#Temur Spellslinger (Modal Edition!)

104 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

warped vector
brittle frigate
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I've been playing Riku since he dropped, and my win rate with the deck is currently 4-1, only losing to bad draws (which happens sometimes for any deck).

What Riku needs to be consistently doing is flipping the card quality on its head. This means, ironically, many spree cards are BAD because of the additional costs associated with the extra modes.

I think the big things holding this list back is the card quality. Most modal spells are bad because they are costed appropriately for a card that can do any thing the modes list but usually have a limit. "choose two" on a card with 4 modes is not uncommon.

We want to be maximizing the amount of modal spells that have 2 or more modes, while keeping card quality high. We also want to be protecting our gameplan and contributing to the board, all without appearing as TOO much of a threat that we become the target. Effectively, we want to be leveraging the "bad" card quality we have to appear as not a threat while filtering the value through Riku's ability to go over the top.

The biggest problem is, VERY few modal spells give more than two options. So we will still need to have some "choose 1" modals.

One thing that helped me in deck construction is evaluation of how best to be contributing to the board. Riku is a target, so the best thing to do is take the target away from him. I run a HEFTY creature suite to help with this: Lier to reuse modal spells, Hullbreaker horror to control the table, MOM Etali for an aggressive push, Elder Gargaroth for a high-value life total pressuring attacker, among others.

What's happening here is less impactful.

Your creatures arent doing much significant on their own, you're running the wrong Ojer, and many of the choices made here are subpar.

We don't need (or want) pingers. That paints more of a target on us. What we want is chump blockers, to make us harder to attack into. Talrand, young Pyromancer, Murmuring mystic...that kind of stuff.

brittle frigate
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For cuts, lets start by getting rid of the cards that arent actually modal even though they seem like they would be; as well as addressing the bad modal spells present.

Decimate, Dance of the tumbleweeds, Open the Gates, Over the edge, Jailbreak Scheme, Ponder, Preordain, Traverse the outlands, Brutal Expulsion, Eureka Moment, Naturalize, Phantom interference, Verdant Command, Brainstorm.

All are either not modal, are poor card quality, are outclassed by better on-theme cards, or just don't do enough. As I said earlier, many of the spree cards scale into commander horribly, even if they are mechanically very cool.

Thats 13 cuts and we still arent done, onto creatures and enchantments:

Depth defiler (not modal in a way Riku can respond to), Ojer Axonil (only good with a limited amount of the deck), Ral (doesnt do enough), Melek (Copies arent cast), Firebrand Archer and Guttersnipe (while impactful, cutting Ojer Axonil weakens their effectiveness such that they cant effectively contribute in the ways we want), Frontier Seige, and finally Leyline of Combustion (retaliationary shock isnt too bothersome to play through).

Thats 21 total cuts. I generally try to stray from "add these specific cards" type of advice as it both homogenizes decks and in my mind doesnt actually teach anyone anything, just tells them to follow a cook book and thats not what I want out of commander so thats not what I want to be bringing.

What I'm going to suggest you do is look at the confluence cycle, any ways to give spells rebound or flashback, and anything that shores up the ramp and removal package. The reason Rebound works so well for us is because unlike a copy, the spell is still cast so Riku can see it. Lastly, keep an eye out for anything that makes a chump blocker on instant/sorcery/noncreature spell cast. Look to include a finisher or two.

Here's my list, for reference:

https://archidekt.com/decks/7160239/modalspellsdec

Archidekt
Modalspells.dec • (Commander / EDH deck) • Archidekt

Riku of Many Paths - Commander / EDH deck

(1) Commander • (6) Artifact • (18) Creature • (4) Enchantment • (27) Instant • (32) Land • (12) Sorcery

warped vector
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Ok sorry for the long delay but I did finally decide on some finishers.

So to start with since I'll be casting (hopefully) a bunch of spells I can look into playing [[Ignite Memories]] and obviously playing [[Aetherflux Reservoir]].

merry plankBOT
warped vector
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Im a bit iffy on Ignite Memories because I realistically don't actually know how many times i can get Spells off.

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Also would you recommend running The Medallions for Temur colors?

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The only two spells that really are worth it with Rebound (in Temur colors) is [[Cast through time]] and the blue Ojer

merry plankBOT
warped vector
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Along with [[Quantum Alignment]]

merry plankBOT
brittle frigate
warped vector
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I see.
This is what I've come up with.

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I feel like I should run a protection spell or two

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I decided to run Heroic Intervention over You meet at a tavern

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Since I'm running Tooth and Nail

dusk haven
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I also built Riku, and there are two cards I'm running I'm curious on your thoughts on because they seemed like a solid inclusion but I've not seen as many people run them (including your lists). [[party thrasher]] and [[quandrix apprentice]]

merry plankBOT
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https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/129/party-thrasher

Party Thrasher <:mana1:292901508373282827><:manar:292901508796645397>

Creature — Lizard Wizard
Noncreature spells you cast from exile have convoke. (Each creature you tap while casting a noncreature spell from exile pays for mana1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, you may discard a card. If you do, exile the top two cards of your library, then choose one of them. You may play that card this turn.
1/4

dusk haven
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I'm using [[smuggler's surprise]] instead of heroic intervention but obviously it isn't as broad.

merry plankBOT
warped vector
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Which given thought really adds to the explosiveness

warped vector
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[[Marton Stromgald]]

merry plankBOT
warped vector
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I think this is an excellent payoff alongside Aetherflux and Ignite Memories.

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You're making a bunch of tokens

brittle frigate
dusk haven
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He wouldn't be RL if he had a more modern printing

brittle frigate
dusk haven
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Yeah. Somehow he's only $6 something

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I think because he stays a 1/1

warped vector
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RL?

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Oh

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Damn

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He's Reserved List

warped vector
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But yeah I was playing him the other day, loaned from a friend. Then bought myself a copy to put in Riku.

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Since the deck spams tokens (and just creatures in general) he's pretty effective at turning into a Craterhoof.

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Just gotta make sure he lives to be able to swing out.

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Which is why I'm planning to play [[Lightning Greaves]] along with [[Swiftfoot Boots]] and [[Lavaspur boots]].
(The last two are already in the deck, I just need Greaves)

merry plankBOT
warped vector
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Gold fishing my current irl deck

PXL_20240805_021707574.jpg
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So all my other creatures are getting +17/+17 thanks to Marton

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(that are attacking)

south raft
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I'm also building Riku and I lean towards maximizing his triggers. That's why I all of my instants and sorceries are modal.

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With deck so niche it's easy to loose momentum

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Think of it almost like an enchantress deck - any non-enchantment spell is a major speedbump

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I believe it also applies to Riku, since with modals he's a great source of card advantage

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For example, [[counterflux]] can be replaced by new [[spellgyre]] which is 1 mana more but monocolored and modal

merry plankBOT
south raft
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I would also reconsider cutting [[tooth and nail]] since 7/9 mana is not worth the creatures you have in your deck.

merry plankBOT
south raft
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Cheating out Marton is cool but exept for maybe Ojer Pakpatiq or Veyran there are not too many picks.

south raft
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Also a card that I recently stumbled upon is [[perplexing test]]

merry plankBOT
south raft
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For a board full of tokens that can be buffed with something like Marton it's a [[cyclonic rift]] for less than a dollar

merry plankBOT
dusk haven
south raft
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Then [[reverse polarity]] it is

merry plankBOT
south raft
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No this one

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[[Reverse the polarity]]

merry plankBOT
south raft
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I like to stick to the theme with my decks and Riku gives an awesome payoff for doing so

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But hey, you make the rules

warped vector
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I'm all for suggestions after all

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So reverse the polarity would be nice.

warped vector
south raft
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You do you, I cut Tooth and Nail in my deck since I'm not focusing on cheating out big creatures or combo pieces.

dusk haven
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[[primal command]] and [[smuggler's surprise]] are both good replacements for tooth and nail

merry plankBOT
dusk haven
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Depending on whether you were using for tutoring or deploying

warped vector
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Pulled mine from an OTJ bundle

warped vector
dusk haven
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I think the only deck I've played tooth and nail in was a Tatyova list that I was getting a 2 card combo with

warped vector
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Ahhh

warped vector
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[[Jeska's Will]] needs to be added.

merry plankBOT
south raft
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Sure, if it's affordable for you then go for it.

warped vector
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Definitely planning to

warped vector
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How do you feel about [[Communal Brewing]]? Also pulled a copy of BoP so that's going in over one of the 1 drop green dorks

merry plankBOT
dusk haven
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I don't love it for Riku.

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It's a 3 mana group hug card that cares about casting creatures.

warped vector
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oh wait yeah i didnt read it was a cast trigger

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otherwise i would have actually tried it

dusk haven
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There's another enchantment from bloomburrow I like more but it's better for Riku decks that want to put counters on Riku

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[[stocking the pantry]]

merry plankBOT
south raft
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If we're going that way, [[symmetry matrix]] is the [[mind's eye]] of token makers

merry plankBOT
south raft
warped vector
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Remote game.

PXL_20240814_033456796.jpg
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12/12 commander with Stromgald and 9 other creatures

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So +10/+0

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Plus commander had Trample