[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Rishkar, Peema Renegade

[Lifeless]

Huh. I like this a lot. The only real drawback, if you can call it that, is that it's single use single target removal and in many pods (including mine) that doesn't often make the cut.

[3drinks]

I almost don't play targeted destroy creature spells anymore. The number random blowouts from triggering death effects/revivify effects/indestructible/etc. is just too high.

I'll run Generous Gift since it's flexible, but I won't run Hero's Downfall very often. I'd just rather do something furthering my gameplan than play a card that is gonna get me got. I know that's silly, but man have I been burned by Fateful Absence so many frigging times that it got cut.

I can't wrap my head around the idea of not being able to interact. So, like, do you just lose to the first unchecked Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff/Mystic Remora/Smothering Tithe?

[pokken]

I can't wrap my head around the idea of not being able to interact. So, like, do you just lose to the first unchecked Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff/Mystic Remora/Smothering Tithe?

I mean, what does Pile On do against Rhystic Study? Nothing. I'll run Anguished Unmaking and Generous Gift and even Oblivion Ring (in some lists), or Unexpectedly Absent. or Chaos Warp or Wild Magic Surge.

If I was in mono black I'd probably be banking more on Damn to deal with Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff, and hopes and dreams to beat any enchantments it's basically Oblivion Stone / Nevinyrral's Disk or bust, or Feed the Swarm I guess.

I run Deadly Rollick a decent amount too -- I just won't run targeted narrow destruction removal. It needs to affect more than just creatures, or it needs to prevent reanimation/Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire effects/etc.

[3drinks]

Wow I read that as you not playing targeted removal, there's the holdup smh it's too damn early.

[Sinis]

I almost don't especially care for Pile On. I remember being very excited about Price of Fame, and it just wasn't all that exciting. This is very similar, though I suppose convoke might be easier to manage than hoping for a particular target. Hits planeswalkers can also very relevant, I guess.

[yeti1069]

I think has some real potential for being a (n almost) free spell.

That said, single target creature removal (I don't see many planeswalkers) is pretty far down the list of what I'll include in most decks--I prefer my removal to be more flexible. That said, this could edge out very efficient creature removal like Terminate in decks that will reliably have 3+ creatures on the field that I don't mind tapping. The surveil can be useful as well.

[PrimevalCommander]

I almost don't play targeted destroy creature spells anymore. The number random blowouts from triggering death effects/revivify effects/indestructible/etc. is just too high.

I don't really play mono black, but if I did I'd tend to play more -x/-x stuff I think. Toxic Deluge and Mutilate and Black Sun's Zenith stuff usually do the trick for me.

I know the -x/-x cards are mass-wipes, but they still trigger all the death shenanigans you mentioned. I know black doesn't have much mass exile, but mono-black also doesn't have much efficient single target exile. Deadly Rollick still pretty expensive, but we will see what the reprint does.

I'm not saying Pile On is great, but efficient, single-target exile effects in colors outside white are still somewhat few in comparison. Though I do agree that destroy is quite a bit worse than exile, as I am the first one to pull the death trigger, reanimate, and other graveyard nonsense, as graveyard is my favorite resource.

Pile On vs. Lethal Scheme? I think Scheme is better, but if I was playing a go-wide deck with black I might play both. 0 mana removal spells are good I hear. Pile On is easier to convoke with off-color tokens. But as mentioned, competition is steep in this slot. Tragic Slip is one of my favorite.

[pokken]

You can't regenerate or indestructible from -x/-x, which covers a lot of cases. So they're quite a bit better usually. You'd be surprised how often it's relevant. Obviously death effects and so on. It's more like, if I'm playing targeted removal that only hits creatures it's probably tuck or exile or theft.

Or more flexible like damn.

[Mookie]

re: destroy vs exile effects - I've been annoyed recently by my Kess deck's inability to deal with indestructible creatures. Most of my other black decks have access to white, so I'm running a bunch of exile like Anguished Unmaking, but Grixis doesn't have quite as many options. Indestructible creatures aren't that common, but they tend to be relevant when they do pop up, so I've been looking into running a few more exile / sacrifice / etc. effects to deal with them.

As for Pile On... it seems reasonable, assuming you can convoke it out consistently. I think Lethal Scheme is a bit better, but free interaction is always pretty strong. It looks worse than Heartless Act / other spot removal if you're not a go-wide deck though.

[Dunadain]

I'm the opposite, I'm usually rocking double digits of removal XD.

Having said that, this card is on black and black had a LOT of removal, hard to imagine a deck I'd play this in.

[yeti1069]

re: destroy vs exile effects - I've been annoyed recently by my Kess deck's inability to deal with indestructible creatures. Most of my other black decks have access to white, so I'm running a bunch of exile like Anguished Unmaking, but Grixis doesn't have quite as many options. Indestructible creatures aren't that common, but they tend to be relevant when they do pop up, so I've been looking into running a few more exile / sacrifice / etc. effects to deal with them.

As for Pile On... it seems reasonable, assuming you can convoke it out consistently. I think Lethal Scheme is a bit better, but free interaction is always pretty strong. It looks worse than Heartless Act / other spot removal if you're not a go-wide deck though.

I don't think you need to go that wide for this to be very solid. If you have 2 creatures you can convoke with it's a step above all the 2-mana removal options (since it has surveil as upside), and if you have 3, it becomes one of the best 1-mana removal spells available. I do agree that Lethal Schemes is almost strictly better (loot 0-4 is almost always better than surveil 2), so it's a few slots down from the best free, or semi-free, removal in black.

1. Deadly Rollick
2. Snuff Out (maybe...goes down in value if you're in 3+ colors, have a less expensive mana base, or are using your life as a resource a lot elsewhere)
3. Lethal Scheme
4. Pile On

Right?

[PrimevalCommander]

Slaughter Pact

[DirkGently]

There's a lot of decent but rarely makes the cut removal, and this falls into that gap imo. I'd rather have the reliability of a 2-mana all-the-time removal spell rather than one that's sometimes free and sometimes I can't cast. I care a lot more about the floor than the ceiling. Maybe if I played more creature-heavy decks I'd like it more.

Ofc I'm still going to run plenty of targeted creature removal, just probably not this one.

If I was in mono black I'd probably be banking more on Damn to deal with Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff, and hopes and dreams to beat any enchantments it's basically Oblivion Stone / Nevinyrral's Disk or bust, or Feed the Swarm I guess.

Damn in mono-black?

I'll admit I haven't played against Lotho yet but I have a hard time seeing him as a must-kill.

The best enchantment removal in mono-black is ugin (2 versions), karn, and of course the best answer of all, Demonic Tutor.

[Serenade]

I still need to get an extended border copy of this card and Lethal Scheme. The minimal text looks cool.

Is there a non-King Macar, the Gold-Cursed card in a black color identity that cares about tapping/tapped creatures? I would use those cards in that deck maybe. I still prefer exile.

[pokken]

Sorry, miscarded. Damnation. I usually don't do a lot of kill spells in mono back myself. Between rollick, grave pact, sweepers and such I don't feel the need.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

I like this because a) it can be cheap or free manawise and b) it's very affordable ($$$) right now. Surveil 2 is also a nice touch. But I always play a lot of creatures so YMMV.

[yeti1069]

I still need to get an extended border copy of this card and Lethal Scheme. The minimal text looks cool.

Is there a non-King Macar, the Gold-Cursed card in a black color identity that cares about tapping/tapped creatures? I would use those cards in that deck maybe. I still prefer exile.

Pain Seer. Search for "inspired"

[Serenade]

No legends, though, right? Maybe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic?

[3drinks]

I'm the opposite, I'm usually rocking double digits of removal XD.

I feel this in my sooouuullll. Lots of removal, way too many things that just end the game if someone doesn't deal with it, especially these days.

I'll admit I haven't played against Lotho yet but I have a hard time seeing him as a must-kill.

No big deal, just +3 mana across the turn cycle coming off your two drop. Also clampable latre on. Just an efficient creature that generates free resources with no input from you...........

No legends, though, right? Maybe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic?

Man, I need to build this deck with a bunch of karoos and amulet of vigor, and then I'd guess like a looter scooter + springleaf drum to keep him turned off on demand. Kinda like a version of modern Amulet Titan but without the Valakut lines and much more staxxy.

[Dunadain]

No legends, though, right? Maybe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic?

Man, I need to build this deck with a bunch of karoos and amulet of vigor, and then I'd guess like a looter scooter + springleaf drum to keep him turned off on demand. Kinda like a version of modern Amulet Titan but without the Valakut lines and much more staxxy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic and Amulet of Vigor don't stack. Archelos causes the land/whatever to enter untapped, rather than untapping it after it gets played, unlike the amulet.

You could still totally play amulet as a backup if your commander dies though.

[Serenade]

The plan would be to have him tapped as often as possible, with Amulet untapping your things when they CIP.

(I feel like this gameplan might get annoying and make you a big target.)

[yeti1069]

The plan would be to have him tapped as often as possible, with Amulet untapping your things when they CIP.

(I feel like this gameplan might get annoying and make you a big target.)

It is and does.

[3drinks]

Friday, August 4th, 2023; Fabricate

[3drinks]

No legends, though, right? Maybe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic?

Man, I need to build this deck with a bunch of karoos and amulet of vigor, and then I'd guess like a looter scooter + springleaf drum to keep him turned off on demand. Kinda like a version of modern Amulet Titan but without the Valakut lines and much more staxxy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Archelos, Lagoon Mystic and Amulet of Vigor don't stack. Archelos causes the land/whatever to enter untapped, rather than untapping it after it gets played, unlike the amulet.

You could still totally play amulet as a backup if your commander dies though.

Correct. Amulet is just the backup because your commander is a four drop after all.

[Serenade]

In decks without black, I do use:
Idyllic Tutor in enchantress.
Fabricate in artifacts.
Solve the Equation in spellslinger.

I don't like to use tutors, but I'm a simple man who sometimes needs to find my wincon. A one-off non-permanent tutor has to cost three or less.