[Deck Discussion] LensBlast

[r_x_]

I'm getting back to Magic after 2 years, and would want some help with this now dead deck. The core of the deck will be this:

4 Disorting Lens
4 Red Elemental Blast
4 Pyroblast
4 Blue Elemental Blast
4 Hydroblast
The idea is simple. Change a color of a permanent to Blue/Red, and destroy it. Easy, isn't it?

(Note:If you want get more tricky, you can add everybodys favourite Hill Giant, Blind Seer, there, so you can actually change spells colors and Blast them. Suits very well on casual plays, but I really don't think it will be any good in competive game :P)

Any card advantage cards are must in the deck, as you are making 1:1 trades all the time. I did quit playing like 2 years ago, so I would like to get some ideas about what new stable cards there is for this task. I did read somewhere that Accumulated Knowledge - Intuition engine is too slow, but it was the first thing I considered.

The other problem I have is what to use as kill condition?

This is the version I'm testing out now. It really needs to be tuned badly, as I really don't have a kill condition :(

Main thing:
4 Disorting Lens
4 Red Elemental Blast
3 Pyroblast
4 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Hydroblast

The draw engine
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Reap
2 Holistic Wisdom

Utility:
4 Force of Will
3 Isochron Scepter
3 Cunning Wish
2 Powder Keg

Mana:
4 City of Brass
4 Volcanic Island
4 Tropical Island
3 Taiga
2 Island
4 Wooded Foothills SB:

SB:
1 Pyroblast
1 Reap
1 Orim's Chant
1 Artifact Mutation
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Lightning Helix
1 Evacuation
1 Boomerang
1 Fire/Ice
3 Hibernation
2 Powder Keg
1 Urza's Rage

The SB is full off crap, but its the easiest part to change.

I tested this a bit yesterday, 5 matches against High Tide (no resets), B/W disruption 5 matches and 6 matches against Food Chain Goblins. the Tide didn't give me any resistance in 5 games we played, and the goblins only won me once. I really don't know were they not so experienced players, but I really don't think they played the decks first time. The B/w was played by really good player, and I only won 2 of the matches. I'm planning to run this trough a real gauntlet, after it has been made somewhat better.

Some card choices:

Distorting Lens: Pretty much the reason why this deck works, and a really good excuse to play 16 blasts in MD :D

Blasts:With Lens they become one mana instant Vidicates, and they are owning any blue/red decks there might be coming against you.

Reap: yes, its the situational Regrowth. Yes, it works nicely against those black white disruption decks.And yes, it has quite much synergy with the Lens.

Holistic Wisdom: really good with Reaps, Accumulated knowledges and Blasts. The deck is full of Instanst, and Recurring Keg is nice against aggro. There is probably printed better choice for drawing engine, but being gone for about 2 years I don't know it.

Accumulated knowledge without Intuition; I just couldn't find a room for Intuitions, but the AK is better than Brainstorm with only 4 shuffle effects in the deck, not to mention the mad synergy with Scepter and Holistic.

Isochron Scepter: Deck plays 20 2 or less instansts, and Cunning Wishes. there is no reason why not to play these. I'm not sure is 3 the right number, though. Now they are working as a win condition.

Powder Keg: I know its not the best solution, but it does work against aggro and buy me time to get full control of the game, I would be glad to find something to replace them, but now they seem to be must.

Lands: belive me or not, the manabase works. I would love to have Wastelands in there, but I didn't find a room for them.


So... Feel free to tell me that it doesn't work, but I'd like that you would tell me why not its not working. :)

[Franz Ferdinand]

Is it just me, or does this deck have no win conditions other than Cunning Wish-->Lightning Helix + Isochron Scepter? Maybe you missed a card? I count only 59.

[scrumdogg]

Only 3 Scepter, when it is you win condition? Seems odd, also, why not Engineered Explosives instead of Powder Keg? Should be faster & more precise. Are AKs by themselves going to be any better than Fire/Ice would be? Also, Lightning Helix seems solid maindeck as well as SB, but you know the deck better than me :)

[Jaynel]

He's said twice in his post that a win condition is needed for the deck. This could explain both the 59 slots and the lack of a win condition.

Both Decree of Justice and Eternal Dragon seem like they'd be solid win conditions. You may want to run some Plains, though, if you decide to go the Dragon route. Decree can be wished for, and can be Holistic Wisdom'd back to make more guys if your board gets swept.

[r_x_]

Ah, the missing card is Mountain. :/

Decree sounds like great, added one in the SB. I then probably have to change one or 2 Islands to Tundras, and the lonely Mountain to Plateau. Then I can play Lightning Helix or 2 in the MD, but I have no idea what to drop.

Engineered Explosions really sounds like a good idea, I have to test them.

Fire/Ice isntead of AK isn't that good, just because the AK is the main source of card advantage. Holistic Wisdom + 2 AK is just too good. Fire/Ice could be great if there is lot of aggro decks around, but here are only few.

[Franz Ferdinand]

Except you can't wish for Decree. It's a Sorcery. I guess you could do Beast Attack or Elephant Ambush, but I'd still maindeck your win condition. Gigapede, maybe? Fleeting Image?

[Bane of the Living]

As for 1 of win conditions, Id have to side with Morphling!

Welcome to the source.

[SillyMetalGAT]

Especially since he can destroy any card on the board for 1, in this case

Morphling > Pithing Needle

[r_x_]

I looked trough the Time Spiral Spoiler, and noticed that Jaya Ballard, The Task Mage is like made for this deck.

Fleeting Image sounds... intresting. I guess it won't be that bad, it can dodge removal quite easily.

Morphling is probably the best choice. I would be very happy if they Needle it, becasue then my Lens and Scepters are free to remove the Needle.

[Zir]

I'm not sure if Jaya Ballard is worth it, seeing as it opens you up for creature removal, which is one of this decks strenghts. Every one of the top decks runs some form of removal, and since the deck doesn't have that much cardardvantage as it is, 4 or more dead cards on their side is pretty great. It kind of suffers the same problem Goblin Welder does: A great card, but this format is too well-equipped for dealing with small creatures for it to be good.
Also, has Fact or Fiction been considered for carddrawing? Though because of its one-shot nature may prove pretty bad here.

[dahcmai]

Someone remind me what was the kill for the old Reaplace decks? This looks similar so it seems natural to go in whatever direction that was. I remember something about going infinite with those also.

[r_x_]

Dead card for opponents is great for this deck, I didn't consider that point. Too bad there isn't many creatures you would want to play in this deck.

Fact or Fiction is great, but I'm a bit concerned about the 4cc. This is quite mana hungry deck with Holistic and Scepter, and there is no room for it, sadly. Gifts Ungiven fiths in the same category. Both of them have great synergy with Holistic, though.


ReapLace killed with X-Spell, like Kaervek's Torch and later with Stroke. This deck has no ways to go infinite, so they are not that good choices.

[xsockmonkeyx]

Have you tried Prismatic Lace? Seems like there should be more than 4 color changers in this deck, both to make it work and just in case they pull something like pithing needle. With Prismatic Lace, Isochron Scepter becomes Lenses #'s 5-X.

[r_x_]

Whim of Volrath is now in my SB. Its superior to Lace becasue its not dead without Scepter, and has buyback. I'll post the decklist, later, after I get off the work.