Kalamaximum Security

[SquirrelToken]

I made a ton of cuts, and so I'm definitely looking for the last few cards to go back in. Melek is out, since he does kill the element of surprise, and he's expensive. Wort might go in. I added a couple more mana rocks - Gilded Lotus seemed good, and Pyromancer's Goggles seems like a no-brainer include in this list. Cerebral Vortex is a pet card that I've wanted to shoehorn into a deck for a while. Seems good as a kill card with maybe Winds of Change?

Blue Sun's Zenith seems quite solid - I was looking for a refill spell, and like you said it doubles as a kill spell. That may well make the cut. No way on Though Vessel, though - I just bought two for other decks, and that card is more expensive than I care to pay. Again.

[benjameenbear]

Cerebral Vortex is definitely interesting as a potential kill card. The lols would be pretty awesome for killing someone via damage from drawing too much.

I actually think this is one deck where Wheels/Draw-7's AREN'T desirable. Refilling or cycling away all hands, including your own, could inadvertently short-circuit your ability to effectively control the game by helping an opponent dig out of your control elements in some form or fashion. I would personally pass on Winds and any other hand-cycler, but that's definitely my bias.

No worries about the Vessel. This strategy loads up on cards in hand and having ways to circumvent the hand size limitation feels pretty good. I had a Vessel that wasn't being used so I slotted it in and haven't regretted it.

[SquirrelToken]

Yeah, I decided to go with the BSZ and see if I can copy it a few times and then Vortex them out. It's absolutely nuts with 1k-Year Storm.
Blue Sun for 5, copy it with Kalamax, Fork it. OK, Storm copies Fork once, so you draw 20 cards. Cerebral Vortex, Storm copies it twice, you draw 6 and take 72 damage. Even if it's just a draw 2 spell, that's 8 cards, then 6 for 36 damage - 39 if it's their EOT.

I guess it's KIND of Magical Christmasland, because it's not great if I don't have some copying online, but if I don't then I just point it at myself and suck up the damage to get a few more cards.

[SquirrelToken]

I had the list finished, but someone previewed Double Vision, so now I need to make a cut.

[benjameenbear]

Definitely a great card and one I'll be picking up for Kalamax as well.

Has anyone had a chance to use Volcanic Offering yet? I'm waiting on my order to get to me, but I'm anticipating that it will be incredible.

[Artaud]

Has anyone had a chance to use Volcanic Offering yet? I'm waiting on my order to get to me, but I'm anticipating that it will be incredible.

I've been using it in Mizzix with a great success. This card is bonkers despite the cost. The only problem is when you're in dominant table position - some opponents refuse to cooperate and choose the same targets as you do then.

[benjameenbear]

It still seems awesome when copied with Kalamax. Even if your opponents do choose the same targets as you, it's a minimum 4-1 with Kalamax copying it. And if you use it politically, it could be a huge 8-1 when you and/or the table is behind a certain player.

I'm curious what else will be coming out in M21. It would be cool to see Lim-Dul get a new card, since they're doing old throwback legends. That or Gix.

[benjameenbear]

Also, I recently discovered that Whir of Invention can find the artifact lands (Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Tree of Tales) to act as another way to ramp for X=0 and a great way to find a host of excellent artifacts a la Sword of Feast and Famine, Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring, Twinning Staff, Lightning Greaves, and another recent inclusion I've been considering: Caged Sun.

Being able to tutor out a mana doubler on someone's End Step for Kalamax seems VERY potent and all of the other artifacts are excellent on their own. Being able to copy Whir several times to get mana rocks, protection, a mana reducer... I really like the possibilities.