Group Think : Zaxara, the Exemplary

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darrenhabib
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Post by darrenhabib » 3 years ago

The deck is complete! Thanks to all those contributed to its genius.

Copied directly from @Treamayne thread and idea about making a deck specifically from MTG Nexus users suggestions.

I find myself too biased towards certain staples and ideas and power levels, so this will be a nice change of pace for me.
I literally have done no research or have any ideas behind the commander I've choosen, so looking forward to what people come up with.

With Treamayne selecting O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami we can get a "MTG Nexus Group Think Versus Group Think" game going.
Hopefully others will also want to build other commanders with this idea, and anybody can obviously pick up the deck lists and play on Cockatrice or whatever.
But I'm going to specifically play this on MTGO and play it on a future MTGO Nexus Night.

Rules:
  • No one person can put forth more than one card in any 24 hr period.
  • We'll overshoot the deck size (Hoping for about 110-120 nominations) and also community source the cuts down to 99
  • Because I am building on MTGO, if a card is not available on the client, I will let you know and you can change your nomination
    (If you are unfamiliar, the client has almost everything since Mirage, and a lot that comes before Mirage - but not many of the more interesting Conspiracy/BattleBond cards like Fan Favorite)
  • We'll nominate by category, saving lands for last (so they can be informed nominations based on what the deck looks like so far)
  • When we get to cuts, people will nominate a card to cut, and if it receives 5 votes within 24 hours, it's gone (until we are at 99)
  • When cutting, you may post 1 nomination and 1 vote each day (they do not have to be the same post - but you can edit until I tally that day's votes)
The Deck:

I am looking to make a casual (6ish on the common scale) deck with the following characteristics:
  • General, as above - Zaxara, the Exemplary
  • No Mass Land destruction, unless it replaces with basics
  • No Annihilator, Mindslaver effects, or Magister Effects (unless they set life based on starting life - e.g. Torgaar is okay, Magister Sphinx is not)
  • Minimum Basic count will be 4 each (Starting at 5 each - that fills my "Land" nomination)
  • Combos must be 4 cards or more and interactive
  • Categories will be:
    Creatures (until we get 25-35)
    Non-Creature Permanents (Until we get 20-25)
    Spells (until we get 15-25)
    Lands (until we get 20-25)
Lands = 36
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Zaxara, the Exemplary Group Think

Commander

Creatures counters matter

Creatures proliferate

Artifacts counters matter

Enchantments X

Enchantments other

Instants other

Sorcery other

Lands Basics

Lands All-Color

Lands On-color fetches

Approximate Total Cost:

Last edited by darrenhabib 3 years ago, edited 60 times in total.

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darrenhabib
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Post by darrenhabib » 3 years ago

The deck is complete! Thanks to all those contributed to its genius.
Last edited by darrenhabib 3 years ago, edited 4 times in total.


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TheAmericanSpirit
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Post by TheAmericanSpirit » 3 years ago

Gadwick, the wizened
There's no biscuits and gravy in New Zealand.
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)


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Segrus
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Post by Segrus » 3 years ago

Genesis - getting the X/X token is nice, so having a way to consistently recur X-cost creatures might be good.

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Sinis
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Post by Sinis » 3 years ago

Altered Ego - Has X, can't be countered, can be so baller. Also, Clones are ultimate casual. If you're cloning a Grizzly Bears, it's on them. If you're cloning a Jin-Gitaxias, it's on them.

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pokken
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Post by pokken » 3 years ago

Hangarback Walker - it's X and it makes more dudes and it has a mana sink for the general and it taps so synergy with any untapping stuff you do later.

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Treamayne
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Post by Treamayne » 3 years ago

Roaring Primadox - nice way to reset X counters and recast X spells.
V/R

Treamayne

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darrenhabib
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Post by darrenhabib » 3 years ago

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I feel OK nominating a card myself.
With Gargos, Vicious Watcher combined with Zaxara, the Exemplary, Hydroid Krasis fits the mark nicely.

I can see +1/+1 counters could be a factor to take advantage of as well as X spells and looking at and spamming the board with token Hydras, token themes in general could be used?

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Stapler
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Post by Stapler » 3 years ago

Kruphix, God of Horizons lets us store up mana over turns for a giant Hydra or Villainous Wealth or what have you (Wealth hasn't been nominated yet, but I mean ... c'mon). :P

Dunno if adding Seedborn Muse in addition to Kruphix would push the deck past a 6/10 - something to keep in mind as the deck evolves.
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darrenhabib
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Post by darrenhabib » 3 years ago

Stapler wrote:
3 years ago
Kruphix, God of Horizons lets us store up mana over turns for a giant Hydra or Villainous Wealth or what have you (Wealth hasn't been nominated yet, but I mean ... c'mon). :P

Dunno if adding Seedborn Muse in addition to Kruphix would push the deck past a 6/10 - something to keep in mind as the deck evolves.
Just taking creature suggestions at the moment..umm..just because I'm following the guidlines that Treamayne doing for his thread.
But it does make it a bit simpler to base other spells off suggestions what you are aiming for with your creatures.
Likely to get more synergy suggestions that way, rather than a barrage of all the good stuff off the bat.

I'll add Kruphix, God of Horizons to the mix and Seedborn can be added I'm sure. As long as its not built around can be fine.
There is no direct interaction with Zaxara and Seedborn.
But I can imagine x draw card like Stroke of Genius making it into the instants list, so do want to be careful about power levels.
But the idea is that cards can be cut to tone it down, I really do want it to be on the same level as other Group Think decks that get made.

KMA_Again
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Post by KMA_Again » 3 years ago

Lifeblood Hydra . It draws cards, gains life, is big and timmy. Win/Win/Win.

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Sanity_Eclipse
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Post by Sanity_Eclipse » 3 years ago

I'll nominate Voracious Hydra. Mainly for the fight upon ETB, since with Zaxara we're gonna poop out a token anyway, so Vora's first mode is a bit redundant. We might have some some creature bounce as well, so we've some good potential creature control.
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pokken
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Post by pokken » 3 years ago

Given this general's ability of ramping to 6 and 7 early very consistently, I think it's very likely it should be playing some number of the strongest 6 and 7 mana bomb creatures - ideally some that can take advantage of having additional bodies that have scaling power.

I think Pathbreaker Ibex would be a pretty ideal finisher for this deck that makes its own non-tramping fatties. But I'm more inclined to have a refueling plan.

So Prime Speaker Zegana is my pick for today. It will take advantage of the natural peak of your mana production and also be able to take advantage of +1/+1 counter themes as well.

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Sinis
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Post by Sinis » 3 years ago

I think any Hydra we make (along with everyone else who has +1/+1 counters) should be unblockable.

I pick Herald of Secret Streams!

Neptune
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Post by Neptune » 3 years ago

Bloom Tender is an excellent mana dude.

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Treamayne
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Post by Treamayne » 3 years ago

If you are playing around with +1/+1 counters, Fathom Mage seems like a nice draw engine for all the fatties.
V/R

Treamayne

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Mookie
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Post by Mookie » 3 years ago

I'll toss Genesis Hydra into the pile. I'm expecting a higher curve, so it's important to add some 2-drops!

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Segrus
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Post by Segrus » 3 years ago

Primordial Hydra, because there's nothing like a naturally power-doubling, trample creature to make everybody nervous.

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Outcryqq
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Post by Outcryqq » 3 years ago

Some great suggestions so far. With all these hydras and +1/+1 counters, Zameck Guildmage should be a good source of card draw that won't push the deck TOO far in terms of power.

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pokken
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Post by pokken » 3 years ago

We need some more mana.

Incubation Druid !

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Stapler
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Post by Stapler » 3 years ago

Since it seems like we're going down the +1/+1 counter theme, Kalonian Hydra.
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Sinis
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Post by Sinis » 3 years ago

I really like where this is going. A personal favourite of mine, Plaxcaster Frogling will give any of our guys shroud. He can also graft onto Zaxara to protect them, too.


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