Flowstone Slide

Sorcery

All creatures get +X/-X until end of turn.

Legality

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

Discussion (12)

Mana_Mythic_Legendary on Pursuing Perfection, Part 9: Gruul …

2 years ago

In the last article, I referenced the opinion that Heath Ledger’s Joker is a Rakdos player. Here, I further submit that Godzilla is a Gruul player, or would be if you could find cards big enough. Big, stompy, and gloriously unsubtle, if you like mind games then maybe this isn’t for you. The rest of us will have a grand old time stampeding over you in the true Rhythm of the Wild.

Parsing out themes within Gruul commanders was a little more challenging than the past color pairings. While there are obvious trends like ramp and damage, I’d prefer to discuss things that are more in line with both colors rather than one or the other. To that end, we’re discussing X, Power, and Unsubtlety. As always, please bear in mind that the point isn’t a discussion of the competitive but rather a celebration of the thematic.

X

Bear with me. There are only six legal Red-Green spells with X in the cost, and not all of them are playable. However, there are currently eighty red X spells in print, sixty-eight in green. The other colors all have less. Of those 148 cards, 71 do some sort of damage. My point is this: In the Green corner, we have the undisputed champion of ramp, while in the Red corner we see, by inference, the most willing color to serve as a mana dump. Klauth's Will is probably the only Gruul X spell I’d play, but there are lots, and I mean LOTS, of mono-colored choices for channeling your inner flamethrower.

A 4/4 for four? Not bad. That taps for four? Woot! Heck, I run every Gilded Lotus I own, and that’s only good for three mana! If you like X spells, Rosheen is a nice, reliable bet that probably won’t draw much hate.

This guy? Unlike Rosheen, he might draw hate, and in spades. Doesn’t look relevant to X at first glance, does he? All that draw is magnificent, and an excuse to finally go tribal werewolves is well and good. Come nightfall, though, and he suddenly turns into a Kessig Wolf Run. Crack enough mana and you can kill everyone with one wolf token each. Good times.

This card was made for Goblin Bombardment and all it’s disgusting relatives. Sweet mercy, what a load of combo this is. Crack infinite, Make a pile of tokens, play it, empty it, play it again.

Power

Green’s fatties tend to be just that: well-rounded. Most of them have equal power and toughness, or near to it. In Red, however, you see things like Spark Elemental frequently: potent attackers made to die quickly, loudly, and messily. Both colors, though, have a passion for dominating in the combat phase. From Runes of the Deus to Fires of Yavimaya, there’s a fine sweep of support for storming enemy lines, and there are a number of Gruul commanders who do the same.

Whoa nelly, let them fight is right! Suddenly all those glass cannons Red gave you are made mighty, mighty thick by offense being, after all this time, the best defense. Flowstone Slide is suddenly tempting to play, frighteningly so. I don’t know what other chicaneries you might get into, but this is something I’d love to see played.

Omnath, Locus of Mana had a flying, hasty baby. I’m just going to leave this here and remark that any other commentary I would have made is being drowned out by maniacal laughter.

You like command damage, right? Of course you do. Well, that’s not the point here. However, playing big toys is strongly endorsed, especially when paired with Unnatural Growth and all those delightful parallels to the Pathbreaker Ibex. Get tall, go wide.

Unsubtlety

One could argue for the elegance of simplicity, but there’s nothing elegant about clubbing your opponents with chonks or hosing them down with napalm. Black, now, black’s plenty elegant. Blue is stupid elegant. Green and Red, though, lean towards an extremely direct approach. Here, we’re talking commanders that reward simplicity, encouraging unorthodox deck construction in order to reap some sort of reward.

Lands and critters, critters and land. And SUCH land! I always loved Heartbeat of Spring, but most similar effects double everyone’s stuff, or a particular kind of stuff. Not Nikya. Nikya gives only to you, provided you want to spend it on creatures. Props if you start pulling crazy tricks with Ashaya, Soul of the Wild.

Always swing? Ok. Reach and Vigilance? With two heads, I’m not surprised. 6 damage to anyone not playing a proper spell? Gloriously unsubtle, and less prohibitive than Nikya. Faced with the prospect of self-immolation in seven spells, Blue is going to be very, very cross with you, to say nothing of artifact decks.

The big guy puts me in mind of a line from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. “I'm coming for blood; no law, no code of conduct. You put me in the right direction, you get the hell out of my way.” This looks hard to pull off, but lordy the work it’ll do when you manage! I know from experience that green has all the kit necessary to fill a hand with land: give ol’ Borbor a deck excessively stocked with lands, a few choice options to shuffle your graveyard back in, stick him with Basilisk Collar and get to work.

And, for my personal favorite...

We HAD to discuss him at some point. Nobody is going to look at this guy piloting your deck and wonder what’s going to happen. You are going to spam land drops like nobody’s business until you can afford to plunk his expensive ass on the field, and then you are going to start making an EFFORT. You are going to throw thiccness at absolutely everyone. And, above all, there will be a delightedly murderous glint in your eye whenever someone suggests boardwiping. I know because this is an old, old deck of mine; there’s a bare-bones toolkit, then 40-odd lands and a massive pile of land-rush and “whenever you play a creature.” Think Warstorm Surge, Animist's Awakening, and an excessive collection of the actual token.

That's it for this round. Thoughts and questions are welcome. I hope you enjoyed it, and will come back next week for a real favorite of mine, Selesnya!

Prior Articles:

Rakdos

Dimir

Azorius

Green, with links to the other mono-colors

StuPickles on Another mizzix of izmagnus Question …

3 years ago

Yea that was super helpful thank you! Gotcha, i knew flicker saved you from some removal but didnt know it wouldnt help against non-targeted spells.

I have another question if you dont mind. I dont know the name of the card but i believe there are flicker spells that the creature returns to the battle field at the end of the turn. Would that avoid Magmaquake and Flowstone Slide?

Also with Reality Ripple, since Mizzix of the Izmagnus is treated as though they dont exist but are still on/never left the battlefield until the beginning of my next turn. Would i still be able to benefit from the experience counters during my opponents turns? I assume not since she technically isnt there.

Tylord2894 on Another mizzix of izmagnus Question …

3 years ago

1) Magmaquake is unaffected after Mizzix has been Unsummoned. You will get an experience counter.

2) Mizzix will not survive.

3) Mizzix will survive.

4) Mizzix's fate here will be based on the evasive spell you use. Same answers as 2 and 3 respectively.

Once a spell has been cast, all of its costs have been paid, so Mizzix has done her job and triggers immediately. That trigger will exist independently of her staying on the field. That said, if you're ever in doubt, you can also let the trigger resolve and then resolve after that.

In your examples, there is no functional difference between Magmaquake and Flowstone Slide. Both of them will end in Mizzix's death should she be out when either one resolves. Clearly, Unsummon will stop her from dying. Ghostly Flicker won't stop her death. When Flicker resolves, Mizzix will leave and then come back. This makes a new "Mizzix" object, but that only stops targeted removal, like Murder. It does not protect against things that don't care about targets. A phased-out creature is treated as though it doesn't exist, so Reality Ripple will protect her.

Hope this helps!!

StuPickles on Another mizzix of izmagnus Question …

3 years ago

I had a question concerning removal and evasion based spells targeting Mizzix of the Izmagnus and the stack.

scenario 1: I have 6 Experience counters, Mizzix of the Izmagnus is on the field and i decide to cast Magmaquake for 6 or (6RR) to wipe the board. In response I use Unsummon to bring Mizzix of the Izmagnus back to my hand. Does the spell still go off even though Mizzix is no longer on the field and therefore cannot utilize my EXP counters even though I already "paid" for the cost? Does my EXP counters go to 7 since i cast Magmaquake for a total CVC of 8? I assume not because she is not on the field when Magmaquake goes off.

Scenario 2: Same as Scenario 1, however i cast Ghostly Flicker instead of Unsummon. Do i successfully dodge my own boardwipe?

Scenario 3: Same as Scenario 1, however i cast Reality Ripple instead of Unsummon.

Scenario 4: I have 6 Experience counters, Mizzix of the Izmagnus is on the field and i decide to cast Flowstone Slide for 4 or (4,2RR). Then in response I cast Ghostly Flicker. Does Mizzix of the Izmagnus die when she comes back into play? Or because she wasnt on the field when Flowstone Slide went off, she is unaffected? What happens if I use Reality Ripple instead of Ghostly Flicker

Thanks for any input on this already heavily questioned card. Trying to make sure Mizzix of the Izmagnus sticks on the board as long as possible through BW's or removal

Braingamer on Friends On Fire

4 years ago

12 is rookie numbers. We need 15 Chandra's at least. On a more serious note have you considered Subterranean Tremors instead of Flowstone Slide?

Gleeock on EDH Under $1: Suggestions for …

4 years ago

Clackbridge Troll, Moldervine Reclamation, Grismold, the Dreadsower, Rampage of the Clans, Revenge of Ravens, Evolutionary Escalation, Bloodthirsty Blade, Deathreap Ritual, Hunted Troll (most the hunted cycle), Wishclaw Talisman, Allure of the Unknown, Akroan Horse, Awaken the Erstwhile, Stormfist Crusader, Tahngarth, First Mate, Spiteful Visions, Flowstone Slide, Shadows of the Past

Optimator on krenko gobbos

5 years ago

You also have very little interaction. Mono-Red doesn't do it all that well but having a few silver bullets might be nice. By Force, Vandalblast, Shattering Pulse, Abrade, Nevinyrral's Disk, Fissure, Aftershock might be good. The Disk gets Enchantments too, which is good.

I personally feel that every deck needs at least two board wipes, if not more. Throw in a Blasphemous Act and don't look back. Flowstone Slide is decent too, and gets through Indestructible. Need ramp for it though. Spells like Earthquake can be good if the board gets out of control but they're not my favorite.

Rexdale on Kresh Bandicoot

6 years ago

I have been slowing building a Kresh Deck myself and have a few suggestions for you to consider.

Rite of the Raging Storm - High mana cost, but a potentially 5 counters every end step.
Ulvenwald Tracker - Single target removal / Kresh wins fights...
Flowstone Slide - Spicy / underrated / lesser known card. How many extra counters would you like? Also consider Flowstone Surge against/with token strategies
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan - Because your creatures will die or put into the command zone ...
Traverse the Outlands - Ramp based on creature's power ...
Rishkar's Expertise - Draw based on creature's power ...