Rafiq way to go

Xar · Post by **Xar** » 4 years ago

Hello,

After a few games of Tstorm823 Zedruu the Greathearted decks I decided I want something easier to play. My playgroup wasn't ready for a lot of new rules that you need to know when playing that deck. I will still play it from time to time, "master" it and make my group more accustomed to it. Right now I'am looking at Rafiq of the Many as a Voltron type of play. Here is my main question, should I go enchantments or should I go artifacts? Also, with access to green should I go for mana dorks (Noble Hierarch might be out of question right now) or ramp spells? Maybe I should go mana rocks? When I decide I will be able to start brewing and ask for more advices then. It will be my second non precon commander deck, my playgroup is a bit salty about Nekusar, the Mindrazer and his wins out of the blue.

Outcryqq · Post by **Outcryqq** » 4 years ago

I think a lot of your questions depend on your playgroup:

In terms of whether you should use mana dorks or ramp spells, I would probably choose ramp spells as long as your group does not use a significant amount of land destruction. Mana dorks are killed easily, and in commander, creatures die quickly. So unless you can take advantage of the creatures in multiple ways, maybe by having lots of reanimation, I'd use ramp spells.
Enchantments versus artifacts: do you need to choose one or the other? You said your list will be voltron, so I would run whatever cards help you suit up Rafiq of the Many, regardless of if they are enchantments or artifacts. Were you considering a sub theme (enchantments or artifacts) that you did not mention? If not, I'd just include enchantments like Eldrazi Conscription and Bear Umbra, and artifacts like Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, and Shadowspear.
I like mana rocks. And in a voltron list, your goal is to attack your opponents hard and fast. If you use mana rocks, you should be able to cast your commander earlier and more frequently. I'd use the good 2 cmc rocks, which should help you power out your commander on turn 3: Arcane Signet and the other signets.

Dunharrow · Post by **Dunharrow** » 4 years ago

I would play every way that you can make Rafiq hexproof - auras and equipment.
Otherwise, choose the best options of each. There are obviously some cards that reward you for focusing on one or the other....
Are you going to spend money to get the good swords and to get Stoneforge Mystic? This changes the deck a lot. Doublestrike with swords is amazing. But if you play fire and ice, you better be careful about too many blue auras. And if you plays feast and famine, green auras are going to be worse.

But if you aren't playing the swords, then you might as well go all in on auras because there are few equipment I would play at that point (swiftfoot boots for sure though)

Does that make sense?

Xar · Post by **Xar** » 4 years ago

Thanks to the answers guys, here is what still bothers me.

Outcryqq wrote: ↑
4 years ago
[*]In terms of whether you should use mana dorks or ramp spells, I would probably choose ramp spells as long as your group does not use a significant amount of land destruction. Mana dorks are killed easily, and in commander, creatures die quickly. So unless you can take advantage of the creatures in multiple ways, maybe by having lots of reanimation, I'd use ramp spells.
[*]I like mana rocks. And in a voltron list, your goal is to attack your opponents hard and fast. If you use mana rocks, you should be able to cast your commander earlier and more frequently. I'd use the good 2 cmc rocks, which should help you power out your commander on turn 3: Arcane Signet and the other signets.[/list]

There is almost no land destruction in my playgroup. I was wondering if it is better to use ramp spells or mana rocks? Ramp spells won't work nice with Land Tax and mana rocks will be destroyed from time to time by artifact board wipe.

Outcryqq wrote: ↑
4 years ago
Enchantments versus artifacts: do you need to choose one or the other? You said your list will be voltron, so I would run whatever cards help you suit up Rafiq of the Many, regardless of if they are enchantments or artifacts. Were you considering a sub theme (enchantments or artifacts) that you did not mention? If not, I'd just include enchantments like Eldrazi Conscription and Bear Umbra, and artifacts like Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, and Shadowspear.

I'am a bit worried if I mix them too much I might lose some card draw I was excepting to get from cards like Puresteel Paladin (in case of equipment heavy deck) or cards like Satyr Enchanter (in case of enchantment heavy deck). Maybe answer to card draw is Curiosity or Curator's Ward?

Dunharrow wrote: ↑
4 years ago
Are you going to spend money to get the good swords and to get Stoneforge Mystic? This changes the deck a lot. Doublestrike with swords is amazing. But if you play fire and ice, you better be careful about too many blue auras. And if you plays feast and famine, green auras are going to be worse.

I won't get them now, I might trade into them or buy them later. One sword I'am considering is Sword of Sinew and Steel. It is quite cheap and has quite good effect for commander.

Sharpened · Post by **Sharpened** » 4 years ago

I think you are asking the wrong questions. Well, not that any questions are "wrong", but I think there is a more productive way to think about the process of building.

Don't start with a 'which cardtype synergies should I focus on mentality'. Focus on the goals of the deck, and how best to support it.

Rafiq of the Many
So typically, what would the goals of building a deck with that as the commander. Voltron is the shorthand, but more specifically.
Hit fast and hard, ideally with the commander.
So you need buffs both for protection and evasion.
Get faster.
Disrupt your opponents. You don't need to paralyze and control them, just mess with the gameplans to allow you to kill them first or throw them off balance so you can break through their defenses.

So then it's about how you best support those goals and work from there.
Does type of ramp matter? I think speed of ramp matters more. Like [mention]Outcryqq[/mention] says, the 2 CMC ramp that lets you get Rafiq on the board faster matters. Things like Cultivate don't, so they become less useful. Likewise, nowhere in the gameplan is the goal to win a grindy resource advantage battle, so something like Land Tax, while extremely powerful, doesn't really support what you want to do.

Personally, I would make a list of the buffs I want to use, and then see whether I am leaning towards artifact or equipment.
I would pay attention to what disruption I try and go with and see how that shapes my other choices. If I was running Single Combat as a way to isolate my buffed commander, I'd be less likely to run mana dorks. If I was running Dueling Grounds, I might lean more towards enchantments.

Instead of picking themes and synergies to support, think about your gameplan. Find the ways that you want to support that gameplan, and once you have a few key cards work on maximizing the synergies from there. It's an iterative process. There's no right answer. If you find that your cards are working at cross purposes, reevaluate and find a different tack.

Dunharrow · Post by **Dunharrow** » 4 years ago

Is Sinew and Steel is your only sword - get it - it doesn't affect your auras and is very good.
Then I would focus on auras.

If I were playing this deck, my first focus every game would be to put Umbras and Hexproof onto Rafiq. Because piling on a bunch of auras and then losing everything to removal or board wipe is a sure way to lose.

The only other equipment I would run are Swiftfoot boots and Champion's Helm.

Gashnaw · Post by **Gashnaw** » 4 years ago

Rafiq is a good pick but also (IMO) overdone. If you want to go with him still do so (and equipment is a far better choice.)

Honestly I had more fun with atraxa as my general. People forget she is a 4/4 for 4 with FOUR keywords. Everyone focuses on the proliferate (which could be a secondary won con)

Ruhan is also another choice as. 7/7 for 4 and attacks at random. They cannot get angry since you have no choice. (And I built a system in which allows him to take aim, all it requires is blink and haste)

Like I said if you want Rafiq go for it, but k find there are far better choices out there that are not as imposing.

You could also go mono red good + helm of the host infinite attacks.

hyalopterouslemur · Post by **hyalopterouslemur** » 4 years ago

Voltron. That takes me back.

First, you'll need, well, two things: Ways to dodge removal (hexproof, indestructible) and evasion abilities. May I also suggest Sword of Sinew and Steel? You'll also want ways to boost power; I'm fond of Loxodon Warhammer because it makes Rafiq a 7/4 with double strike, trample, and lifelink.

Another thing you see a lot in Rafiq decks is infect. Blighted Agent is the best card for this strategy, but in a pinch, Tine Shrike, Putrefax, or even something like Glistener Elf can help.

Xar · Post by **Xar** » 4 years ago

Ok, I crated and entry list (no lands yet) that needs some help. I should remove a few cards here and there to make more room for mana rocks. It is 61 cards right now. I also wonder if I should go full removal via enchantments or get Path to Exile like removals too (I know from my games that Darksteel Mutation on enemy commander is very good, so maybe similar cards would also work). Should i cut some "exalted" creatures for card draw thingies?

Decklist

Approximate Total Cost:

Edit: [mention]Gashnaw[/mention] I was working on my decklist post and did not notice you replied. I have Atraxa Superfriends deck and she will stay this way for a moment (main deck of my gf). I will check with Ruhan of the Fomori once again and will think about equipment option too.
[mention]hyalopterouslemur[/mention] Yeah, Sword of Sinew and Steel seems very good and not expensive. I've seen people use infect creatures as a secondary win con, if I can tune my deck a little bit I should be able to fit one of these nasty creatures.

Outcryqq · Post by **Outcryqq** » 4 years ago

I would get rid of anything that ONLY provides exalted - I think you should use those slots for additional utility. For example, Court Archers is a card where you spend 3 mana, and the best you're getting out of them is usually going to be to give your commander +1/+1 until end of turn on attack, which considering double strike should equate to two more damage. Rather than using a card slot to push two more damage through each turn, I'd rather use enchantments or equipment that gives a bigger boost than +1/+1, protects your commander, or grants trample (because without trample, your commander can just get chump blocked). Cards not currently in your list I'd consider are Rancor, Shadowspear, Knight of New Alara, and Bastion Protector.

Gashnaw · Post by **Gashnaw** » 4 years ago

You have some really good encnatments, When i did my build however i felt artifacts were an overall better choice since I had Puresteel Paladin and Leonin Shikari If yo have teh right equipment, your board is safe from spot removal. I had a board safe of all removal and had darksteel plate and Shield of Kaldra which protected me form board wipes (At least those two, so recasting Rafiq was not big deal.

I am Bryan, you can see my deck in action.

Xar · Post by **Xar** » 4 years ago

Ok, I made some changes with your sugestions but I will have to cut some cards to make room for mana rocks.

Rafiq aura v2

Artifacts (7)

1 Shadowspear
1 Blackblade Reforged
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Sigil of Valor
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Sinew and Steel

Instants (5)

1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Selesnya Charm
1 Simic Charm
1 Bant Charm

Sorceries (5)

1 Open the Armory
1 Idyllic Tutor
1 Divine Reckoning
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Single Combat

Approximate Total Cost:

@Gashnaw I will think about artifacts matter list too.

Dunharrow · Post by **Dunharrow** » 4 years ago

If your goal is to attack with Rafiq, I would cut cards like Grunn.

Any reason why you don't have Kor Spiritdancer? Or even Mesa Enchantress?

Xar · Post by **Xar** » 4 years ago

@Dunharrow Yeah, main attack force is going to be Rafiq, Grunn, the Lonely King and Bruna, Light of Alabaster are on the list in case casting Rafiq will be to expensive or he is stolen. I know there are some more card draw cards on enchantment ETB but right now i should cut some things, not add more

hyalopterouslemur · Post by **hyalopterouslemur** » 4 years ago

Spirit Mantle (and Unquestioned Authority) could be pretty awesome in Voltron. You see, the thing about Spirit Mantle is, creatures with protection can't be blocked by creatures with the protected ability. So if you have protection from creatures, I assure you, all of your opponent's creatures are creatures. It also stops a few things like Tim or Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile or Inferno Titan equipped with Basilisk Collar, or something like a Ravenous Chupacabra.

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Rafiq way to go

Creatures (22)

Artifacts (6)

Enchantment (25)

Instants (4)

Sorceries (4)

Creatures (20)

Artifacts (7)

Enchantment (26)

Instants (5)

Sorceries (5)

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