Venture into the Dungeon

This is a fun "Venture into the Dungeon" themed deck. It's never going to be a top tier deck, but the fun factor of playing with Dungeon cards, and venturing through various rooms is GREAT!

"Fun" trumps "serious" decks :)

The idea being - venture into the dungeon and gain value from room abilities and completing Dungeons.

The following cards allow you to move through dungeons:

Nadaar, Selfless Paladin - Triggers "Venture" when he enters or attacks.
Triumphant Adventurer - Triggers "Venture" when he attacks. He has first strike + deathtouch which makes him a killer!
Yuan-Ti Malison - Triggers "Venture" when he hits. He can be made unblockable if he attacks alone.
Barrowin of Clan Undurr - Triggers "Venture" when he enters the battlefield.
Acererak the Archlich - Move through the dungeon for 3 CMC if you continually recast this creature.
Dungeon Map - Extra Mana or Venture into the Dungeon for 3 CMC.
Bar the Gate - Counter their spells in their turn and Venture into the Dungeon. If they don't cast a spell - alternatively flash in a Brazen Borrower in their turn or cast a removal spell.
Hama Pashar - Room abilities of dungeons trigger twice!

Card Draw:

Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Attacking with a creature that hits (e.g. an Unblockable Yuan-Ti Malison or a first strike/deathtouch Triumphant Adventurer) can allow you to draw cards each turn. Or you could bounce a blocked Nadaar, Selfless Paladin, allowing you to recast him for an extra "Venture" trigger.

Dealing with Threats:

Bar the Gate - counter their spells and tricks whilst also getting a Venture trigger.
Heartless Act / Bloodchief's Thirst - Removal
Petty Theft (Instant - Adventure) - Bounce creatures to gain tempo

Bonuses for completing Dungeons:

Dungeon Crawler: Returns to your hand when you complete a dungeon.
Nadaar, Selfless Paladin: Give other creatures +1/+1.
Barrowin of Clan Undurr : Returns a 3 CMC when he attacks.
Acererak the Archlich: Creates a 2/2 black Zombie creature token when he attacks.

Dungeon Analysis:

There are 3 dungeons:

1. Tomb of Annihlation - This is a short dungeon which has 3 or 4 rooms depending on your pain threshold. Good quick dungeon to complete to obtain a "Cradle of Death God" 4/4 token with Deathtouch. Completing this dungeon allows Acererak to successfully enter the battlefield as a 5/5 for 3 mana! If we have to discard a card to any of the rooms, the Dungeon Crawler is a decent card to discard as he returns to our hand when we complete the dungeon.

2. Lost Mine of Phandelver - This has 4 rooms with some decent utility (ramp / card draw / life gain / +1/+1 counter / creating 1/1 goblin creature token).

3. Dungeon of the Mad Mage - This has 7 rooms and is a "long term" dungeon useful in the midgame. It has a lot of Scry in every other room and a big payoff in the final room (Draw 3 cards and cast one card for free!)

The strategy would be most probably be to finish a dungeon as quickly as possible (i.e. the Tomb of Annihilation) to get the dungeon completion bonuses. Then attempt the bigger dungeon ie. The Dungeon of the Mad Mage.

Top Tip - If you're considering making this deck up - look into the oversized Dungeon Themed cards. You can purchase them directly from your local card store, or alternatively pick up the "Adventures in the forgotten Realms - Gift Edition" fat pack which comes with these oversized cards! Excellent!! Then pick up some D&D models too to keep track of where you are in the dungeon (I bought some miniaturized spider models!)

Turn 1:
- Swamp
- Dungeon Crawler.

Turn 2:
- Plains
- Triumphant Adventurer.
- Attack for 2 (with the Dungeon Crawler).

Turn 3:
- Island
- Hama Pashar, Ruin Seeker.
- Attack for 3 (with the Dungeon Crawler and Triumphant Adventurer).
- When the Triumphant Adventurer Attacks, you venture into the Dungeon.
- Tomb of Annihilation : Trapped Entry (both players lose 2 life as the room triggers twice).

Turn 4:
- Island
- Nadaar, Selfless Paladin who triggers Venture when he enters the battlefield.
- Tomb of Annihilation : Veil of Fear (both players lose 4 life as the room triggers twice). We may optionally discard the Dungeon Crawler.
- Attack for 5 (with the Dungeon Crawler, Hama Pashar and Triumphant Adventurer)
- When the Triumphant Adventurer Attacks, you venture into the Dungeon.
- Tomb of Annihilation : Sandfall Cell (both players lose 4 life as the room triggers twice). We may optionally sacrifice the Dungeon Crawler.

Turn 5:
- Swamp
- Dungeon Map.
- Attack for 11 (with the Dungeon Crawler, Hama Pashar, Nadaar and Triumphant Adventurer).
- When both Nadaar and the Triumphant Adventurer Attacks, you venture into the Dungeon twice.
- Tomb of Annihilation : Cradle of the Death God (You create Atropal, a legendary 4/4 black God horror token with deathtouch).
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Yawning Portal (You gain 2 life).
- As we've completed a dungeon, all other creatures apart from Nadaar get +1/+1
- As we've completed a dungeon, the Dungeon Crawler returns to our hand.
- We've still got 3 mana open (2 lands and 1 grey mana from the Dungeon Map).
- We either pass turn and counter an opponents spell with "Bar the Gate" and venture into the dungeon, or we remove a creature with Heartless Act.

Turn 6:
- Barrowin of Clan Undurr, which triggers Venture when he enters the battlefield
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Dungeon Level (You scry 1 - twice).
- Attack with Nadaar and the Triumphant Adventurer (2 more Venture triggers)
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Goblin Bazaar (Creating 2 x Treasure Tokens).
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Lost Level (You scry 2 - twice).
- Cast Bloodchief's Thirst (Kicked using the treasure tokens) to remove an opponent's creature or planeswalker.

Turn 7:
- Play Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar.
- Attack with Barrowin, Nadaar and the Triumphant Adventurer (2 more Venture triggers).
- Bounce any creatures to your hand that are blocked (via Grazilaxx's ability).
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Runestone Caverns (Exile 4 cards from the Top of your library which you may play).
- Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Deep Mines (You scry 3 - twice).
- Barrowin returns a creature from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- Draw a card (from Grazilaxx) if any of your creatures deal combat damage to the player.

Turn 8:
In this turn, you should be able to complete the Max Wizard's Lair which allows you to Draw 3 cards and cast one of those cards for free (twice!)

• Esper
• Dungeon