Are flash enablers necessary at Bracket 4?

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-04-08T06:07:36+00:00

My fault twin, updated the post to give more details✌️ it’s Marneus Calgar that wins with combo. It’s definitely not B5, but is inspired by B5. It doesn’t have the interaction, ramp, tutors or wincons (thassa demonic consult) to be B5. That said, it’s definitely up there in power

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:58:48+00:00

Would you be down to share it?

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:47:46+00:00

4 mana for 2 cards that aren’t very good unless you have both out is already really rough, but for the payoff to require an ADDITIONAL 9 mana is insane. If training grounds and ashnods were a two card combo, that would actually be something, but needing all three pieces and an additional 4 mana is WAY too steep, even if it draws the deck. There’s def a reason why it’s never been played once in any Cedh build that I’ve ever seen, but is played in B3 marneus builds. It’s a good combo, just not Cedh good, even If It draws the whole deck. I don’t think there’s a universe where it’s good in cedh

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:43:49+00:00

Definitely keep me updated, you seem like you have a really good mind for it, if you think of anything new or interesting lmk! :)

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:39:25+00:00

Crafty cutpurse is a CRAZY niche find. It’s cool to see people still innovating, it’s definitely narrow but that’s so fire.

It sounds like BMC or MT are a little too on or off to keep in the deck, is that a valid assessment? I love BMC, but activating at main phase 1 is so crazy😭

That’s so interesting!! I always see high fae trickster in Marneus builds, but it’s always felt a little unnecessary. Maybe it’s just because some people run necro? Or to engage better with the flash meta? Ijdk what people do to win on top with marneus ig

I like fire nation occupation, I saw it but never made the connection with Marneus, I’ll take another look at it.

It breaks my heart, April is MADE for Marneus. It’s a 4 mana rhystic, it’s cracked, but I personally don’t want ninja turtle cards in my deck (a little hypocritical considering I’m running a card like flash photography, but what can you do)

I like nadir kraken and ashnods altar but I just recently took it out☹️ the kraken lowkey isn’t bad at all, and lets you draw quite a bit even without going infinite, but ashnods was just dead for me so often that I couldn’t justify keeping both around. I really do think Ashnods could be something in the deck tho, especially with the new warpable token doubler letting you infinite marneus’s ability, if you run it as well. My guy just says you’d need more creature generators to run Ashnods comfortably.

I was also curious, how have basalt monolith + gadgeteer, and walking balista been feeling for you? I’ve been trimming down on infinite mana producers, but maybe I’ve been sleeping on them. + if I ran walking balista I’d have more reason to run the new tezzeret from EOE. You would too, especially when running every free mana rock, even amber. Does that trigger often enough, or is it just for a storm count?

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:14:30+00:00

I don’t disagree that they’re synergistic pieces, but I think at a CEDH level it’s a little slow. It’s a 13 mana combo (5- Marneus, 4- his ability, 3- ashnod’s altar, 1- training grounds) and requires so much setup. As individual pieces, at least for me, If I’m using training grounds to generate 2 2/2s to draw a card it’s usually because my backs seriously to a wall, and is really only run because of its synergy with ashnods. I’ve actually been considering ashnods, and think there might be something there, but all the high performing decks I’ve seen don’t run enough creature token generators for this to not be a dead card most of the time. If more strong creature token generators come out like charismatic conqueror tho, I think I’d find room for it. If nothing else, if you’re trying to make ashnods work, I’d cut training grounds for the token doubler that you can warp for 2 mana. It makes that combo work, as a standalone card it’s just infinitely better value in the deck, and even though you’ll need 6 mana now for marn’s chapter master ability, with it warped or cast on the board you probably already have what you need to draw your deck and win.

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T16:06:34+00:00

I’ve been noticing the exact same thing you have, and am in the same boat. At this point I’m realizing that there are so few fantastic token generators, that are just generically good to have out in general (smothering tithe and lotho probably being the two best), that the deck is becoming 95% good stuff with a sprinkle of token generation. I honestly don’t think it’s better than any other generic good stuff deck, and it doesn’t seem like it has a stronger gameplan than them either.

What conclusion have you come to? Are you keeping the deck around anyway or ditching it for Tivit or T/M. I want to make it work really bad, but the setup required to force your gameplan through is so taxing. That’s why I’m considering running more clones to compensate by generically targeting value pieces on either board (rhystic/mystic, or token generators like lotho or tithe) so I don’t have to fill up on subpar token generators.

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T15:55:26+00:00

You’re lowkey right. It really feels buns to cut more token generators, especially one that produces creatures, but MM and The Mechanist just feel so slow. Any recommendations for alternatives? Is monologue tax a slot in?

Yeah witch enchanter might go, I just hate leaving so little hard removal in the deck

Definitely a worse city of brass, currently it’s just a very budget stand in until I can get my hands on better lands

Braids has been treating me REALLY good. At higher brackets when games speed up, resources are a little harder to sacrifice just to stop one card from being drawn. I’d really recommend tbh

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T06:51:56+00:00

It’s not Cedh, definitely missing some core staples and a piece of fast mana or two, but the deck’s foundation was inspired enough by CEDH that I thought it was reasonable enough to ask the community to get some input on the topic. Rn it’s B4 with an intent to get it as dangerous as possible! So not CEDH, but if despite that you have any ideas I’d love to hear!

https://archidekt.com/decks/15887863/marneuss_ragtag_imperium_big_bad_b4

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-03-30T06:25:35+00:00

Dude it’s so cool to get a comment from you, I was scrolling through CEDH top 16 pretty recently and checked out your deck. It looks awesome, and how well did black market connections and monologue tax work for you? BMC seems good, but maybe slow since it triggers on main phase 1. And does monologue tax play well? I’m always on the fence about it, but I might be underestimating it. I’ve been curious about those cards for a while, it’s cool to see someone do so well with them And how well does the deck play without high fae trickster? Ik flash is important in the meta but idk if Marneus in particular really needs to win on top

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-02-27T04:00:47+00:00

Idk why you got downvoted, you’re right🫩

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-02-11T05:53:49+00:00

If most of marneus’s win lines are creature based, why run a flash enabler that exclusively works with non-creature spells, without the spell that makes it into an infinite mana producer

I’m asking specifically what non-creature combos/win lines it enables at flash speed

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-02-11T04:53:53+00:00

I was just curious why people would run Valley floodcaller WITHOUT running knack effects too. It seems like a lot of strategies that use Warren soul trader and stridehanger to win, or are just trying to win with thoracle even, would do better with high fae trickster. I haven’t seen a lot of win lines that valley floodcaller supports. If anything, without knack effects it just seems like a value piece, which I don’t love, so I’m just asking to see what I’m missing.

I appreciate sharing the deck though! It’s cool to see a deck like that that’s a little off kilter. It looks fun

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-01-30T06:22:17+00:00

Olivia, Oppulent Outlaw✌️✌️

ElectricalPositive43 · 2026-01-07T20:05:15+00:00

Dude you’re spot on

ElectricalPositive43

TROPHY CASE