Wilson, Gentleman Thief ($1DH)

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

"I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility, and murder."
- Werner Herzog, Grizzly Man



Well, I'm having a lot of fun brewing these budget decks. They really make you work on your fundamentals, and at around $30 each won't break the bank. I'm looking to build two more so I can loan them out to people to have low-power fun, actually.

Anyway, this deck focuses on beating people to death with a criminal bear. Pure and simple, like a criminal bear itself.



Wilson, Gentleman Thief

Not Living End: 1

Approximate Total Cost:

Notes:

I'm not running much ramp, but considering I have few real mana sinks I think it's fine. The priority is always going to be turn 2 Wilson, turn 3 background, so while it would be nice to land a ramp dork on turn 1 it's hardly necessary. Also, no Sol Ring! Since these decks will be designed to play against each other, I can banish that stupid card.

I love the hexproof/indestructible instants here. Keeping our bear safe from harm is of the utmost priority, and one mana to counter a spell that most likely costs 4 or more due to ward 2 is probably a great feeling.

I don't know if I have enough voltron elements. While Wilson has quite the impressive array of keywords and our background can very easily pump up his power to incredible levels, actually getting there can possibly be a problem. I haven't tested the deck, though, so my suite might be sufficient.

I probably want more spot removal, but there aren't a terribly large amount of creatures that kill creatures at a reasonable cost.

The draw suite looks pretty good. The ETB "draw a card" creatures are all great at providing sac fodder and keeping my hand full for Empyrial Plate/Hand of Vecna.

The deck looks pretty straightforward, but the prospect of killing people with a super bear is amusing to me.
Last edited by TheGildedGoose 1 year ago, edited 17 times in total.

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Post by Dragonlover » 1 year ago

For repeatable removal you could take Abyssal Hunter. Acidic Slime is also less than a buck, might be handy to have.

Also you've spelt Merciless Executioner wrong in the decklist.

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

Dragonlover wrote:
1 year ago
For repeatable removal you could take Abyssal Hunter. Acidic Slime is also less than a buck, might be handy to have.

Also you've spelt Merciless Executioner wrong in the decklist.

Dragonlover
I actually just remembered the evoke creatures in the shower this morning: Shriekmaw and Foundation Breaker. Those cards rule here.

Abyssal Hunter is a throwback, but repeatable removal is choice. I think Acidic Slime is a bit too expensive to justify with all the other artifact and enchantment removal.

Oops!

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

I think the big cycling creatures like Greater Sandwurm et al. are better than the cantrip creatures here. They immediately grow Wilson without having to be sacrificed, and it allows me to run Twilight's Call as an alternate win condition.

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Post by TheAmericanSpirit » 1 year ago

Nighthowler seems like it could be pretty good.
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Post by kirkusjones » 1 year ago

I love this list. It may have to join Arcades as another rubberband pile to play against precons and stuff. Damn youse, Goose!

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

TheAmericanSpirit wrote:
1 year ago
Nighthowler seems like it could be pretty good.
Oh, damn, good call.
kirkusjones wrote:
1 year ago
I love this list. It may have to join Arcades as another rubberband pile to play against precons and stuff. Damn youse, Goose!
Yeah, I can't wait to give it a shot.

Anyway, I'm trading out the sac outlets and cantrip creatures for Barkhide Mauler and friends. Enormous Energy Blade is out for Nighthowler, and there's a few other minor changes. I'll be exhaustive when I get home, but trying to edit a deck list while I'm pooping at work is a fool's errand.

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

Home sweet home. Time to go over those changes.

I'm really fond of all the cycling creatures. They skip the middle man of having to come into play and be sacrificed in order to get in the 'yard and just cantrip immediately, pumping Wilson and digging us into Voltron gear.

- Dockside Chef
- Ravenous Squirrel
- Clattering Augur
- Dusk Legion Zealot
- Elvish Visionary
- Wall of Blossoms
- Callous Bloodmage

+ Barkhide Mauler
+ Elvish Aberration
+ Greater Sandwurm
+ Jungle Weaver
+ Rampaging Hippo
+ Twisted Abomination
+ Wirewood Guardian

I don't really need the mana dorks. They're just kind of... there, with nothing to ramp into. I think it's far more important to hit land drops.

- Elves of Deep Shadow
- Elvish Mystic
- Fyndhorn Elves
- Llanowar Elves

+ 2 Swamp

I don't think the Curiosity auras are very good here. Card draw is nice, of course, but I would think this deck will burn through its library quickly and beat people to death at an alarming speed. I also think some of the other card draw creatures are ineffective, since one requires you to sac a creature with high power and the other has the potential to kill you.

- Keen Sense
- Sixth Sense
- Corpse Augur
- Disciple of Bolas

I need more dredge/self-mill.

+ Circle of the Land Druid
+ Glowspore Shaman
+ Undead Butler
+ Crow of Dark Tidings
+ Eccentric Farmer
+ Nyx Weaver

Some of the Voltron choices are a bit sus. I'm changing them out for stuff that I think would be more effective.

- Hero's Blade
- Rune of Mortality
- Enormous Energy Blade

+ Nighthowler
+ Bonehoard

Lastly, a few small tweaks:

- Stronghold Assassin
+ Timeless Witness
+ Twilight's Call

The idea is to jam as many creatures into your graveyard as quickly as possible to quickly eliminate anyone who thinks bears aren't the sharks of the land.

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

Just a couple of quick changes I thought of in the shower this morning:

- Empyrial Plate
- Hand of Vecna

+ Belt of Giant Strength
+ Fireshrieker

The hand size pumps are contingent upon having a full grip obviously, and in a deck that lacks card advantage engines that can be problematic. The Belt is an easy include, as even with 4-5 creatures in the graveyard that equip cost becomes incredibly manageable for what is effectively a +8/+8. Fireshrieker is a nice pseudo-power doubler that also works great on defense, as a double striking 9/2 is something terrifying to attack into. These two changes give the deck a great way to one shot people almost out of nowhere in the middle and late game, which extends the deck's longevity that Voltron typically lacks.

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Post by kirkusjones » 1 year ago

What about Moldervine Cloak? Or is it too expensive mana value-wise for what it does? And maybe Night Incarnate? I'll have to look at the buffs again, that one may not jive.

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

kirkusjones wrote:
1 year ago
What about Moldervine Cloak? Or is it too expensive mana value-wise for what it does? And maybe Night Incarnate? I'll have to look at the buffs again, that one may not jive.
Night Incarnate is an absolute no go, as the potential to take out Wilson is too high.

As for the Cloak? I don't know. It's an intriguing choice, as a permanent Giant Growth is great for Voltron purposes and the dredge is good, but I worry that it will be ineffective. It's definitely worth a test. Maybe over Undead Butler?

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

Ha ha! Time for updates!

You know what's a cool card? Pact Weapon. You know what card gets much, much better when you run a bunch of incredibly high costed mana value cards? Pact Weapon.You know what serves as a discard outlet in a pinch? Pact Weapon.

+ Pact Weapon

I added in some more cycling creatures because "2: Draw a card, Wilson perpetually gets +1/+0" is a great deal. Hell, I even put in Hundroog because it's an okay deal at 3mv, too.

+ Bloated Toad
+ Darkwatch Elves
+ Viscera Dragger
+ Moaning Wall
+ Titanoth Rex
+ Wasteland Scorpion
+ Hundroog

Finally, I put Stronghold Assassin back in because even if it only sacrifices itself you still get a creature in the graveyard and help clear a path for Wilson.

+ Stronghold Assassin

To make room, I dropped a couple of lands, Hissing Quagmire among them because I fear it's going to be priced out of the format very soon. It's a great rattlesnake, though.

- Hissing Quagmire
- basic land

I cut the self-mill cards, as well. They're just too inconsistent to have guaranteed payoff, even with so many creatures, and often time it's just easier to cycle a creature. Cycling can also find me lands, and finally, synergize with Pact Weapon.

- Circle of the Land Druid
- Eccentric Farmer
- Glowspore Shaman
- Crow of Dark Tidings
- Undead Butler

The following two cuts are merely to make room. Viridian Zealot is redundant with Caustic Caterpillar and Foundation Breaker, and Timeless Witness just costs way too much to eternalize. The only thing really worth getting back would be Twilight's Call or maybe a vital equipment, but meh.

- Viridian Zealot
- Timeless Witness

If you look at the cycling costs instead of the actual mv of the big, dumb critters I run, I sit at a record low of 1.47 average cost including lands. With the creatures' actual mv factored in, that jumps to 2.21. That may not seem like a whole lot, but it's almost an extra damage per swing from Pact Weapon.

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Post by RowanKeltizar » 1 year ago

Pretty interesting deck, I would be curious to see it play out. What about Corpse Augur ? Been great in my jund creature feature deck.
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WRBKaalia, Zenith Seeker - Certified Air Raid Material
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WRAurelia, the Warleader - Tokens/Equipment
URNiv-Mizzet, Parun - Controlled Burn primer
BRGHenzie, "Toolbox" Torre - Creature Feature
BRGSoul of Windgrace - Lands Matter
RGWGishath, Sun's Avatar - I'M YOUR DADDY
GWUBAtraxa, Praetors' Voice - Artifact Stax Beatdown
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Post by Dragonlover » 1 year ago

Zombie Infestation is less than a dollar if you're still looking for a discard outlet. So's Wild Mongrel for that matter.

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

RowanKeltizar wrote:
1 year ago
Pretty interesting deck, I would be curious to see it play out. What about Corpse Augur ? Been great in my jund creature feature deck.
It was in the list when it originally ran more active sac outlets, but now I'm not so sure. Yeah, drawing 8+ cards is very alluring, but I worry that it's too contingent on a sac outlet I won't reliably have.

On the other hand, it's probably better than Hundroog.
Dragonlover wrote:
1 year ago
Zombie Infestation is less than a dollar if you're still looking for a discard outlet. So's Wild Mongrel for that matter.

Dragonlover
Here's a card you didn't know existed: Tomb Robber

I like that it's a body that discards other bodies and can potentially mill bodies. I'm not sure it goes in, but it was the best creature-based discard outlet I found.

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Post by Dragonlover » 1 year ago

TheGildedGoose wrote:
1 year ago
Here's a card you didn't know existed: Tomb Robber
You're correct, I had no idea that existed, and I kinda like it. Gonna mention it to a friend with a discard based Sygg deck.

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Post by kirkusjones » 1 year ago

I feel like Tomb Robber > Hundroog…I think I'll make the swap in my version.

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Post by TheAmericanSpirit » 1 year ago

What about Wreath of Geists?
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Post by kirkusjones » 1 year ago

Slippery Bogbonder might be worth a look since it's a critter and another source of hexproof

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Post by RowanKeltizar » 1 year ago

WRBKaalia, Zenith Seeker - Certified Air Raid Material
WBElenda, the Dusk Rose - Drain and Gain
WRAurelia, the Warleader - Tokens/Equipment
URNiv-Mizzet, Parun - Controlled Burn primer
BRGHenzie, "Toolbox" Torre - Creature Feature
BRGSoul of Windgrace - Lands Matter
RGWGishath, Sun's Avatar - I'M YOUR DADDY
GWUBAtraxa, Praetors' Voice - Artifact Stax Beatdown
Budget Starter Decks
UBSygg, River Cutthroat
WU Shorikai, Genesis Engine
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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

kirkusjones wrote:
1 year ago
Slippery Bogbonder might be worth a look since it's a critter and another source of hexproof
It's expensive mana-wise for what it does, but a hexproof counter is very strong. I think I prefer the instant speed one-shots just because of mana efficiency but I can see replacing one of the weaker instants for the Bogbonder.
RowanKeltizar wrote:
1 year ago
Fluctuator ??
I had no idea this card was back to being under a buck. It's probably worthwhile over one of the weaker cycling beasts.

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Post by kirkusjones » 1 year ago

Grim Flayer might be under a buck soon. Presale for the double masters version is 0.58. He lacks some of the keywords of Wilson and won't get the criminal past buff, but wears the voltron pieces and fuels the 'yard. Plus the RKF art is badass.

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Post by pokken » 1 year ago

Cards like kaya's ghostform are likely to do work here.

Oashra cultivator is another bad Steve effect that I like a lot

I really don't think this deck needs equipment at all. It feels like a dead theme for me

I'd go all in on scavenge like varolz and maybe something like strength from the fallen. I had an old skullbriar deck with a bunch of jank like that.

Fallen ideal will put in a crapload of work in this deck.

https://deckbox.org/sets/761053

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Post by TheGildedGoose » 1 year ago

kirkusjones wrote:
1 year ago
Grim Flayer might be under a buck soon. Presale for the double masters version is 0.58. He lacks some of the keywords of Wilson and won't get the criminal past buff, but wears the voltron pieces and fuels the 'yard. Plus the RKF art is badass.
I think it's a little weaker than Nyx Weaver. It wears the equipment a bit better, but the main purpose is self-mill.
pokken wrote:
1 year ago
Cards like kaya's ghostform are likely to do work here.

Oashra cultivator is another bad Steve effect that I like a lot

I really don't think this deck needs equipment at all. It feels like a dead theme for me

I'd go all in on scavenge like varolz and maybe something like strength from the fallen. I had an old skullbriar deck with a bunch of jank like that.

Fallen ideal will put in a crapload of work in this deck.
Ghostform, Undying Malice, Feign Death, and Supernatural Stamina seem better than the cards that only grant indestructible. I could replace the 3 that only grant indestructible and add another protection effect on top. cutting either a cycler or perhaps one of the weaker Voltron elements.

Man, Oashra Cultivator might be too bad here. Four mana total and you have to tap it? Yikes. Too rich for my blood.

Really? No equipment? I know I have no way to find them, and some of them are a little on the high side mana value wise, but some of them are incredibly good. It's not so much a theme in and of themselves but they are a part of the larger grouping of Voltron effects that make Wilson more threatening. Are you advocating that I replace them with scavenge cards? The only ones I really find viable are Varolz himself, who needs to be in play to work, and Bannerhide Krushok because it self-discards. I don't think I'm running enough discard/self-mill outlets to make the scavenge creatures worthwhile, honestly.

Fallen Ideal seems good, but I like Demonic Embrace more. Sac outlets are okay here, but I'm going to have so few creatures in play consistently that the permanent buff that Embrace gives seems superior to the higher theoretical ceiling of Ideal. Plus, Embrace is a discard outlet in a pinch.

With all that in mind,

- Professor's Warning
- Armor of Shadows
- Withstand Death
- Obsidian Battle-Axe
- Hundroog

+ Kaya's Ghostform
+ Undying Malice
+ Feign Death
+ Supernatural Stamina
+ Tomb Robber

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