I'd love advice on improving (especially in regards to out-speeding R/x decks) and I will also continuously make changes and updates as I play it more, find more cards, and get more data. I will also be starting to take notes on some of my match ups to write up how the deck performs, and what priorities are, against each of them.
Bon Voyage
Approximate Total Cost:
Honestly, most of the deck's strength comes from the ramp The Omenkeel provides. I can keep options off of the board for folk, and I can get those sweet sweet landfalls for Roil Elemental and Retreat to Coralhelm. The fact that this forces them to engage with my board is no smal lthing, either. Omenkeel creates an existential threat in the form of multiple damages coming at you at once, while not actually needing to rely on itself. It reminds me in a way of Teror of the Peaks as it provides a passive benefit but also draws the targe tto itself instead of the rest of your board.
I know most people run Ghirapur Orrery, and while I would absolutely normally suggest it, there are too many decks in my play group that run landfall and lands etb effects for me t ofee lsafe running it. I would rather move a little sloweer but have more control over the flow of the board, than give that up for what I consider to be a small advantage.
My playgroup is a bit small right now, but of the decks I have been able to test against:
Basic idea of my matchups so far
Show
Hide
R/G Xenagos Terror of the Peaks + ETB effects:
Honestly this one kills me the most, it's super difficult for me to get that Terror to stop just killing me with that ETB damage. I get Pyroblasted pretty often, but if I have the fortune of having a counter + removal in hand, I can deal with it. It really is just the one card in the deck that kills me! I'd give myself like a 20/80 against this deck right now.
W/B Teysa, Orzhov Scion Token Swarm + Life Drain
Honestly, as long as they don't get their Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond out, I win this pretty handily in 1v1 matches. Thankfully, there is so much bounce in here that tokens don't much matter, and I even occasioanlly swap in a Steel Hellkite to make them completely irrelevant. I easily sit at like 70/30 against this deck right now, thankfully they haven't started using curses.
G Yeva, Nature's Herald Craterhoof Behemoth Creature Spam
This is actually one of my own decks tha ta friend likes to use. I can mostly deal with it, though I occasionally have to swap out something for Aetherize on days where I am not feeling lucky. This is the main reason I don't include Ghirapur Orrery in my personal list, because this deck benefits so massively from dropping extra lands every turn. This one is closer t o50/50, Green is actually a problem for me sometimes.
R Zo-Zu the Punisher
I mean, it's Zo-Zu. He's a tough fight but honestly I hardly need my lands by the turn he drops, so I just try and avoid taking his damage and slowly beat the player down. They run several planeswealkers, so I actually used to run Sword of Sinew and Steel. This player usually only jumps in for our 4 player games, so it's hard for me to gauge my winrate against them.
Honestly this one kills me the most, it's super difficult for me to get that Terror to stop just killing me with that ETB damage. I get Pyroblasted pretty often, but if I have the fortune of having a counter + removal in hand, I can deal with it. It really is just the one card in the deck that kills me! I'd give myself like a 20/80 against this deck right now.
W/B Teysa, Orzhov Scion Token Swarm + Life Drain
Honestly, as long as they don't get their Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond out, I win this pretty handily in 1v1 matches. Thankfully, there is so much bounce in here that tokens don't much matter, and I even occasioanlly swap in a Steel Hellkite to make them completely irrelevant. I easily sit at like 70/30 against this deck right now, thankfully they haven't started using curses.
G Yeva, Nature's Herald Craterhoof Behemoth Creature Spam
This is actually one of my own decks tha ta friend likes to use. I can mostly deal with it, though I occasionally have to swap out something for Aetherize on days where I am not feeling lucky. This is the main reason I don't include Ghirapur Orrery in my personal list, because this deck benefits so massively from dropping extra lands every turn. This one is closer t o50/50, Green is actually a problem for me sometimes.
R Zo-Zu the Punisher
I mean, it's Zo-Zu. He's a tough fight but honestly I hardly need my lands by the turn he drops, so I just try and avoid taking his damage and slowly beat the player down. They run several planeswealkers, so I actually used to run Sword of Sinew and Steel. This player usually only jumps in for our 4 player games, so it's hard for me to gauge my winrate against them.
Thanks everyone! Please don't be scared to question my choices and such, I've been out of the game for a while, and so I am essentially re-learning, so I need any and all advice!