Whenever and wherever you play Magic, one of the most important concepts of the game is to control the flow of resources. Permission decks control what you cast and when. Ponza controls what and how many lands remain in play. Aggro decks control the pace. Black decks control your hand, or at least try to. And so on.
This is a radically simplified explanation… but you get the point. Resources play an integral role in almost any game of Magic you'll play. This concept of resources (and the control thereof) takes on even greater dimensions the moment you add more players to the mix. With each new head at the table, a new source of input has been added. Lands, creatures, life and hands – it all adds up.
So what if you were able to control these resources? What if you were able to develop a stranglehold over the ebb and flow of the game?
Well, surely you would hold the keys to that particular game, which leads me to today’s multiplayer deck and theme.
The Idea
One of the most crucial of all resources to any player in any game is land. That’s why Armageddon is so popular among multiplayer tables. Usually preceded by a game-altering fatty, Armageddon does a fantastic job of controlling the flow of resources. Players cannot mount a response when they have no mana to work with. In the meantime, you’ve either prepared for the land shortage with alternative resources (such as Birds of Paradise or Llanowar Elves) or you’ve cast a creature which will end the game before anyone has time to recover. Such is the beauty of knowing how to control the flow of materials (whether it be life, cards or land) in a game.
Armageddon is not the card I’ve come to discuss, however, since chances are good that you already know how powerful that little sorcery can be. The card I wish to talk about is Armageddon’s oft-overlooked second cousin, Limited Resources. This long-lost Exodus rare is a bomb in multiplayer. Should you be able to cast the enchantment on the first or second, the game will not grind to a halt – it will crash into it. Ten lands may go a long way between two or three players — but four? Or five? Well, let’s just say some players may suffer from quite the drought.
In a nutshell, the presented deck manipulates the amount of lands played and in play by casting an early Limited Resources. Sakura-Tribe Scouts and Wood Elves help you get around your own embargo while Plow Under makes sure your opponents stay down. Sterling Grove, meanwhile, protects your precious enchantments from targeted removal while tutoring up other necessary enchantments should the need arise. Eternal Witness serves as recursion on a stick. Sylvan smoothes out and accelerates your draws. Finally, Wrath of God will reset the board if need be, and Centaur Glade will help you go the distance.
Some Tips on Playing the Deck
Cast Limited Resources as early as possible. A duh, I know, but I thought I would rub it in just to be safe. Most decks need four to five lands to really lay down the hurt. Quite a few can bring the pain with only three. The key is to get Limited Resources in play before they reach that point. Should all your opponents already have four lands or so a piece, it becomes a real question of whether or not you want to paint a target on yourself that late in the game. My advice is if you have to cast Limited Resources late, make sure you can follow it up with at least one or two Plow Unders. It is rarely worth the trouble otherwise.
I also recommend that you not be hesitant with your Sylvan Library. Unless someone in your group is running pure burn, you can safely spend eight to twelve life drawing extra cards. This deck needs to be played aggressively early on or you will never land an efficient lock.
Choices, Choices, Choices
Some of the cards I used may or may not make sense to you. Before I finish, I would like to explain my choices and offer possible alternatives. The first is Sylvan Library. I know a number of you were wondering, “Why not Sensei’s Divining Top?” The simplest answer I can give is that Sylvan Library is just faster. While the cost is steep, Sylvan Library does a better job of racing through the deck. Sylvan Library is also free to activate. The Top is not.
Others may be wondering about either Wood Elves or Sakura-Tribe Elders. The reason I selected both of these cards was that a) they both had bodies, and b) they fetched lands while still circumventing Limited Resources. I could have run any number of mana-producing elves or birds in their place, but I preferred to have both mana and chump blockers over just one or the other.
The last questionable choice is probably Centaur Glade. I will admit the card is most likely a mistake. It makes the deck even more vulnerable to Tranquility or Nevinyrral’s Disk and does not bring all that much beef to the table anyway. The reason I chose the card is that it allowed me to more freely cast and recover from Wrath of God. Should one be so inclined, I am sure they could modify the deck to a more summon-centric theme and discard Centaur Glade entirely. (The classic solution — which I've used myself — is to put in Multani, Maro-Sorceror, which finds a handy use for all of those stranded cards – The Ferrett)
Substitutes
I won't lie: This deck is expensive. Just by looking at the deck list, you can feel the pain in your wallet.
But do not fret! There are some reasonable alternatives.
First, the Kjeldoran Outposts are not absolutely necessary and could be replaced by any number of reasonable man-lands. Second, the Eternal Witnesses could be cut for Reclaim. Third, the pain lands could be replaced by whatever alternatives you have lying around (even if that means basic lands). The only necessities to the deck are Limited Resources, Plow Under, and, really, Wrath of God. Limited Resources can be had for some pretty reasonable prices while Plow Under and Wrath of God are two cards you should be trying to get a set of anyway. That leaves a whole lot of room for creativity and I welcome you to it.
Until next time, so long and thanks for all the fish.
Thomas Bakken
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