Erayo Thresh

[Tao]

// Mana
2 [P2] Island (3)
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
4 [B] Tropical Island
4 [ON] Windswept Heath
1 [IA] Forest
2 [MR] Chrome Mox

// Creatures
4 [SOK] Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
4 [OD] Nimble Mongoose
3[LOR] Sower of Temptation

// Cantrips
4 [LRW] Ponder
4 [5E] Brainstorm
4 [CS] Mishra's Bauble
4 [5E] Urza's Bauble
4 [GP] Repeal

// Counters
4 [NE] Daze
4 [AL] Force of Will

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 4 [B] Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 4 [BOK] Threads of Disloyalty
SB: 4 [TSB] Tormod's Crypt


Basically an UG/Threshold variant with Erayo and lots of Baubles. I'll explain the deck concept by card choices:


Card choices:

8 Baubles: The Baubles are pretty synergetic in this. They help for really fast Threshold and of course to flip Erayo. If you have Erayo and opponent no removal or you counter the removal then it is 90% sure that you can flip him on turn 3, sometimes on turn 2 and once in a while on turn 1.

2 Chrome Moxes: Only 2 because multiples without Erayo suck incredibly. But from time to time they are insane. 2 felt good so far, maybe 3 is possible, but not 4.

4 Repeal: it is a solid Board Control spell which helps to increase Erayo count with Baubles. One Bauble and one Repeal are three spells for one Mana. It is also nice to flip an Erayo and then Bounce whatever your opponent has played.

4 Daze: Daze is a staple in Threshold anyway and with a flipped Erayo it can really annoy the opponent.

4 Goyf, 4 Geese, 2 Werebear: Goyf is usually 5/6 in this and with Erayo in yard even 6/7. Geese and Bear are your other beatsticks.

Landcount 14: It is enough, maybe you can even go a bit down because of all the cantrips, but then I would fear to have to mulligan too much because of no mana in hand.

Predict: cut

3 Sower of Temptation: Creature control. Don't know if this is better or Control Magic.

4 FoW, 4 Ponder, 4 Brainstorm: Can't say anything new to them.

[kicks_422]

Is a flipped Erayo really that much better than a Counterbalance-Top lock?

[Tao]

Good point. Don't know.

[rockout]

Your land counter looks low. Thresh usually plays 17-18 lands. Your running 14 mana sources and the disadvantage of chrome mox x 2.

I always like Arayo in affinity.

[georgjorge]

I like the look of that deck! With eight Baubles, I don't think the land count is low. Looks like as long as you have a land in your opening hand, there's a good chance the second one will follow.

I know that this is usually bad for a deck with counterspells, but I keep thinking about Land Grant. Makes flipping Erayo easier and faster, shuffles after your cantrips. You can probably go as low as eleven or twelve lands with it...

As to CBalance + Top...I think that in general Erayo is less powerful, but then there are no matchups where it doesn't do anything. CBalance + Top beats some decks on its own, but is underwhelming against Stax, Stompy variants, Landstill, Rock etc, where Erayo will still be good. Also, I don't know if the odds are better on drawing CBalance + Top, or Erayo plus a combination of three cards you can play in one turn...

Finally, I'd cut the two Bears. Playing Thresh, I've never had problems drawing enough creatures with only Goose and Goyf. And you need more cards in the main to deal with Chalice/CBalance (Snare or Grip), like normal Thresh the deck dies to them (Repeal is good, but with Daze it looks like it won't resolve so often).

[Tao]

Hmm I don't know if this deck is going somewhere. It can do really cool things but it needs some more creature control. I think about Vedalken Shackles. Or maybe Sower of Temptation.




I know that this is usually bad for a deck with counterspells, but I keep thinking about Land Grant. Makes flipping Erayo easier and faster, shuffles after your cantrips. You can probably go as low as eleven or twelve lands with it...

Sounds interesting...but on the other hand it is really a big disadvantage to show a Daze.




Finally, I'd cut the two Bears. Playing Thresh, I've never had problems drawing enough creatures with only Goose and Goyf. And you need more cards in the main to deal with Chalice/CBalance (Snare or Grip), like normal Thresh the deck dies to them (Repeal is good, but with Daze it looks like it won't resolve so often).

I think I'll try some Sowers in the Werebear slot. Resolved creatures were a huge problemn in testing. I think I don't need any additonal stuff in maindeck against countertop. I already have 4 Repeal MD and 3 Grip in SB. It is bad that Repeal just dont work against Chalice 1 but most Thresh decks cant solve that problem.

[Captain Hammer]

Manamorphose seems like a natural fit in this deck. It cantrips, gives you back the mana, and helps flip Erayo. Effectively, you would be playing 48 cards.

[mackaber]

Have you considered Ethersworn Canonist for the complete lock?

[XSivPSI]

Have you considered Ethersworn Canonist for the complete lock?

Or
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGUSG/arcane_laboratory.jpg
since its on color and generally harder to kill and pitches to FoW

[Dark_Cynic87]

Or
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGUSG/arcane_laboratory.jpg
since its on color and generally harder to kill and pitches to FoW

But it never swings for damage. I suppose it would be a personal preference, but this is a control list, which allows you to stop their removal. The only problem for Cannonist is that it's both a creature and an artifact, which makes it doubly removable from both creature removal and other removal.

Cannonist costs 1 less though...

Pce,

--DC

[XSivPSI]

But it never swings for damage. I suppose it would be a personal preference, but this is a control list, which allows you to stop their removal. The only problem for Cannonist is that it's both a creature and an artifact, which makes it doubly removable from both creature removal and other removal.

Cannonist costs 1 less though...

Pce,

--DC

And you have to add a color.

[Mordenkaynen]

Well, there also is crop rotation that can fetch a tool (manland, whatever) and "cycle" a land, increasing your "storm" count and filling the graveyard. If you would use it, white is relevant since nantuko monastery is quite good finisher if it appears at turn 3.