The general plan is to drain the tables hands as a means to incentivize the use of Xantcha's ability.
Decklist
Approximate Total Cost:
Xantcha Discards, all about give and take....
Target budget is $50 current sitting at about $60. The low mana cost black card draw and mana rocks are unreasonably expensive and I havent decided what to replace them with, yet.
The general plan is to drain the tables hands as a means to incentivize the use of Xantcha's ability.
The general plan is to drain the tables hands as a means to incentivize the use of Xantcha's ability.
Interesting approach and list!
I'd consider running a few more mana rocks. They might not help you getting Xantcha, Sleeper Agent out earlier, but certainly build up additional mana to spend on her mana sink. In addition to the ones you're already running i'd add Fellwar Stone, Talisman of Indulgence and Prismatic Lens since they help at fixing mana, something that's even more valuable building on a budget. Everflowing Chalice, Mind Stone and Unstable Obelisk are all solid budget options as well - especially with the latter being able to act as a solution to enchantments. I'd include every single one of them over Bloodstone Cameo.
A few more budget cards i think would work well:
- Fortuitous Find, Grim Discovery & Virtus's Maneuver: All great to keep you going (and screw with others).
- Necrologia: Let's be honest, Necropotence shouldn't stick more than a turn, so this is a fine budget stand in as far as "unfair" card draw goes.
- Mizzium Mortars: Overloaded it keeps both your commander and own board state alive.
- Mana Geyser: The amount of mana you could use to drain your commanders' controller could be absurd!
- Harsh Mentor & Immolation Shaman: Make them desperate enough to activate your commander then get hurt by it.
I'd consider running a few more mana rocks. They might not help you getting Xantcha, Sleeper Agent out earlier, but certainly build up additional mana to spend on her mana sink. In addition to the ones you're already running i'd add Fellwar Stone, Talisman of Indulgence and Prismatic Lens since they help at fixing mana, something that's even more valuable building on a budget. Everflowing Chalice, Mind Stone and Unstable Obelisk are all solid budget options as well - especially with the latter being able to act as a solution to enchantments. I'd include every single one of them over Bloodstone Cameo.
A few more budget cards i think would work well:
- Fortuitous Find, Grim Discovery & Virtus's Maneuver: All great to keep you going (and screw with others).
- Necrologia: Let's be honest, Necropotence shouldn't stick more than a turn, so this is a fine budget stand in as far as "unfair" card draw goes.
- Mizzium Mortars: Overloaded it keeps both your commander and own board state alive.
- Mana Geyser: The amount of mana you could use to drain your commanders' controller could be absurd!
- Harsh Mentor & Immolation Shaman: Make them desperate enough to activate your commander then get hurt by it.
Interesting take on Xantcha. I dabbled a little with her, trying for a "remote voltron" approach that would keep her alive from afar and sometimes even risk some pump. A little bit of this stuff may not be a bad idea, to try to ensure she sticks around: Blessing of Leeches, Key to the City, Suspicious Bookcase, Dauthi Trapper, Rogue's Passage. Dauthi Embrace is marginally more money according to my pricegunner, but it's pretty solid. Medicine Bag is probably more memes than actual utility.
Thinking about it, Gnat Miser and Locust Miser could help increasing pressure.
Kaya's Ghostform, Shade's Form, Unhallowed Pact and Unholy Indenture can keep her around - and move her to someone else, if need be.
Too bad you don't get to equip Assault Suit on her. The flexibility and hosing of sac strategies would be great utility - despite the mana investment.
Kaya's Ghostform, Shade's Form, Unhallowed Pact and Unholy Indenture can keep her around - and move her to someone else, if need be.
Too bad you don't get to equip Assault Suit on her. The flexibility and hosing of sac strategies would be great utility - despite the mana investment.
Having played the deck a bit on mtgo I'm leaning the other direction the mana rocks mostly annoy me. The mana curve is fairly low and even with the various mana sinks I don't feel the deck needs the extra mana.NoNeedToBragoBoutIt wrote: ↑4 years agoInteresting approach and list!
I'd consider running a few more mana rocks. They might not help you getting Xantcha, Sleeper Agent out earlier, but certainly build up additional mana to spend on her mana sink. In addition to the ones you're already running i'd add Fellwar Stone, Talisman of Indulgence and Prismatic Lens since they help at fixing mana, something that's even more valuable building on a budget. Everflowing Chalice, Mind Stone and Unstable Obelisk are all solid budget options as well - especially with the latter being able to act as a solution to enchantments. I'd include every single one of them over Bloodstone Cameo.
Some good suggestions here hadn't really considered leaning harder into hatebears. I'll have to think on it.A few more budget cards i think would work well:
- Fortuitous Find, Grim Discovery & Virtus's Maneuver: All great to keep you going (and screw with others).
- Necrologia: Let's be honest, Necropotence shouldn't stick more than a turn, so this is a fine budget stand in as far as "unfair" card draw goes.
- Mizzium Mortars: Overloaded it keeps both your commander and own board state alive.
- Mana Geyser: The amount of mana you could use to drain your commanders' controller could be absurd!
- Harsh Mentor & Immolation Shaman: Make them desperate enough to activate your commander then get hurt by it.
Finding ways to keep her alive seem ok I'm less sure on the remote voltron plan.Rumpy5897 wrote: ↑4 years agoInteresting take on Xantcha. I dabbled a little with her, trying for a "remote voltron" approach that would keep her alive from afar and sometimes even risk some pump. A little bit of this stuff may not be a bad idea, to try to ensure she sticks around: Blessing of Leeches, Key to the City, Suspicious Bookcase, Dauthi Trapper, Rogue's Passage. Dauthi Embrace is marginally more money according to my pricegunner, but it's pretty solid. Medicine Bag is probably more memes than actual utility.
