Not Infinite, but Larger than the Universe

Commander / EDH MagmaArmor0

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Core 2019 Release —July 9, 2018

Nothing from Core 2019 is particularly exciting for our deck, sadly, but we have a few experimental changes here featuring a few battlebond cards (and a couple others) that may or may not be reverted in the near future. This list will continue to reflect the copy that I have in paper, which obviously changes to test new cards and see if they're better.

Ethersworn Adjudicator --> Merfolk Trickster

The first of our experimental changes. The Adjudicator can hit enchantments and is repeatable, but the Trickster affects the board on the turn that it is played, and has flash too.

Drowned Catacomb --> Godless Shrine

It's rare that we cut a blue land for a nonblue one, but adding the last of our shocks here helps us to be 100% consistent with our fetches.

Worldly Tutor --> Green Sun's Zenith

Worldly tutor looked too scary most of the time. By putting the card on the top of the library, it signaled to our opponents exactly what we wanted to do. Green Sun's puts the creature (usually Seedborn Muse) directly into play, which helps us out a lot.

The Immortal Sun --> Bramble Sovereign

This lets us be a little more political with our plays, while also giving us another way to set up token copies of our creatures.

Kami of False Hope --> Recruiter of the Guard

Kami was only in here to be a second Spore Frog, so it's coming out for something that can tutor Spore Frog when the frog is relevant, or something else when it's not.

Flood Plain --> Sea of Clouds

Usually, we have more than 1 opponent. Usually.

Golgari Rot Farm --> Austere Command

I'm backing down to 39 lands in the deck, in favor of getting a second boardwipe in here (especially a highly selective one like Austere Command!) It'll blow up what we don't have and leave what we do, usually.

Merfolk Trickster --> Mangara of Corondor

So the decision between the Trickster and the Ethersworn Adjudicator was made irrelevant by Mangara of Corondor being better than both. We can use High Market or Voidmage Prodigy to sacrifice Mangara, preventing her from exiling herself. If she has to exile herself, then we can get her back with Riftsweeper. Like Beast Within, she answers any permanent, and keeps it out of the game.

Swords to Plowshares --> Dominating Licid

Again, the deck has hit the point where we're playtesting with changes that may or may not be better. In this case, Dominating Licid is significantly more annoying (for both our opponents and us, actually) than Swords, and Ravos can recur it. On the flip side, it takes time to work (not only does it not have flash, it suffers from summoning sickness), and costs a bunch more mana than Swords does. We'll see how it works.

Simic Signet --> Gitaxian Probe

Well, sometimes we playtest really weird stuff. The signet came out because it conflicts with Thrasios for our turn 2 play (although it does guarantee a turn 3 Thrasios). Gitaxian Probe just got banned from my legacy deck, so I'm seeing if the information on one opponent's hand is worth losing two life and the signet. On the bright side, we have effectively a 97 card deck now! Consistency!

Helm of the Host --> Arcane Artisan

Helm ended up being just way too much of a mana commitment, but Arcane Artisan repeatedly clones our valuable stuff, and we can even get back the exiled original with Riftsweeper. It even gives defacto flash to our creatures!

Birthing Pod --> Diabolic Intent

Birthing pod was repeatable, but very, very narrow. Diabolic intent finds anything, and costs less mana.

Lullmage Mentor --> Lighthouse Chronologist

OH MY GOD there's a "take an extra turn" spell that doesn't go infinite for us. Lullmage mentor was way too slow, even thought the lockout with it was a lot of fun.

Mirari's Wake --> Bloom Tender

Mirari's Wake costs so much mana and draws so much hate. Bloom Tender is a cute little mana dork, but can produce 4 mana potentially.

Temple of the False God --> Street Wraith

Temple being colorless was a little rough for a four color deck, combined with it not working until turn 5. Street Wraith is draw power for 2 life that Ravos can return to our hand.

Shriekmaw --> Dread Cacodemon

Too many black creatures or artifact creatures made shriekmaw perpetually awkward. Dread Cacodemon is a win condition all by itself that can be recurred by Ravos.

Hostage Taker --> Spellseeker

Boy, will I miss Hostage taker. Hopefully, it finds its way back into the deck. Until then, Spellseeker finds two of the strongest cards in the deck: Cyclonic Rift and Mana Drain, plus some others I guess. ;)