Magus Lucea Kane

[WizardMN]

I have been trying to restructure my deck "catalogue" to phase out a couple decks I don't tend to use much. I generally want to stick to 9-11 decks (mostly 9 at this time) and I have been finding that I have no URx decks in my rotation. Now, the biggest thing for me is that I don't really like straight UR decks and I cannot get myself to actually pull the trigger on a Grixis (UBR) deck. So that leaves Jeskai (WUR) and Temur (URG). And I really don't want to have another white deck as 5 of my current 9 decks are already running white. And of the decks I am looking to "retire", none are white.

So, this leaves UR and URG as options and I prefer 3 color decks in general so URG makes the most sense. Magus Lucea Kane, Rashmi and Ragavan, Omnath, Locus of the Roil, The Swarmlord, and Xyris, the Writhing Storm are the top contenders for these colors. All have their own pros and cons both in terms of where they lead the deck and in terms of power level. I don't want anything that screams "answer this immediately" (so no Animar, Soul of Elements) and I don't think any of these really fall into that. Maybe Xyris as the best way to break the symmetry is to prevent draws but even then I think those effects are few and far between.

In the end, I felt that Rashmi was too open-ended and I don't really think the idea of Elemental tribal appeals to me (though I might revert on this eventually). I like that Magus and The Swarmlord are focused but still leave a lot of options on the table. Though, The Swarmlord is a bit more open and it gives me a reason to do more with things like Keyword counters which I think can be fun. But, of course, being 6 mana is detrimental as it is one that might be tough to recast last on even with ramping.

I think I will have Magus at the helm due to mana cost and due to letting me do more with big X spells like Genesis Wave and whatever else I find The Swarmlord probably makes sense in the deck since a lot of X creatures deal with counters but neither The Swarmlord nor Magus Lucea Kane exist online which makes testing this deck more difficult than it should be. So, I will just exclude The Swarmlord and have to test out the bulk of the deck without the "right" commander. Losing the Commander is pretty detrimental as there are some cards (such as the two Candelabras and Helix Pinnacle) that are here primarily for their synergy with her.

Online I am going to use Surrak Dragonclaw simply because it is a creature heavy deck and with all the counter synergies, having Trample is a pretty good option to get in damage. Plus, there wasn't a good option that closely replicate what Magus does. Losing the Swarmlord isn't as big a deal as it really just drew me cards but there are plenty of other options for card draw so that is why I am just fine cutting it entirely.
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Here is the list I am starting with and I will be playtesting quite a bit and tweaking things a bunch as I figure different things out.

Magus Lucea Kane

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

General (1)

1 Magus Lucea Kane

Lands (38)

1 Alchemist's Refuge

1 Breeding Pool

1 Cinder Glade

1 Dreamroot Cascade

9 Forest

1 Hinterland Harbor

4 Island

1 Kessig Wolf Run

1 Ketria Triome

1 Misty Rainforest

5 Mountain

1 Rockfall Vale

1 Rootbound Crag

1 Scalding Tarn

1 Steam Vents

1 Stomping Ground

1 Stormcarved Coast

1 Sulfur Falls

1 Taiga

1 Tropical Island

1 Volcanic Island

1 Winding Canyons

1 Wooded Foothills

Creatures (34)

1 Avabruck Caretaker

1 Bane of Progress

1 Chishiro, the Shattered Blade

1 Coiling Oracle

1 Dawntreader Elk

1 Defiler of Vigor

1 Eternal Witness

1 Fangren Firstborn

1 Farhaven Elf

1 Fertilid

1 Halana and Alena, Partners

1 Hydroid Krasis

1 Keruga, the Macrosage

1 Kogla and Yidaro

1 Kogla, the Titan Ape

1 Kura, the Boundless Sky

1 Lifeblood Hydra

1 Magus of the Candelabra

1 Primeval Protector

1 Primordial Hydra

1 Protean Hydra

1 Rage Forger

1 Regal Force

1 Sakura-Tribe Elder

1 Shaman of the Great Hunt

1 Skullwinder

1 Steelbane Hydra

1 Thundering Raiju

1 Vigor

1 Voracious Hydra

1 Vorinclex

1 Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider

1 Wood Elves

1 Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus

Enchantments (2)

1 Helix Pinnacle

1 Unbound Flourishing

Planeswalkers (2)

1 Garruk, Primal Hunter

1 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

Artifacts (1)

1 Candelabra of Tawnos

Sorceries (12)

1 Awaken the Woods

1 Blasphemous Act

1 Cultivate

1 Finale of Devastation

1 Finale of Revelation

1 Genesis Wave

1 Green Sun's Twilight

1 Green Sun's Zenith

1 Jaya's Immolating Inferno

1 Kodama's Reach

1 Rishkar's Expertise

1 Tempt with Vengeance

Instants (10)

1 Blue Sun's Zenith

1 Chord of Calling

1 Comet Storm

1 Cyclonic Rift

1 Eureka Moment

1 Expansion

1 Growth Spiral

1 Heroic Intervention

1 Return of the Wildspeaker

1 Thassa's Intervention

Approximate Total Cost:

As noted, there are a lot of X spells and a few X activations (though not many). Unbound Flourishing adds another similar effect which does make testing online a bit easier when I get to that effect. I will admit that Helix Pinnacle is here because it makes sense but it might end up getting cut as I am not the biggest fan of "I win" cards. Plus, it also paints a target on my back which I am not sure I want to do.

Beyond that, the idea is basically to flood the board with creatures, add counters to them when I can, and swing. It is a pretty basic idea but it does so in a way that is meant to complement the commander.

Change Log

Change Log

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7/4/2023

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Helix Pinnacle

1 Rishkar's Expertise

1 Jaya's Immolating Inferno

ADDS

1 Mountain

1 Island

1 Forest

Approximate Total Cost:

7/5/2023

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Protean Hydra

1 Primeval Protector

1 Tempt with Vengeance

1 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

ADDS

1 Spiteful Banditry

1 Three Visits

1 Rampant Growth

1 Nature's Lore

Approximate Total Cost:

[WizardMN]

After a couple early games, I am going to make the following changes:

7/4/2023

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Helix Pinnacle

1 Rishkar's Expertise

1 Jaya's Immolating Inferno

ADDS

1 Mountain

1 Island

1 Forest

Approximate Total Cost:

Pinnacle just isn't good enough, even in this deck. It takes too long and takes too much mana. It was worth a try but I think it is right to cut. Expertise is interesting since I have so many X spells, casting one off of it doesn't do anything. I am not sure if I am losing too much card draw with cutting it but I think it isn't needed as I have enough other stuff. And Jaya's Immolating Inferno just requires my commander (or a smattering of other creatures) to be on the field and I feel it is too limiting in the case where I really need something now.

I am slotting in a couple lands for these to start with. I feel this deck really wants 40 lands and this puts me to 41 so I will have an extra land until I find something else to add.

[WizardMN]

Another round of changes:

7/5/2023

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Protean Hydra

1 Primeval Protector

1 Tempt with Vengeance

1 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

ADDS

1 Spiteful Banditry

1 Three Visits

1 Rampant Growth

1 Nature's Lore

Approximate Total Cost:

I don't think I had quite enough ramp in the deck so I am going to add in some old standbys. I am also adding in Spiteful Banditry as it makes sense in the deck and can be another good wrath option. The cuts are ones that just feel the weakest left in the deck. Protean Hydra only works with itself and can still easily die. Primeval Protector is expensive (though usually won't be bad) but seems like it "only" does one thing and is tough to get off things like Green Sun's Zenith and Genesis Wave. I do like the card so maybe I can add it back later. Tempt was an option I thought would be fun but I don't think it is right for the deck. And Nissa is nice but the rest of the list kind of takes care of itself reasonably well in terms of growing big enough.

With the cuts of Nissa and Protector though, it is likely that Rage Forger is probably the next cut.

[WizardMN]

I have decided to swap out Rage Forger for Surrak Dragonclaw in the 99 in paper. This is going to create a bit of confusion with the list due to Magus Lucea Kane not being online but I want to have some record of which card online is the card being swapped in for Lucea's absence. Hopefully I don't immediately forget about it and then "cut" it online without ensuring I mention which card still in the list is the replacement for Lucea.

Maybe I will get lucky and in a couple years Daybreak will actually implement Lucea online.

[WizardMN]

I may have missed something but I was unable to find anything in Wilds of Eldraine or the Commander decks that I felt would be a good fit for this deck. Hopefully the next set offers something.

[WizardMN]

Here are my thoughts regarding Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Murder at Karlov Manor, their Commander Decks, and the Doctor Who Commander set. I know I have not been keeping up so hopefully this covers all the sets I have missed:

Blue Cards

Reverse the Polarity - The "counter all other spells" mode probably isn't going to do much beyond what a normal counterspell would do. After all, if I am in a counter war, I don't want to also counter my own stuff. The "creatures can't be blocked" mode though seems like it could be pretty good. This deck is wanting to build up a pretty good board presence and then swing out so creatures being unable to be blocked could just end the game. It might be worth a slot here.

Green Cards

Archdruid's Charm - This is probably the biggest "auto-include" card I can find from these sets. Even in this deck it gives me a lot of options depending on the situation that I think it is worthwhile finding a spot for.

Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth - I really like this card just for the fun it can bring. It has Trample so hitting someone should be a bit easier and getting a free creature and/or land is pretty good. I generally have a few creatures that sit in the 5-6 mana range that offer a bit of power that aren't necessarily on theme and I think this is another. I might see if there is something worth cutting for this.

Multicolor Cards

Worldsoul's Rage - Another X spell that might do something. I think in this deck it is primarily useful late game when I can generate a bunch of mana and use Lucea to copy the spell to try to kill of two different people. I think this ends up being a little better than some other spells because it can be used in a few different scenarios early on to ramp or get rid of a pesky small creature. I am not sure what I want to do with it but it could be an option.

Colorless and Land Cards

New dual typed lands - More fetchable lands is always good and I don' think these are too bad. However, I am wary about the effect entering tapped all the time would have. I will probably pick some up but I am not sure I will ever get to the point of actually playing them considering all the better alternatives.

[WizardMN]

2/19/2024

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Eureka Moment

1 Mountain

1 Avabruck Caretaker

ADDS

1 Archdruid's Charm

1 Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth

1 Worldsoul's Rage

Approximate Total Cost:

I am not entirely sure on Worldsoul's Rage but I think it is worth a try as another decent X spell. As for the cuts, I realized I had 40 lands so going down to 39 should be fine. Eureka Moment hopefully isn't as necessary with all the other card draw I have but I will see. It is also 4 mana to ramp which is a little on the high side. The Caretaker is being cut primarily due to being 6 mana. I like her a lot in this deck to help with the +1/+1 counter subtheme but it might be too expensive. Or, at least, that is what I am telling myself to justify cutting her for now.

I do think that out of all the decks I am including Kaslem in, this is probably the one that makes the least sense. But I want to try it out in as many situation as possible so we will see if that happens here where I can get a feel for it even in a slightly underwhelming situation.

[WizardMN]

So, by pure chance I found out that Warhammer 40k decks finally released on Magic Online. Which means this deck can finally function as it is meant to function with Magus Lucea Kane at the helm. It also means The Swarmlord is available to be added to the 99 which I think is a relevant card for the deck for now.

This means Surrak is out as the temporary Stand-In Commander. It also means I can put cards in the deck through real tests to determine how well they work with the commander.

So, for now, I am going to try this swap so I can try out The Swarmlord too:

2/21/2024

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

CUTS

1 Garruk, Primal Hunter

ADDS

1 The Swarmlord

Approximate Total Cost:

Garruk is basically here for drawing cards and that is what The Swarmlord is for as well. But I want to try it out and long game The Swarmlord might draw more cards. I am still not sure on it and I am not sure on a lot of the "counters matters" cards. But since I am doing a lot with X costs, it just makes sense to do Hydras as part of it which means counters matters cards also matter. I don't know for sure which direction on want to go with all that. The main issue is that there are only so many good X spells and activated abilities so I need to fill the deck with something.

[WizardMN]

I finally ran this deck with Magus Lucea Kane at the helm and it worked, sort of. The deck actually performed extraordinarily well all things considered. The problem was that 2 players scooped very early so I was just playing 1v1 and the deck I was playing against was Muldrotha, the Gravetide which had a pretty significant graveyard aspect to it. And I did not have any grave hate in the deck so I couldn't stop them.

There was a point where I felt I could have won but I didn't notice the Seal of Doom on the field which would have ruined my plans. Had I waited a turn I might have been fine but I accidentally played my Kessig Wolf Run thinking I could trample over but since I didn't, their Strip Mine they had in hand just blew it up.

Anyway, since it wasn't a real game being 1v1 I don't want to type up the entire summary. In the end, Magus worked well and even The Swarmlord worked pretty well also. I was able to keep my hand full, to the point where I was discarding cards due to hand size. Interestingly, beyond The Swarmlord and Vigor (after a Blasphemous Act), I didn't really get much happening in the +1/+1 counters space.

I wonder if I should move towards cutting things like Rage Forger and just trying use the counters to just go wide. I am going heavy on the search effects and I never want to get Rage Forger or Fangren Firstborn. The flip side is that this runs the risk of just being "goodstuff". At least, more than it is now.

I do need to add Endurance and Scavenging Ooze. I have so many ways to get creatures that I should give myself some options for grave hate. I am going to revisit things a little and see if there is some direction I can go that still feels unique and ties into Magus as much as I can.

[WizardMN]

After thinking more on tweaking the deck to add in some additional answers I am also thinking of trying to move a little more away from the counters stuff. Not too much but there are some good options out there that could be a little better for the deck.

Here is my initial thought on where to go first:

Scavenging Ooze
Endurance
Mawloc
Tyrant Guard
Sporocyst
Ingenious Prodigy

First, Ooze and Endurance were already discussed and I feel I need some grave hate. It might not come up a lot but having an answer to graveyards is probably prudent.

The others I am middling on. Especially Sporocyst. Double X makes it a little tougher. Mawloc is a decent X spell that doubles as creature removal. It might make sense over Worldsoul's Rage even. Ingenious Prodigy is another card draw option. Though, it does require counters to keep it going and Lucea can only add counters to one copy (assuming she created a copy originally). I am not sure how good that will be.

Tyrant Guard might be the one I am highest on, depending on what direction I go with the counters in general. It is a way to get a creature based version of Heroic Intervention even with it being a little more limited in scope.

The main thing from here is what to go down on. For that, the ones that seem to make sense are:

Rage Forger
Primordial Hydra
Thundering Raiju
Skullwinder
Chishiro, the Shattered Blade

Note that this isn't enough cuts for all the potential adds but they are the ones I can see at first glance that might make sense to cut. Rage Forager doesn't really add counters so it seems easy enough. Hydra is only itself and doesn't offer a lot of other utility. Raiju is one that isn't bad at all but I can see the effect being somewhat low impact. Skullwinder isn't ideal to cut, but it can free up some room. And due to the amount of card draw I have, I figured I am not wanting to focus on the yard as much anyway. And Chishiro helps buff creatures that are already buffed but can't add the first counter which can be tough.

I do think I am going to swap Comet Storm out for something like Earthquake, Fault Line, Exocrine, Rolling Earthquake, or Starstorm. I think I just want a real wipe rather than spot removal. Even though Comet Storm can be a big wipe, I might want something a little easier to truly clear the board.

I might try to do a few changes before committing to actually changing (and Mawloc is likely not on the table quite yet due to online cost) just to see how things go. But I think there are definitely rooms for improvement somewhere and I want to explore other options.

[WizardMN]

I tried this deck out before trying out any of the changes above. I played against Zhulodok, Void Gorger, Elesh Norn // The Argent Etchings, Aragorn and Arwen, Wed.

Start of Summary

I started off with a few lands in hand but no real ramp. I cast Coiling Oracle to try to get a land and I did hit one. Turn 3 I cast Lucea.

Everyone else sort of slowly worked on their board without becoming too much of a threat. I attacked Zhulodok with Oracle since I felt they were potentially going to be the largest threat eventually and Aragorn attacked me. Shortly after that, Elesh Norn came down. I then cast Invasion of Ikoria // Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria to get Thundering Raiju and Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth // Temple of Cultivation. Unfortunately, Kaslem was exiled pretty much immediately.

Next turn I cast Cyclonic Rift to clear the board and attacked the two battles. I realized only one would stick around but I figured I would attack both anyway. Of course, I didn't realize they had been proliferated so I was one damage short on both. Also, as I found out later, I didn't realize they were exiled and cast which meant the token wouldn't do anything anyway.

In any case, the others rebuilt a little and I drew into a Finale of Revelation and The Swarmlord. I cast The Swarmlord and attacked again to get one of the battles to transform into Zilortha. And then Zhulodok cleared the board with All Is Dust. I drew a few cards off The Swarmlord so I had stuff to do next turn. I cast Lucea again and left mana open for Heroic Intervention because I had a couple X spells in hand that I really wanted to double up on.

By the time it got back to me, Zhulodok had cast quite a few artifacts in an attempt to ramp pretty hard. If they untapped, they would be at 11 or 12 mana so I decided to cast Green Sun's Zenith for 10. I didn't really need to go that high and I am not sure why I didn't leave mana up for Heroic Intervention. But I wasn't really punished for it in the end. I got a Bane of Progress and .... then nothing as I believe everyone scooped at this point once Bane took out their stuff. The MTGO replay stopped replaying as the original GSZ was resolving so I think it is because people scooped.

End of Summary

I will say, I am typing this up 2 days after the game was played so I can't be sure that it ended the way I stated above. I do know I won so I will just assume it ended this way.

As mentioned in the post above, Thundering Raiju is being cut even though it did do a little in this game. But the rest of the deck worked out the way I want it to. I'll hopefully get another game in with the changes above to see how things go

[WizardMN]

Here are my thoughts regarding Outlaws of Thunder Junction and the associated Commander set:

Green Cards

Goldvein Hydra - This seems like it would be really fun to copy and, by dying, it helps fuel a lot of the other X spells in the deck. I think it is worth a try.