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CaptainTwiddle
02-18-2013, 06:52 PM
I'm trying to flesh out a decklist to make use of the combo of Heartless Summoning (deckbox.org/mtg/heartless summoning) and Myr Retriever (deckbox.org/mtg/Myr Retriever) x2. In case it wasn't obvious, Heartless Summoning allows you to cast Myr Retriever for free. The Retriever enters the field as a 0/0 and dies, allowing you to return another Retriever; rinse and repeat. This provides an infinite storm count, as well as infinite enters & leaves the battlefield triggers for both creatures and artifacts. So, what do we use to actually win? Most likely Grapeshot (deckbox.org/mtg/Grapeshot) but I also like Bitter Ordeal (deckbox.org/mtg/Bitter Ordeal) as an alternate win.

Beyond the combo pieces, I'm having a hard time figuring out what else to include, but here are some things I've considered:

Faithless Looting (deckbox.org/mtg/Faithless Looting) - Ideally cast on turn one to dig for a combo piece and put a Retriever into the graveyard.
Simian Spirit Guide (deckbox.org/mtg/Simian Spirit Guide) - Speeds up the clock of the deck by allowing Heartless Summoning to be cast on turn one.
Muddle the Mixture (deckbox.org/mtg/Muddle the Mixture) - Can be Transmuted to find Heartless Summoning, Myr Retriever, or Grapeshot.

I'm not sure if the deck should be 100% focused on the combo, or if it should just include it alongside some other win conditions. It seems perfectly reasonable to just use Heartless Summoning to accelerate to a 5/5 Wurmcoil Engine (deckbox.org/mtg/Wurmcoil Engine) for example.

JDK
02-18-2013, 07:41 PM
A deck where you can play Bitter Ordeal as a win-condition? Count me in. :D

Spoils of the Vault and Muddle the Mixture seem like autoincludes, as you rely on 4 cards to combo. Since the combo is pretty hard to assemble, you could also MD or SB some Wurmcoils or whatever.
You could also pack in Gifts Ungiven, to tutor for e.g. a Myr, Unburial Rites, Fatty and Muddle the Mixture. I'll probably do some more brainstorming, this is just from the top of my head, which is clouded by excitement (Bitter Ordeal!!!). :)

CaptainTwiddle
02-18-2013, 07:45 PM
A deck where you can play Bitter Ordeal as a win-condition? Count me in. :D

...this is just from the top of my head, which is clouded by excitement (Bitter Ordeal!!!). :)

Bitter Ordeal was actually my inspiration to start brainstorm on this deck, period. I was so fascinated with trying to use Bitter Ordeal that I initially forgot about Grapeshot. :smile:

firebadmattgood
02-19-2013, 12:50 PM
Respectfully, this is a 4 card combo that loses to deathrite shaman or abrupt decay.

Davran
02-19-2013, 02:43 PM
Respectfully, this is a 4 card combo that loses to deathrite shaman or abrupt decay.

Don't forget Rest in Peace which sees plenty of sideboard play.

JDK
02-19-2013, 03:52 PM
Don't forget Rest in Peace which sees plenty of sideboard play.
RiP doesn't see much play in Modern.

Izzet Charm is a good choice for the Deck, as it does looting's job plus killing DRS.

Phoenix Ignition
02-19-2013, 05:48 PM
Respectfully, this is a 4 card combo that loses to deathrite shaman or abrupt decay.

2 of which have to be the same card, lowering chances even further.

Or ANY graveyard hate (instant speed is good enough), ANY enchantment hate (Pod's 1-of Harmonic Sliver becomes relevant), vulnerable to counterspells (at least Splintertwin can usually tap people's counter mana at the right time to still go off), and the normal stuff that stops combo decks from playing multiple spells per turn or targetting players.

You might be able to pull off a Wurmcoil-based deck. Being black allows you access to all the handhate, and you can basically splash any color to also help you. Out of all of the things though, a 4-card combo that doesn't have a lot of ways to search for any piece, where each piece itself isn't good, worries me the most.

JDK
02-19-2013, 06:47 PM
No one says this is going to be a competitive deck (right away), as those problems have to be addressed first. Twin's counters aren't that relevant, as they mostly play Remand and Dispel, so the only fear you have to face is being slower than them.

GY hate will decrease in numbers (and so will Canonists, Rule of Law and Leyline of Sanctity), as Storm has been crippled by the latest bans and enchantment hate isn't heavily played either. Sure, those are problems, but they can be dealt with by counters and/or a dedicated SB.

Another challenge is to determine the correct split between the combo and cards like Wurmcoil Engine or Myr Superion, if needed.


As for card choices the following seem to offer some value:

Tutors and Digging
Izzet Charm
Infernal Tutor
Fabricate
Muddle the Mixture
Spoils of the Vault
Sleight of Hand
Sphinx Summoner
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas (possible SB card)

Win-Con
Grapeshot
Bitter Ordeal (Grapeshot is superior, due to CMC2)

Acceleration & Fixing
Simian Spirit Guide
Pentad Prism
Izzet Signet
Dimir Signet
Rakdos Signet

Creatures (Beaters & Anti-Hate/Aggro)
Wurmcoil Engine
Perilous Myr
Pyroclasm
Spellskite
Myr Superion
Black Sun's Zenith

Hate
Shred Memory

Obviously CMC2 is the key here, as it's fetchable with Muddle the Mixture.

CaptainTwiddle
02-19-2013, 10:54 PM
Thank you everyone for all the comments thus far. I want to stress that this is really just an idea that I'm exploring; I'm not making any claims about its competitiveness as of yet. The greatest criticism that people have mentioned is that the "combo" is a 4 card combo involving 2 copies of a single card. I agree that makes it weak compared to other combos in terms of reliability and effectiveness, but I don't think that makes it unworthy of further exploration.

So, let's take a look at the combo pieces and see what else they provide us to work with:

Heartless Summoning - This is obviously the most powerful of the combo pieces outside of the actual combo. The idea of just casting oversized creatures for discounted prices seems good. I played a Heartless Summoning + Grand Architect deck in Standard that was really fun and capable of dropping mulitple Wurmcoils, Myr Superions, etc. into play very quickly.

Myr Retriever - This can still be used in an "honest" fashion, just by recurring useful artifacts (again, Wurmcoil recursion seems just fine).

Grapeshot - Admittedly, outside of comboing off, this is just a really bad removal spell.

Bitter Ordeal - While a less desirable combo piece (do to its CMC), this could prove to be fairly effective even without going infinite. Just a few gravestorm copies and suddenly you can remove all the Splinter Twins, Kiki-Jikis, Scapeshifts, or other relevant cards from some decks.

Since it seems that quick assembly of the combo will be less consistent than other options (e.g. Splinter Twin), I'm inclined to think that just including the combo in an artifact based aggro/control/prison shell might be best. Since the deck is at least partly black, we can run Inquisition of Kozilek or Thoughtseize for some disruption. Maybe Lodestone Golem can join the fray as well (though it would make our Grapeshot/Bitter Ordeal cost one more).