Leonin Arbiter

Creature — Cat Cleric

Players can't search libraries. Any player may pay {{2}} for that player to ignore this effect until end of turn.

Discussion (51)

aholder7 on Abzan

3 weeks ago

It sounds like you're building an abzan hatebears list. some old cards i recall going in the GW version would include some value generating cards like Voice of Resurgence and Blade Splicer. they played Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin along side Leonin Arbiter. the way they dealt with it was Aether Vial which could be put to good use here (also was a great way to use Flickerwisp on an opponents turn). BW versions also played eldrazi like Thought-Knot Seer which provided some solid bodies and hate packaged into one card.

TriusMalarky on Abzan

3 weeks ago

• Siege Rhino is probably a solid win condition here. Attacking resources and then following it up with a solid body with an ETB should make it really hard for your opp to get ahead on any axis.

• You want 4x Path to Exile, 4x Assassin's Trophy, 1-2xMaelstrom Pulse, 1-2x Abrupt Decay, 2-3x Settle the Wreckage, and 1-2x Winds of Abandon. Heavy removal suite, followed by decent creatures.

• Leonin Arbiter, Aven Mindcensor are obviously 4 ofs

• Thoughtseize and Mana Tithe are also 4-ofs.

• Fulminator Mage

• Consider Rolling Spoil as a sideboard card.

You really should be heavily taxing everything your opp does, so TS and Tithe early are great ways to keep them down. Then you move to some more heavy land destruction, and eventually win with Rhino.

Or at least that's how I'd do it.

dichia on Abzan

3 weeks ago

Omniscience_is_life, Winds of Abandon looks good here, thanks.

Unlife, I'm not opposed to more creatures. Actually I'm looking for more cause I think I'm almost done with the noncreature spells. I just think Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is not good here, even though I see her in every taxes deck. I'll take a look at your deck and see if the creatures could fit. Thanks for helping.

DeinoStinkus, I was actually thinking about Field of Ruin, cause I think that it is generally better than Ghost Quarter. I don't know if it is here though, because Leonin Arbiter prevents me from searching the library as well unless I pay more mana.

The same goes for Wishclaw Talisman since Leonin Arbiter effect limit my options as well. If it works well for me, it does for my opponent too. If it doesn't work well for my opponent, it doesn't for me too. Am I right?

Unlife on Abzan

3 weeks ago

It's not abzan, but I run a GW deck that is based around LD through Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin, using Aven Mindcensor and Leonin Arbiter to keep people from searching. Mine's a bit more creature heavy but it may be a place to start.

GW Ghost Company

dichia on Abzan

3 weeks ago

I'm trying to make a deck based on Leonin Arbiter and Aven Mindcensor to get more value out of cards like Path to Exile, Ghost Quarter and Assassin's Trophy.

I wanted to make it a sort of taxes deck, but since I'm running a lot of noncreature spells, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is not viable imo.

To keep it a little more control-oriented I was thinking about Tidehollow Sculler and Mana Tithe that fits the taxes archetype.

I'm looking for suggestions on other cards that could fit a deck like this. Possible win conditions, other cards that could benefit the effects of Leonin Arbiter and Aven Mindcensor or that synergize with them and other "taxing cards".

Thanks.

Azeworai on Lavinia, Azorious Stax

3 weeks ago

I've always had a soft-spot for land destruction. Mana Vortex is quite possibly my very favourite.

But, upon the deck! Aven Mindcensor is always a splendid lock-piece. Leonin Arbiter is a nuisance, Sanctum Prelate can be quite fun, Angel of Jubilation makes any Chainer player weep, Rule of Law or Eidolon of Rhetoric are both enticing, Spirit of the Labyrinth maintains equality, and Crackdown is oft one-sided for strategies such as this.

For your mass land-destruction, Drownyard Temple, Oboro, and Flagstones of Trokair each seem lovely.

Ravages of War is another one as addition, if it is to be in the budget.

I have my own commander taxes list if you care to peer upon it.

Within the Confines of Law

Enjoy the suffrage! And do remember, fun is relative.

dingusdingo on Lands choice

1 month ago

Check out https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Nonbasic_land as it lists all the non-basic lands for each color specifically. Some analysis of my own though:

Fetch lands

Polluted Delta and friends. Extremely useful for guaranteeing color access. The shuffle effect can generate extra value when you know what the top card is (especially Sensei's Divining Top and Brainstorm, but really any scry/reveal effect) by shuffling away cards you don't want. Generates huge color access when paired with Shocklands. The "pay 1 life" clause does add up, especially against decks like burn. Reusable from plenty of cards, and it also slightly thins the deck. Hosed by a few random effects like Aven Mindcensor or Leonin Arbiter that stop searches. Also hosed by Thalia, Heretic Cathar (and Root Maze if legacy/vintage) due to having two lands enter tapped instead of just one. A staple of any 2+ color deck, the positives far outweigh any negatives.

Shock lands

Overgrown Tomb and friends. Used in conjunction with fetchlands to guarantee color access. The 2 life to shock hurts, especially when fetched to make it 3. You can always crack fetches to grab shocks at the end of turn before yours, to have the shock enter tapped to save the 2 life. This allows you to keep mana open for instant speed response if you need it, while getting the reduced enter tapped cost if you don't need to respond to something. You generally want 1x of each shock for color access, and I personally think a 2:1 ratio is good for fetches:shocks. I will often start with 8:4 fetches:shocks for 2 or 3 color decks, and adjust as necessary from there.

Fast lands

Spirebluff Canal and friends. A nice dual land without land types that can guarantee color access fast and early. You generally should run 2-3 of these in a deck. Take note that you can play them untapped as the first, second, or third land. You like to see 1 or maybe 2 of these in a game, but don't like to draw them later. If drawn later in the game, entering tapped usually isn't nearly as big of a deal if the land entered tapped on turn 1/2/3. Extremely useful against decks like Burn or most aggro decks that seek to pressure your life total fast and early.

Check lands

Dragonskull Summit My favorite lands to use in conjunction with a fetch/shock package. They work extremely well with fetches and shocks, but do note that they will always enter tapped if it is your first land. A nice card to run, relatively efficient $$$-wise, but it doesn't play well with other non-basics such as the fastlands. These lands will also raise the percent of hands you need to mulligan with, as some otherwise playable 2 land hands will always make the checkland enter tapped (like if the other land is a fastland or other land without a basic type). Very efficient in 2 color decks, extremely efficient in 1 color dominant decks with a splash of another color for one card or sideboard reasons.

Filter lands

Cascade Bluffs and friends. Useful when you have extremely color heavy cards such as Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker or other 3+ colored mana requirements. Hosed out by Damping Sphere. Worth noting that this will never make colored mana on turn 1, which slightly raises the amount of hands you will have to mulligan. A fine option for most decks, especially if you pulled one from a pack and have it available. You will see the most benefit from these in 3+ color decks.

Reveal lands

Port Town and friends. Similar to check lands, but they perform slightly differently. They can enter untapped on turn 1, which is a massive gain, but enter tapped if drawn later on after you've played your lands out from your hand. Doesn't work well with other non-basic lands outside of fetch/shocks. I personally skip these in favor of check lands, but if you notice too many turn 1 plays being broken by check lands, this may be the solution.

Battle lands

Prairie Stream and friends. Also known as tango lands. Useful in 2 color decks where you will see more basics. Can't recommend them too highly there either, but that is where can possibly see play. These have basic land types, so they can be grabbed with fetchlands, useful as an EOT play so you can untap with them normally. Really not very useful, hard to have them enter untapped. Still significantly better than almost every land that 100% enters tapped though, as it sometimes enters untapped and is fetchable.

Pain Lands

Always enters untapped, always guarantees color access. You can navigate around the 1 life on later turns by using it for instead of a color. Useful in decks that must have color access. A good budget replacement if you can't afford a fetch/shock mana base. This land will suffer against burn.

Horizon Lands

There are only 6 of these, all enemy colored except for Horizon Canopy, but spicy tech for sure. Useful in a deck like Burn that depletes its hand, or decks that use Life from the Loam to get repeat draws from the horizon lands.

GoblinElectromancer on Kot - Aggro/Buff

1 month ago

Cool cat deck!

Here are some cards you might like:Lurrus of the Dream-Den (not as a companion but in main deck),Pride Sovereign,Bronzehide Lion,Loam Lion,Qasali Pridemage,Adorned Pouncer,Wild Nacatl,Dromoka's Command, and Leonin Arbiter.