ClockworkSwordfish Deckspert

I agree that losing mana burn is a loss for the most part. The logic was that it didn't come up often and fairly enough, but... well, neither do a lot of things. The problem is mostly that removing mana burn didn't add any strategic depth. But there is a void now where it once was - for all of the reasons you listed, and then some.

What really peeves me are the cards that have been rendered useless since they were designed with mana burn in mind. Citadel of Pain and Pygmy Hippo are chief examples, but I also liked the added utility on Spectral Searchlight and Valleymaker. Master of Arms was also neutered by a rules change (tapped blockers not dealing combat damage) and yet they swept in and errata'd him to compensate. Where's the love for the Hippo, huh?

Other rules losses I dislike are combat damage no longer using the stack (that's more arbitrary; there are arguments for both versions having advantages) as well as the new legend rules (it makes more sense balance-wise but I dislike it flavour-wise.) The one that probably leaves the worst taste in my mouth is the new 'waterfall' style for handling combat damage in gang blocks! Jesus, I thought they were trying to make the game more streamlined - what the heck is this about guys lining up to take hits until the attacker decides he's handed out enough? It's less intuitive and lowers the power of trample, which could kind of use the help considering it's the worst form of evasion there is. Plus the whole "deathtouch has a secret second ability where it lets you use the old style of damage" both suggests it wasn't a necessary change and also results in weird rules baggage that isn't obvious from looking at a card, kind of like the original Walls being unable to attack without any reminder text saying so.

Why not run Illness in the Ranks and/or Virulent Plague to make sure those pesky creature tokens don't overrun you? You could also run Mercy Killing as a handy kill spell.

Ertai, Wizard Adept sounds like a pretty ideal sidekcik for Baral! Now it doesn't even cost you cards to counter spells and filter through your deck.

One of the problems with Sphinxes is that most of them are quite mana-intensive. Fortunately, there are a couple stand-ins who can help out in that fact! Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic both can fit in with your artifact synergy but can be sphinxes while they're in play - and hey, nothing wrong with having a few more lords around.

I'd also try and get some cards like Urza's Incubator, Herald’s Horn and Path of Ancestry to try and help get things out a little faster.

If you don't mind having some jelly babies around, changelings like Shapesharer and Mirror Entity can also count; they're among the better ones in your colours. Cairn Wanderer's almost guaranteed to have flying, and he's a regular party if he happens to show up while Sphinx of the Steel Wind is in your graveyard.

Lastly, why not make room for Command Tower? There's no better land in the format! City of Brass, Mana Confluence, Arcane Sanctum and Dromar's Cavern would all serve you well, but I'd at least try to get the Tower for sure!

But as far as the next week's concerned, I'm one happenin' guy!

That's a good question. Collective Effort might be a good trick since it can remove creatures and enchantments, it will be easy to pay the Escalate cost since the deck intends to load up on lots of support creatures who will just kind of sit around, and even the mass pump could be nice if you've got a lot of tokens sitting around.

Blessed Alliance is less attractive for escalating, but removing an attacker for 2 mana is certainly nice enough. The life gain could be good in the sideboard versus burn decks.

Grind/Dust can do a lot of heavy lifting, but I can't help but wonder if you might still be off running a full set of Fatal Push because of the mana cost. It depends on how often you find you're getting overrun before you can set up!

Are you sure Anointed Procession is necessary? I feel like you might rather have more removal in its place. I can't help but notice you don't really have any way to answer pesky artifacts or enchantments, even in the sideboard!

When you're this creature-heavy, I'd try and make a small concession for something that takes advantage of that fact. Thorn of Amethyst, Call of the Wild, Heartwood Storyteller and Lead the Stampede are all good examples.

I agree that Marrow-Gnawer totally fits the goal. Only problem is... it would be really hard for him to build up tokens if I have Illness in Ranks out, you know? In such case he'd be a five-mana sacrifice outlet and nothing more.

If you want another easy way to get more (virtual) card draw in white, you could replace all of the plains with Snow-Covered Plains and put in Scrying Sheets.

If not having any removal keeps you down, Nameless Inversion fits the bill!

I'd try and run Dark Impostor in there - I find he's great in EDH. In the late game he provides repeated removal and can even grow to be quite the impressive threat!

I'd try and run Dark Impostor in there - I find he's great in EDH. In the late game he provides repeated removal and can even grow to be quite the impressive threat! I'd also try and get Drana, Liberator of Malakir, possibly in place of Guul Draz Overseer? She's half as much mana and the boost is permanent!

I'd definitely run Lord of Innistrad, even if it was in place of Solemn Visitor. A steady stream of tokens is more important than the steady stream of pump, and that +1/+0 emblem is superb - if you can get two, it will be extremely hard not to win!