This is my first time posting any brews so I apologize if I leave anything important out.
The goal of this deck is to survive the early game against aggro with removal and the early blocker
Glasshopper which also generates significant value with its summon ability. The midgame is the time to stabilize/win game with the threats of
Sandstorm Titan ,
Severin, the Mad Mage, and
Moonstone Vanguard. The late game is almost a sure win with
Apex Predator and
Quicksilver Mirror providing a huge amount of value.
This deck is extremely good at generating value so trading deficits when stabilizing are often ok.
Notable Cards:
Glasshopper : The start of the deck. Originally the deck was a spam of weak pledge minions, but I realized this card can be so much more useful in a shell with less but high impact pledge units. Great early blocker and the cost reduction is incredibly useful especially for stabilizing against aggro.
Bear Guard Bayonet : Surprisingly decent card. Plays the power undepleted so its incredibly powerful and efficient ramp. In games where you miss pledge on turn 1 it's bad but not unplayable
Display of Knowledge : The card that supports throwing random relics in the deck. It's great for surprising blockers, drawing into that
Xenan Obelisk or
Eye of Winter , or yeeting an attacker into the nether realm.
Call for Aid : Very powerful fast speed ramp card, but it's a bit awkward. The 4 drop slot is pretty saturated, but the effect is powerful and the ramp is significant. This card is very welcome late game as this deck doesn't usually reach 9 power for
Apex Predator . Edit: too slow for this deck
Apex Predator : The level 99 Chad boss of the mafia. Endurance, Killer, Ambush, and Pledge make this card insane if you can play it. Killer + Endurance allows it to kill and then block in the upcoming turn.
Quicksilver Mirror : Extremely powerful but kind of slow. The discount it gets from
Severin, the Mad Mage is great and is what got its place in the market over
Azindel, Revealed . This card is great at breaking board stalls especially if you have units with killer. Doesn't seem too necessary for the deck. Mirror image could just be better
Severin, the Mad Mage : Arguably the best card in this deck. The discounts are extremely relevant for all relics, especially for the activables like the rings and
Eye of Winter This deck is extremely rough so any input is welcome. All of the cards in the deck work decently, but I'm not sure what exactly are the weaker links.
Edit: This deck really relies on a decent midgame so I put in Initiate of Sands to ramp through the early game and took out
Hailstorm and
Call for Aid
Bear Guard Bayonet
x4
1
Initiate of the Sands
x4
1
Permafrost
x1
2
Eye of Winter
x1
2
Glasshopper
x4
2
Strategize
x4
3
Banish
x2
3
Display of Knowledge
x4
3
Ebon Dune Smuggler
x4
3
Great Valley Smuggler
x4
4
Sandstorm Titan
x4
4
Severin, the Mad Mage
x4
4
Xenan Obelisk
x1
5
Colossal Pteriax
x2
5
Moonstone Vanguard
x4
9
Apex Predator
x3
Primal Sigil
x2
Shadow Sigil
x2
Crest of Cunning
x4
Crest of Mystery
x4
Crest of Wisdom
x4
Elysian Banner
x2
Seat of Cunning
x2
Seat of Mystery
x1
Seat of Wisdom
x1
Xenan Banner
x3
View Deck on Shiftstoned
I've replaced 1 Apex Predator (a bit too expensive, you don't need 4) and 1 Xenan Obelisk (you never need 2) with 2 Colossal Pteriax. It increases a bit the chance to get a pledge in starting hand, and gives a nice beater with a good mana sink ability.
In the market, I've removed The Praxis Arcanum (I was never searching for it) and Quicksilver Mirror (too overkill) with 1 Cirso's Cleaver (which serves as great double removal once you reach 7 mana, but can also be used as soon as 5 mana) and 1 Equivocate (just to access cheap instant removal).
A few notes:
- Always mulligan hands without a pledge unit, the pledge cards (Bear Guard Bayonet and Glasshopper) really let the deck work on another level.
- One of the best way to use Display of Knowledge is to attack with a big guy into multiple small units. The AI will always block as though you had no tricks, and then you blow them out by giving (permanently) quickdraw to your unit.
I'll keep playing with the deck to try to improve it further!
Thanks for the comment! The changes you've listed really do make the deck more consistent. I tried Vara's Choice in place of Equivocate, but the fast speed of equivocate really brings it out on top. I don't know how I feel about having three different types of hard removal in the market though, so I'm looking at potential substitutes for feeding time. I feel that the deck would greatly benefit from aoe damage for the pesky token decks, but time lacks aoe and the other 2 factions are only fetched by half the merchants in the deck. Colossal Pteriax has been a great substitute for a Xenan Obelisk and an Apex predator. I was too obsessed with the new unit that it ended up clogging a lot of hands in this deck.
Thanks for the contributions, they really helped the deck's consistency!