Budgetingish my way to kiki-chord.
Hello - i'm trying to make kiki-chord, I sold a lot of my bulk cards and mtgo collection to try and build it. I really enjoy what I have seen with the deck and want to built it despite its price range. Unfortunately, i'm a very frugal person, and weigh the price of each card against its value in the deck. This being said ------>
There are some great cards that i'm intentionally not including
- Voice of Resurgence: As great as it is, its out of my price range right now, i'd ideally run 3
- Spellskite: Still super expensive from when it was a great counter to twin, but people realize its just a great hate creature, but too expensive, i'd run 1
- Kitchen Finks: I'm not convinced that this card is good enough right now to justify the price, not to mention it might not be great in the deck. Its a strong creature, but I want to try the deck without it
What I do know --------------->
- Restoration Angel: I do want to run four, I think this is one of the most powerful creatures not only in the deck but in modern, where other variants would run different four drops i'm running the full angels.
- Eternal Witness: Because of the four angels i'm set on running 3 witnesses. I don't have some of the powerhouse value creatures that other variants have, so an additional witness lets me trade aggressively knowing i'll gain back the value.
- Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker: I've seen lists running two, I only want to run one. I am going to be running fewer red sources than other lists for budget concerns, and really don't want to draw this card.
- Evolutionary Leap: I really want to try this card. It seems like the format is slowing down soem with the prevalence of Jeskai Nihiri, and having a card that is very effective against the removal spells of control is very appealing. Not to mention a sac outlet can save creatures from a path to exile, allowing for big Reveillark turns in the late game.
- Reveillark: A massive value engine, synergy with Restoration Angel and Evolutionary Leap can swing the game back in my favor when dealing with control decks in the late game. Only a one of because it seems awful against fast matchups, which already could be a weakness of the deck.
- Fauna Shaman: Acts as a baby chord of calling, has graveyard synergy with Reveillark and Eternal Witness. The tutor effect has the potential to be very powerful, and i'm excited to try it out.
- Courser of Kruphix: It was great in standard, and has the opportunity to be just as great here, providing both a good blocking body and life gain against aggro matchups, while also providing card advantage and a virtual scry with fetchlands, I think its great.
- Scavenging Ooze and Qasali Pridemage: fairly obvious choices for me, powerful creatures that are also mainboard hate against some decks. Nothing special. Could potentially go up on oozes. Fine with a single pridemage.
- Wall of Omens: I think of this card as part of the core of the deck. The 4 toughness is relevant against aggro, and the card draw helps us dig for answers and combo pieces. Also synergy with resto blink.
- Birds of Paradise and Wall of Roots: Duh. Yes I want 4 Walls, this version of the deck has the potential to be mana hungry with the Evolutionary Leap.
Maybe Cards ------------------>
- Lighting Bolt: Its a red deck, I feel like I should be running it.
- Village Bell-Ringer: This is the card I have put the most thought into running. It Combos with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker for three mana, and has flash. It can also lead into big turns of tap creatures, play bell ringer, then untap creatures and have mana for chord of calling. The biggest upside though is its one power. It can be brought back from the graveyard along side Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker with Reveillark for an out of nowhere win. This is the main reason I would consider running additional Fauna Shaman. If I was running this card, Fauna Shaman could win the game on its own by discarding the Village Bellringer, searching for Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, discarding Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker for Reveillark and evoking. The Village Bellringer gives the deck an additional angle of attack through the graveyard. That being said, its a 1/4 flash for 3 mana, with a minimal effect outside of the combo. It would be brutally weak alone. So I really don't know if I should run it.
Beyond these creatures, i'm lost, I would love any insight you could offer into improving the deck, thanks. I havent put in a sideboard yet, but I have a good idea of the cards, and I'll do that after finalizing the main. Also I know the mana base is a mess, need to put in some of the fast lands, probably a Ghost Quarter and a Gavony Township, maybe some checklands.
