Alela v.s. Kykar

[Cyberium]

Alela, Artful Provocateur/Kykar, Wind's Fury

Kykar is obviously more abusable if you want to play control and storm, though Alela comes with natural creature buff and herself is more "Voltron-ready" than Kykar. Alela also has black instead of red, which gains her access to more precise tutors as well as reanimation.

With a bouncing black enchantment from Urza's block, Alela could also shut down opponents with Contamination since she produces tokens when you cast artifact/enchantment. I've tried to make an aura-kykar deck, it appears Alela might be better in this regard with her aggressive stats and all the faerie supports.

Alela

1. Access to black.
2. Creates token via artifact/enchantment.
3. Creates faerie and is a faerie herself.
4. Buffs flyers.
5. Three combat keywords.

Kykar

1. Access to red.
2. Creates token via any noncreature spell.
3. Creates spirit.
4. Can sacrifice any spirit for R.
5. One combat keyword.

[Mookie]

In a vacuum, Kykar is probably the more powerful card, since mana production is so abusable. Triggering off all noncreature spells, instead of just artifacts and enchantments, is also more powerful.

However, I think that Alela is going to be the more fun card to play with. If you're building Kykar, you're going to be drawn to playing a lot of cantrips and card draw, most of which are pretty redundant. On the other hand, artifacts and enchantments tend to have a lot more variety to their behavior. The small anthem Alela provides also encourages a more aggressive focus with your creatures, which I think will lead to more interesting games. I could definitely see an Alela aggro deck running a bunch of anthems like Favorable Winds. Kykar could technically do a similar build, but it seems a bit less likely in practice.

...and of course, Esper is probably a more powerful color combination than Jeskai. Black provides tutors, reanimation, and some really nice sacrifice outlets for your expendable tokens. On the other hand, adding red doesn't provide nearly as much, outside Kykar's mana ability.

[Cyberium]

In a vacuum, Kykar is probably the more powerful card, since mana production is so abusable. Triggering off all noncreature spells, instead of just artifacts and enchantments, is also more powerful.

However, I think that Alela is going to be the more fun card to play with. If you're building Kykar, you're going to be drawn to playing a lot of cantrips and card draw, most of which are pretty redundant. On the other hand, artifacts and enchantments tend to have a lot more variety to their behavior. The small anthem Alela provides also encourages a more aggressive focus with your creatures, which I think will lead to more interesting games. I could definitely see an Alela aggro deck running a bunch of anthems like Favorable Winds. Kykar could technically do a similar build, but it seems a bit less likely in practice.

...and of course, Esper is probably a more powerful color combination than Jeskai. Black provides tutors, reanimation, and some really nice sacrifice outlets for your expendable tokens. On the other hand, adding red doesn't provide nearly as much, outside Kykar's mana ability.

Indeed. Alela is the same creature type as the tokens she created, whatever benefits faeries would benefit her, while Kykar is separated from spirits until augmented. I foresee a more permanent-based strategies with Alela and no doubt the second coming of Theroes would bring more enchantment to her arsenal. Her innate Basilisk Collar also allows her to snipe with Viridian Longbowish equipments/aura.

While red is indeed less stable than black in EDH, it does give Kykar access to cards like Sunforger and Boros Charm, both would be partially cast/activated by sacrificing spirits.

[darrenhabib]

When it comes to this sort of comparison it usually going to be the color difference where you put the most stock into.

Your Grave Pact and Dictate of Erebos are trump cards.

Smothering Abomination and Liliana, Dreadhorde General will help with draw for tokens.

Contamination as already mentioned is strong,

Scion of Oona, Spellstutter Sprite are excellent tribal creatures for Faeries.

Bitterblossom is nice with her.

[pokken]

The card that jumps out at me for Alela is opposition.

[Cyberium]

When it comes to this sort of comparison it usually going to be the color difference where you put the most stock into.

Your Grave Pact and Dictate of Erebos are trump cards.

Smothering Abomination and Liliana, Dreadhorde General will help with draw for tokens.

Contamination as already mentioned is strong,

Scion of Oona, Spellstutter Sprite are excellent tribal creatures for Faeries.

Bitterblossom is nice with her.

Aye. Is there a format in this forum that I could create a three column list, Alela's cards on one side, Kykar's on the other, with the center column dedicated to cards both could use?

[darrenhabib]

When it comes to this sort of comparison it usually going to be the color difference where you put the most stock into.

Your Grave Pact and Dictate of Erebos are trump cards.

Smothering Abomination and Liliana, Dreadhorde General will help with draw for tokens.

Contamination as already mentioned is strong,

Scion of Oona, Spellstutter Sprite are excellent tribal creatures for Faeries.

Bitterblossom is nice with her.

Aye. Is there a format in this forum that I could create a three column list, Alela's cards on one side, Kykar's on the other, with the center column dedicated to cards both could use?

You can use the "pipes" tags. Just use the reply (to this) and copy and paste the syntax.

Alela	Both	Kykar
Grave Pact		Jeskai Ascendancy
Bitterblossom		Purphoros, God of the Forge
-	Monastery Mentor	-

[Cyberium]

Alela	Both	Kykar
Grave Pact		Jeskai Ascendancy
Bitterblossom		Purphoros, God of the Forge
-	Monastery Mentor	-

Testing

Alela	Both	Kykar
Grave Pact	Monastery Mentor	Jeskai Ascendancy
Bitterblossom	Opposition	Purphoros, God of the Forge
-	Stoneforge Mystic	-

[OCPunisher]

The card that jumps out at me for Alela is opposition.

I've had Opposition in my Kykar list since day 1. Works great in any go-wide deck that can cast it.

You can use the "pipes" tags. Just use the reply (to this) and copy and paste the syntax.

Alela	Both	Kykar
Grave Pact		Jeskai Ascendancy
Bitterblossom		Purphoros, God of the Forge
-	Monastery Mentor	-

That is super useful. Thanks!

As for the main topic, I think Alela is going to be better at winning with the flying tokens, mainly due to the natural buff that s/he has. Kykar's best thing to do with his/her tokens is to sacrifice them for mana to keep casting spells, so s/he will be better with storm counts and things like Impact Tremors. Ironically, Kykar would probably be better off having black in the casting cost so that s/he could take advantage of Grave Pacts, but s/he will just have to settle for Martyr's Bond.

One last important point in Kykar's favor: Kykar triggers off ANY non-creature spell, while Alela only triggers off artifacts/enchantments.

[Candlemane]

Personally, I like Alela more. First, I've been trying to build an enchantment deck around Yennett, but it doesn't ever quite work out for me. Second, I'm not a combo player, and I've tried many decks over the years, last being Elsha.

As for the colors, I love Red, it's my favorite. Whenever I use it, I can get the job done, but that might just be my playstyle. I'll add R to anything. For constant play, Black is better and can get-there as much as Red or better, but R does offer some interesting things, and Kykar's sac-mana ability is interesting.

Generally, I feel if you want a more explosive turn with more doing stuff generally, run Kykar. If you want a more grindy, value based game, run Alela.

[Serenade]

So much instant-speed removal in Esper colors...and Alela doesn't trigger from them. Peculiar that she likes permanents instead of instants/cards with flash. She does love anthems, though. Alela loves anthems.

Black sac shenanigans vs. Purphoros is a tough call.

[Cyberium]

I built a prototype Alela deck with Theros Gods and bestows. I also included cards like Ephara's Enlightenment for repeat token generation. Malevolent Awakening also works with Alela to return bestow creatures from graveyard for more usage.

One other type of card Kykar cannot use in his deck is: Blood Artist and others. Alela can do good damage and draining.

[OCPunisher]

One other type of card Kykar cannot use in his deck is: Blood Artist and others. Alela can do good damage and draining.

I'll take the global burn and removal-resistance of Purphoros and Impact Tremors over the flimsy Blood Artist,

[blinx28]

Attempting a version of Alela Enchantments with Anthem/Goodstuff subtheme here:

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/alela-d ... d-stump-1/

Any advice from this group is greatly appreciated---seems like a lot of great thoughts here surrounding the potential for enchantment shenanigans, i'm just stuck between including generally good cards that incidentally make tokens with her, or focusing in a bit more.

[Cyberium]

Attempting a version of Alela Enchantments with Anthem/Goodstuff subtheme here:

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/alela-d ... d-stump-1/

Any advice from this group is greatly appreciated---seems like a lot of great thoughts here surrounding the potential for enchantment shenanigans, i'm just stuck between including generally good cards that incidentally make tokens with her, or focusing in a bit more.

I'd like to help, but this thread is about comparing Alela and Kykar. There's a sub forum for deck lists.