dknight27

This deck is practically crying out for [[Strangleroot Geist]]. Speed, advantage, self-countering, delightful hammer to throw at opponent's face. I'd personally pull out Vorinclex, as it's so expensive and can't protect itself from spot removal, and run Geist instead (4 copies actually), but that's me.

There are a few lands you could utilize as well. [[Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx]] is always a consideration in builds like this, but it costs an arm and a leg and only hits viability when your devotion is 4 or higher, so it's not really worth it in my opinion. [[Waterlogged Grove]] helps fix the topdeck land problem, as you can sac it off for a draw. It fits extremely well in the build anyway, as your curve is low and you are racing opponent for damage anyway, so your life total doesn't matter that much. [[Lair of the Hydra]] also helps with the same problem, and the deck can pretty easily run on only 3 lands, so you don't really need to worry about the tapped part if it comes in later.

If you've got the budget for it, I'd recommend running Green Sun's Zenith and a copy of [[Dryad Arbor]] over Llanowar, as you can tutor up the Arbor turn 1 (which is essentially a copy of Llanowar in this build) and after that (when you don't need a 1-drop dork) you can tutor up your good material instead. The only real tradeoff is 1 fewer green devotion, but having the Zenith in the build to fetch out your baddies once you're off the ground is absolutely worth the tradeoff.

Running 4 copies of Inspiring call seems risky, as it's a fantastic topdeck (cause if you topdeck it with an empty field you've already lost the game, but in every other circumstance it probably gives you great advantage), but you don't want it in the opening hand or for the first few turns, as it has no value to you unless you've got multiple critters with counters AND the mana to use it, which is usually impossible on turns 1-3. 2 or 3 copies would help you draw into it in the mid game rather than have to worry about it clogging up a hand in the opening.

Just some thoughts.

It just seems like running [[Crop Rotation]] over 4 of the lands would go a hell of a long way to getting this deck where it wants to go faster and with more efficiency. The Rotation gets around Wasteland, gets you the Cradle when you're ready for it, and gives you a turn of 3 land drops if you fetch a fetch.

And I'm not quite seeing the point of running 2 Arbors, since you basically never ever want to play one from your hand and burning a Zenith on one just for the landfall would almost certainly be outclassed by fetching one of the deck's engines.

28 lands, 4 Zeniths, and 4 BOPs seems like a suicidally high number of mana producers that's going to lead to nothing but flooding and mulligans, even if the deck wants to dump mana quickly. Just my initial reaction to the numbers, I might be missing something.

Wrenn and Seven seems too pricey for what you're getting in this build, especially since you've got limited acceleration and are only running 20 mana sources (rather than 24 since Dark Depths doesn't pump mana). Mycospawn is banned in legacy (not sure if you're going for legacy here), but otherwise I'd say it's a better bet over Wrenn, as you can fetch the combo land you need as well as its many other benefits (you'd want to run some [[Wasteland]]s on top so you can pop opponent for 2 lands if necessary).

Elvish Reclaimer would also appreciate some fetch lands, as would Ramunap Excavator. Blighted Woodland is almost certainly too slow (you need 5 lands to pop it), and you could easily run [[Wooded Foothills]] instead to give your grave some recursion/filling.

I don't think you've got to bother with the Berserk angle, as your Sloth is a good clock on its own, you risk going down a 2 for 1 against removal with the Berserk combo, Berserk is a terrible topdeck, and you can't actually guarantee an OTK with the Sloth/Berserk combo cause it only does 16.

Beast Within is pretty pricey and absolutely loses a topdeck war, as you're giving opponent a clock in a 1 for 1 tradeoff. I know you want to be able to fix a problem, which is hard to do with green, but you could pretty easily splash black in here and go with any of the black and/or black/green removal options.

Overall, I'd personally go for the splash black angle and add in some discard disruption like [[Thoughtseize]] and spot removal like Assassin's Trophy (etc) so you can utilize some turn 1 and 2 disruption to get you through to your combo setups.

Just some thoughts.

Coolio. The good news is, you can update the deck on the super cheap and kick it into overdrive.

The overall question you need to answer is if you want to make a deck that gains life and takes advantage of gaining life, or an angel agro deck. Either option is viable, you just need to pick one and roll with it. Either way, there are some generic cards to think about.

The biggest improvement you can make it to load up on the extremely efficient and cheap cards that slot right into the build. Four copies of [[Youthful Valkyrie]] and Gaida would be extremely powerful, as you want to start the clock on turn 2, with Gaida ensuring you get that important third mana to make sure you can drop a 3-drop angel on turn 3, which any angel build desperately wants to do.

Then there are a bunch of 3-drops and 4-drops that would fit well/better than some of the cards you're running, like [[Resplendent Marshal]], [[Wojek Investigator]], [[Archangel of Wrath]], [[Emeria Angel]], and [[Legion Angel]].

As for your support cards, you've got a metric ton of good removal/protection you can run on the cheap since you're going orzhov. Check out [[Fatal Push]], [[Vanishing Verse]], [[Damn]], really you've got an endless supply of 1 and 2-drop removal options and way to protect your critters.

You could also get away with running some of the spell-lands, as you're going to have an unproductive turn 1 in essentially every game, so you don't mind dropping a tapped land. Check out [[Kabira Takedown // Kabira Plateau]] and [[Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field]].

Just some general thoughts. I'd be happy to help if you want to try and rework anything.

Are you looking to modify the build? I see some potential improvements that could be made on the cheap to help the deck along with its plan.

That's a fun concept, sort of like block construct. Which, incidentally, I believe is the objectively best way to play magic, as it minimizes chance as much as the game allows (a major weakness of draft), maximizes strategic and tactical thinking, tests a player's ability to read a set, and bypasses the horrendous budgetary restrictions in almost every other format.

All of that being said, running a block with only 1 set plus some random offshoots (which I imagine are hard to search) sounds like it makes for a very limited format, especially since Kaladesh is hyper focused on only a few mechanics. Does everyone run sort of the same build ideas?

Are you going for budget casual here?

A cheap and easy way to help this deck would be to sub in some cheap ETB artifacts that give you lots of advantage that you can abuse with your cheat mechanics, such as [[Grim Bauble]], Arcum's Astrolabe (if you're ok with snow lands), [[Blood Fountain]], [[Tithing Blade // Consuming Sepulcher]], etc.

You could also take advantage of stuff like [[Sol Ring]] that puts you way ahead on mana and is a great bounce target, as it fuels itself and bounces for even more mana when you replay it.

Then there's all the fun things you can do with affinity for artifacts and improvise.

I assume you're going for either budget casual or budget modern, correct? If not, let me know.

You've got a good idea going with the red/green stomp attack, a classic build that never really disappoints. But there are a few things that are producing anti-synergy (called non-bo typically) going on here that could be cleaned up pretty easily and cheaply that would help the build out a lot.

For example, you're only running 19 creatures, so your Domri's +1 ability only has a 1/3 chance of hitting, which is very bad. You can get a much better set of effects by running his brother, [[Domri, Anarch of Bolas]], that gives all your critters a boost, can be used to snipe critters, and gives mana and protection from counterspells for the same cost. You don't get to build toward an ultimate, but you're almost never going to do that anyway, and you'd much rather have the +1/+0 bonus running with the snipe ability tacked on.

Arbor Elf only untaps forests, and you're only running 8 (you have mana fetching, but not enough to rely on (plus it doesn't really fit the build (see below)).

Flinthoof Boar needs a mountain and you're only running 6. Plus you can get almost the exact same statline out of a 2-drop creature without condition by just running something like [[Aloe Alchemist]].

Mutant's Prey only has 4 targets, and you can get the same effect out of much more efficient cards like [[Lightning Bolt]], [[Flame Slash]], [[Tail Swipe]], or [[Bushwhack]].

Verdant Haven is simply too slow and doesn't give enough advantage. In fact, all your land acceleration basically isn't necessary, as your mana curve is pretty small, so you aren't ramping into any big spells. I know you want to dump the mana into your Hydra and/or your Wolfrun, but you're not running enough of them to be a reliable plan, and unless you make the whole deck about dumping mana into big spells, it just isn't worth it, as a single removal spell and/or blocker (against the hydra) stops your whole plan when it actually connects.

So I'd generally advise changing the gameplan of the deck to either a full on mana dump into big and scary critters, or focusing on small/fast buff critters to score quick damage. I'd be happy to give more feedback/help if you're interested. If not, no worries.

Are you going for vintage only here, or just out of Kaladesh?

I love a good ol rakdos deck.

I see a few areas where you might be able to squeeze out a little more efficiency/potency here. Your curve is super low (as it should be), so you don't need to run 21 lands. You can get away with 19 (the typical build) or 20 (the conservative build), so I'd advise trimming it down at least one land. Your landbase also has a little wiggle room for improvement. Dragonskull Summit is a worse version of [[Blackcleave Cliffs], as it's conditional, can't be dropped untapped turn 1, and you don't need to worry about lands if Cliffs comes in later tapped anyway, so that's an easy potential sub. Mount Doom is an ok idea to get damage out of a land if you topdeck it, but you'd be better off with a [[Sunbaked Canyon]] to toss for material, as you need 4 lands to run Doom for 1 damage a turn, which is hyper-inefficient, you won't be using its nuke ability, and it pings you for mana use. Generally better to use Canyon, which you can toss for 1 colorless to draw if you topdeck it. Blazemire Virge is problematic for a turn 1 play, as you'll almost certainly want to play either a red or black 1-drop (and Virge needs another land to access red), so you'd almost certainly be better running 2 more fetchlands ( [[Wooded Foothills]] and/or [[Polluted Delta]]) so you can guarantee your turn 1 drop (which also helps with color fixing). I'd also consider running another basic mountain over one of the Pathways, as you'd like to save some life through fetching if you can, and fetch into a shock land is a bolt to the face which you can avoid if necessary (gives you more time on the clock for Cecil and Confidant but still lets you do the shock combo to flip Cecil if you want).

I'd consider putting in a [[Hearth Elemental // Stoke Genius]] in place of one of the lands, as it's just about the best topdeck you can ask for in a deck like this. You'll be able to cast it for 1 and/or draw 2 cards off of it for 2, so you're at +2 with a 4/5 for 3 mana off a topdeck that also triggers Swiftspear. The only downside to running it is Confidant, but with only a single copy, the chances of it smacking you in the face are pretty low, and the benefits almost certainly outweigh the one game in fifty that you'll get nuked by your own boy. And even if you do, you'll flip Cecil so it's not a complete nonbo, more of a conbo (trademark).

Just some thoughts, not trying to throw shade at the build.

Looking to update this a little bit? There are plenty of good options these days

Seems like a build that could run/take advantage of [[Devouring Sugarmaw // Have for Dinner]].

I wonder if a third Day's Undoing would be better than Jace, as there are already 6 agro critters, and that ups the chances of the combo being assembled. Or a third Brazen Borrower for the tempo and storage, of which I'm very fond in this combo, as you can bounce something, store the Borrower, Day's away the threat, and still have the Borrower on lock for the damage clock.

I'm also wondering if this wouldn't just be better with a black splash so [[Orcish Bowmasters]] can be an alternate Day's combo piece as well as being its wonderful self/a damage clock. Food for thought I suppose.

How'd the learning process go?

12 tapped lands and half the deck being two-drops makes me think this will be pretty slow and will essentially be playing down 2 tempo on games when you're on the draw. My gut is telling me that dropping the curve a bit is probably a good idea so you can have an opening that's not playing from behind every game, even if you've got the lifegain to keep you alive an extra turn or two. I know you want to have more life than opponent so you can go full draino on Pestilence, but it won't matter if opponent has full control of the board and a running clock that decapitates you before you can get what you need to start the drain.

Maybe look at subbing in [[Grim Bauble]] over Cram Session, as you're going to have to spend a lot of mana to get your Lesson activated, and the deck is already hurting for mana/tempo?

Just an idea.

Man oh man, have there been some powerful dinos printed since I last gave them a proper look.

I assume this is going for budget modern, which should be just fine with how the deck is looking. That being said, I can see a few things that might be able to help optimize the gameplan.

You really, really, really want a turn 1 play that gets you a turn 2 three-drop dino, or a turn 3 four-drop dino, so I'd advise maxing out the three-drop beaters with a few four-drop titans on top. For that reason, I'd advise running [[Ripjaw Raptor]] and/or [[Shifting Ceratops]] over Carnage Tyrant. I'd generally advise dropping the Tyrant to 2 copies, so you're less likely to have it in the opening hand or draw into it quickly, as you'd much rather have a beater fielded turn 2 or 3 and going to work than to have to wait around to field the Tyrant, even if it's a big baddie. I'd also recommend the above two over Regisseur Alpha for the same reasons.

The Lorekeeper is a good idea, as you really want the 8 one-drop mana dorks, but I'd rather use [[Ignoble Hierarch]], as you don't get a bonus for humans or druids, the Hierarch gives you the Exalted bonus that kicks in immediately, and you can use it to cast noncritter spells as well. This actually gives you a fun synergy where you go: turn 1- forest, Hierarch. turn 2- Hierarch casts Utopia Sprawl, play second land, tap out forest for GG and cast your 3 drop with 4 mana ready to go on turn 3.

Savage Stomp is a good idea to deal with troublesome critters and keep the field clear for your beaters, but it's a bad topdeck, is conditional, and can't do anything but damage critters. I'd rather run good ol [[Lightning Bolt]], which can be used to finish close games/speed up the clock as well as being a critter hate card that's basically always good. Alternatively, you could think about running [[Domri, Anarch of Bolas]], as you can use it for spot removal or mana ramp, and it buffs all your critters for free.

Just some thoughts, not trying to hate on the build.

I'm so out of it these days, I missed the Synod/Saga whiff entirely. Whoops.

I'm not active in pro play anymore, and haven't been for a long time at this point. I'm just a theory-enthusiast, and like trying to work outside a meta to see if it's still possible to compete without piggybacking on the bullshit nuclear strategies that overwhelm everything these days.

In regards to Tide, Jace, and Campfire, here was my reasoning:
-Tide has the easy miracle setup, works as a blue nuke (which is probably needed as this deck has very little direct interaction), kills tokens outright, combos with Day's Undoing extremely well, is more affordable with Ancient Tomb if necessary, isn't widely used in the meta, and can be bypassed/shuffled away extremely easily with all the topdecking/shuffling/setup
-Jace is the 'wincon' that's not actually meant to win on his own, he's just a way to actually finish out the game once you pull off the Day's Undoing hand nuke that's a one-of along with Murktide so it's harder to extract/discard/etc. Really, the deck wins once you land the Undoing, I just wanted to make sure it had a way to actually close out the game if opponent didn't scoop on the spot, and since you'll have all the time in the world to field/protect him, that shouldn't be an issue. And again, if you don't need him, all the topdecking/shuffling/setup can hopefully get rid of him for later. I was also hesitant to run more Murktides over just the one, as Undoing gobbles up your grave, so it's not an immediate Undoing then Murktide for the quick clock
-Campfire is my hedged bet against slower matchups and a way to capitalize on all the unused mana that control decks tend to accumulate once the game either reaches the 'draw go' middle game, or when you're bleeding out badly against decks that want you to bleed and Campfire helps mitigate that and still lets you use your Ancient Tombs for actual mana. Plus, since it's fetchable, you can just run the one copy and snag it if needed and otherwise forget about it in 95% of games

That's my rational with those decisions, I'm not sure if they're solid ideas or not.

I went back and forth with Shadowspear, and decided against it mainly because of the 3 rather than 4 Sagas and it's general uselessness (in here) without the Saga gaming token strategy (which this deck CAN do, but doesn't really want to have to). It would certainly help mitigate the lifeloss and would be a much easier equip with Ancient Tombs, so I might be way off base with that line of reasoning.

For Spell Pierce, I probably do need to switch some of it to some free counters, especially while running Stock Up, which I'd very much like to drop turn 2 and still have the shields up for that turn cycle. I'm always warry of running too many Dazes mainboarded cause they eat so much tempo, so I'd probably opt for swapping one Pierce for Force of Negation. That's my initial thought anyway.

I was afraid of Counterspell because of the UU in a deck that wants to play colorless lands, but I could see a copy or two being good topdecks in the middle game. I'll have to Ponder (ha) that one.

Stern Scolding is in there to hopefully shut down the nuisance Delver critters as well as [[Orcish Bowmasters]], [[Glaring Fleshraker]], [[Solitude]], and all the stupid little combo critters that are run in popular decks that all happen to be weenie enough to get scolded.

I probably do need to cut an Undercity Sewers. One copy to fetch into for the Surveil is probably good enough, and that would let me run something that cuts down on mulligans due to slow starts.

Thanks for the feedback, it's greatly appreciated. I'm always trying to find some innovation to squeeze out of overlooked cards and/or combos, and that unfortunately goes hand in hand with overstepping, so it's always nice to have more eyes on an idea.

I'm not surprised they did a ruling on Overburden because of how powerful an effect token bouncing would be in EDH, but it's also a shame, cause it would actually be a fun mechanic to play around with if there weren't such ridiculous token generators to combo into. Ah well, them's the breaks I suppose.

I've been noodling this in the back of my mind a bit, and another angle you could do is go for a blue/green semi-prison build that takes advantage of some green cards to speed up your win condition while also adding to the prison effect of mana denial.

Running [[Root Maze]] along with the Overburden package would grind opponent to a god damn halt, especially against a deck that ran fetch lands. It'll only slow you down a little bit in comparison, and you don't care anyway, as this deck is ok with taking it's time as long as opponent has to also take lots of time. This would also let you run Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath as another wincon, which combos perfectly with Overburden, as it dumps a land back into play, and is replayable from the grave, etc.

Alternatively, since Overburden doesn't trigger from tokens, you could turn it into a token build, where you take advantage of the loophole by running agro tokens for the faster beatdown while opponent is getting land bounced and is generally slower.

Are you going for budget casual here?