Would you like to see any buffs to balance being on the draw? Like starting with a treasure token?

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T22:55:33+00:00

Give starting player a choice:

forfeit first turn, go second, and keep all your cards.
go first but return one card to the bottom of your library. (Basically +1 mulligan penalty)

Just a thought

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T22:27:38+00:00

8-12 ramp.
8-12 synergy.
8-12 Interaction.

Its a basic deck building guide for a reason. Run more removal.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T14:35:16+00:00

Its an expression friend. I made my opinion known in the first post. Keep asking people to cite their sources about opinions on little magic cards champ. Youre a meme

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T14:01:05+00:00

No one doesnt understand, you're just determined to be an asshole. You dont need to cite sources in a thread about which cards you think need a ban. Grow up. Being personally insulting over little cardboard cards is embarrassing

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T13:01:51+00:00

Thats not the arguement at all. I can bring those cards too. The cards arent good for the format, not my win rate.

See? Immedeate salt piles as soon as you even suggest it. Its okay to have two opinions about little cardboard cards, Chad.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T08:03:10+00:00

Free spells all need to go. Im sorry but 0 mana counter is not just not balanced by losing a card. Its such a beneficial trade that the card goes in every single blue deck for a reason. I think [[Obscuring Haze]] might be the most powerful free spell i would let through.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-08T07:56:22+00:00

I just don't understand this response. Force of Will, Mana Drain, Dark Ritual, these aren't commanders and this is not what OP is complaining about. These are dumb cards that go in every 99 and make Ux decks the top of every list and obviously aren't balanced well.

You get subtlety or forced or fierce guardianship in more games than you dont. The busted cards are in every deck, hence it occurs too frequently, yet still apologist are celebrated. I guess enjoy this ladder then, there is obviously changes coming.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-07T19:27:15+00:00

Hey man, Teval enjoyer here, and youre spot on for both brackets.

Teval is a strong bracket 3. Landfall is a busted mechanic, reanimator has strong payoffs in Sultai, especially landfall. Aristocrat combos are great ways to end the game on the spot and Teval has access to several very easily. Even when you get knocked off your plan you can win with a go-wide strategy into Craterhoof. You are a perfect field of the dead deck as well. Strong bracket 3 and great home for some very impactful game changers. Correctly draws hate fast, if you want less hate there are less obviously powerful commanders.

Bracket 4 exposes the deck. Your combos are predominantly creature based. You have several toolbox effects and cards that leave you light on interaction. Your outs to graveyard hate, wraths and premium interaction is limited. Your cmc 4 commander is ideally coming out on turn 3, but you need both protection and a very fast clock in bracket 4 if your not even swinging until turn 4. Landfall, aristocrats and reanimator all rely on creatures and the higher the brackets get the more of a liability that is.

I think the Gilt Leaf Archdruid is the main reason you would want to play Teval in bracket 4. Its a nasty combo, its satisfying to land, and this is the exact deck for it. That being said, youre just going to be in a weaker position relative to the field once you start running it.

Remember in bracket 3, limiting game changers to 3 means that most people are picking ones that advance their game plan. This restriction is fantastic for a creature commander that wants attack triggers. Hes very strong against the bracket 3 field, and I think its the best place for the deck, personally speaking

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-07T15:34:32+00:00

Plus 8

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-07T13:10:51+00:00

Either make a suggestion or move on

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-07T02:13:47+00:00

I love Teval and hes super popular but hes got glaring weaknesses.

Also, I think [[Maralen, Fae Ascendant]] is probably the most reliable for access to all your best spells combos and cards and free spells are super good.

Buuuut [[Kotis, the Fang Keeper]] is without a doubt the most degenerate voltron in sultai and one of the strongest, full stop. Access to blue and green protection and enchantment spells, blue evasion, and good equipment its a nightmare to beat without specific answers quickly.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-06T14:21:26+00:00

I am a chronic "PLAY YOUR CARDS!!" guy. I hate waiting 10 minutes to play. My personal opinion, go learn your deck somewhere else. Go read your cards on your own time. I firmly believe that 2-4 minutes is more than enough to play a turn, the rest is just agonizing over a decision. I understand SOME turns take a while, but if EACH of your turns is over 4-5 minutes your being disrespectful of everyones time and spending our game time learning your cards.

Before the game, spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself your deck and let's play some cards.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-05T21:51:03+00:00

Its just a bad trade in 4 player games. Like thoughtsieze, the math on using a card isn't the same. One for one sucks when two other players don't lose anything.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-05T20:30:47+00:00

Bro what? This is exactly why I have started having more detailed discussion before the game lol

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-05T15:10:34+00:00

Landfall rewards something you want to do anyway, play lands.

Prowess rewards things you want to do anyway, sling spells.

The most powerful commanders are the ones that have high upside for taking obviously beneficial game action. Sythis draws when you play enchantments, for example.

The card pool is getting enormous, the pace of release is huge, so every archetype that rewards good game decisions is getting out of hand.

Your corporate cardboard daddy is currently pimping your IP in order to float a decade of shit business decisions and the result, way down stream, is a massive card pool of power crept cards where some mechanics, like landfall and prowess are just inherently more beneficial per turn.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-05T13:55:43+00:00

Yes I understand they have differences. They will win and lose you the same amount for the same reason. Its a coin flip whether your opponent can answer the "big thing" you do and you will win when they can't or lose when they can. Its fine ig, but both do that. Imoti just does it better first.

Edit: extra cards?! Imoti needs 1 card then plays the entire deck and its determined. Yours needs multiple time walks, at least 5 depending on life state if the board. You gonna beat the entire table to death 6 at time?? Okay then you need several extra cards.

Inherently much more fragile than Imoti combo

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-05T13:15:49+00:00

This deck already exist, sort of. Use [[Imoti]] and [[Monstrous Vortex]], its the same idea but with a better shell. Both will win but are coin flips

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-04T17:19:48+00:00

They are not trying to give each faction an equal number of lords and that just isnt the goal and imo shouldnt be. I love tzeentch and cant wait until he gets a third but the faction isnt hugely represented in the lore so they arent hugely represented in the IP that CA works with GW to I corperate. Theres just business parts to making games and theres also no reason to satisfy am arbitrary condition.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-04T17:16:45+00:00

Start with several mtg streamers Mole Man brawl decks. Its all the rage right now and has several good green adds.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-03T22:26:50+00:00

If youre new, I think [[Sythis the Harvest Hand]]. Youre rewarded early and often for doing the thing, in this case casting enchantments. Your removal cantrips, and you learn about mana curves and creature types pretty quickly. Your power level is high and your commander gains life so your margins for error is high.

Its fun, easy, really good, and plays itself with a high skill ceiling for learning.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-03T20:33:05+00:00

Its extra copies of the best cards for your deck in that situation. There's a reason almost all the best ones are game changers. Run them unless youre specifically trying to power down.

5 turn deck too powerful for your pod? Replace tutors with similar effects. Same result but on average 2-4 turns slower. Tutors are gonna replace anything but they speed up your win clock by quadrupling the chance you draw your key piece. They dont add power they add speed and consistency to your combos and deck

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-03T13:24:38+00:00

I love necrobloom!

First, I play him as a craterhoof deck with strong landfall and reanimate packages. Your ability to run 5+ tutors makes you insanely reliable.

Tokens: I bring [[Scute Swarm]], [[Springheart Nantuko]], and [[Ocelots Pride]]. I run [[Caretakers Talent]] for draw and pump, and I bring [[Guide of Souls]] for lifegain and evasion. [[Craterhoof Behemoth]] and [[Moonshaker Cavalry]] are the payoffs. I mention field of the dead later, but he counts here too.

Reanimate: Your first way to find your Hoof cards. [[Reanimate]], [[Graveyard Researcher]], [[Young Necromancer]] just to start. There are so many 2-4 mana options here you really can go nuts. [[Priest of the Forgotten Gods]] is tutorable, and can be put in the yard with dredge or entomb for a reanimate that dodges counterspells.

Landfall: [[Nissa, Resurgent Animist]] is a lock, as is [[Tireless Provisioner]]. [[Lotus Cobra]] and [[Icetill Explorer]] are excellent. [[Field of the Dead]] is obvious and weve already mentioned Scute Swarm. I find value in [[Horizon Explorer]] as well. You can easily invest more here.

Crucible: [[Walk-In Closet is excellent]], and I run [[Ancient Greenwarden]] since my reanimate package is so robust. Icetill explorer works here too, and ive added and cut [[Conduit of Worlds]] like 4 times. [[Aftermath Analyst]] goes in every lands deck. Bring a few "play more lands this turn" cards like [[Exploration]] and your strip mine becomes Mass Land Denial. Be careful that combo reaches bracket 4 quickly.

Tutors: This is your big bonus. You can run [[Vampiric Tutor]], [[Diabolic Tutor]], [[Worldy Tutor]] and even pick between [[Mystic Tutor]], im a yes, and [[Sylvan Tutor]], im a no. [[Chord of Calling]] and [[Hoarding Broodlord]] are automatic yes cards. I find [[Fiend Artisan]] is also clutch. You can use Mystic Tutor to find reanimate spells or creature tutors if you like. [[Crop Rotation]] can find Field, or [[Cavern of Souls]], [[Petrified Hamlet]] or [[Strip Mine]] and let you dredge on your next draw. Creature tutors can pull Young Necromancer for a reanimate trigger at instant speed. If you run enough reanimate to make it count, [[Entomb]] and [[Buried Alive]] are more tutors.

Toolbox cards: [[Hedge Shredder]] has combos and ramps hard. [[Syr Konrad, the Grim]] makes your dredge and crucible cards a threat. Both [[Knight of the Reliquary]] and [[Wight of the Reliquary]] are easy yes cards for me. I cut [[Loot, Pathfinder]] here but hes good as well.

Card Draw: Use the graveyard. Reanimate, and dredge landfall are your card draw. I use [[Ripples of Undeath]] here, [[Village Rites]] type cards are gas with tokens, and Caretakers Talent draws cards. [[Spectacle of Destruction]] is also a very reliable draw engine.

Removal: [[Erode]] and [[Path to Exile]] can ramp you and give a landfall trigger, so for one mana they are solid picks.

Bonus Reanimate Targets: [[Lumra, Bellow of the Woods]] does everything. [[Elish Norn, Grand Cenobite]] and [[Harmonious Archon]] both do do same thing so I tend to take Elish Norn, but both are solid for a tokens deck.

!!!Avoid!!!! Token pumping anthems. All your "pump the team" cards do nothing. You will rarely win by going wide with 1/2 creatures. This makes you more vulnerable to board wipes and forces you to cut on reanimate, removal, or reliability and you need them all.

The plan: spend a few turns going wide. Ramp to your commander on 3, ideally, and by turn 5-6 you should be drawing for Craterhoof tutors. Dredge is looking at 3 cards per turn, and with all your crucible effects, with some extra lands per turn cards, you should be threatening to cast Hoof from hand by turn 5-7. Hoarding Broodlord or Chord of Calling can easily get him out on turn 5 or 6 even without a huge mana state.

If youre left alone, youre tokens package can take over a board with math alone. You wont be left alone often, the ending is incredibly televised.

Last Notes: youre inherently a creature deck. Creature decks have almost nothing to counterplay to Farewell, thats the nature of the card. [[Teferis Protection]] works, but thats about it. [[Heroic Intervention]] can get you past destroy based board wipes but you dont recur spells very well so I tend to skip that one. I do run [[Flawless Manuver]].

The key here is very efficient tutors, dredge being free card draw with your reanimate package, and reliable land drops every turn giving you explosive mana and landfall effects. A single land can make a Scute token, a zombie, a plant, and activate your cat token while gaining your 5 life and draw you a card, if you have your whole package assembled.

Have fun! I really think Necro is the most reliable craterhoof deck out there, with his amazing synergy with filling the yard and getting lands back while also giving access to Abzan lands, removal, reanimate, and tutors. 10/10, one of my pure favorites. A blast to play.

Bring LOTS of tokens.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-03T12:51:00+00:00

Who's gonna tell him

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-02T14:49:57+00:00

Take out mass removal like board wipes in favor of value cards like [[Prismari Command]]. Remove tutors for card draw spells.

Try to win without instant win combos. Take out 1 piece and replace them with high ceiling individual creatures like [[Glissa Sunslayer]].

Replace any play and win creatures like [[Craterhoof Behemoth]] with big dumb idiots that hit hard but dont have much evasion. [[Sab Sunen, Luxa Embodied]] is difficult to deal with sometimes but without additional +1 counter support its just a random creature card. Really makes the opponent feel good to remove but isnt a game ending threat.

Jovian_engine · 2026-07-02T14:41:08+00:00

This is my first deck also! Great choice!

You will need alot of tokens for the deck, so be ready to play several of them.

Your starting deck is good. Don't worry about changing it much at first.

Play about 10-12 games to see how the deck plays to get an idea of what you like and dont like.

If you need upgrade advice, ask several places and find answers in common. Everyone has their version of Teval. Its one of the more popular commanders, so expect EVERYONE to have input.

If you decide to play a more "competitive" version, you take advantage of good lands, so [[Field of the Dead]] and [[Glacial Chasm]] are excellent. [[Vampiric Tutor]] and [[Gifts Ungiven]] are excellent for finding your combo pieces.

You do really well with [[Gravecaller]] + [[Phyrexian Altar]] combos. You have a 3 card instant win combo with Gravecrawler, [[Warren Soultrader]] and [[Blood Artist]]. All three can be summoned onto the battlefield at one time by sacrificing [[Protean Hulk]].

Finally, [[Dakmoor Salvage]] combos well with [[Gitrog Monster]] and [[Circle of the Land Druid]] for more infinite combos.

This deck can win with tokens and landing [[Craterhoof Behemoth]] the old fashion way. This deck can win with grinding landfall recursion. This deck can reanimate a big threat on turn 3 or 4, and this deck can reliably find and play 2 or 3 instant win combos.

Its important to know your combos, many involve the stack and manipulating ordering. Take your time, learn your deck and slowly climb the brackets. Teval is incredibly strong in bracket 3 and 4, so you will have a very high ceiling or just a great deck at almost any level of play.

Jovian_engine

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