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This week, we were treated with the release of the Dark Ascension spoiler, and I can't wait to share with you some of my impressions and deck ideas! But first, I wanted to tell a tale of two forests…
Brin skipped into the farm house humming, his shoes dusty from the road. “What's for dinner, Ma?” he called.
His mother turned from chopping the vegetables. “Where's your brother?” she asked sharply.
Brin looked confused. “He's not here yet?” His mother's frown turned his confused look to one of fear. Not of fear for his brother, but fear of his mother's wrath.
“He was supposed to be walking home with you. Where is he?”
Brin looked down at his feet, knowing his brother was in big trouble. “He said he was going to cut through the woods.”
His mother frowned and shook her head and she finished with the vegetables. Brin softly walked back outside to the rear of the house. He gazed across the fields at the dark treeline, quietly praying for his big brother's return.
Brin saw movement out the corner of his eye, and then a familiar figure came out of the woods far down the way, out past their neighbor's barn. His brother paused, getting his bearings, and when Brin raised his hand he waved back.
“You're in big trouble!” he called, smiling.
Does this sound like the walds of Innistrad? You get lost in the woods, you're almost late for dinner—no, this sounds more like the woods of Lorwyn, where you might get tormented by pesky faeries or have to run from mean little boggarts if you get lost in the woods. Yet this is the flavor of the woods as realized in the new Dark Ascension card Lost in the Woods.
In a block that so successfully evokes the flavor of horror through what the cards do, I can't help but be profoundly disappointed in this one. I mean, if you get lost in the woods in Innistrad, shouldn't it be damn scary?
Brin walked into the farm house slowly, his shoes dusty from the road. Every step felt impossibly heavy, weighted with dread as to what he'd see when he got home. Or rather, what he'd not see. Inside, he saw his mother chopping vegetables—and no one else. Tears sprung to his eyes.
His mother turned from her task. “Where's your brother?” she asked sharply.
Brin looked stricken. “He's not here yet?” His mother's frown turned to alarm and she dropped the knife.
“He was supposed to be walking home with you! Where is he?”
Brin looked down, his words catching in his throat before he could answer. “He said he was going to cut through the woods.”
His mother rushed forward and grabbed his arm, squeezing hard. It hurt, but he didn't make a noise, the terror in his mother's eyes robbing him of voice. “How could you let him do something so stupid?” she hissed.
“Ma, I tried to stop him, but what could I do? He's bigger than I am.” He looked up into his mother's eyes, tears streaming down. “I know I should have gone with him, but I was too scared!”
His mother blinked a moment, absorbing his words before releasing his arm and gathering him into her arms, hugging him tight. “Gods, no, no … you did the right thing.” She started softly crying.
He gazed over her shoulder through the window, across the fields at the dark treeline, quietly praying for his big brother's return. Even though he was young he didn't have much hope—cutting through the woods his brother should have been home hours ago, but now dark was rapidly falling. The Innistrad night was hungry even in the towns and cities, but in the woods the night was ravenous.
At first glance, Lost in the Woods is a pretty cool card—it's a small measure of creature control in a color that doesn't get to do that much. But it's just so damn tame! Tame isn't scary. Where's the horror? Where are the consequences of getting lost in the woods? Is there any creature that's not going to keep attacking with this enchantment on the board? A player should give pause before turning his creatures sideways when there's a Lost in the Woods in play. Why isn't this an exile effect? Sure, creature control isn't green's thing, but in Innistrad flavor is supposed to trump color pie. Besides, best-case scenario you've spent five mana on your turn for a 40% chance that you could stop that creature from dealing you damage. It's not easy for a deck with a significant number of Forests to set the top of its library. Would it have broken Legacy to be able to combo this with Sylvan Library?
I do get that there's a subtle advantage of this spell allowing you to drawing a non-land card a higher percentage of the time if your opponent attacks, but that's a totally separate issue outside of what the flavor and power of the card should be.
Now, don't get me wrong—there are plenty of things I love about Dark Ascension—but Lost in the Woods bugs me to my core, and I just wanted to illustrate why. What do you think?
Onward…
Undying To Meet You
If you've been reading me for any length of time, it won't surprise you to learn that I'm incredibly excited about the undying creatures of Dark Ascension. I love creatures that stick around the board and do stuff, and these creatures are pretty good at sticking around! I love the tension they create with creature removal—do you kill them and make them even bigger, or take your lumps and try to race? They also make it safer to overextend into mass-removal, making other creatures without undying even better.
A lot of people have been hyping this card, and for good reason! Most of the talk I'm hearing now is how good the Geist is in an aggro deck, but I don't see that at all, in part because the only green-based aggro deck uses Gavony Township, which doesn't exactly synergize with undying. No, I think Geist is a gift tthose who love midrange decks. I shared my feelings two weeks back on how cool and unusual it is to have haste—but man, I just love having this guy to hold the fort for us on turn 2, to slow the beats and give us precious time to execute our midrange plans. The haste is icing on the cake, beautiful to have when you rip him late game.
Whoa. This guy … this guy is just awesome! He attacks with trample and he blocks and gets even scarier if they try and kill him! It's been a while since we had a good green finisher that was a little cheaper than a Titan but nearly as scary, and this big cockroach fits the bill.
I'm not quite sure if this little guy is worth a slot in a midrange strategy, but if aggro and tempo rule the day, maybe he does?
Geralf's Mindcrusher
I talk about Geralf's Mindcrusher below—it's a pretty awesome card!
Wow! This guy is pretty sweet, giving all your other non-Human creatures undying? Sign me up! I imagine a scenario with Hex Parasite, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, and Sheoldred, Whispering One in play being a pretty potent board presence, with Birthing Pod to pull it all together—maybe even a Wurmcoil Engine or two?
Hey, a guy can dream!
Undying is such a great mechanic that it behooves us to take a step back and reevaluate cards from earlier sets. Some of those cards that have caught my eye: Contagion Clasp (and other cards with proliferate), Altar's Reap, Culling Dias, Hex Parasite, Mortarpod, auras, Phantasmal Image, Birthing Pod, Garruk Relentless, Garruk, Primal Hunter, Triumph of the Horde, Doubling Chant, Smallpox, and Grimgrin, Corpse-Born.
Okay, enough swooning over undying, let's cook up some decks!
| Medium Green Featured by Bennie Smith on 2012-01-29 (Standard) | ||
Artifacts 3 Contagion Clasp 4 Ratchet Bomb Creatures 4 Birds of Paradise 3 Dungrove Elder 4 Predator Ooze 4 Strangleroot Geist 4 Vorapede Instants 3 Beast Within |
Planeswalkers 4 Garruk Relentless Sorceries 2 Bramblecrush Basic Lands 22 Forest Lands 3 Ghost Quarter | Stats: Average mana: 1.67 Average creature mana cost: 2.79 Average creature power: 1.68 Average creature toughness: 1.47 Deck Composition: Artifacts: 11.67% Basic Lands: 36.67% Creatures: 31.67% Instants: 5.00% Lands: 5.00% Planeswalkers: 6.67% Sorceries: 3.33% |
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Download this deck in Magic Online Text format! | |
I'm digging Contagion Clasp in this build for a couple reasons. Sure, it nails a small creature with -1/-1 and can proliferate Garruk, Predator Ooze, or even Ratchet Bomb, but I like how it can pull double duty with the undying guys—either remove the +1/+1 counter so it can come back from dying again, or keep piling up the +1/+1 counters (especially on Vorapede) each turn.
You know I've got to be scheming with a new Glissa deck don't you?
| Bad Mother Glissa Featured by Bennie Smith on 2012-01-29 (Standard) | ||
Artifacts 4 Ratchet Bomb Artifact Creatures 2 Hex Parasite 2 Phyrexian Metamorph 3 Solemn Simulacrum 4 Spellskite 3 Sylvok Replica 2 Wurmcoil Engine Creatures 4 Vorapede |
Instants 2 Beast Within 2 Doom Blade 3 Tragic Slip Legendary Creatures 4 Glissa, the Traitor Basic Lands 8 Forest 1 Island 5 Swamp Lands 4 Evolving Wilds 3 Ghost Quarter 4 Woodland Cemetery | Stats: Average mana: 1.73 Average creature mana cost: 3.46 Average creature power: 2.29 Average creature toughness: 3.04 Deck Composition: Artifacts: 6.67% Artifact Creatures: 26.67% Basic Lands: 23.33% Creatures: 6.67% Instants: 11.67% Lands: 18.33% Legendary Creatures: 6.67% |
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| Download this deck in Apprentice format! |
Download this deck in Magic Online Text format! | |
In the current and upcoming metagame I keep hearing people talking about how good Ratchet Bomb is, so seems to me a Glissa deck that can really abuse Ratchet Bomb might at some point be well-positioned in the metagame. The undying Vorapede might look a little out of place here and leave people thinking, “Why not run Acidic Slime?” Well, the part of my deck lower on the curve is all about controlling what my opponent is doing and surviving long enough to get around to winning the game. Wurmcoil Engines—that can even be recurred with Glissa—certainly can win the game, but the Vorapedes bring an extremely valuable added aggressive pressure, especially when you add Hex Parasite to the mix (something that can also come back with Glissa).
I'm also intrigued by the idea of playing Metamorph as a copy of Vorapede, having it die and come back copying something else with a +1/+1 counter. Seems like a great added dimension outside of killing problematic legends.
Of course, I've also updated Necrotic Ooze for the new set:
| BUG Ooze Featured by Bennie Smith on 2012-01-29 (Standard) | ||
Artifact Creatures 3 Hex Parasite 4 Spellskite Creatures 4 Bloodline Keeper 4 Civilized Scholar 3 Geralf's Mindcrusher 4 Necrotic Ooze 3 Reassembling Skeleton 2 Skinshifter |
Legendary Creatures 4 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born Sorceries 4 Tracker's Instincts Basic Lands 1 Forest 4 Island 5 Swamp Lands 4 Drowned Catacomb 4 Evolving Wilds 3 Hinterland Harbor 4 Woodland Cemetery | Stats: Average mana: 1.85 Average creature mana cost: 3.32 Average creature power: 2.29 Average creature toughness: 2.81 Deck Composition: Artifact Creatures: 11.67% Basic Lands: 16.67% Creatures: 33.33% Lands: 25.00% Legendary Creatures: 6.67% Sorceries: 6.67% |
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The undying creature that we want here is Geralf's Mindcrusher. What a great card! I've been trying to figure out a decent six-drop that would be nice to cast after Grimgrin hits the board—I've tried Wurmcoil and Grave Titan—but Mindcrusher seems like the perfect answer! Comes down, mills deeper for combo pieces, can be sacrificed to untap Grimgrin but comes back as a 6/6—and mills again! With Hex Parasite (or Ooze copying Parasite) you can even keep sacrificing him until you've got everything you want in the graveyard, which shouldn't take long. With enough mana available, you could just mill out your opponent and win that way! Mindcrusher gives the deck another angle of attack that just might push it over the top.
TrackersInstincts.jpg" width="223" height="311" border="0" />Another new card I'm excited about is Tracker's Instincts! Seems like the perfect card for the deck, so much better-costed than Forbidden Alchemy. And finally, BUG mana drove me a bit nuts before so I'm thrilled to have Evolving Wilds to help with that.
Wait… There's More!
While undying has me the most excited, there are plenty of other cards that have my deckbuilder's juices flowing.
Valeri's column the other day inspired me to cook up this decklist, a mono-blue deck with no counterspells but lots of fun artifacts and synergies:
| NOW DRINK! Featured by Bennie Smith on 2012-01-29 (Standard) | ||
Artifacts 2 Batterskull 4 Chalice of Life 3 Elixir of Immortality 1 Nihil Spellbomb 4 Ratchet Bomb Artifact Creatures 2 Solemn Simulacrum 4 Spellskite 2 Wurmcoil Engine |
Creatures 4 Grand Architect 4 Merfolk Looter 3 Treasure Mage 3 Trinket Mage Basic Lands 14 Island Lands 3 Buried Ruin 4 Drowned Catacomb 3 Shimmering Grotto | Stats: Average mana: 1.67 Average creature mana cost: 3.00 Average creature power: 1.64 Average creature toughness: 2.73 Deck Composition: Artifacts: 23.33% Artifact Creatures: 13.33% Basic Lands: 23.33% Creatures: 23.33% Lands: 16.67% |
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Download this deck in Magic Online Text format! | |
I've been wanting to build Trinket Mage + Elixir + Treasure Mage + Wurmcoil for mad life shenanigans, and Chalice of Life seems the perfect reason to do so doesn't it? The black is in the deck for the occasional Spellbomb card-draw, but also for sideboard options.
This looks like a throwaway casual rare, but there's one thing that makes me think it might deserve another look: the trigger happens during your end step, which gives it “haste” of sorts and is a step above most of these sorts of things that trigger during your upkeep. With most creatures, this will effectively double the power of creatures on the table and represent a solid defensive line and a pretty hefty threat the following turn. Of course, realistically there are two big problems working against this. Having to compete against Primeval Titan and other sixes, and that we're entering an era where dealing with multiple token creatures is going to be a necessity. Still, I can't help but want to play this in a deck with Tree of Redemption, you know?
Arachnus Web and Arachnus Spinner are two cards on the verge of being good, and we just need a couple good Spiders to tilt us over the edge. Kessig Recluse isn't amazing, but it's a significant upgrade to Giant Spider. It has freaking deathtouch so it can rumble and kill just about anything, and in a world with seemingly infinitely weenie fliers reach is a solid ability to have.
I've already got a bunch of five-drops I want in my Ooze deck—beyond Grimgrin, Havengul Lich is extremely tempting—but I'm strongly tempted with Beguiler of Wills. The idea of having it in my graveyard alongside Grimgrin with a Necrotic Ooze in play, tapping to steal a creature and sacrificing it to untap the Ooze and steal another one, seems like a mighty fine way of mowing down a horde of weenies.
Séance
This card is all about the flavor, and it doesn't take long for Spikes to realize the token creatures don't gain haste, so unless the creature itself has haste these tokens are just going to wink in and wink out of existence without being able to attack, outside of Sundial of the Infinite shenanigans. But take a closer look at the sentence, “at the beginning of each upkeep.” Not just yours but your opponent's upkeep as well—giving you a creature that can block is a significant upgrade! Load up your Séance with creatures of value and there might be something there.
Last up is this card, something that gives me a distinct “Warp World” vibe and, while it's less powerful, it's also much easier to cast and a bit more flexible. Kicking around some ideas with my friends, they all think this card is utter garbage for Constructed—which sounds like a challenge to me! Expect to see more from me on this card in the weeks ahead.
It's prerelease weekend, so I hope you'll all get a chance to swing out to your local store for a good time and to get your hands on some early Dark Ascension! What cards does the new set have you excited to build decks around?
Take care,
Bennie
starcitygeezer AT gmail DOT com
I'm still looking for a roommate, so if you know anyone looking for a place to live in the Richmond, Virginia area please get in touch!
Make sure to follow my Twitter feed (@blairwitchgreen). I check it often so feel free to send me feedback, ideas, and random thoughts. I've also created a Facebook page where I'll be posting up deck ideas and will happily discuss Magic, life, or anything else you want to talk about!
I've started a blog, it's not Magic-related but you may find it fun to read and comment on. I update at least once a week so check on it often and let me know what you think!
New to Commander?
If you're just curious about the format, building your first deck, or trying to take your Commander deck up a notch, here are some handy links:
Commander Primer Part 1 (Why play Commander? Rules Overview, Picking your Commander)
Commander Primer Part 2 (Mana Requirements, Randomness, Card Advantage)
Commander Primer Part 3 (Power vs. Synergy, Griefing, Staples, Building a Doran Deck)
My current Commander decks (and links to decklists):
Phage the Untouchable (actually casting Phage from Command Zone!)
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born (Necrotic Ooze Combo)
Ghave, Guru of Spores (Melira Combo)
Damia, Sage of Stone (Ice Cauldron shenanigans)
Glissa, the Traitor (undying artifacts!)
Geist of Saint Traft (Voltron-ish)
Previous Commander decks currently on hiatus:
Glissa Sunseeker (death to artifacts!)
Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer (replacing Brion Stoutarm in Mo' Myrs)
Thelon of Havenwood (Campfire Spores)
Melira, Sylvok Outcast (combo killa)
Konda, Lord of Eiganjo (The Indestructibles)
Vorosh, the Hunter (proliferaTION)
Progenitus (Fist of Suns and Bringers)
