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BMoor's Magic The
Gathering
Deck Garage
Today's
deck
fix
is a
bit
of a
twist
on
the
usual
format.
When
COTD
reviewed
Stoic
Ephemera
a
while
back
(go
and
check
the
archives
if
you
feel
so
inclined;
I'll
be
here
when
you
get
back),
a
loyal
reader
E-mailed
me
to
point
out
the
Ephemera's
interaction
with
Wakestone
Gargoyle.
Yes,
I
replied,
the
interaction
is
there,
but
at
that
time
the
only
real
experience
anyone
had
with
Dissension
was
at
the
release
event,
and
combos
of
that
nature
just
aren't
viable
in
Limited
formats,
so I
didn't
bother
to
mention
it.
(Readers
should
note--
COTD
reviews
tend
to
look
at a
card's
overall
use,
unless
the
combo
is
already
very
well
known,
the
reviews
usually
discuss
the
card's
merits
on
its
own
with
some
consideration
for
the
block
it's
in.)
So
this
reply
came
back,
postulating
the
Ephemera/Wakestone
combo
in a
Constructed
deck:
This is a bit of a reach for this column's format in that this isn't technically a decklist, it's a list of cards that could FORM a decklist. I don't encourage this, in fact I am wary of setting a precedent should people decide to start sending mere deck ideas in lieu of real decklists, but this one seemed thought-out enough for me to tackle. Now, when this type of deck comes to mind, I feel I can't really call it a full article without at least mentioning Minamo Scrollkeeper or Wall of Spears. They're just what this deck wants-- defenders with sizable power as well. But they aren't in Ravnica Block, and that's the format this deck is intended for according to the contributor. So I mention them merely as a footnote. Moving on, I have to say I'm surprised Black was chosen as the third minor color. White is an automatic, and Blue seems like the natural second choice, but what does Black bring to the fold? Some creature kill and Souls of the Faultless? The Souls are quite unnecessary, as they're no good with Wakestone Gargoyle (even without defender, they have zero power-- the same with Drift of Phantasms). Personally, I recommend Red as the third color: it too can kill creatures with cards like Lightning Helix and Volcanic Hammer, and it has Torpid Moloch, an excellent creature for such a deck. It also has Taste for Mayhem and Riot Spikes, along with a host of other +X/+0 effects. (Yes, I know, black can cast Riot Spikes too, but I still say red is the right call.) Last Gasp, Seal of Doom, Pillory, and Strands of Undeath can easily become Lightning Helix (or Volcanic Hammer), Seal of Fire, Electrolyze, and Taste for Mayhem (or even Galvanic Arc). And of course the mana base would shift accordingly. As for the other spells, they all seem fine, though Thunderheads seems a bit questionable. The tokens it creates get sacrificed at end of turn, so if you want to use them for an attack, you have to play Thunderheads during your opponent's end of turn step, after the end of turn trigger. Of course, you will have to leave nearly all your mana untapped for your whole turn and your opponent's, but if it leads to three or more 3/3 flyers attacking on your turn, I suppose it's worth it. One last card not mentioned in the above list: Walking Archive. With its built-in card drawing ability, plus the power to add +1/+1 counters to itself, it can easily be a solid attacker in a Wakestone Gargoyle deck as well as a source of extra spells. And since this deck is already W/U.... All in all, I think this has been a very productive brainstorming session. Hopefully some of you will try to build a deck of this nature, and if you do, I hope you manage to innovate on what you see here. If so, I'm sure the Pojo.com Message Boards would love to hear about it. Good luck! ~BMoor |
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