This is a request for comments for the last deck in the MTG introduction decks series. If you are unfamiliar with the series, take a look here:
Budget Beginner Teach Decks (#1 Green) w Puzzles!
I'm looking for any advice/opinions about the general content and direction for this deck, as well as any specific inclusions I should consider, before I finish building it and balancing it against the other decks.
I know I want to include an infinite combo, as it is a concept somewhat unique to Magic. I also would like a mill win-con and I want to use 3+ colors. I've already used black in both other multicolor decks, and I want to avoid it now. I've considered several options and drafted up some basic ideas listed below. At this point my running favorite is a defender deck with an infinite mana combo, with key cards listed.
My questions are:
- What combo is best for the beginner to experience? One of these or something different?
- What important archetypes are missing? Can't cover them all. Storm is a different combo; not sure I want two, and I do want to include an infinite combo. Hatebears, and land destruction are not done, but not sure they really need to be covered in this.
- Are there any key common abilities I have overlooked? Landwalk is weird in these mono decks. Are convoke, suspend or cumulative upkeep important enough, or just overkill? Affinity/invoke requires another deck.
- Note, planeswalkers break the budget for this. I could include just one Nissa, Vital Force but even that is pricey. I could include proxy/oversized cards but seems gimmicky.
Deck suggestions
X=0 bounce deck
- X=0 spell. Ornithopter, Spidersilk Net, Everflowing Chalice, Darksteel Relic
- Tap to bounce. Retraction Helix
- Untaps on cast. Pristine Angel, Nettle Drone, Leonin Battlemage, Jeskai Ascendancy, Zephyr Scribe, Midnight Guard. Intruder Alarm is too expensive and art is not so good.
- Payoff on entry. A second Nettle Drone, any prowess (Seeker of the Way, Stormchaser Mage, Whirlwind Adept), Elusive Spellfist. For ornithopter: Impact Tremors, Ajani's Welcome, Valor in Akros
I would probably go with: Ornithopter, Retraction Helix, Pristine Angel, Nettle Drone, Seeker of the Way as the core. Doesn't rely/benefit as much from bouncelands, so we can include cards like Evolving Wilds, Shimmering Grotto and Mystic Monastery to showcase some of the ways to address mana fixing other than duals. No mill options unless we break the budget with Altar of the Brood or Grimoire Thief
Infinite tap/untap
v1 - add mana ability
Make an inspired type creature become a mana dork as well. Have it continually tap/untap itself with .
- tap/untap benefit creature: Oreskos Sun Guide/Judge of Currents, Deepwater Hypnotist (permafog), Pheres-Band Tromper, Spireside Infiltrator/Goblin Medics. Night Market Lookout and Vampire Envoy also work but are black. King Macar, the Gold-Cursed is very cool, but also black.
- Make it a mana dork: Karametra's Favor, Utopia Vow. Can't Cryptolith Rite (too expensive.. who knew). The art on Paradise Mantle and Multani's Harmony is just not good enough.
- Free it: Freed from the Real. Puresight Merrow has built in freed but payoff isn't game breaking, would be great in a cryptolith version.
Probably go with: Oreskos Sun Guide, Deepwater Hypnotist, Utopia Vow, Freed from the Real, Puresight Merrow as the core. No mill options however.
v2 - use a mana dork base
use a mana dork that taps for and 1+ more mana to make infinite mana
- 2+ mana dork. 3 options:
- Axebane Guardian, Krosan Restorer, Ley Weaver
- Two step with "untap permanent" Unbender Tine, Vizier of Tumbling Sands, Fatestitcher, Tidewater Minion, Kiora's Follower, and a two mana artifact Khalni Gem, or land Azorius Chancery
- 2 mana land with Blossom Dryad, Voyaging Satyr, or an "awaken" effect
- Free the dork: Freed from the Real
- Payoff for infinite mana. X, buyback, or multikicker spells:Stroke of Genius/Lore Weaver on opponent, Dawnglow Infusion, Devil's Play, Biomass Mutation, Wolfbriar Elemental, Whispers of the Muse for the art, Increasing Confusion
I built a core deck listed above. Another simple option needing only 3 cards and 2 colors is: Ley Weaver, Lore Weaver, and Freed from the Real. Simic Growth Chamber goes well with this one.
v3 - Merfolk version
- Endless tap/untap: 2xKiora's Follower or Kiora's Follower+Freed from the Real+Island
- Untap payoffs: Judge of Currents and Wake Thrasher
- Add Khalni Gem or land (Azorius Chancery) for infinite mana option. Stroke of Genius to finish.
Both combos?
If we were willing to accept the Paradise Mantle art and cost, we could have both combos:
Paradise Mantle, 2xNettle Drone+Retraction Helix, Spireside Infiltrator+Freed from the Real
