Your point about removal is certainly valid. Puresteel certainly should be a target for removal! In the games I've played so far, the Kor Duelist and Lone Rider attract the most hate. I think that may be due to the obscene trample damage they threaten, or the 4 damage on turn 2 from the Kor Duelist equipped with neglected heirloom.

I like your Steelshaper's Gift point as well. It would serve me just as well to have 2 neglected heirloom and 2 Steelshapers Gifts. The only downsides are that the removal of two neglected hierloom will 1. potentially slow my start and 2. slightly nerf my card draw, but I see that as relatively minor, especially since the upside of locating a specific card can be a game-changer.

Shunt vs. Swerve.... 2 red (of which i have few), vs. 1 blue (of which I have none, except Paradise Mantle). Both equally Sunforgeable. 3 mana vs 2 mana. Its somewhat of a toss up, but I do think you may be right and Shunt edges Swerve in this deck concept.

Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots/Spellskite is a good idea. Protect the Puresteel. So Midnight Haunting comes out and one of those 3 goes in. Am leaning toward Swiftfoot Boots, since it won't hinder my equipping.

Spellskite for Swerve is a worthy exchange. MUCH easier casting cost, plus it is a deterrent for opponent playing combat tricks or buffing. The only downside is that I won't be able to tutor it up with Sunforger. Another upside though, is that I would finally have a colorless creature to target with Ghostfire Blade!

Um, yeah.

Ring of Thune is strictly better than Armory of iroas. Good suggestion. Is it better to have Ring of Thune in place of Armory of Iroas, or should a different card come out? Is there another buffing equipment in there worse than Armory of Iroas?

so far I am seeing as the ideal,

-1 Swerve +1 Spellskite
-1 Midnight Haunting + 1 Swiftfoot Boots
-1 or 2 Neglected Heirloom + 1 or 2 Steelshaper's Gift
-1 Armory of Iroas? +1 Ring of Thune

That would be interesting and perhaps less linear than the many variations of the destroy a creature theme.
This deck has its hands full though with White and Green as its opponents. Very creature heavy. Smokestack would be killer, especially with recurring characters and cards to loot someone's graveyard. Nice grab, by the way. Smokestack is from all the way back in the Urza block, I think.

Thank you for your input and detailed response! before I proceed any farther, I want to acknowledge your time with a +1 upvote.

Ok. lets do this.

I really like your Spellskite idea. I'm thinking maybe Midnight Haunting goes to make room? Midnight Haunting provides fliers, but truthfully, its not a card I seek out regularly.

I hear you regarding Swerve. You know how you have those favorite cards that always seem to find a way to do good things in your games? Swerve is one of those cards for me. The idea for any of the instants is to NOT cast it from my hand, but rather use the Sunforge to seek it out of my library.

Armory Automaton is interesting! It could be a huge problem if one plays against me. I had never encountered that card before.

The Ghostfire Blade seems like a good deal at 1 mana for +2/+2. The equip cost really doesn't matter since Puresteel Paladin covered my equip costs. Full disclosure, i originally had ornithopters in there, but thought Glint Hawk would serve better.

I like Stoneforge Mystic! If I were to add her, it would mean I could add more expensive equipment. Is she banned in Modern?

You make a very good point about the neglected heirloom. Once again, it seems like a good idea at 1 mana for a +1/+1, which might become an absolute beast +3/+3.

Lone Rider. I like that card. With so many cheap equipment options and with Lone Rider's first strike and lifelink, it is surprisingly easy to transform him. Honestly, he racks up so much life for me it is ridiculous.

Aerial Responder is awesome! Wow, thank you for introducing me to that card!

Well, you have given me quite a bit to think about. I appreciate your time that you gave to this deck. This deck is one that I am currently playtesting IRL and I am certain that some of your ideas will make the deck better.

Thank you again, Puschkin.

Excelsior,
Shinza

Thank you for your input and detailed response! before I proceed any farther, I want to acknowledge your time with a +1 upvote.

Ok. lets do this.

I really like your Spellskite idea. I'm thinking maybe Midnight Haunting goes to make room? Midnight Haunting provides fliers, but truthfully, its not a card I seek out regularly.

I hear you regarding Swerve. You know how you have those favorite cards that always seem to find a way to do good things in your games? Swerve is one of those cards for me. The idea for any of the instants is to NOT cast it from my hand, but rather use the Sunforge to seek it out of my library.

Armory Automaton is interesting! It could be a huge problem if one plays against me. I had never encountered that card before.

The Ghostfire Blade seems like a good deal at 1 mana for +2/+2. The equip cost really doesn't matter since Puresteel Paladin covered my equip costs. Full disclosure, i originally had ornithopters in there, but thought Glint Hawk would serve better.

I like Stoneforge Mystic! If I were to add her, it would mean I could add more expensive equipment. Is she banned in Modern?

You make a very good point about the neglected heirloom. Once again, it seems like a good idea at 1 mana for a +1/+1, which might become an absolute beast +3/+3.

Lone Rider. I like that card. With so many cheap equipment options and with Lone Rider's first strike and lifelink, it is surprisingly easy to transform him. Honestly, he racks up so much life for me it is ridiculous.

Aerial Responder is awesome! Wow, thank you for introducing me to that card!

Well, you have given me quite a bit to think about. I appreciate your time that you gave to this deck. This deck is one that I am currently playtesting IRL and I am certain that some of your ideas will make the deck better.

Thank you again, Puschkin.

Excelsior,
Shinza

+1 upvote for you.

Thanks for your insight! I agree with everything you just said. I suspect this deck is far from optimized, but the card list is 100% cards I already have.

Thanks again for weighing in!

Btw, +1 for your deck.

Interesting concept!

Properly tooled, this could be very unpleasant for an opponent! And yes, this could be made playable (particularly in casual)

So I will offer my ideas to see what flies.

With Axebane and overgrown battlement, I would think more defenders would be good. Wall of Blossoms and Carven Carytid both fit. They draw cards for you and, as walls, provide just as much mana as the elves do. this way you can save Prosperity for when you have more mana.

Also, if we take the mana elves out, we have room for some possible beaters. Something to keep the opponent busy while you steal his library. My thought on this is some cheap landfall critters. There could be an incredible upside to that if you have one or two out on the board when you cast boundless realms.

My choices for that are Lotus Cobra (a big mana payday to allow you to accelerate your admittedly expensive shenanigans), Turntimber Basilisk (for limited creature destruction), and Undergrowth Champion (just imagine how many counters you could get on that thing).

If the elves come out, then probably so should the vitalize. Perhaps consider 4 Hinterland Harbors, 7 Forest, 9 islands, 4 Evolving Wilds, 2 Gaea's Cradle. The hinterland harbors ensure that you still have the same green vs blue mana ratio and the evolving wilds help to get all those islands to cast Blue Sun. A small added benefit of using Evolving Wilds is that, with Landfall creatures, it will count as 2 lands entering the battlefield.

Hope this helps!

Excelsior,

Shinza

Name: Shinza
http://www.mtgvault.com/shinza/
Formats: Casual, Modern
Expertise: I can give advice on card synergies and builds. I find creative concepts most interesting.

I have regrettably been away for awhile, though with what time I have I am happy to help.

Here is my latest brainchild...
http://www.mtgvault.com/shinza/decks/metal-mettle/

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

You have a good deathtouch theme here. Sledge scorpion could help. Viridian longbow x2.

I would take out the mana accelerators. The deck is pretty mana cheap. Not sure you need the enchantments to boost mana.

-2 Elvish Mystic
+2 Sledge Scorpion

-2 Verdant Haven
+2 Viridian Longbow

I like the variety of cards in this deck. Firemane Avenger looks interesting to me. I would very much like to see a casual griffin deck work. Seems like an expensive tribe, but looking at your list, I am realizing that there are some cheaper griffins after all. This looks fun to play.

Btw....need 2 more cards to reach 60.

I like this. Black and White is a powerful combination! I am a huge fan of lifelink and a lifelong fan of Spirit Link.

I am not a fan of Evernight Shade. Too much to bring out. Too much mana commitment to use.

On the other hand, warclamp mastiff is a badass! I like the idea of slapping a Holy Srength on him. Or even better, Unholy Strength. Or even better than that, equipment to boost up power.

Like +1

Please let me know what you think!
Are there fun instants and sorceries that would make this better?

I welcome all constructive thoughts.
Which of the one-ofs do you love? Which should get shoved?

Feel free to comment! Hope you enjoy it!

Excelsior

That is a very good point... Expensive mana cost works ok in casual multiplayer. In 2 person duels, it seems like speed wins. 6 mana is a frustrating cost to have in the opening hand of games like that.

confiscate? you would save 2 mana cost. Besides, with your unblockables the piracy will keep you with cards. Also, curiosity is good, but any creature enchantment is vulnerable to going to the graveyard when the creature gets spanked. So maybe curiosity should go. Its only advantage is its cheap.

Btw... here is a link to my early picks for the box
http://www.mtgvault.com/shinza/decks/presence/