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Flash...like it oughta be
Table of Contents
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Introduction
This is my take on Raff Capashen. Flash has always been my favorite keyword ability in this game. The ability to play with speed and timing is a tactical advantage I find second to none.
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Why play Raff?
You might like Raff if:
1) You enjoy hot, nasty speed.
2) You enjoy artifacts and/or historic permanents.
3) You think Vedalken Orrery should be in every deck.
You might dislike Raff if:
1) You want raw power.
2) You hate artifacts.
3) You think everyone should just play on their own turns and leave yours alone.
1) You enjoy hot, nasty speed.
2) You enjoy artifacts and/or historic permanents.
3) You think Vedalken Orrery should be in every deck.
You might dislike Raff if:
1) You want raw power.
2) You hate artifacts.
3) You think everyone should just play on their own turns and leave yours alone.
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Deck History
I first fell in love with the flash mechanic when Yeva was spoiled way back in Core Set 2013. I've maintained that deck since its inception and continued adding copies of Vedalken Orrery and Leyline of Anticipation wherever possible. So, when Raff was spoiled, I thought it would be an opportunity to expand flash in a color pair that was probably more equipped to handle it.
Unfortunately, the first few iterations of the deck didn't go so well. Most of the legendary creatures were big and slow, and they all generally preferred to be the main attraction rather than co-exist. Furthermore, unlike green, blue and white are not exactly made to have copious amounts of mana every game, which made it even more difficult to play expensive legendary spells. Finally, planeswalkers just didn't work well with flash, because they couldn't be activated until my next turn, so casting them on someone else's turn didn't really matter.
Today, this deck is a mix of artifacts, legends, and other spells that already have their own speed. The deck aims to break the traditional boundary of playing your spells only on your turn as much as possible, always leaving mana open for any number of possibilities.
Unfortunately, the first few iterations of the deck didn't go so well. Most of the legendary creatures were big and slow, and they all generally preferred to be the main attraction rather than co-exist. Furthermore, unlike green, blue and white are not exactly made to have copious amounts of mana every game, which made it even more difficult to play expensive legendary spells. Finally, planeswalkers just didn't work well with flash, because they couldn't be activated until my next turn, so casting them on someone else's turn didn't really matter.
Today, this deck is a mix of artifacts, legends, and other spells that already have their own speed. The deck aims to break the traditional boundary of playing your spells only on your turn as much as possible, always leaving mana open for any number of possibilities.
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The Deck
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Card Analysis
A brief explanation of the 99 finalists in the current deck.
SPOILER
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Coming soon!
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Maybe-board
Flash-able cards that could make the deck in the near future
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- Baird, Steward of Argive: Deters the Overrun alpha-strikes, and just generally makes it more trouble than it's worth to be attacked.
- Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker: A fun "surprise" whenever someone attacks you with a few bodies. If you can absorb the damage, the backlash could be worthwhile.
- God-Eternal Oketra: Solid on her own, a nice surprise when flashed in, and gets out of control if you untap with it. Only question is how many actual creature spells I want to cast and whether or not I can make use of the extra bodies. Feels like a thicker Darien.
- Medomai the Ageless: An Azorius legend that doesn't see much play, but if this comes in right before I untap, it could have a very immediate payoff.
- Kozilek, the Great Distortion: I usually shy away from the big Eldrazi, but lately this one has started to grow on me.
- Spellskite: If you need to save Raff or someone else, or you just want to mess with something important.
- Coldsteel Heart: Slightly more versatile than either of the Mirage Diamonds.
- Neurok Stealthsuit: from the cycle that brought us Cranial Plating, this card can be cast AND equipped at instant speed. Doesn't help against wraths or edicts.
- Insidious Will: this card is always on my radar in any blue deck because it's just so flexible, and I love that. Same goes for Cryptic Command.
- Miraculous Recovery: a very obscure card in a world full of Karmic Guides, but this might be the corner case for it because of the instant speed.
- various cheap Counterspells like Swan Song, Negate, Absorb, etc.
- various draw-X spells like Pull from Tomorrow, Stroke of Genius, Jace's Ingenuity, Opportunity, etc.
- Maze of Ith: Another card that perfectly fits the theme of "hold up everything". Doesn't make any mana, though.
- Flagstones of Trokair: Fetches non-basic Plains.
- Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker: A fun "surprise" whenever someone attacks you with a few bodies. If you can absorb the damage, the backlash could be worthwhile.
- God-Eternal Oketra: Solid on her own, a nice surprise when flashed in, and gets out of control if you untap with it. Only question is how many actual creature spells I want to cast and whether or not I can make use of the extra bodies. Feels like a thicker Darien.
- Medomai the Ageless: An Azorius legend that doesn't see much play, but if this comes in right before I untap, it could have a very immediate payoff.
- Kozilek, the Great Distortion: I usually shy away from the big Eldrazi, but lately this one has started to grow on me.
- Spellskite: If you need to save Raff or someone else, or you just want to mess with something important.
- Coldsteel Heart: Slightly more versatile than either of the Mirage Diamonds.
- Neurok Stealthsuit: from the cycle that brought us Cranial Plating, this card can be cast AND equipped at instant speed. Doesn't help against wraths or edicts.
- Insidious Will: this card is always on my radar in any blue deck because it's just so flexible, and I love that. Same goes for Cryptic Command.
- Miraculous Recovery: a very obscure card in a world full of Karmic Guides, but this might be the corner case for it because of the instant speed.
- various cheap Counterspells like Swan Song, Negate, Absorb, etc.
- various draw-X spells like Pull from Tomorrow, Stroke of Genius, Jace's Ingenuity, Opportunity, etc.
- Maze of Ith: Another card that perfectly fits the theme of "hold up everything". Doesn't make any mana, though.
- Flagstones of Trokair: Fetches non-basic Plains.
Non-flash-able cards on the verge of entering the deck
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- Thalia's Lancers: Searches up nearly every spell, and a few specific lands to boot.
- Sun Titan: one of my all-time favorites. Lots of targets to get back.
- Blind Obedience: slows a lot of things down, making your flash-speed all the faster.
- Karmic Justice: the ultimate rattlesnake.
- Sun Titan: one of my all-time favorites. Lots of targets to get back.
- Blind Obedience: slows a lot of things down, making your flash-speed all the faster.
- Karmic Justice: the ultimate rattlesnake.
Cards I don't own yet
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Changelog
Changelog
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2019-04-23:
- Ephara, God of the Polis → Blackblade Reforged
- Heliod, God of the Sun → Mirage Mirror
- Too many four-drops..
2019-04-25:
- Blighted Cataract → Arch of Orazca
- Lack of recursion and Memorial is functionally the same plus colored mana.
2019-05-09:
- Return to Dust → Forsake the Worldly
- Soooo many four-drops that this mostly-similar card will do just fine.
2019-05-24:
- Unwind → Dovin's Veto
- Easy upgrade here once I acquired a Veto.
2019-06-05:
- Lavinia of the Tenth → Hanna, Ship's Navigator
- Darien, King of Kjeldor → Scroll Rack
- Duplicant → Weatherlight
- Keiga, the Tide Star → Capsize
- Dreamstone Hedron → Expedition Map
- Meteor Golem → Stonecloaker
- Scourglass → Tezzeret the Seeker
- Azorius Chancery → Smothering Tithe
- Vesuva → Thespian's Stage
- Nimbus Maze → Academy Ruins
- Skycloud Expanse → Evolving Wilds
- Temple of Enlightenment → Ghost Quarter
- Cut a lot of the bulky, expensive cards that didn't really work well with anything else.
- Added a few more artifact-based cards, shuffle effects, and utility lands.
2019-07-02:
- Thespian's Stage → Hall of Heliod's Generosity
- Memnarch → Empress Galina
- Platinum Emperion → Ugin, the Ineffable
- Cut more costs for more utility. Galina is easier to activate than Memnarch, Ugin offers more utility than Plats.
2019-07-05:
- Arch of Orazca → Nimbus Maze
- Capsize → Enlightened Tutor
- Deck still isn't made of mana, and needed a bit more color-producing land.
- Ephara, God of the Polis → Blackblade Reforged
- Heliod, God of the Sun → Mirage Mirror
- Too many four-drops..
2019-04-25:
- Blighted Cataract → Arch of Orazca
- Lack of recursion and Memorial is functionally the same plus colored mana.
2019-05-09:
- Return to Dust → Forsake the Worldly
- Soooo many four-drops that this mostly-similar card will do just fine.
2019-05-24:
- Unwind → Dovin's Veto
- Easy upgrade here once I acquired a Veto.
2019-06-05:
- Lavinia of the Tenth → Hanna, Ship's Navigator
- Darien, King of Kjeldor → Scroll Rack
- Duplicant → Weatherlight
- Keiga, the Tide Star → Capsize
- Dreamstone Hedron → Expedition Map
- Meteor Golem → Stonecloaker
- Scourglass → Tezzeret the Seeker
- Azorius Chancery → Smothering Tithe
- Vesuva → Thespian's Stage
- Nimbus Maze → Academy Ruins
- Skycloud Expanse → Evolving Wilds
- Temple of Enlightenment → Ghost Quarter
- Cut a lot of the bulky, expensive cards that didn't really work well with anything else.
- Added a few more artifact-based cards, shuffle effects, and utility lands.
2019-07-02:
- Thespian's Stage → Hall of Heliod's Generosity
- Memnarch → Empress Galina
- Platinum Emperion → Ugin, the Ineffable
- Cut more costs for more utility. Galina is easier to activate than Memnarch, Ugin offers more utility than Plats.
2019-07-05:
- Arch of Orazca → Nimbus Maze
- Capsize → Enlightened Tutor
- Deck still isn't made of mana, and needed a bit more color-producing land.