Elvish Mystic exists because of flavor and creative reasons. Llanowar Elves is plural and yet is one elf in the art and as a 1/1 seems best as a 1 creature not multiple.
Yes, this deck goes back quite some way. Phyrexian Totem is a card I've seen in quite a few older lists. I would be very worried about having my Totem hit with a Lightning Bolt but otherwise it seems like a solid finisher for this deck.
I saw the Spanky decklist after this article went up. Seems like an interesting take on the archetype. Like you I questioned the presence of the cycling creatures, I guess they are there as just a way to dig deeper to find your cascade spells and I guess if it came to it you could potentially hardcast them as beaters but they certainly aren't as good as they are in the Living End deck. The Keyrunes seem like a reasonable addition as well though perhaps a bit slow.
Your video was interesting as an impression of someone just getting to grips with the deck. I hope this article helped you understand how the deck wants to work a bit better.
I've been playing a very similar deck for yeeeaaars. The key card I like that you don't have is phyrexian totem. It's my only win-condition, pretty much, 'though I've never tried tezzeret. It's resilient to restore balance, a 5/5 clock, and it's another artifact mana-source. The drawback never seems to be a problem for me, 'though I could certainly imagine it being troublesome.
It's only a matter of how frequently it appeared: the commitment of a few players, among which yourself, made Cephalid Breakfast into the more played power combo deck. Nobody complains about, say, Helm of Obedience, because that's been played 4 times only, half of which it did badly, ending undefeated only once (more importantly, being played so rarely and with this rate of success means it doesn't affect the meta at all. Like poor old Doomsday which still has NEVER be played).
Well actually, cephalid illusionist is just one combo deck. I just happen to do well with it and i tend to stick with it cause i don't have the cardpool or other money to invest in other decks.
Its quite easy to stop as Kuma mentioned. Any instant spot removal screws up the process and any graveyard hate screws it as well. So if you ban cephalid, I dont see why you arent banning other combo archtypes as well like reanimator etc, sneak atk, dream halls, etc.
Well actually, cephalid illusionist is just one combo deck. I just happen to do well with it and i tend to stick with it cause i don't have the cardpool or other money to invest in other decks.
Its quite easy to stop as Kuma mentioned. Any instant spot removal screws up the process and any graveyard hate screws it as well. So if you ban cephalid, I dont see why you arent banning other combo archtypes as well like reanimator etc, sneak atk, dream halls, etc.
Great article! I like your outsider viewpoint. I usually don't like replay videos (compared to live recordings) but you added good commentary. Good luck in the Invitational. Welcome to Classic! We just need 30 more people like you and we'd have a format again.
Naming this episode "All Good Things" makes it sound like it's the last episode.
Put some white in the community deck! It's the weakest color in eternal, but I've always been interested in finding a way to make it work as a bigger part of a deck because it has such powerful supporting cards.
You could probably do well with elephants, but bear in mind that's the bottom of the range rather than the top end. For a fast tribe, the vial is never dead, for a baseline of three-drops it takes four turns to come online.
Yeah, I knew the Shukos were missing, but wasn't sure if it was all three slots. Looks like a great design.
fixed
Sorry about that, I know exactly how that happened also. The three missing cards are the 3 Shukos that should be in the deck.
Minus that small error, what do you think of the list Bazaar?
The decklist is only 57 cards, fix please.
all that makes sense, though it does seem odd that WOTC would do that to a card with such high constructed potential
Elvish Mystic exists because of flavor and creative reasons. Llanowar Elves is plural and yet is one elf in the art and as a 1/1 seems best as a 1 creature not multiple.
Yes, this deck goes back quite some way. Phyrexian Totem is a card I've seen in quite a few older lists. I would be very worried about having my Totem hit with a Lightning Bolt but otherwise it seems like a solid finisher for this deck.
I saw the Spanky decklist after this article went up. Seems like an interesting take on the archetype. Like you I questioned the presence of the cycling creatures, I guess they are there as just a way to dig deeper to find your cascade spells and I guess if it came to it you could potentially hardcast them as beaters but they certainly aren't as good as they are in the Living End deck. The Keyrunes seem like a reasonable addition as well though perhaps a bit slow.
Your video was interesting as an impression of someone just getting to grips with the deck. I hope this article helped you understand how the deck wants to work a bit better.
I've been playing a very similar deck for yeeeaaars. The key card I like that you don't have is phyrexian totem. It's my only win-condition, pretty much, 'though I've never tried tezzeret. It's resilient to restore balance, a 5/5 clock, and it's another artifact mana-source. The drawback never seems to be a problem for me, 'though I could certainly imagine it being troublesome.
Here: https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digita...
Before I saw this article I tried his deck here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7NA_g3AX1c
Thanks for the excellent article! Now you inspired me to try the deck further
Great report! :) And grats on the win vs some very tough opponents.
And for the first article! :)
I wrote "Preemptive Captain" rather than "Preeminent Captain" in the article. :)
The issue I think is that cephalid is probably the fastest and more consistent combo available.
I can't say I quite understood this comment. :)
Good to know some special skills of these characters. Keep up the good work. - TexasLending.com
These are really good cards. I want to master this all. - TexasLending.com
I vote red/white.
I do need a new mic... sorry all
Wife stepped on the headset and i had to hold it near my mouth for this episode - not the best!
White - eww - but ok... 1 vote for white
Zach
It's only a matter of how frequently it appeared: the commitment of a few players, among which yourself, made Cephalid Breakfast into the more played power combo deck. Nobody complains about, say, Helm of Obedience, because that's been played 4 times only, half of which it did badly, ending undefeated only once (more importantly, being played so rarely and with this rate of success means it doesn't affect the meta at all. Like poor old Doomsday which still has NEVER be played).
Well actually, cephalid illusionist is just one combo deck. I just happen to do well with it and i tend to stick with it cause i don't have the cardpool or other money to invest in other decks.
Its quite easy to stop as Kuma mentioned. Any instant spot removal screws up the process and any graveyard hate screws it as well. So if you ban cephalid, I dont see why you arent banning other combo archtypes as well like reanimator etc, sneak atk, dream halls, etc.
Well actually, cephalid illusionist is just one combo deck. I just happen to do well with it and i tend to stick with it cause i don't have the cardpool or other money to invest in other decks.
Its quite easy to stop as Kuma mentioned. Any instant spot removal screws up the process and any graveyard hate screws it as well. So if you ban cephalid, I dont see why you arent banning other combo archtypes as well like reanimator etc, sneak atk, dream halls, etc.
Great article! I like your outsider viewpoint. I usually don't like replay videos (compared to live recordings) but you added good commentary. Good luck in the Invitational. Welcome to Classic! We just need 30 more people like you and we'd have a format again.
Naming this episode "All Good Things" makes it sound like it's the last episode.
Put some white in the community deck! It's the weakest color in eternal, but I've always been interested in finding a way to make it work as a bigger part of a deck because it has such powerful supporting cards.
Sounds like Zach needs a new mic.
You could probably do well with elephants, but bear in mind that's the bottom of the range rather than the top end. For a fast tribe, the vial is never dead, for a baseline of three-drops it takes four turns to come online.