Visage of Bolas

Artifact

When Visage of Bolas enters the battlefield, you may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Nicol Bolas, the Deceiver, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.
{T}: Add {U}, {B}, or {R} to your mana pool.

Legality

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

Discussion (10)

Conuai on E. V. I. L.

3 years ago

If you're running Bolas, the Deceiver, I think you should consider Visage of Bolas as a mana rock. It's inefficiencies as a rock (4cmc) get a bit balanced out by being able to tutor out a planeswalker. But I can understand not putting it in, I'm thinking of cutting both from my own deck. Still, since it's not a widely available card (came out in the same planeswalker deck as the Deceiver), I figure a lot of people just don't know about it. It's one of the very few passable planeswalker/rare tutor combos that I've ever seen come out of a planeswalker deck. It just seems like if you can fit one of them, it's hard to think the other can't fit.

King_marchesa on Taking a Poll

3 years ago

I've eaten 2 Visage of Bolas once, I needed to tear them up first though.

Skullblade248 on YarHarFidllyDee, I steal ur Planeswalker Abilities

4 years ago

Again, I don't mean to ruin your fun, but as this website is designed to help improve decks...

First, I assume it's just a midrange Pirate tribal deck. I don't really see any Revel in Riches shenanigans or anything. There is a little bit of artifact interaction, and I think that's something that could be built upon.

Deadeye Plunderers is a ridiculous card that can end games fast if you can build up a bunch of artifacts. But, it's a liability if you don't have any on the board. A 3/3 for 5 is too slow by itself. I think that two copies sounds fair, and with two copies, you'll most assuredly have a smile on your face when you topdeck it. Going with the Artifact subtheme, I would say 2 Fell Flagship wouldn't hurt.

Captain Lannery Storm is a really nice way to power up Deadeye Plunderers . Even if you don't have one, she ramps you up a turn or two, which if we want to run Nicky B and Moo, we're going to need. Three copies is plenty, as she's powerful, but still legendary.

Dire Fleet Captain works really well in any Pirate deck. I run four in mine, but mine is super aggressive. I think that with a longer game , less copies are necessary. I would also say that Dire Fleet Neckbreaker is a great way to close out games, but for a more casual and fun game, two is plenty. March of the Drowned will also be pretty helpful later in the game. 2x. If you want even more Pirates to go with the treasure you're amassing, perhaps 3 Fathom Fleet Captain .

Now, this shocks me. You run two Planeswalkers from planeswalker decks, but fail to use their fetch cards. Especially as they're perfect in casual games. I would say 2 of both Angrath's Fury and Visage of Bolas . And of course, keep all of the Planeswalkers the same, number and all. I would also say that Angrath, the Flame-Chained is on flavor. Why just take their loyalty abilities when you can help yourself to everything they have? Maybe 1 Admiral Beckett Brass too.

We should put in more Treasure, so 3 Sailor of Means and 2 Wily Goblin . Slap them in with the power of FlexTape! (not sponsored). Removal is lacking, so I would say 3x Unlicensed Disintegration. Trust me, it's worth it.

And we're left with 2 more slots. More instant and sorcery spells would make this a control deck. Hostage Taker is great in casual games, but it costs a pretty penny. I think that 1 copy of Revel in Riches wouldn't hurt, as we have a bunch of treasure token makers. To help you win with Treasure tokens so you can throw them in the air as depicted in the art, then Storm the Vault  ^Flip is our best bet.

2x March of the Drowned 3x Dire Fleet Captain 3x Fathom Fleet Captain 2x Wily Goblin 3x Captain Lannery Storm 2x Fell Flagship 3x Sailor of Means 3x Unlicensed Disintegration 1x Admiral Beckett Brass 2x Dire Fleet Neckbreaker 1x Storm the Vault  ^Flip 2x Visage of Bolas 2x Angrath's Fury 2x Deadeye Plunderers 1x Revel in Riches 1x Angrath, the Flame-Chained 1x Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God 1x Angrath, Minotaur Pirate 1x Nicol Bolas, The Deciever

Do whatever with the mana base, I guess. Maybe Artifact Lands. I left out Fathom Fleet Boarder as it literally kills you for no reason. Rona isn't a Pirate and is a liability, and Dreamcaller Siren is neat, but niche. Sideboard material. I believe the list I spent the last hour on is budget, but I hope it gives you some inspiration and perhaps a few new tricks to try with your friends.

Just remember this rule of thumb with Pirates: Anything they can do, you can do better.

Jomphrey on Ten Piece (Pirate Tribal)

5 years ago

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions! While some of these cards you suggested are ones I would like to have, but they are a bit expensive for the budget. I did like your suggestion on having discard as a way to slow down my opponents. When I started building this deck, I was going to add Raiders' Wake and Heartless Pillage in there, but took them away in the end. I do have Herald of Anguish in my collection, so I can easily add that. I also considered having Nicol Bolas, the Deceiver and Visage of Bolas in the deck, which with making opponents discard cards would be nice addition as well.

I have Vanquisher's Banner and Metallic Mimic in my zombie deck, might move either or both of them to this deck as zombies have already a lot of support for the tribe.

Mechanized Production looks like it could be worth it in the deck.

Rzepkanut on Nicol Bolas Personified

5 years ago

Visage of Bolas, Augur of Bolas, Disciple of Bolas, Torment of Hailfire

S1ayerMonkey on Heavily Modified Nicol Bolas, the Deceiver Deck

6 years ago

cdkime

Wow thanks! I took your advice pretty seriously for this.

A quick note: A feature I wanted to pull off with this is to use Rakdos' ability to get bigger creatures out more cheaply, so I've added my other copy. The other feature is to get tokens for Unbreathing horde and to sacrifice them for Thraximundar and Butcher of Malakir. Now I need to modify it and find ways to actually sacrifice them, apart from Champion of Stray Souls.

I've done the following:

Removed Torrential Gearhulk for another Rakdos, Lord of Riots

Removed Anger of the Gods for another Oblivion Strike

Removed 2 Magma Spray for 2 Incinerate. I do have Lightning Strike, but it's the 2 CMC from Theros, so for the sama mana cost I used Incinerate for the extra anti-regen ability.

Removed Heart-Piercer Manticore for another Visage of Bolas. I was going to go with Manalith, but since mana ramp isn't much of a feature here, I went with another Visage because it does the same thing and lets me search for Bolas.

Removed Wasp of the Bitter End for Diregraf Captain

Removed Smelt for Diregraf Captain

I haven't looked at the land yet. Just thought I'd share my thoughts. Thanks again for the help!

kaichu on Nicols Bolas' rise to power

6 years ago

Hey, this is a really nice deck! Do you have any alternatives to Ajani's Aid and Visage of Bolas if we were to change the planeswalkers to Ajani Unyielding and Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh respectively? I have those cards and would really want to use them in this deck.

MagmaArmor0 on MTG list of EDH Ramp Cards | last update: 30-05-22

6 years ago

Visage of Bolas produces mana and tutors