Drakuseth: Tempered
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ISBPathfinder
Bebopin - Posts: 2176
- Joined: 5 years ago
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- Location: SD, USA
You have a lot of grave hate for a deck that doesn't really have much synergy with artifacts. I agree with having Relic / Lantern but perhaps Phyrexian Furnace / Scrabbling Claws might be a bit more than needed?
I could also maybe see a few other dragons like say Hellkite Tyrant and or Utvara Hellkite. More dragons would also have some synergy pickups for a few cards like your Haven of the Spirit Dragon and Dragon's Hoard.
I could also maybe see a few other dragons like say Hellkite Tyrant and or Utvara Hellkite. More dragons would also have some synergy pickups for a few cards like your Haven of the Spirit Dragon and Dragon's Hoard.
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I agree that this deck is a little heavy handed in terms of it's grave hate. I have these in the deck solely for their cantrip-ing abilities with small upsides.
I considered Utvara, but thought that I have a lot of top end creatures already. I will definitely be trying to find slots for these in the future however.
I considered Utvara, but thought that I have a lot of top end creatures already. I will definitely be trying to find slots for these in the future however.
Top end? You have like 3 or 4 creatures including your commander that could be considered top end/top class finishers. Cards like inferno titan, combustible gearhulk, wurmcoil engine, or sunbird's invocation would make a lot of sense here. You have a metric *expletive deleted* ton of mana ramp, but it doesn't seem like much to do with it. Granted, I do like drakuseth and think he's an excellent card, but some synergy seems warranted.
What I mean is that cards like sharding phoenix, rekindling phoenix, pia and kiran nalaar, godo, bandit warlord, etc. don't seem like they are doing much here with all of that mana production. You really want bigger finishers with bigger mana, I think.
Failing that, I do like the gratuitous violence angle. It's obscene with your commander. Fiendish duo and angrath's marauders seem like good additions.
Or, you can go the dragon route as suggested. Those would be good, too.
What I mean is that cards like sharding phoenix, rekindling phoenix, pia and kiran nalaar, godo, bandit warlord, etc. don't seem like they are doing much here with all of that mana production. You really want bigger finishers with bigger mana, I think.
Failing that, I do like the gratuitous violence angle. It's obscene with your commander. Fiendish duo and angrath's marauders seem like good additions.
Or, you can go the dragon route as suggested. Those would be good, too.
There is a lot to break down here. I think that the intent behind the deck would change if I added those types of cards, it would be about dropping bombs and trying to send them through. The intent of this deck is basically to just ram the commander as many times as possible. Since he is SOOO expensive, I need a lot of ramp, to both play the commander the first time, and everytime after.weltkrieg wrote: ↑4 years agoTop end? You have like 3 or 4 creatures including your commander that could be considered top end/top class finishers. Cards like inferno titan, combustible gearhulk, wurmcoil engine, or sunbird's invocation would make a lot of sense here. You have a metric *expletive deleted* ton of mana ramp, but it doesn't seem like much to do with it. Granted, I do like drakuseth and think he's an excellent card, but some synergy seems warranted.
What I mean is that cards like sharding phoenix, rekindling phoenix, pia and kiran nalaar, godo, bandit warlord, etc. don't seem like they are doing much here with all of that mana production. You really want bigger finishers with bigger mana, I think.
Failing that, I do like the gratuitous violence angle. It's obscene with your commander. Fiendish duo and angrath's marauders seem like good additions.
Or, you can go the dragon route as suggested. Those would be good, too.
As far as the other inclusions sharding phoenix, rekindling phoenix, pia and kiran nalaar are all flying defense, for the early game. Sharding and, Pia and Kiran also have synergy with the commander in that they add extra damage when needed to kill creatures when the commander can't burn them to death.
Godo, Bandit Warlord has a ton of synergy with the commander. You can grab a haste outlet, or just batterskull. Godo also gives free combat steps which means I can attack more with my commander.
I still need to play test this deck, so I will hold back on any feedback I might have on the damage doublers you mentioned, but they are high up on the list of things I want to add.
Card Changes: Feb 13, 2020
Basilisk Collar → Shadowspear
Bloodsworn Steward-> Embercleave
I was having issues getting my commander damage to matter as much as I wanted due to blockers. Adding more trample should open up my commander's ability to burn utility creatures instead of blockers. Shadowspear is just better in this deck, as it has lifelink and trample, it also opens up sticky creatures to removal.
I have a lot of haste outlets, Bloodsworn is too fragile to rely on. On the other hand, Godo, Bandit Warlord can search for Embercleave and make things scary very fast.
Basilisk Collar → Shadowspear
Bloodsworn Steward-> Embercleave
I was having issues getting my commander damage to matter as much as I wanted due to blockers. Adding more trample should open up my commander's ability to burn utility creatures instead of blockers. Shadowspear is just better in this deck, as it has lifelink and trample, it also opens up sticky creatures to removal.
I have a lot of haste outlets, Bloodsworn is too fragile to rely on. On the other hand, Godo, Bandit Warlord can search for Embercleave and make things scary very fast.
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Dragonlover
- Posts: 558
- Joined: 4 years ago
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Surprised you're not running Torbran, Thane of Red Fell, seems pretty bonkers with Drakuseth.
Dragonlover
Dragonlover
All my decks are here
I'm unsure how to value damage increase effects like this. I have Gratuitous Violence in here and haven't seen it yet. Torbran seems powerful in decks with lots of red sources dealing damage. With Pyrohemia, it seems bonkers but I subscribe as much as possible to the 1 plus commander rule.Dragonlover wrote: ↑4 years agoSurprised you're not running Torbran, Thane of Red Fell, seems pretty bonkers with Drakuseth.
Dragonlover
I would also likely consider Fiendish Duo first, just because they do more, despite being more expensive. I will be keeping an eye out for this though. Like, how much red mana do I have available, which turns I want to play effects like this, if I need double damage, or just two extra.
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Dragonlover
- Posts: 558
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
I mean no disrespect, but why do you need flying defense in the early game in a red deck? Wouldn't it make more sense just to run removal and blow them out of the sky? Red has far more removal spells than just earthquake variants.Tryno wrote: ↑4 years agoThere is a lot to break down here. I think that the intent behind the deck would change if I added those types of cards, it would be about dropping bombs and trying to send them through. The intent of this deck is basically to just ram the commander as many times as possible. Since he is SOOO expensive, I need a lot of ramp, to both play the commander the first time, and everytime after.
As far as the other inclusions sharding phoenix, rekindling phoenix, pia and kiran nalaar are all flying defense, for the early game. Sharding and, Pia and Kiran also have synergy with the commander in that they add extra damage when needed to kill creatures when the commander can't burn them to death.
Godo, Bandit Warlord has a ton of synergy with the commander. You can grab a haste outlet, or just batterskull. Godo also gives free combat steps which means I can attack more with my commander.
I still need to play test this deck, so I will hold back on any feedback I might have on the damage doublers you mentioned, but they are high up on the list of things I want to add.
That said, I still think I would run a few more midrange threats for when all of your own mana ramp (read: artifacts) get blown up and you can't afford your commander. Inferno titan isn't horribly expensive and can act as utility creature removal.
Also, I think your removal suite is a little light. I would consider a crucible of worlds to go with the land destruction package to give you enough control to enable you to reach your commander's late game (which is what you're aiming for eventually).
Commander + Mana Crypt = Turn 5 Commander (With enough artifacts that speed up when he enters I can get turn 3 commander)Dragonlover wrote: ↑4 years agoI'm unfamiliar with this, any chance you could elaborate?
Dragonlover
Commander + Gratuitous Violence = 2x(7 + 4 + 3 + 3) = 34 Damage on attack
Commander + Shadowspear = Trample, Lifelink Commander who can now kill indes, or hexproof.
Basically, I just want to do good stuff with the card plus my commander, or have the card do good stuff all on it's own (Mind's Eye).
Because flying is one of the best forms of evasion. There are also far less Earthquake effects that hit fliers than non-fliers. I was thinking of adding a few more of these effects though (Fault Line, Rolling Earthquake, Magma Phoenix ).weltkrieg wrote: ↑4 years agoI mean no disrespect, but why do you need flying defense in the early game in a red deck? Wouldn't it make more sense just to run removal and blow them out of the sky? Red has far more removal spells than just earthquake variants.
That said, I still think I would run a few more midrange threats for when all of your own mana ramp (read: artifacts) get blown up and you can't afford your commander. Inferno titan isn't horribly expensive and can act as utility creature removal.
Also, I think your removal suite is a little light. I would consider a crucible of worlds to go with the land destruction package to give you enough control to enable you to reach your commander's late game (which is what you're aiming for eventually).
This deck is more oriented around the commander. There are enough alternate win cons, but my goal is really to lean on the commander.
Red has really poor removal options, and can't really keep up with enough card advantage to maintain using a lot of removal. Aside from that, the commander is a removal cannon. My meta is also a bit fresh and I am not really fond of doing Land Destruction tactics as a win condition. I prefer to use Land D as a way to remove value (Cabal Coffers)
Flying is an excellent form of evasion, true. I understand that you're trying to lean on your commander.Tryno wrote: ↑4 years agoCommander + Mana Crypt = Turn 5 Commander (With enough artifacts that speed up when he enters I can get turn 3 commander)Dragonlover wrote: ↑4 years agoI'm unfamiliar with this, any chance you could elaborate?
Dragonlover
Commander + Gratuitous Violence = 2x(7 + 4 + 3 + 3) = 34 Damage on attack
Commander + Shadowspear = Trample, Lifelink Commander who can now kill indes, or hexproof.
Basically, I just want to do good stuff with the card plus my commander, or have the card do good stuff all on it's own (Mind's Eye).
Because flying is one of the best forms of evasion. There are also far less Earthquake effects that hit fliers than non-fliers. I was thinking of adding a few more of these effects though (Fault Line, Rolling Earthquake, Magma Phoenix ).weltkrieg wrote: ↑4 years agoI mean no disrespect, but why do you need flying defense in the early game in a red deck? Wouldn't it make more sense just to run removal and blow them out of the sky? Red has far more removal spells than just earthquake variants.
That said, I still think I would run a few more midrange threats for when all of your own mana ramp (read: artifacts) get blown up and you can't afford your commander. Inferno titan isn't horribly expensive and can act as utility creature removal.
Also, I think your removal suite is a little light. I would consider a crucible of worlds to go with the land destruction package to give you enough control to enable you to reach your commander's late game (which is what you're aiming for eventually).
This deck is more oriented around the commander. There are enough alternate win cons, but my goal is really to lean on the commander.
Red has really poor removal options, and can't really keep up with enough card advantage to maintain using a lot of removal. Aside from that, the commander is a removal cannon. My meta is also a bit fresh and I am not really fond of doing Land Destruction tactics as a win condition. I prefer to use Land D as a way to remove value (Cabal Coffers)
There aren't a lot of X damage sweepers that hit fliers. Rolling earthquake seems to be about the best of them. However, I believe this is the first time I have ever heard someone say red has poor removal options (with the exception of enchantments).
Off the top of my head:
All deal mass amounts of damage to handle fairly big creatures and walkers (only magmaquake has the non flying clause here) and all are easily playable in your deck.
For smaller utility creature removal:
For spot removal that doesn't just hit lands or is damage based (though there are a few fine options here that I haven't listed, too)
Question: Is your meta not to the point where vandalblast or by force aren't good options? I see a disturbing lack of removal for permanents that almost everyone plays and red is arguably the best at blowing up.
For crucible of worlds, I guess I should have suggested my other favorites to go with it, which are inventor's fair and buried ruin. Buried ruin brings back artifacts repeatedly, which I assume die a lot and inventors fair becomes a tutor engine for a very large chunk of your deck.
If you could limit what you quote, I would appreciate it. Quoting everything really makes unread-able content.weltkrieg wrote: ↑4 years agoFlying is an excellent form of evasion, true. I understand that you're trying to lean on your commander.
There aren't a lot of X damage sweepers that hit fliers. Rolling earthquake seems to be about the best of them. However, I believe this is the first time I have ever heard someone say red has poor removal options (with the exception of enchantments).
Off the top of my head:
All deal mass amounts of damage to handle fairly big creatures and walkers (only magmaquake has the non flying clause here) and all are easily playable in your deck.
For smaller utility creature removal:For spot removal that doesn't just hit lands or is damage based (though there are a few fine options here that I haven't listed, too) Question: Is your meta not to the point where vandalblast or by force aren't good options? I see a disturbing lack of removal for permanents that almost everyone plays and red is arguably the best at blowing up.
For crucible of worlds, I guess I should have suggested my other favorites to go with it, which are inventor's fair and buried ruin. Buried ruin brings back artifacts repeatedly, which I assume die a lot and inventors fair becomes a tutor engine for a very large chunk of your deck.
You have just listed a lot of creature removal, that work generally more as wraths (That could often him me as well). I will argue that red is very good at killing creatures through damage and busting artifacts. Red however, does not have the card advantage to do this in a way that is sustainable in the same way Black can (Card draw, and creature removal). Wheel effects incentives tempo oriented play, so jamming as much ramp and then wheeling is the goal.
I could add more removal, but I would be more inclined to add Meteor Golem, Scour from Existence, or Duplicant. These are all way more flexible forms of removal that my commander can't cover.
As far as Inventor's Fair, it normally takes your entire turn to both search and play the artifact. This would be more important if I had some combo I wanted to assemble, but most of my artifacts are ramp. So I would, maybe use it to grab Embercleave, Shadowspear, Mind's Eye, or The Immortal Sun. All of which, are not really worth the loss in tempo unless I have run out of steam.
I am decommishining this deck. It was a cool concept, but I am finding myself not really getting the play narrative I was aiming for, ruining people with a fat dragon. I am winning more through Pyrohemia than I am with my actual commander. At this point, it would be better to run a black/red pestilence deck. So I am putting this deck down for a bit.
