I Knew it...it was bound to happen. Ever since it was banned in modern, I knew this would happen at some point. I even wondered why no one was doing this before. And actually, this weeks deck somehow made it better. This week has shown me that a certian combo knows no limits.
May God Help Us All
What does it do?
IF YOU EVER WONDERED HOW TO TAKE SPLINTER TWIN AND MAKE IT AN EDH DECK? THIS IS EXACTLY IT RIGHT HERE!
Seriously though, Splinter-Twin control. Oh, and I guess there’s green for some good stuff too. because why not? Find your combo of choice and see how things work out for you, just protect it while you’re getting there.
Lands
There are only 6 basic lands here. In a world where you have access to every fetchland and duel land. This is what it would look like. Oddly enough, No utility lands and no land destroy package. Guess we aren’t bothering with that plan. It’s a shame that the lands probably make up 1/2 of the budget here.
For Budget: Be realistic and play the duels you have. You’re playing an agressive search game, So coming in tapped is not an option.
For Multiplayer: Coming in tapped IS an option here. You have plenty of time to sit back and roll with the group. keep your lands low key.
Creatures
Krakis, Exarch, Pestermite, Conscripts - These are all non negotiable. Each partners as a combo piece with the other half - Kiki or Twin. The rest of the creatures are good old control bits.
For Budget: Keep your non-negotiables and maybe switch to mana dorks? It might help you when it comes to your seach plan.
For Multiplayer: Play whatever combo pieces you have and consider some dudes that buy back spells or possibly huge dudes as plan B.
Instants & Sorceries
Yo dawg, I heard you like to dig? I mean thats a part of it. But the majority of these slots are a ton of counterspells. Tutors strike me as much more important here, but then again i’ve never piloted this.
For Budget: Go ahead and use the counterspells and dig cards you have. Those are still the most important aspects to this deck.
For Multiplayer: Go with your protetion plans and ideas, But know that the more digging you cut makes your plan go longer.
Other Spells
Splinter twin - There’s your manditory in this department. Otherwise - this is just good stuff.
For Budget: Splinter Twin. Maybe use the other slots for another combo?
For Multiplayer: Splinter Twin.
Ya know, I’m actually kinda surprised we didn’t see this in a Jeskai shell. I know that the original shells included white, but green seems like an interesting addition. Especially if you get the bonus of not having creatures countered making the plan SIGNIFICANTLY easier. But at ~$500, this is not a deck for the light of wallet.
IT CAN BE if YOU BUDGET BUILD RIGHT!
I’m ACTUALLY excited to talk about this week. Why? Because it takes place in America in a place that used to be stomping grounds for me (no not the shockland). Coming out of Hamelton, NJ this week,
FFH Holiday Tournament Series
1st place: Lyzolda, the Blood Witch - Brie Baggaley
What does it do?
The deck is shoveled into the tag of Rakdos Control....Trust me, that surprised me too. Lyzolda is essentially your main engine and win by shocking/drawing cards with one of your recurring bodies Ad Nausium. Blow up what you don’t like find your next angle of attack. The creatures are huge bodies to clog the board and attack, while the planeswalkers are great backup to help you maintain control of the board state and close out if it goes long. It’s a very unique take from the typical agro builds.
Honestly, there’s quite a few cards that I can’t quite figure out why, BUT the win cons in this make me smile. They need really not any explaining if you’ve ever played against them.
Pack Rat....Hatred....Mogis God of Slaughter...
Pack Rat gets OUT OF CONTROL if unchecked. Nothing says - you misplayed bad, by getting beaned for 21 commander damage out of the blue by Hatred. And there’s no more painful reminder that you have 0 creatures than Mogis shocking you to death.
Lands
The sweet super tech in this is Kher Keep. While it doesn’t seem like much it’s an easy way to make guys to sac or keep the board clogged. I give up, I don’t understand the snow lands. I guess that's just personal touch. Everything else is pretty standard for a French list (Your lands also make up more than 1/2 the decks cost for this). Big shout out to the new BFZ - Blighted Fen.
For Multiplayer - Keep your basics, you’re going to look like an agro deck so keep your few non-basics for utility hate.
Creatures
My favorite part of the creatures in this deck may be just how many different angles there are. There are a few that do recursion - mostly for Lyzolda, but everything else is just value. Like TONS of VALUE. Most of these creatures are just a list of everything that was awful to deal with in standard over the last few years. Stormbreath, Olivia, Grave Titan, Pack Rat, Rabblemaster, the list goes on and they are all viable threats. Everything that’s not a threat, attempts to pick apart the opposing hand/field.
For Multiplayer - Try and stick to the value dudes plan or focus in the recursion guys. Undying does great here until you can get your pieces together.
Instants & Sorceries
Discard it or Kill it. Either way you aren’t allowed to have it. This takes all of the good things that these colors can do and jams them together. Your oddballs are Your tutors (find things) Hatred (win con), and Unearth (reanimate). Each can do its own thing for its own reasons. IMO, I don’t see the singleton reanimate as a really needed spell in this deck, I’d have rather had another bolt or a big red board wipe. But I don’t win big events, so what do I know.
For Multiplayer - Most of these are great in Multiplayer. For the 4 you really don’t need, consider leaving spots for a combo or some means of mass player removal.
Other Spells
Once again with 8 Planeswalkers - Do I REALLY have to talk about why they’re good? Let’s focus elsewhere.
The other permanents read to me like a greatest hits of cards you should include because you’d be silly not to. Bitterblossom, Jitte and Skullclamp are all just phenomenal cards. Sulfuric Vortex puts a great clock on your opponent, but it can land you in trouble - but you’re playing Rakdos so you love trouble already anyway. Shrine seems like a strange include. You’re not going to get enough counters to blow out anyone out, but you might get enough to take out any big creatures that land or give the finishing blow.
For Multiplayer - If you don’t have the planeswalkers or don’t like that plan, consider going Lyzolda infect ping or including big mana ritual spells.
There are A LOT of small nuances that this deck can abuse for just ~$300 and although there’s a few things I have knit picked on - I don’t hate this deck at all. This quick look at it REALLY doesn’t do it justice at how many angles this deck can really play on and how good it can be. This is also a great example of a deck that blurs the line between Competitive and Multiplayer ready.
Happy Holidays everyone! I thank you all from the bottom of my soul for each of you that even skims our articles and wish you all the best of whatever you celebrate and believe. If you are traveling anywhere make it safe and hopefully, you get to play a game or two of MTG while you have the time. I’ll see you after the holidays!
