Warped Devotion

by Chris Magner

 

 

"Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense."

 

Ah, Warped Devotion.  During the Planeshift pre-relese, there was a feeling about this card.  As if this card could inspire a new deck type.

 

So, decks were built and tested.  Some worked, some didn't.

 

What does a Warped Devotion deck do, anyways?

 

Warped Devotion

2B

Enchantment

 

Whenever a permanent is returned to a player's hand, that player discards a card from his or her hand.

 

This deck should have one goal:  To empty your opponent's hand as fast as possible.  Once empty, all card returned to it go straight into his or her graveyard.

 

So, let's look at cards that can speed this process up, shall we?

 

Creatures:

 

Ravenous Rats - When the rats come into play, your opponent discards a card.  Starts shrinking their hand size.

 

Chilling Apperition - Opponent discards a card when damage is dealt.  In this group, you could throw in cards such as the Specters.  Any Specter will do, but keeping the deck B/U will make it easier to run.

 

Waterfront Bouncer - Return creatures as an ability?  Nice.  Kind of expensive, but good to have.

 

Avatar of Woe - Why not?  Returning creatures to your opponent's graveyard should easily give you a way to cast it for cheap. 

 

Avatar of Will - By turn 5 or 6, you should have the ability to cast a 5/6 flier for UU.  Once the Will is out, your opponent will be in real tough shape.

 

Spells:

 

Warped Devotion - Err, the theme of the deck.  Next.

 

Recoil - Return a permanant to your opponent's hand and they discard one.  Any card in play can be returned.  Bounce lands back if you like.

 

Repulse - With a Devotion out, it's a creature only recoil, plus you draw a card!

 

Unsummon/Boomerang  - Cheaper than Recoil, but require more specific mana.  Also, no card drawing.

 

Wash Out - Massive bounce back.  Great against Elf and Rebel decks.

 

Below is my version of the Devotion deck.

 

Warped!

 

Creatures

 

3 Ravenous Rats

2 Waterfront Bouncer

2 Stormscape Familiar

2 Doomsday Specter

3 Avatar of Will

2 Avatar of Woe

 

Spells

 

4 Warped Devotion

4 Recoil

3 Repulse

3 Wash Out

4 Counterspell

4 Undermine

2 Lobotomy

2 Probe

 

Land

 

4 Salt Marsh

9 Island

7 Swamp

 

Sideboard

 

3 Perish

3 Sway of Illusion

2 Lobotomy

1 Wash Out

4 Accumulated Knowledge

 

Warped verses other decks:

 

I have a unique situation here.  Almost no one plays any of the top archtypes around here, so I have no playing experience.  The following is mostly theory.

 

vs Fires.

 

This is the only one I have played. I take out the 4 repulse for 2 Lobotomy and 2 Perish.  Even with that, this deck is always a challenge.  Fires has speed.  Warped! has control.  Control takes time to set up.  And if it takes to long, a certain green 5/5 common that can't be targeted is too much for this deck.  Hope for Wash Out or Perish.  Maybe Lobotomy if they can't get Blasty out quick enough.

 

vs. Rebels

 

Never played it.  Sounds like I'm lucky.  Wash out to reset the game.  Bounce back Lin Sivvi until you get rid of it.

 

vs. B/U Control

 

A mirror match.  All comes down to who gets the best hand.  Ditch 2 Recoil and 2 Repulse for 4 Accumulated Knowledge.  You need the card drawing.

 

Warped Devotion has the ability to be a real good card.  When some tournament player breaks it, expect it to be banned.

 

Chris

 

CMagner@cfl.rr.com