Azorius Forced Combat: Maragar, the Great Angler
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Nov. 23, 2021, 3:53 p.m. by seshiro_of_the_orochi
In the last months, I've become a sucker for forced combat strategies. My Thantis, the Warweaver is a project of love, and I'm currently waiting for the last pieces for Saskia the Unyielding. What I'd like to build though, is an Azorius forced combat deck. I haven't found a fitting commander for that, yet. Pramikon, Sky Rampart is interesting, but feels more fitting for pillowfort. Thus, I've come up with another design for exactly that strategy:
Many forced combat decks already want to give creatures to their opponents. Maragar heavily leans into that, as he can be cast for cheap if our opponents control enough creatures. After that, he basically turns all of our creatures into better Alluring Sirens. In addition, Maragar is a Coastal Piracy for all players that don't hit us, so while he has no actual protection, he'll often stay on the field because he draws all players cards. And players like drawing cards.
Besides lots of tokens to goad opposing creatures, the deck would propably have plenty of cards like Hunted Lammasu, Hunted Phantasm, Akroan Horse and Forbidden Orchard, combining these with some pillowforts a la Propaganda and finishing off with more Coastal Piracy and some Flying Men. Besides combat damage, Approach of the Second Sun seems like a wincon that even works flavourwise: Are your opponents stupid enough to fall for the old "sunlight in the deep sea" trick twice? Well, they deserve to lose.
I'd love to hear your feedback on this card. Would you change anything? Is the mana cost to low or too high? Thanks for your attention.
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #3
plakjekaas: Thanks for the feedback, that's a justfied objection. I realize the card might become a totally different one if I'd make it fit the angler fish strategy, but I'd like to hear your idea. Maybe the hypothetical precon for this guy would have a second angler fish. How'd you do it?
November 24, 2021 12:11 a.m.
plakjekaas says... #4
I'd say a legendary anglerfish would force people to attack you, and reward you whenever an attacking creature dies, or is eaten, in a way.
Make it able to block any number of creatures (with lesser power/toughness than itself), and (create food tokens) whenever creatures die that were attacking you.
That is how I'd imagine an Anglerfish. The parts in parentheses can be varied to flavor or needs, I don't think the suggestion here is as powerful or as fun to play, but encompasses a lot better what an anglerfish would do to opponents.
Might not work in a precon that also includes Goad though '^^
November 24, 2021 1:20 a.m.
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #5
plakjekaas: This actually seems like a decent second-in-command for the deck. It puts a fun twist on forced combat, is a pretty cool food commander in unusual colours and is a big hit flavourwise. Thanks a lot.
plakjekaas says... #2
Anglerfish draw attention to themselves with lights as a hunting mechanism, to attract prey to them.
That seems to be the exact opposite of what this creature tries to do. It's Edric, Spymaster of Trest, with some kind of Kwain, Itinerant Meddler-like rewards for your opponent to have their creatures goaded. Manipulating your opponents so they fight among themselves for cheap rewards while you reap the benefits, seems more of a siren/mermaid thing to do than a wild animal using advanced techniques to attract prey to themselves.
Apart from the creature type though, it seems like a fun card, an azorius Breena, the Demagogue of sorts. Fun to build around, easy to underestimate, very able to splatter tables if left unchecked.
November 23, 2021 11:39 p.m.