[Deck Suggestions] for a non-legacy, all is legal deck

[Team-Hero]

Hello Community.

My little cousin of 12 years old wants to enter a Magic the Gathering (non-sanctioned) tournament. This tournament is sponsered by our local Chula Vista library. Only 15 year old and younger are allowed to enter the tournament. The description of the tournament only states that it is a Magic the Gathering tournament and the date of the tournament; no other information is given. It never states what type of format it is, much less if it's a 40 card or 60 card deck, un-sets are legal, or more than one copy of restricted cards are allowed.

I went to the library and asked for more details. The only information they gave me was that the 'judges' were going to be a couple of high-school kids that donated their time as community service to judge the event. Prizes are provided by the library but they never stated what the prizes were. There is no tournament fee except for your library card not having any dues.

Keep in mind that she is not that good in Magic but she is motivated to learn more nifty tricks of the game. What I mean by tricks is the little stuff: instant spells during combat, mini combos, etc. She was really excited to learn that her library was hosting this tournament and she signed up right away. I don't really have the heart in telling her "you don't really know how to play that well" so instead I have decided to teach her as much as I can these next few days.

What I took from the description for this tournament was "all is fare game". With all this information in mind, I turn to the community for help. Any ideas for cards or an entire deck that my little cousin should run?

Take in consideration:

The very random meta

The experience that my cousin has in playing Magic (please no complicated combos or combo decks)

No limit to vintage cards or the restriction in the copies (ie: 4 Demonic Tutors are legal)

Un-sets are legal (please, try to keep them to low humiliation... although I would like to see someone get my little cousin a Soda: Ashnod's Coupon)

I don't really have access to any cards that are super expensive like Time Walk, Ancestral Recall, Moxes, or Black Lotus. I can still get me some cheap stuff like Soul Rings and Demonic Tutors though.

Thanks for your time.

[thefreakaccident]

Just have her play goblins, it is subtle, powerful, and helps teach its' user the concepts of the game... definitely a good beginner's deck....

She could also play suicide, which is also quite straight forward...

The access to any card in existance makes me want to have her run a deck with 4 black lotus, 4 mise, 4 ancestral recall, and play a control deck :) ...

How broken is that?

[Braves]

Hello Community.

My little cousin of 12 years old wants to enter a Magic the Gathering (non-sanctioned) tournament. This tournament is sponsered by our local Chula Vista library. Only 15 year old and younger are allowed to enter the tournament. The description of the tournament only states that it is a Magic the Gathering tournament and the date of the tournament; no other information is given. It never states what type of format it is, much less if it's a 40 card or 60 card deck, un-sets are legal, or more than one copy of restricted cards are allowed.

I went to the library and asked for more details. The only information they gave me was that the 'judges' were going to be a couple of high-school kids that donated their time as community service to judge the event. Prizes are provided by the library but they never stated what the prizes were. There is no tournament fee except for your library card not having any dues.

Keep in mind that she is not that good in Magic but she is motivated to learn more nifty tricks of the game. What I mean by tricks is the little stuff: instant spells during combat, mini combos, etc. She was really excited to learn that her library was hosting this tournament and she signed up right away. I don't really have the heart in telling her "you don't really know how to play that well" so instead I have decided to teach her as much as I can these next few days.

What I took from the description for this tournament was "all is fare game". With all this information in mind, I turn to the community for help. Any ideas for cards or an entire deck that my little cousin should run?

Take in consideration:

The very random meta

The experience that my cousin has in playing Magic (please no complicated combos or combo decks)

No limit to vintage cards or the restriction in the copies (ie: 4 Demonic Tutors are legal)

Un-sets are legal (please, try to keep them to low humiliation... although I would like to see someone get my little cousin a Soda: Ashnod's Coupon)

I don't really have access to any cards that are super expensive like Time Walk, Ancestral Recall, Moxes, or Black Lotus. I can still get me some cheap stuff like Soul Rings and Demonic Tutors though.

Thanks for your time.

Something simple if there is no restricted or what not. I would say play Academy/tinker Free/cheap artifacts tinker darksteel. Should be fast and easy enough for a 12-15 y/o I played academy when I was 10 so I have faith.

[emidln]

Aren't there cards that tap for infinite mana or something in unhinged? That + Fireball seems to be a good plan.

[THEchubbymuffin]

Just a rough sketch, I'm not really good at deck building. But this is what I would run.
Slow the game down with Shield sphere, Propoganda, and Arcane Laboratory.
Win through Thalakos or any other shadow. or just darksteel beats.

Its simple streamline game plan, no counters or card picks.

It should combo out turn 2-3.

4x Seat of synod
4x Tinker
2x Darksteel Collosus
2x Oona, Queen of the Fae
1x Platinum Angel
3x Thalakos scout
4x Thirst for knowledge
4x Arcane Laboratory
4x Propaganda
4x Shield Sphere
4x Mystical Tutor
4x Drift of Phantasms
4x Ornithopter
3x Boseiju, Who shelters All
4x Ancient Tomb
4x City of Traitors
5x Island

[Eldariel]

Something without too many "questionable" rulings; with non-DCI judges, there's no telling what way the rulings would go. Goblins would indeed be good and overall something that doesn't suffer of tapping out of its own turn; normally newer players cannot really use instants to their full effects so I strongly suggest a straightforward strategy without reliance on instants.

Gobs can get a lot of mileage out of skill, but they can be solid even when the pilot is a bit careless. A combo-deck would obviously be better, but unfortunately would probably require a bit too much judgment to win with.

[adrieng]

I would suggest an hermit druide deck with worldly tutor...
It kills turn 3 at most and not that hard you reveal all your library just like breakfast; and it is not expensive at all like card.

[nitewolf9]

Channel + kaervek's torch? Or she could play squirrel craft. Or dumb aggro with 4 black vise. How about vise sligh/ponza?

[freakish777]

Or dumb aggro with 4 black vise. How about vise sligh/ponza?

100% agree on Vise Sligh.



4 Black Vise
4 Fireblast
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lava Spike
4 Chain Lightning
4 Incinerate
2 Price of Progress

4 Tarmogoyf (can replace with another 2 drop, probably Keldon Marauders, if you're uncomfortable loaning out expensive cards)
4 Kird Ape (these can turn into Spark Elementals if you don't want to loan out Taigas)
4 Mogg Fanatic

2 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Taiga
1 Forest
9 Mountain
2 Barbarian Ring (this up to 3 if not loaning Taigas, and down the Forest)



It's straightforward (this is the big selling point, especially for a 12 year old kid), and kills on turn 3~4. She'll feel great smashing with Kird Ape, Fanatic and Goyf, and will feel smart realizing "Oh, I have 2 Mountains in play, an Incinerate and a Fireblast in hand, and you're on 7.... I can win this turn!"


@emidlin, Mox Lotus costs 15 mana... You'd have to Tinker it into play, if you're going to play Tinker, why aren't you Tinkering for Memory Jar in a "every card is legal as a 4 of" tournament (or if you already have 15 mana, why do you need Mox Lotus, shouldn't you have already won)?


EDIT: If you do decide to give her something truly broken (and she's actually able to play it), keep in mind Demonic Consultation is better than Tutor in a format like this (99.99348675640468953538862353452% of the time, I may have down the math wrong, but you're so horribly unlikely to deck yourself with Consultation with 50 cards in your deck, when you Consult for a 1 of).

Something like:

4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Chrome Mox
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Demonic Consultation
4 Demonic Tutor
4 Yawg Will
4 Tendrils
4 Duress
20 Swamps

Even should absolutely crush (turn 1, Swamp, Petal, Rit, Cabal Rit, DC for Yawg Win, play it, Petal, Rit, Rit, DC for Tendrils, play it) on turns 1 or 2.

[conboy31]

I had a similar deck like that I used against my co-workers unglued pride and joy.

Basically -4 swamps, +4 mana crypt if they have 'em. Obviously it can be refined further.

[Sims]

Hi. My name is Affinity. In this format, I can play cards like 4x Black Vise and 4x Sol Ring to fuel broken starts and early artifact fat like Triskelion and RazorCore and don't even need to play Arcbound Ravagers if you don't own them.


P.S.- I heard that Darksteel Citadel -> Ornithopter -> Sol Ring -> Cranial Plating -> Frogmite on turn one is nasty.... Is this true?

[Mijorre]

I demand a crazy deck that wins on false curing a swords to plowshare on the donated darksteel colossus :3.

Or yes, red or black splash affinity. Gotta have good turn 1 mana for multi-vise.

[Sims]

I demand a crazy deck that wins on false curing a swords to plowshare on the donated darksteel colossus :3.

Or yes, red or black splash affinity. Gotta have good turn 1 mana for multi-vise.


I have played Affinity at these style of tournaments, and let me tell you, Opponents don't really like seing turn 1 Citadel -> Ring -> Vise x2.

[Team-Hero]

Ok, so far it's between:

Affinity
Goblins
Vice-Sligh

[Jujuhawk]

Affinity. The first time I played competitive magic I played in a FNM with a very competitive meta and went 6-0-1 going undefeated in swiss and drawing in tops. That was about 4 years ago so I would've been 10.

I'm pretty sure a retard could pilot affinity so I have faith in a 12 year old.

[THEchubbymuffin]

Ok, so far it's between:

Affinity
Goblins
Vice-Sligh

If its those picks, affinity with broken artifacts no doubt.

[Citrus-God]

Ok, so far it's between:

Affinity
Goblins
Vice-Sligh

Or you could make her play Tinker so she can learn some fundamental concepts of Magic on her own and still beat the ever loving shit out of little kiddies.

[thefreakaccident]

Board control could also be a suggestion, there is nothing easier then tapping down some lands and playing a WoG, it also makes you feel godly (pun intended)....

Although that may be a bit much for a beginner...

I would play affinity, although there will be lots of counting (well, there will be counting).

[Sims]

The benefit to playing Affinity with broken cards is that ravager isn't exactly Necessary if you don't have them or feel Modular will confuse her, but something about having Vise, Ring, and... oh I dunno... Clamp, makes me think its a pretty solid choice since I'm not thinking many 15 and younger in a non sanctioned, anything goes tournament are going to be playing Long.dec or Twiddle Desire from extended a few years ago.

[MattH]

2-, 1-, or even 0-land Belcher. It's the simplest deck ever:

Step 1. Mulligan to a Belcher. Possibly use Serum Powder, which is a complicated effect but once she learns it, that's all she needs to know. Demonic Tutor may see play, but I'd think twice before running Consult.
Step 2. Win.

4x Sol Ring 4x Mana Vault omgomgomg

EDIT: omg 4 Channel!

EDIT #2: wait are ante cards legal? Contract from Below omg omg

[Lego]

Assuming you don't have any crazy money cards and can't build RidiculousStorm.dec, 1 Land Belcher is always a good choice in T0. In powered T0, Fish is a really good choice, but what you've descried does NOT sound like that.

If you do expect a lot of power, a well-metaed Fish deck will clean up, as will a solidly built GAT.

Barring that, go for Vice-Affinity. You can't go wrong there. But definitely play Ravager for the Clamp action :)

[Team-Hero]

What is GAT?

Affinity with Vice is looking pretty good right now. I think I have most of the Affinity deck, a couple of Sol Rings, a Demonic Tutor, playset of Skullclamps, a DS Colossus.

Are Y. Bargian playable?

I have a Goblin Recruiter for Goblins.

[MattH]

Goblin Recruiter stacks are way too complex for his audience. Same with Flash or I would have said that - finding and casting Flash is easy, but the actual kill interactions are way over her head. Even the Disciple kill.