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Thread: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

  1. #1
    Force of Will is my bitch
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    [EDH] Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
    ---------------------------------------------
    The way I see this deck, it wants cards that can affect the top card like:

    Brainstorm
    Ponder
    Mystic Speculation
    Preordain
    Mystical Tutor
    Personal Tutor
    Vampiric Tutor
    Imperial Seal
    Viscera Seer
    Sensei's Divining Top
    Scroll Rack
    Diabolic Vision
    Thassa, God of the Sea
    Jace, the Mind Sculptor
    Liliana Vess

    The deck will also need a few alternative cost cards and such to be on top, like these:

    Snuff Out
    Force of Will
    Misdirection
    Murderous Cut
    Tasigur's Cruelty
    Beseech the Queen
    Curtains' Call
    Commit // Memory
    Consign // Oblivion

    and cards you want to use as a disguise for Yuriko like:

    Ornithopter
    Slither Blade
    Mausoleum Wanderer
    Hypnotic Siren
    Faerie Impostor
    Dross Hopper
    Cavern Harpy
    Baleful Strix
    Dimir Infiltrator
    Snapcaster Mage
    Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
    Spellstutter Sprite
    Augury Owl
    Spire Owl
    Sage Owl
    Quickling
    Thalakos Seer
    Merciless Executioner
    Liliana's Specter
    Silumgar Sorcerer
    Parasitic Strix
    Trinket Mage
    Hostage Taker
    Glen Elendra Archmage

    Combo cards to make Yuriko insane:

    Unnatural Selection
    Arcane Adaptation
    Xenograft
    Conspiracy


    Finally, a number of good stuffs to make it all work:

    Demonic Tutor
    Diabolic Intent
    Cyclonic Rift
    Dimir Charm
    Damnation
    Cryptic Command
    Boompile

    Oh, and some Acceleration:

    Sol Ring
    Dimir Signet
    Darksteel Ingot
    Commander's Sphere

    Manas

    Wasteland
    Strip Mine
    Dust Bowl
    Mutavault
    Phyrexian Tower
    Volrath's Stronghold
    Academy Ruins
    Command Tower
    Underground Sea
    Watery Grave
    Polluted Delta
    Creeping tar Pit
    Bojuka Bog
    Leechridden Swamp
    Shizo, Death's Storehouse
    Tolaria West
    9 Swamp
    11 Island

    So, here is a start. I did not really like ninjas back in Kamigawa block, so I have a lot more experience killing ninjas than playing them. I used to like stranding Ninja of the Deep Hours on the battlefield with a simple blocker, and I am concerned of the same thing happening to Yuriko. Does the deck need sacrifice stuff to get her back in the command zone? I realize that there is play with Doomsday, but that crap bores me.
    Last edited by Finn; 08-10-2018 at 05:33 PM.
    "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
    "Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often and for the same reason."
    "Governing is too important to be left to people as silly as politicians."
    "Politicians were mostly people who'd had too little morals and ethics to stay lawyers."

  2. #2
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    I think you'll be underwhelmed with Ornithopter...

    I've seen buzz about the strength of:
    Arcane Adaptation
    Conspiracy
    Xenograft

  3. #3
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    I'm thinking you'd want to treat this like Vial Smasher the Fierce and run stuff that has high CMC that can be reduced. Like for example:

    Treasure Cruise
    Curtains' Call
    Dig Through Time
    Avatar of Woe
    Tombstalker
    Gurmag Angler
    Far // Away
    Commit // Memory
    Consign // Oblivion

    That way, when your top card is a Treasure Cruise or whatever you're hitting everyone for 8. You could also run stuff with evoke.

    Another random thought: Dauthi Embrace seems like it might be strong? Might let you get away from some of the otherwise "bad" Flying Men type creatures for your ninjutsu attacks. While we're on the topic of shadow, are any of the other shadow creatures playable here? They'll certainly be unblockable 99.9% of the time.

    It might be too cute, but Hero's Blade would slip into Yuriko's hand when you activate the ninjutsu and speeds up the commander damage clock significantly.

    Does Cloudstone Curio do anything here?

    EDIT: As far as sacrifice outlets, maybe Dimir House Guard is worth a look? It transmutes for a couple of your other ninjas, and it also has some evasion.

  4. #4
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Such helpful comments...

    I left out Dimir House Guard for now. I don't have much of anything to transmute for, so he is overpriced. But you got me to stop being lazy and look for stuff to do that sort of thing and I found such a fun one: Silumgar Sorcerer. Other stuff too. Trying to include these ideas until I run out of space. I have to actually playtest this before I know anything. All just educated guesses right now. Thanks, guys.

    EDIT: You can fetch Ornithopter with Trinket Mage or Tolaria West, btw. And if the deck is built well, it is always just going to be a means to spend for Yuriko.
    "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
    "Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often and for the same reason."
    "Governing is too important to be left to people as silly as politicians."
    "Politicians were mostly people who'd had too little morals and ethics to stay lawyers."

  5. #5
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Okay, so I put this together over the weekend and I have some observations to relate.

    I started off using tutors to fetch up high casting cost cards to reveal with Yuriko. But I think that may have been a mistake. The best play may simply be to fetch up an enchantment to turn all your evasive tinies to become ninjas. As such, I have to really figure out if it makes sense to go all out to make this happen. Would you include:

    Diabolic Tutor
    Grim Tutor
    Cruel Tutor
    Lim-Dul's Vault
    Mastermind's Acquisiton
    Diabolic Intent


    That also means that cards like Mystical Tutor and Personal Tutor are not as good.

    In my initial testing, I had plenty of cards but I had trouble getting it all to come together to make the most of Yuriko. Clunky stuff with high costs sat in my hand. Every time she gets blocked and dies it takes an extra turn to get her back. Sacrificing her is good for this, but I do not aways have a good outlet for that. What would be a splendid trick would be to find a card that gives my opponents creatures fist strike as a drawback. Does such a card exist?

    Also, I have found that board wipes are amazingly effective since Yuriko keeps coming back. Of course this means that yet another turn is wasted. I think the card is going to be crazy good if I can get the brew correct due to considerations of this sort where weaknesses can be turned into strengths. But she is possibly best in casual games than against a single opponent.

    Any ideas to help?

    EDIT: And importantly, All of the neat creatures may be unnecessary and need only be more of the unblockable type to make Yuriko work best. Not sure.
    "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
    "Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often and for the same reason."
    "Governing is too important to be left to people as silly as politicians."
    "Politicians were mostly people who'd had too little morals and ethics to stay lawyers."

  6. #6
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Aggressively searching for Scroll Rack might be your best bet in terms of value for Yuriko flips. Looks like you have most of the good Brainstorm effects already.

    Sacrificing Outlets:
    Ashnod's Altar
    City of Shadows
    Phyrexian Altar
    Phyrexian Tower
    Viscera Seer (less good but cheap and might be able to be ninjutsu'd

    In terms of creatures, I'd at least play Vendilion Clique as well. I'm not a fan of just evasion creatures but I haven't tested the deck enough to know how much you need that.

  7. #7
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn View Post
    What would be a splendid trick would be to find a card that gives my opponents creatures fist strike as a drawback. Does such a card exist?
    Goblin Flotilla

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn View Post
    Also, I have found that board wipes are amazingly effective since Yuriko keeps coming back. Of course this means that yet another turn is wasted. I think the card is going to be crazy good if I can get the brew correct due to considerations of this sort where weaknesses can be turned into strengths. But she is possibly best in casual games than against a single opponent.

    Any ideas to help?
    Crab Umbra
    Eel Umbra

    They're okay-ish I guess. I think your best defense against 'answers' will be battling them on the stack.

  8. #8
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn View Post
    I started off using tutors to fetch up high casting cost cards to reveal with Yuriko. But I think that may have been a mistake. The best play may simply be to fetch up an enchantment to turn all your evasive tinies to become ninjas. As such, I have to really figure out if it makes sense to go all out to make this happen. Would you include:

    Diabolic Tutor
    Grim Tutor
    Cruel Tutor
    Lim-Dul's Vault
    Mastermind's Acquisiton
    Diabolic Intent


    That also means that cards like Mystical Tutor and Personal Tutor are not as good.
    Lim-Dul's Vault actually seems like tech in this list since you get to reorder your top 5, which potentially sets up multiple "hits" off of your general.

    As far as the tutors, I always hesitate to include the 4 mana ones. In your deck specifically, you seem to want to be using your mana to make ninjutsu happen, so they might be even slower than they usually are.

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn View Post
    In my initial testing, I had plenty of cards but I had trouble getting it all to come together to make the most of Yuriko. Clunky stuff with high costs sat in my hand. Every time she gets blocked and dies it takes an extra turn to get her back. Sacrificing her is good for this, but I do not aways have a good outlet for that. What would be a splendid trick would be to find a card that gives my opponents creatures fist strike as a drawback. Does such a card exist?
    You could run Power Matrix for that effect. It also has the random upside of making one of your dudes evasive if that's ever relevant.

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn View Post
    Also, I have found that board wipes are amazingly effective since Yuriko keeps coming back. Of course this means that yet another turn is wasted. I think the card is going to be crazy good if I can get the brew correct due to considerations of this sort where weaknesses can be turned into strengths. But she is possibly best in casual games than against a single opponent.
    Maybe you want Darksteel Plate? Stick it on one of your unblockable dorks, wrath, then ninjutsu Yuriko again? Could also get creative in the wrath department and run Inundate, which should spare the majority of your dudes.

  9. #9
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Yeah, I was looking at Power Matrix. Probably too cute. Goblin Flotilla is definitely the card I was looking for though. Red. Gah.

    The Umbras and the Darksteel Plate and stuff I think are largely unnecessary. You draw a bunch of cards and are bound to have some little dudes after the sweeper.
    "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
    "Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often and for the same reason."
    "Governing is too important to be left to people as silly as politicians."
    "Politicians were mostly people who'd had too little morals and ethics to stay lawyers."

  10. #10
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    Re: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

    Figured I'd share my list here for Yuriko, maybe you could gather some ideas from it.



    Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
    Skullsnatcher
    Mistblade Shinobi
    Walker of Secret Ways
    Ninja of the Deep Hours
    Sakashima's Student
    Higure, the Still Wind
    Okiba-Gang Shinobi
    Throat Slitter
    Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
    Silent-Blade Oni
    Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
    Sygg, River Cutthroat
    Flitterstep Eidolon
    Inkfathom Infiltrator
    Invisible Stalker
    Nether Traitor
    Deathcult Rogue
    Marang River Prowler
    Graceful Adept
    Dimir Cutpurse
    Typhoid Rats
    Stealer of Secrets
    Shadow Alley Denizen
    Cutthroat il-Dal
    Pharika's Chosen
    Vela the Night-Clad
    Guul Draz Vampire
    Keeper of Keys
    Deepchannel Mentor
    Mist-Cloaked Herald
    Slither Blade
    Tormented Soul
    Triton Shorestalker
    Archetype of Imagination
    Neurok Invisimancer
    Deepfathom Skulker
    Ruthless Ripper
    Inkfathom Witch
    Sun Quan, Lord of Wu
    Baleful Strix
    Cephalid Constable

    Shuriken
    Arcane Adaptation
    Dimir Keyrune
    Xenograft
    Cloak and Dagger
    Dauthi Embrace
    Bloodforged Battle-Axe
    Bident of Thassa
    Dire Undercurrents
    Throne of the God-Pharaoh
    Coastal Piracy
    Larceny
    Sai of the Shinobi
    Hero's Blade
    Stormrider Rig
    Ronin Warclub
    Thought Vessel
    Neurok Stealthsuit
    Telepathy
    Seer's Vision
    Unnatural Selection
    Conspiracy
    Key to the City
    Cover of Darkness

    Reliquary Tower
    Rogue's Passage
    Shizo, Death's Storehouse
    Creeping Tar Pit
    Choked Estuary
    Drowned Catacomb
    Dimir Guildgate
    Watery Grave
    Sunken Hollow
    Temple of Deceit
    12 Swamp
    12 Island


    I realize the manabase could use some work, and it is a mostly budget build with a lot of creatures. But it should be fun for my local meta.

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