Duskmantle Guildmage is another way to combo with Mindcrank if you activate it's first ability when a card goes into the opponent's graveyard. It requires less set up than Bloodchief Ascension but is a bit more mana intensive. It would be interesting if you could fit all the cards into the deck but it might be difficult.
I'm thinking of trying out this deck some time. I've also been thinking that Deathrite Shaman would work really well in the Bloodcrank deck. It's second ability activates the Ascension and it also has some nice synergy with Mindcrank as Mindcrank will refill the graveyard each time you activate Deathrite's second ability.
After watching the draft video, where you left a great Orzhov deck on the table, I was expecting to see a less triumphant tournament than it actually was (guess your great first hands and not super-effective opponents helped a lot). Kudos.
Question: do you start recording (and therefore commenting) every draft you play, then stop along the way if nothing interesting happens? Or you first decide to record and then go through with it, regardless?
I'd really like to see a Simic/evolve deck next time.
Dimir bloodcrank? Or grixis? Interesting thought...I like the guildmages for both, but they're a little mana heavy. It seems like you'd need to find the right conditions to make them work, which forces you to play more of a control-type build.
Something I have been toying around with as well is to run Prophetic Prism. Maybe over the amulet. It is mainly serving the same purpose. You dont get to ramp up but it allows to cantrip. My experience has been that I dont need the ramp but the color fixing. Just a thought.
Hey A.J,
Although I like Tidehollow and appreicate it's merit, it isn't a High Priest imo.
High Priest is Human and fits my cavern of souls theme. It is also a large peice of what my deck is built around.
Also non-land permanent removal is extrememly good in this format. In case you havent noticed our meta (as sparce as it is) is full of creatures and non-land permanents to kill.
To me, this deck is overextending itself trying to play the 3rd color, when it doesn't seem like it adds all that much maindeck.
G is giving us 4x Werebear (terrible drop unless you have threshold), and singleton copies of edge of autumn and temporal fissure.
It seems like we could replace the Werebears with another on-color beatstick (Gore-House Chainwalker or Village Ironsmith maybe -- or maybe even Geopede or Kiln Fiend).
most of the bomberman decks from back in the day also used exalted angel as plan b beatdown with salvagers and trinket mages. Well practiced pilots could complete the infinate loop in about 5 mins with an opponent at 20.
Tbe problem is this is classic with access to all of the most efficient spells to kill creatures ever to exist and a deck relying on a deathtouch guy and lightning prowess isn't viable as the likelihood of being blown out is just too high. The priest is good on his own as a blocker and the mayor pumping him is only a bonus.
I think auras can still be good even without hexproof. I see a lot of standard decks running Spectral Flight and Volcanic Strength a lot. I've had a lot of luck at FNM with deathtouch guys and Lightning Prowess. It's like any other strategy in Magic: when it works it's great.
I dunno, guys. Is killing non-land permanents really that good in this format? Why not just play Tidehollow Sculler, which is good vs. combo, control, and Lodestone Golem/Thorn?
Ah yes, but you used the word Hexproof. That makes a difference when getting two for oned.
My deck list has no hexproof creatures making it more probable to getting two for oned. Especially with a healthy number of opposing Abrupt Decays running around. Therefore it is unlikley that when you cast Arane teachings on Priest, that it doesnt make it before the preist is killed with any number on non damaging removal spells (STP, PTE, Abrupt Decay)meaning you cannot activate it's damage ability.
I guess what I am saying is i just don't like enchantments in the deck.
Part of the problem is you're falling into the Kavu Titan trap: If you keep something which has the potential to be bigger back until it can be bigger and only play it that way, then you lose a lot of its utility. Sometimes a bear is just a bear, sometimes a Kargan Dragonlord is just a quick beater, and if you're afraid to drop it as a 2/2 on 2, you're losing some of that utility. Some decks, particularly ones with a non-interactive mindset like elves, lack the spot removal to kill it quickly, and an unhindered Kargan Dragonlord can put your opponent in burn range in just a turn or two. It's attacking another part of the meta, and occasionally does an Ironclaw Orcs impression.
It's also worth using for the mind game. If your opponent holds back on removal mana, you can just swing without investing, making him take damage anyway, or spend the removal spell on an ordinary bear. Having gotten utility out of it, you can then invest with impunity or expand your board presence. Making him use his removal on the 2-drop can kill his ability to use it on the 3-drop, which with some of these mana bases would be game over. Your opponent can reveal a lot with how he responds to this one card, information you can then use.
As for the fireblasts, they are a highly efficient finisher burn. Also, when under the effects of Magus, they can get rid of your own nonbasics before casting Price to ensure that win isn't a draw. You'll note the deck is a bit landlight: With a Crucible out, a Fireblast can actually act as a point of mana acceleration as you tap, sacrifice and replay your mountains.
The conventional wisdom about auras has always been that they are bad due to the danger of "getting two-for-oned." However, that seems to be changing. There are hexproof decks that have done well the last few months, for example.
As for Arcane Teachings, I would prefer to think of it this way: if I play Teachings and manage to use it to destroy a particularly problematic permanent then I consider that a good trade. I wasn't expecting the High Priest to live long anyway. And, if you get in a situation where they don't have an answer right away for the Priest/Teachings, then you can get a lot of value out of those two cards.
The deck looks pretty sweet, though I question whether Noble Hierarch would be better in the Avacyn Pilgirm spot. I'd be interested to know what your strongest and weakest matchups are with the deck.
Arcane teachings definately has synnergy wtih High Priest.
However I don't like enchantments in the deck as they don't work well with Thalia and Glowrider and it is just to easy to get two for oned with removal.
In addition Ben the Mayors +1/+1 effect working with Priest is just a bonus. The Mayors main function is a Stax / control killer. I wouldn't be removing them from the deck period as they are just that good.
Thanks for your tech.
Maybe the best combo with High Priest of Penance is Arcane Teachings (see below, this would allow you to reduce seven slots - 4x Mayors and 3x Snipers - with 4 Teachings and 3 new slots). I think both options seem janky though.
Arcane Teachings
2R
Aura
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has "Tap: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player."
Good work on the videos. My only request is that you should always include a "Deck Tech" video in the beginning explaining the deck's strategy and card choices. Always helps for when we watch the video to understand why you are making certain choices during the match. But great work covering this new and fun series.
Yeah, in the game I show, I was able to get 7 creatures out. Admittedly it's a tribal deck, but I was able to do it without using creature tokens. So it shouldn't be extremely hard to get him to ultimate.
I will run Dark Confidant out 100% of the time regardless of top because short of flipping Inferno Titan, Cruel Ultimatum, or Nicol Bolas, PLaneswalker bob just doesn't do much damage to me. The only exception to this is if I'm at a really low life total (around 12 or less).
Psychic Spiral has actually been pretty good in practice because for some reason I always have a way to exile whatever I mill right away. Graveborn Muse hasn't come up much in games, but I don't have to see it much in game to know it will be good. Fire-Field Ogre is something I'm going to have to convince you is good because every time I've played him he has stone walled everything that people randomly wanted to send my way.
No Oblivion Stone. I know it is good and Grixis probable does need it, but I am willing to accept that this deck is a little week to enchantments.
if you get a lot of counters on Gideon first, and then ultimate you win. There is no doubt. The reason people don't like it is, a)It doesn't defend itself and b) is very slow to get the ultimate. I am a fan of a 4/4 indestructible human soldier. The problem is he wont stay a 4/4 if your opponent can damage him so you have to be able to protect him somehow. Once he starts swinging he's paying for himself. But before that not so much.
Duskmantle Guildmage is another way to combo with Mindcrank if you activate it's first ability when a card goes into the opponent's graveyard. It requires less set up than Bloodchief Ascension but is a bit more mana intensive. It would be interesting if you could fit all the cards into the deck but it might be difficult.
I'm thinking of trying out this deck some time. I've also been thinking that Deathrite Shaman would work really well in the Bloodcrank deck. It's second ability activates the Ascension and it also has some nice synergy with Mindcrank as Mindcrank will refill the graveyard each time you activate Deathrite's second ability.
After watching the draft video, where you left a great Orzhov deck on the table, I was expecting to see a less triumphant tournament than it actually was (guess your great first hands and not super-effective opponents helped a lot). Kudos.
Question: do you start recording (and therefore commenting) every draft you play, then stop along the way if nothing interesting happens? Or you first decide to record and then go through with it, regardless?
I'd really like to see a Simic/evolve deck next time.
Dimir bloodcrank? Or grixis? Interesting thought...I like the guildmages for both, but they're a little mana heavy. It seems like you'd need to find the right conditions to make them work, which forces you to play more of a control-type build.
Something I have been toying around with as well is to run Prophetic Prism. Maybe over the amulet. It is mainly serving the same purpose. You dont get to ramp up but it allows to cantrip. My experience has been that I dont need the ramp but the color fixing. Just a thought.
I do really like playing bloodcrank, due to Carnaval here on Rio, I was not able to use the new dimir mage on the build. Have you tryed it?
And it also gives access to cards in sideboard. You almost always have threshold when you're going to play a werebear.
Hey A.J,
Although I like Tidehollow and appreicate it's merit, it isn't a High Priest imo.
High Priest is Human and fits my cavern of souls theme. It is also a large peice of what my deck is built around.
Also non-land permanent removal is extrememly good in this format. In case you havent noticed our meta (as sparce as it is) is full of creatures and non-land permanents to kill.
Have you thought about Unearth in that dude-deck? I know it's a non-creature.
To me, this deck is overextending itself trying to play the 3rd color, when it doesn't seem like it adds all that much maindeck.
G is giving us 4x Werebear (terrible drop unless you have threshold), and singleton copies of edge of autumn and temporal fissure.
It seems like we could replace the Werebears with another on-color beatstick (Gore-House Chainwalker or Village Ironsmith maybe -- or maybe even Geopede or Kiln Fiend).
most of the bomberman decks from back in the day also used exalted angel as plan b beatdown with salvagers and trinket mages. Well practiced pilots could complete the infinate loop in about 5 mins with an opponent at 20.
cheeky penguin
Tbe problem is this is classic with access to all of the most efficient spells to kill creatures ever to exist and a deck relying on a deathtouch guy and lightning prowess isn't viable as the likelihood of being blown out is just too high. The priest is good on his own as a blocker and the mayor pumping him is only a bonus.
J
I think auras can still be good even without hexproof. I see a lot of standard decks running Spectral Flight and Volcanic Strength a lot. I've had a lot of luck at FNM with deathtouch guys and Lightning Prowess. It's like any other strategy in Magic: when it works it's great.
I dunno, guys. Is killing non-land permanents really that good in this format? Why not just play Tidehollow Sculler, which is good vs. combo, control, and Lodestone Golem/Thorn?
Ah yes, but you used the word Hexproof. That makes a difference when getting two for oned.
My deck list has no hexproof creatures making it more probable to getting two for oned. Especially with a healthy number of opposing Abrupt Decays running around. Therefore it is unlikley that when you cast Arane teachings on Priest, that it doesnt make it before the preist is killed with any number on non damaging removal spells (STP, PTE, Abrupt Decay)meaning you cannot activate it's damage ability.
I guess what I am saying is i just don't like enchantments in the deck.
Part of the problem is you're falling into the Kavu Titan trap: If you keep something which has the potential to be bigger back until it can be bigger and only play it that way, then you lose a lot of its utility. Sometimes a bear is just a bear, sometimes a Kargan Dragonlord is just a quick beater, and if you're afraid to drop it as a 2/2 on 2, you're losing some of that utility. Some decks, particularly ones with a non-interactive mindset like elves, lack the spot removal to kill it quickly, and an unhindered Kargan Dragonlord can put your opponent in burn range in just a turn or two. It's attacking another part of the meta, and occasionally does an Ironclaw Orcs impression.
It's also worth using for the mind game. If your opponent holds back on removal mana, you can just swing without investing, making him take damage anyway, or spend the removal spell on an ordinary bear. Having gotten utility out of it, you can then invest with impunity or expand your board presence. Making him use his removal on the 2-drop can kill his ability to use it on the 3-drop, which with some of these mana bases would be game over. Your opponent can reveal a lot with how he responds to this one card, information you can then use.
As for the fireblasts, they are a highly efficient finisher burn. Also, when under the effects of Magus, they can get rid of your own nonbasics before casting Price to ensure that win isn't a draw. You'll note the deck is a bit landlight: With a Crucible out, a Fireblast can actually act as a point of mana acceleration as you tap, sacrifice and replay your mountains.
And i'm kicking myself right now. Noble Hierarch is definitely better than pilgrim. Don't know how I missed it.
The conventional wisdom about auras has always been that they are bad due to the danger of "getting two-for-oned." However, that seems to be changing. There are hexproof decks that have done well the last few months, for example.
As for Arcane Teachings, I would prefer to think of it this way: if I play Teachings and manage to use it to destroy a particularly problematic permanent then I consider that a good trade. I wasn't expecting the High Priest to live long anyway. And, if you get in a situation where they don't have an answer right away for the Priest/Teachings, then you can get a lot of value out of those two cards.
Nice article and welcome to PureMTGO!
The deck looks pretty sweet, though I question whether Noble Hierarch would be better in the Avacyn Pilgirm spot. I'd be interested to know what your strongest and weakest matchups are with the deck.
Okay, will do!
Arcane teachings definately has synnergy wtih High Priest.
However I don't like enchantments in the deck as they don't work well with Thalia and Glowrider and it is just to easy to get two for oned with removal.
In addition Ben the Mayors +1/+1 effect working with Priest is just a bonus. The Mayors main function is a Stax / control killer. I wouldn't be removing them from the deck period as they are just that good.
Thanks for your tech.
Maybe the best combo with High Priest of Penance is Arcane Teachings (see below, this would allow you to reduce seven slots - 4x Mayors and 3x Snipers - with 4 Teachings and 3 new slots). I think both options seem janky though.
Arcane Teachings
2R
Aura
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has "Tap: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player."
Good work on the videos. My only request is that you should always include a "Deck Tech" video in the beginning explaining the deck's strategy and card choices. Always helps for when we watch the video to understand why you are making certain choices during the match. But great work covering this new and fun series.
Yeah, in the game I show, I was able to get 7 creatures out. Admittedly it's a tribal deck, but I was able to do it without using creature tokens. So it shouldn't be extremely hard to get him to ultimate.
I will run Dark Confidant out 100% of the time regardless of top because short of flipping Inferno Titan, Cruel Ultimatum, or Nicol Bolas, PLaneswalker bob just doesn't do much damage to me. The only exception to this is if I'm at a really low life total (around 12 or less).
Psychic Spiral has actually been pretty good in practice because for some reason I always have a way to exile whatever I mill right away. Graveborn Muse hasn't come up much in games, but I don't have to see it much in game to know it will be good. Fire-Field Ogre is something I'm going to have to convince you is good because every time I've played him he has stone walled everything that people randomly wanted to send my way.
No Oblivion Stone. I know it is good and Grixis probable does need it, but I am willing to accept that this deck is a little week to enchantments.
if you get a lot of counters on Gideon first, and then ultimate you win. There is no doubt. The reason people don't like it is, a)It doesn't defend itself and b) is very slow to get the ultimate. I am a fan of a 4/4 indestructible human soldier. The problem is he wont stay a 4/4 if your opponent can damage him so you have to be able to protect him somehow. Once he starts swinging he's paying for himself. But before that not so much.