Flame Blast
x2
1
Initiate of the Sands
x4
1
Seek Power
x2
2
Apprentice Mage
x4
2
Grumbo's Platoon
x4
3
Barbarian Guerrillas
x3
3
Solfire
x4
3
Unlock Potential
x4
4
Ancient Lore
x4
4
Clock of Stolen Hours
x3
4
Crimson Firemaw
x4
4
Outmuscle
x3
5
Ixtol, Champion of Grodov
x4
6
Talir, Headmistress
x3
Fire Sigil
x5
Time Sigil
x8
Amber Waystone
x2
Granite Waystone
x4
Praxis Tome
x4
Seat of Impulse
x4
View Deck on Shiftstoned
Keeping with the budget+set cards restraint and the unleash theme I looked around for cost reduction effects and found Magnificent Stranger and Homesick Yeti, both playing nicely with the unleash theme and making Solfire and Outmuscle that much more scary when they hit them. For a bit less budget version I had a couple Library Phoenixes lying around that serve the same function and providing an alternative to the Crimson Firemaw. I generally took out Grumbo's Platoons and Unlock Potentials making the deck a bit more face-damagey. also 1-cost Solfire with Ixtol, Champion of Grodov in play is simply beautiful.
The last thing I have been experimenting with is splashing a bit of justice and switching out Clock of Stolen Hours with The Creation Project. I know, meta and whatnot, but after the nerf it straight up feels like an upgrade to the clock in the same place on the curve and I can't remember a single time I used the clocks ultimate. It also opens up alternate potential upgrades to seek power other than praxis blueprints. I don't really use it for anything else at the moment.
What do you think?
Earlier prototypes of this deck had Horn of Plenty instead of clocks. Clocks has a slightly cheaper cast cost and in lots of matches by turn 3 I could have Clocks in play, and that helped immensely with all of low-level creatures. I never cared for the ultimate...I think it only happened once for me. The Creation Project with the warp looks powerful but with 3 different colors I'd be worried about getting power screwed....but maybe its worth it even if you have to wait until late game to play it. I suppose if you can hang on that long then it makes playing one of those power-reducing cards an easier decision.
I can imagine you're swapping out Magnificent Stranger and Homesick Yeti for Grumbo's Platoon and Unlock Potentials. I personally like having Grumbo...its useful even in the early game, like if I'm off to a slow start and maybe need an extra creature to absorb an attack so I can hang in longer. And of course late game when I'm loaded with power its useful. I could see ditching Unlock Potentials for something else like Magnificent Stranger.
I think I might try a permutation with Magnificent Stranger and Homesick Yeti or something else that reduces costs and see how that works out.