Spectral Sailor

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Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Archenemy Legal
Arena Legal
Block Constructed Legal
Canadian Highlander Legal
Casual Legal
Commander / EDH Legal
Commander: Rule 0 Legal
Custom Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Gladiator Legal
Highlander Legal
Historic Legal
Legacy Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pioneer Legal
Planechase Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Spectral Sailor

Creature — Spirit Pirate

Flash (You may cast this spell at any time you could cast an instant.)

Flying

: Draw a card.

trippy_mcfly on Cumly Cube

8 months ago

Introducing Cumly Cube 1.2! 12 months ago, Cumly Cube was updated to Cumly Cube 1.1, offering many needed changes to the card pool. While this fixed some glaring errors, other faults in the cube remained, and a year of careful consideration has hopefully identified all of them. For Cumly Cube's 1.1's 1-year anniversary, I have chosen to make some changes. These changes serve a few functions:

One of them is to smooth the power level of cards in the pool. There should be very few slam-dunk picks or unplayable cards.

Another is to remove the snow card type from the pool. This makes it so players only have the option of including regular basic lands in their deck, increasing accessibility and ease for drafting.

A third is to balance the level of aggression in strategies. It was identified that playing strong, expensive creatures was a dominant strategy in Cumly Cube 1.1, since there was not enough support for aggressive decks to go under this strategy. While aggressive decks are still not supported heavily, a few changes in the card pool have hopefully shifted the meta to a point in which tempo will be an important dynamic in most matchups.

A fourth and final change is in the creature types. All creatures now belong to a supported creature type, and all non-creature cards that produce creature tokens produce tokens that belong to a supported creature type as well, meaning that tribal synergies are going to be emphasized in Cumly Cube 1.2, as was an original goal of this Cumly cube.

One more thing to note is an important change to the rules. Rule 907 has been removed. Players can no longer use this rule to conjure a basic land of any type into their hand, increasing a need for disciplined drafting. While this rule allowed players to play more ambitious decks, it removed the use for Banners, Lockets, and other methods of fixing mana. Ambitious decks are still possible in Cumly Cube 1.2, they just require some extra effort to draft.

Here are the individual card changes, provided with brief justifications:

CUTS:

ARTIFACT

Arcum's Astrolabe: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Ankh of Mishra: Too weak in power level Coalition Relic: Too much utility for general decks Coat of Arms: Ideally, this card would often be symmetrical, since opposing players would have tribal synergies, thus making it too weak in power level Coercive Portal: Too strong Coldsteel Heart: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Crowded Crypt: Creates zombie creature tokens, a creature type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 Explorer's Scope: Too strong and too much variability Fellwar Stone: Too strong Glasses of Urza: Too weak in power level Grafted Skullcap: Too narrow Mask of Memory: Too much utility for general decks Paladin's Shield: Too weak in power level Scroll Rack: Too little synergy with the rest of the card pool Sword of Feast and Famine: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Sword of Fire and Ice: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Sword of Light and Shadow: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Sword of Truth and Justice: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Talisman of Conviction: Too powerful Talisman of Hierarchy: Too powerful Talisman of Resilience: Too powerful

CREATURE

Allosaurus Shepherd: Removed to lower the presence of elves and green creatures Angelic Curator: Too weak in power level. Additionally, protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Apex Devastator: Card advantage should require more synergy than slamming one creature card Apex Hawks: Too weak in power level Arcbound Reclaimer: Too weak in power level Avacyn's Pilgrim: A mana dork that costs 1 mana with no drawback is too powerful and too obvious a choice of a Cumly Ascendant Spirit: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Battered Golem: Too weak in power level Beast Whisperer: Too powerful Birds of Paradise: A mana dork that costs 1 mana with no drawback is too powerful and too obvious a choice of a Cumly Boreal Druid: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Boreal Outrider: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Bosh, Iron Golem: Too weak in power level Bottle Golems: Too weak in power level Brokkos, Apex of Forever: Mutate cards have been removed to make Cumly Cube 1.2 more accessible Cartographer: Too weak in power level Chillbringer: Too weak in power level Dryad of the Ilysian Grove: Not a supported creature type, plus too much utility for general decks Elvish Visionary: Removed to lower the presence of elves and green creatures Erebos, God of the Dead: Too strong of an engine for an indestructible card Eternal Witness: Removed to lower the incentive for primarily green strategies Ethereal Valkyrie: Card advantage should require more synergy than slamming one creature card Garth One-Eye: Too complicated of a card Goldspan Dragon: Too strong in the treasure matters archetype Hellkite Tyrant: Too strong of an alternate win condition in multiplayer games and too powerful after sideboarding against artifact-based strategies Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis: Not a viable addition to almost any deck Icehide Golem: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Illuna, Apex of Wishes: Mutate cards have been removed to make Cumly Cube 1.2 more accessible Ingot Chewer: Too powerful against artifact-based strategies Karmic Guide: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Kozilek, Butcher of Truth: Too strong Kozilek, the Great Distortion: Too strong Looter il-Kor: Not a supported creature type Lotus Cobra: Too obvious a choice of a Cumly Master Skald: Too weak in power level Metalworker: Too strong in artifact-based strategies Mirror Golem: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Omnath, Locus of Creation: Too strong Prosperous Innkeeper: Not a supported creature type Rimescale Dragon: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Sea Drake: Too weak in power level Sea-Dasher Octopus: Mutate cards have been removed to make Cumly Cube 1.2 more accessible Skeletal Wurm: Too strong Snapcaster Mage: This card is commonly played in many formats, and fits the same role in Cumly Cube as it does in other formats. That is too boring for Cumly Cube Solemn Simulacrum: Too much utility for general decks Svella, Ice Shaper: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Thada Adel, Acquisitor: Too powerful after sideboarding against artifact-based strategies Thassa, God of the Sea: Too weak in power level Tireless Tracker: Too powerful Torgaar, Famine Incarnate: Too direct of an impact on life total True-Name Nemesis: Protection leads to less interactive games, a dynamic not desirable in Cumly Cube Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: Too strong Waterfront Bouncer: Too much utility for general decks

ENCHANTMENT

All That Glitters: Too generically-useful of an effect given the presence of artifacts in many decks Ascent of the Worthy: Too cheap for a reanimation effect Blood Sun: Too narrow Curiosity: This effect exists with Keen Sense, and it is more interesting to have that effect be in Green than Blue Duelist's Heritage: Too weak in power level Endless Scream: Too weak in power level Grounded: Too weak in power level Havoc: Too weak in power level Hero's Resolve: Too weak in power level Moonlit Wake: Too weak in power level Path of Mettle  Flip: Too weak in power level Shared Animosity: Too aggressive Sunbond: Too generically-useful of an effect given the presence of life gain in many decks The Mending of Dominaria: Mill of any kind is not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 True Conviction: Too weak in power level Unfulfilled Desires: Too much utility for general decks Unspeakable Symbol: Too aggressive Cold Snap: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Freyalise's Radiance: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Glacial Plating: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Rime Transfusion: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks

INSANT

Abrade: Too much utility for general decks Artifact Blast: Interaction with artifacts should be found as removal, allowing artifact decks to realize their synergies Assert Authority: Too generic of a counter spell for artifact-based strategies Blazing Salvo: Too weak in power level Burning Hands: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Celestial Purge: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Confound: Too strong in certain matchups after sideboarding Crop Rotation: Too strong in Dark Depths decks Dark Remedy: Too weak in power level Darkness: This effect already exists in Batwing Brume, a more interesting card Dazzling Lights: Too weak in power level Flashfreeze: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Fry: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Generous Gift: Creates an elephant creature token, a creature type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 Mardu Charm: Creates warrior creature tokens, a creature type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 Pyroblast: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Red Elemental Blast: Color-specific hate cards lead to less interesting sideboarding strategies Repopulate: Too strong in certain matchups after sideboarding Selesnya Charm: Creates a knight creature token, a creature type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2

LAND

Cave of the Frost Dragon: Mono-colored creature lands have been removed from Cumly Cube 1.2 to discourage mono-colored strategies Den of the Bugbear: Mono-colored creature lands have been removed from Cumly Cube 1.2 to discourage mono-colored strategies Faceless Haven: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Field of the Dead: Too much utility for general decks Fire-Lit Thicket: Replaced with Mossfire Valley Gnottvold Slumbermound: Not a supported creature type Lair of the Hydra: Mono-colored creature lands have been removed from Cumly Cube 1.2 to discourage mono-colored strategies Hall of Storm Giants: Mono-colored creature lands have been removed from Cumly Cube 1.2 to discourage mono-colored strategies Hive of the Eye Tyrant: Mono-colored creature lands have been removed from Cumly Cube 1.2 to discourage mono-colored strategies

PLANESWALKER

Garruk, Cursed Huntsman: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Jiang Yanggu: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Kiora, Master of the Depths: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Kiora, the Crashing Wave: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Liliana, Dreadhorde General: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Sorin, Solemn Visitor: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Vraska the Unseen: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Wrenn and Seven: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed Xenagos, the Reveler: To further encourage creature-type-based synergies, planeswalkers that produce a creature token with a type not supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 have been removed

SORCERY

Avalanche: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Break the Ice: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Essence Infusion: Too weak in power level Farseek: Too much utility for general decks Giant Opportunity: Too narrow Icequake: All snow cards have been cut to remove the inclusion of snow-covered basics when building decks Infernal Contract: Card advantage should require more synergy than this card Reckless Endeavor: Too much variability Strike it Rich: Too weak in power level Three Visits: Too much utility for general decks

ADDS:

ARTIFACT

Relic of Legends: Synergizes well with legendary card type strategies Thopter Shop: Supports the thopter creature type and synergizes well with artifact creature strategies

CREATURE

Ajani's Chosen: Supports the cat creature type and synergizes well with enchantment decks Akim, the Soaring Wind: Supports the bird and dinosaur creature types Augmenting Automaton: Supports the construct creature type while also adding a cheap but scalable threat for black decks Banehound: Supports the nightmare creature type and functions as an aggressive creature for faster decks as well as a lifelink creature for lifegain strategies Be'Lakor, the Dark Master: Supports the demon creature type Bedlam Reveler: Supports the devil and horror creature type and synergizes well with the spells-matter archetype Brightwood Tracker: Supports the elf and scout creature types and offers card advantage at an expensive rate Bronzebeak Moa: Supports the bird creature type Capashen Unicorn: Supports the unicorn creature type Centaur Rootcaster: Supports the centaur creature type and synergizes well with landfall strategies Cloudblazer: Supports the human and scout creature types Deadeye Brawler: Supports the human and pirate creature types Deadeye Plunderers: Supports the human and pirate creature types Deeproot Champion: Supports the merfolk creature type and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Denry Klin, Editor in Chief: Supports the cat creature type Deus of Calamity: Supports the avatar and spirit creature types Displacer Kitten: Supports the beast and cat creature types and can be used as a value engine in carefully-constructed decks Divinity of Pride: Supports the avatar and spirit creature types Doom Whisperer: Supports the demon and nightmare creature types and is a solid playable for any black deck Dutiful Replicator: Supports the assembly-worker creature type Electrostatic Infantry: Supports the dwarf creature type and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Emperor's Vanguard: Supports the human and scout creature types Falco Spara, Pactweaver: Supports the bird and demon creature types Fathom Fleet Captain: Supports the human and pirate creature types Fathom Fleet Cutthroat: Supports the human and pirate creature types Felidar Guardian: Supports the beast and cat creature types Festival Crasher: Supports the devil creature type and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Fiend Artisan: Supports the nightmare creature type and provides a tutor effect that can enable combos or strong synergies Forerunner of the Heralds: Supports the merfolk and scout creature types Frontier Guide: Supports the elf and scout creature types and offers ramp for landfall strategies Gahiji, Honored One: Supports the beast creature type Galvanoth: Supports the beast creature type and synergizes well with the spells-matter archetype Gloomshrieker: Supports the beast and cat creature types and is an enchantment for enchantment-based strategies Gold-Forged Thopteryx: Supports the dinosaur and thopter creature types Good-Fortune Unicorn: Supports the unicorn creature type Greater Gargadon: Supports the beast creature type Grimdancer: Supports the nightmare creature type Harnessed Snubhorn: Supports the dinosaur creature type and is a payoff for artifact or enchantment decks Harvester of Souls: Supports the demon creature type Herald of the Pantheon: Supports the centaur creature type and synergizes well with enchantment-based strategies Huatli's Raptor: Supports the dinosaur creature type and synergizes well with proliferate strategies Hunted Nightmare: Supports the nightmare creature type and has an interesting drawback that might incentivize unique drafting Impetuous Devils: Supports the devil creature type Jetmir, Nexus of Revels: Supports the cat and demon creature types Jori En, Ruin Diver: Supports the merfolk creature type and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Kaheera, the Orphanguard: All five creature types meeting Kaheera's companion condition are supported in Cumly Cube 1.2, making this a great pick for many decks Kangee, Sky Warden: Supports the bird creature type Karador, Ghost Chieftain: Supports the centaur and spirit creature type Kiln Fiend: Supports the beast and elemental creature type and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Kuro, Pitlord: Supports the demon and spirit creature types Kykar, Wind's Fury: Supports the bird and spirit creature types Lashweed Lurker: Supports the eldrazi and horror creature types Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn: Supports the unicorn creature type and functions as a solid payoff for lifegain strategies Leyline Prowler: Supports the beast and nightmare creature types and offers utility in the form of deathtouch, lifelink, and mana fixing Lonis, Cryptozoologist: Supports the elf and scout creature types and produces clue tokens for artifact-based strategies or just general value Mahadi, Emporium Master: Supports the cat and devil creature types Marauding Raptor: Supports the dinosaur creature type Memnite: Supports the construct creature type and is a cheap card for artifact-based strategies Messenger Falcons: Supports the bird creature type Mishra's Self-Replicator: Supports the assembly-worker creature type Murasa Rootgrazer: Supports the beast creature type and synergizes well with landfall strategies Nael, Avizoa Aeronaut: Supports the elf and scout creature types and incentivizes multi-color strategies Nightmare Shepherd: Supports the demon and nightmare creature types and is an enchantment for enchantment-based strategies Nihiloor: Supports the horror creature type and synergizes with lifegain strategies Nikya of the Old Ways: Supports the centaur creature type Niv-Mizzet Reborn: Supports the avatar and dragon creature types and incentivizes multi-color strategies Niv-Mizzet, Supreme: Supports the avatar and dragon creature types and incentivizes multi-color strategies Nulltread Gargantuan: Supports the beast creature type Opaline Unicorn: Supports the unicorn creature type and offers utility in the form of mana fixing Ornithopter of Paradise: Supports the thopter creature type and offers mana-fixing for any deck, especially if chosen as a Cumly Overgrown Armasaur: Supports the dinosaur and saproling creature types Pestilence Demon: Supports the demon creature type Phantom Nishoba: Supports the beast, cat, and spirit creature types and synergizes well with lifegain strategies Phantom Tiger: Supports the cat and spirit creature types Pheres-Band Raiders: Supports the centaur creature type and synergizes well with enchantment-based strategies Pink Horror: Supports the demon and horror creature types and is a payoff for the spells-matter archetype Prowling Felidar: Supports the beast and cat creature types and is a payoff for landfall strategies Quirion Ranger: Supports the elf creature type and works well with Stasis Radagast, Wizard of Wilds: Supports the avatar, beast,, and bird creature types Raging Regisaur: Supports the dinosaur creature type Rakdos, Lord of Riots: Supports the demon creature type Rakshasa Deathdealer: Supports the cat and demon creature types Ramirez DePietro, Pillager: Supports the human and pirate creature types Ranging Raptors: Supports the dinosaur archetype and synergizes well with landfall strategies River Hoopoe: Supports the bird creature type and synergizes with lifegain strategies Ronom Unicorn: Supports the unicorn creature type Rune-Scarred Demon: Supports the demon creature type Salvaged Manaworker: Supports the construct creature type while also providing mana-fixing for any deck Scalding Devil: Supports the devil creature type Self-Assembler: Supports the assembly-worker creature type Seton, Krosan Protector: Supports the centaur creature type and synergizes well with decks that contain the druid creature type, a creature type not purposefully supported in Cumly Cube 1.2 but definitely present Shapers of Nature: Supports the merfolk creature type Snapping Sailback: Supports the dinosaur creature type Snubhorn Sentry: Supports the dinosaur creature type Soul of Emancipation: Supports the angel and avatar creature types Soul of Windgrace: Supports the avatar and cat creature types and synergizes well with landfall strategies Species Gorger: Supports the beast creature type Spectral Sailor: Supports the pirate and spirit creature types Svyelun of Sea and Sky: Supports the merfolk creature type Tatyova, Benthic Druid: Supports the merfolk creature type and is a payoff for landfall strategies Thrasta, Tempest's Roar: Supports the dinosaur creature type Tidehollow Strix: Supports the bird creature type Trove Warden: Supports the beast and cat creature types and synergizes well with landfall strategies Tuvasa the Sunlit: Supports the merfolk creature type and is a payoff for enchantment decks Urban Daggertooth: Supports the dinosaur creature type and synergizes well with proliferate strategies Vebulid: Supports the horror creature type and functions as an interesting threat in proliferate decks Vodalian Arcanist: Supports the merfolk creature type and synergizes well with the spells-matter archetype Void Beckoner: Supports the horror and nightmare creature types and can put itself in the graveyard for reanimation strategies Vorel of the Hull Clade: Supports the human and merfolk creature types Walking Atlas: Supports the construct creature type and offers ramp for landfall strategies Watcher of the Spheres: Supports the bird creature type Yarok, the Desecrated: Supports the elemental and horror creature types Ziatora, the Incinerator: Supports the demon and dragon creature types

ENCHANTMENT

Conquer: Further support for land destruction, an archetype encouraged in Cumly Cube 1.2 Detention Sphere: A strong removal spell that can win the game with Worldfire Fungal Plots: Supports the saproling creature type Offspring's Revenge: Possibly a very strong engine in carefully-constructed decks Rumbling Crescendo: Further support for land destruction, an archetype encouraged in Cumly Cube 1.2 Thopter Spy Network: Supports the thopter creature type Trace of Abundance: Offers utility in the form of mana fixing Urban Utopia: Offers utility in the form of mana fixing Verdant Haven: Offers utility in the form of mana fixing

INSTANT

Bedevil: A strong and flexible removal spell Fungal Infection: Supports the saproling creature type Fungal Rebirth: Supports the saproling creature type Schismotivate: A strong combat trick to be aware of in Cumly Cube 1.2 Seed Spark: Supports the saproling creature type Spore Swarm: Supports the saproling creature type Stun: A good tempo play for more aggressive decks

LAND

Dragonskull Summit: Bolsters fixing for non-blue decks Mossfire Valley: Bolsters fixing for non-blue decks Rootbound Crag: Bolsters fixing for non-blue decks Shadowblood Ridge: Bolsters fixing for non-blue decks Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree: Supports the saproling creature type

PLANESWALKER

Aminatou, the Fateshifter: Synergizes well with blinking strategies Angrath, Minotaur Pirate: Supports the pirate creature type Chandra, Pyrogenius: Mainly added to justify the continued inclusion of Chandra's Embercat Chandra, the Firebrand: Mainly added to justify the continued inclusion of Chandra's Embercat Dihada, Binder of Wills: Synergizes well with legendary card type strategies Dovin, Architect of Law: Expensive planeswalkers that don't take over the game but add value are exactly what we want in Cumly Cube 1.2 Huatli, Warrior Poet: Supports the dinosaur creature type Jace, Arcane Strategist: Expensive planeswalkers that don't take over the game but add value are exactly what we want in Cumly Cube 1.2 Liliana of the Dark Realms: Synergizes well with swamps matter strategies, mainly thinking of the powerful engine Dread Presence

SORCERY

Aether Mutation: Supports the saproling creature type Grave Upheaval: Further support for reanimator, an archetype encouraged in Cumly Cube 1.2, and offers utility in the form of mana fixing Lava Flow: Further support for land destruction, an archetype encouraged in Cumly Cube 1.2, as well as unconditional creature removal not normally found in red Summon the School: Supports the merfolk creature type

DreadKhan on The Quackening

11 months ago

I have a Quest for Ula's Temple deck which does some similar things, I liked Dreamscape Artist because it can reshuffle your library as needed, incase you don't have a relevant creature to work with on top. It's technically only 1 mana and a card to Harrow (you get back 2 untapped lands, so it can also helping mana fixing) Blue, and I could be wrong but I think your Commander wants the odd Discard outlet too. A worse (but still potentially useful) piece of Blue ramp is Apprentice Wizard, it's not as good as Dreamscape, it's like Worn Powerstone, which is a good rock if you want bigger ramp to potentially cast a big creature a bit sooner. Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus are big ramp rocks with decent ratios. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Cabal Coffers are pretty good together, if you have a lot of devotion to a colour Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx can help, Deserted Temple can untap any land that makes extra mana. Less rampy and more of a big Scry effect, Soothsaying is a neat card if you care about your deck order. Scroll Rack is better but costs more.

Just a general idea, you might throw in things like Reconnaissance Mission, Bident of Thassa, and Coastal Piracy along with some Unblockable or Shadow creatures (Thalakos and Dauthi are the Blue and Black tribes). You can also throw in stuff like Sword of the Animist, Dowsing Dagger  Flip, Prying Blade, Goldvein Pick, Grim Hireling, and any other attack payoffs you can find to generate more value over time. I understand you want a sea-monster theme, but you might want a way to draw some cards/get in some chip damage to soften people up. The only drawback to Shadows is that they can't chump block. If you really want your evasive creatures to be able to chump, there are some small flyers like Spectral Sailor and Thousand-Faced Shadow that have other upsides, these are risk free but are way less evasive than Shadows.

On that note, if you're worried about getting attacked you might look at Propaganda, War Tax, Flood, and Fatespinner are all great ways to make you hard to attack. Mass Diminish, Polymorphist's Jest, Sudden Spoiling, AEtherize, Aetherspouts are all great cards for people to fear.

Callous Oppressor is a funny repeatable theft effect, Ritual of the Machine and Helm of Possession can both steal stuff and are great with tokens, Thieving Skydiver can steal an artifact creature fwiw, Sower of Temptation is a so-so theft effect that shines bright if you can flicker or bounce it, Thalakos Deceiver is probably way better since he permanently steals whatever and can be reanimated, Inevitable Betrayal and Bribery are both pretty sweet.

The biggest (and perhaps best) theft effects are Mass Manipulation and Cultural Exchange, exchange requires bodies but can also be used aggressively to just ruin two players' boards.

Inkwell Leviathan, Lochmere Serpent, Spawning Kraken, Stormtide Leviathan, and Wrexial, the Risen Deep are some relevant creatures I use, some are better than others but there is nothing as bad as Sea Serpent or Bog Serpent, both cards I love but don't use.

If you like Whelming Wave, you might like Spectral Deluge as well.

Hope some of this helps, Big Dimir is a fun deck!

Dencoan on Spirit Squad building

1 year ago

For Draw:

Cut:

Add:

Virlym on Yuriko, Shadow of Fate EDH

1 year ago

Just to not clutter up azja's feed, I'll give my input to the questions you asked. I'm no azja, so I can't answer for them, this is just my educated guessing.

Capture of Jingzhou is rather expensive, and it's easier to just run something like Time Warp over it. But for Karn's Temporal Sundering, it domes for 1 more when it's a trigger off Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, and it has a Void Snare attached to it, which could clear out some other problem like Platinum Angel (niche example, but gets the point across), or put a ninja back into your hand so you can ninjutsu it out on the extra turn.

Tormented Soul being just black is a huge drawback for what azja was going for in competitiveness, it also can't be pitched to Commandeer, Force of Will, nor Force of Negation.

Kaito Shizuki requires further testing. in most cases, it's 3 mana for a single unblockable ninja token and a filter the following turn. You'll hardly ever even want to get the emblem due to trying to win through Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow triggers utilizing small ninjas and not cheating out something big. It's more beneficial to have ninjutsu creatures in your hand so you can get them to hit an opponent utilizing an enabler rather than trying to find some way to deal combat damage with a rather lackluster attacking ninja.

Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow enablers want to b as cheap as possible. There's a HUGE fall-off from having a 1 CMC enabler to having a 2 CMC enabler to where that extra mana, and delaying Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow from hitting someone turn 2 better be a big payoff. Faerie Seer and Spectral Sailor are both 1 CMC enablers, and flying is generally scarce enough early game to where it effectively says "unblockable". Wingcrafter is a way to grant Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow flying so she can activate her own ability fairly reliably, it also let's you cycle ninjas out by giving one flying, and using ninjutsu shenanigans to keep more expendable ninjas on the board. Example, you could have it paired with a Skullsnatcher, swing it in, ninjutsu it out for a Fallen Shinobi, then after damage (after the triggers and before combat is over) ninjutsu the Skullsnatcher back in so that the Fallen Shinobi can stay a little safer in your hand. Augury Owl Sage Owl being able to see 3/4 cards into your library helps set up a big Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow play, or can at least give u information to see if you'll get answers to threats or if you need to crack a fetch as you nothing coming up and need to refuel, etc. That extra digging and set-up is basically a Sensei's Divining Top activation, but on an enabler body.

There's no instant-win combo in the deck because azja doesnt like them. "But I don't really enjoy playing combo decks, so I've opted to not include the aforementioned Demonic Consultation & Thassa's Oracle combo.". Having said that, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow is typically a really fast agro deck. It will have the general agro problems of puttering out if faced with a deck that has enough lifegain and board wipes. But that deck was also designed more in the cEDH realm, so if a game is going longer than 6 turns, the super control deck is probably going to win anyways. As for trying to throw in more alternate win-cons, you usually want to avoid that. If you need multiple cards for an alternate win-con and they cards otherwise could either be dead, or put you behind in your initial game plan, they are just a hinderance in cEDH. Every individual card needs to be doing something to push you further. You can't have dead combo pieces in hand when you have 5-turn games. Thassa's Oracle is more often than not a dead card in decklists like this. You need a deck build around what it wants you to do, otherwise it's just a 1/3 for 2 mana, and Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow really doesn't need that baggage.

Scheming Symmetry isn't really a "play and win" card, it's just another 1 CMC top deck manipulation card. It also works REALLY well if you have something like Fallen Shinobi in hand, waiting to hit the person you just let search their library.

"Also, would avoiding the enters tapped lands be better? E.G. Drowned Catacomb, Mystic Sanctuary, Sunken Hollow be far better as say City of Brass, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, River of Tears, Etc.?" River of Tears is a bad card to try and deal with when you're running on a really low curve. If you play it turn 1, it adds B, so you can't play your 1 CMC enablers aside from Gingerbrute. If you play an island turn 1, and River of Tears turn 2, you now have double blue on turn 3 with no black, and if you play a black mana land, you now have double black and only one blue. If you need the double blue and a black, you would need to tap it before playing a land, but doing something like that makes it so you can't use it for ninjutsu. It's just a hassle of a land and adds too much to keep track up when there's already a lot that's going on in an EDH game. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is basically just a swamp. City of Brass would generally be a good include though, assuming you're ok with the price tag and games aren't typically decided by 4 life. Drowned Catacomb will generally always come in untapped if you play right due to the amount of fetches. Mystic Sanctuary will generally come in untapped in a deck this heavily blue, and the upside of being able to recur an answer or even a big spell that Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow can trigger with makes the chance of it coming in tapped irrelevant. Sunken Hollow is the worst offender of the 3, but it still has the basic land typing, so it can be fetched. And that upside is generally enough to warrant including it.

Spirits on Yuriko (Optimized) Primer

2 years ago

azja,

Couple early questions if you don't mind. Let me know if I'm a bother :) My Yuri Deck

Karn's Temporal Sundering hitting an opponent for 6 is good, but wouldn't Capture of Jingzhou be more efficient for CMC1 less? Perhaps its a budgetary/availability consideration?

You have 15 enablers, I read the notes on them, couple questions. What's the critical mass on this, like would 10 be deterimental. When I did a rough pull in had the following questions:

Why is Tormented Soul excluded, is it just as simple as the Force of Will? He still not better than the 2CMC options like Augury Owl?

Kaito Shizuki thoughts? I'm worried that the CMC3 for the -2 is the wrong tempo/timing, but, he does come in, make a unblockable, then phase out to also get the draw next turn. If you don't need the unblockable, it's draw 2 for CMC3, tough to see hitting his ultimate at 7. 3CMC planeswalker are usually good, some I'm tempted to think this one will be too? But I have no play experience on this deck.

I just can't get my head around the flying evasion guys though, Faerie Seer, Spectral Sailor, Wingcrafter, Augury Owl, Sage Owl. They feel "sub-optimal" to me and difficult to include, but as I said what's the critical mass here? I was considering Baleful Strix in the 2CMC drop, just because he replaces himself in hand (which may just be discarded anyway, but looting never that bad anyway), with deathtouch less likely to be blocked by flying/reach, and he can be an effective (deathtouch) defender.

I've roughed in "12" for the timebeing.

Honestly my first thought was this is a turbo-draw to tutor, fish-pact/fish-consul strategy. I was looking at Tatsunari, Toad Rider instead, but I think I like "big splashy spells" more than the aristocrats method. So that got me thinking, what the heck do I win with, is this viable or am I off-base here:

Primary: Thassa's Oracle + Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact ASAP / Draw for tutors

Tertiary Maverick 'Turn and Burn': Temporal Trespass, Temporal Mastery, Temporal Manipulation, Capture of Jingzhou with perhaps something like Sea Gate Restoration  Flip or Dig Through Time as possible damage enablers in addition to the 'turn'.

I skipped Secondary intentionally, is there no room here for a Doomsday? I can think of multiple stacks with varied CMC, E.G. if devotion to blue 3 + Doomsday + Thassa's Oracle (BBBUU) is a win, if you don't have Thassa's Oracle, somethig like Doomsday + Gitaxian Probe/Street Wraith into a Night's Whisper or something could be around CMC7, Gush kinda useless here for a CMC3 (BBB) stack.

Thoughts on that? I see you intentionally don't run the fish, but this seems viable for this deck?

For Scheming Symmetry doesn't the player just pull a counterspell to stop your win, does it really "win on the spot", if you have to pass it feels useless, but with Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion or Opposition Agent it does work. Reliability? I "should"? run it?

Has Mutavault been enough value for a possible swing vs. the downside of the colorless mana? It dodges board wipe and is a ninja, so kinda-of makes sense to me, but I'm on the fence?

Also, would avoiding the enters tapped lands be better? E.G. Drowned Catacomb, Mystic Sanctuary, Sunken Hollow be far better as say City of Brass, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, River of Tears, Etc.?

I do have TOO MANY potential colorless mana Ancient Tomb, Gemstone Caverns, Reliquary Tower, Strip Mine. I feel like Reliquary Tower is a trap and I should remove, where I feel like, what's my strategy vs. a Glacial Chasm or Maze of Ith.

It's still a work in progress, I think I need more Ninjas then I have, still evaluating them one by one, and trying to figure out what each tutor gets me, but first I need to know what my win-con plans are to know what i'm looking for!

Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

mrweaselman on Booty Raiders

2 years ago

You're going to want to set your format to I believe Pioneer, with the cards you're running at the moment.

Take out Brineborn Cutthroat and Protean Raider. They're not all that good in pirate tribal. Take out Wily Goblin for more card draw like Chart a Course, it's going to be better late game and you're not really trying to ramp into a big finisher a turn early anyways.

If you go 4 Forerunner of the Coalition you can basically go toolbox with a similar list to what you have. Otherwise I would down to 6-8 separate pirate cards.

Imo the best pirates are Spectral Sailor, Dire Fleet Daredevil, Kitesail Freebooter, Ruin Raider, and Admiral Beckett Brass. Probably 3-4 of each of those + 4 Forerunner of the Coalition for toolbox, and 1 of each other pirate you want to include.

Fiery Cannonade is better in the sideboard. Swap in against tokens or small creature aggro.

While not explicitly pirates, Angrath, the Flame-Chained is better than Angrath, Minotaur Pirate. I try to stay away from the planeswalker deck planeswalkers. Although you could run Angrath's Fury and keep the deck like the precon I suppose.

king-saproling on Brass Balls WIP

2 years ago

Spark Double, Sakashima of a Thousand Faces, or Sakashima the Impostor copying Brass lets you steal multiple things per turn. Strionic Resonator can do the same by copying Brass's EOT triggered ability.

Captain's Hook would allow you to turn a stolen creature into a pirate. The menace is nice too. Overall the card is pretty useful for a Brass deck.

Spectral Sailor is a cheap pirate with flying. Good for getting Brass's effect to happen sooner. Kari Zev, Skyship Raider is similar as she is hard to block and provides another attacking pirate.

To be honest with you, I don't think Brass is a good vehicle for a chaos deck. A lot of setup is needed for Brass to do her thing efficiently, and the more chaos stuff you include the less likely you are to use Brass effectively. But if combining the themes of pirates and chaos means a lot to you then it makes sense. I'd suggest more changes (such as more low-cmc evasive pirates and more 2-cmc mana rocks) to maximize Brass's strengths but you'd probably have to forgo the chaos cards to include those.

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