[DG Highlander] Facebash.dec

[badjuju]

Hello all,

The people in my area aren't as keen on EDH, but instead play "Dan Gray Highlander", which is a 100-card prismatic format. We generally play 2HG. The rules are set like so:

1. 100 card minimum
2. You must run at least 7 cards of each color (including multi-color).
3. You must run at least 5 non-mana producing artifacts.
4. You may only run one of each card.
5. You may run 3 basic lands of each basic land type.

The banlist is pretty big and kills off all the major tutor spells (including Demonic, Vampiric, Grim, Mystical, Wishes) as well as major fetch engines (including Intuition, Gifts Ungiven) and finally most graveyard fetching spells (including Eternal Witness, Regrowth). Most broken mana-producing artifacts are banned as well (including Lotus Petal). Basically, if it has some sort of real broken interaction, it's gone.

Most players that play this format do what is the most obvious: find the most powerful spells of each color and gun it. While this strategy is fine and dandy, it is actually considered the "noob" archetype of the format. I'll admit that my first deck was a pure control deck, and the results weren't as good as I thought they'd be. Other people try to abuse interactions, especially with artifacts, workshop, and Sharuum. However, there is ONE person that pilots a highly aggressive deck. We all know and fear it because the deck can easily shave off 20-30 points of life within the first few turns, where people are doing nothing but playing lands and twiddling their thumbs waiting to cast their 4CC+ spells. He then backs up this plan by playing resource denial, such as Winter Orb or Armageddon, to literally put the nails in the coffin. This strategy is extremely efficient because players usually won't have blockers early on. And even if one player does, the other player might not, allowing you to virtually own the early game all to yourself.

I wanted to take a similar approach and perhaps become even more hyper-aggressive than he is, lashing out at their weakest player with evasive and undercosted beaters to put the other team on tilt. I would like to ask some collective help on this and maybe develop some powerful synergies that I most likely missed along the way. I'm also trying to maybe drop the land count closer to 30 (it's usually 40) and sticking to a < 3 average CC.

I'm looking for super-efficient creatures, re-usable pumps, cheap removal, ways to push forward my pressure, and mana denial strategies!

100 Card Facebash
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Lands
Not sure yet. Super prismatic though.

Red
Grim Lavamancer
Kird Ape
Jackal Pup
Slith Firewalker
Taurean Mauler
Countryside Crusher
Flametongue Kavu
Viashino Heretic (lots of artifacts make this guy worth it imo)

White
Soltari Footsoldier
Savannah Lions
Elite Vanguard
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Mother of Runes
Soltari Priest
Soltari Monk
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Jotun Grunt
Spectral Lynx
Serra Avenger
Eight-and-a-Half Tails
Stonecloaker
(Mirror Entity)
(Aven Mindcensor)

Path to Exile
Swords to Plowshares
Glorious Anthem
Armageddon
Ravages of War
Orim's Thumder

Black
Dark Confidant
Dauthi Horror
Dauthi Slayer
Blind Creeper
Oona's Prowler
Nether Traitor
Skittering Skirge
Vampire Nighthawk

Animate Dead
Chainer's Edict

Green
Scythe Tiger
Wild Nacatl
Jungle Lion
Skyshroud Elite
Silhana Ledgewalker
Tarmogoyf
Albino Troll
River Boa

Rancor
Gaea's Anthem
Krosan Grip
Reclaim (maybe)

Blue
Looter il-Kor
Plaxmanta
Serendib Efreet
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Wake Thrasher (this might actually be terrible here, not sure yet)
Voidmage Husher

Standstill

Multi Colored
Figure of Destiny
Tattermunge Maniac
Watchwolf
Goblin Deathraiders
Tidehollow Sculler
Jhessian Infiltrator
Gaddock Teeg
Qasali Pridemage
Knight of the Reliquary
Burning-Tree Shaman
(Aven Mimeomancer)

Terminate
Hull Breach
Lightning Helix
Vindicate
Putrefy
Mortify

Artifact
Sensei's Divining Top
Bonesplitter
Umezawa's Jitte
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Whispersilk Cloak
Grafted Wargear
Lightning Greaves
Quietus Spike
Ronin Warclub

(bunch of other equipment)
(Loxodon Warhammer)
(Behemoth Sledge)
(Leonin Scimitar)
(Mask of Memory)
(Mage Slayer)


So basically I'm missing a lot of spells, though I'm not sure what I would want to supplement my slew of creatures. I'm also short a few blue spells before my deck becomes legal - they just don't have any efficient creatures, so I guess I will have to rely on spells instead. I also need some help with the manabase. Of course all duals, all fetches, but is there anything that'll help to pump my creatures?

Any suggestions guys?

[Carabas]

Glorious Anthem seems like it would fit well, and I'd try to throw in a bit more resource denial, such as Winter Orb, Fulminator Mage, or Dwarven Miner/Blastminer.

As for blue, Cursecatcher, Cloud Spirit, and Rishadan Airship are the only things that come to mind as efficient blue beaters. Blightning might also merit a place here. It seems like a fun format, are there any other dominating archetypes?

[Hunding Gjornersen]

You play the 2-power one-drops in other colors, why not black? Carnophage, Sarcomancy, and Vampire Lascerator seem like they'd be right at home here.

Although blue is somewhat lacking in the beaters department, it does card drawing and bounce. Both seem good for your plan.

[Vacrix]

Ohran Viper > Jungle Lions

Draws cards and can trade with pretty big dudes. Also, Scythe Tiger seems really bad.

I'm not too familiar with this format but wouldn't Birds and Noble Hierarch solve some color fixing problems?

[badjuju]

Thanks for the suggestions all.

First off, I've realized that it's really hard to picture this format. What you THINK is good is probably not that great. Those black creatures that deal damage to yourself could end up becoming hazardous since you share a lifepool with your teammate. I was thinking of running Fleshreavers and whatnot, but I'd rather not put us at unnecessary risk. Lacerator and Carnophage aren't too bad though, so I might consider those.

Winter Orb will probably make in here as will Fulminator Mage and probably Stigma Lasher. The blue creatures you mentioned are all pretty decent, sans Cursecatcher. Tangle Wire might also be an interesting addition.

Ohran Viper is a good addition. Scythe Tiger is hardly bad when it has shroud and hits for 3 every turn. Keep in mind that there isn't usually a whole lot of creature action going on. Most of the time it's one guy attacking someone with no creatures. You can't block for teammates, so the field is almost always clear, especially with the control players (at least two every game) resetting the board over and over with wrath effects. Lastly, color is hardly an issue with this deck (most of the time). The only time it's really bad is when someone geddons or cycles Decree of Annihilation.

As for what type of decks dominate the format...none really. I will tell you though that the best decks are the ones that artifact mana ramp into amazing game-breaking spells and then geddon the board to stay ahead. This hyper-aggressive archetype is a good supplement to any teammate because it puts the pressure on rather early and forces the opponents into an uncomfortable position.

Good suggestions guys, thanks.

[Hunding Gjornersen]

If people ramping into ridiculous spells with Signets and whatnot is a concern, you can work around that. Aggro has been getting a steady stream of artifact destroying Gray Ogres since Mirage:

Uktabi Orangutan
Viridian Shaman
Viridian Zealot
Tin-street Hooligan
Dugar Hedge-Mage

And probably some others I can't think of off the top of my head. Admittedly, these guys don't pack much punch, but that's the price you pay for forcing interaction, I guess.

On another note, Wolly Thoctar was born to bash face. Also, if Dauthi Slayer makes the cut, then I'd think about Jheshian Infiltrator, too. She has the nice upshot of being blue and totally unblockable.

One final thing: Is Aven Mindcensor there just to stop fetchlands and Tribe-Elder type stuff? With tutors banned it seems like the bird would be a lot less potent. I can see it being worthwhile to effectively destroy a land for 2W, but on the other hand I can see this guy being a white Dusk Imp.

[Vacrix]

Ohran Viper is a good addition. Scythe Tiger is hardly bad when it has shroud and hits for 3 every turn. Keep in mind that there isn't usually a whole lot of creature action going on. Most of the time it's one guy attacking someone with no creatures. You can't block for teammates, so the field is almost always clear, especially with the control players (at least two every game) resetting the board over and over with wrath effects. Lastly, color is hardly an issue with this deck (most of the time). The only time it's really bad is when someone geddons or cycles Decree of Annihilation.

I can see that then if tiger isn't running into anything with 2 power but I don't have the experience with the format to say either way.

Also, have you considered running Gorilla Shaman? I admit he is better in vintage cause he can blow up moxen for 1, but he could find a place in here.

If you like creatures that smash face with shroud for a few turns like Scythe Tiger, maybe run some Blastoderm/Calciderm.

Also, Strangling Soot? Seems good in long games when you can play it more than once.