Maybeboard


Why do I wanna make this deck?

The base idea is that I want to build a deck that creates a situation in which I buff someone else's creatures as they attack my other opponents, or otherwise have impact on someone swinging at my enemies. A weird form of playing "support" in non-team game, but also staying far away from group-hug.

How do I reach that goal/want?

I play cards that both I and my opponents can benefit from, use them to "lead by example" and incentivize my opponents to attack each other too. This way, I won't really be their ally (since that's pretty much impossible in a four player free-for-all, or even in star), but I will get them to move into a position where I can buff them while they swing into my opponents.

This deck is going to be inherently very political, since I want to be a part of an attack I otherwise won't have anything to do with. As such, it's going to be important to not only incentivize my opponents to attack each other, but also not to attack me, since if I help player A attack player B, player B might come to me for revenge.

What do I need to do that?

  1. Almost-symmetrical cards that buff attacking (preferably effecting both me and my opponents, but only when attacking my opponents).
  2. Creatures that are good at attacking themselves (to act as an example and to close out the game).
  3. Proactive defense to give reasons not to attack me and reactive measures in case they do.

It's preferable to find creatures that are both good at attacking and function as a proactive defense, although these are likely hard to find.

Regarding category three: I'm not 100% sure yet if it's best to use cheap, instant spells, so I can cast them during my opponent's turn if something comes up, or if it's best to use creature that are good at attacking too, so that I can use their ETB for removal and then use the body for attack or blocking depending on what I need.

Other Notes

  • I'm personally most excited about pumping other player's creatures or giving them trample or something, rather than giving my opponents mana or cards, although I do realize that that's far more enticing of a reason to risk an attack for most people.
  • I think adding the option to goad when necessary will make the deck work better, but it does go past my want to "support". Forcing my opponents doesn't scratch that same itch.

Suggestions

Updates Add

Out

In

Reasons for removal:

  • Martial Coup is a good boardwipe, but it's not as one-sided for this deck as I want it to be.
  • Response/Resurgence, Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos and Karlach, Fury of Avernus go out for similar reasons: they are enhancement cards for the strategy, but it doesn't feel like the strategy itself is working yet.
  • Skyclave Apparition was probably the worst feeling removal-on-a-stick card I added. It gives something in return when it dies, so it also dis-incentivizes me to attack or block with it.
  • Stroke of Midnight might return, but it's currently just one of the cards that gets replaced based on "it doesn't feel good right now".
  • Unbreakable Formation is reactive, and I want to replace it with a proactive alternative.
  • Audacious Thief, Chivalric Alliance and Glimmer Lens all go because I want to have less card draw that's reliant on attacking.
  • Forbidden Orchard feels like it's been adding obstructions to my opponents rather than giving them creatures to attack with.
  • The Temples and the two basics go to be replaced by some potentionally better lands, either because they have a mana sink for an interesting combat thing, or because I feel like Surveil is better than Scry for this deck.
  • Tomik, Wield of Law feels like a whole lot of nothing most of the time. Not strong enough to be a good attacker, not defensive enough to stop opponents from attacking me.
  • Bounty Board doesn't work in this deck. I mostly use it as a bad mana-rock.
  • Back for Seconds was added with the assumption there'd be tokens to sack, but it barely ever has good targets and I don't always have a token to sack.
  • Reconstruct History I think is still an underrated card, but it doesn't work in this deck that is far more creature-focused than I first realised.
  • Frenzied Saddlebrute is still cool, but overcosted for this deck. Would work a lot better if this was a goad deck, but since it's not, it gets cut.
  • Reasons for adding:

  • Agrus Kos, Spirit of Justice and Star Athelete get added to have removal on attacks, which is almost always better than "can't block" or similar effects.
  • Hopeful Initiate has potential for good removal, maybe even getting people to allow me to attack them if I remove an artifact or enchantment they want removed.
  • Ruinous Ultimatum is a-political as heck, but very one-sided.
  • Selfless Spirit is a good way of keeping my creatures secure, and is a great recursion target.
  • Untimely Malfunction is potentially sick in this deck, and I really like all options this card has.
  • Arguel's Blood Fast and Greed are the new card draw on demand options. They do require some lifegain too, and I'm not sure if I have enough of that yet.
  • Elegant Parlor, Raucous Theater, Restless Bivouac, Restless Fortress, Shadowy Backstreet and Vault of the Archangel are the better cards, giving me either attack options or adding cards to my graveyard.
  • Inti, Seneschal of the Sun is a good attacker with options to give power, trample, impulse draw and add cards to be recurred.
  • Preacher of the Schism seems both like a good attacker, creates tokens for more attacking or blocking, has draw and lifegain backed into it... That's a lot of useful stuff.
  • Ordruun Mentor has potential to give a lot of first strike, which makes attacking a bit easier.
  • Order of Midnight is an odd one, but it's both recursion and a body that can attack with evasion.
  • Anger is an easy form of haste that works from the bin, meaning I could even activate it by discarding/milling it.
  • Dolmen Gate is a cheap way to protect my creatures while attacking.
  • Windcrag Siege is either a copy of my commander's ability, or a token every turn to help me attack. The first can be insane, the latter situationally pretty good.
  • Comments

    92% Casual

    Competitive