Easy-peasy card draw, coming right up!
I mostly use MTG Vault for my own private projects nowadays, but feel free to comment or request a deck of your choice. I've loved the Vault so far, and I like that they are still improving on it, as well as I am improving on my English language skills.
So, if you like what you see, consider checking out some of my other budget-y work from the link below.
https://www.mtgvault.com/northernwarlord/budget
This is a newbie-friendly mono blue control deck, mainly focused on card draw.
Cast creatures, draw some extra cards, and reap the rewards from various effects!
The first things first, the player playing this deck should know the basic rules of Magic: The Gathering. In addition, they should know a couple of keywords, which appear on the cards presented in the deck. These are the following:
- Flying. Flying creatures can't be blocked except by creatures which also have flying, or reach-keyword. Use these to easily deal damage to your opponents!
- Flash. Flash is presented on Faerie Vandal. Flash means that you can cast the card anytime, as well as on your opponent's turn, similar to the Instant-spells. Try to surprise your opponents by casting these cards when your opponents expect it the least!
- Defender. Minamo Scrollkeeper has the defender-keyword. It means that it cannot attack at all. This may be annoying at first, but the Scrollkeeper's handy ability and good statline make sure that you can use it as a good early-game blocker, buying you some time to get the bigger cards out!
- "Counter target spell". When a player plays any card, excluding land cards, each player is given a chance to react to it before resolving its effects, usually with either abilities or Instant-spells. When this option is given to you, you may want to cast a spell that says "counter target spell", to "counter" the card played. When a card is countered, it is put directly into its owner's graveyard, without any of its effects happening. Note that you can counter any kind of card except land cards, including enemy creature cards!
- Equip. Empyrial Plate includes the "equip"-keyword. At your turn, before or after attacking, you may pay the equipment-card's equip cost to attach it to a creature you control. If you do, the creature gains the equipment's effects until the card is unequipped (usually via death or activating its equip-ability again). When the equipped creature dies, the equipment is automatically unattached and left onto the battlefield.
- "Enchant creature". Spirit Away is a powerful late-game enchantment spell, with "enchant creature" printed on it. This means that you choose a creature as the enchantment's target as you cast it. When it enters, it is attached to the creature, similarly to an equipment card. The main difference is that enchantment is put into your graveyard alongside the creature when it dies. Use Spirit Away to steal an opponent's creature and buff it up until it dies (or Spirit Away is destroyed)!
Once a player knows these effects, they may begin playing this deck. The strategy behind its playing could be divided into a few different parts:
- Before the Game: Try to take an opening hand with 2-4 land cards, at least a single early game creature (costing less than 3 mana), and preferably a handy spell or two.
- Early Game: Cast a small early-game creature or two, then try to get your hands on a card that allows you to win easily if undisturbed (such as Oneirophage, Sturmgeist or Empyrial Plate). Try to start attacking as soon as you can using hard-to-block creatures, if it means you won't get hit too hard back.
- Mid Game: As soon as you get a threat out, try to hold on to your mana, preferring to leave some lands open for a surprising instant spell or two, rather than spending it all on your turn. Try to save your key creatures with Mana Leak or Soul Read against nasty spells, or remove pesky enemy creatures with Repulse!
- Late Game: If you've managed to keep up your aggro, your opponent should be on fairly low life total by now. Try to finish them off using a big Oneirophage, Sturmgeist or a creature card buffed up by Empyrial Plate! If possible, you can also try to take your opponent's biggest and baddest creature with Spirit Away to lay down a proper beating using their own resources!
As a one more thing, below are included some rough statistics for this deck. You can use them to get a faint idea on how this deck works in action. Feel free to ask anything if you feel like it!
Statistics: (out of 5)
- Deck Speed: <><> (How quick the deck is?)
- Creature Focus: <><><><><> (How much this deck relies on creatures?)
- Creature Size: <><><> (How big are the main creatures of this deck?)
- Card Synergy: <><><><> (Do the cards of the deck help out each other well?)
- Card Value: <><><><> (How much card advantage can you get out of your cards?)
- Level of Complexity: <> (How hard this deck is to properly play?)
Pros:
+ A lot of ways to draw extra cards!
+ Can turn the tides with the clever usage of Instant, Equipment and Enchantment spells!
Cons:
- Needs some time to set up its victory conditions.
- Can be vulnerable against properly timed killing spells.