Heroic/Cipher Unblockable Combo
Standard*
SCORE: 18 | 37 COMMENTS | 5188 VIEWS | IN 4 FOLDERS
1-2 at FNM last night (3/21/14) —March 22, 2014
First match - R/G Gruul - Loss 1-2 - This was your typical R/G netdeck. First game he dropped three Burning-Tree Emissaryon his 2nd turn, so I was pretty much screwed. I held him off and got some damage in until turn six when he swung for lethal. Second game I was able to get my Hero of Leina Towerpumped up and ended up beating him with Aqueous Form. Third game was close. I had him down pretty low but he combo'd a Bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampagerand Domri Radeto have his online Nylea, God of the Hunt fight my pumped up Setessan Oathsworn, removing my only real threat. He then used Clan Defianceto kill my last blocker and swing for lethal. If I could have survived, I had him in a turn, maybe two. Thassa, God of the Seawas key here, giving me unblockability when I had no Aqueous Form.
Second match - R/W 1-drop - Loss 0-2 - This guy's deck really exposed my weakness. He told me before we started that his deck was a pauper deck, so I was thinking easy win. Far from it, he 1-dropped me to death and killed me in four turns in the first game with a very pumped Akroan Skyguard, and I literally didn't draw a single creature. Second game was the same, I only was able to get one creature out, which he killed immediately with Lightning Strike. He beat me turn five in this one, with the same Akroan Skyguardgetting pumped with cards like Madcap Skillsand Titan's Strength. He admitted after that he had never drawn so well and normally he can't kill nearly as fast. I was thinking about it, though, and even if I had gotten my most ideal draws I don't think I could have contended with the speed of his deck. I mulliganed the first game, and twice the second game hoping for creatures but to no avail. I made sure I separated and thoroughly shuffled my deck before playing and after my mulligans, but with only 14 creatures it can be tough.
Third match - R/G/B Jund - Win 2-1 - I never saw the black aspect of his deck beyond Swamps. I saw mostly Ash Zealot, Experiment One, and Scavenging Ooze, as well as Ghor-Clan Rampagera couple times. In the first game I was rolling, I had him at six life and I was at 18, but he Bloodrushed a Ghor-Clan Rampageron his already pumped Scavenging Oozewhen I wasn't expecting it and killed my pumped Hero of Leina Tower. Big mistake on my part (I need to be more aware of combat tricks like these) because he ended up winning this game after I couldn't get another creature out and pumped in time. Again, I'm feeling the sting of not having a lot of creatures in this deck, and only four Alpha Authorityfor protection (I sideboarded in Crypsisfor the next two games). The next two games were relatively easy as I hit my draws and was able to take him down fairly quickly. Second game was over on turn six, third took another turn or two but I had my Setessan Oathswornenchanted with Aqueous Formand Alpha Authority, as well as pumped by a couple key instant spells.
Overall I was disappointed. The first round could have been won if things had gone a bit differently, which makes me feel good... after the first game I thought it would go terribly but this made me realize that my deck has the potential to contend with $500 netdecks. However, like I said, I really realized how ill-equipped I am to deal with very fast decks. I'm thinking I need to look at either adding some more creatures to the sideboard, or adding in some fast instants like Giant Growthor Ranger's Guileto help my creatures versus early threats.
@ ChickenMonkeyDuck- Encoding Cipher cards on a creature does not target the creature and thus does not trigger heroic. However, the copied card Cipher creates in exile upon dealing combat damage is cast (unlike most cards that copy spells) and does trigger heroic.
January 14, 2014 10:23 a.m.
sunnyosrego says... #5
I too have made a deck with with heroic and cipher. Hidden Strings is incredible with heroic, as is Aqueous Form however I use the two with Agent of the Fates so that I can completely control the board.
January 20, 2014 10:14 a.m.
Kalonian Tusker since you don't really have anything before turn 3. in my heroic deck I have found that my creatures getting killed with burn as soon as I put them down before I get a chance to pump them out of burn range to be a big problem.
February 10, 2014 12:48 p.m.
I'm not sure Anthousa, Setessan Hero has a place in this deck. I don't have anything that can boost her or her tokens, and with my deck being a bit slow I'm nervous about losing lands.
Kalonian Tusker is a good suggestion, and I'm seriously considering dropping the four Elvish Mystic for something more utile early on. Maybe with some of that room I could use a couple Tuskers or Experiment One as previously suggested.
I originally had a playset of Bioshift in the deck, but in playtesting I was finding that I didn't use it to move counters around (because usually one creature was already big enough to swing for lethal) and the only utility it actually gave me was triggering Heroic on two creatures for one mana. I ended up working out a couple for Warriors' Lesson and took the last two out so I could put in some fight cards for removal.
February 10, 2014 3:12 p.m.
then I would definitely recommend Bioshift , especially since its at instant speed. if they let a small attacker through and block I huge one, you could potentially end the game with one manna.
February 10, 2014 3:24 p.m.
Strategoose says... #12
Hands of Binding is an incredible cipher card, and would be really good in this deck! Also, I think you need less creatures and more enchantments/instants. Heroic is a great ability, but if you're drawing creatures and not things that target them, it's kind of less good. Maybe take out the Leafcrown Dryads and something else.
I really don't think you need the Rogue's Passages. Thassa and Aqueous Form give unblockable much more efficiently; having two colorless land is just gonna slow you down when not running dual lands.
Astral Cornucopia really is not what you want in this deck. Its job is to give you access to colors you don't have--which in a two color deck is pretty much going to be never at all. Something much better could be in the space.
Instead of Retraction Helix, go ahead and pick up a few Unsummons. They may not be good at turning Thassa online, but you don't have to tap a creature for it.
Being a budget deck, I think you've done very well! But a few tweaks will make it run very smoothly. Nice job, +1!
March 3, 2014 4:34 p.m.
I would replace your Astral Cornucopia
with and Everflowing Chalice
. The reason being cost of the cornucopia isn't as fast as the chalice because to play the cornucopia even with just two counters, you have to pay six many (two for each X)
You could ramp up the chalice much faster, and it's free cost is a bonus. Plus if you kicked it for the same price you get 3 counters.
March 6, 2014 2:01 p.m.
catcherinbaseball says... #16
The Cornucopia is definitely not worth the spot, I'd simply drop it for another land so you can consistently cast your 4 and 5 mana cost cards as early as you can.+1
March 14, 2014 4:20 p.m.
catcherinbaseball says... #17
You could also replace a mutant's prey for a bred for the hunt.
March 14, 2014 4:22 p.m.
I think you're right about Astral Cornucopia - I'm just not seeing it help in playtesting and by the time I could use Vorel of the Hull Clade to double its counters, the game is over.
I've been thinking about Bred for the Hunt in place of a Bident of Thassa as well.
March 14, 2014 4:25 p.m.
JakeHarlow says... #19
Thought about Crypsis at all? Makes for unblockable-ness and doubles as a combat trick, in a pinch.
March 19, 2014 11:59 a.m.
JakeHarlow says... #20
Prowler's Helm too if you really want to max out your unblockable stuff.
March 19, 2014 noon
The only issue I have with Prowler's Helm is that it doesn't trigger Heroic like Aqueous Form - and my other two cards that grant unblockability have other functions (Rogue's Passage taps for mana and Thassa, God of the Sea lets me scry 1 every upkeep).
I do like Crypsis however. Fitting with the theme of my deck, it triggers Heroic, and it can provide either unblockability or protection. I will definitely consider adding it, thank you.
March 19, 2014 1:37 p.m.
JakeHarlow says... #22
You're quite welcome. I really like budget decks that are competitve; I'd be very interested to hear how this plays. Last FNM I played a sort of similar Simic heroic-control build (it was a draft, I came in third). It's very interesting.
March 19, 2014 1:49 p.m.
I'm trying it out this Friday, I'll post back here with the results.
March 19, 2014 2:41 p.m.
Since I'm going to be bringing this to FNM tomorrow, does anybody have anybody opinions on Artisan of Forms vs Meletis Astronomer ? What about Triton Tactics vs Crypsis ?
mattbl says... #1
So I've ordered the cards for this deck. I'm still wondering if there is a better 2-drop than Zameck Guildmage or Leafcrown Dryad . I like the Guildmage because my creatures can end up with a ridiculous amount of counters on them so it's nice to slough them off to get cards.
I'm also worried about my 1-drop being Elvish Mystic . I would love some feedback if anybody is out there.
December 17, 2013 3:05 p.m.