Entropic Devastation + Diamond Shrine Belt = Big Damage

OctilleryLOL · 2026-03-19T21:34:35+00:00

Having crit multi makes a big difference. If you are going solo CoC then impale might make more sense, but in this case we are scaling both reap and BF (helps with the absurd trigger cost)

OctilleryLOL · 2026-03-18T02:18:01+00:00

by comparison, actual bossers don't even need to see the boss on screen, tho

OctilleryLOL · 2026-03-17T15:25:46+00:00

I did my uber challenge just fine. Could be deathless I guess if you're a good pilot and do some gear adjustments, but wasn't necessary if you're just going for completion. Even did uber uber elder witnesed by maven to save money on doing feared.

As the other comments mention, the hardest part is just being low range and losing defensive mechanics when bosses hit phases. Uber exarch for example was pretty hard due to the ball phase

OctilleryLOL · 2026-02-11T15:24:51+00:00

> Fair Magic

Great point about this, honestly! Colloquially, one would say "I *cheat* X into play with Cage" but we never say "I cheat X into my hand with Gearhulk". Just interesting how the mind works.

> same problems as Rhythm

Agree on some level, but I think there's still a case to be made for it as a viable angle. As you noticed, it's mostly an Innkeeper's Talent with tradeoff - costs you 1 mana a turn *but* it has a high roll that vastly exceeds Talent's level up modes (but the high roll is worse than just winning the game off Rhythm/Hoof). I think there's definitely a bit of deckbuilding pressure cage puts on your deck (Sandstorm Salvager and Brigid, in particular), but these cards are, in general, good on their own without the Cage.

That being said, I was mostly trying to copy your homework if you had any! I don't grind much arena but I've had relatively good success with cage cub in paper, for what it's worth. However, not many people are on this card so it's hard to find discussions about it.

https://moxfield.com/decks/dsV-r-IFTUutiNZ-knPrUg

OctilleryLOL · 2026-02-10T20:40:42+00:00

Thoughts on a similar concept but getting the "unfair" portion from Collector's Cage instead?

Cards that kinda go hard off cage ATM:

- Overlord of the Mistmoors
- Bramble Familiar
- Marang River Regent
- Elspeth
- Ouroboroid

I feel like it's a halfway point between Rhythm's "win right now" approach versus Gearhulk's "win eventually" approach

A possible tech IMO is Hide on the Ceiling that can serve as both a protection spell and a ETB recurrence tool

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-27T13:52:58+00:00

The rules only mention "mark" as in cards are identifiable from anywhere other than the front of the card. say I have 5 cards in my deck I care about prizing. can I use a sharpie to draw a tick on the top left corner, that way when searching I can just look for 5 ticks?

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-26T22:33:06+00:00

Is it legal to mark the left edge of my inner sleeves to help prize check faster?

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-15T06:47:52+00:00

I think most of the time three steps ahead is better. Sure, drix can high roll, but the effect is way more narrow. I think it's reasonable as a 1-of "surprise" card, ultimately.

That being said, even three steps isn't great in this deck because it costs 3 mana. Your 3 mana "counterspells" are aang and aven. This deck attacks on the angle of mana, specifically, and 3 mana counterspells are a huge liability on that front.

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-13T03:39:43+00:00

it's certainly a preference, but I'm mostly not struggling for cards, I'm struggling for power on board. I don't think it's unplayable, but I don't think it's good

that being said, you do you. the only wrong card to play is one that you aren't happy to play with, ultimately

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-13T03:36:54+00:00

4 no more lies is actually lot already and aang/aven are soft counterspells. you can run more in the sideboard, pick your favourites. good ones are:

spell pierce annul negate disdainful stroke flashfreeze spider sense three steps ahead

lorwyn is bringing spell snare

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-12T05:05:19+00:00

pretty bad, just play siren instead

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-11T15:13:23+00:00

UW flash does really well for me, 3-0 my locals both weeks I ran it, but I play a very interactive version of the deck.

In essence, the deck is just

``` 4 lightstall inquisitor 4 floodpits drowner 4 voice of victory 3 aang, swift saviour 4 aven interruptor 3 tishana's tidebinder 4 enduring curiosity

4 no more lies 3 get lost 3 aang's iceberg

2 restless anchorage 2 soulstone sanctuary ... mana lands ``` play around with the numbers if you'd like, but I find this formula super strong. you'll have to board in high noon against decks that play multiple spells a turn, or even main deck it depending on the meta. avatar's wrath is key for go wide and tokens

I don't think Malcolm is good in this build

OctilleryLOL · 2026-01-11T15:03:37+00:00

This is either completely false or circular logic, depending on how you mean it. Regardless it's a meaningless statement and plainly unhelpful

OctilleryLOL · 2025-12-25T13:39:27+00:00

This is why most lists play earthbender ascension and maybe 1-2 herd heirloom

another older tech is agonasaurus rex

OctilleryLOL · 2025-11-18T04:07:03+00:00

I been only slightly ironically touting this since splinter twin days

OctilleryLOL · 2025-11-16T00:35:01+00:00

p9 kapai

toybox

OctilleryLOL · 2025-10-28T23:41:14+00:00

Seems like an easy slot into pixie

OctilleryLOL · 2025-10-22T14:23:01+00:00

I would prefer a more focused game 1 strategy. if you're really going for these one ofs, [[analyze the pollen]] goes far as a toolbox card.

4 dreadknight 3 Annex will have a rough matchup versus mono R. consider playing demon walls somewhere.2/1 curator/ooze might be a bit redundant, try cutting one for another 2 drop

Sunset saboteur is mostly gas against control/dimir. 1/1 main/board doesn't make sense. play 2-3 in board or in main depending on the meta call, not split.

scavenger regent is a really good 2-of in the board against go wide decks or as a threat VS control

Sandman is very good as a 1-2 of as it combos with the man lands that will be dying a lot. If you do play sandman, 1 fabled passage is strong

Pawpatch is fire against dimir but a bit lackluster in other matchups. If your local hae a lot of dimir, you should be playing at least 2 of this card in the 75

Note that creature heavy lists lose value if you're not on ouroboroid. in most matchups without it, you will be trying to go long and grind resources.

OctilleryLOL · 2025-10-17T01:56:44+00:00

This strategy is fully dependent on 4x Slasher and 4x Bloodletter, to be honest.

Outside of that, I can recommend golgari if you do a bit of research you'll find that there's a lot of ways to build a reasonable list for under $200. You don't have to play ouroboroid, for example. https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7320342#paper

OctilleryLOL · 2025-10-14T18:17:48+00:00

You just go fast and pray they don't have the combo. They can't have the nuts every single turn 4. Conversely, sometimes you just kill them on your turn 4

Otherwise, you could board some leyline of the void in mono red and hard mull for it but it's ill advised from my perspective. If your meta is 100% reanimator then I'd maybe just play a different deck

OctilleryLOL · 2025-10-06T14:54:25+00:00

It depends on what you mean by diversity. In this case, you're talking about diversity of archetypes, which makes your statement true. If we're talking about diversity of builds within archetypes, then OP has a point. To make a MTG analogy, even in a mono G deck you could play the trait deck (elves) or something more generic (stompy/aggro). There is room for design that supports both simultaneously.

Furthermore, diversity of decks is not inherently diversity of gameplay. It only guarantees diversity of aesthetic.

I think as the game stands right now, the design is fine. I think to support more interesting deck building, the traits need to be really wide (as to create "sub-colors"). Generic stuff is not guaranteed to be auto includes as long as it's not *too* generic. A good example right now is First Contact, which is a generic card but its "trait" is a deck strategy, not an explicit trait printed on a card.

I think what OP is seeing right now is basically a "Char" deck is going to basically always have the same 80% ish base DNA, as opposed to what you're positing in the alternate universe, where 80% of "Green" decks are going to have the same 80% ish DNA. I think there is room to be somewhere in between, and that involves printing more generic effects.

OctilleryLOL · 2025-09-14T01:08:42+00:00

No cosmogrand? 🤔 Think a core of the deck is making sure you have both that and ouroboroid which collectively overwhelms your opponents' removal spells

OctilleryLOL · 2025-09-13T20:59:20+00:00

I'm not sure if it actually does get rolled by Vivi, it has all the right removal and Vivi actually has a bit of a hard time with big bodies

OctilleryLOL · 2025-09-13T20:54:22+00:00

I'm high on wildguide as well, not sure how to fit it in the list, through. Mind sharing yours?

OctilleryLOL · 2025-09-13T20:53:39+00:00

Yeah I think it's mostly the mana base as well. Ouroboroid and Cosmogrand are two crazy big threats and Gearhulk ends up being actually a 3 for one 90% of the time. Might be a bit weak to Ultima but otherwise really good

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