Monday MtG: Marisi, Breaker of the Coil

Marisi, Breaker of the Coil

I gave up alcohol and sweets for Lent, so buying gaming-related things as a present for my March birthday is my excuse for another round of Magic singles.  Particularly, all the monarch and goad cards my collection is missing.

RGW, or Naya, decks have been attempted before.  I ran Marath, Will of the Wild (as a Deathtouch machine gun), and a terrible try at a political deck headed by Gahiji, Honored One.  Marath worked better than Gahiji, but neither scratched that itch, so they were scrapped for parts.

Now, though, I have Marisi.  I suspect it will do poorly in a creature-light environment, but that environment will hopefully be the exception, not the rule.  Gahiji will be in the 99, as will Jared Carthalion, Heir Apparent.  

Monarch and Goad are like peanut butter and chocolate.  I haven't been this truly excited for a new deck in a decade.  All the others, good and bad, have been workmanlike and there.  This deck, though, promises to be fun.  

To keep the deck an honest build, I researched it the old-fashioned way: sifting through my collection, seeking what might work.  Eventually, I will check some decklists somewhere, but not until the deck is initially ready to go.

My preliminary draft features far too many 6cmc cards, well over a dozen.  I have a few oddballs, as well, cards I don't think I have ever sleeved: Total War, Sworn Defender, and Serene Master.  In theory, at least, they should play well in a creature-heavy environment.

To better encourage combat, I've added some group-huggy cards: Crescendo of War, Evolutionary Escalation, and Keeper of Progenitus. Some players dislike hugs, because it too often results in kingmaking.  Which is funny, because Monarch.  Combat also means combat instants.  Master Warcraft, Blood Frenzy, and my baby, Hunter's Insight.  A special word about Blood Frenzy; aside from its sweet Paolo Parente art, it doubles as creature destruction - ideally, it takes out two creatures.  Granted, Blood Frenzy is a pale imitation of Berserk, but it is also far cheaper than $20+ USD.

This deck features some overlap with my Xenagod deck, notably Xenagos, God of Revels himself.  Because of this overlap, I am avoiding infinite attacks, although Scourge of the Throne and its thematically fitting Dethrone mechanic can allow for a spare attack or two.  Aurelia, the Warleader serves a similar purpose.

All the gold cards makes me strongly consider adding Urza's Filter to the deck.  It is competing with Commander's Sphere, Arcane Signet, Chromatic Lantern, and Mana Geode, so I don't know if it will make the final cut.  Still, it is a thought, and an excuse to sleeve it up and run it.

While the deck isn't much for extra single draw, beyond Monarch, it does mass draw fairly well.

Dirty tricks are sometimes necessary to win, and many Magic players argue that infect is the dirtiest trick of all.  Especially when Hydra Omnivore or Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar is involved.  In my colors, the only way to see this dirty trick through is with Triumph of the Hordes and Grafted Exoskeleton; the former made my first draft of the deck, and the latter is available in my box.  

The cards have arrived! 

Being foil only (a dumb, dumb, dumb choice, WotC), Marisi (and Pramikon and Xyris) arrived seriously warped.  A sleeve and some weight will help, but they are done.  At least when they are commanders, their warping won't result in what amounts to a marked card.

Anyhow, I am at 150ish cards, so cuts will be deep.

Decklist