Chisei, Heart of Jank...I mean counters.

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DirkGently
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Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

Why Chisei?

....

Anyway, this is my Chisei deck - tbh it's pretty cookie cutter EDHrec stuff, since there's not a ton of wiggle room on synergies. Sagas provide a decent number of strong targets for Chisei's ability, in addition to the more random one-offs like Quicksilver Fountain and Thing in the Ice // Awoken Horror.

Between those and a handful of other token removers, though, is only about 20 cards, leaving 40 slots or so for whatever. Mostly this is filled in with cards that WANT counters or add counters, which *kind of* has synergy with Chisei insomuch as it gives him (her?
it?) a place to steal counters if a better option isn't present. Truthfully I think the "better" version of the deck probably plays a bunch of classic mono-u control stuff instead, since the synergy is a bit tenuous, but I've built too many mono-u control decks in my life so we're going full-on counters jank, with a few of the best control spells added just for a semblance of seriousness.

Ok here 'tis.
Chisei, Heart of Jank

Commander (1)

I Have Mixed Feelings About These Ambiguous Counters

Counters For My Counters Deck

Other...But Mostly Mirrors

Lands (34)

1 Vivid Creek (yes really shut your mouth it's been sitting in my box for years for just this moment so I'm damn sure going to play it)
20 Island
Approximate Total Cost:

Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

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MeowZeDung
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Post by MeowZeDung » 3 years ago

Looks fun!

Have you considered Paradox Haze? Chasm Skulker could do work with all the proliferate in the deck, and even though it would take some setup, Mindless Automaton and Etched Oracle could also be proliferate friends. They might just not be as good as anything you'd cut for them though. I don't know your feelings around infect, but good ol' Blighted Agent or Viral Drake could work here too.

Edit: I'm curious, why no High Tide?
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Dunharrow
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Post by Dunharrow » 3 years ago

I like Mind Stone a lot more than arcane signet in mono-color.

I think it's a really cool concept, hope more sagas will come out to help this.
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DirkGently
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Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

MeowZeDung wrote:
3 years ago
Looks fun!

Have you considered Paradox Haze? Chasm Skulker could do work with all the proliferate in the deck, and even though it would take some setup, Mindless Automaton and Etched Oracle could also be proliferate friends. They might just not be as good as anything you'd cut for them though. I don't know your feelings around infect, but good ol' Blighted Agent or Viral Drake could work here too.

Edit: I'm curious, why no High Tide?
Haze only really benefits Chisei specifically, and only if I have multiple counters I want to remove. Plus it's bad for the cumulative upkeep stuff. I think it's too narrow.

Chasm skulker, automaton, etched oracle, and infect are all solid plans with proliferate but I don't think I have enough proliferate to justify them, I've only got a couple repeatable sources and they're mostly pretty fragile. And they're all pretty weak without one of those on board. I think they make more sense for decks focusing solely on boosting counters instead of both adding and removing them.

Not sure what high tide brings to the table here? My island count isn't super high and I don't think it does anything I really want to do, most of my stuff is pretty low/medium cost.
Dunharrow wrote:
3 years ago
I like Mind Stone a lot more than arcane signet in mono-color.

I think it's a really cool concept, hope more sagas will come out to help this.
True enough, I think I'm too lazy to change it out at this point though.

That'd be nice, likely it'll be a bit though. Theros was still pretty recent. Kiora was a really really good add for the deck.
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

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DirkGently
My wins are unconditional
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Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

Played 3 games with it tonight, iirc. Won all 3.

Game 1, one opponent was stuck on 3 lands for almost the whole thing, and the other two didn't put on much pressure while I starting getting planeswalker and saga value. Ultimately won with a cyc rift on the final antiquities war phase, with a Hydra Omnivore stolen via Vedalken Shackles, to kill two players and wound the third (manascrewed) player. Probably the most chisei-focused of the games.

Game 2 was relatively balanced until whoops, Lighthouse Chronologist with 7 counters in one turn. Then copying it, then copying the trigger. Ended pretty quickly after that.

Game 3 was definitely the most exciting, I went to 3 to protect my Tezzeret, Artifice Master and ult him thanks to double Inexorable Tide. Then on the next turn, I ulted him again. I also ulted a Jace, Unraveler of Secrets, but I'm still sitting on 3 with no real defense. Eot, I go for Glacial Chasm to save my bacon. My opponent grabs Blasting Station, so now the clock is really ticking. I go to 1 to keep the chasm around for another turn, then have a really tough decision for which two perms to grab until I finally hatch a plan and go for Umezawa's Jitte and Blast Zone with 4 mana up. Eot kick blast zone to 3 counters, then untap, glacial chasm trigger on the stack, blow the blast zone to kill the blasting station while still protected by the chasm. From there, more planeswalker nonsense, jitte lifegain, and ultimately the win.

There were a few big problems with the deck:

-There is a LOT to track, between upkeep/draw triggers, moving counters around, and so many other things that some of my turns were pretty long despite playing as quickly as I possibly could and making plenty of mistakes.

-Unfortunately the counters = good stuff overpowered the counters = bad stuff most of the time, because, y'know, planeswalkers are powerful, especially when your opponents inexplicably go for your face and never kill your planeswalkers. This meant Chisei was oftentimes pretty irrelevant since he only enables the weaker parts of the deck.

If I was doing this again, I'd probably find something else to do with the rest of the deck besides counters = good, so that Chisei becomes more important as a value engine in the deck.

I did remove a couple counters from Vivid Creek to keep chisei alive. So mission accomplished on that one.

Wait, that card is 1.71? Wtf is wrong with people? Stop playing these garbage lands!
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

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