RUG Gifts Midrange

[Valtrix]

This isn't really a deck (yet anyway!), but I've been trying to throw together something fun as an alternative to control that I've been playing so much. I wanted an "oops I win" button or something similar, like splinter twin or scapeshift. I tried out some games with these decks and put together some lists, but wasn't really happy exactly with how they played out. Really, I wanted something more aggressive, but I still wanted that "oops I win" type of feature. This eventually led me to gifts and to throw together a very strange list which I'm actually pretty excited about.

Updated list:
//Lands (24)
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Breeding Pool
1 Murmuring Bosk
1 Desolate Lighthouse
1 Stomping Ground
1 Steam Vents
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
3 Forest
1 Island
3 Wooded Foothills
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Raging Ravine

//Ramp (7)
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Sakura-Tribe Elder

//Threats (14)
2 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Koth of the Hammer
3 Tarmogoyf
4 Savage Knuckleblade
1 Batterskull
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Scavenging Ooze

//Utility + Combo (8)
4 Gifts Ungiven
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Unburial Rites
1 Raven's Crime
1 Life from the Loam

//Spells (8)
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Serum Visions

//Sideboard
SB: 1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
SB: 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
SB: 1 Surrak Dragonclaw
SB: 1 Ancient Grudge
SB: 1 Ray of Revelation
SB: 1 Obstinate Baloth
SB: 1 Vendilion Clique
SB: 2 Anger of the Gods
SB: 1 Loxodon Smiter
SB: 1 Ghost Quarter
SB: 2 Fulminator Mage
SB: 1 Terastodon


In practice I like how it lays out: a solid beater plan with plenty of utility given from gifts. The main things to get with gifts are unburial rites + elesh norn (they both go to yard, reanimate), or loam + raven's crime + urborg, tomb of yawgmoth + tec edge, or a value pile of 4 threats. I don't have a lot of play with the list so far, so sorry about posting without much playtime. Conceptually the deck is pretty different from anything I'm used to and so I was pretty excited about talking about it. I wanted to shift the paradigm of gifts a little bit to use it more as a supporting spell, rather than a complete "build around me" card. Granted, I still devote a lot of slots to gifts things, but I feel like this deck is less focused around it. I have my aggro gameplan and if I can resolve a gifts, great.

I was wondering if anybody had thoughts/suggestions (hopefully with more thoughts of my own to come after the weekend). I'm looking at bringing this into a meta with a lot of URx decks.

[Konx]

I was wondering if anybody had thoughts/suggestions (hopefully with more thoughts of my own to come after the weekend). I'm looking at bringing this into a meta with a lot of URx decks.

Long time lurker, first post.

I like the concept.

My question is: could Rattleclaw Mystic be better than Sakura? (as much as I love the old guy).

Rattleclaw provides all 3 colors and might provide a bit of boost. They both start operating from turn 3. Rattleclaw deals 1 point of damage more. The downside is that if Rattleclaw dies to a removal you lose your acceleration, while Sakura gives you the land.

Nice deck, anyway, will try it when possible!

Konx