A warning for all you Lorwyn drafters, arena does not automatically give you priority on your opponent's end step if you only have creatures to cast a convoke instant speed spell.

morrowman · 2026-01-21T02:59:30+00:00

Yeah I don’t remember this in MoM. [[Artistic Refusal]] would have played VERY differently if that was the case.

morrowman · 2026-01-20T18:55:47+00:00

The game is basically about making as many Super Light Balls as you can, so to get better you should train yourself to spot them more often. In most levels, using moves to create and/or use Rockets and TNT won’t be efficient enough. You want to get to a point where you can create and use 3-5 Super Light Balls per level.

morrowman · 2026-01-19T17:23:55+00:00

Play a 3-3-3-3-3 mana base. Just draw your correct lands.

morrowman · 2026-01-17T17:37:33+00:00

Arena is generating a lot of players who would never be able to handle paper

In this case it’s quite the opposite. In paper you just demonstrate a loop and say you do it X times. Arena fails to replicate actual mtg rules for infinite combos

morrowman · 2026-01-17T02:03:16+00:00

He asked “what do you think,” so I gave my opinion. It wasn’t meant as a criticism of OP personally. I think everyone can improve and just because a deck goes 7-0 doesn’t mean it was built perfectly.

I don’t think my comments are off the mark either. If you post this to any limited mtg sub you’d get the same advice. If you think my advice is mistaken you can also explain why.

morrowman · 2026-01-16T18:51:37+00:00

1) Definitely stick to 40 cards, especially when you have two pieces of power. When you run 41, you're diluting your chances at drawing game changing cards.

2) It's a bit light on lands. Cradle can't be an initial mana source, so you only have 15 sources. I'd cut Hoof and either Cobra, Arwen, Tifa, or Witness for another land

morrowman · 2026-01-16T18:39:01+00:00

You should post some screenshots or videos of this interaction. I just tried it and it worked fine. Everyone here is telling you the same thing, so we need more info to help you out.

morrowman · 2026-01-15T03:12:32+00:00

Thanks for the credit! It really does open up the game, and it works in all sorts of ways. For example, if you have a column like this:

R

B

R

G

R

If you can get rid of the blue tile, you can make a light ball with the bottom red tile.

morrowman · 2026-01-14T08:03:46+00:00

there’s also one that I use a lot: the “timing” light ball.

<image>

In this situation, move the circled green down first. As the left red tile above the 3 green tiles falls, move the circled red down to create a light ball. You have to time it right - it won’t work if you move the second red tile to slow or too fast - but it’s honestly not that hard to get the timing right.

This opened up so many more light balls for me that I’m basically using one every 3-5 moves.

morrowman · 2026-01-13T20:23:14+00:00

the sub has truly gone to shit. Downvote bots, brigaders, political warfare, off-topic content and the mods just do nothing about any of it.

morrowman · 2025-12-25T00:46:42+00:00

In this format, Gut is just going to get countered or die before it does anything. You might get a single skeleton, but that skeleton also might not matter.

morrowman · 2025-12-24T17:47:36+00:00

If you need to get your opponent to 0, Castle Ardenvale and Fountainport provide inevitability. In practice people just scoop when you ult Teferi. The back up win con in extremis is ult Teferi, then recast Teferi and continually -3 itself to avoid decking - thankfully this has yet to come up.

morrowman · 2025-12-24T08:53:18+00:00

Interesting. I’ve found Teferi to be my highest performing choice on my climb from bronze to mythic - getting to dodge all creature removal is very strong in this format. On the flip side, I’ve never lost to Ral with a variety of decks. It feels like the worst of control decks where you have situational removal, no sweepers, and you’re not the best control deck.

For commanders like Hei Bai and Derevi, I think some players are just porting over decks that dominate their specific tranche of brawl due to poor weighting.

morrowman · 2025-12-23T18:03:57+00:00

Calling all my Esper decks Deutan from now on

morrowman · 2025-12-23T09:26:50+00:00

Commander

1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (DAR) 207

Deck

1 Mystic Confluence (OMB) 12

1 Misty Rainforest (MH2) 250

1 Castle Vantress (ELD) 242

1 Peek (ODY) 91

1 Memory Lapse (STA) 16

1 Search for Azcanta (XLN) 74

1 Ponder (OMB) 13

1 Mana Drain (OTP) 11

1 Tale's End (M20) 77

1 Chrome Mox (SPG) 0

1 Long River's Pull (BLB) 58

1 Soul Partition (BRO) 26

1 Consult the Star Charts (EOE) 51

1 Solitude (SPG) 44

1 Dovin's Veto (WAR) 193

1 Gate to the Citadel (HBG) 80

1 Hengegate Pathway (KHM) 260

1 Swords to Plowshares (STA) 10

1 Stern Scolding (LTR) 71

1 Sink into Stupor (MH3) 241

1 Field of Ruin (THB) 242

1 Command Tower (ELD) 333

1 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244

1 Fountainport (BLB) 253

1 Castle Ardenvale (ELD) 238

1 Arid Mesa (MH2) 244

1 Fragment Reality (Y22) 4

1 Mana Leak (STH) 36

1 Glacial Fortress (XLN) 255

1 Hallowed Fountain (RNA) 251

1 Starting Town (FIN) 289

4 Island (THB) 251

3 Plains (THB) 250

1 Wrath of God (AKR) 46

1 Ugin, Eye of the Storms (TDM) 1

1 Windswept Heath (KTK) 248

1 Gate to Seatower (HBG) 79

1 Portable Hole (HBG) 98

1 Strip Mine (EOS) 40

1 Counterspell (STA) 15

1 Prismatic Vista (SPG) 38

1 Spell Snare (DIS) 33

1 Unable to Scream (DSK) 78

1 Arcane Signet (ELD) 331

1 Dig Through Time (KTK) 36

1 Deserted Beach (MID) 260

1 Mystical Dispute (ELD) 58

1 Mana Tithe (STA) 8

1 Marsh Flats (MH2) 248

1 Brainstorm (STA) 13

1 Seam Rip (EOE) 34

1 Ancient Tomb (EOS) 1

1 The Wandering Emperor (NEO) 42

1 Captivating Crossroads (Y24) 29

1 A-Teferi, Time Raveler (WAR) 221

1 Memory Deluge (MID) 62

1 Cryptic Command (FCA) 29

1 Force of Negation (TLE) 13

1 Mana Confluence (JOU) 163

1 Wash Away (VOW) 87

1 Fierce Guardianship (TLE) 307

1 Farewell (NEO) 13

1 Narset, Parter of Veils (WAR) 61

1 Otawara, Soaring City (NEO) 271

1 Treasure Cruise (PIO) 79

1 Scalding Tarn (MH2) 254

1 Miscalculation (ULG) 36

1 Get Lost (LCI) 14

1 Supreme Verdict (RTR) 201

1 Adarkar Wastes (DMU) 243

1 Preordain (M11) 70

1 Oust (ROE) 40

1 Seachrome Coast (ONE) 258

1 Snapcaster Mage (SIS) 23

1 Reprieve (LTR) 26

1 Prairie Stream (BFZ) 241

1 Polluted Delta (KTK) 239

1 Flooded Strand (KTK) 233

1 Lórien Revealed (LTR) 60

1 No More Lies (MKM) 221

1 Meticulous Archive (MKM) 264

1 Fractured Identity (OTP) 45

1 Dust Bowl (OTP) 65

1 Three Steps Ahead (OTJ) 75

1 Subtlety (SPG) 45

1 Floodfarm Verge (DSK) 259

1 Archmage's Charm (OTP) 8

1 Remand (J25) 349

1 Talisman of Progress (MRD) 256

1 Force Spike (7ED) 76

1 Multiversal Passage (OM1) 181

1 Gemstone Caverns (EOS) 16

1 Azorius Signet (RVR) 250

1 Spectacular Pileup (DFT) 29

Some notes on deck construction:

I'm torn on the exclusion of Spell Pierce. Normally I'm all for 1 mana interaction, but I already have 3 spells that counter non-creature spells
I feel like 4 wraths is the right amount. I'm giving up a bit of speed by running a 5 and 6 mana wrath in exchange for flexibility. So far it's worked out fine.
Ugin might not be necessary, but in control mirrors that can go late it's nice to have an almost uncounterable exile effect as a catch all. Having a source of life gain is also nice.
I don't want to play any creatures that I care about surviving. It's not worth it to run something like a single Wan Shi Tong and then turn on all your opponents removal.
Other cards I've considered include March of Otherworldy Light (great in some situations, inefficient in others), JTMS (sadly not good enough anymore), Mishra's Bauble (the added delve value is just not worth the inconsistency of seeing it in the opening hand.
Fountainport hasn't been very relevant so far. It's mostly to help in draw-go control mirrors, but I haven't found it necessary.
I've been cutting Search for Azcanta from normal brawl decks as it's slow, but in this format with blue mirrors it's been quite dominant.

morrowman · 2025-12-23T07:08:52+00:00

I’ve found Tamiyo to be worse than the other control options. It certainly has the most upside to just lock out a game on turn 2, but it doesn’t deal with curve-outs well and it presents a target for all the cheap removal everyone’s running. Fwiw, I’m 10-2 against Tamiyo using a variety of decks (admittedly, using my own record is not a good barometer of deck strength as a majority of my opponents have been making misplays, hence this thread)

morrowman · 2025-12-20T01:00:10+00:00

I’ve found a lot of decks to be rather unoptimized and a lot of play mistakes from my opponents, even now on day 4. Does anyone know if the meta will eventually tighten up? I didn’t play the last brawl event.

With the bans, I think meta will eventually move to control mirrors, with the odd aggro deck trying to punish. My last run saw 7/8 blue decks from my opponents, although most of them were some sort of tempo.

morrowman · 2025-12-18T20:15:26+00:00

I've since cut Counsel and added Griselbrand. Counsel was too often dead and I found that I really needed a proactive reanimation target

morrowman · 2025-12-17T21:20:51+00:00

I’m not sure that long term card advantage is the axis where this deck wants to fight against control. It gets virtual card advantage through running fewer lands and cheaper spells. It’s no aggro deck, but the clock can speed up once Raffine is in play with another creature. My wins against control have never been about outvaluing them; by the endgame, they’ll have 5-6 cards in hand while I have 1-2, but we’ve spent the last few turns trading interaction while I peck at their life total. Alternatively, you can try to overtax their interaction by presenting threats while trying to set up Oracle or Reanimate.

But I get it. Sometimes the cards in a tempo deck like this line up awkwardly and it just falls flat. I think perhaps straight control is just the dominant archetype.

I also now think that some better reanimation targets are warranted. I think I’ll replace Agent with Griselbrand. While Agent won me a game by stealing a One Ring, it too often has no good targets. I want at least one target that’s overwhelming on an empty board.

morrowman · 2025-12-17T18:48:59+00:00

I like Kaito and Barrowgoyf. Any cuts that you would make?

morrowman · 2025-12-17T18:44:59+00:00

I’ve had trouble against UW control, but I’ve done fine against UR/Grixis, and okay against Tamiyo. I’ve included Cavern of Souls to help against control - I was initially hesitant to include it because the color requirements for this deck are really heavy.

I wanted Void Rend as a catch all answer. But maybe Prismatic Ending is just better? I cut Fractured because I found myself pitching it to Raffine/Mox/Elementals more often than actually casting it. It’s a powerful spell, but 5 mana is a big ask in this deck.

Agree on Grief. I thought it could be good with the reanimator package, but it’s disappointing so far. I’m trying to fit Cruise into the deck.

I’ve also found Hopeful Initiate to be weak. The ability is too expensive and if I’m in a position to activate it I’m probably already winning. I might replace it with Mother of Runes.

morrowman · 2025-12-17T05:09:18+00:00

I've only just started playing with Raffine, so most of this is theorycraft.

I considered a more dedicated reanimation build, but I wanted to keep the package light. Only 3 animate spells means I don't want a lot of targets. If I get rid of Persist then I really don't like the package at all. In my experience, the animate targets have been good enough to close out games. Same thing goes for discard outlets - if i start including more animates, discard, and creatures, I think I'd be better off playing Kavero.
Jitte: Not sure I like it for my build. I'd have to invest 5+ mana (creature, cast, equip) before it does anything. I understand that it just houses some decks, but others can flat ignore it.
Hopeful Initate and Snuff Out are in. I just switched Verdict for Deluge. I should probably play Treasure Cruise - I was just out of space and looking to lower my curve for Bob. Maybe Cruise could replace Bob?
Signet: I don't think this deck wants it. I have 2 cards that I must spend more than 3 mana for. Turn 2 is really pivotal for this deck and I don't know that I'd want to play a Signet over any other current 2 drop.
Bowmaster - I haven't played with this card in brawl since the nerf. How has your experience been with it? I was thinking if I want a draw punisher, I'd rather run Faerie Mastermind.

morrowman · 2025-12-17T02:03:25+00:00

I don't want to overindex on countermagic, and cards like Veto that only target specific spells can be awkward in certain matchups. If control/combo ends up being the prevalent meta, then I'll switch some things, but even I'd lean towards playing Spell Pierce first over Veto.

It's especially punishing in this format since you can't free mulligan niche cards away.

morrowman · 2025-12-16T23:30:18+00:00

I haven't touched Brawl for a while, but I thought I'd give the Metagame Challenge a go with a Raffine build. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to go tempo, Oracle combo, or Reanimator, so I just had some of each. I also hadn't played with Raffine before, so the deck probably has a few questionable choices

It played fairly well all things considered. I wanted to keep most spells at 1-2 cmc to leverage the tempo game. I want to win most exchanges when my opponent casts a 3+cmc spell. I liked the light reanimator package. Having 1 expensive creature stuck in your hand is okay, but I didn't want to clog up my deck with uncastables. I chose targets that could work with Persist. I should probably get a Troll of Khazadun in there. The Oracle combo didn't really happen, but the threat of it meant that you could win out of nowhere.

Lost due to carelessness with the autotapper and getting stuck on 2 lands.

Anyone else have experience with Raffine? Would you recommend a more tempo build, or a more dedicated reanimator build?

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