Machinations of the Draconian

Commander / EDH MrAwesomeSocks

SCORE: 664 | 706 COMMENTS | 116549 VIEWS | IN 242 FOLDERS


Opinions on the Kaladesh "Expeditions"? —Sept. 13, 2016

Hey guys! I want to know your honest opinions on the new Kaladesh Masterpieces? Personally, I'll be getting at least 4 of them, being Scroll Rack, Sol Ring, Mox Opal, and Chromatic Lantern.

The reason I ask is because I'm not 100% certain on the other two that can go in the deck. I'm rather fond of my Judge promo Mana Crypt, and I've had my FNM promo Lightning Greaves for the longest time. Should I keep these two in? Or should I make the rest of the cards match? Or should I avoid the Masterpiece series altogether?

Please let me know! As always, you guys are the greatest!

VexenX says... #1

WOU HOU!!! ALL SHINY!!! I am just missing Scapeshift and Cavern of Souls... I am fully convinced that they are getting a reprint soon though...

August 28, 2016 11:25 a.m.

MrAwesomeSocks says... #2

Hey guys! Please check out the latest update if you get a chance! Just new things I want to try out with the deck.

August 28, 2016 11:27 a.m.

MrAwesomeSocks says... #3

Hey VexenX! Yeah, besides the ABUR Duals and a couple random cards :( I will never get my Duals altered. Probably not the Volrath's Stronghold either. Oh well. I like to just take out the deck and stare at it in my free time lmao!

Maybe Modern Masters 3? Both of those cards are in DIRE need of a reprint. I think each of their foils are over $100 at this point.

August 28, 2016 11:35 a.m.

VexenX says... #4

The trick with the Duel lands is if you really want them altered just buy them like that in eBay. Artists get heavily played copies and alter them so that you can only see damage if you take the card out and look on the back. They are generally a lot cheaper then the normal copies too. This way you keep your duals to use elsewhere!

I will be shocked if not at least one is in MM3, but I fully expect both in there. But who knows, it might be in Conspiracy 3, Berserk, Burgeoning, and Show and Tell kinda broke the mold lol

August 28, 2016 11:52 a.m.

tkizzle says... #5

i built this deck and ive learned its fun against most unsuspecting opponents, however against my nephews angel deck not so much, his commander keeps me from activating any abilities therefore cant use scions ability, and even if i bounce his commander or exile it since hes useing all angels he still has flyers to block with , its a tough match up. i still plan on useing this deck next season at the card shop since not everyone uses an all angel deck

September 2, 2016 1:18 p.m.

MrAwesomeSocks says... #6

tkizzle: Glad you're enjoying the deck! Linvala decks are never fun to play against. They key is to get rid of it for one turn, then combo off and win the game. You should be able to kill at least one player if unhindered for a turn.

Post your decklist on Tappedout and let me know when it's done. I'll be more than happy to look through your list and give suggestions!

September 2, 2016 10:36 p.m.

tkizzle says... #7

thanks dude i appreciate it, I think just my luck of the draw i was getting removal cards but they removed my creatures also, if i coulda tutored up a cyclonic rift or the one that destroys all non dragons i coulda won the game so i think it is just unlucky card draw and lack of me knowing the deck. i got faith in it still lol

September 3, 2016 12:46 a.m.

tkizzle says... #8

I dont understand the animate dead + world gorger combo ive read you mentioning, can you please explain how that works thanks

September 3, 2016 12:56 a.m.

Quick42 says... #9

I dont understand the animate dead + world gorger combo ive read you mentioning, can you please explain how that works thanks

Need help with this one as well. LOVE THE DECK +1

Built my first Scion recently, and while I do have some of the cards and even a couple combos, I overlooked 60 percent of the beauty you put in here. The ramp, the utility, the dual lands and signets... well done!

September 4, 2016 6:39 a.m.

tkizzle says... #10

ive been playing with 25 of the lands all the signets shocks and fetches, only have tve 3 of the old duals, and mana hasnt been an issue yet, im loving the ramp. not really digging world gorger not really understanding this card lol except maybe as a way to protects all your other creatures during a board wipe

September 4, 2016 2:08 p.m.

enpc says... #11

For those asking, Worldgorger Dragon + Animate Dead works like this:

WGD is in your graveyard. You reanimate it with AD. This triggers its ETB which resolves, exiling all permanents you control. This includes AD, which stops enchanting WGD. This makes WGD die, triggering its leave the battlefield effect, returning all permanents, including AD, which repeats the loop.

But WGD is also exiling lands which come into play untapped, meaning you can tap them for mana each cycle. This generates infinite mana.

Because you most likely used Scion to kick start the loop, once you have enough mana, in response to one of the exiles, you activate Scion, dumping Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius or Shivan Dragon into the graveyard. The next time AD enters the battlefield, it reanimates on of those two instead.

You then pour all that mana you just generated into pinging your opponents to death.

September 4, 2016 5:25 p.m. Edited.

tkizzle says... #12

doesnt seem like it would work but thanks for explaining lol, i mean it seems like you would still only have as much mana as u have and not infinite and then when you got it back would be the same scenarion unless it continues to add up

September 4, 2016 10:56 p.m.

Quick42 says... #13

Thanks for the explanation! That's a sick combo.

I need to get a WGD now and I'm excited to get my Scourge of the Throne.

I do wish I were able to get all those lands you had... my scion deck struggles with land but if it's a 4 player game I usually win each time.

September 5, 2016 2:34 p.m.

enpc says... #14

tkizzle: You don't get additional lands or anything. What happens is that each time WGD exiles and then returns your lands, you can tap the ones that entered untapped for mana, adding mana to your mana pol. Then when they are exiled and returned next iteration, they will come in untapped again allowing you to repeat the process.

Quick42: It's true that the combo relies on lands that enter untapped. For a full optimised deck you really should be running all 10 ABURs however that is a hell of an investment. If you want to run the WGD combo on a more budget landbase, make sure that you have a good chunk of basic lands in the deck (about 10) and a good lot of ramp to help you find them. Of course, mana rocks get flickered too so things like the signets, Chromatic Lantern, all work really well to help you generate the mana you need for to activate Niv a lot of times.

September 5, 2016 6:04 p.m.

tkizzle says... #15

so can you spend mana and activate AD before WGD resolves, when i t resolves everything goes by ee bye, then comes right back untapped?

September 5, 2016 6:51 p.m.

enpc says... #16

After the inital cast of Animate Dead, the loop which generates infinite mana is all triggered abilities. you don't have to sink any additional mana in. But yeah, any lands that come into play untapped will keep entering untapped. This let's you tap them between the Worldgorger Dragon's ETB ability going on the stack and actually resolving.

September 5, 2016 7:42 p.m.

ScrOuch says... #17

@Quick42: I had the same problem. Didn't want to spend a fortune for my landbase as well. So i treid to figure out what kind of lands are needed to make the deck fast without fetches, shocks or duals. Have a look at my Scion deck for some inspiration. There are some lands which enter the battlefield tapped but those are few and can usually be played at turn 1 or 2, where you don't really need any mana. Also I prefer the talismans (like Talisman of Dominance, Talisman of Impulse, etc.) over the signets because you don't need any mana to activate them. You'll get damage but that doesn't hurt much and gives you more flexibility.

September 5, 2016 7:46 p.m.

Thanks enpc! You always beat me to answering questions haha.

Quick42: If budget is an issue, check out the budget build in the description. It makes great use of the deck without the ABUR duals. Basically, you replace the Duals with the Pain lands and the 5 Zendikar fetches with the Artifact lands. Best of luck in all your Scion endeavors!

September 5, 2016 8:06 p.m.

enpc says... #19

MrAwesomeSocks, tis what I do :P

I have to say though, i really don't like the artifact lands outside of an actual arifact deck. I know why you're using them however I don't think the risk is worth it just to help Hellkite Tyrant, especially since you'll most likely only use him once you have Mycosynth Lattice down anyway.

September 5, 2016 8:30 p.m.

enpc: The artifact lands are only in the Budget build, which utilizes Tezzeret the Seeker to help color fix. No way would I actually run them in this build. So, no worries about that! :)

Mycosynth Lattice is currently out of the deck while I test some other things. I find myself rarely using the Lattice, so we'll see if it makes it back into the deck someday.

September 5, 2016 11:24 p.m.

tkizzle says... #21

ok so let me get this mana combo we were discussing right, so basically u can use all mana you allready control into pumping up a dragon, or playing everycard in your hand, but it really isnt infinite correct? you can just conitinue to use it over and over until you have no other plays this is a tricky one lol

September 6, 2016 12:38 p.m.

ScrOuch says... #22

The infinite thing is that you can get (thoeretically spoken) an infinite amount of mana, so you can shoot infinite damage with Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius to kill all opponents at once. Therefor you just have to activate scions ability once more to get Niv-Mizzet into your graveyard (if he isn't in there already) and enchant him with AD instead of WGD.

September 6, 2016 6:10 p.m.

tkizzle says... #23

but let5s just say u have 8 mana on the field you would be doing 4 damage then say ok now i repeat this, until they're dead. and eventually they get the point and forfeit . i know thats how it works when i do an infinite turn combo attacking people for one at a time with my other deck... wouldnt this be the case since everytime the mana comes back untapped so would NIV

September 6, 2016 8:09 p.m.

tkizzle says... #24

also does Savage Ventmaw and Aggravated Assault create a never ending turn?

September 6, 2016 8:11 p.m.

tkizzle says... #25

also does Savage Ventmaw and Aggravated Assault create a never ending turn?

September 6, 2016 8:11 p.m.