Transcendent Master

Creature — Human Cleric Avatar

Level up {1} ({1}: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.)

[Level 6-11] — Lifelink [6/6]

[Level 12+] — Lifelink, indestructible. [9/9]

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
Freeform	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
PreDH	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (46)

salzstange on Double Trouble - Prison Time !

1 year ago

Current problems - Open to suggestions

37 Land Mana base:

• Islands are needed but scarce. Shocklands are not considered due to power-level of my local store and friends group.

• If I remove some basic lands in exchange for some (slow) dual lands, I could also drop Scrying Sheets to make room for cards on the maybeboard.

Slow cards / lackluster mid to late game

These cards could be removed in favor of maybeboard

• Daxos of Meletis

• Krile Baldesion

• Urianger Augurelt

• Well of Lost Dreams

• Transcendent Master (less value than some cards on maybeboard)

• Cradle of Vitality (Tutor-able, but costly draw compared to alternatives)

Maybeboard to consider

Way better synergies:

• Azor, the Lawbringer for more control

• Drogskol Reaver for better draw

• Grand Abolisher for prison/control

• Heliod, Sun-Crowned for more buffs & lifegain

• Sphinx of the Revelation, which becomes a 3CMC flying/lifelink 3/5 with card draw

Deck currently lacks

• Board wipes other than Ajani, Strength of the Pride

• Single creature boosts like Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots or similar

DM_Aramis on Minions & Magic token deck

4 years ago

Hey thanks for the comments, I really appreciate it! So I agree that the ramp definitely needed some work for sure, I didn't want to go out and buy a triome or something. That said, they'll never be able to stay in the deck if I take the deck but my play group said I could use some custom made cards off of Etsy because the art was amazing (and I gave some to the other memebers). That said, I've already gone ahead to secure the lands that you suggested so that I can have more duals in the deck. Also you're right with cards like Bad Moon, it seemed like a good idea at the time but there isn't I just thought that the inklings and pests would all get the bonus and that would help. Also I unfortunately will probably have to pull out The Ozolith because I can't really find one that I don't have to import from another country.

I love that you saw some of the potential combos, I was thinking of some of your other tips on my decks and made sure to add some, I think Ashnods alter allows for a for a different kinds if I can get the cards. If you did have any more token (for combos or not) suggestions of course I would be interested. Also, if have some cards that would help that cost a bit more, I wouldn't shy away from them, I do well and don't have kids, so it's fine as long as it isn't like a $50+

So Transcendent Master I sort of figured I'd get called on. I'm not sure why it's a mythic as it does take a lot of investment but it seems like a cool concept and worked out in a 60 cards deck I had when I first started. Also the Vorpal Sword I totally get, however I did pick up a Monologue Tax which I'll be adding soon when I update this deck, I think that, along with cards like Pitiless Plunderer will help to have the extra treasure with some of the other cards to be able to afford the Vorpal I think.

multimedia on Minions & Magic token deck

4 years ago

Hey, well done for your first three color deck with partners. Nice start and work in progress. Some good ideas and cards here, other than the obvious staples like Sol, Arcane, Tower, Swords, Farseek, Cultivate, etc.

Nice Fetch lands, Plunderer, Ghave, Beledros, Altar, Dawn, Wake, Intervention, Inkshield, Artist, Blot, Ranger, Remembrance, Damn, Infestation. I see win condition combos of Ghave + Altar + Artist and Life/Limb + Sporemound, but you could expand on token combos if that's the direction you want to go.

Six excellent lands here make up a large portion of the budget, the rest is fairly low budget thus my suggestions will be for lower budget. If I'm wrong about this and you would prefer more pricey options let me know.

My first comment is advice to improve on the basic structure (lands, ramp and draw). If you're interested in me continuing with more advice in other areas I can in another comment. Three areas to consider improving are amount of lands/color fixing from lands, more draw and more ramp.

• Mentor of the Meek --> Bad Moon
• Tireless Provisioner --> Transcendent Master
• Shamanic Revelation --> Killian, Ink Duelist
• Murmuring Bosk --> Glorious Anthem
• Woodland Chasm --> Vorpal Sword
• Snowfield Sinkhole --> Dramatic Finale

Others:

• Oketra's Monument
• Rite of Harmony
• Camaraderie
• Harrow
• Sandsteppe Citadel
• Caves of Koilos
• High Market
• Canopy Vista
• Evolving Wilds
• Terramorphic Expanse

---

32 lands is low amount with only 8 ramp sources. Consider adding some lands, at least 3 more and add at least 3 more ramp sources? 21 basic lands is a lot for a three color deck, that makes color fixing subpar from lands. By cutting a few basic lands for more dual lands it will help color fixing. You're playing green which gives you access to many different ramp options such as Tireless Provisioner who creates tokens. Take advantage of ramp when playing green.

Mentor of the Meek and Provisioner are helpful three drops for tokens because of their repeatable effects. Mentor and Shamanic Revelation take advantage of tokens for draw. You're creating 1/1 tokens which Prava makes them 2/5 when they enter the battlefield, but that's still 2 power for Mentor to be a repeatable draw source.

I see Verdant Catacombs and Windswept Heath which are great as well as Farseek, but I only see Temple Garden as the dual land these Fetch lands/Farseek can get. Consider adding a few more lands that the Fetch lands can get such as Murmuring Bosk? Farseek can get a black source from Woodland Chasm or Snowfield Sinkhole.

---

For some cuts, the cards I've chosen for you to consider are less impactful then others in your deck. Creatures who all they have is lifelink are not worth playing because you can get life from other sources that do much more. Transcendent Master is not worth the mana investment into it for what you eventually get.

Bad Moon is subpar because you don't have enough black creatures and the majority of token creatures are not black, they're white or green especially since Prava only creates white creatures. Dramatic Finale mana cost is too difficult to consistently make with three colors and only nontoken dies. Other anthems such as Glorious Anthem are fine since it affects all creatures you control, but in my opinion are not worth a card spot since all it does is +1/+1 pump.

Black in my opinion is better as a splash color here with dual lands and a few basic Swamps since green and white give you much more for tokens and life gain strategies. It takes a lot of black mana for Vorpal Sword to have a good effect which without a lot of treasures or more color fixing help will be too difficult to make.

Would you like me to continue with more advice? Good luck with your deck.

Snake_Oil on The Olive Branch [Budget Selvala Twiddle]

6 years ago

wwormell

I'm really surprised it's as potentially strong as it is.

I also recall your desire for white mana sinks, hence the Transcendent Master, Kabira Vindicator and most importantly Mirror Entity for maximum elf-age.

Venturub on Take me to church

7 years ago

Hey Astro2, the Orim's Chant is not in the SB. It is in the MaybeBoard.

I have many different suggestions:

• since you have Mother of Runes and Order of the Stars , and even Transcendent Master , why not replacing Ghostly Prison with 4 Pariah . The effect is the same...

• Generally speaking, your enchantments lack protection. 2-3 Fountain Watch as SB? It should be enough, but also consider 2 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails ...

• I would add at least one more land... maybe an extra Cavern of Souls . Since you have no Aether Vial or other sources of mana ( Chrome Mox , Lotus Petal , etc.), 20 lands just do not seem enough.

Hope that helps. :)

xyr0s on

8 years ago

Dewdrop Spy seems to be simply too weak - it doesn't generate any card advantage, it just lets you look at one card. How about Nimble Obstructionist instead? The problem about levelling creatures in a tempo deck, is that you have to spend mana in your own turn. Take Transcendent Master as an example - it's going to take a lot of mana (6, to be exact), before that really is anything better than the standard fare for 3/3 creatures in modern. You could also consider Reflector Mage in that slot.

mmmm.... looking a bit longer at it: Levelling is actually almost the greatest anti-tempo you can find. First of all, redundant copies are just that - redundant. You can't level more than one Lighthouse Chronologist or whatever, in the scope of a normal game. Second, removal is a real issue, since you lose quite a bit of tempo if you have to Vapor Snag a creature back to your own hand (against some decks, that happens quite a lot - grixis control, for example). And lose even more, if a creature is levelled, and then removed as you declare the last level-counter on the stack. You need some other kind of protection, and fewer creatures to protect, perhaps. That could be something like Gods Willing.

Time of Heroes is not all that great, either. Due to the cost of both playing AND levelling a creature, before it gets any bonus from Time of Heroes, you will have fewer creatures to receive the bonus... and that reduces the utility of the enchantment.

Nerthus_Jord on Radiant Light

8 years ago

Student of Warfare / Transcendent Master + Time of Heroes

NensouHiebara on Cloud | Mercenary Voltron

8 years ago

@Kosmokatze

Mana Crypt Show

Mana Crypt is in the deck as a second Sol Ring. I'm keeping mana rocks to a minimum and chose the most powerful options available for the few that I run. The potential damage every turn has never been a significant issue. I don't recall ever dying to my own Mana Crypt.

-

Wayfarer's Bauble is a good ramp option. I'd say it's strictly better than any of the generic 3CMC mana rocks like Manalith and Darksteel Ingot just because it's permanent land ramp. But the deck has no space for further ramp cards, and I certainly wouldn't use it over Mana Crypt.

Tithe is an okay land fetch card. I already have Eternal Dragon in the deck that performs the same task, but with the added benefit of not requiring coloured mana and being a 5/5 flier for the late game.

---

Sensei's Divining Top Show

Sensei's Divining Top gives White incredible card quality for immensely low costs. It's essentially a 3-card extension of my hand for a single mana and can draw a needed card off of the top at a moment's notice. It can also save itself from removal with it draw ability. Top is a unique and powerful card that will never be outclassed.

As for refreshing the top of my library, there are currently fifteen cards in this deck that shuffle, with four of them repeatable by themselves.

-

Crystal Ball's doesn't offer card draw like Top does. It also costs to Top's , making it butt heads with Equipment for the early game plays.

Mind's Eye has a clunky mana cost. For the same 5 mana, I could be casting and equipping Sword of Fire and Ice. Sword of Fire and Ice is also easier to tutor for and recur if destroyed.

Crucible of Worlds is a fine card, just not for this deck. I do have quite the number of utility lands, but they're not the main focus of the deck. I feel Sun Titan and Petrified Field are sufficient enough to bring back destroyed utility lands and have no need for a third land recursion card.

---

Day of Judgment & Wrath of God Show

Day of Judgment and Wrath of God are the 'bread and butter' of my sweeper suite. Their task is to just keep the board free from too many creatures and I can't be popping my own Equipment with every sweep. I went completely all-in on heavy sweepers years before and I ended up with too many sweepers doing everything at once and nothing appropriate to accomplish the simpler tasks.

-

Rout is a sweeper better suited for control decks. I infrequently have 7 mana open for a single spell. I'm always doing things with my mana.

The "choose one and sacrifice the rest" style of sweepers is something I don't want too many of. I've been burnt in the past by overloading on them and I don't want to make that mistake again. They will also never remove a permanent type if it's the only one that player controls. Something a straight, clean sweeper will always do.

• Divine Reckoning doesn't have the benefits the other sweepers of this style have by hitting all nonland permanents, though is still a good option for metas heavy on token decks.

• Tragic Arrogance is probably the first sweeper I would consider if I ever had to replace one, but for now it isn't needed.

Hallowed Burial is just below Terminus for me. I don't miracle-cast Terminus all that often, but the opportunity to do so keeps it in the deck over Hallowed Burial.

---

Grasp of Fate & Angel of Sanctions Show

The single nonland permanent type that White doesn't have hard spot removal against is Planeswalker.

I ideally can't have my Commander to take out a Planeswalker and reduce their clock against an opponent. That extra turn could give them the opportunity they needed to turn the tables. In situations where I'm set back, the plethora of utility dorks my creature base is made of don't have the raw power to punch a Planeswalker to death in one attack. The better Planeswalkers are also quite adept at protecting themselves with blockers or their controller have ample defenses set up beforehand. Sometimes combat just isn't feasible for quickly killing a Planeswalker.

Grasp of Fate and Angel of Sanctions' primary targets are Planewalkers. They keep me from using a heavy sweeper, and thus removing my Equipment, to answer a Planeswalker causing me problems.

-

Aura of Silence's taxing ability becomes increasingly less effecting the longer the game goes. I've used it before and eventually replaced it.

Ray of Distortion looks very silly next to Return to Dust. 6 mana is also asking a lot just to remove a single artifact or enchantment, and it doesn't even exile the target like other options do.

Karmic Guide was in the deck before and I dropped it, as I didn't need so much creature recursion. I'm even recently having thoughts about Reveillark's role in the deck given the versatility of Sun Titan and the easy access to Sword of Light and Shadow this deck has.

---

Serra Ascendant & Transcendent Master Show

Serra Ascendant is the most mana efficient beater in the format. There's nothing better than a 6/6 flying lifelinker for a single , no matter what stigma is attached to it.

Transcendent Master is, above all other reasons, is in the deck because it's a Pet Card. It's slow and would be ineffective if I was ever in a competitive meta, but I adore the card too much to ever let it go. That's not to say it's bad. An indestructible, lifelinking 9/9 will give any deck a hard time.

-

Wall of Reverence is not what this deck wants. I like to think that every creature has the potential to be a threat with Equipment. A defender can't do anything. And if I ever need an efficient blocker, I can slap Godsend on something.

Gisela, the Broken Blade and Baneslayer Angel are both just big beaters. Serra Ascendant and Transcendent Master trumps them both by being both bigger and cheaper. Keywords can always come from Equipment.