Rienne, Angel of Trickery

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Sinis
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Post by Sinis » 3 years ago

Rienne, Angel of Rebirth is an interesting card for me. I originally included it in my (now deconstructed) Niv-Mizzet Reborn valuetown deck (link), but Rienne wouldn't ever be drawn by Niv and I only sometimes played it with Bring to Light, so I didn't get to play it much. But, when it did table, I really liked the card. It wasn't an allstar since Niv created buckets of card advantage on his own, but I saw the potential was there for a lot of cards I wasn't playing.

The heroic subtheme for this deck grew out of seeing Season of Growth and Gargos, Vicious Watcher in the same set as Rienne. I also noticed that (the now basically 'solved') Feather, the Redeemed and Anax and Cymede liked combat tricks and were multicoloured, and so I thought I'd make it a combat trick-oriented midrange deck with the intersections of Feather/A&C/Rienne and deck-friendly buffs like Psychotic Fury.

Most of the cards in this deck are known low-hanging fruit; any multicoloured creature with a sac-for-value makes perfect sense, and the high powered multicoloured creatures like elder Dromoka and Gisela would probably see play anyway, but Rienne recurring them (and giving them a tiny power buff) makes them so much the better. Further, there's a lot of midrange support cards, but, I think that's generally how Rienne decks are going to turn out. I could wax on and on about how a Saffi that doesn't really die is silly, or that Dauntless Escort or Loxodon Hierarch can repeatedly save your team, but, no one needs to read about that. The real interesting part (for me, anyway) is the Heroic subtheme from Anax and Cymede and others.


Rienne, Angel of Trickery
Approximate Total Cost:



The Odd Card Choices

Wild Defiance - One of the cards that inspired the subtheme, this card is narrow and provides a somewhat weird bonus. It hedges against damage-based removal (which your opponents will probably never leverage), but it also triggers just in time for cards like Gargos, or Prepare // Fight. It makes our tricks more exciting, and likes targeted power-matters cards like Soul's Majesty or Hunter's Prowess. It's probably bad, but I'm playing it anyway.

Gargos, Vicious Watcher - Notably one of the only two non-multicoloured creatures in the deck (the other being the ubiquitous Eternal Witness), Gargos is one of the big payouts of the combat trick subtheme. Whenever anyone targets any creature of yours, Gargos will fight, and it's no slouch at that. The tricks themselves will enable this, but he also serves as a good hedge against most removal; even targeting Gargos with a kill spell will encourage it to eat something in response. The 4 bonus mana for hydras also pays dividends with Savageborn Hydra and Apocalypse Hydra. Gargos is also terribly fond of Tajic, Legion's Edge, who prevents the fight damage it would suffer.

Warriors' Lesson - Marginal gain with big requirements, this is kind of a holdover for when Zada and Mirrorwing Dragon were in the deck and the deck had more 'Heroic' targets. Basically, there was an iteration of the deck that wanted more 'targets' per card to interact with Gargos and other cards with Heroic mechanics. This is the case for many tricks still in the deck (like Prepare // Fight). It would really shine with more trample or double strike creatures, but it's still kind of okay in this list. Currently thinking it might be replaced with Hunter's Insight.

Stonewood Invocation - This was an all star with Zada and Mirrorwing, but still retains its strength in this iteration. +5/+5, Shroud, Split Second is very secure against most sorts of removal, even though it's premium costed.

Isochron Scepter|F08 - Hotly debated as really good or really bad, especially in a deck that isn't trying use it as a combo piece, this card is (probably) acceptable here. I would be okay with any of the decks imprint possibilities happening. The deck also tends to draw a ton at a time (from cards like Rishkar's Expertise), so there's a chance that when I draw Isochron Scepter, it'll be accompanied by a potential imprint. We'll see how it pans out.

Emeria, the Sky Ruin - This seems odd in a 3-colour deck, but I'll continue with the old refrain: "The opportunity cost is low". While the deck is not overwhelmingly heavy on white, this can be enabled by a solid Traverse the Outlands or Karametra, God of Harvests. This deck could easily have Canopy Vista and Myriad Landscape as well.


Tried and Died

Zada, Hedron Grinder / Mirrorwing Dragon - Both these guys did well, but ultimately they were not good enough on their own in the absence of tricks. Unlike Gargos who provides some passive bonus against our opponent's cards, Zada is basically a Hill Giant. Mirrorwing was even worse; someone running their own tricks could target Mirrorwing Dragon to buff their own team (like Boros Charm with the Double Strike mode). Or Path to Exile in a response to a board wipe. In the end, I think these two could have been included if they were multicoloured and at least warm bodies that Rienne could play with or had text similar to Gargos where they hedged against opponent's possible plays, but they don't do either. The biggest painful nonbo with either of these cards was Psychotic Fury, which can't target Zada/Mirrorwing, and the team double strike cantrip+ was never going to happen.

Travel Preparations / Incremental Growth - Travel Preparations was iconic for the deck's initial iteration. Targets two things, does it twice. Most of the other tricks are modeled around this kind of targeting per card efficiency. Sadly, the multicoloured Heroic cards aren't especially plentiful, and the multiple targets is not such a big deal. Incremental Growth also requires three targets, which sometimes means you need to buff an enemy, which is not to my taste. If there were a higher density of Heroic creatures that Rienne would want to play with, these could be more viable, but trying to leverage Rienne pretty much limits it to what we have (and perhaps not-yet-included Hero of the Nyxborn).

Stirring Wildwood / Raging Ravine - I initially included the Worldwake manlands because they became multicoloured creatures. If they died, Rienne would bring them back to hand, and they'd just be a land drop on the next turn. I don't feel that they are terrible in and of themselves, but the deck never seems to want to pay the mana to activate them. Between developing the board and holding up mana for tricks, there is rarely a spare 4 mana (plus 1 for the land itself to attack), and entering the battlefield tapped is not exactly a selling point.

Gather Courage / Invigorate / Mutagenic Growth - The 'freebies' had the desired tempo advantage, but were not impactful enough to continue playing with them. Free doesn't always mean best, it turns out.

Elvish Fury / Seething Anger - The buyback on these cards is prohibitive, even though it provides reusability for our heroic triggers. I'm sure there is a more heroic-oriented deck out there that would make use of these, but for this subtheme, they're not quite good enough.

Samut, Voice of Dissent - Not a combat trick card; we just didn't have enough tap effects for this bucket of keywords to be worthwhile. Mass haste was nice, but it's not something we couldn't get done with another card (like Rhythm of the Wild, let's say).


Notable Omissions

One might immediately ask "Where's the Rancor, Flickering Ward?" or other cards that should perhaps appear in the deck like Mark of Fury, Ghitu Firebreathing. More than anything, I wanted Wild Defiance to work, which isn't at all excited by Auras. They would also dilute the pool of cards that could be imprinted on Isochron Scepter. Finally, much of the point of the deck is that the tricks are supposed to be a surprise; players are not likely to play around many of our tricks. It's not that these cards are bad (they're probably better than what I'm playing), it's that this is not the route I chose (but, I might choose it in the future!).


Cards up for consideration (that I haven't mentioned yet)

Rubblebelt Rioters - They're multicoloured, have native haste and they like midrange. With only Rienne out, they become a 6/4 for 3, which will trade with most of the popular creatures in the format, and that 'trade' will be only a temporary payment for us; Rienne brings them back to attack every turn.

Marisi, Breaker of the Coil - He hedges out other people's removal during combat, which this deck likes. It makes things notably one sided, and since we don't have much vigilance, the goad is actually kind of welcome.

Mina and Denn, Wildborn - Since we tend to draw in bunches, the extra land play is pretty welcome. The trample is also surprisingly relevant; most of our creatures don't natively have trample and basically need Garruk's Uprising or a trigger from Anax and Cymede to push damage through. Another similar effect would help.

Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist - Probably good on attack to force damage, and good on defense if we're going all out every turn (which I tend to do).

Trostani Discordant - The EOT anti-Control Magic is nice, the tokens are nice, and the anthem is nice. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is the mana cost.

A board wipe or two - I'm aware this deck has just Blasphemous Act, and that's it. It hasn't been a problem so far, but I'm sure it will be at some point.

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bobthefunny
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Post by bobthefunny » 3 years ago

Could Embercleave fit into the deck as a combat trick? And would Sunforger fit in next to the Isochron scepter package?

You mention that sometimes you have issues pushing damage through. While Ride Down doesn't target your own creatures, it does act as a fairly nice combat trick for that purpose. Alternatively, Barge In will give most of your team trample.

Primeval Bounty might be a bit expensive to first drop, but once down it's a super-powered Wild Defiance.

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Crazy Monkey
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Post by Crazy Monkey » 3 years ago

I recommend trying out Marisi, Breaker of the Coil, for the reasons that you've already mentioned. Protecting your combat tricks while also forcing attacks to be pointed away from you is a powerful interaction. A synergy that I built my Marisi around was Thalia, Heretic Cathar type effects, which goads the creatures the turn cycle after they enter tapped. This can help push damage through because nearly every creature without vigilance will be tapped.

If you do end up trying him, then Return of the Wildspeaker is an excellent overrun type effect while also being a draw spell that you can cast while protected from interaction by Marisi. In a deck with as few humans as this one, it seems like an option next to Soul's Majesty although not triggering heroic is a downside.

I am a big fan of the aforementioned Sunforger, especially in a deck with Feather, the Redeemed to reuse those combat tricks. Built to Smash is another combat trick that may help push damage through or Desperate Lunge for flying. You already have Psychotic Fury, so Unleash Fury would be another way to double your damage output while stacking with doublestrike.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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Sinis
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Post by Sinis » 3 years ago

bobthefunny wrote:
3 years ago
Could Embercleave fit into the deck as a combat trick? And would Sunforger fit in next to the Isochron scepter package?

You mention that sometimes you have issues pushing damage through. While Ride Down doesn't target your own creatures, it does act as a fairly nice combat trick for that purpose. Alternatively, Barge In will give most of your team trample.

Primeval Bounty might be a bit expensive to first drop, but once down it's a super-powered Wild Defiance.
I should put in Embercleave; the deck often attacks with enough creatures that Embercleave would be pretty efficient, and the trample (and double strike) will be welcome. I just have to figure out which decks have it and which one can afford the loss the easiest.

Sunforger probably could be in here, though I wonder if it's worth the utility for the 8 mana you'd pay for it. Many of the instants are green, and you can't target quite a few of them (both Prepare // Fight and Onward // Victory exclude themselves on CMC grounds). When you boil it down, it ends up being Swords, Abrade, Psychotic Fury and Boros Charm. None of those are insignificant, but, I'm not sure Sunforger is a slam dunk, here. There is an interesting intersection here, though.

Primeval Bounty is prohibitive cost-wise. Rienne gets a lot of her strength by replaying creatures that die on her watch, or recasting Rienne because someone figured the trick out. I rarely have 6 mana for a development spell, unless it's immediately earthshattering (Traverse the Outlands for example), or will draw (or simulate draw) a billion cards, like Rishkar's, Season's Past, etc.
Crazy Monkey wrote:
3 years ago
I recommend trying out Marisi, Breaker of the Coil, for the reasons that you've already mentioned. Protecting your combat tricks while also forcing attacks to be pointed away from you is a powerful interaction. A synergy that I built my Marisi around was Thalia, Heretic Cathar type effects, which goads the creatures the turn cycle after they enter tapped. This can help push damage through because nearly every creature without vigilance will be tapped.

If you do end up trying him, then Return of the Wildspeaker is an excellent overrun type effect while also being a draw spell that you can cast while protected from interaction by Marisi. In a deck with as few humans as this one, it seems like an option next to Soul's Majesty although not triggering heroic is a downside.

I am a big fan of the aforementioned Sunforger, especially in a deck with Feather, the Redeemed to reuse those combat tricks. Built to Smash is another combat trick that may help push damage through or Desperate Lunge for flying. You already have Psychotic Fury, so Unleash Fury would be another way to double your damage output while stacking with doublestrike.
I addressed Sunforger above in the reply to bob; basically, I'm not sure it's worth the mana investment even if there's an interesting set of cards that like both it and Isochron Scepter. Is the toolbox there, or could it be? Not sure.

Marisi will definitely get a slot; seems good enough. Return of the Wildspeaker is probably the better effect, but, you're right, I picked Soul's Majesty over it because it doesn't trigger Heroic (same with Hunter's Prowess). One of the reasons Return of the Wildspeaker didn't get the nod also is that the +3/+3 without trample isn't super hot (it's not nothing, it'd just be much better if there was more trample around). You're right in that Return of the Wildspeaker would pair well with Marisi or other trample/evasion enablers, if my opponents' creatures ended up habitually goaded.

Unleash Fury might be worth the slot, but, I think with so few double strike effects in the deck, I might be better off with Temur Battle Rage for the added trample.

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Rumpy5897
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Post by Rumpy5897 » 3 years ago

Seeing how there's plenty of putative stuff on the sidelines, I'll mainly focus on what looks cuttable. If Voice of Resurgence isn't a meta call, it's a pretty easy cut. You don't seem to have the ramp to power out truly absurd hydras, so Apocalypse Hydra/Savageborn Hydra feel like they could be something better. You have all of one damage wipe for Tajic, Legion's Edge to make asymmetric, and he does nothing for you otherwise. Vivien, Champion of the Wilds looks cuttable, but I'm a huge antifan of walkers in EDH so there's that. Given that I don't even run Redeem the Lost in Feather, it really seems like you could easily get better mileage out of that slot (Shelter maybe?).

I know you specifically mention in the OP you don't want to run Flickering Ward, but it's by far the best of the repeat-an-auras. Protection from a colour is a surprisingly nontrivially nice thing to have when you can game people's spot removal or damage wipes, so it actually does something when not just being bounced. Heroic Intervention for Boros Charm number two. Ephemerate would be lovely with Eternal Witness, and still pretty decent for spread out double heroic where applicable, plus potential of spot removal blanking. And then I'd probably stuff the opened slots with some tutors, or extra instants for the instant plan to do its thing.
 
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