#Mana Curve Questions

19 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

frank spire
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I’m trying to tune my blink deck (Ranar), but I've noticed it's a bit slow to get going in the early game. I’ve been studying Frank Karsten’s articles on land counts and mana curves to help, so I understand the fundamentals of 'curving out.'

I feel like I need more low mana value permanents to establish a board state, but I’m hesitant to cut my low cost interaction and protection spells. Does anyone have advice on balancing the curve for a blink archetype specifically? I'm looking for general brewing philosophies to keep in mind so I don't stall out in turns 1-4.

Here's my deck if anyone wants to see it. I know it needs work but I'm just trying to figure out what that is. https://archidekt.com/decks/17117960/ranar

Archidekt
Ranar • (Azorius Commander deck) • Archidekt

Ranar the Ever-Watchful - Commander deck

(1) Commander • (1) Anthem • (15) Blink • (1) Clones • (1) Creature • (14) Draw • (1) Finisher • (29) Land • (7) Protection • (11) Ramp • (1) Recursion • (16) Removal • (2) Tokens

brazen heart
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In my experience, blink usually doesn’t have a lot of offer early game. Inherently, relying on cheap creatures with ETB’s usually means their stats are not going to be formidable. In my decks, I either want to establish an early game control peice [[skyclave apparition]] or just conventional ramp. [[Abdel Adrian]] is really good a converting these early game plays into tremendous value as the game progresses, helping validate these [[Charming prince]] style of cards.

I’d also suggest reconsidering your understanding/application of mana curve. Generally yes a good mana curve will allow you to efficiently use turns but often times the traditional curve considers high CMC bombs as the finishers. Often times blink is much more subtle. Grinding a game away with strong interaction and accumulating resources. Realistically, you might need the 9 turns to accumulate a board that can actually win with your finishers.

Are you open to combos or engine/loop style effects?

civic solsticeBOT
frank spire
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I am open to anything! I have 2 bombs in the deck and a couple of combos to loop but I'm still open to ideas and learning.

brazen heart
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So the way I like to play my control decks is winning through attrition. Blink is great a repeatable value so setting up engines is my favorite way to play. My blink deck feels strongest when I can always have a blink in hand. [[Ghostly Flicker]] and [[Archeomancer]] can loop any ETB creature and the ghostly flicker guaranteeing your blink. (If you don’t already know, your blinks are single target protection also). Through these consistent interaction and protection loops you can get cards like [[murmuring mystic]] can help you accrue those resources slowly but surely. Cards like [[Chamelion, master of disguse]] can double your effectiveness of these value engines and, when blinked, can become any other value engine peices in the board.

Also playing blue, you will have a lot easier time recurring instants/sorceries rather then creatures so it can be tricky finding your decks balance .

civic solsticeBOT
brazen heart
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If you add in cards like Abdel or [[lumbering pack beast]] you can group/protect your squishy ETB creatures

civic solsticeBOT
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No card found for “lumbering pack east”

brazen heart
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[[lumbering packbeast]]

civic solsticeBOT
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No card found for “lumbering packbeast”

brazen heart
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Abdel goes absolutely CRAZY in blink tthemes

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[[Lumbering Battlement]]

civic solsticeBOT
frank spire
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Awesome. Thanks for your help and input. I'm going take a another take at this. I might dm you is that's okay.